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Awesomegang has an author interview section for authors to help get them more exposure. If you have not filled out the author interview form I strongly suggest you do. Unlike book submissions author interviews are a good long term way to get exposure and build your fan base. I have just started retweeting the older articles so the exposure never stops.
In these interviews you will discover what other authors are doing to write their books. The also share what they are doing to promote their books. Sit back and enjoy a cup of your favorite beverage and maybe you will learn a few things to help you with marketing your books. If you want to advertise on Awesomegang click here.
Vinny
Christian Green
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My name is Christian Green and I am from Aurora, Illinois. I teach special education, and am a huge fan of all things fantasy related. I especially love Marvel comics, which prompted me to write two superhero novels. So far I have published three novels. The first one I published with little knowledge or understanding of how the writing business worked. I did so just to see if there was any interest in what I was writing and to see if I had any talent in the field. I learned that there was an interest, that I had the talent, but there was a lot of room left for improvement! So everyday I am constantly reading and learning more about how to be a good writer and how to write stories that will truly engage an audience. Since that first novel, I have seen a strong improvement in my writing and I am truly enjoying watching the transformation take place.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The name of my latest book is called, “The Blood in Their Veins.” After writing two superhero novels, my latest novel is a vampire suspense novel. My inspiration actually comes from playing an online game called Immortal Night. Some of the characters were inspired by my interactions with players on the game. The story itself sort of came to me while I was in bed one night. So I woke up the next morning and started writing. I wanted to write a story that wasn’t so much filled with action, but creating a unique world where the characters all knew each other, but all lived very different lives and carried secrets of their own.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Yes, I write about four pages at a time. Typically I write these four pages during the middle of a video game. Sitting behind the computer for hours at a time is something I just cannot do. So instead, I’ll play a sports game, and at the end of each quarter I will type four strong pages. So by the time I’ve completed one video game, I’ve typed at least sixteen really good pages, which is usually good enough for a full chapter.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Laurell K. Hamilton and Brian Keene are two of my favorite authors. I have read all of their stories and I hope to build a following like they have. As far as books that influence me, I try not to be influenced much by books. I want my writing and my books to be different from anyone else. So I try not to let anyone else influence my writing.
What are you working on now?
I am working on Book 2 of “The Blood in Their Veins,” another League of Protectors novel titled “The League of Protectors: A Time to K.I.L.L.” I’m also doing a second draft of a zombie novel that I am really looking forward to releasing.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I think for any author that doesn’t have the backing of a major publishing company, the best method is all of them. Or more specifically, a combination of methods. I believe that you have to promote as much as you can. It can be difficult, but it’s absolutely necessary. Building connections is also so important. There are so many people searching for independent authors, and it’s all about finding those people. The best way to do that is to build connections. Help others and others will help you.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Be patient. There are so many books being published nowadays and it can be easy to get lost in the shuffle. Your success isn’t going to happen overnight. Think of all the great authors out there, and how many times they got rejected. It’s a business that will break your heart over and over again, but if you love to write, stick with it. Don’t write to become famous, write because you love to write, and if you happen to become famous, then that’s just an added bonus! Promote as much as you can, take negative comments and help it to make you better. Never give up!
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best advice I’ve ever heard is no one is going to believe more in you than you believe in yourself. So don’t let anyone tear you down, because the moment you do, you’ve lost your ability to push forward. The moment you’ve lost that ability, is the moment you’ve lost any chance to inspire others.
What are you reading now?
I am currently reading “Dead Ice,” by Laurell K. Hamilton, and “A Storm of Swords,” by George Martin.
What’s next for you as a writer?
Next for me is to continue to improve and continue to add more flexibility in my writing style. Finishing up my zombie novel and working on the second book in my vampire series are at the top of my list 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?
To Kill a Mockingbird, The Rising, The Lord of the Rings, and of course my book The Blood in Their Veins
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I grew up in a small town surrounded by desert. I remember the desolate landscapes surrounding the house where I grew up. I watched the sunrises and sunsets against the backdrop of mountains from the balcony of my house every day. The silence of the vast expanses and the teeming life inside the wilderness fascinates me to this day. Today I live in a small village far from the desert, in a house surrounded by fruit trees and viewing fields. I am a mother of three children and exploring nature is part of what they love to do every day. In an area bordered by fields there are always rich worlds for plants and insects. In addition, we’re raising a family of chickens and a dog. The peaceful exterior allows the restlessness in the interior to bubble and arise out through writing.
My passion for reading began very early. I was a curious child who swallowed books from the library. During my childhood I wrote short poems, and part of them were published in newspapers in the sections of children and youth. I was fascinated with rhymes and from the ability to express a whole world through a song. When I grew up, I had two books of poetry published: “From the top crater”, inspired by the desert and – “Song of Life” deals with the beauty of nature, feelings and thoughts about life and death. The richness of the language and the ability to knead it and build sentences from it that refines events, situations and emotions are wonderful in my eyes. My most recent book “The Wonderful journey of Tara in an unknown land” is a fantasy book for youth and adults
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The book “The Wonderful journey of Tara in an unknown land” was written after a long period of self-exploration. I was in the twenties and did not know what my path in life was. My first scene was a girl standing out in the darkness and see all the stars in the sky get along in the form of a call for help. “Help!” Shouted the stars. Afterwards this scene was entwined in another chapter and the girl discovered who was calling for help in the stars and what is happening out there. All along was a strong feeling in me that there’s always someone out there helping and everything will be fine. This realization led to creating the land of Mahopeia with the Mahopeians helping humans in all walks of life and preserving important inspiring events.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write late at night and sometimes when I’m with the kids there are moments when I’m doodling free ideas on papers. Julia Cameron in her book “The Artist’s Way” called it “Writing in the cracks of life”.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
My favorite author is Michael Ende. I love his book “The never-ending story”. I also love the books of John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, mostly “The Hobbit” and “The Lord of the Rings”. My favorite Genre is fantasy but I also read books which are rich in imagination and have insights to life, such as “The Fountainhead” of Ian Rand, and “Jonathan Livingston Seagull” of Richard Bach.
What are you working on now?
I’m working on a fantasy trilogy for teenagers. More soon find out, but here also will be a journey but with a faster pace, with a variety of adventures, suspense and mystery.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
promoting on sites like these!
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Continue writing even if you think all the doors are closed. One door will always be opened and who knows what will happen next.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
When you are climbing a mountain, don’t look at his peak and has been discouraged from the bottom. Focus step by step, on the way up and one day you will find yourself on the mountaintop.
What are you reading now?
Gregor the overlander: Book one in the underland chronicles by Suzanne Collins. This is a fast-moving fantasy in a strange underground land which is fascinating.
What’s next for you as a writer?
Continue touch the hearts of people through writing. I love writing for teens because I was there, too, often confused and searching for myself. The magic of imagination and the ability to find your strength to overcome challenges through stories helped me than and guiding me while I am writing today. The direction in which I am developing today is writing a fantasy series for teens
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
I will take the Bible and my Kindle ,a bit of both worlds.
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Instead of books, how about I tell you words? I have just over a million words written in some form or another. Some are novel length and others are short stories. Some words are published on Amazon, some are residing in literary magazines, and most are living in the purgatory of my editing hopper.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The latest book is Dominating Geneva, and the Blackhawks in the Stanley Cup Finals inspired it. Yes, thoughts of those hot bearded hockey players somehow turned into a paranormal werewolf shifter romance (again, with elements of BDSM since I have this weird compulsion to write fiction with elements of responsible and explicitly consensual BDSM).
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
The weirdest writing habit I have is that I love to write things longhand. Seriously, I have ampad legal pads (the only thing I write on) stacked up in and on my desk.
When we type, our hands move as fast if not faster than our minds, so we tend to put down on the screen exactly what we think. When we write, our minds need to slow down to keep up with our cramping hand, so we unconsciously edit our words. My longhand writing is almost always better than my typed writing, and I find that I have to do far less editing.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Neal Stephenson. Anything that man writes I inhale. But besides Neal, I will pretty much read everything and anything I can get my hands on. It’s true what they say, you become a better writer from reading, and I try to read at least an hour every day.
A book has to be pretty horrific for me to put it down. There are a few of those on my kindle, but I delete them pretty quickly.
What are you working on now?
Right now? At this very instant? I have a 150k novel that I am trying to tweak. It’s a post-apocalyptic story about emerging societies and government with a dash of romance. It’s currently mocking me because I need to make some big changes to get it back down to 120k words.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Just getting the word out there for readers to take a closer look at it. I like to think that while I might write erotica, they are still good stories with enjoyable characters and a plot. So many sites out there turn away erotica because it’s erotica and in the process make it harder for writers to reach readers who might like a little sex with their story.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write, write, write, and read, read, read. Seriously, no one can make you a better writer. You can learn tips and tricks from others, but the only way to become a better writer is to practice it. At the same time, the more you read the more you learn what makes a story good and what makes a story weak.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Write your story. Go back to the beginning. Now take the first three thousand words you wrote and delete them (or cut them and put them in a new document and hide it away). This is the start of your story.
What are you reading now?
Neal Stephenson’s latest novel, Seveneves.
What’s next for you as a writer?
Getting that 150k word novel under control and published!
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?
Crytonomicon, Much Ado About Nothing, and Where the Red Fern Grows
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a stay-at-home-mom and writer, everything else is optional!
Legend has it, I was born with a book in my hands. When I was a kid, my mom would ground me from reading in order to get me to do my chores. To this day, I can readily ignore the real world in favor of the imaginary one lurking between the pages of my current addiction. My dad — also an avid reader — introduced me to Tolkien in my late elementary years, and I never looked back. I love escaping to worlds where magic and monsters are real, especially stories with kick-butt heroines and dangerously attractive heroes.
Despite my voracious book appetite, I didn’t start creative writing until I was working as a number cruncher in a big accounting firm. With an hour plus commute by train every day, and a demanding left-brain occupation, I needed a mobile creative outlet. A pen and paper are about as mobile as it gets! As the pages began to fill, I quickly moved onto a tiny laptop, and a writer was born. Now I get to create my own fantasies!
I currently live in Southern California with my wonderfully supportive husband, two daughters, and a ridiculously energetic dog.
Sanyare: The Last Descendant is my first published novel, but I also have a free short story prequel, Pixie Tamer, available now on Amazon, B&N, iBooks, and Kobo. I’m currently working on the sequel to Sanyare, the uninspired working title: Sanyare Book 2. You can learn more about me and my writing on my website and facebook page!
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Sanyare: The Last Descendant was inspired by the character of Rie. She popped into my head one day and wouldn’t leave me alone!
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I just gave birth to my youngest daughter in April 2015, so right now my writing is all over the place. Literally. Right now I’m standing at my kitchen table with my daughter in a Moby Wrap baby carrier, bouncing from side to side while she sleeps and I type. I work in spare moments throughout the day, and try to make sure I always have something to work on, no matter where I am or what device I have with me!
What authors, or books have influenced you?
The list is long and convoluted. I started reading fantasy as a kid, the classics from J.R.R. Tolkien and Anne McCaffrey. In high school I was addicted to Laurell K. Hamilton. Lately I’ve been reading a lot by Faith Hunter (the Jane Yellowrock series is awesome), Nathan Lowell (love the Golden Age of the Solar Clipper series), Nalini Singh (psy-changeling series), and Jeff Wheeler (Muirwood books).
Every book I read influences me a little. For example, I love the fight scenes written by Faith Hunter. She is a master at bringing in all five senses and keeping the action short and tense. But Nathan Lowell has a slower more relaxed writing style that still manages to hook the reader and keep the pages turning. I can’t write like either of them, I just write like me, but I try to learn as much as possible and incorporate the best into my own writing.
What are you working on now?
The sequel to Sanyare: The Last Descendant, with the uninspired working title, Sanyare Book 2.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m still learning about book promotion, and experimenting, so I don’t have a best practice yet. I’ll let you know!
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Just keep writing. Don’t get discouraged, but also try to be objective about your skills. Don’t jump into publishing or submitting to agents until you’re sure your work is great. There’s a lot of competition out there, but if you keep an eye on the long game, you’ll get there eventually.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Write the damn book!
What are you reading now?
Fathom, by Merrie Destefano.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m working on the sequel to Sanyare: The Last Descendant now. I also have a couple of short stories in the Sanyare Universe percolating in the back of my brain, and oddly enough, a new character for a Sci-Fi novel or short is clamoring for attention, so I may be branching out into a new genre soon.
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?
Pride and Prejudice, Lord of the Rings (I’m cheating, and counting the whole trilogy), Slave to Sensation by Nalini Singh, and The Dragonriders of Pern original trilogy (now a boxed set…it counts!)
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a nineteen year old homeschool graduate, the oldest of three girls, a Christian, a conservative, an author, an aspiring violinist,. . . well, lots of things. I’ve always had a very active imagination, and I’ve always loved books. I make most of my own clothes because I’m too picky to make bought clothes work. I’ve been politically active since I was eight years old when a family friend ran for Georgia State House. I love America, and I’m very passionate about teaching people about the Christian heritage of this nation. This is something I’m pretty sure comes through in my books.
So far, I’ve published three books, Across the Stars, The Experiment, and Creighton Hill.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My newest book is Creighton Hill. It is the first book of a middle grade Christian fantasy trilogy called Time Captives. It was primarily inspired by The Chronicles of Narnia, Tuck Everlasting, and Return to Gone-Away, though Pirates & Faith by Molly Evangeline and ABC’s Once Upon a Time also played a role.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t know how unusual it is, but I always carry my notebook and a pencil with me. You never know when you might need it…because I’ve even written stories in the park at Walt Disney World.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I’ve certainly been greatly influenced by C. S. Lewis above most other authors. He is definitely a huge inspiration for me. Martha Finley also had an impact on my writing style. Ilyon Chronicles by Jaye L. Knight is a HUGE inspiration, quite as big as C. S. Lewis. Ilyon is just so amazing and meaningful. It makes me want to make my writing bigger and better.
What are you working on now?
I’m currently working on a Christian outer space dystopian story. It’s sort of similar to The Giver in worldbuilding, but the storyline is quite different. It’s also very different from anything I’ve ever written. I’m also working on a Sleeping Beauty retelling, the details of which I am not quite ready to divulge.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I post most regularly on my blog: http://morganhuneke.blogspot.com/ I enjoy telling readers about my writing and the things I am doing. I have also gotten to know lots of readers on Goodreads, connecting through writing and fan groups. The friendships I’ve gained through Goodreads are valuable.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Keep writing and don’t give up. It’s slow going at first, but anything can be accomplished with God and hard work.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Trust God. He knows what He’s doing. Even if things are tough right now, God has a reason for it.
And as far as writing advice goes: To just write. What I see in that is that it keeps it fun and natural, and, while it might badly need editing, it could also be some of your best work.
What are you reading now?
I’m making my way through The Scarlet Pimpernel, but also going through the middle grade books I’ve collected that I have yet to read. I moved a few weeks ago, so I felt like I needed something relaxing. Winnie-the-Pooh is fun, and so are the Mandie books.
What’s next for you as a writer?
First, to prepare the rest of Time Captives and its companion Espionage for publication. I’m planning to finish my outer space dystopian this July for Camp NaNoWriMo, and hope to write a sequel to Espionage soon. There’s also a sci-fi adventure drama that I’m working at here and there that I love very much.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
I would have to bring my Bible, naturally. I’d also have to hunt up a one volume Narnia set, so I could have all seven stories and count it as one. And I’d have to take my Ilyon books. Because I must have Jace and Kyrin.
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I spent the first twenty-odd years of my life in rural Kentucky, many of those years without electricity or running water. In my writings, I draw upon my early years of deprivation.
Now, I live in central Kentucky with my wonderful husband and our cat, rescued from the animal shelter. The cat rules the household and is also a kleptomaniac. Once, she stole a Bluetooth and hid it under the couch. It took us lowly humans several days to locate her ill-gotten booty.
In my day job, I work in higher education. I earned a masters degree in public administration.
My books combine humor and murder in a total package of entertaining and fun southern adventures. At the same time, I sketch in addiction/recovery issues and childhood angst with a deft and compassionate touch.
My mystery adventures are available on Amazon in electronic and paperback formats.
The Shaken, Not Stirred, Mystery/Horror Series:
A Pink Zombie, with a Mist
Gimlet and Other Stories: The collected short stories run the gamut from mystery to horror to science fiction.
The Takes a Dare Series:
Murder Takes a Dare
Mayhem Takes a Dare
Arson Takes a Dare
The Carr – Maah Consulting Agency Series:
Dog Days of Karma
Equi Knocks of Karma
May the Fourth (Be with You): A Collection of Stories Across Time and Space:
Gimlet
Writers’ Anarchy Anthologies
Heroes and Villains
As the Crow Flies
Celebrating Mothers: Fond Memories and Fictional Muses
The Hand of Karma
Available FREE online at writersanarchy.com/tag/mothers-day
I love feedback from readers, both one-on-one and through customer reviews on Amazon.com. Connect with me to share your thoughts about my books by emailing me at Jada_Ryker@yahoo.com.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is Equi Knocks of Karma, the sequel to Dog Days of Karma. It’s a play on equinox and equal opportunity. My plot includes a cult, Fellowship of the Young, which wants to remove the Baby Boomer generation to free up highly paid jobs for younger people.
The books include a paranormal element. Celeste Carr and Ericka Maah run the Carr – Maah Consulting Agency. Celeste is practical. She rejects anything of a supernatural nature. Ericka is mysterious, with odd, unexplained things happening when she’s around. The two business partners clash, but each would give her life for the other.
In the first book, Celeste met Hobart, a man with a mysterious past. In the second book, she meets Chance. He’s handsome, intelligent, and appears when she’s in danger to rescue her.
Equi Knocks of Karma is available now.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
For each book, I develop a roadmap for the chapters. I find that the characters like to take their own unusual turns…and I let them. The initial concept and the finished product are wildly different.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I loved the Sookie Stackhouse series, by Charlaine Harris. The books are fun and engaging, with romance, horror, and the supernatural.
What are you working on now?
I’m working on two projects.
One, I’m writing a short story for a Halloween anthology. A motorcycle aficionado is killed. During a Halloween party shortly after his death, suspects gather.
Second, I’m debating writing a fourth installment in the Takes a Dare series. Each book may be read as a standalone work…I never write a book that leaves a reader hanging, off a cliff or otherwise! Marisa Adair, with the help of various colorful characters including strippers and addiction support group members, solves a variety of mysteries. She’s clamoring in my head for another adventure. We’ll see which of us wins this argument :)
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m still a novice in promotion. I’ve had great results with Freebooksy and the E Reader Café.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
If you work a day job while you’re writing and promoting, it takes off the pressure. I read a Facebook post by a new author who wrote: “I’m depending on my writing to finance my retirement.” I’ve read many excellent books by independent authors who are not (yet) famous. Don’t bet the farm on fame and fortune through your writing.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The only one who can make you give up is you. I read it on Jim Butcher’s blog. He’s absolutely correct!
What are you reading now?
I recently re-read the Rex Stout books with Nero Wolfe. Now, I’m re-reading the Agatha Christie classics.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I’ll keep writing books. I also write reviews and post them on Amazon. I specialize in indies. They need the help more than traditionally published authors.
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 pack a Nero Wolfe by Rex Stout, a Jane Yellowrock by Faith Hunter, and Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell.
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
A philosopher by nature and Mechanical Engineer by profession, Bhavik Sarkhedi is a passionate lover of words, so friends call him ”Wordsmith”. An elite hobby of writing personal diary since he was 12 gave him the privilege and inspiration to write a book of his own. His interests in watching western movies and crazy fan of songs rapping adds one more feather to his cap.
Till now, I have only written one book “The Weak Point Dealer” & I am on my second book which is going to be a Meta-Physical Fiction Love Story
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
“The Weak Point Dealer” is a delightful collection of Short Stories that includes the genre: Endurance, Fortitude, Motivation, Love, Revenge & much more. Stories are portrayed in such a way that it depicts how an ideal person breaks the barrier & drop the drawbacks one faces in the coincidental circumstances of life. This book conveys an audacious pathway about what should one do to come out from the deterrent situations & live an immaculate cum spunky life.
The Weak Point Dealer is everyone who wants to excel in the life cracking the feeble points. Cutting long stories short, this book is about a dealer who tackles the negativity & obstacles faced in an unpredictable moment of the life.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I talk a lot; In fact I start to behave like an insane when i am inside the manuscript.
Going deep into the characters is what I feel would justify the plot and theme
What authors, or books have influenced you?
There are many-R K Narayan, Paulo Coelho, Dan Brown & Shidney Sheldon
What are you working on now?
I am on my second book which is going to be a Meta-Physical Fiction Love Story.
A love story of 22nd generation girl with 21st century boy
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
There are many ways actually, I can promote it primarily on my own blog- www.soupforthesoul.in/blog. Social networking is one of the crucial way of promoting the books as it reaches to more digitally real & virtual people. Thanks to ‘Awesomegang’ where newbies like me can meet the awesome readers & the career can have the steep success.
Goodreads, BookGoodies are some of the important websites according to me.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Just the fact that Luck matters only after the hard work stuff.
I have been freelancer since 4 years & it’s been 12 years now as I have been writing Personal Diary for my enhancement & own growth
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Everything happens for a reason
The People who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world are the ones who do
What are you reading now?
Turn by Turn every novel of Paulo Coelho as he is my inspiration & motivation to go ahead in my writing path
What’s next for you as a writer?
Pretty unpredictable since right now I am focusing on the Present because as a newbie I will have to have some struggle to survive in the Market. It’s crystal clear that we do have lot of potential & wonderful Wordsmiths in our society who are Natural Writers.
But as a writer, I am confident enough to make my own Space & pave the path -Yes, it’s certainly time taking process
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 Alchemist, Veronica Decides to Die, Are you Afraid of the Dark & Malgudi Days
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Born and raised in the Chicago area, I write mysteries featuring Chicago private detective Jeffrey Sparks. Sparks is blunt, to-the-point, sarcastic, and a narcissist in denial. He’s also incredibly determined and has a great ability to piece together pieces of a puzzle. His biggest fear is Not Knowing, so he goes to incredible lengths to figure out the answer.
I have several Sparks short stories published (including an ebook, “The Shapiro Affair”) and I’m currently working on a Sparks novel.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest short story eBook, “The Shapiro Affair” was inspired mostly by the question “What if?” I take out my annoyances and frustrations in a unique way. Instead of yelling and losing my temper, I quietly think about how I would get revenge on that person. I don’t act on it, of course, but the ideas make for interesting stories. “The Shapiro Affair” was born out of that train of thought.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’ve read many times that writers need to revise over and over. I don’t necessarily do that. First, I tend to focus one scene at a time, making sure that scene is good before I move on. Second, I tend to revise as I go through the process of writing a story, instead of writing a complete first draft and revising from there. It probably makes the first draft completion longer than others, but my first draft is, I think, closer to the final product as a result.
I’ve also read many times that writing is very individualistic. This way may not work for all, or most, but it works for me.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
When I was younger, I loved Edgar Allan Poe, Arthur Conan Doyle, and Kurt Vonnegut. More recently, I find Sue Grafton’s alphabet mysteries to be profoundly inspirational.
What are you working on now?
I’m currently working on a murder mystery featuring my Chicago private detective Jeffrey Sparks. I don’t want to give too much away, but it was inspired by recent events and a quote by Susan B. Anthony: “I distrust those people who know so well what God wants them to do, because I notice it always coincides with their own desires.” It involves the danger that can happen as a result of ignorance and intolerance.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
The short answer is get your book out as much as possible. People won’t read what they don’t know is available. Blogs, message boards, etc. Of course, friends and family also help spread the word. I know we’re in the 21st Century, but I’m philosophically opposed to social media, so I’m probably missing some opportunity there.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Be patient! Like any other job, writing takes time to get good at. A cashier can’t expect to be as fast on their first day on the job as a ten-year veteran; a writer shouldn’t expect to be good, or even punishable, when they first start. Write a lot, and read a lot, and build up the skills.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Read a lot. Once you decide what you want to write (i.e. genre), read as much as you can in the same category. Notice what writing you like, and why, and what writing you hate, and why. You’ll soon find yourself developing your own voice.
What are you reading now?
Right now, I’m reading the Backstrom books by Leif G.W. Persson. Backstrom is definitely an anti-hero, and characters like that appeal to me.
What’s next for you as a writer?
More Jeffrey Sparks stories. I like this character so much, I can’t see myself writing a story that doesn’t have him as the main character.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
The Complete Sherlock Holmes, Slaughterhouse Five (Vonnegut), Welcome to the Monkey House (Vonnegut again), and A is for Alibi (Grafton).
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have written close to 30 books. Some in a different pen name that included motorcycle club romance. For this pen name I’ve written six books in a cozy mystery series.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The last book I wrote is entitled Melted Memories. It was the sixth book in my cozy mystery series that revolves around an ice cream shoppe owner and her friends.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t know if it’s unusual, but I tend to jot down my thoughts onto a piece of paper. Not an outline. Just random notes. I always hated writing outlines in school and I refuse to do them now. lol
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Stephen King mainly. I love his writing style. It’s very laid back but he has a way of drawing you in and making you believe the unbelievable. That’s a craft I long to grasp hopefully one day.
What are you working on now?
I’m working on the first book of a new cozy mystery series.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I hire a writing assistant to help with promotions. I tried promoting my books but found it time consuming. It’s much easier to let someone who is proficient in promotions to do it for me.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Simply write. Don’t stress too much on the first draft. Just get those thoughts down and allow your characters freedom. Many times you’ll find that the characters you create have their own voice and will instruct you on how they want their story told.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Keep writing. Even if you write a book, publish it, and it bombs, just keep writing. You won’t knock them all out of the ballpark and not everyone will like what you write. Just keep your head down and continue to write.
What are you reading now?
I’m reading Amanda Lee’s witch series right now.
What’s next for you as a writer?
Eventually I would like to write a serious drama. I have the story in my head, but this will be a labor of love and I want to take my time with 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?
To Kill a Mockingbird
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have been a freelance filmmaker since 1978. I’ve received several awards for my writing. “Best Original Screenplay” “Hands of Thunder”. “Mom’s Choice Award” “Tales of Davy Jones – Quetzalcoatl” Quetzalcoatl is the first book in the Tales of Davy Jones Series. I’ve completed book 2 “The House of Richard”. Nearly completed book 3 “Q2 the Black.”
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Q2 the Black is the 2nd story in the Quetzalcoatl Series within the Tales of Davy Jones Series. Our hero in Quetzalcoatl, Garrett Spencer was 13. He has his whole life in front of him and I needed to share the rest of his story. If you watch my youtube video http://youtu.be/YJ2KVrcHuCQ
you can learn the origins of the “Tales of Davy Jones” Series. Less than 3 minutes long.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I try to write every day. Once I start writing I usually stay at it for 4 -8 hours. I miss frequently as I am a filmmaker by profession and have shoots.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Terry Brooks was my favorite and probably still is. I love Louie LaMore and Joel C. Rosenberg.
What are you working on now?
As stated before I am working on Q2 the Black. But on my desktop I have 2 feature films I want to get back to. “The Christmas Thief” “Apache Thunder” Apache Thunder is about a native American boy who moves from Oklahoma to Wyoming. Talon’s dad is an Army Ranger and most of his family are former military. Talon is one of the best 15 yr. old baseball players in the country and after being snubbed at his new school by a prejudice coach, is taking a group of leftover kids and forming a basketball team. Talon is a great cook, talent athlete, sensitive Christian kid that is trained in several fighting skills and does his best to avoid fighting and protect the school victims from the bullies.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
www.talesofdavyjones.com
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write like crazy. Read like crazy. Don’t defend your writing from critics. Develop a thick skin. Not everyone will like what you write. If you ask for an opinion realize they think it is their job to find something wrong. Take what the say and make your own judgement as to whether there is merit in their thoughts. In Hands of Thunder I have a really cool horse that is super smart. A film friend gave me great NEGATIVE feedback about the horse stuff and it made my script far better than it would have been otherwise. Great critics can truly help you. Just be sure you know what is good and what is bad advice.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t get it right… Get it written. You can edit later. Don’t stall looking for perfect words. just get it out and fix it later. Great writing is re-writing.
What are you reading now?
I have about 8 books I am looking at. Just went to the library. I like fantasy, westerns, political intrigue and even some well written romance stuff. My daughter gave me “Kiss of Deception” and I really enjoyed it.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I need to rewrite “The Christmas Thief” Script. Been through the first draft, got feedback and now I have to fix 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?
Book of Mormon – Bible – don’t know after that. I don’t read anything but scriptures more than once.
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am an unrepentant lover of life, and enjoy witty fridge magnets, love dawns, and sailing with my son. While I dislikes long car or plane journeys I has lived in several countries and visit many more. A reluctant attendee at the gym, I happily take my three dogs for numerous country walks, and ride a bike.
I has been writing from childhood and happily admit I’m grateful that nothing remains but one badly spelled poem! Over the next decades I wrote about eighteen books, most of which have been lost in the multitudes of moves my family or I have made. The advent of computers enabled me to loose most of the remaining ones.
My blog, Around the Bend, is loosely based on some of my experiences while traveling in various parts of the world, with or without children. As I’ve lived in five or six countries, and adventured to about eight times that number there are many tales to tell!
My parents were charismatic people, with an adventurous spirit. Frank Cordner-James was born in 1998 and ran away from Felsted (an English public School) and lied about his age so he wouldn’t miss the First World War, as they were told it would be over by Christmas. The first time he met my mother he was riding in Hyde Park and chanced to talk to a pretty nurse with a baby, the my mother, in a pram. Little did he guess that baby would travel the world with him and bare eleven children in different countries. Only three of them survived beyond a month or two.
My mother,Margaret Giffen, was a slender, beautiful and courageous woman. My father had been widowed twice before he married my nineteen-year-old mother. Margaret Giffen also raised her stepson, who loved her dearly.
I happened to be born on the islands off the coast of BC in Canada, and lived in many places until my father became very ill. At that point I was about ten, and my mother moved us all back to England.
I loved the country, and understood the older generations, but had trouble understanding those of my own generation, and conforming to their expectations. Fortunately I was blessed with a sense of humour, a love of my fellow man, and the ability to read four books a day. Between those I thrived!
After being in the company of only boys, and often having no formal schooling for months, or years, at a time my parents had the curious idea of sending me to St. Mary’s Convent, in Cambridge, a highly academic all girls school. However, I felt blessed to be taught by Sister Scholastica, amongst others, whose kindness and patience were not misplaced. An amazing person, she prevented the me from crashing and burning. It was because of her, I graduated Homerton College Cambridge, and went on to study many subjects and do well in them.
Now the mother of three boys and three girls, I write full time. My children groan at my puns, laugh over my fridge magnets, and sigh at my housekeeping when they notice, which is rare.
I graduated from Homerton College, Cambridge and I am the author of The Selene Experiment (the first book in a SF series), and Selene: Weal’s People (SF, 2nd in the series due out late 2015). Around the Bend (first in a series of travel stories) is in ebook , An Alien Touch (SF Romance), An Alien to Love ( SF Romance) this series of six will be coming out around December 2015, and The Dragons Return (SF) due out this year, and The Tangled Web (Mystery) due out early 2016. Also The First Dance, poetry, due out 2016. I am a certified Psycholinguistic Hypnotherapist, and an erstwhile teacher and potter.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Selene Experiment has just come out in ebook and is the first of a seven book series.
I love the thought of what would happen if…? Life is so full of adventure, romance, heroism and sheer awesomeness if you just stay aware and in the now, but for most of us it’s easier to imagine it as somewhere else.
I delight in the romance of life and wanted to write a book about what might happen if a person was plucked out of one life and plunged into unknown adventures. I had a lot of fun writing it, so much in fact, that I decided to write some more.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I doubt I have any unusual writing habits, unless requiring NO distractions is unusual. My three favourite places to write are; On my rose covered deck, often in the hammock, but that’s mostly when I’m doing research; on a couch in a sunny room because all the dogs and cats like to be near me. Correction, they won’t stop nagging until I let them snuggle all around me. The third place is in bed. I find that if you work in bed you can pretend it isn’t six o’clock in the morning and that really you are only lying in, and if you are just lying in you don’t have to attend to all the early morning chores till you get up!
What authors, or books have influenced you?
As a child I bought second hand books all the time, of many dates and genres. some I still re read to this day, like Nevil Shute’s book A Town Like Alice. He seemed to have such love for his fellow man, and respect for work well done.
I do have a weakness for a jolly good cozy murder, like Agatha Christie’s, but M.M. Kaye wrote some great ones too.
I have delighted in ripping yarns by authors like Captain Thompson who wrote The Flying Spray, YA books but lots of them are just as nice to read today as when I was a child.
It’s impossible to really list them, I had over ten thousand books until I downsized, now I have barely two thousand.
What are you working on now?
I’m working of an Alien series, due out around Christmas. Third generation American aliens.
It’s rather fun writing them. Each is a stand alone hot romance but I couldn’t prevent the SF influence in there creeping in.
In the first book the heroine thinks she is the last of the aliens as no one has heard from the few that left their isolated community. So she leaves…and that’s where her adventures begin.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
So far it’s been Amazon, but I guess that’s because I like writing and don’t like the business to writing so am really slow about doing it. Sadly, traditionally published or not, all emerging authors are having to face up to the fact that no matter how good your book is, if no one knows about it it will never sell.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
My advice isn’t anything new. Work consistently, learn your craft, learn the business, give great quality…and get into the mind set that you are in this for the long haul.
It takes a long time to be an over night success!
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Beside some awesome spiritual advice I’ve had, I think the next best was ‘Never put into writing anything you wouldn’t like hearing read out in court!’
Needless to say, my journaling sucks.
What are you reading now?
M. M. Kaye’s book Death in the Andamans. It’s about the fourth time I’ve read it. It’s so very well written.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I hope to have at least seven new books out by Christmas. Most of them are already written but I want the whole series to come out in a boxed set, as well as separately.
Then I want to go on an adventure. I love just deciding to ‘up and go’. Haven’t decided where or when, but some of the adventures may well end up in the second book of the Around the Bend 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?
Humm. Tough one. Almost like asking a mother of six which child she would save, and yes I have six children and they have asked me that!
As it’s a desert island, no cook books as I could only eat the ‘sand which is there’ (groan) but I would take an Emmet Fox book to comfort me, a blank book with pen to write in, The Lord of the Rings in the single version which is sad as I love the three separate books…and perhaps Anne McCaffrey’s White Dragon.
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Life Is Funny That Way, The World Inside Stephanie’s Head, Destiny’s Mark, My new book is due out in July 2015. It is a sequel to The World Inside Stephanie’s Head, and the title is The World Beyond Stephanie’s Head.
I have been writing since I was ten. I began by writing plays. I have written plays, short stories, poetry and am currently working on my fifth book.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My new book is due out in July 2015. It is a sequel to The World Inside Stephanie’s Head, and the title is The World Beyond Stephanie’s Head. I was originally never going to write a sequel to TWISH. I had quite a few people tell me that they needed more after reading it, so I gave them a sequel.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t know how unusual it is but I tend to write during the night, and then sleep during the day. I need my quiet work space. A couple of my books have been based off of dreams I have had.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I have a few influences; my fifth grade teacher Mr. Schwinden, that encouraged me to continue to write after writing my first play, my high school creative writing teacher Mr. Hutchings for giving me advice, and reading my earlier work, and Jamie Campbell Bower for helping me believe in myself enough to publish my books.
I am a huge Cassandra Clare fan! Her writing is phenomenal.
What are you working on now?
I am currently writing a fiction story about Jo. She is a mother that has the horrible misfortune of having to deal with her daughter being in an abusive relationship.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Books Go Social offers the most promotion for the money. They are truly awesome. I actually wrote a blog on my website about them. It has all the links to their site as well.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Be open to change. Writing, publishing, marketing/promotion are all a learning process. Never be afraid to change things up while remaining true to who you are as a writer.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“People can hate on you for doing what it is that makes you happy, but ultimately it has to belong to you, it shouldn’t matter what anyone else thinks.” JCB
What are you reading now?
The Evil We Love (Tales From The ShadowHunter Academy Book 5)
What’s next for you as a writer?
I will continue to write until I am out of stories to tell. I will market and promote until I get picked up by some huge publishing company, and then let them do that part of it. I will always continue to support Indie authors. I have met a bunch of them and they are a great bunch of people.
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 Fault In Our Stars, If I stay, The Outsiders, City of Bones
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.