Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a late bloomer as far as fiction writing is concerned. I’ve published 4 business books all related to my work as a communications consultant. While I was writing the business books, I took a stab at writing fiction.

During the years while my business books were being written and published, I wrote three mystery manuscripts. The first is a standalone. The other two are series books. I wrote mysteries for two reasons: 1) genre are easier to place and 2) I love reading mysteries. What I wanted to do was to write a book I’d love to read.

So, what do I love to read? I love books with strong characters. I don’t enjoy reading books that are so plot driven that the characters take a backseat (become cardboard). It’s the characters that keep me coming back to read. I want to know what happens to them. I care about them. Nonetheless, I still like a good strong plot. Things have to happen.

Because I tend to like plot and character, I could not write literary fiction where plot is usually nonexistent.

At this point I’m my life, I’m pulling back on my work as a communication consultant/trainer/coach and am focusing my time on writing.

Other tidbits about me. I’m a huge cat lover (I have 4) and I love everything about Italy (I have studied the language and speak it well enough to fool some Italians into believing I’m a native).

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Clock Strikes Midnight.

I originally wrote it in a totally different way. I wrote it from the point of view my primary protagonist when she was a teenager. The inspiration came from within. I wanted to write a book about a strong woman who overcame difficult circumstances.

That first draft enabled me to learn a lot about the characters. I knew them inside out because I knew their early motivations. I did a re-write of the book which became The Clock Strikes Midnight in which I began with adult characters. In other words, my characters grew up but they were still struggling with their past.

The story is about two sisters who as young children experienced death, trauma and separation. One desserts the family. The Clock Strikes Midnight is her return to the family in order to revenge her mother’s death and to make right some of the wrongs of the past.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write with a computer. I know some writers still use a pen and paper, bur I’ve never been able to do that. I come from a news writing background in which I was taught to think at the keyboard. That skill enables me to write fast from my computer.

I’m not sure it’s unusual, but once I’m in the throes of writing a book, I loose track of time. I’ve often missed appointments (something I never do otherwise).

Cats often invade my writing space. They walk across my computer and sit next to me at my desk. When they get particularly feisty, I know I’ve neglected them for too long.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I read all the time and I read many authors. Some I’ve particularly loved are:

1) Colette and the Colette Omnibus

2) Lee Smith, particularly Fair and Tender Ladies

3) Martha Grimes (all the Richard Jury mysteries)

4) Elizabeth Forsythe Hailey’s A Woman of Independent Means

5) Collene McCullough’s First Man in Rome series and of course Thornbirds

6) Susan Howatch Everything she’s written

7) Lee Edgerton, Hooked

What are you working on now?
I”m working on an amateur mystery series which will debut Jenna Scali. She’s a thirty-something graduate student studying criminal psychology and working for a psychiatrist. Her best friend and sometimes partner in crime is a gay history professor from England who also teaches belly-dancing.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I promote my books on my website and through my blog, twitter feed and Facebook author’s page. I like to write writer’s tips, conduct author interviews, do book reviews as well as market my book.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
New authors need to study the craft of writing fiction. They can learn from reading but that is not enough. I suggest taking classes both in person and online.

Furthermore, it’s important to have beta readers–people who will read your work and give you honest criticism. Listen to the criticism with an open mind.

Read lots of books and learn from what you read.

Finally, don’t give up. It’s very hard out there. If you want to get published, you must persist. I would not recommend self-publishing unless you want to use the book for marketing your business. Publishers are very helpful in the editing and production process.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Read your book out loud.

What are you reading now?
I’m reading three books at once:

The Sister by Max China (a writing friend)

The Lives of Girls and Women by Alice Munro

Orphan Train by Christine Baker Kline

What’s next for you as a writer?
I want to see my mystery series published. Once that happens I will begin the third book in that series and see where that takes me.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
I’m bring my e-reader with all my books! But, you say, “no power or wi-fi.”

Ok, I’d bring The First Man in Rome Series and Susan Howatch’s series on the Episcopal Church.

Author Websites and Profiles
Joan C. Curtis Website
Joan C. Curtis Amazon Profile

Joan C. Curtis’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Joan C. Curtis is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve been an author for over thirty years, which is almost as long as I’ve been living in my small log house in the middle of thirty acres of evergreen forests in Oregon. I share my life with my husband, Ed, our cat, Izzy, and our German Shepherd, Maggie, whose sole purpose for living is to play ball. I currently have 21 romance novels and 3 non-fiction books available on Amazon. All of my books, including their covers and descriptions, are posted on my website. I’m a full-time writer, and I love the quietness that comes with living in the woods. We have beautiful trails and I get good ideas when I take a break from writing to walk in the woods, which we do daily. My laptop sits on a coffee table in the living room so I can look out the window and see squirrels, chipmunks, and birds at the feeders just outside, so I have little desire to go to the city, which is about 35 miles away.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is entitled, Imperfect Magic, and it is Book 11 of my Dancing Moon Ranch series. Being part of a series, my hero and heroine had already been introduced to readers in earlier books, so the inspiration for the story came out of the series. However, the inspiration for the first book in the series was based on an actual lawsuit over a botched procedure at a fertility clinic, when two women got sperm from the wrong men. That book is entitled, Righteous Lies. My heroine’s sister, who popped up toward the end of Righteous Lies, prompted me to write the second book in the series, which is entitled, Pandora’s Box. That story brought in the twin brother of my hero in Righteous Lies, and things just kept going from there. The 13-book series ended up spanning thirty years and two generations. It’s been great writing the series because I always wanted to live on a working guest/cattle ranch and be surrounded by cowboys and now it’s like I am, and the couples in the first three books, and all of their sons and one daughter, are my family. My series is getting great reviews, and a couple of reviewers equated the series to the “Dallas” TV series without all the sex. There is some sex, but it’s PG-13.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I guess my unusual habit is that I have to discipline myself to stop writing and do other things. like get up and exercise. I keep a timer next to my laptop to remind me to do that, once an hour, because I can get so wrapped up in the story I’m writing that an entire day can slip by unnoticed. So every hour I either walk on my walker, kick Maggie’s ball so she can retrieve it for me to kick a hundred times more, or walk in the woods. But even when the time dings, more often than not I turn it off for a couple of minutes, and an hour later, realize I forgot to get up and exercise.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
A few authors who have influenced me are Kay Nolte Smith and her wonderful historical saga, A Tale of the Wind, which is my all-time favorite novel. Legacy, by Susan Kay, which is a novel about Queen Elizabeth, I is another favorite. Sadly, I spend very little time reading fiction because what little time I have when not writing is spent reading research material for my current or next book.

What are you working on now?
The book I’m working on now is entitled, Imperfect Magic, and it’s Book 11 in my Dancing Moon Ranch series. The series is a contemporary western series, which is set in Oregon, not far from where I live. Several towns in the area, along with an Indian Reservation and some local rodeos, are woven into the stories. My heroes are cowboys, except for the hero in my current book (Imperfect Magic). He’s an illusionist who falls in love with a cowgirl, who happens to be the youngest child of my hero and heroine from Book 1 in the series. My hero in Imperfect Magic has to make some changes in his life, and in his goals, in order to hold onto my heroine. As soon as I’m finished writing Imperfect Magic I’ll start on the last book in the series, which is Book 12, Finding Justice. There is a Prequel to the series (Justified Deception), which is why the last book in a 13-book series is Book 12.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
My website is my best promoter. On it I post the covers and descriptions of all of my books, divided by “tabs” for my single-title contemporaries and my historical romances, but I feature the books in my Dancing Moon Ranch on the primary page. At the end of every one of my books I include three chapters of another book (or the next book in the series), along with links to that book, and to my website. Most of my books are on Amazon KDP Select, so subscribers can purchase them that way, and on occasion I do a free book offering, mostly on older single title books like In Hot Pursuit.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
My advice to new authors is to read books outside of their genre (assuming they have a solid knowledge of what’s expected in their genre). That way they don’t inadvertently start re-writing other author’s stories, or fall into the cliché trap. I read books by authors I admire, outside of my genre, and learn from those. But my main advice is to just keep writing. There is more to learn from that than spending time on blogs talking to other struggling writers. It took me about ten books before it all started coming together. My last advice, for indie authors, is to never stop reviewing and revising your books. I reread all of my books every 6 months and I always find things to change. As time goes by it’s less and less, but there are still ways to make every story better.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best advice I ever heard was from a senior editor from Harlequin who liked my writing but knew I didn’t have a clue about weaving in story threads. She actually worked with me, one-on-one, until I got it right, then bought the manuscript, which was entitled, Sweet Promised Land (now on Amazon as Broken Promises). Editors today will not do that. I just got lucky. I later wrote an article for Romance Writer’s Review on “Weaving in Story Threads” which is posted on my website, along with other “How-To” articles on writing. The second best advice I received was to take the plunge and become an indie author. I had already published with Harlequin and Avon, which meant jumping through all the query and submission hoops, then waiting FOREVER to hear back from editors. It was the pits! So, on May 5, 2011, I got so disgusted that I hadn’t heard back from editors who had requested manuscripts that I uploaded 7 books to Amazon, and I’ve never looked back. I love having complete control. I choose my own title, design and make my own covers, write the back-cover blurb, write the story the way I want it, pass it on to my husband, who has always been my editor, then send it on its way. It’s great!

What are you reading now?
Right now I’m reading all non-fiction research material. Maybe someday I’ll sit back and read some of the books I’ve downloaded to my Kindle, but it won’t happen until I’ve finished writing the last book in my series.

What’s next for you as a writer?
After I complete my Dancing Moon Ranch series, which will be finished in early 2015, I plan to make audio books out of the entire series, doing my own narrating. I’m currently researching that, with lots of input from authors who have done this themselves. I look forward to doing 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?
If I was going to be spending time on a desert island, the book I’d grab first would be A Tale of the Wind because it’s long, involved, spans a lifetime, and I learn something new about writing every time I read it. The second book would be my memoir, which is entitled (on Amazon) Around the Belt. It has over 1000 photos of my family and all aspects of my life while growing up in New Orleans in the 1940s and 50s, including some of the many colorful people who were either directly, or indirectly, a part of my life. The 3rd and 4th books would be books on screenwriting, one by Syd Field, and the other by Laura Schellhardt (Screenwriting for Dummies), so when I’m finally rescued I’d be able to write the scripts for my Dancing Moon Ranch series in hopes that the series would be bought for TV.

Author Websites and Profiles
Patricia Watters Website
Patricia Watters Amazon Profile
Patricia Watters Author Profile on Smashwords

Patricia Watters’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile

Patricia Watters is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a first time novelist, born in India and 14 years old. I am currently writing my first book, i.e. Just 5 Days. I have so far written many short stories,poems and one long ballad. I mainly like writing real stories, based on my own experiences. Apart from writing, I love listening to music and even draw sometimes when I am in a creative mood.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
‘Just 5 Days’ is the title. A few months back, I had to shift to a different place which also meant to change my school. I was in that school since the beginning and so, i had developed a deep love for my friends and school. I never did like the school which I shifted to. The people, the teachers, everything was so different. I had to face so many difficulties. The incident had such a deep impact on me, that I decided to write a book on the same. It describes the parallelism between the two different places and also, the challenges faced by a new student at school!

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not really. I just need to be in a good mood to write and have that motivation every day. Well, since my books are non-fiction, I always need to have my diary with me which I write everyday.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
When I was a small child, I used to read Enid Blyton’s books. Then, I read Ruskin Bond’s and now I like to read books by Jeffrey Archer. So, all of them have influenced me.

Kathryn O’ Driscoll, another writer, whom I came to know through deviantart, has also been a great influence. Her passionate and mesmerizing words, always move me.

What are you working on now?
As I said earlier, it is Just 5 Days, which I am working on. I will probably finish it by March 2015 and then, take a break and start working on the next novel.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
The best method to do so, is to get a catchy book trailer made. It is a new trend and people are often interested in them. Sites like Deviantart, also help you a lot as there are hundreds of people who might be interested in your work.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Always have the sheer determination in you and believe in yourself. I may just be 14, and people think I am telling them a joke when I say, I am writing a book but I know I will do it. I will live my dreams even if it isn’t easy.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Look at things from the windows of your heart, and you’ll never fail to persuade your reader!!

What are you reading now?
For the time being, I am just reading short stories from a few writers on Deviantart. I am already very busy with my own work but as soon as I finish it, I will go and buy Jeffrey Archer’s book, ‘Be Careful What You Wish For’.

What’s next for you as a writer?
A novel composed of around 20 real school stories. I have many other ideas as well. I might change my plan if I find something better.

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?
Heidi by Johanna Spyri, No one Can Tell, The Sins of The Father and Best Kept Secret by Jeffrey Archer.

Author Websites and Profiles
Sneha Bansal Website

Sneha Bansal’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Pinterest Account

Sneha Bansal is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve been a writer by nature all of my life. Things are just clearer to me when written down. I have been published in non-fiction for more than 25 years. My first book, Dino, Godzilla and the Pigs (Life on our Missouri Hog Farm) was published by SoHo Press in 1993. They asked me to write about life on a modern farm from a modern woman’s point of view. So I did. From there, I continued to write in non-fiction for many years. I’ve had articles published in national magazines and I freelanced through internet connections. Most of the internet writing has been ghost written except for Civil War articles through http://www.7score10.com. Through it all my heart remains in writing fiction, specifically romance fiction. That dream came true when in May (2014) AKW Books published my first romantic suspense e-book titled Pigeon in a Snare

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Roses for the Sparrow is #2 in my romantic suspense series collectively titled ‘Birds in Peril”. #1 was Pigeon in a Snare.

Rose for the Sparrow is Jani’s story.

Jani was introduced in Pigeon as Lisa Cromwell-Hunt’s employee and close friend. Jani was present when Lisa was kidnapped and Jan was instrumental in helping Lisa to escape. So then, it seemed logical that Jani’s story would be the next to tell.

All of the ‘Birds in Peril’ series involves primary characters who live in the rural Midwestern U.S.A. All characters are friends, family or employees of Hunt Real Estate and Construction, Cromwell Inc. or Harvester Law.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m a night owl. Writing is better at night when the phone does not ring, the television is off and my husband has gone to sleep. Then, in the solitude of my office I can concentrate on ‘creating my muse’.

I raised two sons while operating a productive family farm with my husband. Years ago I developed the habit of taking care of my family, my house and the farm during the day. I demand two or three hours every night of ‘me’ time when I can read or write or watch t.v. Most of the time I write.

I don’ t know if that is unusual or not. That is what works for me.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
My favorite book of all time is Ashes in the Wind by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss. I am also a fan of Nora Roberts, Sandra Brown, Sherilynn Kenyon and Kim Harrison. They are a diverse collection of writers, to be sure. I like the quality of their writing and I admire their will to persevere.

What are you working on now?
#3 of the Birds in Peril Series titled “Plight of the Dove” which is Susie’s story.

Here is the opening blurb: The house possessed a history; the story of love and companionship among friends as well as a tale embittered by secrecy and murder. The last residents were said to have vacated in fear of ghostly creatures that kept them awake with eerie screams while they slammed doors and tramped floors throughout the night. Secrets would remain buried in the house’s depths only to be uncovered by the most innocent and unsuspecting…

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Right now I am relying on my publisher through AKW books to guide me.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Just write. Sit your butt in a chair and get those words on paper or computer screen. It helps to study other authors, to join writers groups and to associate with fellow writers. However, that writing is only going to get done when you do it…no matter how long it takes.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“Write what you know” has come from several sources but it is as tried and true as ‘just sit down and write’, ‘finish it no matter how long it takes’

What are you reading now?
I tend not to read while I am writing. As I generally read some form of romance, someone else’s work is too distracting from my stories that I need to concentrate on

What’s next for you as a writer?
To keep pubishing. There will be at least 3 more in the Birds in Peril Series. Plus, I have a couple other book length manuscripts I would like to publish as well as several ideas for other 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?
The Bible, Ashes in the Wind and …let’s see, I have Sandra Brown’s latest book ‘Mean Streak’ ordered, and Kim Harrison’s ‘Witch With No Name’ on my book shelves. Nora Robert’s next ‘Blood Majik’ is also ordered. Hopefully that island won’t call me before I receive those new additions. But, I’d have to take my Kindle with me (It’s got about a dozen books on it I have yet to read. I just hope that island has a way to keep the Kindle battery charged.

Author Websites and Profiles
Mary Elizabeth Fricke Website
Mary Elizabeth Fricke Amazon Profile
Mary Elizabeth Fricke Author Profile on Smashwords

Mary Elizabeth Fricke’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Pinterest Account

Mary Elizabeth Fricke is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m an indie author and freelance writer from the north of England. Before making a living from writing I worked in a whole variety of different jobs, including as a teacher, an administrator, an academic, and very briefly in a call centre. Lowlights of my career have included trying to stop an eight-year-old attacking his classmates with a chair and reassuring an angry customer that this time someone really was coming to stop sewage spilling into her garden. Highlights have included dressing as a mad scientist to teach physics and exploring the display of body parts at the Royal College of Surgeons.

I’ve had about fifty short stories published in magazines and websites, and have now collected some of them into three anthologies – Riding the Mainspring for the steampunk stories, From a Foreign Shore for history and alternate history, and By Sword, Stave or Stylus for the fantasy stories.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
It’s called By Sword, Stave or Stylus, and contains thirteen short fantasy stories. Many of them are inspired by my fascination with art and with history.

For example the first story, Live by the Sword, is about gladiators in ancient Rome. They find an escape from the horrors of the arena through the arts of their homelands, whether that’s singing, dancing or carving models from wood. That gives them a life beyond those short, brutal minutes entertaining a bloodthirsty crowd. But Ubu, the central character, is using art for something more, tapping into ancient magic in the hope of finding a real escape.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
When I get stuck I talk to the Batman action figure on my desk, who’s been with me since my call centre days. Batman’s one of the few superheroes who achieves good not through superpowers but through the determination and hard work that has let him develop the skills to do what he wants. For me, that’s an inspiring example.

Or course from another point of view Batman’s a dangerous criminal who can only live that way because he inherited a fortune, but no role model’s perfect!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Terry Pratchett is a huge inspiration, though I don’t often write comedy like he does. He has a fantastic ability to bring a world vividly to life, and to combine important messages with exciting stories. Plus his characters are often misfits and underdogs, and who doesn’t love an underdog?

What are you working on now?
I’m revising two steampunk novellas that I’m hoping to release early next year, and writing the third one. I’m also editing together a collection of science fiction short stories, and planning a piece of historical fiction. I write a flash fiction story – a short story of less than a thousand words – every Friday for my blog. So I guess the answer is ‘all sorts of stuff’.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
For me, the best method has been making friends out on the internet. Don’t just tell people about your book, but get into conversations about the things that interest them. If they’re interested in you as an author then they’re far more likely to be interested in your books.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
It’s so important that it’s almost a cliche, but I’d have to say write every day. It took me years to get into that habit, and I wish I’d done it sooner. It’s only through constant practice that you’ll get really good.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Write what you’re passionate about. If you’re not doing that then you probably won’t stick with writing, and even if you do the writing won’t be so good. Passion shows on the page.

What are you reading now?
Prince Thief by David Tallerman. It’s the third of his Easie Damasco fantasy novels, about a thief who gets reluctantly drawn into saving his homeland from invasion. Easie’s constant attempts to avoid heroism, and his reluctant acceptance of his own good side, make for a great character arc, and it’s full of exciting action.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Another self-published collection – Lies We Will Tell Ourselves.
After that it should be publishing some steampunk stories in the new year. And all the while trying to learn how to better market my books. That’s a hard thing to learn, and one we can all keep getting better at.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
The Great Gatsby by F Scott Fitzgerald – it’s the only book I’ve ever read where I got to the end and went straight back to the beginning to read it again.

The Player of Games by Iain M. Banks – Banks wrote some of the best science fiction of the past thirty years, and I’ve been meaning to re-read it for years, so if I’m stuck on a desert island I can take my time.

Robinson Crusoe, because I got halfway through it once and really wasn’t a fan, but the amusement value of reading the ultimate castaway story while in the same position is too much to resist.

And Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay – I love Kay’s books, which are some of the richest explorations of character, power and art in the whole of fantasy, and I’m looking forward to reading it.

Author Websites and Profiles
Andrew Knighton Website
Andrew Knighton Amazon Profile
Andrew Knighton Author Profile on Smashwords

Andrew Knighton’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Twitter Account

Andrew Knighton is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
First let me say my name is Marcee’ (mar-say) Bonds and I am a single mother of two boys. This is my first published work and I am hoping it will be the first of many. Writing is my passion and I am so happy to live out my dream by doing what I love. Besides writing I enjoy spending time with family, traveling and reading. I am also an active volunteer in my community. I was the coordinator for the first food day celebration in my city and I have done outreach for the last five years with the city’s annual Sister 2 Sister community event; where we provide free food, clothing and information to women and their families. I am an advocate for single mothers and my desire is to encourage and empower them

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The title of my book is…A Single Mother’s Point of View: Raising a Black Man. My experience as a single mother inspired my book. I have one adult son and I wanted share some of the things I did that kept him on the “right track”

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
No nothing unusual

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Terri McMillan, Nikki Gionvanni and numerous of other authors. The one book that influenced me was The Battlefield of the Mind by Joyce Meyer. I love to read inspirational works.

What are you working on now?
Right now I am working promoting my book. I am planning on doing some book signings over the next few months.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
This is all still new to me so I am not sure of the best method. I have been mainly using social media, but I am always looking for new promotional opportunities.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
The real work begins after your book is published and to stay encouraged.

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

What are you reading now?
I am currently reading Chakras for beginners

What’s next for you as a writer?
I am hoping to start writing another book spring of 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?
Battlefield of the Mind

Woman thou are loosed

Mrcee” Bonds’s Social Media Links

Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Mrcee” Bonds is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve actually written more books than I will likely ever publish. I’ve been writing since I was very young and picked up my first Stephen King novel, so I have a lot of books I hope will never see the light of day, and many more that I will probably just never have time to fully produce. Right now I have four episodes of a six part serial available on Amazon.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is Episode Four of my Look Back in Anger serial. The serial was inspired by a number of things, but I think mostly it came about as I was trying to sort through personal baggage. I’d managed to come to terms with some serious childhood traumas, and I was still trying to make sense of it all as a mother of two children of my own. I do that best through fiction—a little distance provided by imaginary people does wonders for giving an author perspective.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Apparently, when I’m really into a scene, I mouth the dialogue and sometimes act out the characters as I type. I don’t generally notice until the unseen audience of my husband and kids start cracking up behind me. I’m a regular one woman play.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Stephen King was one of the first authors I ever read. His work clued me in to the existence of fiction, and I was hooked. I quickly found Clive Barker after that, and he opened me up to the idea of writing without fear and simply going for those scenes that most people would be too uncomfortable to write. Then I found Chuck Palahniuk, and it was like a whole different ballgame. I don’t think my writing has been the same since.

What are you working on now?
In the mid-90s, when I was still in high school, I started working on a paranormal series. I’d read The Vampire Lestat, and since I always found myself rooting for the supernatural monsters in books and movies anyway, I took Rice’s representation of vampires to mean I had permission to write stories with monster protagonists. I started creating characters and backstories for my shifters and vampires and everything else in between, and the world of Therianthrope was born. Although I have written in other worlds, I found myself returning to this one when I began my MFA at Seton Hill. Right now I have over half of the first book in this series released as a serial on Amazon, but this serial is the first of many. My plan is to focus almost exclusively on the Therianthrope world until I get a good number of the books released.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m really not very good at promotion. I spent most of my life writing, and that sort of implies a lot of isolation—I’m in no way an extrovert. I have a very hard time asking people to buy my work, to read my work. I often feel like one of those American Idol contestants who can’t sing a lick and yet no one will tell them that until they have already made a fool of themselves. I suppose that is probably a feeling that never goes away. For now I tend to let word of mouth do its thing, and I let people know on Facebook when I have a book coming out or something else writing related.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Read a lot. Write a lot. Don’t shy away from “icky” feelings. I am also a professional editor, and I have found that the advice I end up giving to my authors more often than not is to get deeper into their character’s POV and to not be afraid to type the words that make them cringe. Good writing comes from the heart. Awe inspiring comes from the gut, particularly if you’ve torn it out and drizzled it all over the paper—go there, say it, write it. The more difficult a scene feels to approach, the more important it is that you free yourself to write it.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
That has to be a tossup between:

“Listen, smile, agree, and then do whatever the fuck you were gonna do anyway.” ― Robert Downey Jr.

and

“Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great.” ―Mark Twain

What are you reading now?
I’ve been reading a good bit of Kevin Hearne and Jim Butcher lately. Kevin Hearne spoke to our class at Seton Hill once, and I picked up his books and fell in love with his wit and humor. My husband is a big fan of Butcher, and so my son and I have been making it a family affair to listen to his Dresden series on audiobook as I work on my book covers. It’s been a lot of fun.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I have an epic fantasy series I wrote about a decade ago that I would like to get around to eventually, but that looks like it will be at least a year of so down the road, after I fully explore the Therianthrope 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?
Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk

Dolores Claiborne by Stephen King

And something long that I have never read or heard of.

Author Websites and Profiles
S.N. Graves Website
S.N. Graves Amazon Profile

S.N. Graves’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

S.N. Graves is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a wife and mother, first and a full time writer, second. I have always loved to tell stories and when I started having children, I found that I was pretty good at making up stories to tell them as I put them in bed. I started college, a little bit later than most. I waited for all of my children to get in school, before I began to further my education. I am now very proud to say that I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. I found that I really loved to research and actually liked to write the essays that there were so many of.

I began to write, because I was sitting for many hours each day, in the middle of nowhere, as I was working in the oil field industry and watching over crews. There was so much down time, that I found myself playing on my computer and one day I thought to myself that I wanted to write a short story and see how that went. I turned the short story into three full sized books and have not stopped writing since then. I have stopped doing that job and now work as a writer and have an office at my house.

I have published three books and written one screenplay and am currently consulting with another writer on a horror story.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is, Risen, it is the third and last book in The Phoenix Series. I was inspired by the Divergent series, in which the first two books were told by the female lead and the third book was told by the male lead. I had planned on writing at least three books for the Phoenix Series, anyway, after reading the Divergent Series, I decided to write it in the male leads voice.

The Phoenix Series was inspired by the fact that so many legendary and mythical creatures have had many stories written about them in the last few years. The legendary Thunderbirds or Phoenixes do not have many stories told about them, so I saw that as a great opportunity to move into the fantasy genre, using a completely new creature and a new idea about what they are and what they do.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I know that many authors have their little idiosyncrasies, but I don’t. My house is not often a quiet place and I have adapted to the noise, so I can write practically anytime and anywhere. I prefer to write when my husband is at work and my youngest daughter is at school, but if I only wrote during those times, I would never get anything finished.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I started out reading the Bronte sisters, my favorite book is still Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte. I aspire to write as well as she has one day. My recent influences are too many to mention. I am reading so many Indie authors now, that it makes it hard to chose a favorite. I am loving this new time for writers and readers.

What are you working on now?
I am currently working on a book titled, Grace. It is extremely different from my first books, as it is set in the late eighteen hundreds, in Ireland. My inspiration comes from a story that I used to tell my mother, starting when I was about three years old. I hope that the story entertains people, but I really wrote it for myself. My parents both passed away fourteen years ago and I am writing this book as a way of finishing the story for my mother, I think that she would like that, as she was an avid reader and always enticed me to tell her the story, over and over again, trying to pull new details out of me.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I am still learning about this part of the business. I have found that Twitter has helped me to promote my books as well as hooking me up with so many helpful people and organizations, including Awsomegang.com. I also like Book Daily and Good Reads, they are really helpful, too.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
My advice to new authors is to not be afraid to tell your story. Some will like it and some wont, do it for yourself and whatever comes out of it is all gravy after you have made yourself happy. Don’t wait for a publisher to accept you, do it yourself if you have to.I have read so many independent authors work and loved something about every single one of them. Once you have one book out, do not stop there! You will get better with each book that you write, so keep on writing. Read a lot yourself, it helps stimulate your creativity.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
My husband gave me the best advice, when I talked to him about writing a book, “Try it, it doesn’t matter what happens with it, at least you tried.”

What are you reading now?
Brilliance by Marcus Sakey, is the book that I have just began, it is pretty great, so far.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I am going to continue writing books and screenplays. I have also started making book tracks for the books that I have published so far. I wrote a short scary story, exclusively for Booktrack.com it is titled, “The Hook Man”

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?
“Wuthering Heights” of course, then “Gone Girl” and “Fifty Shades of Grey” those three should keep my writing juices flowing and I could write my stories with a twig, in the sand.

Author Websites and Profiles
Jaime Lorie Goza Website
Jaime Lorie Goza Amazon Profile

Jaime Lorie Goza’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Jaime Lorie Goza is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
A London girl originally, I went to Oxford University to study English. After a couple of years travelling (and misbehaving) round Australia and NZ, I returned to London, and spent the next ten years working in TV. Writing, producing and presenting, I did the lot – pretty badly, I have to admit! But I had a hell of a lot of fun.

I’m now bringing up three children in the cathedral town of Salisbury, writing books and trying to ride a bike. (For the first time in nearly thirty years, I swung my leg over a saddle last week. It nearly killed me).

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Death at Daytime was inspired by the years I spent working in TV in London. The people I met were either brilliant, terrifying or nuts, but it made for an interesting life.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I like to listen to pumping music on my earphones – it gets the blood flowing to my brain! Current favourite is the soundtrack to 22 Jump Street…not very classy (but I get to picture Channing Tatum in a vest, which helps)

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I love reading mystery books – started on Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys when I was a girl; worked my way through Conan Doyle, Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, Ruth Rendell and Wilkie Collins. Now I’m a fan of the Daisy Dalrymple series – great, cozy comfort-reading – and really enjoyed Tony Parsons’ debut detective novel, The Murder Bag.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on the second book in my Tess Darling Series, working title “The Jazz Hands of Hell”.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m not sure yet, still figuring it out. I’ve tried a couple of free runs, with good results. Now I’m trying a discount promotion. Next, I’m planning to distribute a stack of ‘Tess Darling’ beermats, mostly to furnish an excuse to visit every pub in Soho…

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Keep writing – even if it’s just a few words a day. It’ll cheer you up. And don’t worry about whether you’ll get published or not. It’s a changing world out there – the old rules don’t apply. You don’t need to wait for agents and publishers’ permission any more -just your own (which – I know – can be hard enough to get).

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
My Dad used to be a High Court Judge, but now lives very happily in the country, rearing sheep, and cooking supper for my Mum. He is a very good, wise man, and whenever things get tough for me or my siblings, he says, “You’ve just got to keep plodding on.” He’s right – what else can we do?!

What are you reading now?
“Ivanhoe” by Walter Scott.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Book 3 in the Tess Darling series – I plan to keep ‘em coming!

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?
Ooh, good question. How about – The Complete Works of Oscar Wilde, ditto Shakespeare – and Jilly Cooper!

Author Websites and Profiles
Tash Bell Amazon Profile

Tash Bell’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Twitter Account

Tash Bell is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I write five different series; 4 of which are mysteries. The Jeff Resnick Mysteries under the name L.L. Bartlett, the NYTimes bestselling and Agatha-nominated Booktown Mystery series written under my Lorna Barrett name,; the NYTimes bestselling Victoria Square Mysteries, the upcoming Lotus Bay Mysteries, and the Tales of Telenia adventure-fantasy series all under the name Lorraine Bartlett. In all, I have 19 books in print and as ebooks, and a number of short stories available in all e-book formats.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book under the name L.L. Bartlett is Evolutution: Jeff Resnick’s backstory. It’s a collection of short stories that chronicle my two main characters from the time they met until two years before the first book in the series. It explains a lot of how these two men became the people they are today. My readers have found it enlightening.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I can write anywhere except my office. Luckily, have laptop, can travel. I often write longhand when I’m waiting at appointments or as a passenger in the car.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I love books by Barbara Michaels. She wrote romantic suspense with a paranormal thread. When I was a teenager, I thought, “If I ever write a book, I’m going to have a paranormal thread, too.” I incorporated that into my Jeff Resnick mysteries. I grew up reading the books by Dick Francis, too. But I also love to read non-fiction. As a kid, I loved reading the encyclopedia. Just so many interesting facts to absorb!

What are you working on now?
I’m currently finishing the first Lotus Bay Mystery. Next up, the 10th Booktown Mystery, and then I’ll jump into the 8th Jeff Resnick book.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Networking on social media. I’m on all the most popular ones: Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Goodreads, Google+, Tumblr.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Get a critique partner or join a critique group. Listen to feedback. Rewrite, rewrite, rewrite!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Rewrite, rewrite, rewrite!

What are you reading now?
Dearie: The Remarkable Life of Julia Child by Bob Spitz

What’s next for you as a writer?
More books and short stories!

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
The Egg and I by Betty MacDonald; The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder; Straight by Dick Francis, and House of Many Shadows by Barbara Michaels

Author Websites and Profiles
L.L. Bartlett Website
L.L. Bartlett Amazon Profile
L.L. Bartlett Author Profile on Smashwords

L.L. Bartlett’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

L.L. Bartlett is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
In a previous life, I was an Associate Director in a small consultancy firm in London (focusing on Sustainable Development and Climate Change) running research projects and writing client reports. I don’t actually find fiction writing too dissimilar in process but I get to use my imagination considerably more!

One part of my dream has already come true; I currently live in the south of France with my small daughter (I’m British) where we’re both navigating the French subjunctive! The second part would be to see my book in my local English bookstore. I’m an avid reader and have wanted to be an author ever since I discovered Enid Blyton and The Hobbit in a corner of my classroom; I’m working hard to make that wish come true. The Sham is my first book.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Sham is a YA contemporary thriller. The idea came to me in a nightmare… It was so vivid. I imagined I was 17 again, at school, in the same group of 4 friends that I used to hang around with. We were involved in a murder. I started writing partly as a way to get it out of my head and then the characters turned into real people… and Emily and Jack were born.

As some of the early reviewers have stated, it is quite extreme in chapter one, and necessarily so. This is the incident that sets up the whole book; something awful happens that sets off a train of events for the characters. This book is a mystery in two ways in that we’re: 1) trying to find out who killed Emily’s classmate; and 2) trying to work out who Jack is.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m not as bad as Victor Hugo: he apparently wrote in the nude, telling his butler not to give back his clothes until he had written enough! I can procrastinate a little too much but I don’t really have any unusual habits. I like to write as I listen to music.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I am a fan of a very diverse range of authors: I love the complexity of Donna Tartt (The Secret History more than The Goldfinch); the realism of Laurie Halse Anderson (Wintergirls is one of my favourite YA novels); John Green’s YA voice (The Fault in Our Stars); pretty much anything by Lionel Shriver (but A Perfectly Good Family and We Need To Talk About Kevin are on my list of books I wish I had written); and the page turning abilities of good YA authors such as Rick Yancey, Veronica Roth and Siuzanne Collins.

What are you working on now?
I have just started writing a new YA thriller but I’m very superstitious and I won’t discuss it until it’s a little more formed in my head. I plan to write the crux of it for NaNoWriMo in November and hope that it falls out of my brain and onto the page in a perfectly formed fashion!

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
You tell me! I published my book in September so I’m only in month #2. I’m trying lots of things at the moment, mostly getting reviews but it’s hard work and very labour intensive. I am, however, forming a gameplan for book number 2 that will be much easier because I’m hoping that I’ll know what to do by then!

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I’m still a new author myself but there are several things that I have found invaluable:

1) You need to be constantly reading. As Stephen King says, “reading is writing”;

2) You need to read Stephen King’s book “On Writing”. It was the singularly most helpful thing in getting started; and

3) There are several websites that I love (amid a great deal of dross – the irony in reading advice on writing that isn’t well written!). The BBC Writer’s Room is brilliant as it has lots of tips, examples of great writing and tons of information on where to submit your work. The BBC was the first place to which I submitted anything (I wrote a piece for their “afternoon play” slot) and I got to the critique stage and received a full explanation of what worked and what didn’t. It really encouraged me to continue. I always try to keep up to date with the Guardian and Telegraph book sections too. From the US, I keep an eye on writersdigest.com and I find most of the posts on Mary Kole’s blog really helpful (kidlit.com).

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I think writing is like a lot of cultural careers in that you need a body of work behind you and maybe you will get lucky and find a solid audience with one piece more than others. Unlike singers, or poets for example, it can take years to write a book with no financial reward. You do it because you love it, because you simply can’t not write.

So, I think the best advice (particularly these days when everyone needs to market themselves) is to treat it like a career. One that you love. As Lionel Shriver says, “don’t make it a mystical process. Treat it like a job and get on with it”.

What are you reading now?
I’m reading several things at once. I normally have a book on the go with my daughter. Currently it’s “A Bridge to Terabithia”. I’ve just started Stephen King’s “Dr Sleep”, the sequel to The Shining, and am reading a YA novel, “The Perks of Being a Wallflower”. After that I want to read “Sharp Objects” by Gillian Flynn, the YA book “Not a Drop to Drink” and start a Michael Morpurgo with my daughter. I’ve also ordered “The Hobbit” from my local french library as I want to do a re-read.

What’s next for you as a writer?
To see if I can write 50,000 words of my new book in November as part of NaNoWriMo. I like the idea of the challenge, although my daughter’s school holidays run simultaneously and I always find it much harder to write in those two weeks for obvious reasons; I’m with her!

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?
This is tricky. I’m assuming that I wouldn’t be allowed paper to write with, i.e. empty books?

I couldn’t risk taking books that I hadn’t read before with one exception; I’d probably take the complete works of Shakespeare as I’d have time to read it! I would also have to take Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice because it’s my “go to” comfort re-read. Then I’d have to be practical and take a book on survival – how to make tents from a tree, how to skin crocodiles, how to make spears to catch fish, how to design clothes from coconut husks, etc. I’m not sure which one but possibly something by Ray Mears. If I was allowed one more, I guess I’d need one on vegetation/fauna; I’d have to know what to eat and which berries to avoid. I wouldn’t want to die before I’d been rescued and written my bestselling memoir “Notes from a desert island”…

Author Websites and Profiles
Ellen Allen Website
Ellen Allen Amazon Profile

Ellen Allen’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Ellen Allen is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
After a thirty year career in the pharmaceutical industry I accepted a package with the idea of writing those science fiction stories that I kept telling people I had in my head. To date I have completed and self published two books, available on Kindle, ‘Ancestral Dreams’ and ‘Project Noah’. I also have another planned for launch by the end of the year and a fourth (a sequel to ‘Ancestral Dreams’) completed in first draft. I’m certainly not making a fortune from my writing at the moment but I am determined to keep going. I have more ideas for stories than ever think I’ll have time to write.

As well as the novel writing I also blog weekly on my author site (www.martynfiction.com) on all things writing, science fiction or that just amuse me. On the site there are also some of my short stories as well as resources that might be useful to other writers.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The latest book I published was ‘Project Noah’. Seeing the mess we humans are making of the world I wanted to write a story that sees us taking this to its disastrous conclusion but also gives the people of that time hope for the future of mankind.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not really. I like to be at my desk by 8.00 pm with the idea of writing until about 1.00 pm. I doesn’t always work out that way but that’s the aim. Sometimes it’s annoying when life gets in the way of the writing.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The first science fiction book I remember reading was Arthur C Clarke’s Childhood’s End when I was a bout 15. It blew my mind and I was hooked. I then went on to read everything I could find from Clarke, Asimov, Ben Bova and others. More recently I have been a fan of Alistair Reynolds, Neil Gaiman and the late, great, Iain M Banks.

What are you working on now?
I just sent my latest book ‘Bleak’ to some early readers for comment before a final revision and proof reading. Without giving too much away this is a tale of manipulated human clones and shape shifting.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
As yet this is what I am struggling with. I have my own author site and I am on Goodreads and the Independent Author Network amongst others. I also tweet and as mentioned above blog regularly. I am now looking for other methods of promotion. I am willing to pay, if it works. The problem I have is that with so much out there it is difficult to know what will be successful

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Keep writing and keep reading. I was told that Iain M Banks wrote 6 books before getting one published. If your an Indie-author selling is always going to be a struggle, but the more books you have out there the more likely you are to succeed. Also the more you write the better you get.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
To read Stephen King’s book on writing. It is the most helpful thing I have read on the subject.

What are you reading now?
I have just finished Alistair Reynolds ‘Century Rain’ and Margaret Atwood’s ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’.

What’s next for you as a writer?
First publishing ‘Bleak’. Then I will complete the third book in my ‘Ancestral Dreams’ trilogy. Oh, and having written a short piece for my writing group I now have an idea for another book that I want to run with. Also as I said above I need to devote more effort to sales and marketing.

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?
Arthur C Clarke – Childhood’s End (of course)

Iain M Banks – Player of Games.

Asimov – Foundation and Empire (all right I know it is a trilogy)

Terry Pratchett – Any of the Disc World series

Author Websites and Profiles
Ian Martyn Website
Ian Martyn Amazon Profile

Ian Martyn’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Ian Martyn is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hi, I’m David Soper. My wife and I live in Seattle, Washington, and I hope you’ve enjoyed my picture book and some of my favorite bulbs in bloom.

We’ve been gardening for nearly 50 years, a fact I find difficult to believe but true. Over the years, I have served on the Boards of Directors for the Northwest Perennial Alliance and the Seattle Rose Society.

It has been my privilege to meet many truly expert gardeners all across the nation. They have been very generous in sharing some of their very best tips.

Now, you can find many of their ideas and advice in my first bestselling book, Garden Magic in Your Backyard.

Here’s one of many favorable reviews: This well-written book is like having a next door neighbor who generously shares gardening wisdom gained from many years of experience. David Soper is opinionated, funny, and describes what works and what doesn’t in a way that is easy to apply to your own garden. Experienced gardeners as well as newbies will enjoy this book.

It is available on Kindle at http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003J35K00/

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I was more inspired by the absence of descriptive bulb books, so I created a picture book on the subject. That book is a Kindle book named “A Pictorial Guide to Beautiful Bulbs.”

I wrote the book because I feel strongly too many gardeners can’t seem to get past tulips and daffodils and forget or don’t know about the lesser bulbs. I am thrilled when readers tell me this year they are planting several new bulbs in their gardens.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I am retired so I pretty much write whenever the muse shows up.

What are you working on now?

I writing a memoir entitled “Long Black Stockings”. It is about a teen growing up on the prairies of North Dakota and Saskatchewan in 1900-1914.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I wish I knew “best” since success has been a bit limited.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write to please, entertain or share information and not to make a buck.

Do the first well and the $$$ will follow.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Never, ever lose faith in your own abilities to succeed.

What are you reading now?
Doing research mainly on my coming book “7 First Steps in Training Your Puppy.” I just finished “Wired”, a NYT bestseller in the Sci-fi genre.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I love writing, sharing the written word and interfacing with my readers

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?
Winston Churchill’s books, A comprehensive history of the world and the best survival guide I could find.

David Soper is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve only written one book so far and this was a giant leap for me. Mental clarity is of the utmost importance when writing and if my head is cluttered, I don’t sit at my desk. Not a word is written. It has been a very long journey, getting to this point in my life when writing is actually a realistic option. It took more years than I care to remember, not to mention determination and a lot of faith. There is always a choice, a simple one. Do something to make a dream a reality or do nothing. We all know where the second one leads.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Why Were They Built? Six Man-Made Wonders of the World is a book for younger readers and I wrote it by looking through the lens of my own experiences. In the late 1980s I went on a trip to India, and, among other things, saw the Taj Mahal for the first time. That’s how I got the travel bug. Since then I’ve visited many places, snapped countless pictures and collected memories. I still love to travel because it’s inspiring. With my book I hope to inspire younger people to explore the globe, in the same way I was inspired so many years ago.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Well, I do drink coffee when I write. Caffeine gives a buzz and opens the mind and I brew a fresh cup two or three times a day. I don’t ever write late in the evening so coffee is just a late morning/early afternoon habit.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
It’s hard to pick the books that have influenced me because I’ve read so many. I’ve been reading Stephen King’s books for years and he continues to amaze me with his stories. James Clavell, Amy Tan, Michael Crichton, J.D. Salinger and Rohinton Mistry have also influenced me. In recent months I read two books (Hiroshima and Sandakan, respectively) by Australian writer and historian Paul Ham. I would highly recommend both books to anyone who is interested in World War II history. It’s such an extraordinary period of the 20th century and there’s lots of fascinating stuff to learn.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on another children’s book titled What’s Up There in Outer Space? Planets, Stars and Other Big Stuff. I’d like to write another Why Were They Built book about six more great monuments and the time is right to start writing things down.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I don’t have a best method yet because I’m new to all of this. I’ll come across new and better ways to promote as time goes on and I’m hoping to get tips from other writers.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Take your writing one day at a time and don’t let it override everything else. If your mind is foggy or if you’re distracted, don’t write. Come back later and approach it anew.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
About writing? You can create whatever you want. If it doesn’t work, toss it. About life in general? Life is short and unpredictable. Eat dessert first.

What are you reading now?
No books at the moment. My life has been hectic for a while.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I will continue to get my name out there and try to attract more readers. I’ll write the books I plan to write and set goals, but at the same time I’ll make sure to enjoy life and all the good stuff that comes along.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
I would take The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, The Far Pavilions by M.M. Kaye, and The Ghost Map by Steven Johnson.

Author Websites and Profiles
Scott Hayden Amazon Profile

Scott Hayden’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

Scott Hayden is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hi, my name is Robert E. Parkin. I’m 27 and a graduate of Suny Oneonta with a BSS degree in Mass Communication and Media Studies/Production. Like most writers, my passion is writing, but for me, its really creating characters and putting them in worlds I create. I’m a bit reserved, but quite sociable and have been writing for years now, trying to get something I honestly feel is fun to write, as well as something I feel people will enjoy reading.

And it finally happened, with my first book “Lambda”. “Lambda” is the first book in my Sci Fi, Action Adventure series entitled, “The Genesis Code”. It took me the better of three years to complete the first book as a lot of foundation was needed for the book that would set up the series and all the books to follow. As I said before, I love creating characters above all else. The more extreme the better. I honestly felt that this book just wrote itself as I ironed it out over the years, and I’m looking to get as many people to read it as possible. I’m a modest person, and have a thick skin so I’m prepared for any and all feedback. My book is ready, as well as my body.

As for any personal interests, my hobbies include your basic “gaming” and I’m a bit addicted to a certain iPhone RPG AP at the moment.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I mentioned the title before, but my latest (and first) book is entitled “The Genesis Code: Lambda”. Its the first book in my series that I’m writing. As for what inspired it, well, I get a lot of inspiration from watching an assortment of shows of all types and genres. I’m a bit of a gamer, so I do take inspiration here and there from things I see. My first book “Lambda” had its inspiration come from a game I played. I remember playing as this one character, and it just got me thinking: “What if I created a story about this girl?” I naturally created my own character, but the inspiration still came from seeing that first character that got my gears turning. From there, I created my own character for the story, the center piece, Lambda. From the creation of my one character Lambda I created a whole world surrounding her and slowly began putting the pieces to her story together. It went through several revisions and rewrites before I was finally satisfied, but in the end, I was happy with the end result. Just goes to show that you never know where you might be inspired.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Wish I said I did, but oddly I don’t. I tend to write when I’m in the mood, but for the most part I try to be a bit structured and disciplined. I’m a bit rigid, so I tend to take some extended breaks so not to turn my writing into a “chore”, but I still try to maintain a steady writing habit where I at least I’m writing something every week.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Dan Brown. Enough said. He was my gateway to the writing world. I can’t begin to explain just how jaw dropping I found his books. I knew, the moment I read his books, that this was the kinda of book and style I wanted to emulate. Over the years I’ve done so to create my own style, but the fact remains that his influence can be seen in my writing, and I take pride in that. He is an amazing author who never ceases to wow me. I can only dream I could be as good as he is at creating stories of such magnitude.

What are you working on now?
Right now? Right now I’m working on book two of my series “The Genesis Code”. Working title for the second book is “Scorch”. I plan to continue my series and finish it up over the next four years or so. I’m aiming for mid 2015 for the release of my second book and hoping I can make it. There is a lot of work to be done, plus all the promoting for my first book. I have a full plate for now, but even though I plan to finish out my series “The Genesis Code”, I’m already preparing for the next ten years with other series I plan to write. I have so many ideas and characters to put on paper that I feel I will never be able to get it all done in one lifetime.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Honestly, haven’t really found one that works as great as I wanted. I’ve done “business cards”, I’ve done “Youtube promotions”, but all of them have been met with little results. Even Facebook is a bit of a flop, as my Facebook page seems to be more content on “liking” my posts rather than going to read my book. IAN, The Independent Author’s Network has shown some promise. I’ve tripled my Twitter followers in just days, but I can’t say that it has brought any sales to my book really. I’m always on the look out for new promotional tools, but there aren’t that many sites that really do what they claim (based on the testimonials the sites like to promote). Will have to see what the future holds. Maybe I just haven’t found that site/method yet.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Yes. Get a product, and start marketing. Don’t waste your time trying to get an Agent. Sure, on the side try I guess, but don’t let that be your focus. Promote yourself, and show them that you have something. Get the word out on your book and start creating your own demand. Believe in yourself, and practice that belief in something you love. I’m a firm believer in that if you want something, you gotta go and get it.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“This is terrible, 2/10 and will never be taken seriously.”

Harsh and true words I heard from a close friend when I asked him to read the first book I ever wrote. Since then, I have used that feedback and have slowly bettered myself as a writer. I love my friend for what he said, and what he did for me. I harbor no ill will, if anything, I thank him. You need that kick in the rear and that direct person in your life to give it to you like it is and be frank with you. You will never grow as a writer if everyone just gives you the “Five Star Rating” and says: “Wonderful! Can’t wait for the second book!”. You need REAL feedback, so that your next work will be that much better.

What are you reading now?
I don’t read much anymore. Some scoff at me for saying such things, but I honestly look at reading now as something that takes away from the time I could be writing. Others would argue, but that’s how I feel. I do set aside some time to read Dan Brown books though. Still need to read Inferno. Still, if I find myself with a long bus/train/plane ride, I will always grab a book. Great way to pass the time.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Aiming for the sky, and shooting above the clouds. Self Publishing my first book was a huge mountain I concurred. However, trying to get the word out for my book has proven to be an even greater challenge. I won’t stop though. I’m determined to make my book a sensation no matter what. Every writer believes their work is gold and it will be loved by all readers. I’m no exception, however, I like to think I feel my book will and can be successful because people will be thrilled and intrigued by my story and characters. I have a lot of confidence that people that give my work a chance will find an intense, fun, pure, and thrilling ride within my book “The Genesis Code: Lambda”. It is my dream, and I hope to make it a reality.

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?
Dan Brown’s Deception Point, Angel and Demons, and Inferno (1,2,3)

“How to survive on a desert island for Dummies” (cause they gotta have one, they have everything) LOL (4)

Author Websites and Profiles
Robert E. Parkin Website
Robert E. Parkin Amazon Profile

Robert E. Parkin’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Robert E. Parkin is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My name is L.J. Dickles and I live in the midwest U.S. with my wife, son, and two furry kids. When I’m not writing I enjoy traveling to baseball games, watching college football, and drinking craft beers. I have two books published, but I’ve actually written four so far. The other two are in production.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Larry’s Journal: A Halloween Special is my latest book. It’s an extension of my first book in the Larry’s Journal series. I wanted to give my readers a little something special for the Halloween season. The inspiration for the material stems from the inspiration for the series. I was sitting in a crowded room one time and began people watching. It’s a favorite activity of mine. I began to wonder what people were really thinking. People are usually so nice and I know it’s not always sincere. So I decided to write about a man who appears normal on the outside, but expose what he’s really thinking. How he truly sees his life that he believes is a total sham, just for show. When people irritate or make him angry, he daydreams elaborate plots for revenge.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not really. I have to get up and move around quite a bit. Other than that, I just sit down and crank the words out.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Catcher in the Rye, 1984, Brave New World, Fahrenheit 451, Confederacy of Dunces, A Clockwork Orange

What are you working on now?
Right now I am editing and revising book number three in the Larry’s Journal series. I’ve also started a spin off project on the side about two reeds that grow by a drainage ditch. They observe the street Larry lives on and believe themselves to be gods. I’ve tentatively named it Reeds of Grass. The first short is on my blog. It’s a work in progress.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m not sure I’ve pinpointed an exact method. I think having your own website and blogging helps tremendously. I’m starting to dabble in the kboards and that looks promising. Goodreads is a must and I enjoy the giveaways. If your book is free just google free promo sites and start submitting.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
If you find yourself dragging yourself to the keyboard, I don’t know how writing will make you happy. There are certainly easier avenues to making money. If you are chomping at the bit all day long to get your ideas out and laughing and crying with your characters, it will be rewarding. Write as much as you can and when you can’t write any more, read, and read, and read, and then read some more. It will make you better.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Read everything you can get your hands on.

What are you reading now?
When You Are Engulfed In Flames by David Sedaris

What’s next for you as a writer?
Writing more material. I’m interested to see where this new little spin off takes me. I have a few other works in progress but I don’t know if they’ll make it to the end.

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?
Catcher in the Rye, DaVinci Code (please forgive me), Clockwork Orange, and Brave New World

Author Websites and Profiles
L.J. Dickles Website
L.J. Dickles Amazon Profile

L.J. Dickles’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

L.J. Dickles is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
The Devil’s Party is my first novel but it will definitely not be my last. I anticipate two releases in 2015 and intend to continue to grow my fanbase.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Devil’s Party was inspired by a simple thought. What would scare a small affluent town the most…and the answer I came up with was murder! In the Devil’s Party I sought to create a suspense story that would show just how fragile life can be…one day you can be on the top of the world.. the next… well you can have a murderous madman after you.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not really. My only quirk is that I prefer to handwrite first drafts… for some reason the ideas seem to flow better when they are coming from my pen.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I am a huge fan of Stephen King (who isn’t) I like JK Rowling, Sue Grafton, Lawrence Sanders… my goodness to many to name.

What are you working on now?
I am working on a book called the Heritage. It is something of a distopian novel but again it will be very suspense. At least that’s the goal.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Best website? Awesome Gang of course.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Persistence, confidence, red wine, and more persistence.

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

What are you reading now?
Elric the Duke

What’s next for you as a writer?
I am going to continue to write great suspenseful, thrilling novels, grow my readership… and hopefully continue to write things that will scare the hell out of you.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Harry Potter (Prisoner of Azkaban), Dracula by Bram Stoker, and probably The Devil’s Party

Author Websites and Profiles
BL Norris Website

BL Norris is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My name is Ricardo Tucker, and I’ve been writing on and off, just for fun, for the last thirteen or so years. I am married with two children, work full-time in the IT field, and am an avid gamer. I really enjoy fantasy and fiction books. I’ve written one book, it is my first (self) published work, and is the first installment in a planned trilogy.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Story Untold: A New World

About seven or so years ago I was deeply involved in a game called World of Warcraft. While playing I became involved in their Role-playing forum, and absoultely loved it. My character took on a life I couldn’t give him in the game, and soon I found myself enjoying the RP side most of all. I began writing a solo story for my character, and the community enjoyed reading it almost as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Soon after that I stopped playing the game for personal reasons, and I never did finish the story for my character. I lamented the fact that I just stopped. All of my work was buried and forgotten, and I told myself that if I could ever tell a story like that again, I wouldn’t stop until it was finished. Many “I don’t know’s” and “Can I really do its” later, I put pen to paper, said “no more excuses” and wrote my book.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write until I “burn out”. I don’t really keep a word count quota. I form an idea, but it on paper to see how it flows, and if I like how it works, I keep going with it until I hit a wall, and won’t start again until the natrual flow comes back to me.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
George RR Martin
Michael J Sullivan
Dean Koontz

What are you working on now?
Currently I’m focusing on promoting my book. I’ve started the ground work for the second book, but my engery is all being applied to number one.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Currently I’ve been doing the majority of my promoting on Facebook and GoodReads

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Never allow the statistics to keep you from believing your book will be the next big thing.
Never stop.
Believe that your work is fantastic and one of a kind.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
As ironic as it may sound “You can do it.”

What are you reading now?
Stuck on A Feast for Crows

What’s next for you as a writer?
What’s next is book two. I have big plans for that one and it’s going to takes some time to make sure that everything comes out the way I want it to, with just the right amount of substance, and not too much fluff

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
My Bible
Halo: The Fall of Reach
Halo: Onyx

Ricardo Tucker is a post from Awesome Gang