Good Morning/Afternoon depending on your time of day! In these interviews you will discover what other authors are doing to write their books. The also share what they are doing to promote their books. Sit back and enjoy a cup of your favorite beverage and maybe you will learn a few things to help you with marketing your books. If you want to advertise on Awesomegang click here.
Vinny
carmen capuano
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have published four books from The Owners series and have a further two ready to go and four more still to write.
I became a full time author two years ago upon release of The Owners Volume I: Alone and have not looked back since! I try to write at least three days a week during school terms when the house is quiet and empty.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book [not yet published] is entitled Split Decisions and it came about by me thinking of a ‘what if’ scenario. It was a very complex book to write but I enjoyed it immensely!
Split Decisions is a contemporary book, set very much in the world we live in today and this is reflected both in its characters and plotlines. It has a completely different target audience to The Owners and it was nice for a change not to be world-building as sci-fi so often requires.
Like all my books, Split Decision will appeal to adults and teens alike so hold on to your hats readers!
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I like to write sitting on my bed. It’s not a creative thing as I can write anywhere…I’m just more comfortable there. But like most authors I always have a coffee to hand and am constantly refilling the mug!
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I am quite an eclectic reader and always have been. As a child I enjoyed Enid Blyton and Charles Dickens before moving on to George Orwell and the like.
One of the books which made the biggest impression on me was Brave New World by Aldous Huxley – the concepts seemed huge!
Nowadays I tend to read Dean Koontz because I find him kind to his characters and I think that’s important when you are reading a book.
What are you working on now?
I am currently working on another novel called The Boy Who Rescues Pigeons [working title so may change].
It’s a complex tale but there are moments of real mirth in there too, as is often the case in real life. I know we all strive to make our characters more than two-dimensional but this is actually rather hard to achieve.
In The Boy Who Rescues Pigeons I hope the reader will be able to see beneath the characters’ exteriors to the motivations, beliefs and compulsions which drive their every action.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I don’t honestly think I have discovered that yet!
To be honest I think the books pretty much sell themselves and figures show that the readers who buy volume I come back for the other volumes, so I must be doing something right.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Be very sure your nerves and self-esteem can take the criticism that will be levelled at you – writing is one of the toughest businesses to get into.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
As long as you are doing what makes you happy then you are the most successful person in the world! It is not all about financial gain…although the rent still has to be paid obviously.
What are you reading now?
I have got a new book [Stephen King] which I am saving for my days lazing by the pool in Lanzarote!
What’s next for you as a writer?
Books, books and even more books!
I have about thirty novels I have yet to write. As my grandfather used to say, “no rest for the wicked!”
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?
Lightening by Dean Koontz; The Stand by Stephen King; Brave New World by Aldous Huxley and Watership Down by Richard Adams which was another book which influenced me immensely when I read it as a child.
The Koontz book would represent hope for me whilst the others would perhaps remind me that being stranded on a desert island would not be the worst thing that could happen to me!
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a UK writer from Derbyshire, England, and have written and published five novels and an anthology of short stories.
All are available at the usual retail outlets (Barnes & Noble, Waterstones, Amazon), also in a variety of eBook fromats.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
‘Day of the Phoenix’ is the sequel to my debut novel from 2008, ‘A Ticket to Tewkesbury’, and picks up where the earlier novel left off, in 2002, and takes the story up to the British general election of 2007.
It’s a political thriller, with overtones of crime and espionage.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Nothing out of the ordinary – I prefer to write in silence so that I can concentrate. I finsd music, radio and TV distracting as background noise can be.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
James Pattersom, Lee Child, Michael Connelly, Jeffrey Deaver, James Herbert, Thomas Hardy.
I’m a great fan of Alex cross, Pike and Cole, Jack Reacher and Lincol Rhyme.
All the writers up top have the ability to force you to just keep on turning the page.
What are you working on now?
A Sci-Fi novel for next year – ‘The Ri9ngs of Darelius’.
It tells, in four parts, the story of a civilisaton at the brink of extermination and the attempts it makes to svae the Darelian race from extinction.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
All my writing is detailed on my own website:
http://www,nealjames.webs.com
I am, however, listed on Amazon, where I have an author page. you can find me on Facebook, Twitter, linkedin and Google+
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t expect overnight success, and remember that if you aren’t prepared to work hard at what you believe in, then how can you expect other to do it for you?
Just try to remember that buzz which only comes from seing your first book in print.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Believe in yourself, and never give in.
What are you reading now?
Just finished a Jack Reacher novel – ‘Die Trying’. I love the way Lee Child keep you guessing with each new chapter.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m writing the sequel to last year’s book ‘Full Marks’. This one’s called ‘Three Little Maids’ and follows DCI Marks through another murder case, completely unaware that a killer is stalking him and his wife.
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?
All of the Alex Cross series.
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve been writing books forever. Not saying they’re good books, just that I’m always writing one. I’m trying to break the habit of writing a book, putting it aside before the rewriting begins, and moving on to something else. I finish the shorter projects – kids books and short stories – but novels continue to languish. I’m trying to change that. But I have to say, the rewriting isn’t nearly as much fun as the first draft.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Monster Girl.
Inspired by our country’s insatiable hunger for war.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
The room I do most of my writing in is my Jester Room….it’s full of all kinds of jesters and fools….no doubt I am the biggest fool of them all.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Most everything I read influences me – sometimes for the good, sometimes for the not-so-good. (Murder mysteries can be a serious bad influence.)
Seriously, I love to read books that pull me under like deep dreams. Those are hard to find. Two that have done that are House of Gentle Men by Kathy Hepinstall and The Horrific Sufferings of the Mind-Reading Monster Hercules Barefoot: His Wonderful Love and His Terrible Hatred by Carl-Johan Vallgren.
Faulkner is probably my all-time favorite author.
What are you working on now?
An anti-war novel.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Self-promotion is an alien concept. (Never can get that “And just WHO do you think you are?” voice out of my head.)
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Be brave.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Laugh.
What are you reading now?
Stuck on murder mysteries it seems.
What’s next for you as a writer?
Not sure. I’m at an eight-prong fork in the galaxy and can’t decide which way to go.
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?
Blank books so I could write in them.
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Most little children like story time. They like to have the words of others read to them. I was always the one that wanted to do the writing and story telling for myself. I wanted my stories being told.
At a very young age, I began documenting characters and worlds that my imagination created. That’s how I became a writer. I wanted to express myself, and most of the time, my characters were the best way to do that. Animals have always been a terrific catalyst for me. I was always close to them, and therefore, made them have great importance in most of my books. I saw them them more as people than animals. Weird I know, but its true.
I have been accused of having a “Princess Complex,” which coincides with me being the first and only daughter in my family, and my astrological sign, Virgo. Sadly, I cannot always have my way in this big world, and that is another reason why I write. I can twist and manipulate reality in a way that fits my desires. Reality is not always my friend. When I write, I can effectively change that reality, and that is a gift in and of itself.
I am absolutely in love with wolves, and that is why I find it so easy to write about werewolves. Ever since I could hold a pencil in my hand, I wrote down all the stories my mind could conjure up, and let me tell you, I came up with some wacky stuff! But that’s me in a nut shell! I love to be spontaneous and crazy, its just who I am, and who I will always be!
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Phased is the name of my latest book! My inspiration was actually my seventh grade English teacher! She had one day every week that was dedicated to just writing short stories! Of course that was my favorite time of the week! I first wrote Phased when I was in seventh grade, and finally got up the nerve to publish it in highschool! With out her, Phased may have never been a possibility, and I thank my luck stars she forced us to write all those stories!
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I always have to write with music on! I have a horrible time writing when I don’t have my headphones on! I never knew why, but I can’t complain! I love music as much as I love books!
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Quinn Loftis was a HUGE inspiration to me. She not only helped me with my writing, but she helped me with a personal problem, and it made my love for her and her books grow that much more!
What are you working on now?
I am actually working on seventeen other books, but the three I am focusing on the most are: Forget Me Not, Book 2 in the Phased Moonlight Series, Stolen, Book 1 in the Forbidden Blood Series, and Vo’Arum, a book I a co-writing with a good friend and fellow author, Matthew Berlin!
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I am actually very new to the promoting world, and I just keep searching for new ways to help get my name out there! It isn’t about making money, but more about sharing the worlds I create with others.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
DON’T LET BAD REVIEWS STOP YOU FROM YOUR DREAM!! When first published Phased, I got a review that completely ripped my heart apart, but did I stop? HECK NO! I took Phased off the market and rewrote it! Making it even better! Not everyone will like your book, and that is okay! Just know that all the reviews will pay off in the end!
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
KEEP WRITING! Don’t let anything get in the way of your dreams, and I live by that saying everyday of my life!
What are you reading now?
I am currently Rereading, the Elfin Series, by the one and only Quinn Loftis! I love this series, and I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves magic, love, and hot, possessive males!
What’s next for you as a writer?
WRITE, WRITE, and WRITE AGAIN! I will never stop writing! I have tried to take a break, and I almost went insane! Writing is my escape and I will always come back to it! It is my life, and whether or not I publish these other workings or not, who knows! I’ll cross that bridge when I get to 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?
The Grey Wolves Series.
Prince of Wolves
Blood Rites
Beyond the Veil
Fate and Fury
Sacrifice of Love
(This isn’t in order, and there are a few that I left out because these are my favorite!)
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a Vegas native. Well, I’ve lived here long enough to be considered a native. Mom to three kids, wife to one big kid (LoL), and slave to writing.
I’m up to nine novels so far with many more up my sleeve (so to speak). Writing is something I just do. It’s in my blood.
Most everything I write involves my favorite monster, vampires. I like to take the stereotypes and twist them, change them, and make you see them in totally different lights.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My last book, Revolution closes out the trilogy, Chronicles of the Uprising. It’s a dystopian paranormal mashup that puts vampires (and Otherkin) against humans who have risen to the top of the post-apocalyptic food chain.
As I said before, I like to twist stereotypes. We all know supernatural creatures to be top of the food chain, but what happens when they aren’t? What happens when they are used and abused, and persecuted into near-extinction? That’s what inspired this trilogy.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I need music on to write, but I doubt that is unusual. Most writers need mood setting music. I’m a pantser as well. I don’t hard outline. I prefer to see where the muse takes me.
What are you working on now?
I’m brainstorming a few ideas but as of now, I am between titles. Some of my readers have asked me to revisit my Immortalis series (Urban Fantasy) and give Alyssa and Lysander a new story. I might just do that.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
That’s such a hard question to answer. Social media seems like the first choice, Twitter and Facebook, but I think so many use them to promote that they become a bit of white noise. I’m certainly not saying they are not useful. They do have uses, but I think for promotional purposes, individual advertisers are the best outlet. Places that target genres with hand picked selections seem to show the best results. But, again, hard to pinpoint one specific. There are many of those out there as well. It is the combination of all media outlets that has the best reach. That is why marketing is a time consuming process. You have to reach out to everyone in order to get your book’s information out there.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write, write, and write some more. The more books you have out, the easier it is for people to find you and try out your work.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t make excuses, just do it. So many people talk about writing, but never do it. If you want to be an author, put your butt in the chair and create a story!
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?
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
During the past four years, I have published one novel entitled THE RELUCTANT GENERAL. I have also written two novels in the detective/mystery genre and have three other novels “in the works.” I started writing at the young age of 65 after a lengthy career as a college professor at three colleges in the southeast. My fields of study include the theatrical arts, speech communication, and Christian theology. I hold graduate degrees in all of those areas. In addition to the novels, I’ve written two academic oriented books on theater history and religious drama. While studying at LSU, I had the privilege of being under the tutelage of Professor Euba, an amazing dramatic writer and teacher. He is the one who inspired me to write the plays, screenplays, and novels that I have worked on during the past fifteen years.
I grew up in the South Norfolk area of the City of Chesapeake, Virginia, across the river from Norfolk. I received my undergraduate education at McNeese State and then graduated from Arkansas State University. That’s when I spent a year in Vietnam as an infantry second lieutenant. Then I used the GI bill to study at Memphis State University where I completed the M.A. I have a tough yet wonderful life as a teacher, professor, and as a chaplain in the army reserves. Perhaps I have had two lifetimes worth of experiences, or maybe I’m just a Type A personality and have accomplished a great deal. Either way, I love my life and look forward to the many years left ahead.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
January, 2014, Westbow Press released my first novel, a fictionalized version of the story of Deborah and Barak from the biblical book of the Judges. That book has been one of my favorites for many years, so it seemed natural that when my wife suggested that I should use my theological training (I hold the M.Div. and D.Min. degrees from two seminaries) for story ideas, that I should turn to that book for my stories. THE RELUCTANT GENERAL was so much fun to write that I have already started another story from that same biblical source.
I have pictured Barak as a man who had all the abilities and background to lead an army against the oppressive Canaanites of that day. But, he also had his doubts about both his abilities and the abilities of his fellow Israelites. The story is written from his point of view, as opposed to other books based on this same story. I also picture Deborah as a woman totally freed from the traditions and expectations for women of that day. I visualize her as being a strong and highly skilled warrior capable of leading the army herself. But, I also see her as smart enough to know that the men of that day would never have followed the leadership of a woman. So, she uses Barak as her front-man. However, I have him develop as a man (and as a fictional character) into a strong leader who eventually takes the Israelite army to a total victory over their enemy in such a way as to end their very existence as a people.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t know what usual writing habits are. So it’s hard to answer this question. I’ve read several books on writing, including my favorite, The Successful Novelist by David Morrell. I can’t say I follow his suggestions much at all. But, I do know myself well enough that I have been able to carve out time in a very busy schedule to write the several hundred thousands of words I’ve written since 2010. I start with a rough outline so that I know where I am going. Then I start down that path and work in a few detours along the way. The I do a lot of rewriting. I don’t think that’s so unusual, so I guess I don’t really have any “unusual writing habits.”
What authors, or books have influenced you?
In 2010, I attended a writers conference in Boca Raton, Florida where David Morrell was one of the featured writers and speakers. I sat in on all his sessions and even had a chance to dialogue with him on his writing. I bought his book The Successful Writer which he signed for me. I treasure that experience and recognize that he gave me some inspiration to write. But, my professor at LSU also encouraged me to write more. He recognized a talent within me and pushed me to write. I remember the lessons I learned under him and have used those to help in the formation of my stories.
Although I have never met him, I believe that James Patterson has also had an influence on my writing. I’ve read many of his books–some I loved; some I hated. But, from him I learned to simply write what I want to write, let it go, and then start another. He helped me to understand the principle of living in the now while planning for the future and learning from the past. So I don’t regret anything I’ve done, said, or written. I’ve simply learned the lessons I needed to and moved on. I believe that understanding about life is a major theme in my books.
Finally, I must say that my wife and daughter have also been major influences in my writing. They both are avid readers and master editors. No book gets out of the house without their okay: I guess that’s influence.
What are you working on now?
At present, I am in the editing phase of two murder mysteries set in the city of Key West, Florida. These will be the first two in a series of at least five novels written around the same retired NYPD detective. I am also writing a second novel based on a story from the biblical book of the Judges. Plus, at the insistence of my screenwriting students over the past several years, I am also working on a non-fiction “how to” book on writing the dramatic story for stage, screen, and novel. I have no clue where that will end up, but it’s been fun developing the ideas. Sometimes I think the project has been more about me developing and working through my own thoughts on how I should develop and write my own stories. I understand that above all else, I am a teacher. So, perhaps the book may be an encouragement and inspiration for writers in the future.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
This question pin-points the bane of all self-published and independent authors. I have no “best method” right now. I’m still experimenting with my first book. I’m also devouring everything I can on the topic of marketing and promotion. Sales are not big (whatever that means) at present. But people are buying, reading, and commenting on it. So I cannot complain.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Advice for new authors. Wait a minute, I am a new author! I need advice–ASAP. Well, actually, I think anyone who wants to be a writer must first of all write. If something worth publishing results, then deal with the issue of getting the book out then. While I was writing THE RELUCTANT GENERAL I had no clue what should happen next. I knew I had something that other people should read–and that’s all. This is not an easy business to be in. I’m just happy that I have a day job (right now until I retire in 2015) so that I do not need the income from book sales to survive. Perhaps that’s a key to getting started.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
If you are not writing, then you are not a writer. So don’t worry about how to sell your books. If you believe that you are a writer, it’s probably because you are already writing a great deal and probably have a book ready to be read by others.
What are you reading now?
I keep reading and re-reading The Bible. I also continue to re-read Morrell’s book on writing. Here is a list of books I’m currently reading for the first time:
K. M. Weiland, Outlining Your Novel
Martin R. Philips, Ancient Greece
Roger Colby, Come Apart
Karl Wiggins, Calico Jack: In Your Garden
James D. Shipman, Constantinopolis
What’s next for you as a writer?
I’ll be retiring from teaching the middle of 2015. So, my plan is to change from teaching full time to writing full time. Oh, my wife wants to do some traveling. So, I figure I can have fun with her and write at the same time. WooHoo!!!
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 Complete Works of Shakespeare
The Complete Sherlock Holmes Collection
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a full-time high school theatre teacher, who mostly writes in the summers. I’ve spent my life reading and dreaming, and have been fortunate enough to pursue both of my greatest passions, theatre and writing, professionally.
School of Deaths is my first published novel. I have also produced an original play, which premiered in 2012.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The idea for SCHOOL OF DEATHS emerged when I was finishing my graduate degree at Oxford University. I spent four months abroad, far from everyone I knew. Every week, I traveled somewhere I had never been before. I would climb castle ruins in Wales and visit cathedrals in England. One of my favorite trips was to Tintagel Castle in Cornwall. I crept to the cliff face of Barras Nose, a stony peninsula jutting into the North Sea and overlooking the ruins of Tintagel, which some believe to be the birthplace of King Arthur. It was dawn, there were no other people in sight, and I had to struggle against the wind, fighting to keep my balance so I didn’t crash into the ocean. I imagined being buffeted by winds, alone, and what that would do to a character, and came up with the character of Suzie, alone in a world of men, buffeted by sexism.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I often like to write with headphones in my ears tuned to “film scores radio” on Pandora. I find the classical music used in movies can help move me to new levels of inspiration.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Every book I’ve ever read, whether I’ve liked it or not, has influenced my life in some way. My biggest author influences are JRR Tolkien, JK Rowling, and Hayao Miyazaki. I also draw a great deal of inspiration from travels, as well as my personal experiences with my students. One of the early scenes in SCHOOL OF DEATHS discusses anorexia, and I worked with a diagnosed anorexic teenager who helped inspire the emotions in that chapter.
What are you working on now?
I am currently editing SWORD OF DEATHS, a sequel to SCHOOL OF DEATHS.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I have tried a number of sites. Social media has mixed results. I’ve been very happy with my book trailer, which is on youtube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3AeszKiTz0k
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t expect fame or fortune any time soon, and definitely don’t quit your day job. Write because you need to write. Write because the story sings in your soul, begging to be heard and shared. Everything else goes on the backburner.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best advice I ever receieved was from bestselling fantasy author Michael Sullivan, who was also the first writer to read any of my work. He said “What do you cll a writer who never gives up? Published.” I never gave up.
What are you reading now?
I’m currently finishing the Inheritance Cycle by Paolini (Eragon series).
What’s next for you as a writer?
I want to expand into other genres, including historical fiction and adult genre fiction. Ultimately I’d love to write more theatre pieces, including a musical.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
I’d rather have tons of papers and pens- the stories I’d feel happiest stuck with all exist in my imagination.
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a veterinarian/consultant by day and writer by night. I’ve been happily married to a wonderfully supportive husband for 10 years. We’re foster parents and also have a small zoo with two dogs, cockatiels, temporary foster cats, and a few goldfish. I currently live in NC and have been there for over 20 years, but I grew up in tiny town in Michigan. I relocated to NC for college, fell in love with the area, and never had a reason to leave!
I’ve written four full-length books, three original and one fanfiction, but Breaking Free is the first that I’ve felt compelled to publish.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My debut novel, Breaking Free, is about a 16-year old girl who harbors an immense amount of guilt and grief over her best friend’s death. In order to cope with these devastating emotions, she begins cutting.
I have a friend and a family member who have both cut in the past. When I first learned about self-injury, I didn’t understand why people would purposely hurt themselves and, therefore, I thought it was to attract attention. I ended up spending quite a bit of time researching the topic, which opened my eyes. Most people who cut don’t do it for attention. In fact, like Kelsie in the book, they try to hide what they’re doing. They’re ashamed, but it’s beyond their control as it has become an addictive coping mechanism to try and deal with their overwhelming emotions, whether it’s depression, anxiety, whatever.
After learning so much about self-injury, I wanted to help others who were in my position—wishing to help their friends, but not understanding how to or even why their friends did what they did. That’s when I decided to turn it into a story. Because I typically write adventure-filled books, I knew immediately that the main characters would be in the wilderness and run into some unexpected hurdles along the way. I think it ended up being a nice mix of emotion, suspense, and romance with a couple plot twists to keep things interesting.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I know a lot of writers love to listen to music while they write. I’m the opposite–I do best with total silence. That’s always been the case for me when I need to concentrate on something, though. Back in college, I had to go to the library every night because my roommate and I had vastly different study routines. She needed music, television, and a few people to talk to while I needed my own cubicle in the sub-basement of the library where virtually no one else ventured!
The one situation where silence isn’t best is when I’m struggling to evoke a certain mood in a scene. In those cases, I’ll listen to music that evokes that mood in me while I’m writing.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Some of my favorite authors are Suzanne Collins, Nicholas Sparks, Janet Evanovich, Dean Koontz, Robin Cook, Stephenie Meyer, and Patricia Cornwell. I try to incorporate little bits of what I love about each of them in my writing–for example, tragedy from Sparks, romance from Meyer, and humor from Evanovich.
What are you working on now?
I’m currently outlining my next young adult contemporary realism/romance book. This one will draw a bit from my personal experience as a foster parent and will again follow some teens that have been dealt a rough hand.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Befriending other authors and bloggers has been the best method for me. Since writing is just a hobby for me, it’s been challenging to dedicate the amount of time required for marketing. Luckily, I have a whole team of supporters to help me. I’m not sure where I would be without them. Thanks y’all!
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Just keep writing. And keep everything you write, even if it’s just a page or two. Eventually, you’ll write something that when you look back at it, you’ll be impressed by yourself. Pair that with a really good writing buddy and that will be all the motivation you’ll need to finish a full-length book.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best piece of advice I’ve heard was from an interview with Stephen King. Someone asked him if he kept a notebook beside his bed to jot down ideas that came to him at night. He said that he didn’t because a good idea would be remembered. If he didn’t remember it, it wasn’t worth anything.
Since hearing his words, I’ve taken that approach. I often lie in bed at night working through scenes in my head and then see what sticks by the morning. I’ll occasionally have specific dialogue or complete sentences that I remember. More often than not, those end up being my favorite parts of the story.
What are you reading now?
Takedown Twenty by Janet Evanovich. I tend to alternate between emotional reads and lighthearted chick-lit.
What’s next for you as a writer?
Since I have a full-time job, I’m only able to write about one book a year. I’ll continue working on my current book and hopefully publish it sometime next summer.
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 feel like I should say a classic like To Kill a Mockingbird or Pride and Prejudice, but if I’m honest with myself, I’d take the Twilight Saga. Those books lift my spirits and never bore me even after multiple reads–two things that would be important on the desert island. Actually, I should probably also take the Worst Case Scenario Survival Handbook for practical purposes. That means I’d leave behind New Moon, my least favorite of the Twilight Saga.
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I was born in Poland in 1956. My early years were spent in Warsaw, until marriage to an Indian diplomat took me first to India and then to a number of other countries.
In years of extensive travels and living among many different cultures in England, Vietnam, South Africa, the Czech Republic and Ireland, I was struck by the pervasive nature of obsessions in humans, manifested in a wide variety of foibles. Almost without exception, every family – in rich or poor countries, in African, European or Asian societies – has members with irrational personal quirks. Manifestations of obsessive behaviour in my circle of friends led me to a more intensive study of their origins, causes and treatment.
I am passionate about psychology, though I have no formal training in it. I have read extensively on obsessive compulsive disorders which has led me to the conclusion that the medical science of such disorders is still in relative infancy and its practitioners do not fully understand their individual causes and specific triggers.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My first novel “Born to be Perfect” is a story that draws attention to some of the commonly prevalent psychological disorders and the struggle of their sufferers to overcome them.
The second one, “Her Choice”, deals with social and psychological matters surrounding the controversial and sensitive issue of abortion.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I take notes of my experiences, thoughts and anything that comes to my mind. Whether I am angry, sad or happy I take a notebook or a piece of paper and record my feelings. Later I find my notes in old diaries, on the back of envelopes, post-it notes. They are all input for my writing.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
The literature from the period of “positivism” in Poland influenced my thinking and writing. Boleslaw Prus impressed me greatly, and although he wrote in Polish, he inspired me in my English writing.
What are you working on now?
I am writing short stories. I guess some of them will grow into novels.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I use recommendation of all trusted websites. It takes a lot of effort but it’s worth it.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Just keep writing!
Avoid re-reading your written material immediately after it is written. One tends to be very critical of one’s own writing, since one gets the feeling that it does not properly express the original idea behind it. It’s best to read your text after you have forgotten what the original idea was, and then you can judge your written material purely on its merit.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Keep writing!
What are you reading now?
I read voraciously – a huge variety of books, authors, genres and languages.
A lot of my reading is in Polish. I also like to read Indian authors in English. I recently read all the books of Manju Kapur who is an excellent and perceptive writer.
“The Julian Symons Omnibus” is now on my bedside table. It has three stories: The Man who killed himself, The Man whose dreams came true, and The Man who lost his wife.
What’s next for you as a writer?
Once you are bitten by the writing bug you stay bitten. It is not possible to stop writing.
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 Novels and stories by Saki (a.k.a. H.H. Munroe), and a few books of P.G. Wodehouse. These are books I can read again and again.
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am twenty-five, having submitted query letters for ten years. “Rabbit” was the fourth attempt at a novel, based upon a short story, expounded upon the real-life event of meeting my father in the middle of a 4,000 mile road trip.
I am a lover of language and musical expression. And animals. All kinds.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Rabbit: (a novel?) was inspired by unearthed desires to meet my father and better understand the man I wanted to grow into. He was homeless. I found difficulty holding a job beyond handfuls of months. He chased women. I loved feeling loved.
My generation feels hinged by divorce, observing friends and their friends over the years. “Rabbit” was a very necessary story to be told, whether it reached many people or just a few. I know some who needed the character to exist on paper, to be carried around with them, to help heal. This book is for them.
The novel is colored with obsession of the cosmos, idealized childhoods, disturbing instances of abuse, suicidal fantasies, and helpless creatures.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I spend weeks planning and outlining every action, learning from my characters, until the story pours forth in large spurts. Half the book here, half there. It may take years of planning but only months to write. Then it sits. I meditate. Then I carve out everything unnecessary–bland words, repetitive scenes, insincere dialogue–and more is added.
Then I pitch the book to agents. Meanwhile, I outline the next four books filling my head.
My fiction is inspired from my external world. My imagination only assists in shaping structure.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Italo Calvino. Sherman Alexie. Raymond Carver. T.C. Boyle. C.K. Williams. Don DeLillo. Gustave Flaubert. Jon Krakauer. Sembene Ousmane. Tony Morrison.
Joseph Heller’s “Something Happened” is a masterpiece of an unhappy man who has the life he always worked hard for.
Thomas Pynchon. Good god, he writes beautifully.
What are you working on now?
A widower is raising his four children on the outskirts of gossip-driven suburbs, four years following his wife’s brutal murder. It is a small town drama where every parent is obsessed with every child’s sexual maturity.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Facebook has been a nice tool for approaching people personally. WordPress helps, too. Twitter.
I prefer face-to-face interaction. Bookstores. Bars. The street. Anywhere tangible.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Keep your livelihood synonymous with your craft. Be the filter for your remote world and tell its story. Inform the generations-to-come who we were–who you were–who everyone wanted to become.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Quit talking about doing something and just do it.
What are you reading now?
I am rereading Sean Davis’ THE WAX BULLET WAR. Also, rereading Paradise Lost.
Tom Spanbauer’s I LOVED YOU MORE and Suzy Vitello’s THE MOMENT BEFORE are the newest editions to my shelf which I am thoroughly enjoying.
What’s next for you as a writer?
The small town drama. The lonely observer trying to reenter life following a colorful breakup. The couple moving through the delivery of their stillborn child. The big plane crash. The space-coma opera. The abstract speculative fiction.
I’ve promised myself to finish these first then get back to living life, unhindered by the urge to scribble out notes for a story six years down the road, but I’m afraid that day will never come.
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 entire Calvin & Hobbs collection. Shakespeare’s Works. Dante’s Trilogy. Don Quixote.
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I graduated from Pepperdine University in Southern California with a degree in Journalism. My intimate knowledge of the Midwestern United States, the inordinate amount of time I spent in its churches’ pews and my unique parentage make me an “expert” on life after religion. Having moved 17 times by the time I graduated from high school, I have seen more than my share of the Great Plains. I never stayed in one place long enough to make human friends. My best friends were all characters from my beloved books; and the love of reading led to a lifelong passion for writing.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
“It’s Not My Favorite” is my latest book. Growing up in various states around the Midwest and being forced to spend WAY too much time in church it gave me the chance to observe people and catalog little things away—for future reference. I was inspired to share the Hutchinson sisters with someone outside of my head!
I am well aware that a multitude of prejudice exists “It’s Not My Favorite” is my favorite for a number of reasons, but the most important one is its portrayal of the lesbian character. There are two main characters, sisters, one gay and one straight. The beauty of the story is that it portrays them both with the same normal, human qualities. They both struggle, they both have relationship dramas, they both have issues with their parents and they both find a piece of success. I hope that the book will bridge the gap between GLBTQ romance/humor and Contemporary romance/humor. Rather than targeting GLBTQ, specifically, I feel this book can slip into the mainstream and allow a far wider audience to experience a character they might normally miss.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Is chocolate addiction unusual?
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Marian Keyes, Juliet Marillier, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Michael Chabon, Gregory Maguire, and on, and on and…
What are you working on now?
I am working on Book 2 in the Lake Effect Series – the continuing story of Gwenn and Rachel Hutchinson.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
The jury’s still out. I hope it’s www.awesomegang.com!
Do you have any advice for new authors?
I hate to give advice ☺ I will say this, “No one decides your future, but you.”
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Write every day!
What are you reading now?
I realize I am the last person in the known universe…but “The Giver” by Lois Lowry. I saw an interview with her and Jeff Bridges at the ALA Convention and I just had to know.
What’s next for you as a writer?
Working with my son on his line of How to Books.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
I have to bring books? Can’t I just bring Bradley Cooper? Depends on the genre—I have soooooo many favorites. But, if you put a Marian Keyes book in front of me I wouldn’t be mad about that. Oh, and I probably want a copy of The Secret Garden!
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am newly published. I have written several books, but so far I have only published one. I am a full time social worker with Master’s degrees in Social Work and American History. I love the question why. I want to know what motivates people and why they react the way they do. In my books I try to answer that question. I try to understand why people react to things the way they do.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Run. Run is a short mystery/suspense novel. It was inspired by a news story I remember from my childhood. A girl in my neighborhood was murdered. The killer was never caught. I started thinking about that and the story grew from there. I think the story is also an exploration of trust – trusting yourself and trusting others.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I frequently write with the TV on or with music playing. Somehow the background noise keeps me focused! I also frequently write with my cat on my lap. I have gotten pretty good at typing around her.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I read a lot and always have so it is hard to pin down my influences to a few books or authors. Some favorite authors are C. S. Lewis, Dean Koontz, and J. D. Robb. The Chronicles of Narnia and the Lord of the Rings are some of my favorite series.
What are you working on now?
I have a non-fiction book in with my beta reader. It is about lessons we can learn from history. I am also about 40% done with the sequel to Run which is tentatively titled Stand.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
So far I have found Goodreads to be incredibly helpful. I am still learning how to promote though!
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Keep trying. You never know what will happen, but whatever happens the journey is worth it.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
To trust myself and listen to my gut.
What are you reading now?
Right now I am reading five books. I know, five. Crazy, right? I have been reading a lot of Indie books recently and I just finished a YA one called Frostbitten. It was pretty good. I am not sure which one from my list I will pick up next.
What’s next for you as a writer?
Continuing to work on Stand and promote Run. The writing community is really wonderful and supportive.
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 an impossible question. I have so many favorites! I would say The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe, Montana Sky, Killer Angels, and the Bible.
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a stay at home mom in Pennsylvania that loves hockey, reading, writing, and bonfires. Currently I have 3 books released in two different genres.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Soul Promise (The Soul Mate Series) book two was inspired about half way through completing book one, True Connection. I knew there was a story to be told for the main character, Henry. He is such a strong character that he just consumed me, he took over completely, and I knew I needed to write his story.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I think the strangest thing about how I write is that I need music and I cannot write out of order. I’ll take notes for future scenes and characters and such, but I need to write in sequential order.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
The list of authors and books that have influenced me is a long one, but choosing one author, I’d have to say Carey Heywood. She was one of my first friends when I started this writing journey and she’s helped me when ever she could. I was there in spirit when she wrote heartbreaking scenes, when she felt like a failure, when she felt overwhelmed by the love from readers. She is the sweetest person and friend.
What are you working on now?
I’m currently working on a Young Adult Contemporary titled Pucked. The story follows two teenagers, Riley and Audrey, through their chaotic journey to adulthood. It centers a lot around Parental Alienation and the lasting damage that sticks to the child and how those around the child cope.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I use a mix of facebook, instagram, pinterest, my blog, and twitter. I don’t promote myself as often as I should as I’m mostly focused on my writing and promoting others.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Reach out. That’s the best thing I can tell anyone wanting to begin their journey. Do not be afraid to contact other authors or writers. I’m such a shy person most of the time, but the best things happen when I reach out to others.
Also, you’ll NEED an editor. Don’t skip that part, ever! Betas and proofreaders are AMAZING, but you will definitely need an editor. Talk to the editor, tell them your desires, make sure you’re compatible on a professional and personal level. My editor and I have a pretty intimate relationship in terms of professionalism. We communicate when there isn’t work to be done for either of us, we support each other, and are friends. For me, if the person you are working with doesn’t like you, they won’t take your work serious. You have to trust yourself and your book baby, but you also have to trust the person you’re sending your book baby off to. If you can’t trust them, you’ll question everything they suggest and essentially waste each other’s time and money. If the editor you’re thinking about offers a test sample, take it, learn from it, get a feel for them as a person and as an editor. Don’t be upset if it doesn’t work out, you’ll find the editor you need. Take in my first piece of advice and reach out.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“If you don’t FEEL the words, scene, character, story, etc. Don’t write it.”
I’m not sure who said it, but I know who said it to me. Basically, write what you feel. If you’re writing and you aren’t really feeling what’s happening in the story at the time, your words won’t reach the level of impact that you want them to. You want your readers to FEEL what your characters are doing, if you don’t feel it, how are they supposed to?
What are you reading now?
I’m currently reading two things.
The Whiskey Prince by Toni Aleo and a secret novel that I’m beta reading for an author friend that I can’t name.
What’s next for you as a writer?
Well, after I publish my YA contemporary, I have two adult novels and the third installment in my YA Paranormal Romance series to get out. I’m planning on being very busy writing. I have one appearance scheduled, July 2015 in Harrisburg PA for the Kiss and Tell author event and a few appearances lined up at a local bookstore that sells my books, Irvin’s Books in West York PA.
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 have to take Alex The Fey series by Claudia Hall Christian, as many of those books as I can get away with. I love them all.
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a 32 yr old NJ native, not to be mistaken for the craziness that is the NJ Housewives or Jersey Shore! I have two children, who are my life, and family that makes me want to scream at times, but I love them. I started my affair with reading and writing at a young age. I loved where books took me, and wished for the day when I would meet my dream boat. (Yes, I referred to my future man as a dream boat. Child of the 80′s here!) I grew up on Stephen King, Nora Roberts, and anything my library would let me borrow. I would always grab a notebook and start writing about the books I read because I wanted the story to continue. I never took it seriously until I had a friend a few years ago tell me that I needed to publish my work after I wrote down a short story. My reaction was…yeah, right! The words stuck with me and I was constantly asked, “Did you write more? Are you done?” A back injury put my writing on hold for almost 2 yrs and last year, I found the WIP file and started reading. Then, I started writing and adding to it. That little dream turned story will be my debut novel, Love Lost. I currently have 1 book out, Love Lost. Hidden Heart is my first novella in the Lost series and it will be released Sept 2014
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Love Lost is my first and only book so far. I’m a vivid dreamer and I had a dream about a detective that falls for a lawyer, but she has ties to a criminal he is trying to take off the streets. I told a friend about my dream and he told me to write it down. I started to write it down and it became Love Lost.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I need the TV on or music playing while I write. I can’t be interrupted when I start writing or I will just be in a horrible mood….Ask my husband and he will be happy to tell you how bad it can get. I also like to have Mountain Dew and chips or candy on hand to avoid having to move from my space.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Any author willing to put their writing out there for the world to read is an influence to me. You take a risk when you allow someone to read your inner thoughts, opening yourself up to the good and bad reviews. I grew up on Stephen King and Nora Roberts and they inspired my love of reading and writing, and the indie authors I have met as I started my journey in the author world keep my love of books soaring.
What are you working on now?
I am currently working on Hidden Heart. It is the first novella in the Lost series. Love Lost introduces Vincent Arroyo, a tough detective with a stubborn streak and best friends with Jason Straiz. He is kidnapped by Lucio Cardoso in Love Lost and Hidden Heart tells the story of what happens to him when he disappears. This novella sets up the story leading up to Book 2 in the Lost series, Lost Soul.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
When I want to promote my books, I post links on my Facebook page as well as posting links in various author groups for sharing. I have a street team that shares my links as well. For extra promoting, I send messages to bloggers and ask for any help in sharing the links or willingness to have an author takeover or giveaway featuring my books.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
It takes time to climb the ladder to success in the author world. Make friends with fellow authors as well as your readers. Be patient and write what you want to write. Keep in mind that you may not please everyone with your stories and that you are writing for yourself and no one else.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t your reviews, especially the bad ones. I think this is the best advice ever given to me because I had someone write a review that tore me apart in a way that left me wanting to stop writing. I almost did stop until I had another review that praised me for my book. Not everyone will love my book but I don’t have to make myself sick over the ones that don’t like my book.
What are you reading now?
I wish I had time to read. I spend most of my time writing. When I do read, it’s for books that I beta read. I beta read for Elizabeth James’s contemporary romance series and Kym Grosso’s paranormal series. I also edit for Rachel Walter and her books are a wonderful YA read.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I want to finish my Lost series which will include a total of 4 books and 4 novellas when I’m done. I also have a few standalone books on my wait list to write along with a paranormal series that is itching to come out. My brain is on over drive these days.
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?
Book 1: any Black Dagger Brotherhood book by JR Ward. I can reread them over and over again.
Book 2: The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks
Book 3: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl. I need a book that will keep me young at heart and this one does that for me.
Book 4: Love Lost. I love my book and I would need it with me to remind me of what I accomplished.
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a new author- I currently have three YA books available that are all part of a trilogy. I am an avid reader, love to bake, and I take on just about any challenge outdoors and in extreme activities like rafting, climbing, and ziplining. I have three children and I teach preschool. I also coach volleyball in my spare time. (which is not a real thing)
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Destroyed Through Time is my latest in the Linked Through Time series I created, about a time traveling incident and the family involved. It is the last book in the trilogy and kind of wraps up any questions or issues left unresolved from book 2. I wrote it strictly to end the series, but then I got requests for more- specifically, people wanting to hear from the villain’s side. So…maybe there will be more!
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Only that I write in random moments of inspiration, or when my kids are all finally asleep! Many times I have to reread what I have written as it’s been awhile since I sat down and wrote anything!
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I love Francine Rivers, Diana Gabaldon, and Jodi Piccoult.
What are you working on now?
I have four more YA books in the works as well as a children’s chapter book that goes along with my self-published book, M&M Twins- Lost in Browser Cave.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Goodgreat reads is a great site. Bookbub is another great help..I am still learning how to market my books.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
It’s tough to get the word out, but stick strong and that lucky break will come one day!
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Be the change you want to see in the world. (Ghandi)
What are you reading now?
I am reading the Game of Thrones series and am downloading Gabaldon’s new novel after that!
What’s next for you as a writer?
I am trying to figure out a stress free way to market and advertise. I don’t think that’s possible, but I am hoping there is a link out there that helps!
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?
Outlander, The Bible, A Voice in the Wind, The Help
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Marty Young (martyyoung.com) is a Bram Stoker-nominated and Australian Shadows Award-winning writer and editor, and sometimes ghost hunter. He was the founding President of the Australian Horror Writers Association from 2005-2010, and one of the creative minds behind the internationally acclaimed Midnight Echo magazine, for which he also served as Executive Editor until mid-2013.
Marty’s first novel, 809 Jacob Street, was published in 2013 by Black Beacon Books. That novel went on to win the Australian Shadows Award for Best Horror Novel, and was a Notable Indie Book of 2013.
His short horror fiction has been nominated for both the Australian Shadows and Ditmar awards, reprinted in Australian Dark Fantasy and Horror (‘the best of 2008′), and repeatedly included in year’s best recommended reading lists. Marty’s essays on horror literature have been published in journals and university textbooks in Australia and India, and he was also co-editor of the award winning Macabre; A Journey through Australia’s Darkest Fears, a landmark anthology showcasing the best Australian horror stories from 1836 to the present.
When not writing, he spends his time in the deep dark jungles of Papua New Guinea as a palynologist, whatever the heck that is.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The first – and only – book I’ve had published so far is called 809 Jacob Street. It’s a psychological horror that looks at what makes a monster, because not all monsters have glowing red eyes and fangs and scaly skin. Some look like the person next to you.
It was inspired by my childhood; I used to walk past a big old house on my way home from school. The house wasn’t haunted and it wasn’t spooky – until other kids in my neighborhood began telling stories about it being haunted. Then it became spooky, too. And over the years, I often thought about this, and how we’d corrupted a perfectly fine house and turned it into something terrible. I begin wondering what would happen if a house was a receptor for such tales and whispers, becoming whatever each person believed it to be, and that became the house at number 809 Jacob Street.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write best late at night, once my wife has gone to bed, and the house is silent – not that the silence matters, as I put on headphones and listen to wild, loud, cranky music. The louder, faster, meaner, and heavier, the better. Plus I also pour myself a good glass of scotch, and then get stuck in.
When things are going well, I can disappear into a story for hours. I used to run out of steam and look at the time, only to discover that it was almost 4am!! That was never good, because come 7am, my house was awake, which means so was I…
What authors, or books have influenced you?
The two biggest influences on me are Stephen King, for his sheer storytelling ability and his amazing characters, and Clive Barker, for his majestic, poetic prose and his wild, surreal imagination. There are a lot of other authors I greatly admire and will ensure I always buy their latest books the moment they come out, but King and Barker are my true literary heroes.
What are you working on now?
I’ve just finished a trilogy of books set in the same wonky town of Parkton; these are with an editor at the moment, who is no doubt tearing them apart and scribbling all over the pages with a bright red pen. That trilogy is an action-filled, hellish ride, complete with monsters, military, and global destruction. It’s a little different to the psychological horror of 809 Jacob Street, but boy, was it fun to write!
I’ve also just started another novel called Motel Bladefeeders, although that’s just a working title and I suspect it will change. The book is a loose sequel to 809 Jacob Street, featuring one of the boys from that book, all grown up and twisted, delving into the secrets behind the numerous alleyways of Parkton, and the shadowy people he finds there. He teams up with a Detective along the way, but she has a lot of problems of her own. They make quite a good pair; they’re both kind of crazy.
It is going to be a dark and disturbing ride, that’s for sure.
What inspired it? Well, when I wrote 809 Jacob Street, I knew I was touching on a lot of mysterious happenings; things that filled in the background, and I knew I needed to delve deeper into these places. Fortunately, I had the perfect character in mind to roll up his sleeves and get stuck in.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write lots, and write often, as often as you can. Read lots, too. Read all of the time, in all different genres. Devour books. Be pedantic with your writing, make it shine. Read guidelines and follow them when submitting. And always be polite.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Be the writer you want to be.
What are you reading now?
I am reading Island of Nightmares by Gertrude Barrows Bennett (writing as Francis Stevens). A bit of pulp pleasure!
What’s next for you as a writer?
Hopefully I can get my trilogy published in the near-future, either through a publisher or self-published. Plus I want to complete the sequel to 809 Jacob Street, and there’s also a novella burning a hole in my brain, so I’d best write that one out as soon as possible.
I am also editing an anthology called Blurring the Line, which will be published by Cohesion Press next year. I have some great authors lined up to take part in that, so I’m looking forward to 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?
Clive Barker’s Books of Blood, Stephen King’s The Stand, and The SAS Survival Handbook: The ultimate guide to surviving anywhere by John ‘Lofty’ Wiseman
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have worked as an IT Consultant for more years than I care to remember and in particular have a passion for Agile / Lean. So far I have only have my debut book out, Thrive: Surviving in a Corporate Jungle, but I do have at least 2 or 3 more books I would love to write at some point.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest (and first) book is Thrive: Surviving in a Corporate Jungle, and the inspiration came from a desire to write about the insanity I have witnessed in various corporations, but which I needed to anonymise to protect the innocent, or not so innocent as the case me be.
In particular, I also wanted to tap into human emotions. I’ve read too many business / agile / reference books and I know the subject is typically very dry, formulaic and extremely theoretical. There is nothing worse than a book of ‘quick tips’ if it takes 3 months to implement each tip. At that rate the top 10 tips would take 2.5 years to implement, which is a long time.
I think we often forget that humans have feelings, opinions and their own motivations. Corporations live in a disconnected reality whereby a mandate from above that they shall be agile tomorrow, means they are magically agile tomorrow. This disconnect from the messaging and the reality is where the most frustration and tension typically arises within the average corporation.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
My editor told me I was too self-deprecating and lacked confidence in my writing style. She removed so many ‘hopefully’ I think the word count was halved.
I probably have a ‘Billy Connolly’ element to my writing. I don’t have a structure, or a plan, but find myself running off at tangents and typing furiously for a few days. I then spend a couple of weeks cleaning up the mess. I also don’t write as often as I think. I will play out key passages over and over in my head before I commit them to paper.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I listed the key books in my book. The biggest influence for the structure of this book has to be Rework from 37 Signals. I prefer not to insult the reader by spelling out absolutely everything in painstaking, and unnecessary detail. I want to spark the imagination of the reader. I want them to think for themselves.
Other big influences are everything by Tom DeMarco, Malcolm Gladwell and Douglas Adams.
What are you working on now?
I am deep into the promotion and marketing phase of my first book. I would love to say I am actively working on my second book, but finances dictate I will probably return to consulting for a while. I’m not one of these people who can write a book in my spare time, so it may be a while before I can find the time to dedicate to writing again
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’ll tell you when I find out. So far, I’m not enjoying the experience of promoting my book. I think the best engagement (not necessarily sales) has been from a giveaway promotion I’ve been running on Goodreads.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write for yourself first and foremost. Do it to the point you are happy and then decide on the next step. Don’t set out to write a best-seller. My book was never really intended for a wide audience, but at each stage of the project I made a judgement call whether to invest more energy or not.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Challenge everything, particularly yourself.
What are you reading now?
Mainly books on mindfulness and spirituality.
What’s next for you as a writer?
This may just be my only book. I have a personal story I would love to tell, but that is a long way off.
I need to see how my first goes is received to determine whether or not I’ll ‘publicly’ write a second book.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
I’d have to take a large book on astronomy so I could study the stars.
I would then take an encyclopaedia.
Douglas Adams Hitchhiker would be on the list.
What I wouldn’t take would be any ‘business’ books.
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
The first thing I would like to share about myself is my mom status. I have four awesome kids who keep me fairly busy, but are always excited for me to work on my writing. Their ulterior motive for this is the hope that one day their father, the fun parent, will be able to quit his job. I must admit I would be happy with that also.
I’m an author of YA paranormal romance, but in all honesty I’m interested in being a multi-genre author. The Healer is the first book in my Healer series, and also happens to be the first full length novel I have ever written, but once I have completed the series I would love to finish a YA romance that I’m halfway through, and a religious comedy that is also about halfway written. I guess I tend to bounce around a bit when it comes to genres, but my first love is paranormal romance.
I’m also a singer and a songwriter. I’m most comfortable on a stage with a microphone in my hand and a huge Jazz band backing me up. I sang with a college jazz band in junior college and then I was accepted to the vocal jazz program at Sacramento State University. Singing jazz, and writing my own original music is something I’ve done for more than a decade now. Something I love about lyrics to a song is the ability to take one loaded theme and find the best way to express the feelings and emotions of that theme in a creative and original way. There are some books out there that are just begging to have a theme song written for them. I can hear the songs in my head when I read books like that. In the case of The Healer, I was able to write a love song that encompassed the whole love theme in The Healer Series between my two main characters. That’s been a fun project to work on.
I had the opportunity to live in Brazil for a little under two years and learned about an amazing culture, not to mention an amazing language. I was finally able to say that I was a world traveler after that, but I would love to end up in Italy or Greece someday. When I’m not writing, I’m reading, and when I’m not reading I’m chasing after children, kissing on my husband and having huge TV marathons of The Amazing Race, Vampire Diaries and Grimm.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Th Healer was inspired by one crazed nightmare. I had this wacky dream about spirits being trapped in Japanese Statues and when I woke up I was left feeling anxious and a bit distraught. I wanted to know how the spirit had been trapped and how to free it. The story was a mystery and I love a good mystery. I knew if I wanted some answers I would have to develop the story myself. It’s been an interesting journey of discovery with my characters calling the shots.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I always outline everything, and then when I’m in the moment writing a specific scene, I will take the storyline somewhere completely different just because it feels right, and then other options open up for me. So while I’m a planner, I’m also a pantser. It’s the best of both worlds, I guess.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I read Nancy Drew mysteries for years. They were the only books I would read when I was in elementary school. I loved a good mystery, and I was convinced Nancy Drew was the only way to go. However, I was getting awfully tired of her relationship never quite developing fully with any Hardy Boys or her boyfriend for that matter. I realized I was a fan of romance as well and started reading YA romances with a little mystery and suspense thrown in. I think what influenced me the most was the diversity I found in the different genres, and that I loved all of them. I enjoyed the way so many authors could take one basic theme and create interesting and original stories out of them. I studied how they did it, and always knew what was going to captivate me and what wasn’t. Those are the types of writing techniques I hope I have employed in my own writing.
What are you working on now?
I was recently invited to collaborate with nine other author for a YA, paranormal anthology entitled, Strange and Lovely: Ten Paranormal Tales of Thrills and Romance. We are all writing short stories with varying paranormal themes. My short story involves assassins of the Fae variety, but to find out what happens you’ll have to wait with baited breath until Oct. 4th when we release it. You can also meet the authors of the anthology, myself included, and converse with several other guest authors during our release party on Facebook. Just look up Strange and Lovely: Ten Paranormal Tales of Thrills and Romance Release Party. It’s open to everyone so come join the fun. Here is the link if you’re as lazy with your mouse and clicker finger as I am. LOL https://www.facebook.com/events/750157858383808/
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I have found that Facebook and Goodreads work best for me simply because I know the most about them, and what I have been implementing so far in terms of marketing and networking has given me great results. That doesn’t mean there isn’t anything else out there. It simply means that’s all I’ve become familiar with so far. I’m slowly building my knowledge base when it comes to marketing my books.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write what you love, and write because you love to. If your only interest in writing is to make money then you’re in it for the wrong reasons and you’ll become frustrated. It’s not the easiest journey when you’re trying to create a storyline and characters who readers can connect and commit to, and your stories become like family sometimes. You have to develop a thick skin in terms of query rejections or critiques. All of this will give you experience that will better you in the end so long as you love what you do, work on what you can and accept suggestions that are helpful.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t edit as you go. Finish your entire rough draft and then go back and start your edits and rewrites, otherwise you’ll be stuck on chapter one editing forever and never moving on until you feel the first chapter is perfect. Too many things can change in the course of writing a full novel, including your first chapter so just push through the whole story, and work with what you have after that. Your rough draft becomes your skeletal outline and reference for what the final masterpiece will be.
What are you reading now?
I am reading Vampire Princess Rising, Book Two of The Winters Series, written by my dear friend Jami Brumfield.
What’s next for you as a writer?
Once the anthology is released I will be finishing up the second book in The Healer Series and moving on to the third, but I still have that YA romance and religious comedy to get to. I’ll have plenty to keep me busy once The Healer Series is finished.
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 any books from The Bloodlines Series by Richelle Mead that I hadn’t read yet. Brilliant, that woman. I love her. I would also need to bring a copy of Shackles of Honor by Marcia Lynn McClure. I’m telling you, if you love sweet romances this is the best one I have ever read thus far.
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I was born in South Baltimore, Maryland, about a mile from Fort McHenry and a few blocks from Federal Hill. I’m the youngest of eleven children–yes, eleven. Growing up, art, music and writing were my passions and I although I played girls softball and tennis, I was adequate at best. I’ve been married for twenty years and together, we have three children (yours, mine and ours) and three granddaughters.
My first novel “Fireflies,” was published in March of 2013 with GMTA Publishing and my second novel, “Hope From the Ocean,” which is the prequel to “Fireflies,” was published in March of 2014. My third book, “The Blue Diamond – An Ivory Razor Adventure,” is with my editor and we’re hoping for a late September 2014 release.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book isn’t published yet but it will be in the very near future. The book is named “The Blue Diamond – An Ivory Razor Adventure.”This book was inspired by my love of adventure, romance and good old fashion swashbuckling fun! Think “Pirates of the Caribbean” meets “Charlie’s Angels.” That should give you an idea of the premise of this book and that is all I’m going to tell you. You’ll just have to wait for the big launch.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m afraid I am really boring when it comes to answering this question. I really don’t. I can write pretty much anywhere at any time and I’m a master of blocking out my surroundings. I can’t be rude though so of course if someone needs my attention, I remind them I’m writing and tell them to get lost. Just kidding, I ask them to move along. Still kidding, sort of.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
The answer to this question is constantly changing. Since I’m currently reading “Outlander” by Diana Gabaldon and I’m trying to make time to read “A Game of Thrones,” these are two very good examples. However, J.K. Rowling, Stephen King, Louisa May Alcott, Harper Lee…
What are you working on now?
I’m working on preparing “The Blue Diamond” for publishing and also jumping back into the novel I was writing before I wrote “Hope From the Ocean” and “The Blue Diamond.” I really liked the concept of this story and the characters were really starting to come to life (50K words in). So last weekend ,I started from the beginning and wow did I see so much that needed to be revised and reworked. I was thrilled! It proved to me how much I’ve learned in the past two years and showed me I’m improving. I don’t ever want to stop learning and growing.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Definitely book blogs.I can’t say enough about how book bloggers have spread the word about my novels. Whether they host you as a guest, interview you or go all the way and review your books for you, you simply cannot beat the exposure to readers these generous people give. Blog tours are the ultimate way to get the word out about your books.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
I’d tell them to just keep reading and writing. Learn as much as you can about publishing so you can make the right decision for yourself. There are so many avenues you can take to have your book published and do not neglect your editing. Hire an editor. There are plenty of people who won’t cost you an arm or a leg but do an excellent job.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Anne Rice, “There are no rules in writing.” I may have paraphrased but you get the point. There are rules of grammar, punctuation etc. but when it comes to telling your story, let the rules go and just write.
What are you reading now?
As I said above, I’m almost finished the first book in the “Outlander” series. I am in love with the characters and the story.
What’s next for you as a writer?
To keep doing my best writing and continuing to write the kinds of books I like to read. I can’t write something because it’s what’s “HOT” at the moment or because I know that is what has the largest market share. I write from my head and my heart. I believe if I stay true to myself, success is going to come.
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 notebook as long as I can bring a pen too!
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Literature has been forefront in my life. My college years and career have centered on literature. I have also worked as an executive recruiter and assistant editor. Currently, I enjoy sports and travelling as much as possible. At this point in my writing career, I have written two novels and a collection of poetry–The Last Seminarian, Three Things I Have to Tell You My Friend, and Random Musings of a Baby Boomer, a poetry collection.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Three Things I have to Tell You My Friend is my latest novel. My experiences in the field of education and interactions with other educators, along with the support teams at secondary and college institutions, inspired the story and the characters in the novel. Also, the field of education is rapidly changing with the new influx of technology and assessments. No one in the field can predict the outcome for education is in a confused state. The professionals and politicians are initiating changes through trail and error.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I enjoy writing crossover fiction, mixing the science fiction and dystopian genres. I naturally embrace crossing genres, enjoying the complexity and challenge. I believe future fiction will reflect the crossing of genres and the eventual evolution of new genres, as it has done so in the past. Isn’t science fiction a crossover, too?
What authors, or books have influenced you?
The class epic stories, like the Odyssey, have influenced me. I enjoy heroic adventures. Also, Gilgamesh is a great influence which is the first great work of literature and, in my opinion, the first science fiction tale. From a modern perspective, as a teenager, I became enamored with Harry Harrison’s Death World Series and Stainless Steel Rat Series. I relished his anti-hero protagonists.
What are you working on now?
I am now working on a fantasy story about a retired veteran who has one last chance to have a meaningful relationship with a woman before it is too late. He has avoided commitments through out his life and hopes to find the right mate before it’s to late.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I find Authors Den and Bookbuzzr great sites for posting announcements and events. Also, I have had good luck with Goodreads (book giveaways), Book Gorilla, Fuzzy Librarian, and Book Bub for promoting my books. Twitter had been a good extra along with KDP Select.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write–always write. Then, market! Then write again. Don’t forget to fill the well–read often.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
There is no great writing, only great rewriting.
- Justice Brandeis
What are you reading now?
Girl with Pearl Earrings by Tracy Chevalier
What’s next for you as a writer?
Too continue writing–I have no idea beyond what I’m working on at the moment. Several outlines wait on the shelf for me to give them life.
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?
Robinson Crusoe (no surprise?)
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I was born and raised in Trenton, New Jersey, before heading off to Duke University to study mechanical engineering. After spending some time working as an engineer in Maryland, I changed course and enrolled in the University of Michigan Law School. For the past fourteen years, I’ve represented banks and hedge funds as a transactional attorney in private practice in New York. I live in Manhattan with his wife, Erinn, and my two daughters, Maureen and Madeleine. So far, Peripheral Involvement is the only book I’ve written, but I’m working hard to change that.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The book is called Peripheral Involvement, and it’s meant to have sort of a double meaning. The main character gets entangled in a crime, but he’s only indirectly involved, at the very edge of the plot. The title is primarily a description of his relationship to those events, but it also refers to his feelings about his level of engagement in his career and his everyday life, which he’s spurred to examine when questions about the crime re-surface fifteen years later.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m not sure that it’s all that unusual, but I tend to do all my writing late at night, after everyone else in my house goes to bed. Between work and family, it’s usually the only time that I’m able to find. Because of that limited schedule, I tend to work very slowly, and my novels are very long-term projects. It’s frustrating. sometimes, but it does have the benefit of giving me quite a bit of time for reflection. I tend to come up with ideas throughout the day and then work them out on paper in the wee hours.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Joseph Heller’s Catch-22, for sure – I love his sense of humor and the way he deals with absurdity. Hunter S. Thompson, for similar reasons (although his work is obviously very different). Dostoevsky, Sartre, Joseph Conrad… many, many more.
What are you working on now?
I’ve been working on a second novel for almost a year, a noir-ish mystery, and I’m very excited about it. It’s not a sequel to Peripheral Involvement – it’s a completely different story with a new cast of characters. It takes place in the Florida Keys, and it involves a disgraced ex-televangelist, his daughter, and a wealthy, old-money New York family. I’ve been working much faster than I did on the last one, but I still have to fit my writing in around my day job, so there are limits on how much I can do at a time. The first draft is probably about three-quarters of the way there, and I’m hoping to get through the rest of it by the end of the summer.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
That’s the challenge I’ve been grappling with since I released the book in February. I’ve done a lot on Facebook and by directly contacting people, but that only gets me as far as friends and some friends of friends. I’ve encouraged (begged) all of them to spread the word as much as they can. I’ve also started a website where readers can learn more about me, follow my blog and (hopefully) have their interest piqued, and I just did two giveaways on Goodreads to try to get some attention there. I’ve reached out to book bloggers and reviewers, and gotten a little traction there, but my biggest hope is that people who enjoy Peripheral Involvement will tell a few friends about it and it’ll continue to gather steam by word of mouth.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Nothing earth-shattering, really, but I would urge any new author to resist the feeling that you have to have an entire story plotted out before you begin writing. Just come up with an idea for a character, and an interesting scene or two, and start running with it. Maybe it won’t go anywhere, but maybe it will. If you wait until you’ve got the entire plot outlined in your head, you might never get started.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
It has to be Elmore Leonard’s line: “Try to leave out the parts that readers tend to skip.” I try to follow that advice as best I can.
What are you reading now?
I’m embarrassed to admit how little time I make for reading these days. I just finished (and very much enjoyed) a non-fiction book written by a friend, Phil Johnston, called True South, which contrasts the leadership styles employed by Robert Scott and Roald Amundsen in their competing 1912 polar expeditions. On the fiction side, I’m reading John LeCarre’s Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (yes, I understand that I’m about forty years late to that party). I’m also planning on reaidng the Game of Thrones series, at some point.
What’s next for you as a writer?
My immediate goal is to finish my second novel. Beyond that, I’ve always wanted to try to write something more humorous, so maybe I’ll turn to that next. I’ve given it some thought in the past, but haven’t quite been able to settle on an idea. I figure that the world is full of things that are begging to made fun of, so I’m hoping it’ll come to me eventually.
Also, I never really envisioned a sequel to Peripheral Involvement, but enough people have brought it up that I’ve started to think about it. I’m not sure yet that it’s something I’ll pursue, but it’s definitely on my radar.
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 collection of Plato’s dialogues, Joseph Heller’s Catch-22, Hunter S. Thompson’s Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and Robert L. Stevenson’s Treasure Island (to get into the spirit of things).
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a mom, a wife, a daughter and a business person who balances making a living with caring for my family. My son has Crohn’s disease, my husband has a pre-existing condition and my mom is 85 years old and lives with us. One thing I’ve discovered is the hospital. I’ve written one book that is winning awards, I believe, because it shares my story and helps others cope with navigating the healthcare system and balancing life.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Questioning Protocol. When my son was screaming in pain in ER and no one came, I could not believe it. I am an engineer by training and when I worked in aerospace I used to lose sleep worrying about the least little design change. Now, I was in a crisis and no one came. I started taking notes so I could improve the patient experience. I thought I’d write a letter to the CEO of the hospital. Well, my son ended up with complications and I wrote a book to empower others to navigate the system with confidence. I share my tips, tools and tricks from my GE executive experience so everyone can learn how to build a high performing healthcare team focused on the patient’s needs.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Discipline. I worked everyday on my book and had an editor review my work weekly.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Jeannette Walls – The Glass Castle. I loved how her story helped me understand my life. My goal was every page or so, give the reader an “aha” moment.
What are you working on now?
Marketing Questioning Protocol and improving the healthcare system.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Not sure, yet.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Get an editor and build your fan base.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
You can’t walk a mile until you take one step. I thought that getting my book published was as hard as asking me to climb Mt. Everest without oxygen. Now, I did it and I’ve experienced that success is about each small step. If you slip, just try again with a different approach.
What are you reading now?
Overtreated by Shannon Brownlee
What’s next for you as a writer?
I’ve been writing articles in JAMA and other leading industry journals. I will continue to educate consumers about navigating the healthcare system.
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 blank journal, Walden, and a survival guide.
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
To properly answer this question, I’d need to personally interview forty authors and make a compilation for you, but since I can’t do that, I’ll answer these questions to the best of my ability with my own information. The names listed below are all the authors who’ve contributed to making the Love is… anthology.
Kate Pearce, Marie Hall, Zoe York, Sidney Bristol, S.M. Butler, Kat Cantrell, Cassandra Curtis, Keri Ford, Sadie Haller, Faye Hunter, Crystal Jordan, Jennifer Lewis, Molly McLain, Mima, Natasha Moore, Catherine A. Noon, Elle Rush, Jessica Stone, Holley Trent, A.J. Vale, Elle Wylder, Clarice Wynter, Sabrina Darby, Bonnie Dee, Jennifer Haymore, Vivienne Westlake, Elianne Adams, Melissa Aires, Mahlee Ashwynne, Sophie Avett, Jennifer Blackstream, Sela Carsen, Cate Dean, Grace Draven, Hailey Edwards, Dayna Hart, Elise Logan, Lyra Marlowe, Yelena Casale, Cate Rowan, Tina Moss
As for me, I’m coming to you all the way from North Eastern Ontario, Canada, I’m a wife and mother of three (plus three fur babies). I dreamed of writing at a young age, but like so many, that dream went by the wayside when I joined the work force and started building my family. Now that my children need less of my time, I’ve rediscovered my love of writing and am following my dreams.
Other than the short story included in the Love is anthology, I’ve written two full length paranormal romance novels. The first is Call of the Dragon, and the second Rise of the Phoenix. Both are part of my Return to Avalore series. I’m in the process of writing books three and four. The big launch for the series is coming in December of this year, so keep your eyes peeled for it.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Love is… is an anthology put together by forty-one Divas from www.romancedivas.com who just wanted to give back a little. All proceeds of the Love is… anthology are going to Reach Out and Read, an organisation that helps put books in the hands of children, promoting literacy from a young age.
My contribution to the Love is… anthology is called Flickering Light. It’s the story of Barbara and Clayton in the time before the Queen of Avalore is found and brought back to their homeland. The story is set in a time when hope is all but gone and the Avalorian people are hovering on the brink of extinction.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t know if I’d consider this unusual or not, but my writing space is always set up in a particular way. When I sit down to write, I like to have a red candle burning to my right to help get my creative juices flowing. Also to my right are pictures of my kids on a cork board as well as a few drawings. Music and noise is kept to a minimum, and that’s about it.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
That’s such a tough question. So many amazing authors have influenced me. Here are just a few that are one click buys for me.
I loved Kristen Painter’s Blood Rights series. I haven’t had the opportunity to read her newest release, House of the Rising Sun in her Crescent City series yet, but I’m looking forward to it.
The Araneae Nation series by Hailey Edwards is awesome as well. The world building in the series draws me in every time.
I’m a great fan of Annie Nicholas as well. She’s not only been a great mentor to me, but she’s an amazing author. My current favorite of hers is her Chronicles of Eorthe Series, though I have to admit to having read most of her other books as well and loved them just as much. The next book in the Eorthe series is Scent of Valor due out in November. I’m patiently waiting to get my greedy palms on that one.
Marie Hall weaves tales that you just can’t help getting sucked into. From fairy tales to contemporary, there isn’t anything this woman can’t write.
What are you working on now?
I’m working on my Return to Avalore Series. The series takes place in Avalore, a parallel world where dragons, phoenix and gryphons not only exist, but are at the very core of the Avalorian people.
Flickering Light is just the beginning. Following this short story, book one, Call of the Dragon is the story of Rhiannon and Drake, and kicks off the series. Tired of being on the run, Rhia agrees to go to Avalore with Drake. What she doesn’t know is that the enemy lies in wait, and that she’s a whole lot more than just another woman back in Avalore.
Book two, Rise of the Phoenix, is the story of Evan and Brienne. Both characters are introduced in book one and begged me to have their story told.
Which brings me to where I’m at now.. books three and four. Both are in the process of being written. I’ve not come up with suitable titles for either of them, but as soon as I do, I’ll have them posted with cover art on my website.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’ve not had much opportunity to explore this aspect of writing yet, but I’ve heard many good things about the people here at Awesomegang, which is why I came here. I’ve also heard about the usual, bookbub, freebooksy, bargainbooksy.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Even though I’ve written two full length novels and a short story, I still see myself as a new author. lol I’ll give the advice that was given to me…
Keep writing. It doesn’t matter who else is doing what, if you don’t have anything written, you’ve got nothing, so keep writing. The promoting, website, web presence, it’ll all come, but not if you don’t have a book to sell.
Learn your craft. There are tons of places to go to learn to write and how to tell a story, so don’t be afraid of taking a class or seminar.
Surround yourself with like minded people who can help push you when you get in a funk, because believe me, there are plenty of funks to get into and sometimes they’re hard to get out of. You’ll need people you can trust and who will have your back and not be afraid to tell it like it is, good or bad. Good critique partners and beta readers are a must. When you find one you mesh well with, grab hold and don’t let go.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t give up.
Life happens. It’s easy to say to heck with it all and just throw in the towel, but don’t give up. You’ll get there.
Keep writing. You don’t have anything if you don’t have the story written.
Stop reading. Sounds funny, I know, but there was a time when I was reading too much and a lot of what I was reading wasn’t of high quality, so it was coming through in my writing. Putting the books down really helped me to focus and bring my own voice through in my words.
What are you reading now?
The Bastard by Inez Kelley.
If you haven’t read it.. do! She’s amazing. I’m not done with this one yet, but it’s been great so far.
Also… Cora Seton. She’s drawn me into her Chance Creek series and I’m hooked. I just got done with her The Cowgirl Ropes a Billionaire book and loved it. I’m just trying to decide which one to read next.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m still working on the Return to Avalore Series. There are three full length novels still waiting in queue for this series as well as a couple of novellas.
After that, I’m wide open. Not to say I don’t have a million plot bunnies running wild in my head, but I’ve not committed to any one project in particular. There is one potential story coming down the pipe for a superstition themed boxed set, but nothing is confirmed there yet. If it does come to be, it’ll be released in 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?
Okay, that’s just not fair. That’s like asking a mother which child she’d bring.
Hmmm.. if I had to choose, I’d have to say Scent of Valor (Annie Nicholas), House of the Rising Sun (Kristen Painter), One Gold Knot (Sadie Haller.. did I mention her in my favorites??).
Is it normal that I feel like I’m cheating on all the others by not naming them all?
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have written five books, and I am currently writing the sixth one.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Drachenburg School for the Supernaturals was inspired alot by Harry Potter, as well as a desire to write about more diversified characters than typically found in YA/teen bestsellers.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Yes.
When I want to write, I write. It does not matter if I am on a train, plane, lunch break, or 3:00am in the morning. When the urge to write kicks in, there is nothing I can do to stop it. Absolutely nothing.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I have many different writers I look up to.
My books were inspired by J.K. Rowlings ability to write in detail on her fantasy world, Elizabeth Gaskell’s ability to spin society and politics to a good storyline, Enid Blytons simplicity in creating engrossing but light story lines, and most recently- Susan Ees ability to web a story that fully arrests all your attention.
What are you working on now?
Drachenburg School for the Supernaturals Book 3
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
www.goodreads.com
Though I wish there was a more effective website.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
How much do you love it?
That much? Then it is worth it.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“Start writing, no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on.” ― Louis L’Amour
What are you reading now?
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
What’s next for you as a writer?
Write the Fallen, Book 3 in the Divine Brotherhood Series
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?
North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell
Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie
Poems by Emily Dickinson
The River and The Source by Margaret A. Ogola
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My name is Delali Norvor. I’m 18 years old and I have published 3 poetry books that are in stores worldwide. One of my books is called “Baptized in GXLD” which is about a 16 year old son of a preacher dad and a first lady mom going through a period where he question the realness of his once loved religion. It became a short film and premiered a few days ago. I hope you check it out
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The name of my latest book is called “Mother Nature, My Kinship, and the Dolphins.” I think my childhood and going through puberty inspired this because it explores the vivid awkwardness I faced with growing up with a disability and my emotional struggle to fit in.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
(Chuckles) I write in the dark and play loud music as I write.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I think Langston Hughes, Maya Angelou, and Lana Del Rey have influenced me the most.
What are you working on now?
I’m working on “The Nostalgic Nostalgia of Natalia.” It’s about a girl named Natalia who got into a coma after a text and drive accident; throughout her time in a coma, she is narrating her interesting but sadistic life she has lived. What makes it interesting is that I have woven the social issues of America into her own personal problems she is facing.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I really don’t have a best method when it comes to promoting my books because I’m still learning the publishing game which I think it’s outdated and new ways to innovate the industry and not be only tailor made for celebrities.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
I just want them to know they shouldn’t be discouraged and know that it’s not always profitable.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best advice I ever heard was “hone your craft and honor it with your heart.”
What are you reading now?
I’m reading “A Song Flung Up to Heaven” by Maya Angelou.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I think I will be taking a break as I focus on college this fall.
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 will bring any books written by John Grisham. It’s entertaining and I will never get bored.
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
This is my first book.
I’ve always wanted to be a writer–but was definitely afraid of failure! I graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in Journalism and did spent some time writing feature articles and doing technical publication editing. From there, I just kind of slid into the technology space. I was fortunate in that I seemed to be in the right place at the right time to learn a wide variety of things.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
This book is titled #hashtagged. As for what inspired it, the short answer is my entire life. The longer answer is that it really started as a joke–me mouthing at my husband that robots would someday take over the world and they would do it through the use of social media.
My husband really pushed me to write the book. I would never have done it without his encouragement. He also encouraged (aka “pushed”) me to talk to my kids and other family members about it. This really helped me formulate the outlines of the story.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I wrote this book in four months. I knew the rough word count for a typical Science Fiction book and I wanted to get it done before Christmas break. So, I had to write about 1,000 words per night. I did this while working at a client site, living in a hotel Monday through Thursday. So I developed this habit where I picked up dinner, went to the hotel, then sat in bed writing until the 1,000 words were done. I made myself accountable by texting the word count each night to my husband.
On a more unusual scale, I seemed to write better with some dreary tv show running in the background. You know, one of those teenage angst vampire kind of shows with dreary music. I never really watched, but had to have them running.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
The list is so long! I read a ton. I learned in a graduate linguistics class (Texas A&M) not to judge local dialects, etc. What might appear “wrong” for me is actually “right” for another culture. This really opened me up to other writing styles, genres, etc. Sounds corny, I agree. However, it really did make me a more open reader.
That said, I like what I can “smart” books. By that, I mean stories that are intricate and tightly woven. I prefer language that is beautifully crafted, even when sparse. I don’t want to be told that the sky is a beautiful thing. I want to see it for myself based on the description. Let me make the inference. Touch my heart with words, not with a manipulative story line.
What are you working on now?
I’m pushing to get the book read. That sounds so simple. HA! Beginning in September, I plan to start the next book in the #hashtagged series. My goal is to have a trilogy–we’ll see. I wrote #hashtagged September through December and that seemed to work out for me, so I’m sticking with it. I need all the good juju I can get.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I”m a newbie. As such, I’m doing a bit of skattershooting and tying everything I can. I have a website (www.kimberlyhixtrant.com), Facebook (www.facebook.com/KHixtrant), Twitter (@KHixTrant), and Pinterest. In addition, I’m reaching out to anyone who will listen to request a book review. I would welcome any lessons learned or advice on what really works.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write. Don’t stop. Seriously. Just write.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“There is more to life than increasing it’s speed.” Ghandi
What are you reading now?
Freakanomics by Steven D. Levitt, Stephen J. Dubner–reading off and on.
The Heist by Daniel Silva–just finished last night.
The Great Santini by Pat Conroy–listening in the car.
The Goldfinch by Donna Huber–up next. Yeah, I know I’m behind. I don’t know why it took me so long to get to this one.
Wink by Eric Trant–up after The Goldfinch.
What’s next for you as a writer?
Fantasy Island = I’m on Jimmy Fallon for a #hashtagged segment.
Reality Zone = I continue to focus on marketing for #hashtagged.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
1. The largest poetry anthology ever published. I have no idea what that would be, but I would definitely figure it out.
2. Sam’s Lamp by Barbro Lindgren, Illustrated by Eva Eriksson. This is THE book that brings back that feeling of the moments I loved most as a mother. I can close my eyes and still feel them in my arms.
3. SAS Survival Handbook–I’m basically an idiot when it comes to some practical skills. I watched Tom Hanks in Castaway and watched the Lost series, but I’m not sure I can replicate anything they did!
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.