Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a writer, songwriter, and singer based in Virginia. I find myself writing books that I’d like to read but haven’t been written yet by someone else. I enjoy writing songs as much as novels and find that they are a wonderful form of flash fiction where an entire story with intense emotion has to be told in just a few words. I’m a student of pop culture and feel like I keep my finger on the pulse of the world, even to a point where invades my own personal life. I’ve written several novels, one of which is in turnaround at a major publisher and may never see the light of day. It’s that frustration with “the system” that has led me to believe that the future of publishing is in the hands of the individual.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest project is what I believe to be the first ever book series accompanied by an original soundtrack both by the same person. The first book in the series is the novella Armstrong Dent and the Edge of Earth that was just released. It will be followed every couple of weeks by nine short stories that lead up to the novel Armstrong Dent and the End of the World as We Know It. I’ve written and recorded an 11-song funk-pop soundtrack with songs inspired by the stories.

The inspiration for the series came from research I was doing on a different novel. I came across a writer named Lester Dent who was the creator and primary author behind the Doc Savage books of the early 20th century. Doc Savage was the original adventurer who inspired Superman and just about everyone else. I fell in love with the concept of pulp fiction style serials and I started meditating and daydreaming about what kind of hero would exist in today’s culture.

In a semi-conscious state of intense meditation, it all hit me like a flash of lightning. In our culture where celebrities are worshiped, a hero today would arise from within that world. America has made heroes out of celebrities. So, I took that concept and created strong-willed positive heroes of super talented people who work their day jobs as entertainers and their second jobs using their unique skills to solve crimes and save the world.

There is a lot of satire in my writing and many little geeky easter eggs that would go totally unnoticed by most people.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I find it super relaxing to write inside busy fast food restaurants. I wrote almost this entire series in Chic-fil-A.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I’ve been influenced most by the masters of storytelling such as Mark Twain and Ernest Hemingway. For both of them, their voice was strong, the story came first and the style emerged from the tale. I am fascinated by H.G. Wells, Edgar Allen Poe, and George Orwell. I’ve carried a copy of The War of the Worlds in my backpack for years. The book reminds me that in a story set in the midst of an alien invasion, it’s still the personal story that matters.

I’m drawn to several modern day writers for differing reasons. Dan Brown is a clever puzzle master. Stephen King seems to have a bottomless well of amazingly creative stories. Anne Rice mixes religion, sex, and fantasy better than any writer ever. Neil Gaiman is the greatest writer that most mainstream people have never heard of. His book American Gods is a modern day classic.

I wrote my first novel, that will forever remain hidden, after my partner at the time was reading The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks. I read the book one afternoon and thought, I could write this crap in a few weeks. It actually took me six months to finish it and, of course, when I finished, it was crap. Although I don’t necessarily like his writing style, I’ve since come to appreciate how Nicholas Sparks can take a simple concept of magical realism and build and entire love story around it.

What are you working on now?
I’m currently trying my hardest to finish the Armstrong Dent novel that completes this first series of tales.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I believe the best method to promoting your book is to understand that your work only begins when you finish the novel. Whether you are traditionally published or self-published, you are going to have to work the equivalent of a full-time job for an entire year doing whatever you can to let people know about your books. Whether it’s blog tours, sites like Awesomegang.com, radio call-ins, and on and on, you have to put in the work to see results. As an indie-writer, if you get discouraged because you’re only seeing a sale a week on Amazon, you might as well not even invest the time writing the books. One sale a week has to motivate you to push to get one sale a day. One sale a day to get one sale an hour and so on until you have established yourself.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t be afraid to ask someone to buy your book.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Write the book you want to read that no one has written before.

What are you reading now?
I usually read ebooks, often on my phone. But, I just bought my first physical book in several years. Prince Lestat by Anne Rice. I’ll love it even more because the feel of the paper in my hands makes the story seem even more real.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m not really sure what’s next. Maybe I’ll tackle an emotional story that requires me to explore some hidden pain from my childhood…

Please, if there is a supreme being guiding our every move, please don’t let me write that book. I prefer my character’s emotions to be anywhere but on their sleeve.

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?
-One Thousand and One Nights (Arabian Nights)

-Robinson Crusoe (for the irony)

-Idiots Guide to How to Survive on a Desert Island (if that exists)

-A blank notebook and something to write with

Author Websites and Profiles
Aéyess (No Last Name) Website
Aéyess (No Last Name) Amazon Profile

Aéyess (No Last Name)’s Social Media Links
Twitter Account

Aéyess (No Last Name) is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
By day I’m a mild-mannered copywriter and web designer, but by night I’m consumed by the characters in my head and write to set them free.

In my spare time, I’m primary carer and chief wrangler for a husband and three children, the big boss at my web design company and photography studio, and am completing a Bachelor of English Literature.

I have written around 10 completed manuscripts and dozens more in various states of completion. My short story in the Love Least Expected anthology is my first publication. Several more novels will be released in 2015.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest publication is a short story called Keep Calm and Eat Chocolate (in the Love Least Expected Anthology). It was inspired by the fans I had already collected – they used to ask where they could buy the “book” named in my profile image, so I decided to write a story around the title!

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not that I know of. Some authors have told me that the fact I don’t have plot outlines and character profiles typed up is “unusual” but the way I write means I haven’t found a need for those things yet.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
As a prolific reader in my school years, this is a hard list to narrow down. The first would be Bryce Courtenay. His books surround you and immerse you in another time and place right from the first page. The second would be Anne McCaffrey. I’ve read countless science fiction/fantasy books, but for some reason Killashandra’s stories stayed with me. And the third is a bit of a nod to the geeky Browncoat side of me – Richard Castle. Not only do I love reading the books, but I love the meta-ness of it all. A TV show about a bestselling author which spawns the exact same series of books that he’s written in the show to be sold in the real world. What’s not to love about that?

What are you working on now?
Other than interviews and guest posts to promote the Love Least Expected Anthology, I am working on a series of erotica/erotic romances that will be published in 2015.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Everything either costs time or money, and since I don’t have an abundance of money, I choose to use my time to promote my books. The best resource I’ve found so far is an author’s own platform: website and social media. People will usually connect with you because they are interested in what you have to say, so they are already primed to receive news of a new release.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
My main piece of advice for aspiring authors is to just keep writing. You can’t begin to edit, or share your work with anyone if you haven’t written “the end”. Keep writing, reading, and learning from other authors. A lot of successful authors write about writing, so take it all on board, but remember that the only one who can tell your story is you. Don’t get too lost in the technical side of writing and all the rules (that’s what beta readers and editors are for). Just write.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
This is a tough question. I have different favorite pieces of advice for different situations. If I have to choose one, it would be, “Things are only impossible until they’re not.” – Captain Jean-Luc Picard.

What are you reading now?
I always have several books on the go at the same time. Currently I’m reading Bryce Courtenay’s Jack of Diamonds, Bonkers by Jennifer Saunders, another DCI Jones Casebook by Kerry J Donovan, books by my fellow anthology authors, and several beta reading projects.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Publishing several full length novels in 2015, and finishing off a few others that are on the backburner right now.

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 would be a good start It’s also probably a clichéd answer for an author, but at this point in my life, I’d probably rather as many empty notebooks and pencils as I could carry.

Author Websites and Profiles
Michaela Miles Website
Michaela Miles Amazon Profile

Michaela Miles’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Michaela Miles is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
18 books plus 9 short stories

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Time Portal 6: The Philadelphia Experiment. This is the 6th book in the Time Portal series. I recently read about the experiments conducted on the USS Eldridge in 1944 and what I found interesting was how the article described missing men after the experiment was concluded. “Some men disappeared into nothingness.” Disappearing into nothingness sure sounded like a Time Portal to me so I wrote a story based on that assumption.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m an undisciplined writer and by that I mean I write when I feel like it and once I start I sometimes write well into the night. Unlike a disciplined writer who has a set time when he or she will write. I had a writer friend of mine who got up early while it was still dark and only wrote for one hour and he did this every morning.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I’m a prolific reader so many authors have influenced me. I love Alexander Dumas, Vince Flynn, and many others too numerous to mention. I have learned a lot about writing as I read their books.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on the 3rd Lone Jack Kid book.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I use amazon almost exclusively

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t let negative reviews discourage you.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Napoleon Hill in his great book “Think and Grow Rich” has a quote that I love.

“STICKABILITY IS 90% OF ABILITY.”

Remember it’s better to fail miserably than doing nothing gallantly.

What are you reading now?
Tribesman by Paul Freeman

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m thinking of writing a sequel to Lafitte’s Treasure

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?

Author Websites and Profiles
Joe Corso Website
Joe Corso Amazon Profile

Joe Corso’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Joe Corso is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My varied life led to my desire to write but mostly I was a reader all my life so that was the best background to becoming a writer. I qualified with an Advanced Diploma of Arts (Professional Writing) that further cemented my desire to write.
The first novel I wrote was called redemption, unfortunately it is still on my hard drive and needs more work. Custom Book Publications published my second novel Murder on Display which was long listed in the Ned Kelly award for crime writing.

My short story the Girl in the Red Beret won the Burnside short story contest. My screenplay The Soldiers was highly commended in 2008 National literary awards. Many of my articles and short stories were published in various magazines.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
A fascination with the nuclear waste debate and how it could influence global relations. The discussions a few years ago about putting a waste dump at Woomera Rocket Range and the public response gave me the idea for this novel. In addition, for the waste facility to work in so-called friendly countries had to deceive Australia and I think about that and how the Government would react.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
My style is simple and to the point. I think I am similar to many crime and thriller writers who cannot afford to bore the reader with long descriptions and dialogue. I like to write similar to English crime writers but with some Australian hard edge.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I am into George R R Martin at the moment. Other authors I admire are Tim Winton, Colleen McCulloch, Dan Brown, Patricia Cornwell, Steig Larsson, Robert Ludlum,Ruth Rendell, Alex Kava,
Ken Follet. and many more..

What are you working on now?
I’m working on a new novel, The ASIO Files. It is about an assassin who is killing criminals. Detective Sergeants Brennan and McLean must find the assassin. They soon realise these crimes are a prelude to much more trouble that has national significance.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
My website is – http://reecepocockauthor.com/
Custom Book Publications – http://www.custombookpublications.com/aweb_politics.htm
Amazon US – http://www.amazon.com/POLITICS-MURDER-Reece-Pocock-ebook/dp/B00NPLOD2C/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1411960365&sr=8-2&keywords=The+Politics+of+Murder
Amazon Aust – http://www.amazon.com.au/POLITICS-MURDER-Reece-Pocock-ebook/dp/B00NPLOD2C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1415404168&sr=8-1&keywords=The+Politics+of+Murder

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Learn your craft and then sit in front of the computer and write.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Learn your craft and sit in front of the computer and write.

What are you reading now?
George R R Martin’s – A Feast of Crows. It is part of the Game of Thone’s series.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Publish my next novel, publish Redemption, and keep 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?
Tim Winton’s Cloud Street, the Jason Bourne series, the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and the rest of Steig Larsson’s series.

Author Websites and Profiles
Reece Pocock Website
Reece Pocock Amazon Profile
Reece Pocock Author Profile on Smashwords

Reece Pocock’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Reece Pocock is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have written three books. The first was a Genealogy book about one of my family lines.

More recently I have written two e-books.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I Remember: A Collection of Very Short Stories.

I have told stories all my life and have had various people say, you should write a book!

So I did. This is the first in a several book series.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write everything on computer, usually with music or a television playing and a bag of Doritos nearby.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Steinbeck, Twain, Salinger, Hemingway

What are you working on now?
Book two of the I Remember Series. Also a web site for Authors.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I sent out emails to everyone I mentioned the book to on my trip.

I also promoted it on my web sites.

I have been submitting every where I can find.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t let anyone stop you. Most people will stand in you way if you let them.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Keep Writing.

What are you reading now?
I just finished Steinbeck’s Viva Zapata.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Keep writing and designing web sites. I still live in the RV so there may be another RV Based 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?
My Steinbeck Collection

Author Websites and Profiles
Doug Srock Website
Doug Srock Amazon Profile

Doug Srock’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile

Doug Srock is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a native New Jerseyean with superhuman strength who rejected the superhero life after accidentally burning down his ancestral home with his heat vision. I turned to the literary life and have published nine novels and dozens of short stories and every day I resist the urge to destroy people using my superpowers for minor infractions of the Rules of Polite Society. And yet no one offers to buy me a drink. Read more about me at www.jeffreysomers.com.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest books is We Are not Good People (Pocket/Gallery; wearenotgoodpeople.com). It was inspired by two things: A horrified certainty that if magic actually existed, it would be exploited and used by the worst possible people, and a disdain for the common trope in SF/F books of a “The One” character who simply is born with or is granted tremendous power without having to work for it. In the universe of We Are Not Good People, magic *costs*, buddy. And it costs big.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Does pantslessness count? Because between being absent-minded, drinking heavily, and not owning any pants, I usually write while pantsless.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Jim Thompson wrote some of the tightest, meanest books in the world, and I always strive for his level of economy and power. Chandler, Hammett, Leonard, certainly. Jack L. Chalker, Frederick Pohl as well.

What are you working on now?
A couple of short stories, and a few novels that are in such early stages they can barely be considered coherent. Although if my past publishing history is any indication, coherence in your writing is largely deprecated anyway.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Sweet lord, I’m a writer – you’re asking the wrong person. But I think the order of magnitude is 1) Your own blog, if you update it frequently; 2) Twitter, if you hit it every day and interact with Followers; 3) Goodreads; and 4) Facebook, but only if you’re willing to spend a little $$$ to promote the occasional post.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Best and only all-purpose advice: Write first, sell second. Don’t get bogged down in whether or not a novel has a “market” – just write something you’re in love with and the rest will follow, someday.

Sub-advice: Get a good agent. A good lit agent will a) have drinks with you (and buy); b) get you better and more frequent deals; and c) handle all the market and selling stuff you don’t want to bother with.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“Wait five seconds, then go after her.”

What are you reading now?
The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt. It’s … good. But not Pulitzer good, IMHO.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’ve started four novels this year. Finished the first one, and no one liked it much – it might be revised. The second and third sank into the swamp. The fourth one’s gonna make it, or I’ll eat my socks.

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 Little World of Don Camillo, by Giovanni Guareschi

The Killer Inside Me, by Jim Thompson

A Distant Mirror, Barbara Tuchman

The Man in the Empty Suit, by Sean Ferrell

Author Websites and Profiles
Jeff Somers Website
Jeff Somers Amazon Profile

Jeff Somers’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Jeff Somers is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am the author of three books currently, The Wounded World, The Clock Winked, and the Lonely Whelk. I write science fiction, and love to read authors like Terry Pratchett, Douglas Adams, Jim Butcher, and Tamora Pierce.

I live in NH with three cats, one of whom is a kitten and an absolute spaz. He attacks walls for no apparent reason and likes to try to ride the two older cats like a horse.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My most recent book is The Wounded World, and it is actually the first book I ever started writing, though it took me quite a while to get through it. I had this idea for another universe that I wanted to create, and I designed the book to give my reader a clear example of my universe. I did, of course, end up rewriting (from scratch) three times, not to mention the countless full-manuscript edits that followed.

I like to tell people that I love the whole process of writing, from initial idea to having a published book, but let me tell you: when I get into the thick of it, sometimes I really just want to dig a hole, bury my legs, and say, “I’m sorry but I can’t work on my book because I’m stuck.”

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I like to write with my legs propped up on the radiator. I also sometimes need to have crackers and cheese to munch on while I’m working (and when I say “cheese” I actually mean “cheese whiz,” which we all know is not actual cheese).

What authors, or books have influenced you?
My number one author that I adore is Terry Pratchett. He writes light-hearted humorous fiction set in Discworld. He’s also been knighted by the Queen, which is amazing. I find his books engaging and entertaining, and I love the way he satires society and life in general. I am also a big fan of Douglas Adams, Jim Butcher, Tamora Pierce, and wide variety of other science fiction and fantasy authors.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on my fourth novel, titled “The Fall of the Flighters.” In it, my character stumbles into another world that is in the midst of societal chaos, and he, an alien to them, has to help them resolve their crisis.

It’s my hardest book so far, because my main character suffers from bipolar disorder, and while he’s been cheerful in the other books, in this one he is definitely not.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Well, I think my website is pretty slick (www.arielesieling.com), but I get most of my sales by doing promotions all over the place. Email blasts, blog tours, and social media are extremely helpful tools. I have also been doing a lot of in-person events; my favorite is going to different Comic Cons. At the next one I will dressed as Kailee from Firefly, and my two colleagues will be Mal and Jayne. It’s going to be fun.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t do what they tell you. Writing is an art form, and each and every person expresses and interacts with their art differently. Just because one person does it one way, doesn’t mean you have to do it that way too. The only way you can truly fail is to not do anything at all, or to lick the swingset in January.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t lick the swing set in January.

What are you reading now?
A bunch of things. Armageddon Reef by David Weber, Metamorphoses by Ovid, and Book of the Cosmos edited by Dennis Danielson.

What’s next for you as a writer?
To write another book. And then another one after that. And maybe a short story or two. I’m only a writer when I’m writing, so if I want to be a writer, I had better write. I also want to visit Scotland and go to space. Mars, if possible. But I would be happy with the Moon. Or just a trip to the upper atmosphere, like Virgin Galactic is doing.

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?
Definitely the Book of the Cosmos by Dennis Danielson and I would probably memorize it during my down times. Possibly Emily of New Moon by L.M. Montgomery as it’s comfort reading material for me. Small Boat Building by H.W. Patterson seems like a pretty good idea, although if the island is a desert, my chances of finding trees would be minimal. And finally, the phone book, so I would have lots of material for starting fires.

Author Websites and Profiles
Ariele Sieling Website
Ariele Sieling Amazon Profile
Ariele Sieling Author Profile on Smashwords

Ariele Sieling’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Ariele Sieling is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I was born in Transylvania, as a Hungarian ethnic minority child – and I have spent the first nineteen years of my life under Ceausescu’s communist dictatorship. After I finished my high school and University studies, a PhD project brought me to the United Kingdom – and I ended up settling here. Due to my origins, I am treated to all the possible and impossible Dracula jokes, but at least my Halloweens are made very easy…

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Ears – it is autobiographical, and it chronicles the period spent under the dictatorship, followed by the surreal years after the 1989 Revolution in Romania, when rapid and dramatic social changes produced situations that often managed to beat fiction… At the same time, I wanted to highlight some surprising parallels between my former and newly adopted home. Whilst observing the onset of the so-called War on Terror, I was quite intrigued by the similarities in certain methods used by very different political regimes…

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not sure whether it is unusual, but music has to be present – either in the room, or in headsets, depending on the location. For some reason, silence ruins my concentration – and ever since my school years, I have been using music for studying and for the more creative times…

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Ray Bradbury, Salman Rushdie, Nikos Kazantsakis and Philip K. Dick are perhaps the most influential.

What are you working on now?
A few short stories, the ideas existed for a long while, but somehow haven’t managed to really put them down on paper – well, on computer disc…

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I find readers & authors forums very useful – it takes effort, but instead of just mechanical “plugging” of a book, there can be genuine interactions and discussions.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Not to worry too much about current trends… Maybe it sounds simplistic, but the various fads online and in “real” bookshops just reduce the chances of an honest output. Of course, it will be more difficult to market the book, but unless one is writing primarily for making money, the personal satisfaction will be greater.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
To treat the story that is taking shape as something that takes me to other places and entertains me – and then if others like it, that is a bonus. Under no circumstance consider first what others may or may not like…

What are you reading now?
Actually I am re-reading Umberto Eco’s volume of essays and articles entitled Faith in Fakes.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Now that the 25th anniversary of the 1989 Revolution is approaching rapidly, I plan to spend more time talking about the latest book, whilst also taking a journey to my former home country.

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 Illustrated Man by Ray Bradbury, Zorba the Greek by Nikos Kazantsakis, Fury by Salman Rushdie, The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch by Philip K. Dick

Author Websites and Profiles
Lehel Vandor Website
Lehel Vandor Amazon Profile

Lehel Vandor’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Twitter Account

Lehel Vandor is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I mostly milled about after high school, going from job to job instead of going to college, mostly because I didn’t really know what I wanted to do with my life.

Actually, I DID know. I wanted to be a writer. I just didn’t think that I had what it takes.

Eventually, I got tired of working various jobs, and I ended up going to a university to study writing. I got my degree, and I started trying to pay off my loans.

I got into writing erotica because it’s a fascinating genre, one that can cross over with any number of other genres. I can write erotic fantasy, erotic horror, erotic romance, erotic mystery, erotic science fiction… pretty much anything. And I like making people feel good- there’s already far too much depressing entertainment out there. I’d rather write stuff that puts a smile on people’s face.

So far, I’ve self-published six different erotic short stories through Amazon, for the Kindle. I’ve written a few more than that, but finding good (and affordable) cover art has proven to be a kind of bottle-neck to my production-line.

And keep in mind, when I say “short stories,” I’m talking about stuff that’s 6,000+ words at a MINIMUM. Most of my stuff is in the 9k-16k range, simply because I get very, very descriptive. There’s so much going on during sex, mentally and physically, that it can eat up a lot of words just painting a thorough picture of what’s happening during a scene.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
For my latest book, I teamed up with AVN-nominated Adult Film Producer Kelli Roberts, and co-wrote an erotic BDSM novel called “Letting Go.” It is being published by Wastland.com, one of the longest-running adult sites with authentic BDSM content. It’s the first novel published by Wasteland, and it’s been a privilege being a part of that project.

If this book does well enough, I’ll likely be able to do some sequels, which would be very nice because there’s so much more that can be done with the characters in that novel.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Hm. I can’t say, because I don’t really know what the usual writing habits are!

I might do more mental work up-front, before I commit anything to paper. I’ll think about a scene during my day, mull over different permutations and possibilities, and get most of it set in my mind so that when I get home, I can just write it out.

This reduces the amount of editing, revision, and re-writing that I have to do.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I grew up on Tolkeen, Bradbury, CS Lewis, Asimov, and many other classic science fiction and fantasy authors. They all played a heavy influence in one way or another.

Also, I have read a lot of Stephen King, and have likely been impressed by his thoroughly descriptive style, along with the way that he’s been able to bring a legitimacy to the Horror genre that no other living author has managed. He’s the first writer to merge horror with literature, while still managing to be quite popular.

I suppose I’d like to do the same thing for erotica, to show the world that it’s a legitimate genre that is just as capable of sustaining great writing as any other. I’d love to write an erotic novel that they might one day teach college classes on.

What are you working on now?
Currently, I’m working on a vampires short story, as well as compiling my existing short-fiction pieces into a single anthology.

After that… well, I’ve got countless ideas, thousands of different story seeds floating around in my mind. It’s just a matter of which ones germinate next.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
That’s the main problem with self-publishing: you also have to self-promote. So far, I haven’t found a truly effective way of getting audiences to know about my works. Twitter helps a bit, as does Goodreads, but I haven’t found any one magic bullet when it comes to promotion.

Currently, we’re doing a free giveaway of “Letting Go” (ends on 12/4/14), and I’ve been using sites such as Awesomegang to help spread the word about that. The effect has been quite pleasing so far!

Do you have any advice for new authors?
In order to learn to write stories, you must learn how to write. Grammar and punctuation are important, especially if you can’t hire editors.

You have to learn how words work together, how they sound both inside of the readers’ heads and when spoken aloud. They more you understand the mechanics of the English language, the more subtle tricks you can do to engage the reader, and the easier it is to actually write.

The better you are at writing sentences, the easier it will be to write paragraphs, pages, and books.

Sentences are the bricks with which you will build you worlds. Learn how to make them well.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“Become fluent in writing.”

It’s something that I constantly work on doing, and I’ve gotten fluent enough that the actual writing is one of the easiest parts of being a writer.

What are you reading now?
I’m picking VERY slowly at the Tao Te Ching. I’m also beta-reading for a number of my fellow authors.

I have some Neil Stephenson on my To-Read shelf, but I’ll probably get distracted with other stuff before I get to it. Unfortunately, I don’t have as much time to read as I’d like, so I stick to shorter fiction.

What’s next for you as a writer?
My next big project is to write a trilogy. I have some ideas in mind for an erotic romance series that will take things in a new direction.

Meanwhile, I’m going to keep putting out short fiction. It’s fun, and I get more ideas out of my head that way.

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?
Four books that I haven’t read yet. Big ones.

“War and Peace” seems like a good choice.

Author Websites and Profiles
Richard Bacula Website
Richard Bacula Amazon Profile

Richard Bacula’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Twitter Account

Richard Bacula is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hi, I’m Ana E Ross, and I’ve been reading romances since I was about thirteen years old, and consequently got hooked on the Happily Ever After theory. I always knew that I was born to be a writer, but after years of trying to break into traditional publishing, I set that dream aside to teach Writing and Literature in Middle and High school.

Thank goodness for self-publishing which finally gave me the opportunity for my voice to be heard and my stories to reach millions of women across the globe. I self-published my first short story in December, 2011, and two more in early 2012.

It wasn’t until May 2012 when I released The Doctor’s Secret Bride – Book One, in my Billionaire Brides of Granite Falls series, that my writing career took off. I resigned from teaching in 2013 and have since self-published the other three book in that series: The Mogul’s Reluctant Bride – Book Two, The Playboy’s Fugitive Bride – Book Three, and The Tycoon’s Temporary Bride – Book Four.

The Mogul’s Reluctant Bride was one of four books in Loving the CEO, which was a bundle with four other authors in 2013. We made the USA Today Bestsellers list for six consecutive weeks and The New York Times Bestsellers List for three consecutive weeks. We’re hoping to do that again.

I was born and raised on the small Caribbean island of Nevis, but now reside in the north east. I have one child: a beautiful daughter who’s on her own and making her own place in the world. She has been my inspiration for pushing forward and reaching for my goals.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Tycoon’s Temporary Bride is the latest book I’ve released. It is the last in the Billionaire Brides Series. The heroine, Tashi, escaped the clutches of a human-trafficking kingpin who’d sold her to an Arabian prince. I wanted to bring awareness, even if only in a very small way to this atrocious problem that spans the globe. Even though Tashi escaped before she was smuggled out of the country, she still had emotional scars from the mishap. I can only imagine the life for those who did not escape such a horrifying fate.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not really. I’m not a plotter and have no idea what will happen from scene to scene. When it’s time to write a story, I know three things: how it begins; the black moment; how it ends. My characters tell me their story and I write it. However, if other things are happening around me, they don’t talk to me. I have to be balanced and peaceful. That is why it takes me so long to write a 300 + page story. When life happens, my characters take a vacation until they have my undivided attention again. So when I’m deep in storyland, I don’t answer the phone and I tell my daughter to only call me if it’s a life and death situation.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Brenda Jackson, the pioneer of black/multicultural romance, has been my greatest inspiration. She was the first author to write and publish black romance. I grew up reading Harlequin and Silhouette romances where all the characters were white, even the secondary ones. I always wondered why there weren’t any romance stories about black people falling in love. Hope was born when I read Brenda Jackson’s One Special Moment. I had the honor of meeting Miss Jackson in New York at the RWA National Conference in July 2011, and it was at that point that I decided self-publishing was the best way for my stories to be read. Now I have my own special moments, writing and publishing romances that women of all cultures can enjoy.

What are you working on now?
I’m presently working on a novella to wrap up my Billionaire Brides series. None of the brides were married on stage in the novels, and many of my fans wanted to see them walk down the isle. In Book Four the brides made their husbands get on their knees and propose, something that none of them had ever done, so the novella will cover the events leading up to, and include the wedding of the decade.

I’m simultaneously working on two spinoffs stories from the series – my fans are demanding these secondary characters’ stories. Gotta give them what they want.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I have to say that promoting my books is something I have to work on. I’m very clueless in the marketing department. I think I need to hire a publicist or marketing team. Two of my dedicated fans are helping me spread the word, and doing an excellent job of it. They ask nothing in return, except that I write more books–fast.

I think Facebook and Twitter are great ways to promote. I’ve recently learned–through one of those dedicated fans–that joining Facebook groups is another sure way of gaining readers. That’s next on my list of things to do.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Only one: Never give up on your dreams!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“You have to tell the truth.” from Jamaica Kincaid.

What are you reading now?
I’m reading Swan Deception by Glede Browne Kobongo. It’s a mystery thriller and extremely captivating and thrilling. What I love about this is that the main characters are back, as is Glede. There aren’t many, if any, black thriller writers in the industry and it’s nice to see an exceptional author emerge from the shadows — one who can scare us and keep us turning pages as much as any other mystery thriller writer out there.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Continue writing until 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?
The Thorn Birds – Colleen McCullough

Middle March – George Elliot

Far From The Madding Crowd – Thomas Hardy

Author Websites and Profiles
Ana E Ross Website
Ana E Ross Amazon Profile
Ana E Ross Author Profile on Smashwords

Ana E Ross’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Ana E Ross is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Michael Obiora was born in North-West London to Nigerian parents.
After starting drama classes aged seven, he was soon encouraged to join an agency by his drama teacher. He then joined another drama group at nine years of age, and within a year, landed a part in the hit children’s’ school drama, ‘Grange Hill’. Michael played ‘Max Abassi’ in the program for five years and is down as the youngest ever actor to have appeared on the show.
Michael went on to appear in such programs as ‘Doctors’, ‘The Bill’ and ‘Holby City’, but it was his role in the stage play ‘Exclude Me’ that really set the ball rolling. He completed a successful 11-week run on stage at The Chelsea Theatre. Lead roles in the award winning play ‘Fallout’ at the Royal Court Theatre and ‘Badnuff’ at The Soho Theatre soon followed.
Equally adept at drama and comedy, Michael showcased his skills by appearing in other popular television shows such as ‘My Family’, ‘Judge John Deed’ and ‘Sea Of Souls’.
In 2005, aged 18, Michael started a seven-month run in the award winning play, ‘Elmina’s Kitchen’ written by Kwame Kwei-Armah, at the Garrick Theatre. Michael was short-listed as ‘Best New Comer’ for this performance.
Before the West End run of ‘Elmina’s Kitchen’ came to an end, Michael won the part of receptionist, ‘Ben Trueman’, in the BBC1 smash, ‘Hotel Babylon’. It is for this role that Michael is most famous. The show ran for four seasons, regularly achieving figures of 6 million viewers per episode. It is one of the BBC’s most successful exports and continues to be shown in over one hundred countries including, America, Africa, Canada, Australia, France, Germany, Spain, Latin America, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, Belgium, Holland, Italy, Australia, Israel, Pay TV in the Middle East, India, Bulgaria, Thailand, Croatia, Bahrain, Poland and Hong Kong.
As well appearing in ITV1′s ‘Afterlife,’ E4′s BAFTA winning ‘Misfits’ and giving a notable performance in the ‘Blink’ episode of BBC1′s ever-popular ‘Doctor Who’ as ‘DI Billy Shipton’ (recently voted into the Top ten all-time best ever Doctor Who episodes), Michael is hugely recognisable for his portrayal of outspoken nurse ‘Lloyd Asike’ in BBC1′s long running BAFTA award-winning medical drama ‘Casualty.’
Alongside Michael’s successful stage and television career, he has enjoyed many radio play roles, including as ‘DS Watende Robinson’ in all six series of Amelia Bullmore’s ‘Craven’, alongside Maxine Peake.
London boy Michael, is a sports and fitness enthusiast. He is a keen Arsenal fan, enjoys going to games at the Emirates and can often be seen going berserk in the stands!

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Book title: Vivian’s Couch

Why I wrote it:
As an actor I’m very interested in human behaviour and the motivation for ones’ actions. I find it fascinating how we can all seem so different on the surface, but I’m even more fascinated by how similar we can be when we dig a little deeper.
I wanted to find a way to incorporate these themes into a hopefully insightful story and show how people from every walk of life can experience chaos, identity issues, betrayal, depression, and insecurities.
I also wanted wanted to write another book that reflects the diversity of my home city – London. This diversity is something I really appreciate, especially since I have spent time in other cities in the UK, where I have experienced very little diversity. And that’s not a criticism, just an observation, and something I guess I was surprised by.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I have no structure at all! The busier I am as an actor, it seems the more writing I get done because I respect the free time I have a little bit more when I’m busy.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I don’t have any direct influences but my favourite non-fiction writer is Malcolm Gladwell, and my favourite books are The Devils’ Double by Latif Yahia, and Half of A Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozie Adichie.

What are you working on now?
I’m promoting my second novel Vivian’s Couch. I’m also about to start promoting Fortitude, which is an eleven-part crime thriller that is going to be on Sky Atlantic (UK), and the Pivot channel (US) in January 2015.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Social media, Social media, social media!

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I still consider myself new.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Actions speak louder than words – I don’t who said that, but I live by it.

What are you reading now?
Thriller – A Collection of Short Stories edited by James Patterson. And Meditation by Marcus Aurelius.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I have a book of poetry and monologues for actors that I think I’ll release in 2015, I’m starting to put ideas together for a children’s rhyme book, and I’ve had an idea for a new novel that first came to me in 2010 – all I’ll say is that it involves Nollywood! I plan to start fleshing that out early in the new year.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Nelson Mandela’s Long Walk To Freedom – for the inspiration if I get scared! Outliers and the Tipping Point both by Malcolm Gladwell. And Half of A Yellow Sun because it’s the best piece of fiction (based on fact) that I’ve read.

Author Websites and Profiles
Michael Obiora Website
Michael Obiora Amazon Profile

Michael Obiora’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Michael Obiora is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m Morgan Amos, and a first time author of the book From The Killer’s Eyes, which is available on Amazon. Currently, I freelance for different online magazine publications including VMH, i.d.e.a.l., and more. I am a poet enthusiast, and I feel that writing is a way for people to say how/what they feel. Writing opens you open to discovering a new world of endless possibilities. It’s a journey that I and I’m sure other writers are happy we’re on.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
From The Killer’s Eyes is my latest book, and what inspired it is the things that happen within my life. I gathered inspiration from family, friends, myself, television shows, and just whatever caught my eye that I felt would be useful to add to my book.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not that I am aware of.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I am a huge fan of Zane and I like Mary Higgins Clark.

What are you working on now?
I am working on my second book which should be out in 2015.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I don’t really have a method or best website. I just use all social media networks such as Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+, Instagram, and of course, my own website.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
My advice for new authors would be to definitely stay dedicated to writing your book, and to take your time when deciding which route you want to pursue for publishing. Also, please research and find out all the information you can about publishing companies and also self-publishing. Make sure to have someone read over your work preferably not someone you know. Constructive criticism is sometimes best especially when marketing your book to a specific audience to see who will want to read it. And most importantly, remember to have fun and enjoy this experience. You have accomplished something wonderful and it should be treated as such.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I haven’t came across that yet.

What are you reading now?
Sadly, nothing at the moment. I’m busy with interviews. But about a month ago, I read Zane’s The Other Side of the Pillow.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Who knows. As I mentioned, I’m working on my second book. I just feel where ever God leads me is where I am supposed to be.

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 own, and that might sound cheesy, but I worked hard. I would also bring Zane books with me, and probably some of Hill Harper’s books.

Author Websites and Profiles
Morgan Amos Website
Morgan Amos Amazon Profile

Morgan Amos’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile

Morgan Amos is a post from Awesome Gang