Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m an author of sweet contemporary and paranormal romances. My debut novel, Matter of Choice, was released January 21, and I’m planning on releasing four more novels by the end of the year (sometimes – more often than not – I think I might be just a little crazy). The next two, The Right One (sweet romance) and Veil of Secrecy (first book in a trilogy and paranormal/sci-fi/romance mashup) are tentatively scheduled for a June release.

When I’m not writing, I’m a wife and mom of two. I love to travel, especially to Walt Disney World, and was a travel agent in an earlier life before my oldest was born. I’m also a movie and book buff, love to scrapbook, although I don’t have time very often, adore tigers – the animals, not the baseball team, and drink a gallon of oj every week, sometimes even more.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My debut novel is Matter of Choice. It’s a sweet contemporary romance about Shannon Winters, a woman who must ultimately choose between her beliefs and her heart.

Like most of my stories, it was bits of a dream that I connected the dots to and made a story out of.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Unusual, probably not. But I have to write with music on, and edit with the television playing in the background. Not vice versa, it doesn’t work. I also only write at night, but that’s because I can’t write when the kiddos are up and about.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
When I was younger, Stephen King and VC Andrews influenced how I wrote. Now that I’m a little older, it’s more Danielle Steel and Nora Roberts. I think it really depends on what I’m writing. I’ve been told my paranormal has shadows of King’s style, while my romances tend more to Roberts’ or Steel’s. Either way, I don’t know that I can measure up to these masters, but the comparisons are flattering – and humbling.

What are you working on now?
A sweet romance called The Right One. It’s the story of two friends realizing they really love one another.

I also have my paranormal/sci-fi/romance at my editor’s. Veil of Secrecy is book one of the Shadows Trilogy.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m on Facebook more than anywhere else, and love connecting to other authors and readers there. I’m also on Twitter, and do have a website, but FB seems to be the best for me.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Do NOT give up. Keep pushing, and keep writing. If you have a passion for the craft, there’s nothing else you can do.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Honestly, it was not to give up. It’s hard being an author, and aspiring is the hardest. You see people doing well in what you love to do, while dealing with all the rejections. It is really hard to keep plowing through and not doubt your own ability. I still do, almost daily.

What are you reading now?
Nora Roberts The Next Always. Almost done with it though, so I’ll be going back to my pile of TBR’s very soon.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m going to keep pushing forward. My main genre is sweet romances, and so there are a lot of those in my story idea file. But I also have some paranormal and thrillers, and I like to play around, branch out a little. We’ll see how successful those “oddball” ideas are.

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?
Stephen King’s 11/22/63 I LOVE this book

Danielle Steel’s Journey – My second favorite

Sandra Kitt’s Color of Love

Nora Robert’s Black Hills

Author Websites and Profiles
RM Alexander Website
RM Alexander Amazon Profile

RM Alexander’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

RM Alexander is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My debut novel, What Hides Within, a mystery/horror blend, was published by Double Dragon Publishing last year. It is an EPIC finalist in “horror,” was named runner-up in the “Best Horror” category in eFestival’s Independent eBook competition and has been named to several “Best of 2013” lists for horror. I have several short stories in the works, due to be published this year and next. I am also finalizing three novels and hope to have them completed in the near future.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I’ve always been fascinated by spiders, but like most people, I don’t want them crawling all over me, much less living in my ear. I read a news story about a kid who went to his doctor for an earache only to find a spider had made a home inside his ear canal. Apparently, it happens, and it’s gross, but there’s nothing inherently evil about it. But I started thinking–what if that spider had a more sinister agenda than trying to solve its housing dilemma? My imagination took off from there, and several years later, What Hides Within is published.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I do all my first drafts with pen and paper. My first drafts tend to be overly detailed outlines, and when I type them up, they change greatly. So I feel if I go right to a computer, I would be skipping a crucial step in my process.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
While I’d like to think everything I write is 100% unique right down to the last word, parts of What Hides Within have been compared to just about everyone from King to Kubrick (okay, so “Ki” to “Ku” isn’t that broad of a range). While these comparisons are awesome and, admittedly, undeserved, they probably go more toward the content of What Hides Within than its style.

What are you working on now?
I have quite a few short stories due out in anthologies next year. Beyond that, I have three novels at various stages of development, one science fiction thriller and two horror/thrillers. It’s too early to tell which one will be released next. And if my readers want it, perhaps my favorite spider will return.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Getting reviews, I suppose. I don’t come from a marketing background and am still learning the ropes.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I’m still learning the business myself, but I would advise them to seek out other aspiring authors to form read and review groups and get all the constructive criticism they can. If one’s goal is to be a bestseller, he/she will likely need the right agent and a Big 6 publisher. If one’s goals are more modest, there are plenty of small presses, often genre specific, that are interested in seeing work from new authors.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t quit.

What are you reading now?
The Waste Lands by Stephen King. I am a little behind on the Dark Tower series. Just a little…

What’s next for you as a writer?
Who knows? I am taking it one day at a time, though I hope to still be writing well into the future.

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, The Road, The Complete Works of Edgar Allen Poe, and Green Eggs and Ham to keep me from killing myself after reading the first three books.

Author Websites and Profiles
Jason Parent Website
Jason Parent Amazon Profile

Jason Parent’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Jason Parent is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Ju Ephraime began writing professionally at age 19; at that time, she wrote short stories for the local radio station in her home town. She gave up writing to pursue her education and has since earned several degrees, including two Masters and a Doctorate in Higher Education Administration from Northeastern University in Boston. During the course of her schooling, she wrote and published a working curriculum for a career school, a business manual and its answer key, as well as other literary work. In 2010 she revisited her first love, writing for fun and enjoyment. She writes high heat, steamy, romance novels. The first was, State of Ecstasy in the LaCasse series, which was soon followed by, Temptation to Sin, Loving Therèse, #2 in the LaCasse series. Ju has gone on to write several more books, including, The Odor of Violet, on tour this month, Complete Surrender, #3 in the LaCasse series; as well as, a Christmas Novella, Footsteps in the Sand and her award winning paranormal, White Magic Woman, Quarterfinalist in Amazon Breakthrough Novel Contest, 2013, out of over 10,000 entrants.

Ju lives in Connecticut, where she is very active in her community. She is the administrator of a business school and the president of a non-profit organization that dresses individuals for job interviews.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Complete Surrender. It was inspired by an incident I witnessed at work. When too people ended up with each other’s coat.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Yes, I formulate almost the entire thing in my mind before I begin to type.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Lisa Kleypas, Christine Feehan and Elizabeth Lowell, to name a few.

What are you working on now?
My fourth installment in my LaCasse series.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Advertising on blogs and Facebook

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write good books, hired a professional editor and develop a thick skin.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Not everyone will like your books.

What are you reading now?
Solange St. Brice’s, Only You for Me

What’s next for you as a writer?
Writing a mystery 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?
Again the Magic

Temptation to Sin

State of Ecstasy

Only You For Me

Author Websites and Profiles
Ju Ephraime Website
Ju Ephraime Author Profile on Smashwords

Ju Ephraime’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Ju Ephraime is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Well, I’ve written at least nine full-length novels plus novella bits and pieces. The real question should be: how many novels have you completed. You know the editing and revising process. That’s basic one. “There Be Demons”which will be coming out this summer [2014] from The Grumpy Dragon.

I started out as a young writer, got side-tracked by life, and was pulled back into writing when I worked at a weekly paper when I started writing short features, which I then sold multiple times to print magazines. But the publishing world has changed and those markets no longer exist.

Now I write fantasy since it amuses me. I concentrate on two basic worlds at the moment: the Far Isles Half-Eleven who are more grumpy than noble and Andor where the demons roam.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
“There Be Demons”, my coming book–since most of what I’ve published have been novellas and short stories to build my “author platform”. The book was inspired by a short story I wrote — “Night for the Gargoyles”, which was published by the British ezine, Spectra Magazine in 2010. Only I was intrigued by Britt Kelly who was a secondary character in the story. [ Night for the Gargoyles is available free on Smashwords in a variety of ereader formats https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/365506 ]

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m a seat-of-the-pants writer who’s trying to convert to an outline–or maybe summary–writer. My worse habit is to start playing Mahjong when I get stuck.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Too many to count. In fact, I think every book I read influences me–either by doing something extremely well or by showing me what not to do. I named my blog Lessons from my reading based on that observation.

Some authors who influenced me early were A. Merrit and Andre Norton. Others Catherine [C. L.] Moore, Leigh Brackett, Marion Zimmer Bradley, Anne McCaffrey, Nora Lofts, Lee Child, Jane Haddam, and Sharyn McCrumb…just to name a few.

What are you working on now?
I’m cleaning up and reorganizing my files and folders while I wait for “There Be Demons” to come out. Basically, I’m rewriting some short stories to fit into the world of Andor plus I have a couple of novellas to complete in my Far Isles Half-Elven world.

When that’s done, I’ll start on the second book of a Britt trilogy. It’s basically a bunch of disjointed ideas in rough chapter sequence. All telling.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
None. I don’t seem to have much luck with marketing if marketing is supposed to equate with sales.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t give up, even if the novel you’re working now is crap. The fourth idea you turn into a novel might be the one where your imagination and your grasp of the writing craft coalesce.

The converse of that advice: write, write, and write some more, and never throw away an idea or partial. You never know when it might come in handy in the future.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The above.

What are you reading now?
Veronica Roth’s Divergent

What’s next for you as a writer?
Writing “Lost at the Crossings”, the second Britt Kelly book. After I finish the sequel to “Troublesome Neighbors”, “Black Tail’s War”.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
A thesaurus and a dictionary, plus a case of notebooks with pencils and erasers.

Author Websites and Profiles
M. K. Theodoratus Website
M. K. Theodoratus Amazon Profile
M. K. Theodoratus Author Profile on Smashwords

M. K. Theodoratus’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

M. K. Theodoratus is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a father of four, an avid reader of anything I can get my hands on and a lover of music. I have been appreciating art in general for a very long time. Music and literature are an integral part of who I am. If I could write and play guitar and sing all at the same time I think I would be in heaven. In regard to what I have written: one completed and published work (angel paranormal romance, From Heaven to Earth) and two novels that are nearing final editing stages. (From Earth to Hell, From Heaven to Earth’s sequel and Rebirth, the introductory novel for a YA series called, Lailia.)

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
From Heaven to Earth and its series, The Faith of the Fallen, was inspired by my religious upbringing, world religions, various mythologies and theogonies, anime, a lot of Tool and Mars Volta and my imagination which synthesized it all together.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I tend to have music on when I’m writing. Sometimes I get so into a groove with a song that I will be dancing with my eyes closed and typing rapidly. Those are the times when I know what I’m writing is working and coming together. Everything feels like it is coalescing into something palpable and beautiful to behold.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman were the first fantasy authors I really got into. I had read The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings by the end of third grade, but I never really appreciated the epic scope of that story until I re-read the series later. I would say fantasy in general has influenced me in ways that make me see things differently, like there could always be an adventure around the corner. This doesn’t mean necessarily that it will be a completely joyous thing. It could be a terrible conflict, an accident, or someone who just doesn’t want you to succeed but its all in the way you look at it. Everything offers you a chance to grow and learn something. Even the things that change you for the worst can be used in a positive, conducive way. I’m not sure if its a cliché or an axiom at this point, but I do think everything does occur for some kind of reason. It is up to us to discern that. Cormac McCarthy has influenced the way I write quite a bit. His minimalist style is very inspiring. I envy his ability to be precise and meticulous, using only exactly what he needs to get a concept or description expressed, yet the feeling of empathy and the visceral potency is not sacrificed. Recently Neil Gaiman has really inspired me, not only because of his versatile set of works in cinema and prose, but because of how he began his career and grew from it. Indie authors have been inspiring me as well since I became a part of the community last year: Henry Martin and his Mad Days of Me series is excellent literary work, Sam Astbury’s Cloud Storage has fantastic stream of consciousness first person prose, Mark Laporta’s Heart of Earth is the first indie sci-fi I have read and I was most impressed with it, and MC Webb’s Fade to Black was a well written harrowing thriller. I have found that great Indie writers have a lot of heart and passion which I can identify with readily.

What are you working on now?
Currently I am trying to polish the introductory novel of my YA paranormal romance series, Lailia. It tells the story of fourteen year old Zarah Cloud, the descendant of a ancient native American people that settled in Illinois and mysteriously disappeared in 1300 AD. She finds her heritage more of a curse than a blessing when an ancient evil awakes and harasses her to the point of insanity. Feeding off her fear makes it stronger still, and she must somehow find a way to drive it back to slumber before it gains enough power to fulfill its wish: to terrorize humankind and become a god of malice through their fear. It is a novel that explores aspects of the ancient Cahokian culture and is inspired by a blend of shamanism, Native American culture and early civilization mythology.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Right now I am trying to balance my PR aspect with everything else that is going on, but goodreads has been my cornerstone. There are numerous groups that allow you to post your work and offer it up for reviews, interviews and other promotional opportunities. I would highly recommend it for any new indie author or poet who is trying to better their work or find an audience.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t let anyone say you can’t do it. Keep going. Sometimes it takes a very long while before your work is in publishing shape, and no one is going to do that work except for you. Even if you write/edit a page a day, by the end of the year you will have a finished draft. Whether it is your first draft or one of your final edits; the feeling of accomplishment as your printer prints off your novel is almost indescribable. When you get there savor it, and resist the urge to further the editing process for a few days. Take your time and enjoy the writing process.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
That the most important thing to do is believe in what you’re writing and then make other people feel that belief through your writing.

What are you reading now?
I am reading Kojiki by Keith Yatsuhashi and American Gods and The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I am continuing PR work for From Heaven to Earth and trying to get Rebirth ready for its debut. I am working on a review blog to try to give Indie authors that need exposure a chance to get some reviews and criticism for their work. A little criticism, whether negative or positive, goes a very long way in helping writers polish their work.

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 Road by Cormac McCarthy

An island survival guide : P

Dragonlance: Legends (a little piece of nostalgia to comfort me)

Lord of the Rings in one volume or The Hobbit (because it will remind me of my family)

Author Websites and Profiles
Sherrod Wall Website
Sherrod Wall Amazon Profile

Sherrod Wall is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I wrote my first book when I was 17. I enjoyed it so much that I wrote another book about a year later. Over the following years, I wrote three more books and started two. But, through it all, I hadn’t quite found my voice as an author. It wasn’t until my latest book, “The Man of Nightstone” that I felt like I actually got it right. I finally feel like I know what I’m doing when writing a book.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
“The Man of Nightstone” was mostly inspired by my love of martial arts. Studying kung-fu has sent me on several journeys and adventures and taught me a great deal about fighting, people, life, and myself. I’ve used this book to combine my love my kung-fu with my love of writing into a story and a cast of characters that I had a lot of fun writing.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
When I wrote my first book, years ago, I was confined to the desktop computer in my home. Now, with a laptop, I feel like I can write anywhere. I’ve written in various public places. So an unusual habit would be that I’m always looking for another change of scenery. Also, I’m always listening to music while I write. I’ve had that habit for as long as I’ve been writing.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Jim Butcher’s “Dresden Files” have had the greatest influence on my writing. In second place would the epic novel “Musashi” by Eiji Yoshikawa. But almost everything I read has some influence or effect on me. So I must also include Patrick Rothfuss, William Gibson, Albert Camus, Bill Watterson, George Carlin, and last but not least Kahlil Gibran.

What are you working on now?
A series of short stories about a character named Doctor Madangel. He lives in the world of “The Man of Nightstone” but does not appear in the book. And I am also working on the next book in the Nightstone Saga, which I’m planning on being an eight book series.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Right now, I’m trying everything that I can try. I still feel kind of new to this game, so I can’t say for sure which is the best.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Keep working on your craft. Keep studying your craft. Don’t be afraid to have your work nit-picked for every single little thing that might be wrong with it. Keep asking yourself “How is my work different?” and “How am I going to stand out?” That’s my way of saying, “keep writing.”

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“When in doubt, err on the side of doing something.” A great bit of advice from my Sifu.

What are you reading now?
Some of the original Conan short stories by Robert E. Howard.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I plan on writing for as long as I’m alive. So what’s next for me is always the same: more writing. If I love the characters I’m writing, I’m going to keep writing them. But my mind is always open for some new ones to come along and surprise me.

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?
Well, I’d probably pass the time doing lots of kung-fu. So, I’d want some of my favorite books on the subject of martial arts. “Ving Tsun Kuen Kuit” by Moy Yat & C.N. Kwong, “The Art of War” by Sun-Tzu, and “The Book of Five Rings” by Miyamoto Musashi.

Author Websites and Profiles
Devon Drake Website
Devon Drake Author Profile on Smashwords

Devon Drake’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Devon Drake is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve written 12 romance novelettes and novellas. I’ve lived in Wyoming, USA and love indulging in gourmet chocolate.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Cowboy’s Runaway Bride (BBW Romance – Billionaire Brothers 1)

I enjoyed writing about cowboys in my Coldwater Springs series and wanted to write about more!

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
No. Does that make me boring?

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Jayne Ann Krentz. I adore her books. I discovered some of her early books at my local library and scoured second hand bookshops and markets until I had all her category romances apart from a few elusive McFaddens.

I also enjoy reading Victoria Laurie, JS Scott, Storm Chase and Lucinda Elliott.

What are you working on now?
The Tycoon’s Reluctant Bride (BBW Romance – Billionaire Brothers 2)

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I haven’t done much promotion yet, but I enjoy doing a release day blitz with The Book Enthusiast or My Family’s Heart Reviews.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write what you want to write. Don’t give up!

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

What are you reading now?
Fantasy Heights Season One by Meg Silver

What’s next for you as a writer?
The sequel to my first BBW book, BBW Needs Hot Sex will be out in early April. Then The Tycoon’s Reluctant Bride (BBW Romance – Billionaire Brothers 2) will be out early May.

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 latest Jayne Ann Krentz, Victoria Laurie and JS Scott’s vampire boxed set.

Author Websites and Profiles
Jenn Roseton Website
Jenn Roseton Amazon Profile

Jenn Roseton’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

Jenn Roseton is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m actually not very interesting at all. That’s why I tell stories, because my life is so utterly boring otherwise. I’ve published six novels and five novellas since August last year.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The latest book is FIND ME. It’s book two in the Truthful Lies Trilogy. The inspiration came from various places: A colorful past; a growing interest for Brooklyn; a love of music; reading RULE by Jay Crownover (a totally freaking AMAZING book!); and so on and so on and so on…

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
If I do, I don’t know what they are…

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Er, every book I’ve ever read…

What are you working on now?
One serial novel (adult romance.)

A novella in the Hot Holidays series.

And book three of Truthful Lies.

Not all at the same time of course.

Do you have any advice for new authors?

Write write write.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Write write write.

What are you reading now?
One paperback for the bath (RomCom), one ebook for when sitting in the sun (YA), one audiobook for when I’m cooking (Fantasy).

What’s next for you as a writer?

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 Nora Roberts. Pride and Prejudice aaaaaaand…. I’d have to think a little longer about the last one.

Author Websites and Profiles
Rachel Dunning Website
Rachel Dunning Amazon Profile
Rachel Dunning Author Profile on Smashwords

Rachel Dunning’s Social Media Links
Twitter Account

Rachel Dunning is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I was born in New Haven, CT and raised in a small suburb on the coast in CT. I was raised by two great parents in a Polish household with a blended American culture. After getting my undergraduate degree at Franklin Pierce University in Psychology I traveled to Texas for my first job! I ended up getting a Master’s degree is Sport Psychology instead. I met my husband and we are both huge Red Raiders (get your guns up!!). We then moved to North Carolina where we have lived for seven years. I work at a local University and in March of 2014 I successfully defended my doctoral dissertation from North Carolina State University!

I always loved writing but thought it was a hobby and then in the summer of 2014 I had this story I couldn’t get out of my head and Safe & Sound was created. It is my first novel.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My novel is titled Safe & Sound. It was inspired by several things. It first started with a morbid conversation my husband and I had when making our wills. People live so much longer than previous years and life is so unexpected, so what happens if one of us died, what does the other spouse do then? At such an early age?

Then we went on vacation in the summer of 2013 to Oak Island, North Carolina and I feel in love with the town and the setting and I knew that the story running around in my head was gonna be set there. When we got home from vacation, I couldn’t sleep one night and I finally decided to do it. I sat down and pen words on the page and it just flowed from there.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I have to listen to music when I write, it helps me focus. I know it’s been a good day if I put on my playlist and then I don’t remember any of the songs playing. I know that sounds silly but then I know I blocked out everything and focused on my writing. I also like to write in a darkly lit room, then I don’t feel like I’m missing out on the day.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I read so much as a kid. My mom couldn’t get books in my hands fast enough. That slowed down a little as I went through college and graduate school (I’m really looking forward to free reading again!). But my fondest memory is as a kid, I belonged to a monthly book club that would send you books every month. Every month I would get a new Babysitter Club book by Ann. M Martin. It was the love of reading that influenced me in wanting to be a writer.

What are you working on now?
I am working on a new story about a women and her daughter Hayden Grace who is trying to become a professional snowboarder and the unexpected encounters along the way.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I work with a great social media specialist Caitlin from Royal Social Media. She is phenomenal in helping me with outreach on social media and other mediums. We can collaborate on ideas on promoting the book or specific giveaways. It has been an invaluable relationship to me.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
YES! I have several actually…it’s sometimes scary to put yourself out there but you have to do it. There will be criticism but that is part of the job and using that criticism to grow as a writer and professional is a great experience. BUT and this is a big but, don’t let that criticism get in your head when you write. It’s a balancing act and you need to navigate it carefully.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Write something you would want to read.

What are you reading now?
At the moment I am in between books. I just finished John Green’s Looking for Alaska.

What’s next for you as a writer?
There is always the next book and the one after that. As a writer I find myself always thinking 3 or 4 books ahead.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
A Discover of Witches by Deborah Harkness
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
Wicked by Gregory Maguire
AND
some type of survival manual to help me survive

Author Websites and Profiles
TS Krupa Website
TS Krupa Amazon Profile

TS Krupa’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

TS Krupa is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a Gerber baby, being born in Fremont, Michigan, home of Gerber Baby Foods, but I live in Madison, Wisconsin now. A place described as 77 Square miles surrounded by reality.

I wanted to be the greatest motorcycle racer in the world until reality set in. After all that, I wrote a piece for a bike magazine and they paid me for it. I was in love with two vixens, writing and greed. I took greed and went into business long enough to meet my creditors and their hate mail.

911 reminded me we are mortal and why the hell am I doing this. I went back to the other vixen and wrote a book. Many times. Same book, just again and again. I learned the craft and get hate mail from my friends now.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I despised writing until I mastered patience. That took 35 years and spell-check. My mind races ahead of my keyboard and splinters into a dozen pathways as I type this. Once I learned how to stay on target, writing became magical. The pure power of creation is why I write. I don’t know what will happen next until it falls out of my mind.
And just before that happens, this wonderful feeling of pleasure fills your being and then reveals itself; each scene a new discovery. Who inspires me? The list is long and crosses over to music. Jim Croce is an early influence. His use of emotion, delivered in written form is pure genius.

What was the question? Oh yeah, and my book title is At First Light. It was born of a single incident when a jet airliner flew over me while I was going to work, and I wondered where those people were going.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write in public places such as coffee houses, or the Union on the campus of UW. I put on my iPod and I observe. The creativity flows like hot butter.
All my plots come from observing people. Many times a small scene plays out on the street between two people, and I read the subtle signs of who they are, a gesture, a gust of wind, a look; and my imagination runs and runs, playing out the entire scene in micro-seconds. Then I apply that emotion into the scene or plot that I need.

Is that unusual? Yes and creepy.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Jack London and Robert Lewis Stevenson for pure adventure writing, Jim Croce for writing emotion with the use of the written word.
Steven King and Eric Jerome Dickey for characters who blossom upon the page so bright you must send them Christmas cards. David Westheimer for pure storytelling chops that is the magic of books. I will stop here before we have to cut down another tree, but the list is long.

What are you working on now?
We vacationed in Hawaii and I was unprepared fro the beauty of the place.
So I set my next novel there.
A widowed jewelery store clerk sends her last child to college. She sells her house and moves to Hawaii to begin the life she never had. She lives her dream of collecting sea glass and designing jewelery.
That’s when things go bad.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Word of mouth, reviews and sites like Awesomegang!

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Dream it, and envision it, and wish until it hurts. The best advice is persistence, and the will to become better each day. Never stop until you love the story and are proud of it a year after you forgot all about it. Then it is ready, and you are a writer.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Balance, Grasshopper. Balance

What are you reading now?
Duma Key by Steven King. It’s really good.

Go ahead, ask me about my favirote book.

That’s a Tough call. I can argue for a half dozen but because you backed me into a corner and held a knife to my throat; Jack London’s The Sea Wolf.
The protagonist is alone in a world where every person lords over him and he pays the price with pain and frustration, beautifully displayed with London’s pen. Awash in a ship where he has no skills among hard men, he flourishes through guts and a great mind.
And the will to survive as he dominates all on his pathway of destruction with one of the great antagonists of the written word; London’s Captain Wolf Larson.

What’s next for you as a writer?
write-rinse-repeat

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?
Jack London, Ernest Hemingway and Jack Kerouac just to hear the embellished stories that poured from them; stories spiced with a beautiful mind.
Okay, that’s the writers I want to meet.
Books, that’s a hard call.

The Sea Wolf by Jack London

The Other Woman by Eric Jerone Dickey

Beautiful Joe by Margaret Marshall Saunders. A YA book long before it was a genre. The story of an abused dog who overcomes his trials and spreads his love to all in his triumph.

Song of the Young Sentry by David Westheimer

Author Websites and Profiles
Spike Pedersen Website
Spike Pedersen Amazon Profile

Spike Pedersen’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

Spike Pedersen is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a Nigerian born I.T Consultant seriously flirting with writing fulltime. The Galadima Conspiracy is my first published work.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book The Galadima Conspiracy was actually inspired by the last days of late Nigerian President Musa Yaradua who left his office and was no seen by anybody for several months until his death. During his absence, Nigeria was left without a leader and numerous rumors about what was actually going on filled the airwaves and the papers. Everything seemed so surreal and I thought it made the perfect plot for an espionage thriller.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I wouldn’t say I have any unusual writing habits. I keep a hard cover note book that I try to carry with me everywhere. I scribble gibberish that only me can understand into it and then I later put it in my computer translating it to actual English.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
One of my biggest influences has to be Sidney Sheldon. I have tried to emulate his writing style as much as possible. More recently, James Patterson and Vince Flynn have also been great inspirations. When writing, I like to take breaks and read Flynn allover again to ensure I’m keeping things close.

What are you working on now?
Strangely, I’m working on two books simultaneously (there is an interesting story there). I’m working more on Givens though which would be the second outing for Leah Givens (the lead character from The Galadima Conspiracy).

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Goodreads has been really wonderful. I only just got into it and I’ve already met so many wonderful people on it. People willing to help, read, advice and support. I do a bit of Twitter but I must admit, I don’t get it completely. Facebook not so much because with Facebook, I’m usually limited to my friends and their friends and many of them are not into books.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t sleep on promotion. Give your book to mentors and find out what they think. And when you d start selling, be sure to reply as many fanmails as possible.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
My mother’s advice to give up everything and write fulltime. I have not done that just yet, but regadless of all the advice about writing and promoting and selling. I wouldn’t be writing if it wasn’t for my mother.

What are you reading now?
Right now, I’m reading The XI Hour by C.M Okonkwo. I’m also reading Lowlifes by Simon Wood and Forced Move by Mel LeBraun. Three books at once? Yeah. And I’d finish them all this weekend.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Completing Givens and then Yahooligans and The Revival.

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?
They’d have to be books I wouldn’t get tired reading. One would have to be The Bible. Then The Red President by Martin Gross. I’d have to take the entire Alex Cross series as well.

Author Websites and Profiles
Dan Abubakar Website
Dan Abubakar Amazon Profile

Dan Abubakar’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Twitter Account

Dan Abubakar is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a poet. My first book is called Bitter Melon (Mahaicony Books, 2013). I was born in Guyana and raised in Brooklyn, NY. I have been writing since I was a child. I remember writing a poem in the 6th grade and my teacher was so impressed by it that she posted it outside the classroom’s door so that people passing by could read it.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Bitter Melon is a vegetable eaten around the world but primarily in Asia and South America. As the name indicates, this vegetable is bitter and can be difficult to eat. However, in preparing Bitter Melon, putting the right spices can make the meal more edible. In the book, I use the vegetable as an analogy of life. Life too can be bitter. However, it is what you do with the bitter-ness of life that can really drive you to move on with life.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
My writing is influenced by the books I read. There was a point in my life where I mimicked the writing style of writers that I admire. However, I have learned that it is more important to develop my own voice so as to be the best writer possible. Maybe I am not answering your question directly but I try to do anything to stay true to my voice while writing. In this way, I feel that the reader would be able to connect with me in a honest way.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The first book that really impressed me was Don Quioxte by Cervantes. I read it in the 11th grade and was drawn by the humor, imagery, and crisp writing of the author. This title turned me on to other classics such as the work of Dostoevsky: Crime and Punishment and The Brothers Karamazov. I believe that everyone should read Kafka’s Trial, simply for its existentialism. Toni Morrison remains one of my favorite writers. I’ve read many of her books but if I had to choose one it would be Song of Solomon. It offer a window into African American culture and the forces that, unfortunately, arise to destroy this culture. I do read poetry too but there are so many poets that influence my work; it becomes difficult to choose among them. What I do like, however, is discovering new poets. One such poet is the Indian-Welsh writer Tishani Doshi. Her book Everything Begins Elsewhere came into my life at a time I needed to read something that articulated how I was feeling.

What are you working on now?
I am always working on something new. I am sitting on three completed manuscripts (two poetry, and a short story collection). I’ve started working on personal essays and social criticism writing. These formats help me expand the reach of my skills as a writer. In other words, they push me in the direction I feel I am destined to go and that is being the best at what I do as a wordsmith.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
This is a tough question because I am finding out that the toughest thing in producing a book is promoting it. My mother has a lot of friends so she has been helpful in putting my book in the world. Thanks, mom!

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I always tell new writers to keep writing. It’s the same advice I give myself everyday. Sometimes the easiest thing you can do is stop what you are doing. But you have to keep moving. Life is waiting to be captured by your words. So, keep writing.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
It is important to surround yourself with fellow writers. I have met so many writers who do not see me as a competitor but as a comrade. Producing art can be a lonely endeavor that is why it’s important to go out and mingle with like-minded artist, and push each other along.

What are you reading now?
I have a practice of only reading one book at time. I think it has to do with my view of a book as an organic entity and I like to give that entity all my attention when reading it. Right now I am devouring The God of Small Things by the talented Arundhati Roy.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I plan to keep publishing my work. I want to travel, see the world, and write about it.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
1.Go Tell it on the Mountain, James Baldwin 2. Sent for you Yesterday, John Edgar Wideman 3. Love, Anger, Madness by Marie Vieux-Chauvet

Author Websites and Profiles
Elvis Alves Website
Elvis Alves Amazon Profile

Elvis Alves’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Twitter Account

Elvis Alves is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I was born in North Dakota and migrated to Florida via New York City many years ago. I completed my education in Florida colleges and universities and embarked on a varied career in clinical, administrative, and academic nursing.

My stories of mystery and suspense feature strong, creative, clever nurses who use all of their skills to help others, confront danger, and stay alive.

Writing pulled at me as a teenager, resulting in pages of sappy poetry. In the mid-nineties, I bought a how-to book about writing a mystery and committed the story burning in my head to paper. It was incredibly bad—a fact that my well-read friends shared with me. After the pain subsided (authors own their words and criticism, while necessary, is painful), I put it in THE DRAWER, joined Mystery Writers of America, and actively pursued the craft.

I’ve written nine manuscripts, eight of which are finished. The ninth one is still in the critique process with my awesome critique group.

My second effort is in THE DRAWER, where it will remain. The third one isn’t as bad, but by the time I had the skills to edit it, the backstory was dated. It is in THE DRAWER.

The first title I published was Illegally Dead. Pendulum Press, Inc. accepted it as an eBook in 2004. At the time, I had no idea that the editor/publisher was contemplating closing the site. She was gracious enough to return my rights along with all the materials she had contributed. I self-published Illegally Dead on Amazon in 2010 and created the CreateSpace paper version 15 months later, firmly logging myself into the ranks of the self-published—which may or may not be a good thing depending on who you ask.

I published Imperfect Contract in 2012 and Imperfect Daddy in 2013. These are the first two titles in my Imperfect Series featuring Sophia Burgess and Ray Stone. the lord, a standalone, went live in January, 2014.

Next up is She Learned to Die, which is a standalone, academic mystery—at least it is set in a college of nursing. It is in its final editing stages, then I’ll begin the conversions for CreateSpace and Kindle. I’ll decide about a publication date after the cover is complete. It will be later this year.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
the lord (no caps are intended) in a story about Miki Murphy’s struggle to save her friends and herself from a disturbed killer who stalks his victims in the recesses of the hospital. Miki is the night shift nursing supervisor and is on-duty when the killings occur. The killer, who thinks of himself as the lord, has a list, and Miki is on it.

To me, our culture seems obsessed with the notion that someone is to blame when anything goes wrong. Then that someone needs to be confronted and pay in some fashion for the wrong. When you read the warning labels on just about everything, you can see the depth of the issue. Before the blood dries on the bandage or the body cools in the grave, and the injured party or their family consults a lawyer. Personal responsibility is forgotten, as is the concept the sometimes “stuff” happens.

The media reports horrific events that seem to be the result of the same kind of thinking. A kid is ignored or insulted in school, so he gets a gun and blows other children away. Someone is fired from their job and then returns to the workplace to get even with the boss and former co-workers. You get the point.

I thought: What if something bad happens? What is a disturbed or angry person is effected by the event? What if he then decides healthcare workers are responsible and deserve to pay the price? It’s a dark story, so I decided to set much of it on the night shift.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I have a plastic desk attached to my treadmill. Sometimes I walk while I write or edit. I’ve discovered I can go about 1.8 mph and still type. Sometimes I step off for a few moments to work on a particular edit.

The practice has nothing to do with writing and everything to do with staying healthy and moving.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The first mystery writer I met was Barbara Parker. Though she has since died, she is still the epitome of what a writer should be in my humble opinion.

When I was struggling to find my way in writing, I met her at the Mystery Writers of America booth at the Miami Book Fair. She sold me an autographed copy of one of her books, gave me an MWA brochure, and invited me to the meetings.

I read all of Barbara’s books in the order written. The character development over time made a huge impression on me. I learned that mysteries are not about crime so much as about life, community, and people. The mystery is the vehicle the real story is wrapped in.

Barbara was especially welcoming to new writers, giving of her time and talents to help us evolve.

Other authors who continue to unselfishly help other writers and who have influenced me both by their writing and their mentoring include Elaine Viets, Nancy Cohen, PJ Parrish, Chris Kling, Randy Rawls, Neil Plakcy, Dirk Wyle, Deborah Sharp, and Jeremiah Healy.

What are you working on now?
I’m currently working on three separate projects. The She Learned to Die manuscript is complete pending final minor edits. Then I’ll need to write the forward and cover copy, do the conversions for CreateSpace and Kindle, and get with Victoria Landis, who does all my fabulous covers.

Until it Bleeds: A Tony Conte Mystery is a sequel to Illegally Dead. Currently, my critique group is commenting on one chapter every two weeks. We are about two-thirds of the way through that manuscript. Then I’ll need to let it set for awhile, then read and edit again, before sending it on for final edits, etc.

Imperfect Obsession, the third title in the Imperfect Series: Sophia Burgess and Ray Stone Mysteries, is forming in my head. I’ve set up a storyboard—preliminary to outlining—and have added a few notes. I’ve got the overall concept, and now need to work on the details.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I so wish I could answer that. I have a website and a blog, which I’m keeping up as faithfully as possible.

To market the lord I’m trying one web-based service at a time, some paid, some free. I’ll be scheduling Kindle Countdown events as well.

It’s a tough uphill battle for the “little names”. I’ll keep plugging away at it.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Three things:

1. Put your butt in the chair and write every day.

2. While you’re figuring out the marketing piece on one book, be working on the next.

3. Have a good, critical critique group. Works toward constructive criticism and leave the accolades for the reviews.

AND,

Don’t quit your day job.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Three things:

1. Put your butt in the chair and write every day.

2. While you’re figuring out the marketing piece on one book, be working on the next.

3. Have a good, critical critique group. Works toward constructive criticism and leave the accolades for the reviews.

AND,

Don’t quit your day job.

What are you reading now?
I read in several genres. Today I’m reading Cold Storage, Alaska by John Straley.

Next will be Private L.A. by James Patterson. (We went to a signing, and my husband and I each got a signed book. See my blog for the details.)

When the mystery/suspense feels like it is darkening my mood, I switch it up with what I told my son were silly romances—I prefer the historic variety. I also like contemporary/main stream fiction.

What’s next for you as a writer?
My intention is to keep writing, editing, publishing, and marketing. I plan to focus on my Imperfect Series and, maybe, do another standalone or two.

There is an ad on television that says, essentially, retirement is when you pay yourself to do what you want. I want to write.

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 Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. I’d take the whole series if I could.

Then I’d pick the newest title by P.J. Parrish, Lee Child, Robert Craise, Janet Evanovich, and William Kent Krueger. I love following series characters.

That’s way more than I’m allowed. Can I take my iPad and a really long cord for the charger?

Author Websites and Profiles
Gregg E Brickman Website
Gregg E Brickman Amazon Profile
Gregg E Brickman Author Profile on Smashwords

Gregg E Brickman’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Gregg E Brickman is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Over the last ten years, I have gone off to college, left my home in New York City to live in Philly, had a child, graduated college, came back to New York, and told my “9-5” to take their job and shove it. Currently, I’m still in New York City where I have started my own business, Phoenix Jones Publishing LLC.

When I am not writing I enjoy spending time with my loved ones, listening to music, going to the gym, and baking cupcakes.

I have written two novels, so far, only one is published so far. I have three more projects in the works.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Loving Blake is my first fiction release and a conversation was had about a rather popular novel that was in circulation when a thought popped up about a similar concept being used but with the female as the dominant role. It was supposed to mimic some parts of a relationship that I was in, but as these characters grew in my head, so did the story, and I had to change it. It had morphed from such a simple idea that I was supposed to pull from personal experience into something dreamt up out of my imagination.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Other than me having to write after midnight to five a.m.?? No I don’t think so. But once I start an idea I have to complete it. I can’t stop until its fleshed out… I always come back to edit it later though.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Dean Koontz taught me, at a very young age, to illustrate your thoughts so visually that the reader can be as scared or happy as you want them to be. Extract emotions from your work.

Pen Fist, has recently taught me not to be afraid to say exactly what you want to happen to your characters… no matter how twisted or deranged it may be. Always keep your work honest.

What are you working on now?
I just finished the manuscript to the sequel of Loving Blake. Loving Nina is definitely darker than its sister novel, and I believe my readers will enjoy it, maybe even more so than the first novel.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Honestly Goodreads.com has been wonderful so far for me making connections to readers, bloggers, and sites like this. Or there will be links to other sites within a post that can send me to other sites which will help me promote. I just keep clicking links, and continue to be myself and thoroughly fill out all forms and questionnaires.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
ALWAYS write! I know life has this wonderfully weird way of getting in the way, but the most important thing is to continue writing. I understand if you have to take breaks, but make sure you always come back to finish what you have started. See your idea through to its completion. Even if that idea, is to just have one copy in your hand or on your screen. See it through and don’t do what I did and skimp on the services you need… like editing! Now I have to pay to get my first novel re-edited because the first time I had it done, I had it done for free. So between what that individual missed and what my biased eyes couldn’t see… there are some grammatical mistakes laced through my “published” work. Now with the second novel, the sequel, I am paying them to edit both works, and I’m going to re-release the edited work. Thankfully enough, the errors aren’t glaring enough to detract from the story as my readers have had all good things to say.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
What anyone else thinks about you is NONE of your business.

What are you reading now?
I am reading Irrefutable Proof by Abby Vandiver, and Alexander Murphy’s home for Wayward Celebrities

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m switching genres from Romance to Yound Adult. I have a manuscript that I’ve been fiddling with for over two years now and I really want to bring it to fruition.

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 Warehouse Series by Pen Fist, and the Erotic Fantasies anthology. If I get bored with those I can always write my own books out of squid ink and palm leaves

Author Websites and Profiles
Tomara Jones Website
Tomara Jones Amazon Profile
Tomara Jones Author Profile on Smashwords

Tomara Jones’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tomara Jones is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
As well as writing I deliver management development training courses, with the hope that one day I can say I’m a writer full stop. I live in Scotland and look out over farmland and a river, although when I’m in full writing flow I don’t look up long enough to enjoy the view!

I have 3 books out just now. It would have been more but I got hit by the big C last year and everything came to a stand still. But now I’m back! I’ve had quite a bit of training so far this year and I’ve been recreating my websites but as of next week my head should be back in the land of make believe.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I’m half way through a 4-book series about the Duval-Adams family. I’ve always been fascinated by twins and created a family with two sets in. I’ve covered Matt and Zander’s stories and this year I want to get Tess and Ronnie’s stories out there.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Does procrastination count? One thing I do tend to do is sketch out the homes that my characters live in. Maybe I’m a frustrated architect!!! I just seem to need to be able to visualise the space they inhabit even though it is only a rough 2-D drawing.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
This is where I’ll lose a lot of readers but since I was 15 years old I’ve read Mills and Boon (Harlequin in the States). I love the escapism and dream of happy ever after. They’re also books I can skim read to relax with as opposed to having to concentrate hard on the story line. They have to be well written though otherwise they get left on the sofa, unread.

What are you working on now?
Tess’s story. I got about 3,000 words written before I succumbed to evil treatment but now I’ve had a chance to think about it I may rip it all up and start again. That’s the beauty of writing fiction – if you’re not keen on the direction you can change it really easily.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I have to say that the opportunity to promote your books for free on Amazon has been very successful for me. Having said that there doesn’t seem to be any rhyme nor reason as to why it’s a great success one month and a disaster the next time you do it.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Make sure you plan your story and characters before you start writing. The characters are especially important. You need to get into them deeply – what makes them laugh, get angry; what habits do they have, who are their friends? When you start writing you have to try and get inside their head and look out. It isn’t easy but if you succeed you’ll have wonderful characters that jump off the page.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
To keep on writing, even if what you’re writing is rubbish, going back to edit it is far easier than continually staring at a blank page.

What are you reading now?
More Mills and Boon – I have a library van comes into our village every fortnight and the staff always have a stack of books ready to hand to me – they know what I like. It’s a wonderful service and I feel thoroughly spoilt.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Once I’m back on the horse and in full writing flow, I need to get better at marketing myself. I want to do more speaking engagement and need to work out who to promote myself to for that to happen.

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?
Aargh, that’s so hard. Okay, I’ve decided. I’ll take one book and a pad of paper. The book would be a survival guide so I could stay alive until I was rescued and I’d use the the pad of paper to create my own stories.

Author Websites and Profiles
Sarah Fredricks Website
Sarah Fredricks Amazon Profile
Sarah Fredricks Author Profile on Smashwords

Sarah Fredricks’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Sarah Fredricks is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a Canadian author and online blogger. I’ve had a passion for writing my whole life and find traveling to be my biggest inspiration. I’ve recently published my first novel ‘Ecstasy’ which is a teen fiction about a seemingly young girl who goes crazy.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My book is called ‘Ecstasy’ and it was inspired by all the people out there who don’t have the opportunity to share their stories.

When you see a crazy person or a murderer you think to yourself ‘how did they get like that?’ Or at least I do; so I wanted to show your typical high school girl, seemingly normal and try to figure out what I think would have to occur to turn the sweet ‘girl next door’ insane.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m not sure if this would be considered unusual but I always write sitting down with my laptop on my lap. I can’t focus sitting at a desk or lying in bed (although it’d be nice).

I also tend to write at night, while watching tv (I need the background noise).

What authors, or books have influenced you?
All of them. I think each book I’ve read has inspired me in their own way.

What are you working on now?
I am currently working on ‘Insanity’ which is the sequel of ‘Ecstasy’.

I’m also working on a new novel ‘How Would You Like To Pay For That?’ a novel about a young girl with a shopping addiction inspired by my recent trip to Dallas, Texas.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I think that you can use social media to your advantage in the promotion of your book(s). Reaching out to facebook friends, creating a fan page, twitter account etc can help you to build an audience.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Take pride in your work! So many authors are embarrassed or shy to talk about their books with people but it’s such an accomplishment and you should be proud.

My other advice would be stay realistic. Don’t write to get rich – do it because you have a story to tell.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“Everyday has the potential to be extraordinary.”

What are you reading now?
“Remember Me?” Sophia K

What’s next for you as a writer?
I hope to publish three more books before 2015.

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?
Shopaholic series!

Author Websites and Profiles
Amira M Website

Amira M’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Amira M is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m Native American and was trained as a traditional American Indian Storyteller. My mom was one of the very first Head Start teachers when the program began over forty years ago. She always worked with three year olds. When I would visit her classroom on the reservation she would always go: “Here–you take ‘em.” Then she would walk out. It wasn’t until much later I realized this was her way of forcing me to use the Storytelling I had been taught in order to survive the kids.

When I was ten years old I was in awe of the science fiction writer, Issac Asimov. I would look forward to reading a monthly column he wrote. I felt he was brilliant–I still do. I wrote him a letter asking how he knew so much (this was pre-Google) and that when I grew up I wanted to be also be an author. He sent back a post card explaining he didn’t know that much but he worked hard to give the appearance he did. And he encouraged me to become an author.

While I have a ton of boring academic stuff published (I am a former College Professor) my formal creative writing career started with Marion Zimmer Bradley. She was a hoot to meet in person (the last time I saw her she had rainbow dyed hair) and she chose some of my stories to publish in her anthologies. One of my fond memories was changing planes in the Frankfurt airport (I was lecturing in Europe) where I found one of the anthologies I was in at the bookstore. It was the first time I had seen something of mine translated into German.

To be frank, I have no idea of the exact number of books I’ve written. If a book of mine doesn’t seem to be getting any notice I’ll tend to futz around with it–changing the cover or sometimes the title. Sadly, there have been a few I really like that didn’t sell a single copy. In those cases, I don’t want to “abandon” them, so I’ll include them in an anthology so I know they’ll eventually get read by someone. But it means I don’t really keep an exact count, since that would get confusing. Do I count a non-performing story twice? Looking on my Amazon page, I’m told I currently am credited with 79 ebooks under my pen name and three under my “real name” of Ty Nolan.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
“Coyote Condoms: Tales of the Reluctant Shaman.” This is one done for a specific purpose. A friend of mine (Brent Hartinger) is a successful YA author, and his book “The Geography Club” was made into a major motion picture last year. We’ve both worked in the field of HIV Prevention and Education for many years. We’re involved in the Real Story Safe Sex Project (RSSSP), where we take gay characters from our already published works and create new standalone stories with the characters to encourage safe sex among gay and bisexual youth. One of the fastest growing groups in terms of HIV infection remains young gay and bisexual men, who most likely became HIV positive in their teens. It was always our intention of making the RSSSP stories available free to get them into as many hands of the intended audience as possible. We have invited other authors and artists to participate with the expectation of eventually having at least one anthology that can be used as a resource for HIV Education Programs.

It was also fun to go back and pull out a secondary character who was only mentioned in one line of my “Memoir of a Reluctant Shaman” novel and to learn more about his background in the “Coyote’s Condoms” work.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I suffer a lot from insomnia, so it’s not at all unusual for me to be focused on writing and then hear the SigO get up and start grinding the morning coffee beans.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
My first week of Graduate School (it was during the summer) I saw a poster of several lectures featuring many authors I admired. I was so naive I thought these would be lectures “about” the author. Imagine my shock when I discovered these were lectures delivered by the authors themselves. That’s how I was able to meet Ursela Le Guin and Peter S. Beagle. I “discovered” Peter’s “The Last Unicorn” when I was a teenager and the beauty of his language really inspired me to strive to shape my own writing in a different way. My youth and early writing were also deeply influenced by an older writer–James Branch Cabell, who showed me how to incorporate the myths and legends of other cultures into a new work. I will also always be grateful to Marion Zimmer Bradley for launching my writing career.

As an adult, I would say the author I’ll always hope will have something new out is Terry Pratchett. I had the honor of meeting him at a lecture he gave at my University. He’s someone else who has shown me how to enliven work with humor and the use of traditional stories told in a new way.

I had mentioned Isaac Asimov. Like Mr. Asimov, I find I enjoy Ursela’s prose even more than their fiction (and I really like their fiction). I would include Terry Pratchett as someone I would love to hear discuss things of an intellectual nature. Ursela’s own history fascinated me. As a Native American I was familiar with the story of Ishi, the “last of his tribe” who had hidden away from contact with the non-Natives who had killed most of his people. When he was the only one left, he emerged and went into the non-Native world with the expectation he would be murdered. He ended up staying at the museum run by Ursela’s father who was considered the “Father of American Anthropology.” Ursela grew up around him and her mother wrote the book “Ishi of Two Worlds.” It’s very clear how Native American culture has influenced a number of her works.

What are you working on now?
When I wrote “Memoir of a Reluctant Shaman” I decided I would never actually formally name the Main Character and his siblings. Instead, since there are 12 of them, I would call them by their star signs or by their birth months. Just so, the “Reluctant Shaman” is usually referred to as “Pisces” or “Moon of the Singing Frogs” (February). It was my intention to use his siblings in additional works. Thus, “Memoir” I see as the first of a series and it features “Pisces” and his brother “Scorpio.” I also want to see how the siblings perceive each other. I come from a large family myself and one learns there actually isn’t really “one large family.” In reality, such a family consists of a number of “smaller families.” For example, my own two youngest siblings were still quite small when I left for college so my interaction with them was a lot more parental than sibling based. If you asked them to talk about our family, I’m sure they would not say the same thing that the oldest siblings would.

The structure of “Memoir” is precisely an “autobiography” and I’ve established he’s writing about his past from the perspective on an adult. The book stops at his high school years and I’m looking forward to what happened to him next. I had actually written several chapters of the sequel when my laptop was stolen. I urge everyone to back up their writing. I focus a lot on my other fictional writing, but I intend to do both a sequel to “Memoir of a Reluctant Shaman” as well as another volume to accompany my “Coyote Still Going: Native American Legends and Contemporary Stories” because there were a lot of Legends and Stories that weren’t included in my first one.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
This is where I praise the Awesomegang, right? I’ve recently had an amazing experience working with what is pretty much a “co-op of writers.” We did two “mega box sets” where one had 10 full length novels and the other had 12. “Love Charms” is the set where you can also find my pouty little Shaman. “Fated Mates” which features Werewolves and other “Shifters” has hit the New York Times and USA Today Best Sellers List, and contains my “Romancing the Wolf” book. We worked very hard in promoting this and that meant putting up ads in appropriate book blogs, sending out advanced review copies, and then contacting 200 plus sites and groups to promote the sets. We also would go back to the Facebook groups that mentioned our sets to “like” and “comment” on the posts to increase visibility.

I also want to give a “shout out” to “BigAl and Pals.” Their book review site not only gave 5 stars to both my Coyote and Shaman books, but Coyote was awarded the 2014 BP Readers Choice for “Short Story Collections and Anthologies.”

Do you have any advice for new authors?
My Creative Writing Teacher always told us “Show me, don’t tell me.” I’m also one of those who was often told “don’t write about that because readers won’t be interested.” Perhaps it’s true the works I do that have a Native American focus won’t sell as well as other things I write, but there is still an audience out there. There’s also a certain sense of responsibility where if I don’t pass on some of these Legends, I don’t exactly know who will.

The stories I write that I tend to enjoy the most is where I pretty much step back and let the characters hijack the action and I just write down the results.

I see a lot of times new authors are told “write what you know.” As someone who began in the Fantasy field, I can’t exactly “write what I know” when it comes to invoking a demon or what the first “Change” for a werewolf actually feels like. But I have been very much inspired by traditional legends and then trying to figure out how to tell a similar story for the 21st century. I have a background as a Family Therapist and that has been a tremendous help in writing what a character might do in a given situation. As a new author, I would suggest you give a lot of thought to what’s called the “back story” of a character. In other words, even though it may never be mentioned in the story the Main Character has a twin, that unspoken fact may have “shaped” his/her personality, where they strive to “be different” and to “stand out” in order to distinguish them from their twin. Or perhaps the other twin died and now the Main Character is seeking his/her “other half.” If you really flesh out the “back story” then the actions of your characters can have a greater sense of cohesion and logic in what they do and how they interact with others.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“It is easier to get forgiveness than permission.”

–and the advice I have given to so many of my students and patients: “If you don’t ask, the answer is always no.”

What are you reading now?
I’m reviewing the latest book of one of my friends–”Laura’s Wolf” by Lia Silver.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m preparing to do what I used to do–presenting at Science Fiction and Fantasy Conferences. It’s a fun way to meet fans.

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 mostly likely look for as many “The Collective Works of–” in order to lug as many words with me as possible. My first thought was about having my favorite authors with me. But as a Native American I come from a very pragmatic people so I would bring such books as “How To Get Off A Desert Island” and “How to Survive On a Desert Island.” I’m sure there must be “The Professor’s Book On Building Elaborate Machinery From Coconuts and Palm Leaves.”

Author Websites and Profiles
Ty Nolan Website
Ty Nolan Amazon Profile
Ty Nolan Author Profile on Smashwords

Ty Nolan’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Ty Nolan is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My greatest passion is dreaming. I love imagining new worlds and using those images to paint beautiful pictures for my readers. Through my writing, I also hope to make a difference in the world, one person at a time. I love helping people and the best way is by creating stories to show that we are never alone in our struggles or even our happiest moments.

So far, I have written two books. “Flying Away: Life and Love Through Poetry and Prose” and “In a Heartbeat.” I am currently working on two new books and brainstorming a third.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is “In a Heartbeat.” My inspiration came from a true love story that deserves a happy ending and my own dreams. I believe in destiny and I think everyone should experience love and happiness in life. Reality rarely goes according to plan, so I try to incorporate that in my writing. But I am a firm believer that good and love always win, so I make sure my characters are examples of my thoughts.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m not sure how “unusual” this habit is, but when I start a new project, I need to write on scrap paper before I type. And I always listen to music to get me in the right mood. For example, if I’m writing a fun scene like a beach party, I will listen to music that has a really fast beat. But if I’m writing a sweet love scene, slow, smooth sounds are all I want.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I’m influenced by many writers, including Sandra Cisneros and Khaled Hosseini. I love stories that reflect different cultures, stories that teach me and transport me to a new place. I am inspired by too many stories to list all of them, but “The God Box” by Alex Sanchez is definitely on the list.

What are you working on now?
Right now I am working on three new stories. My biggest project is going to be a mix of fantasy and romance. It will have adventure and passion. It will have realistic struggles and ultimately, an ending worthy of my characters. I’m pretty excited to write this novel and I can’t wait to publish it.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I find that word of mouth works better than most methods because when I can tell people about my books, I have a better chance of convincing them to read. But I do use Twitter and Facebook to let my fans know where they can find my books.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write to be inspired! Don’t let anyone get you down, not even publishers who reject your manuscripts. If writing is something you love, don’t let anything or anyone destroy your passion. Live your dreams.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I have a heard a lot of great advice – about love, life, crying, everything. I think the best advice I’ve ever heard, though, has to be “Follow your heart.” Life is so short and every day is a struggle for some people. But in the end, if you follow your heart, if you focus on your dreams, life can be so beautiful. I am amazed at how successful I have become in my personal and professional life just by listening to my heart and watching my dreams unfold.

What are you reading now?
Right now, I am rereading the Twilight series. The first book is probably my favorite out of all four because it’s the introduction and it creates a magical world in which I enjoy immersing myself.

What’s next for you as a writer?
As mentioned before, I’m working on three projects right now. I am hoping to finish at least one before the year ends, but either way, I know I will be busy and inspired for a while.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Yikes! How does one choose? If I had to take three books with me on a desert island, they would be: “The Giver”, any of the Ian Rutledge mysteries by Charles Todd, and “One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish” because one is never too old for a Dr. Seuss classic.

Ms. Annmarie’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Ms. Annmarie is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am currently in the thick of the editing phase of my sixth book. I started writing books about seven years ago, and the first took me about eighteen months to finish, and then anther eighteen months to edit. After I completed that book the process got a good injection of speed/dynamite and I haven’t stopped writing since. I have three books published, my fourth book is with the editor, fifth book with the beta readers, and the sixth, which is a follow up to number five, is my current work in progress.

Writing for me is the thing I always wanted to be doing. Even at school I dreamed of being a writer. But somehow I got on a different track, ended up at university studying science, and writing became the hobby. I am now in a fortunate position, because I get a few hours each day in the mornings when I can work exclusively on my books. Writing every day is like a dream come true, and I don’t think now that I could do without my creative hours! My ‘real life’ is all about hearts, and in comparison to the worlds I create in my head, they seem so boring!

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is called Psychophilia, and it will be released in the next month or so. The title is actually something my husband came up with. He likes getting involved, and I think he feels bad because he doesn’t read my books. But he gets the shortened version in the form of the constant talk about the characters and the story, and when I am working on a title he sees it as a bit of a challenge to come up with something I will use. This time, he did a great job!

The inspiration for the story came from my own experiences. Last year I suffered a fairly horrible reaction to some prescribed medication and ended up in hospital, intubated, with a working diagnosis of psychosis! It was a fairly scary week, much of which I do not remember. When I woke up I couldn’t even speak. Afterwards people were very stressed about the whole thing, none more so than my husband, and it was in many ways worse for everybody else. That inspired the story of a woman who nearly lost her life and can’t remember why her husband doesn’t love her anymore.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I think I am fairly boring when it comes to writing habits. The only thing I need is a good cup of tea. Biscuits are an optional extra!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
My earliest memories of books is of Roald Dahl. I remember reading his stories and keeping the books on my shelf like they were some sort of treasure. But the first time I remember wanting to be a writer was when I held a Stephen King book in my hands for the first time. I was nine years old and it was a copy of Gerald’s Game. I was begging to read it and my parents were against it. In the end I won, and realised why they weren’t so keen. Knowing that a writer could create something that sparked such opinion and divided thought was very alluring!

What are you working on now?
Right now I am working on The Dawn, a series of novellas telling the story of a dystopian post nuclear war city. The book follows our main protagonist, Zack Christian, as he tries to understand his world, and the things he has lost/left behind. It started work as a NaNoWriMo project, and at first I wasn’t sure it was going anywhere. But after working on the first in the series I am excited to get the rest all worked out.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I am a fan of Amazon Select, and so far have used it for each of my books. I advertise the free days, and usually get a good number of downloads and a steady stream of sales post promotion. If ENT pick up the book the promotion usually does very well.

I am planning to make my first novella, The Dawn permanently free. That will be a first for me and I am interested to see how it effects sales for the later books in the series.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
My advice for new authors is fairly simple. Bullet points are easiest here. So, this is how it goes.

1) Write a lot.
2) Read a lot,
3) Don’t pay for promotion when you only have one book out, concentrate on the long haul and get books two and three written,
4) Know yourself. Know what you want to write. Know you’re a writer. Know that you can always do better.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
This Stephen King quote is my favourite at the moment.

“Running a close second [as a writing lesson] was the realization that stopping a piece of work just because it’s hard, either emotionally or imaginatively, is a bad idea. Sometimes you have to go on when you don’t feel like it, and sometimes you’re doing good work when it feels like all you’re managing is to shovel shit from a sitting position.”

What are you reading now?
The Handmaid’s Tale. I first read it at school and loved it back then. But that was eighteen years ago, so now I have a totally different take on it.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I am concentrating on my novella series for now, as that is a new area for me. I have never written a novella before, and am enjoying working each short book up into a climax. After that, I have the intention to write a sequel to Identity X, and I am hoping that by the end of the year, that will at least be in progress.

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, tough choice! OK, let’s think about this. Number one would be Captain Corelli’s Mandolin. Number two would be The Hunger Games. Three would be Brave New World because I just got it through the post and I haven’t read it yet, and number four would be a huge notepad to write all my ideas down, so that when I get rescued/build my raft I can remember what was going on in my brain at the time so that I can write more books!

Author Websites and Profiles
Michelle Muckley Website
Michelle Muckley Amazon Profile

Michelle Muckley’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Michelle Muckley is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I never went to school. Mum and Dad didn’t believe in them, so I was sent to the public library instead. “Books”, I was told, “are the best education you can have, the more you read, the more you’ll know, and the more you know, the more you’ll understand”
Our house was full of books. Books cluttered the table, books gathered dust under the beds, books lurked in the bathroom and lay on the windowsill in the laundry. The roof seemed to almost sag beneath all the books Mum and Dad had collected and stored in the attic. I tried to count them once. I stopped at three thousand. Books, we were taught, are a pleasure and a duty. Books are power. If you can read, you can learn anything.

Given this extraordinary start in life, I think it was almost fated that I would become a writer. If there is a constellation in the heavens known for producing writers, I am almost certain I was born under it.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My book is called “The Ghastly Greek Gods”. It’s the basic Greek myths, written out as amusingly as possible, hopeful to tempt kids thirteen and up to read them. I feel there’s a bit of a gap in the market really, humour is the jam that makes the medicine of education go down.

After all those years hidden in the library reading, it occurred to me that it was probably time I took a few official courses so that I could partake in the joys of standard education, tests and certificates. So I signed up for a course in Classical Studies. I was asked to retell a Greek Myth for an assignment and I fairly let myself go. The comment I got back said “you should write a book”.
So I did. ‘The Ghastly Greek Gods’ came rushing into my head, each god and goddess shrieking what they wanted to say and how they wanted to say it, and finally (just to shut them up I think!) I moved aside and let them scribble themselves out.

I didn’t try and ‘modernize’ them. In any case, I don’t believe they would have let me…. they really are a fearfully bossy bunch of deities, I simply told the myths as they are recorded, but I gave my down-under kiwi humour a fairly free hand and I imported quite of lot of that gorgeous Aussy slang to make the dialog sparkle. The Australians are just so much more creative than us kiwis with their distinctive brand of English.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Well, when I’m working on a book I never stop. I do a lot of ‘rewriting’ before I even sit down at the computer. Unfortunately this ‘rewriting’ is all very ‘out there’, I can’t work out if a piece of dialog is any good until I hear it, so I spend a lot of time muttering to myself in the voice of the character I’m working on. This can be counted on to drive the people around me mad. “Stop talking to yourself! It’s the first sign of insanity!” they hiss. The worst thing is, I am usually unaware I’m doing it! Still, it does save a lot of time in the long run. Once it hits the paper, it’s been ‘rewritten’ about six times already.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I think Terry Deary of Horrible Histories has had a huge impact on me in that he’s taken a subject that most kids are scared silly of and he’s made it hilarious and a bit of a treat. I mean, my younger brothers have never cared for history at all, but since they discovered the Horrible Histories books/TV show, they’ve been absolutely begging for the stuff.

Someone else who did that quite brilliantly was Margret Mahy with her book ‘Awesome Aotearoa, a history of New Zealand.’ I think it’s the first history book on my own country I actually managed to finish. Utterly hilarious and you realize you’ve been taught something as an afterthought. Very cunning.

I also have a lot of time for C. S Lewis. He had the knack of thinking deeply and writing lightly to get things across his audience. Of course, Narnia is just loaded with classical references. It’s a double treat when you realize what he’s drawing his inspiration from.

What are you working on now?
About eight different things. As you can imagine, I am talking to myself like I really AM mad! I’m very keen to have another go with the Ghastlies, though, they practically write themselves.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
That’s a very good question, and one day I’ll know that answer to it. It’s a bit like anything, you sort of stumble around and try all the wrong ways until at last you hit the right way. The truth is, word of mouth is slow but it can’t be beaten. No one is running a lot of add campaigns for the Bible, but we all know it’s out there.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I think the worst thing new authors can do is doubt themselves. We are constantly looking for affirmation as humans. We want to be acknowledged as the next big thing. I think that’s quite normal but it’s also a bit misplaced. The greatest test of talent is time. It’s a sad fact but some of the greatest writers and painters that ever lived died in poverty and only meet with sucess after death. Don’t write because it’ll make you famous, write because you love it. That way, sucess is a bonus if it comes and not a disaster it doesn’t.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Love God, be kind to people. Beyond that, not a lot matters.

What are you reading now?
War and Peace by Tolstoy.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m not really sure, but I’d like to encourage a lot of writers become authors. It’s a wonderful sense of accomplishment, and I think it would be lovely to share that.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
‘The Cannibal’s Guide to Cooking your Brother.’

Either that or ‘Endurance Swimming for the Unfit.’

Author Websites and Profiles
Tiffany Rose Winters Website

Tiffany Rose Winters’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

Tiffany Rose Winters is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I live in Eau Claire, Wisconsin and spend most of my time, right now, trying to keep warm during these incredibly cold winter months. The rest of the time, however, I spend cuddled up with my two awesome children and my amazingly patient wife (because, of course, it’s easier to stay warm when cuddling).
Somewhere in-between staying warm and stealing my family’s body heat, I’ve written several books, two of which are currently published, and three more are in different stages of production, intending to be published before the end of May (when it’s finally safe to go outside, as long as you wear several layers).

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Agora Files is my most recently published book, and it’s inspired by a whole ton of different things. I found elements that eventually made their way into the overarching story from things as divergent as Star Wars and a series of recurring dreams. In the end, the story is really focused on the human element involved in escaping from capture and doing what needs to be done.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I guess what’s most unusual about my writing habits is that they are incredibly boring. I physically force myself to sit down and write a set number of words per day (the number changes based on what’s going on in my life otherwise at the time, as in, if it’s winter, I generally write more, summer, less). By physically force, I, of course, have to, well, just sit down and try to keep off facebook. Like I said, it’s pretty boring.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I’ve found that I’m alway being influenced by the stories I read, see, or hear. My initial influence may have come from writers like Michael Crichton and Douglas Adams, but I find myself being more and more influenced by filmed stories, attempting to use the common language we’ve learned through film to make my books more palatable for an increasingly non-reader world.

I have a hard time stating any one major influence on my writing, as I try to take something out of every story I hear, no matter where it comes from, as I find that there’s always new ways to tell stories in an incredibly fun way.

What are you working on now?
I’m currently working on three books at the same time. The one closest to publication is the sequel to my debut novel, The Legend of Buddy Hero, called The Rise of the Fat Mogul. It’s a continuation of the events that occurred in the first novel, in which everyman Buddy Jackson finds out he’s the world’s greatest superhero. In this second book, we explore this world a lot deeper while also engaging with some of the more dark aspects of the universe that we saw in the first book.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m still pretty new to the whole promoting books concept. I think I’ve found that writing a good book is one of the best ways to get your book promoted, as people will tell their friends if you’ve written a book that’s actually worth it. That’s why I’ve traditionally put my focus into crafting the best books I can, knowing that they have the ability to stand on their own. Although, a little push here and there from sites like this definitely doesn’t hurt.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write. That is simply the best thing any author can be told. It’s hard to force yourself to just sit in the chair and type and make up new things. But if you want to actually complete that story, that’s the only thing you need to do. Write.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The above advice. I heard it many times when I was initially looking into how best to tell a story in the novel format. I didn’t listen. It took me forever to finish my first draft of my first book simply because I would only write when I felt like it. The book suffered from it as well, because I couldn’t keep my thoughts together with how long it took me to put the book together. It took me a lot longer to get the book to the place it needed to be because of the fact that I just wouldn’t sit down and write. I’m really happy with it now, but it took me a long time to get there.

My second book, the first one in which I actually forced myself to sit down and write, took only 30 days to write the first draft. And that first draft was world’s better than the third or fourth draft of the first book simply because I forced myself to stay in the moment.

What are you reading now?
Odium by Claire C Riley. It’s amazing. Check it out!

What’s next for you as a writer?
Outside of the books I’ve mentioned above, I’m always working on new stories. I’ve got approximately 5 books I hope to have released before the end of this year, so I’m keeping myself busy.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
That’s a hard question, as I rarely repeat read anything. I guess, even though it’s a cliched answer, I’d have to say The Bible as one. I’ve read most of it, but it’s still a book where I don’t think I’ve gotten all the pieces crafted together.

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy is one of the few books I’ve read multiple times, purely because of Adams’ ability to make language fun, so I’d toss that in there.

And an empty journal (is that allowed?)? I have to write almost daily or else my brain stops working. I’d need a method in which to get all those ideas out…and I fear that a bloody volleyball wouldn’t quite do the trick.

Author Websites and Profiles
Adam Oster Website
Adam Oster Amazon Profile

Adam Oster’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

Adam Oster is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m Nadine, a native of Seattle, Washington (US) and a lifelong bookworm-turned-author with a particular passion for fiction. My love of writing stemmed from the many books I read as a child, from authors like Beverly Cleary and Judy Blume. Hence, I’ve been writing stories since I was seven or eight years old. Then, during the few days of a horrific experience I had when I was thirteen, a novel saved my life: John Nielson Had a Daughter by Ruth Livingston Hill. That whole experience is a long story, but my purpose for writing books (beyond writing for my own pleasure) was first awakened there. I now write to help people: to bring hope, to change minds, to expand imagination, to provide entertainment, and to save lives, all of which other authors’ books have done for me. To date, I’ve written twelve books: some nonfiction and poetry, but mostly fiction, my “first love.”

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is actually three books: The Movement of Crowns Series, a novella series of royalty, romance, war, and hope, set in the fictional kingdoms of Diachona and Munda. I began drafting scenes for the first book, The Movement of Crowns (which I thought for years would be the only book) back when I was a high school senior, inspired by the thought that although my generation was young, we weren’t precluded from aiming toward greatness. It took over ten years of growth, both as a person and as a writer, for me to be able to convey the story as I see it, and I wrote and published Crowns in 2012 in Love & Eminence: A Suite of Stories. It wasn’t until the spring of 2013 that I got the idea for a sequel. The “other side” of the Crowns story came to me, pretty much all at once, one afternoon. Out came The Movement of Rings, which demonstrated to me how the other side of a story isn’t the “other” side to the people who are actually there, living life on that side. After that, I thought one more book would round out and top off the Crowns message nicely, so I wrote The Movement of Kings.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Well, I have a tendency to physically play out some of the scenes in my fiction, either to get a feel for the way I’d like to write them, or to make sure I’ve written them the way I see them playing out in my head. I’ll take on the role of a character or two: standing in their positions, quoting their lines in my best renditions of their voices, doing my best to make their facial expressions and to use their body language, whispering, yelling, crying (sort-of)–whatever gives me the best sense of the scenes. Songs I know or musical scores I’ve made up accompany most of my fiction, and if it’s the scene for it, I’ll hum the music in the background if none of the characters are talking. (I actually recorded myself humming the main part of The Movement of Crowns score. The full orchestra sounds much better in my imagination, though.)

What authors, or books have influenced you?
John Nielson Had a Daughter and Ruth Livingston Hill first inspired me to help people with my writing. I’m also heavily influenced by Henry James for his command of language and by L.M. Montgomery for her beautiful descriptions and timeless characters. James and Montgomery may be the two writers who influence me the most outside of myself; the writer I will be someday ultimately inspires me the most, pushing me to keep on writing. I don’t wish to be the next James or the next Montgomery, but I do wish to be the best me.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on not always “working,” taking time to reconnect with my love of literature for the sake of my love of literature. For an author with so much writing, researching, editing, publishing, promotion, and whatnot to take care of, it can be hard sometimes to just sit down, breathe, relax, and enjoy a book. However, turning literature into drudgery, something to work-work-work at apart from my love for it, would eventually separate me from my purpose for immersing myself in it, which would wind up being reflected in my writing and would therefore be of no benefit to readers. I’ve recently made a commitment to give myself time to read for pleasure, so that in all of my work, I don’t lose my love.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Admittedly, I’m still trying to figure that out, but as a reader, I enjoy Goodreads the most.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
My main piece of advice that I repeat for any writer is simple: know the specific reason(s) why you, the individual, write, so that you’re writing (and living) on purpose. Be able to clearly articulate your purpose for writing to yourself and to other people. Whenever you experience discouragement anywhere in your writing, publishing, or book business process, you can revisit the reason(s) why you write, which will motivate you to keep on doing what you’re doing, and to do it well.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
It’d be hard to pin down what advice is the overall best, but some of the greatest advice I’ve ever gotten is simple: “Don’t worry.” Worrying about tomorrow doesn’t add anything good to tomorrow, but it does rob you of the joy of today, the joy of the moment. Don’t worry. Be at peace, and live.

What are you reading now?
Right now I’m reading An Old-Fashioned Girl by Louisa May Alcott, the author of Little Women.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m trying my hand at writing Chick Lit longer than a short story. We’ll see how it goes.

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, dear, only four? I’d better not be stranded for long! I’d bring The Holy Bible, John Nielson Had a Daughter, Yella’s Prayers (the first book I ever wrote), and The Movement of Crowns Series, since a number of its characters have been with me as long as the ones from Yella’s Prayers.

Author Websites and Profiles
Nadine Keels Website
Nadine Keels Amazon Profile
Nadine Keels Author Profile on Smashwords

Nadine Keels’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Nadine Keels is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I started writing books on a dare from my son. He persuaded me to write a children’s book based on a game I paly with my grandson. Captain No Beard An Imaginary Tale of a Pirate’s Life, went on to win the Star of Remarkable Merit from Kirkus Review, was named to Kirkus Review’s Best of 2012, The Erik Award and the NABE Pinnacle Award 2013. Pepper Parrot’s Problem with Patience, the second book in the series received Five Stars from the Foreword Review. I followed with Stuck in the Doldrums, Strangers on the High Seas , and The Treasure of Snake Island. Strangers on the High Seas was named Best Children’s Book of the Year 2013 by Reader’s Views. Children love the captain and his crew, and the adventures keep coming.

I am a former social studies teacher and decided to write a non fiction cultural book for my audience of 3-8 year olds. If You Were Me and Lived in… has spawned 12 books so far and many awards. If You Were Me and Lived in …Mexico, was the first in the series. It is a simple approach to gently open doors on customs and culture for the very young. It touches on the differences and similarities and has been embraced by both children and educator. Mexico received the NABE Pinnacle for Best Children’s Non Fiction 2012, If You Were Me and Lived in…France was named as a finalist in the Juvenile Non Fiction category Foreword Review Book of the Year. Rebecca’s Readers Views Gave If You Were Me and Lived in…Norway, the Creative Non Fiction Award, France received General Non Fiction. If You Were Me and Lived in…South Korea received an Honorable Mention by Readers Views. To date, the following is a list of the countries published; Mexico, France, South Korea, Norway, Kenya, Turkey, India, and Australia. I have also written a child’s introduction to yoga, called I Want to Do Yoga Too.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The name of my newest entry to the Captain No Beard series is called The Crew Goes Coconuts. It was inspired by the rash of bullying in the news. It addresses peer pressure. All the Captain No Beard books address important topics like sharing, friendship, cooperation, stranger danger, and such.

I am working on the following countries for the non fiction series, Portugal, Russia, Peru, and Greece. I keep picking countries that interest me and I try to be as diverse as possible.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write my books at sunrise and am very fast. Usually it is done an hour or so later. They are direct, and I don’t like to keep going over them. I submit them for editing to see the response. I don’t like to overthink them. Every word has to be important to the topic. After I get them back, I particularly like to simplify the non fiction. I edit them down, because I want them to be as basic as possible and leave it to the educator to amplify the lesson to the needs of the child. They are basically a catalyst to open doors to learn more.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I read all the time, every day for hours. I read histories, fiction, and non fiction. My all time favorite book is Shogun, which is about a Western swashbuckler’s introduction to Asia. I guess, while Blackthorne was technically not a pirate, I was influenced by his adventurous ways. I have always been fascinated by other cultures. So that book is a perfect marriage.

What are you working on now?
I just finished Captain No Beard and the Aurora Borealis, and an unnamed Captain book to introduce my newest grandchild. Many have guessed that the key players in the books are my three grandchildren. A fourth is on the way and had to be written in!

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
www.caroleproman.com.

I have a blog, Facebook, Twitter and website all run by my media goddess, Julie Gerber from Away We Go Media. I would not have been able to do anything without her. I knew absolutely nothing and she has guided me in the right direction to save both time and money. I looked up many review sites like Children’s Book Review, Say What Savannah Mae, Rebecca’s Reads, Reader’s Views, Al Galasso from NABE, Geri Ahern and take promotional packages. They have also guided me in the right direction. Julie gets the word out on as many blogs and helps me find as many people as we can to review. I send out a press release to get as many reviews as I can. If you don’t let people know about your book, it won’t get read.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Get a good media person to help you promote your book. If you are not prepared to give out your book in promotions, giveaways, and reviews, nobody will hear about it. Get as many reviews as you can, but not your family. Get people to write HONEST reviews or you won’t be taken seriously. Read other books in your genre and start reviewing. You will see familiar names and then you can ask them to review your work. Those Harry Potter and Fifty Shades of Gray self published lightening strikes happen very rarely. Don’t quit your day job.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Have a thick skin. Not everybody is going to like your work. Constructive criticism is a good tool to help you develop as a writer.

What are you reading now?
Amy Licence has a bunch of books on the Tudors. I am zipping though them and loving it. I am also reading a fictional account of Catherine Of Valois, but I don’t remember the name.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I want to turn my books into coloring books for children. I think they will enjoy. The artwork is wonderful. I have a bunch of person appearances in local school and that is so much fun. You get to interact with the kids and get a real feel of what is working and what should be ditched.

I will always have another Captain No Beard an cultural book coming out.

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?
Shogun, Gone with the Wind, The Bible, How to Survive on a Desert Island. ( I don’t know if that book exists but if it doesn’t I’d probably write in on the paper from the others)

Author Websites and Profiles
Carole P. Roman Website
Carole P. Roman Amazon Profile

Carole P. Roman’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Carole P. Roman is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I wrote a screen play called Brood X A Firsthand Account of the Great Cicada Invasion and decided to turn it into a novel. As a screen play it came in 6th place out of 3500 in a contest. Rebecca’s Reads named it as one of the Best Mystery/Thriller Books of the year. It received 1st Place in Reader’s Views Mystery/Thriller/Horror Suspense books of the year. My second book Stillwell A Haunting on Long Island placed Honorable Mention under General Fiction on Rebecca’s Reads, and was named as a finalist in the Foreword Reviews Best Horror Book of the Year. It has been on the Amazon best seller list in its genre since it came out. The Hanging Tree A Novel was named as a finalist in Horror for Book of the Year on the Foreword Review, and Schism The Battle for Darracia was named as a finalist in Science Fiction. Rebecca’s Read gave it 2nd place in Science Fiction. I have just published Book two of the Darracia series. It is called Collision The Battle for Darracia. I am hard at work on the last of the trilogy; Risen The Battle for Darracia. I just sent in a second paranormal romance called The Flip for editing. It will be released in late May.

So I have written 6 novels.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is called The Flip and I was inspired by an old Victorian home on the North Shore of Long Island. The house was on a creepy, overgrown hill and was built in the middle of the 1800′s. I wanted to bring in an Underground Railroad aspect to the story and found out that an old, closed restaurant in the neighborhood actually has a room where slaves were hidden. They are trying to name the restaurant as a national landmark. ( The Maine Maid Inn in Jericho) I hope they succeed.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write with the television on and kids screaming. Nothing stops me!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I love Wallace Wattles and Napoleon Hill. I like to read self help. It makes me organize myself and stop procrastinating.

What are you working on now?
The last of my science fiction trilogy Risen The Battle for Darracia. I love these characters and have enjoyed traveling around the galaxy with them on their great adventure.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
www.michaelphillipcash.com
I have an excellent publicist who networks with the very best the web has to offer. I have no time to keep track of everything and that’s her job. She has gotten my name everywhere. She is works with Julie Gerber from Away We Go Media for all contests, web related publicity, and pr releases.
Together they have set up a network of bloggers to review the work and spread my name. Geri Aherne, Reader’s Views, Bianca Schulz of The Children’s Book Review ( for YA) Al Galasso, Rebecca’s Reads. They have made sure to get both Kirkus and Foreword reviews. They actively work to get reviewers on Amazon and Goodreads to give honest reviews.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Stay focused and finish what you start no matter what. Plow though it, even if it sounds wrong and you’ll edit later. The most important thing is to finish the work.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Stay true to yourself. My Mom always tells me that. In other words, always tell yourself the truth and don’t fool yourself.

What are you reading now?
I’m actually rereading Save the Cat! by Blake Snyder now. It keeps you in check with your storytelling and should be in every writer’s library.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I have about 3 to 4 stories that I’m writing beats on. Once those beats are complete, I’m putting my brain to work and fleshing out the stories. They range from fantasy to paranormal to even comedy.

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 Science of Getting Rich by Wallace D. Wattles
The script for Cast Away
Personal Power by Anthony Robbins

Author Websites and Profiles
Michael Phillip Cash Website
Michael Phillip Cash Amazon Profile

Michael Phillip Cash’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Michael Phillip Cash is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I was born and raised in the beautiful seaside town of Genoa, Italy, where I studied for a degree in Italian, Spanish and English Literature, specializing in psychology and sociology. After spending a few years in Switzerland, I moved permanently to London.

I work as manager of a wellness and beauty centre, and as beauty consultant for various prestigious brands of cosmetics. I also loves fashion and art, areas closely connected with the world of aesthetics.

I’ve always been a hungry reader and consumer of books of all kinds.
My true passion, however, is still writing:
“I think I held a pen before walking. Despite new technology, I’ve always been fond of the good old pen, scribbling notes on used travel tickets, handkerchiefs and even worn pages of old diaries. It’s the only way I’m able to capture and bring to life the ideas that are constantly running through my head.”

I began writing at school, producing essays, articles, term papers on the humanities. I then continued with more technical writings in the fields of aesthetics and cosmetology, also taking care of the school programme for beautician internships.
However, the idea of writing ‘a real novel’ has always been on my mind.
‘Ecliptic’ is my true debut. It’s a fantasy/Sci-Fi novel and is the first of a saga that bears its name.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The idea of ‘Ecliptic’ came to me by pure chance when my husband and I were talking about the constellations; it was a warm night, and we were walking down the seaside in Genoa, my native city in Italy. The view of the sky from the darkness of the docks of the ancient harbor was breathtaking.
My husband is incredibly fond of astronomy, and stargazing is one of his favorite hobbies. That night, out of nowhere, he asked: “Has anybody ever written a fantasy based on the zodiac constellations?”.
No, I was pretty sure that nobody had written something like that, as far as I’m aware. “Why don’t you write it?” he insisted.
Why not? My imagination had already started running at breakneck speed.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
No, I usually write anywhere and in any condition. I could be in the noisiest bar or on top of a mountain, on a train full of people or a deserted beach, but during the writing process I can abstract myself completely from the reality that surrounds me.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I’ve always been a hungry reader. At school, I used to read classical authors, Greek and Latin (such as Plato, Seneca, Virgil, Cicero), and historical novels. Then I moved to travel reportages (Dominique Lapierre, Tiziano Terzani), crime books and thrillers.
I fell in love with the fantasy genre in adolescence, after a chance reading of the timeless ‘The Lord of the Rings’. Since then, I’ve devoured both classic fantasy (Marion Zimmer Bradley, Terry Brooks) and contemporary or urban (Cassandra Clare, Veronica Roth, Suzanne Collins, and Carlos Ruiz Zafon, one of my favourite authors for his original style). Monsters, magic, supernatural powers and war between good and evil have become my bread and butter.

What are you working on now?
I’m currently working on the second book of the ‘Ecliptic Saga’, ‘The Seal of constellations’, which will be released next summer.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I think ‘word of mouth’ is the best way to marketing yourself. It’s a slow way, but it allows you to achieve firm-based results. I’m trying to contact people on social medias, blogs, websites and share my ideas.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
When I start writing a new project, I always try to separate the creative part from the logic one.
Generally, during the creative process, I read a lot, go to exhibitions, plays, concerts in order to solicit my imagination as much as possible, and I observe people too. You never know where the inspiration could come from.
The logical part is quite another thing. When I make the revision of the text, I put aside any kind of emotion, and I try to see the sentences as simple sequences of words, almost like mathematical formulas. Then I read and reread, and read again. Every time I’d discover new mistakes I didn’t notice the previous time.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
If you’re stuck in a particular point, go on writing. After some time (minutes, hours, day), you can go back, and you’ll see that everything is easier.

What are you reading now?
At the moment I’m reading new authors like me. There are a lot of hidden gems to discover.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m going to complete the ‘Ecliptic Saga’ with the third book, which will be released next year.

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 Lord of the rings’, ‘Harry Potter’ and Dante’s ‘Divina Commedia’

Author Websites and Profiles
Sara Lunardi Website
Sara Lunardi Amazon Profile

Sara Lunardi’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Sara Lunardi is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hi everyone,

My name is EJ Valson and I am an Indie Author from the Pacific Northwest. I wrote and self-published my first novel, The Nostalgia Effect last year and I am currently working on my next book, which is vastly different from my first book.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Nostalgia Effect is my debut novel. It was honestly inspired by two things — the love I have more my life with my husband, and a bad dream. Oddly enough, once I wrote the book, the bad dream stopped. This book is ultimately a lesson on being grateful for what you have, as it could disappear at any moment and without warning. There are a lot of “what if” scenario’s in this story, giving it a fun science-fiction twist, that is subtle, yet intriguing.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not that I would think, but I MUST write to music and with headphones on as it helps me stay in my “zone”.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
One of my favorite books, which spawned my love of post-apocalyptic fiction is The Host. Then after that I started reading The Divergent series, and others alike. But one of the first books I ever fell in love with, was when I was a teenager and the book was called Detour for Emmy by Marilyn Reynolds. After I finished it, I wrote her a fan letter and told her about my aspiration to write a book. She wrote back and encouraged me to keep to that dream and recommended a book to read, which coincidentally, I ended up having to read for a class ten years later. After I finished the Nostalgia Effect, I sent her an email thanking her for writing that letter to me when I was a teenager and I shared the news that I finished my book. When she responded, I was once again left speechless by her kind words and gracious nature. It was an amazing day.

What are you working on now?
I am working on a book that hopefully encourages people to travel to Sweden, as I consider myself Swedish by marriage. Even though it is not the largest setting for the book, it does play an important role. The premise is about a young twenty something who jet sets off to Europe to meet up with her boyfriend. When plans and relationships change, she finds that she has to adapt as well.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I am still trying to determine that since I have only been published a few months. Twitter is great, but I am not certain it has done my book as much justice as word of mouth and other sites like Goodreads, and Facebook which allows me to connect with a larger base of readers directly.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
You will hear this time and again. DON’T GIVE UP. If you are writing a book to get over night recognition, it most likely will not happen. Books take time to read, therefore books take time to get recognition and acknowledgement. Be patient, hone your craft and continue doing what you love while marketing your work in parallel. But ultimately, focused on what you love doing.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Do what you love and the rest will follow.

What are you reading now?
Allegiant by Veronica Roth, though I just finished reading another fun book called The Mothers by Michelle Read. She and I did a book review exchange and I am so glad I did. It was a really fun and easy read, and I wanted to support another indie-author.

What’s next for you as a writer?
A best-seller? HAHAH, I don’t know. I want to finish this book and move on to something else more dark/exciting. I have ideas, but they aren’t solid yet. That is the fun of being a writer though, you just start writing and let the story unfold itself before you.

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 Nostalgia Effect, for the sheer fact that it would remind me of my life before I was stranded. A Chelsea Handler book to keep me laughing, and a blank journal so I could keep writing.

Author Websites and Profiles
EJ Valson Website
EJ Valson Amazon Profile
EJ Valson Author Profile on Smashwords

EJ Valson’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

EJ Valson is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I believe I was born to write. There are stories in me that have wanted to be told for as long as I can remember. I was shy as a little girl, and today I remain a very private person so writing has always been my way of expressing myself while still protecting my essential nature. In my office today, I have file boxes full of stories, the oldest being a book about a dog I wrote at the age of four. Some of these stories were creative writing assignments at school, some were more than that. As a young teen, there came a time in my life—my family—when writing became my means of surviving some really hard things. I escaped with my characters into a shelter from the troubles of life. It is not that I took leave of my senses or of reality, but that by writing these characters I was able to cope with things that I could not control.
I was born into a loving home. The middle of three children. As a little girl I was surrounded, safe, and I thought things would always be that way, but too soon it was snatched away. Exposed to losses that I couldn’t even begin to understand and riddled with wounds that no medicine could heal, I wrote— creating my own outlet for the pain, the betrayal, the sorrow that was inside me. Till one day, I could write no more. I was sixteen at the time, depressed, and I just wanted it all to end. (You may not fully grasp the reasons behind this, but I cannot and will not share them here. Some things are just too private.) I will say this, into my darkest hour came a light and a hope. Writing became an instrument of healing. Those same characters who had once existed merely to help me survive now existed to bind wounds. Along the way, little story by little story, for school and for myself, people came into my life who saw something in my work and encouraged me along the way. First, my mother and father; then teachers at school most notably: Miss Danielle Zawodny and Mr. Kline who were my English Teachers from 9th grade- 12th grade. Upon graduating, I quite abruptly ceased to write. My plan was to be an Elementary School teacher. I had never once considered writing as an occupation! Writing was and is an extremely private thing for me so I went to college. One and a half years into my chosen field of study, through a creative writing assignment in my English class, I started writing again. It wasn’t long before all I was thinking about were these characters and their stories, all coming together in my imagination as they never had before, showing me a story that I just felt I had to write.
In a move that many people did not understand and still do not understand, but one that I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt was absolutely right, I left college to write! To hone my craft, I took correspondence writing courses through the Institute of Children’s Literature and Long Ridge Writer’s Group; to pay my bills I started babysitting some wonderful kids and later tutoring some family friends; the whole while I was writing. I was writing many different kinds of stories, in many different genres but always I would come back to the characters I had created in high school and this new story that was flowing together little piece by little piece. I will not claim that this period of my life was easy; more that I just knew despite what it looked like at times that I was doing what I was meant to do. I was blessed to have the unwavering support of those closest to me, and I do not take that lightly. Not every artistic person can say that. Being an artist can be a very lonely thing and an unimaginable struggle. Finally, in 2005, I had a true story published in Angels on Earth.
I was entering contests, writing, and struggling, hoping, dreaming and endlessly working to follow this path I knew was right when quite suddenly my whole world was derailed. My brother died. Again, writing became a means of survival and then of healing. I like to say that, “Sgarrwrath found his voice.” Sgarrwrath was a character I knew of from my past stories, but who I never named. Now, it was clear that the story had to include him or remain unfinished. Suddenly, old characters and new story pieces just clicked together into a new vision and an entire fantasy series was born out of this tragedy. In 2011, Sgarrwrath, Prequel to the Prophecy of Hope was published. In October 2013, it received an Honorable Mention in the Halloween Book Festival Competition and now, FINALLY, the Prophecy of Hope saga is going forward with the publication of Arising, Prophecy of Hope Book 1 and watch for Mhorag, Prophecy of Hope Book 2 coming soon! There are more to follow. I think my brother would find this a fitting legacy for his memory; he was after all the one who first introduced me to the Fantasy Genre.
In conclusion, writing is not what I do. In a very real sense, it is who I am.
Oh, and did I mention that I LOVE dragons?

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is Arising, Prophecy of Hope Book 1. It is the first official book of a new fantasy/ sci-fi series called Prophecy of Hope Saga.

My debut novel, Sgarrwrath, Prequel to the Prophecy of Hope was the introduction to the series and came about as the result of grief. Arising is the continuation of a healing process for me, but also a story that had to be told. I don’t think there is truly one thing that inspired this book. Beyond this, I can only tell you that my characters speak for themselves.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Well, I never write without my furbabies. They are a great source of inspiration. I often need mood music in the background and handwritten manuscripts are kind of nice. You can take them anywhere and work as the mood and the inspiration strike.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
JRR Tolkien is awesome.

I love all kinds of books and will read just about anything so this is a nearly impossible question for me to answer.

What are you working on now?
Right now I am working on Mhorag, Prophecy of Hope Book 2

Sgarrwrath is arisen only to discover he has reduced the ancient landmarks to dust but the deepest foundations are not destroyed. Now the Source of everything must fall if his Void is to stand.
Torn from the Kingdom, Mhorag is forced to face a brutal world where the currency of power is his blood, and nothing less than his soul is at stake. For the survival of all, he must become less than the godling he is to ascend as more than he could ever dream. He must become the Promised of Prophecy or all hope will be lost forever!

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
www.sgarrwrath.com
www.facebook.com/prophecyofhopesaga
www.facebook.com/fantasyauthorSarahKennedy

What are you reading now?

I am currently reading, Legends of the Dragonrealm by Richard Knaak.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Arising, Prophecy of Hope Book 1 will be going on a cross country Book Tour. First stop will be at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books on April 12-13!

I will be writing Mhorag, Prophecy of Hope Book 2 very intensely. This book is to be my Camp NaNoWriMo Project this April.

After that I plan to continue the series Prophecy of Hope Saga with another 4-6 books. We’ll see how it 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?
WHO COULD CHOOSE??

Author Websites and Profiles
Sarah Kennedy Website

Sarah Kennedy’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

Sarah Kennedy is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My name is Kirsty Millar. I was born in Staffordshire, England in 1981. I moved to Perth, Australia in 2004 and currently live in Los Angeles, California. I studied film, television and media while at Staffordshire University which invigorated my passion for writing. I am currently studying my Masters in Fine Arts at Antioch University in Culver City.

At the age of nine after watching a documentary on slaughterhouses I became vegetarian, and have always felt a strong connection to all animals. Since I was very young, I have volunteered to help with homeless dogs and dogs with psychological problems. I can often be found rescuing stray dogs and cats and any other animal that may need assistance.

I decided to incorporate my passion for animals into my career, and in 2005 I started my own business in Perth, Australia. My business is called “Paws in the Park,” and is a professional and caring dog walking and pet sitting service–www.pawsinthepark.com.au.

In 2011 I felt inspiration to write a dog behavior training manual after observing so many behavioural problems and stress felt by pet owners and their dogs. The manual is available for purchase on my website and an Amazon.

In 2014 I published, “How to Start a Dog Walking and Pet Sitting Business,” so other people could learn from my experience and start their own successful dog walking and pet sitting business. It is available on Amazon.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
In 2014 I published, “How to Start a Dog Walking and Pet Sitting Business,” so other people could learn from my experience and start their own successful dog walking and pet sitting business. I believe in sharing knowledge with others, so they too can fulfil their dreams. My philosophy on life is this: the more people who are following their passion, the happier they will become, and as a result the world will become a more peaceful and loving place. After all, if you are happy, it’s hard to be cruel or mean.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
If you mean, do I write whilst standing on my head. Yes. This is how I write. Haha.

I wouldn’t say I have unusual writing habits, but I do like to write in unusual locations, like on the beach.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I love to read all books. I think the book that has influenced me the most is, Roald Dahl’s, ‘Matilda’.

This book was the catalyst for my belief in magic, beauty, my love of reading and writing and taught me that if you try with all your might, you will succeed. When I feel excited and enthusiastic when reading a book or writing, I know it’s my inner Matilda jumping for joy!

What are you working on now?
Currently I’m working on a series of children’s books that address issues that I feel are important for the greater good of the individual and our planet.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I am still learning. But this is my website page to promote my most recent eBook: http://www.pawsinthepark.com.au/business-opportunity/

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Never stop writing. Never give up. You will succeed!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
A life lived in fear, is a life half lived.

What are you reading now?
“The Art of the Deal,” by Donald Trump

What’s next for you as a writer?
Read. Write. Write. Read. Write some more.

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?
Roald Dahl – Matilda
Shel Silverstein – Where the Sidewalk Ends
A Rhyming Dictionary
33 Steps – Stuart Wilde

Author Websites and Profiles
Kirsty Millar Website
Kirsty Millar Amazon Profile

Kirsty Millar’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile

Kirsty Millar is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve always loved the combination of romance and suspense. Almost all of my twenty-eight books and five novellas twist both of those elements together, because nothing complements falling in love better than being hunted down, right?

I started my writing career as Tina Wainscott, my real name. Many of my romantic suspenses have a touch of magical realism, but not all. My newest project for Random House is a straight-out romantic suspense series about five Navy SEALs who take the fall for a covert mission gone wrong and join The Justiss Alliance, a private agency that exacts justice outside the law. More at www.tinawainscott.com

As Jaime Rush, I write romantic paranormal suspense, including the Hidden series for Hachette Books (Humans with the essence of gods walk the knife’s edge between Miami and a magical world of passion and danger. Part dragon, angel, or sorcerer, they must fight their own kind, demons, and the lure of their darkest nature) and the Offspring series (X-Files meets LOST-ish). More on those at www.jaimerush.com

I’ve lived in Southwest Florida my whole life, though I do sneak off to the North Carolina mountains whenever I can. I love to kayak, go boating, autocross race, and spend time with family and friends.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Losing my nephew, a marine, in the war made me realize that our military people are the perfect heroes. But I didn’t want to write military scenes, since I didn’t think I could do it accurately. What interested me was how they integrated back to the “real world.” And if those guys had been ousted unfairly, that would make it even more interesting. The type of men who would sign up to be SEALs would need purpose, action. To be suddenly dismissed would be difficult. So enter Chase Justiss, who offers them all jobs at his private so-called security firm. I knew I’d enjoy writing how each of these men adjusts to life outside the military and then to finding love when they least expect it.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I can’t think of anything all that unusual.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
As a kid, books like the Alfred Hitchcock short story collections and VC Andrews’s first two series definitely piqued my interest for developing villains and characters in terrible situations.

What are you working on now?
I’m promoting a boxed set that I’m part of (The Dangerous Dozen), editing one of my older books that I want to reissue, will be editing the third book in my Justiss Alliance series, and about to write a novella for an anthology that I’ll be part of. Plus I’m thinking of the fourth book in my Justiss series, and playing with other ideas as well.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I enjoy the interaction of Facebook. I have three pages, two author ones under both my names and then a profile page as both Jaime Rush and Tina Wainscott

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Consider all your options, of which there are many nowadays. Never send out an inferior product.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Take what advice feels true for me and throw out the rest.

What are you reading now?
Sonja Gunter’s Wanted: Girl I Once Met

What’s next for you as a writer?
The second and third books in my Justiss Alliance all come out this year, so I’ll be busy with those, as well as writing future books. I love that writing is so open, so many possibilities!

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
I would bring spiritual growth books, written by authors like Carolyn Myss, Wayne Dyer, and Robert Ohotto. While I love fiction, reading the same 3 or 4 books would eventually get boring, no matter how wonderful they are. You know the ending, after all. But we never know our own endings.

Author Websites and Profiles
Tina Wainscott Website
Tina Wainscott Amazon Profile
Tina Wainscott Author Profile on Smashwords

Tina Wainscott’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tina Wainscott is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Mary McPhee has been writing for a long time. She first began with journal keeping but used the third-person voice. Then she wrote humorous pieces about her family, many of which were published in newspapers and magazines. She turned this autobiographical material into novels, giving her imagination free rein, embellishing her characters and plots. However, several of her novels, like “The Woman Who Lived to Be 150,” are definitely made up. Her latest book on Kindle is a suspense novel about a young interior decorator. She has several more novels ready to go on Kindle. Her writing style is kind of literary but very accessible, humorous more often than not. She spends most of her days writing, and probably will have to have the pencil pried from her hand.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Mary’s latest book is “Flowers in a Window.” It’s about a young interior decorator whose great talent is visualization, the ability to see the “after” of a “before” scene. A horrific happening in her life sends her in search of a refuge that at first exists solely in her imagination. She makes it come true and finds peace until a stranger comes to disrupt that peace. This book was inspired by an inexplicable flash of the imagination of the author. In other words, nothing in real life.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Mary always wrote by hand in pencil on notebook paper. She felt that using the hand in this way stimulated the brain. But of course it all had to be typed. She vowed to train herself to write directly on her computer, and what a difference that has made in her production. She used to get up at 5 a.m. to write, with black coffee beside her. Now it’s a little later and she uses a splash of cream.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The great Russian writers have influenced Mary, especially Tolstoy. She likes Irish and English authors, especially their mysteries. Grisham is great, so is Alice Walker with “The Color Purple.” Other influences: Ann Patchett, Harper Lee, Hemingway, Fitzgerald. Eudora Welty.

What are you working on now?
A funny book called “The Algonquin Book Club.” It’s a literary fantasy set in the famed Rose Room (formerly called Oak Room) of the Algonquin Hotel in New York City. Women characters from classic fiction meet to hold a book club.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
This is a difficult question to answer because book promotion is very hard, almost the last thing a writer wants to do. This present site is wonderful, very writer-friendly, and well-run. More study is needed by this author on this important subject.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Have confidence in your ability and keep writing constantly to improve it.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Just get the story down at first, all the way to the end, then go back to edit. But don’t stop on the way, it’s risky to do.

What are you reading now?
“The Orphan Master’s Son” by Adam Johnson

What’s next for you as a writer?
Enjoying the fruits of my hard work.

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?
“War and Peace” (it will fill up the time), “The Great Gatsby” (wonderfully structured), and something inspirational and life-affirming like “The Lives of the Saints.”

Author Websites and Profiles
Mary McPhee Website
Mary McPhee Amazon Profile

Mary McPhee is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a recent college graduate with my bachelor’s degree in Healthcare Administration with a specialty in Information Systems. During my journey through college I became very ill with a severe back injury that required major surgery in July. That injury and failed surgery has left me disabled. I have taken a drastic turn in my life plans and followed the advice of man of my english professors and became an aspiring author. Sins of the Daughter is my first published book with the sequel Malice of the Father coming soon in late May 2014.

I am happily living with a my family, which includes my two children, in Richmond, Virginia. The southern way of life has been a blessing as I do not have to normally fight with the cold weather and drastic weather changes of the northern states.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book that I am working on Malice of the Father which is book two of the Westover Series. The series itself was inspired by a true ghost siting at the Westover plantation in Charles City, Virginia. The Westover plantation was built and owned by the Byrd family. In 1737, Evelyn Byrd perished at the plantation at a very young age. The rumor is that she perished from a broken heart due to the lost chance at love with Charles Morduant. Her father threatened to disown her and forcibly brought her back to America from England. Evelyn Byrd has been seen roaming the gardens and the halls of the Westover plantation to date.

Evelyn’s story touched my heart and inspired me to write a suspenseful romance story surrounding the sketchy details of Evelyn’s lost love and subsequent death. I have added some very fictional events to the story, but this is fiction after all and twists are what make a story worth reading.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write, then review, then edit, then review and in fact sometimes do free writing on a chapter when I am not please with the way it is flowing. When I have reach a point that I am just fighting with writers block I sit down and start designing book covers. The task of designing the cover still gets the creative sparks flowing but without having to concentrate blindly on the spot that has my mind stumped.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
There are a couple of authors, Kassandra Kush and Tamara Rose Blodgett, whose writing styles have given me so many styles and tones to work with. Both of these authors are very skilled at bringing characters to life and there techniques at putting together believable conversations have helped me tremendously.

What are you working on now?
While I am finished up the writing of Malice of the Father, I am also researching and outlining a new novel called Isolation: Alert. This newest project will be a novel centered around an alternate history. There are some political undertones, but ultimately this book is about the teenage struggle against a world that we as adults destroyed and left them the remnants to clean up and live with.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I have used the Author Marketing Club which gives tremendous amounts of information regarding promoting and advertising your books, but there are two smaller sites, Awesome Gang and the Indie Book Club, that have given some terrific low cost options for promotions.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t give up. There are so many avenues out there on the internet willing to help new and independent authors. The first book may be a struggle to get out there and to get your name recognized, but if you put in the time and effort it will be rewarding. Keep writing those books, because ultimately the more books you have published the greater presence you will have and the greater your sales will be.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I was very skeptical at first with this advice, but as I am seeing now it was some of the best advice I was given. When publishing your book through amazon’s kindle direct publishing, take advantage of offering your book through the kindle free promotion or countdown deals. By offering your book for free you get the book read by more people and the more who read the more who want to buy that next book to find out what happens. In the grand scheme of promoting, this is so wise because along the way you can build a good fan base and drive your sales higher and higher as you keep publishing additional books.

What are you reading now?
At the moment I am reading for the first time the Hunger Games. My children have been after me to read the book for months and I finally have the time to do so. There are some things I like about the book and some that I don’t. I think reading it after the movie has come out is what is causing the problem.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Writing the novel. Isolation: Alert will be a full novel. I started with a short story series and now I feel that I need to push myself to create a novel that tells a real influencing story. I’m of course a little nervous about the new project, but also excited and looking forward to the challenge.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
I would bring my copy of all 7 Narnia books because I simple enjoy the series. Beyond that I am really not sure because there are so many books that I enjoy and would love to read again.

Author Websites and Profiles
Paula Parker Website
Paula Parker Amazon Profile

Paula Parker’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

Paula Parker is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Chris Swinney (C. L. Swinney), @clswinney, is currently assigned to a Department of Justice Task Force that investigates a myriad of cases ranging from street level drug dealers and Bank Robbers to homicides and complex Mexican Cartel cases. When criminals run, Chris is called to find them. He puts his unbelievable experiences and everyday life as a Detective into his writing.

Chris officially began his writing career when his feature article was published in Fly Fisherman Magazine. After this, his work continued to appear in PointsBeyond.com, Alaskan Peninsula Newspaper, California Game & Fish, and again in Fly Fisherman Magazine again. He’s now a contributor to PoliceOne.com, the nation’s premier law enforcement online magazine.

Chris came up with the concept for his Bill Dix series while fly fishing in Andros, Bahamas. As he landed on the island, he noticed several downed planes, which piqued his interest. While on the island, he was fortunate enough to speak with and interview several islanders and law enforcement members. His first novel, Gray Ghost, was born from these interviews and was infused with Chris’s experiences as a Detective. His debut novel made best seller’s list on Amazon in paperback and kindle for Crime Fiction and Mystery.

The second novel in the Bill Dix series, Collectors, should come out mid-2014. The project hits close to home for Chris as he’s going to donate the proceeds to his mentor’s family. Koti Fakava taught Chris most of what he knows and passed away far too soon leaving behind his lovely wife and five wonderful children. Chris was able to work Koti in as a character in his upcoming novel and is proud to have served with him.

Chris is a big time supporter of Teachers, Parents, Law Enforcement, Doctors, Nurses, Firemen, American Troops, Juvenile Diabetes Research, and children. He spends time volunteering for his church, at schools, he coaches, and every once in awhile he gets to go fly fishing.

***Chris created a social media group on Goodreads that seems to be helping a lot of people with promoting their work through social media. “Social Media 101″ is the name of the group.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Gray Ghost.

Gray Ghost was an arduous journey. It started almost fifteen years ago when I was working at a fly fishing store in the San Francisco Bay Area. I sold enough trips to a resort lodge in Andros, Bahamas, and was allowed to accompany the fishermen to the exotic island.

While flying into the tiny airstrip I noticed a few downed planes and my interest was piqued. I began talking to locals about the planes and quickly learned most (okay, all) were related to narcotic smuggling. I talked to locals, the police, the lodge owner, fishing guides, and anyone I could to learn about the drug trafficking. The stories were compelling to say the least, but I did not put pen to paper at that time.

Fast forward eight years later. I was pushing a patrol car trying to make narcotic arrests so I could get promoted to the narcotic task force. It worked, and I instantly got hooked into the seedy underworld of narcotics. My memories from the trip years prior to the Bahamas, and my experiences working in narcotics in an undercover capacity were used to write the first draft of Gray Ghost.

Based on my crazy work schedule, I was only able to write during the wee hours of the morning so it took about three years to get it done. I also interviewed members of the Coast Guard, Miami-Dade PD, California Department of Motor Vehicles, and other key folks that were blended into my story.

Gray Ghost was edited and re-written three more times before seeing print. It was a very challenging time for me, but, I was determined to make my dream come true. I’ve learned a ton about the business, and I strive to write better each day. The title means several things, but I’ll let you read the book to figure out what they are.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Yup! I work surveillance for long hours and tend to dictate to my cell phone recorder ideas, scenes, and other pieces of my current novel, Collectors. I also write in the wee hours of the morning when the kids are asleep!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Tony Hillerman, all of his novels.

Clancy, Patterson, Hoag, Grafton, Brantingham.

Elmore Leonard, Killshot

Harry Potter series

Hemingway

What are you working on now?
My current novel is Collectors. It includes a character named Koti Fakava. Koti was my mentor and dies unexpectedly. He left behind his wife and five kids. I’m donating the proceeds from Collectors to Koti’s family!

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Facebook, although Twitter is a close second. I’m a huge fan of social media, but I seem to get more band for my buck by personal interaction.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
NEVER GIVE UP! I really think if you stick to what you love to write, a contract or gig will come your way. And, probably most importantly, YOU MUST WRITE WELL.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Do not change who you are to get published.

What are you reading now?
Secrets To Die For, LJ Sellers.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Hit the BIG TIME! Movies, yachts, supermodels…although my wife would not be too happy about that!

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Killshot

Pride and Prejudice

Moby Dick

Grapes of Wrath

Author Websites and Profiles
Chris Swinney Website
Chris Swinney Amazon Profile

Chris Swinney’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Chris Swinney is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
By day, I am an insurance specialist for over 200 physicians. By night, I write stories, blogs, novels, freelance articles, and more. I’ve written 3 novels and 1 novelette.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Gracie Mae, A Story of Courage and Love is my newly published novel which I began writing in 2008. It was on a back burner until this year when I completed the manuscript.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Like I mentioned, I usually write in the evening. When I’ve had enough for the night, I sometimes lay in bed and think about what should come next in my story until I fall asleep.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
There are many authors I admire. What comes first to mind is Mitch Albom and Nicholas Sparks. Also, I enjoy James Patterson’s book which are more on the romantic side.

What are you working on now?
I don’t usually write and tell, but I have a book I’m working on about a young man who returns to the childhood home of his grandfather to find the mystery behind why he ran away as a teenager, and found the need to change the family name.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I am still researching this information since my newly released novel was self published. I plan to get established on indie author websites, and continue to utilize social media as much as possible.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Read plenty and write every day, even if it’s for only 20 minutes.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t take rejection letters to heart. Chances are, a story isn’t being rejected because of writing shortcomings, but because it’s one less manuscript in a slush pile which the publisher is too busy to review.

What are you reading now?
Phone Calls from Heaven by Mitch Albom.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I will continue working on my previously mentioned novel, and also keep my blog active with new postings.

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, Thornbirds, Hunger Games, and Gone with the Wind, only because these are good, lengthy books to pass the time.

Author Websites and Profiles
Donna Marie Website
Donna Marie Amazon Profile

Donna Marie’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Donna Marie is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I was born and reside in Toronto, Canada. I began writing notes and cards as a young child to people I loved and admired. When I left home as a teen, I began journaling through the years about my concerns and thoughts in analysis of my life. Coming from a broken home, I was often drawn into the middle of my parent’s conflicts and I took the comfort of pen and paper as a means for an outlet to sort my thoughts and understand the people and events in my life. As one who enjoyed writing, I decided to put my words into books and published my first book in 2013, Conflicted Hearts. I love to write about real-life experiences and so I write as a nonfiction-memoir writer.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My debut book is titled Conflicted Hearts – A daughter’s quest for solace from emotional guilt. The book was written after years of compiling memories in my journal, beginning with a tumultuous childhood living in a constant dysfunction with my parent’s marriage and a narcissistic mother. The book takes you further into my life adventures as I grew up guided by my own decisions; some good and bad. Throughout my life that reign of guilt I carried from my mother always followed me.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t know if it’s unusual but perhaps more old school, but I don’t seem to be as creative in front of a computer and so I write in long-hand. After first draft I begin my revisions while entering my work into the computer. I also tend to get some great inspiration in the strangest places where I will find myself frantically looking for one of my five pens I usually have on me and a piece of something to write down a fleeting idea.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Jane Austen, William Zinsser, SARK.

What are you working on now?
I am currently in final revisions with my upcoming book Meno-What? – The Memoir, a humorous take on my journey through menopause.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
This is always a tricky question. For writers promoting their work it is sometimes a process of trial and error to find the right site which is most effective for a particular genre. I have used quite a few and some were successful for me while some others were not. My advice is to read the ‘about’ pages carefully wherever one chooses to advertise to get a good grasp on where your book will be displayed and to what kind of reader it will appeal to and also to the promoting site’s size of reader list for exposure.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write every day. Commit to a set goal of either a word count or a time frame to write. Don’t stop along the way to edit or correct, keep writing.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t write with the expectations of fame or fortune for it is a long road or a stroke of luck to get there. Write because you love to. Put forth your best (edited) work always.

What are you reading now?
Write. Publish. Repeat. by Pratt and Truant also, It Was The Best of Sentences, It Was The Worst of Sentences by June Casagrande.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I am working on finishing first draft of my third book, a novella of short stories about women’s self-esteem. Later in the year I will be completing my sequel to Conflicted Hearts.

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 Thornbirds by Colleen McCullough and some books of enlightenment by Deepak Chopra.

Author Websites and Profiles
D.G. Kaye Website
D.G. Kaye Amazon Profile

D.G. Kaye’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

D.G. Kaye is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am an Irish writer, mother of four incorrigible but lovely kids and a teacher. In a previous life I was a university lecturer of history and a tour director for groups of Americans visiting Ireland. I’ve written two books. The first is called The Tour and it is a lighthearted novel set on a bus tour of Ireland. A group of American visitors and their Irish tour guide learn a lot about each other an themselves as a disparate group of strangers find their lives and stories intertwining in poignant and sometimes funny ways. It is not a memoir, though some of the characters are amalgams of people I met over the years.

My second book is a historical novel called So Much Owed.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
So Much Owed – the title is taken from Winston Churchill’s iconic speech where he praised the work of the RAF stating that ‘never in the history of human conflict, was so much owed, by so many, to so few.’

The story begins and the end of the First World War and follows the lives of the Buckley family of Dunderrig House in West Cork, Ireland. This book is really a fictionalization of the research I did for a PhD which was related to the activities of Irish Women in the Allied forces during WW2. I realize academic writing is not for me so I prefer to use my academic background to write fiction.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Well as a mother of four its a miracle I even have a writing habit! I suppose the thing that surprises my friends is that I can write anywhere, for ten minutes or for ten hours. The noise level around me is irrelevant, I grew up with five brothers and sisters and our house was like a train station so you had to learn to block out noise if you wanted to focus on anything. I don’t need to get ‘in the zone’, I can just pick up the story where I left of almost instantly.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I am influenced by so many writers and I dream of having the powers of description of authors like Sebastian Faulks, or the warmth of Maeve Binchy. I remember reading Captian Corelli’s Mandolin by Louis de Bernieres when I was about 20 and I never wanted it to end. The film was a terrible dissappointment. The Boy in the Stripped Pyjamas by John Boyne made me cry, while A Short History of Tractors in Ukranian by Marina Lewycka hade me laugh out loud. I read anything Bill Bryson writes, he is hilarious and fascinating.

What are you working on now?
At the moment I’m writing a book that connects 2016 in New York with 1916 in Ireland. 1916 was the year of the Irish Revolution and one item of supreme historical significance, which is believed to have been destroyed, reemerges. The item links strangers a century apart.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Well I’m not sure. By far the most lucrative was a Bookbub promotion I ran on my first book earlier this year. I blog, (not as much as I should) but for me its a lot of trial and error. I’ve been very fortunate and my book sell well, not enough to retire yet but certainly heading that way.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Just write. Don’t get too hung up on editing as you write. Get the words down on the page any way you can. Once you have a product you can fix it but we are inclined to rewrite too much in the early stages. I just get the story down while its happening in my head, complete with misspells and passive voice and all the other mortal sins and then get my editors to carve it up afterwards. By the way, you DEFINITELY need an editor. Everyone does.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Pay a good editor.

What are you reading now?
the first draft of a friend’s novel. I’m loving it. Other writers are great people to bounce ideas off, and a great support.

What’s next for you as a writer?
My goal is to match my salary from my permanent pensionable job and become a full time writer. I’m hopeful that I can achieve that in 2-4 years.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Empty ones. So I could pass the time away making things up and writing them down

And a thesaurus.

Author Websites and Profiles
Jean Grainger Website
Jean Grainger Amazon Profile

Jean Grainger is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Currently I have eight full novels, and a number of short stories and multiple novel collections all available at Amazon.com

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My last published work was BENNINGTON P.I. “Take two and call me in the morgue”. It is the second full novel in the Bennington P.I. series.

I am currently working on my next novel, MAC WALKER’S 40,000 Feet which will be the fifth full Mac Walker book to be made available to readers.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I will sometimes get up and act out a scene in my head while walking around the room. It helps me to visualize it. I imagine if someone walked in, they would be certain I was in need of serious psychiatric evaluation. They might be right of course…

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Vince Flynn, Brad Thor, Tom Clancy, Stephen King, JD Salinger, and many-many more.

What are you working on now?
“MAC WALKER’S 40,000 Feet”

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
My blog is of great help as it enjoys thousands of regular readers already. My many followers on Facebook have been a great help as well.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Each author is different. Writing cannot be forced, but rather inspired. There are weeks where I struggle, and then days when I literally can’t stop the story from being told.

It’s a tough road, to be sure. Writing, promoting, re-writing, promoting some more, watching sales rise, then fall, and wondering why.

And if you have a thin skin, you best prepare. While most readers can be very supportive, there are some who seem to delight in the particularly dismissive and/or abusive review.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
To be a writer requires one write.

It pretty much comes down to that point where ideas form words, which in turn, create a story. There’s no shortcut – you simply have to get to it.

What are you reading now?
Charles Krauthammer’s “Things That Matter”.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Hopefully great success!

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 Poems of Dylan Thomas

Fahrenheit 451

The Stand

Author Websites and Profiles
D.W. Ulsterman Website
D.W. Ulsterman Amazon Profile

D.W. Ulsterman’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile

D.W. Ulsterman is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
This is my first book and my co-author second book. We love the world and unlimited imagination of children and being able to write and create in that world.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Sprocketeers: Great Giza Gonzo is my first book of the series of other Sprocketeers adventures, to follow. A long time friend, Ben Cornwell, who is a sales guy that works in the merch world, approached me two years ago about doing an animated children’s educational history series with a steampunk flare to it. Through research, we found out that no one would financially support it, to give it the light of day at that time and we decided to do something that would be more of an action adventure, steampunk based around the twins, Alyx and Cooper. My team and I created the synopsis, character descriptions, scripts and illustrations for all aspects of The Sprocketeers. It was my idea to establish our concept as a book first and then we hope into an animated project.

The inspiration for writing The Sprocketeers was based off a lot of influences John and I have had growing up including Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Dr. Seuss, and various action adventure books we read when we were children and books we still reflect upon. Beyond books there are lots of animation, art, historical influences and children we actually know that gave us a load of inspiration to create this book. We also found that Chris Friend’s art work, our illustrator on the project. to give us a huge amount of inspiration as he made a lot of images come alive in his work with us. The book project was very collaborative effort by John Stapleton, Chris Friend and Zach Hall.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
OH Yes!! Whenever ideas come to me and I am not at my desk, laptop or smart device, I jot down notes, phrases, ideas on any piece of paper or otherwise that I can get my hands on and sometimes even on my hands. A lot swirls around in my head before it hits the computer or the paper. I’ve learned it’s best to write it all down one way or another before the idea leaves me.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Dr. Seuss, E.B. White, Encyclopedia Brown, Fancy Nancy, Hardy Boys, and really digging the Rosie Revere and Andrea Beaty’s current works

What are you working on now?
Currently, I am working on a new children’s book about fish and life, due out in April 2014, a book on dirt for all children and some child like adults and another book on if a heart had arms. We also have a pile of ideas for future Sprocketeer adventures.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
We are still trying to figure that out since it is my first book and we are without a publisher ad DIY. We have been trying Facebook, Twitter, Amazon, and our own website:

https://www.facebook.com/TheSprocketeers

http://worldofthesprocketeers.com

Amazon: http://ezrd.me/r/?rd=082U9YSprock

Do you have any advice for new authors?
ebooks, for children, are great avenue for those of us without publishers and can be done with a small amount of costs compared to the traditional print method. it’s super helpful to build a community of other authors, book or reading enthusiast around your genre or topic. The world wide web is the best tool for most of this.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I’m constantly hearing great advice and words of wisdom. Here’s are couple I put at the top of the list:

It’s better to have tried and failed, than never have tried at all

Use keywords in your title

You can always take a positive from a negative

The only real failure in life is not to be true to the best one knows

What are you reading now?
“Raising Happiness” by Christine Carter and “Animals Make Us Human” by Temple Grandin

What’s next for you as a writer?
I want to explore creating more variations on children’s book and also illustrate one or two of them myself. I have a endless list of ideas for children’s books and I want to create a colorful, in more ways than one, open world of imagination that would inspire young readers to do amazing things.

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 , The Places You Will Go”, “LaChapelle Land”, “Meditations to Change Your Brain”, “How to Get off a Deserted Island Fast”

Author Websites and Profiles
Sundae Sundae Website
Sundae Sundae Amazon Profile

Sundae Sundae’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

Sundae Sundae is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a former journalist/editor born and still living in the UK, and so far I have written and released five books – all within the same series (Wildfire Chronicles).

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My most recent book was titled ‘Trauma (Wildfire Chronicles Vol. 5)’, released at the start of March 2014.

I’m a huge fan of horror, and I always wanted to write a series about the ‘zombie apocalypse’ but I was keen to come at it from a different angle. So in Wildfire Chronicles the zombies aren’t supernatural in any way: they aren’t undead. It’s a man-made disaster.

The series was inspired, in part, by reading about conspiracy theories and thinking ‘what if?’
At the same time I was playing with this idea of imagining James-Bond style supervillains who proceed with their plan to destroy the world with no James Bond to stop them. So many stories follow people preventing the bad guys from carrying out their plans, and I thought it would be an interesting start point for my story if the villains succeeded, and ordinary people were left to deal with the consequences.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Probably the time at which I write is the most unusual part of my process: often I work through the night, and a lot of my best writing is done at three in the morning. It means that often I end up with a sleep schedule not too dissimilar to vampires, but I figure that’s pretty appropriate for a horror author!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
All the big names in horror dominated my youth: King, Koontz, Barker, Herbert. More recently I’ve enjoyed the work of Jack Ketchum and JA Konrath. But I’ve also been influenced a lot by science fiction and some fantasy. Most notably for the former: Iain M Banks, William Gibson, Richard K Morgan and Dan Simmons.

On the fantasy front I read Lord of the Rings repeatedly as a child, and also a lot of stuff by Weiss and Hickman. I guess I fell in love with the idea of living in fictional worlds and that’s really stayed with me ever since.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on the final installment of Wildfire Chronicles, which I hope will be released around the end of May 2014, and prepping another horror that I hope to release this summer, and that I’m pretty excited about, but can’t give any details just yet!

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
My best method for getting my name out there has been to give away the first part of my series for free. I recognize that there are a lot of books out there, and a lot of great authors, so rather than asking readers to pay to take a chance on an unfamiliar name, I decided to offer them a chance to sample my work at no cost.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Be professional and be patient. Of course every author would love to write a book that breaks out and becomes a smash hit, but my view is it’s best to keep producing, and keep giving readers a chance to discover and (hopefully) enjoy your books.

My own take on publishing itself is to approach it professionally: covers, editing, website – even the way you carry yourself on social media. Don’t take shortcuts. Of course there are no guarantees in this business, but I figure that if you set yourself up for success, you’re giving yourself the best possible chance of attaining it, whether that’s with your first book or your tenth.

Finally, I’d say be prepared for the reality that some people will dislike your work, and handle criticism with grace. No book ever written has received universal acclaim.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“If you’re not writing, you’re not a writer.”

I spent years telling myself that I would write a book ‘soon’ – and I’d spend hours dreaming up plotlines and characters but never actually get around to doing the work. The best advice to me was to get my hands on a keyboard and start typing.

What are you reading now?
Just finished ‘Alone: the girl in the Box’ by Robert Crane, which I enjoyed, and about to start reading ‘Doctor Sleep’ by Stephen King, which I’m really looking forward to! I’ve got a huge to-read pile, and not enough time to spend reading as much as I’d like.

What’s next for you as a writer?
A new horror in the summer: depending on how that goes it might be a stand-alone novel, but the potential is there for a sequel/series if the readers want more. I’m also looking into working on some apps and audiobooks, and working on getting Wildfire Chronicles adapted for the 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?
‘Lord of the Rings’ by Tolkien
‘Hyperion Omnibus’ by Dan Simmons
‘How to survive on a desert island’ by R. Crusoe

Author Websites and Profiles
K.R. Griffiths Website
K.R. Griffiths Amazon Profile
K.R. Griffiths Author Profile on Smashwords

K.R. Griffiths’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

K.R. Griffiths is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
When I was forced to leave the workforce in 2000 by the onslaught of MS, I saw this as an opportunity to explore my lifelong desire to write.

I believe that anything is possible and when I write fiction, I lean towards the paranormal. I write about extrasensory powers as if they are commonplace because, in my mind, we are all capable of those gifts.

To date, I am the author of three published paranormal novels, including the award winning The Bond, A Paranormal Love Story. My fourth paranormal novel, A Little Poison – the sequel to Missing Flowers – should be out sometime in 2014.

In late February 2014, I independently published my first non fiction book, On The Right Side, My Story of Survival and Success.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest work is On The Right Side, My Story of Survival and Success. This book was inspired by the first thirteen years of me having MS. I realized that although I can see the advantages of having a chronic illness and my life rearranged, many people can’t. I want to show them that change isn’t the end and with a little adjusting, it can lead to better things.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I love to put in a CD and listen to music on headphones while writing.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
My paternal grandmother, Katherine Magill, was a big influence on me. So many times when I do things I hope that she would be proud of me.

What are you working on now?
Right now I am working on a career change as a positive energy mentor. This title encompasses the motivational author/speaker/life coach. I am navigating my way around finding ways to promote my self in the industry.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I have manage to get a lot of support. hints and promotion through Facebook and the people I have met on there.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Keep writing and remember that the first draft NEVER signifies a finished book.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Get an editor!

What are you reading now?
Besides the books on life coaching, I am going to start reading an ARC of a Joss Landry’s new book. I’m excited for that.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Sometime this year, Saga Books should be publishing A Little Poison, the sequel to the paranormal mystery Missing Flowers. These two books are set in Vancouver and combine the paranormal fiction with historical facts.

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 Complete Works of Shakespeare – that would take me forever to get through – anything by Stephen King or John Saul. An Ann Rule collection would be good too.

Author Websites and Profiles
Karen Magill Website
Karen Magill Amazon Profile

Karen Magill’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Karen Magill is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
To be honest, this is the first book I have ever completed. I’ve written short stories, poetry, prose, graphic novels, and just about everything except for a full-length book. This is my latest challenge, and I’m proud of my accomplishment.
I’m 26, but I’ve been writing since the age of 11. I was inspired by an English teacher to take up the pen, and I haven’t put it down.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The book is called In the Days: A Tale of the Forgotten Continent. It is a gripping story of intrigue, murder, assassins, and mayhem in the fictional Empire of Atlantis.
I have always loved the concept of Atlantis. A land no one knows about, with no written records of the history of this now-forgotten continent. I’ve turned this mystery into one that I would love to read, and gave it a twist that I hope will be surprising to those that turn the pages of the book.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I love to listen to dubstep and techno music while writing, preferably while chewing gum and drinking hot, very potent cappuccino. I cannot stop writing until I finish a chapter, or I feel like I left something unfinished.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I’ve found myself influenced by every author I read, but a few have contributed to my journey more than others:
Arthur Conan Doyle
Edgar Rice Burroughs
Scott Lynch
Glen Cook
C.S. Lewis

What are you working on now?
I’m currently working on a graphic novel, which will be released in a few weeks. I’m also about to start working on a new story about a legendary assassin with a mysterious past. I’m hoping to finish it before the end of the year.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I find that just striking up conversations with people has been the most effective. I’ve been chatting people on Goodreads, Facebook, Twitter, and book forums really allows me to connect one-on-one with readers that love a good book. No shameless self-promotion, but talking with people and getting to know them.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Start now! Don’t wait until your book is done to start meeting people, making new friends, and expanding your network. When your book is finally launched, all of the people that have accompanied you on your journey as an author will be your best readers.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
It comes from my brother-in-law, Peter J Story:

Faith in yourself is a tricky subject, especially without higher faith in a greater power. However, I find that faith can apply fairly evenly across the spectrum of authors of varying religions or lack thereof. Personally, faith in myself translates into two primary elements. First of all, it’s faith that I’m a skilled writer. The best writer? No–I couldn’t care less who is, which means it’s not me, and that takes a load off all on its own. Skilled enough to disregard further learning? Of course not–I’m of the firm belief that no matter how adept humans get at any given talent, there’s always room to grow. So, with that out of the way, I can have faith in the simple truth that I can group words in a sensible way to tell a story very well. Secondly, I know that whatever I desire to write, if it interests me enough to write it, then someone else out there will be interested in reading it. And likewise, if it’s interesting enough to me, there should be a large number of others out there who want it.

What are you reading now?
I’m currently diving into the Riyria series by Mark Lawrence, trying to finish off Glen Cook’s latest Garrett P.I. novel: Wicked Bronze Ambition, and hoping that no one tells me the ending of Brandon Sanderson’s Words of Radiance before I can finish it.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’ve loved comics since I was a young adult, so I’m looking forward to the launch of the graphic novel I scripted. I’m also excited about the new series I’m going to start on, just as soon as I can reach my goal of breaking even with my debut novel.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
The next 3 or 4 Scott Lynch novels. I have to see what happens to Locke Lamora and Jean Tannen.

Author Websites and Profiles
Andy Peloquin Website
Andy Peloquin Amazon Profile

Andy Peloquin’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Andy Peloquin is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hi there. My name is Carolyn Scott. I live in Australia, down in the south eastern part. Like all Aussies, I love the beach, barbies (not the skinny doll kind, the ones that cook food), and other summer activities. I’ve worked in libraries (unfortunately they were legal libraries and incredibly boring), as well as in IT support and as a technical writer. I’m married, have 2 kids and a black and white cat who likes to get my attention by sitting on the keyboard when I’m typing. I’ve written 3 mystery novels and 2 novellas (short novels) under this name, but I’ve also written more than a dozen stories under my historical pen-name, C.J. Archer. I’ve had short stories published in magazines in Australia and England. Writing is my passion. I can’t imagine doing anything else.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Eeny Meany Miny Die is the latest full-length novel in the Cat Sinclair mystery series which features Cat, ex-actress and wannabe P.I. The character of Cat came to me at a low point in my life. I hated my job. I was so bored. I used to write stories when the boss wasn’t looking even though I was supposed to be working. Cat is the same. She usually falls asleep or surfs the net to escape the mind-numbing boredom of her office job. There’s actually a lot of me in Cat. She’s snarky and everyone thinks she’s tough on the outside, but underneath it all, she has a heart of gold. She loves her friends, her family, and even grows to like her boss in a, er, special way. I love Cat to bits, and I hope you’ll fall in love with her too as she gets into and out of scrapes.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I love Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum novels. Reading them was a revelation. Prior to that, most books I’d read were stuffy classics or modern literary novels.

What are you working on now?
I’m writing the next Cat Sinclair novel. It’s not titled yet.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Learn from books you love and authors you admire, and keep on writing.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The above – just keep writing.

What are you reading now?
A Hanover Square Affair – it’s a mystery series set in Regency England, combining my twin loves of mystery and history.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’ll just keep on writing more books under both my Carolyn Scott name and C.J. Archer pen name.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Just 3 or 4? That’s harsh. I think I’d have to take books I haven’t read yet. There’s no point taking books I’ve already read!

Author Websites and Profiles
Carolyn Scott Website
Carolyn Scott Amazon Profile

Carolyn Scott’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

Carolyn Scott is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a bit of an oddball. I saw myself as a comedian and I’ve always dreamed of doing sketch comedy. A Guardian Angel (my latest novel)is not like that at all. I’ve written three novels before this one, two self published as print only (I was 15) and the other lost in a hard drive malfunction (now I back my files up).

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
It’s called A Guardian Angel. First, I wrote Part One of the book as a standalone novella, but it was ill recieved (even by my friends). At the same time, I was working on a story about a rancher who’s farm was crushed by a gigantic metal angel (Part Two of the book). That portion is actually inspired by a Porcupine Tree song called “Trains.” Then the whole thing unfurled from there.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
“Unusual” might imply that I know what most writers do. I have routines, that’s for sure — listen to music, lock the door, yadda yadda. I write what I dream, often. I’ll have the core of the story figured out in advance, but certain phrases and scenes are stolen from my dreams because they’re so out of place that it sticks with you. I can’t whisk those things from thin air.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Douglas Adams is my absolute favorite author because I am a cynical comedian at heart. Hitchhiker’s Guide is largely responsible for the tone of Alfred Arnold, a fantastical series I started at 15 years old and plan to rewrite after my current project (untitled thus far). Even though Adams is my favorite author, Catch-22 is my favorite novel and, like mental tattoos, I shall always have quotes to throw out.

What are you working on now?
The working title is Sedated, and I don’t like the name so far. It’s a shorter story about a man who lives an alternate life through a series of persistent dreams. Every time he goes to sleep, he finds himself exactly where he had left his previous slumber. This second life becomes an addiction for him, and after his first nightmare he is forced to choose between the waking world and the imaginary one.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
This is my first serious push into promotion, and it’s a bit overwhelming as a newbie but I enjoy that (masochism, perhaps?). I use twitter and I get people with a following to check out my work and say, “Hey, this is great!” or “Hey guys, this blows.” So far, the latter hasn’t happened yet, but opinions are rarely invalid when in the realm of art.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Persistence is your mission. You’re swimming in a vast sea of uncertainty, where you can see shades of doubt and anxiety darting deep beneath your kicking feet. Once you get to the shore, that’s when you’ve made it and you can enjoy your writing career in abundance. It’s impossible to say how far the shore is in all these ebbing waves, but you must keep swimming. Once you give up on writing, that’s when you drown.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“The road to hell is paved with adverbs.” – Stephen King.

What are you reading now?
The Lord of the Rings. I love books like that, but ever since going into school, it’s difficult to read for leisure. My mother got me my own copies because she’s the greatest LotR fan I have ever met (our dog’s name was Arwen, and one of our llamas was Strider). Everyone should read them, especially if you enjoyed the movies because they compliment each other much rather than compete.

What’s next for you as a writer?
To continue writing, of course! I do it because I love it, and the fact that other people enjoy it makes it all the sweeter. I haven’t even cracked the head of the iceberg.

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?
Catch-22, Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, and Flow My Tears, The Policeman Said.

Author Websites and Profiles
Phoenix Williams Website

Phoenix Williams’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Phoenix Williams is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve been a science fiction/fantasy fan for ages. I am a technology guy and writing stories about future or even new fantasy worlds was always something I wanted to do. When I was growing up, one of the first books I read was the complete works of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. To me, Doyle’s writings were mystery/detective stories, they were fantasy set in Victorian England. After reading so many books over the years, I had plenty of ideas for something of my own, but never had the nerve nor the time to actually follow through with it. One day, I was helping move some boxes from my parents’ home, when I happened upon a box with one of my old short stories. It was titled, “Into the Black”. I decided there and then I was going to write. Today, Embrace, the first book of my science fiction series, The Epherium Chronicles, has been published by Carina Press. The second book of the series, Crucible, will be released on May 26, 2014.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The current book of my debut science fiction series, The Epherium Chronicles, is titled Embrace. It was inspired by a short story I wrote several years ago, but many aspects of the characters come from things I’ve experienced. The main character, James Hood, has a love for playing chess. The security officer, Maya Greywalker, is a genetically altered human who was modified to fight a disease similar to Parkinson’s, which my father currently suffers from. I based the chief engineer after, Thomas Edison, a terrific inventor, but not a great personality.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I have a full time and very busy job, as well as a family. So my writing time is generally in the evening when everyone is asleep. The only other time have to write is on planes or in a hotel room when I’m travelling.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
There are several authors and their works that have influenced me. I’ve mentioned Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, but JRR Tolkien,C.S. Lewis and Mary Shelley were early favorites. More recent fantasy and sci-fi authors I really love to read are Margaret Weis, Tracy Hickman, R.A, Salvatore, Jim Butcher, Isaac Asimov, Ray Bradbury, Robert Jordan, and Micheal A. Stackpole.

What are you working on now?
I working on book three of the series. It’s title is Echoes. I have two other book series I have mapped out, not just in my head, but in a spreadsheet. I just have to find time to put the story on the pages.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Facebook does well and I’ve found good success getting exposure with Google+. I am in process of doing a book blast which will take part on several blogs and later a blog tour when Crucible is released. I’ve have to let you know the results from that.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Read what you love and things you wouldn’t consider, just to see how they flow. Take notion of style when you write. Don’t get discouraged. We all do. Write, read it. Fix, then write more. Take time at the beginning to plan. I’ve tried to National Novel Writing Month from scratch and that was an epic fail. I wasted half the month doing character development and scene placement.

Writing is like golf. Chi-Chi Rodriguez said that golf is game of never ending improvement. You are never as good as you want to be and we all need constant practice.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Not everyone will like what you create. Just take it as gospel. Don’t get frustrated and discouraged, but treat it as moment to connect and find out why. Get feedback. It’s crucial. It may not change what you have, but by building the connection you might see something in a different way than you did before and turn a critic into a future fan.

What are you reading now?
Michael J Sullivan’s Theft of Swords and Brent Week’s The Black Prism are on my Kindle. I’ve almost finished the first book. I want to get The Black Prism read soon, because Jim Butcher’s next Dresden Files novel, Skin Game, is coming in May.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Once I finish Echoes, I plan to start on one of the other series I have mapped out. I need to get with my agent find a publisher and also map out scenes for Books 4 and 5 of The Epherium Chronicles. If I can do all that, work, spend good quality time with my family, and no go completely insane, I can call this a victory.

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 is the first one. As a Christian, it would be a constant source of strength as I would search for rescue. The Complete Works of Sherlock Holmes would be another. If anyone could analyze and deduce a way off that island, it would be him. My old Boy Scout handbook would be a welcome survival guide. I would definitely need a book to help my mind escape the current surroundings. It would have to be Douglas Adam’s Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.

Author Websites and Profiles
T.D. Wilson Website
T.D. Wilson Amazon Profile

T.D. Wilson’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

T.D. Wilson is a post from Awesome Gang