Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a college professor of English, a musician, and author. I have published two novels and two collections in the horror genre under a different name. My first young adult novel under my “Nicholas Fisher” pseudonym is “Becky’s Kiss.”

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is “Becky’s Kiss,” coming out November 30th through Vinspire Press. This is a paranormal love story with a baseball theme and high drama. I was inspired to write it when a fellow baseball coach told me a story about a little league player who squared to bunt during a game and got hit in the chest. He was all right, but my imagination soared! I wondered what it would be like if he died there at the plate and he came back as a spirit to be given one more chance at that fateful at-bat, possibly making him the greatest hitter in history. Then I thought of the female character who might help him “align the stars” and I had my plot for “Becky’s Kiss.”

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Yes! I am a morning person and usually do my best writing from 5 AM to 10 AM.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Stephen King.
The Harry Potter series.
The Giver.
Number the Stars
Come Sing Jimmy Jo

What are you working on now?
Currently, I am 60,000 words into my 4th horror novel. That should be finished this Spring.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I have a nifty website listed here where I give a literary tip every day. I will also soon have all my sales links listed there. I will also put my Twitter and Facebook pages here:
https://twitter.com/nichola03538773
http://nicholasfisherbooks.weebly.com/
https://www.facebook.com/nicholasfisherbooks?ref=hl

Do you have any advice for new authors?
As I teach creative writing at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia and also at various universities as an adjunct, I am giving writing advice all the time. The best overall tip I could give would be stay true to your vision. Don’t follow trends. Let the trends come to you.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t keep rewriting the first paragraph to make it perfect. Draft!

What are you reading now?
Dancing to an Irish Reel by Claire Fullerton.

What’s next for you as a writer?
When I finish the 4th horror novel under my other pen name, I plan to write another young adult book under Nicholas Fisher. It will probably be a bit scarier than “Becky’s Kiss,” that which is more a romance tale.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
The Stand
The Lord of the Rings
The Silence of the Lambs
Night Shift

Author Websites and Profiles
Nicholas Fisher Website

Nicholas Fisher’s Social Media Links
Twitter Account

Nicholas Fisher is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am an avid reader, writer, competitive swimmer, surfer, adrenaline junkie and world traveler. A 10th grade Honors English student, I’ve always loved writing. I’ve only written one book so far that was published this year, but I’m planning on writing many more!

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The name of my latest book is Spirit of the Wind, and it was inspired by books, movies, documentaries and news articles about the degrading state of America’s wildlife. Our country’s iconic animals and beautiful landscapes are at great risk of perishing if we don’t act now. We only have one planet, and without it, we are nothing.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not really, just sometimes I’ll spend so much time brainstorming a plot and ideas that I dream about it. Or the other way around; my dreams (or nightmares) give me ideas.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
J.K Rowling, John Green, Veronica Roth, Ruta Sepetys, Suzanne Collins, etc… There are so many amazing authors and books out there that have influenced me!

What are you working on now?
The sequel to Spirit of the Wind, which will be the second book in the series. It’ll either be a continuation of the first, or be different in the sense that it’ll address other issues such as countries and children at war today.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Goodreads, Instagram, Twitter.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Meet a lot of author authors trying to achieve the same goal as you, interact with them and build your audience. Never stop reading, writing or marketing. It takes a lot of work to be published, but it ends up that’s just the beginning. It takes even more work to get your book in front of your audience and emerge from the shadows.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“No one said it would be easy, they said it would be worth it”

What are you reading now?
Eve by Anna Carey, The Kidnapping of Inda Jackson by Cher Foth and The GameMaster by Ian Copsey.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Building my audience with the first book in the series, writing more, learning and improving at marketing.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
A survival guide handbook of some sort, Stranded by Jeff Probst and The Raft by S.A Bodeen. All books that would give me tips on how to handle that situation while being able to relate to the main characters

Author Websites and Profiles
Yasmine Hamdi Amazon Profile
Yasmine Hamdi’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Yasmine Hamdi is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I live in Arizona with my best friend and husband, Chris, our adorable monster child, and neurotic dogs.
At the age of six, I became a reading machine. Devouring everything I could possibly get my hands on. In high school I almost failed English three times because of my detest for writing book reports. Today, I writes whatever stories haunt my dreams, and struggles to focus on one idea at a time. When I’m not enjoying time with my family, or writing, you will find me with my nose stuck in a book, or out walking and enjoying the sunshine.
Drowning Sandy is my debut novella!

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Drowning Sandy. I was inspired to write this book after being invited to join a beach themed summer compilation. My mind immediately flashed back to all the summers I spent sitting on the side of my father’s sail boat, feet dangling in the water and imagining wonderful creatures out of the shadows that passed by our boat in Lake Ontario. From there, the characters just sort of took over.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t think so. I write best on my laptop, propped up in bed, with orchestra music playing in the back ground. (The Lindsey Stirling Pandora channel is awesome!) Sometimes I snack, sometimes I just get sucked into my zone and time flies by.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I’ve read tons of books by millions of authors over the years. It’d be hard to narrow down who exactly influenced me. I think my current favorite mermaid book would have to be Descending by Holly Kelly. Her mermaid books are completely different then mine, but her style is so descriptive and intense I find it hard to imagine anyone not being inspired by her books.

What are you working on now?
I have several books in the works right now. I switch between genres according to my mood. I have a LDS perspective historical fiction, DESTINED, that is currently in the editing phase with a potential publisher, a paranormal fantasy, ENCROACHING STORM, that’s almost done, and several other little sweet romances that I like to dabble with.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m not very good at promoting my books. I write them, because I love to write. Marketing is something I’m still very new too.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write. Get your first draft done, without looking back. Whatever you do, don’t back track, edit or even go back to fix changes that will come up. Just take a note, and keep pushing forward. The first draft is the hardest to complete.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Every story has already been written or told. It’s about how you tell your story.

What are you reading now?
I’m between books right now. I just finished Slayers by C.J. Hill, and a re-read of Secrets in Zarahemla by Sariah S Wilson. My to be read list is massive, so who knows what I’ll work on next.

What’s next for you as a writer?
More books! I plan to keep writing until I can’t. I hope to release my paranormal fantasy, Encroaching Storm, before the end of year. (2015)

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
I’d want my Book of Mormon, and then the rest blank journals. I’d go crazy if I couldn’t write, if not make up a story then to record what I experienced on that island.

Author Websites and Profiles
Sarah Daley Website
Sarah Daley Amazon Profile
Sarah Daley’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Sarah Daley is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Phil Fogliani is a native of Dayton, Ohio where he lives with his wife and two children. Writing has been a hobby of Phil’s since his days in college at Olivet Nazarene University. Phil is the author of the popular children’s book series, “Sparky the Dragon” which is for sale in bookstores and on Amazon.com. In addition to writing, Phil enjoys the great outdoors, animals, and healthy living.

I have written five books.

Phil’s interest in horror books dates back to his youth when he enjoyed scary movies with friends and was always intrigued by the wild imaginations of the creators. When he isn’t writing, Phil runs a background screening company.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Afflictions at Night is the second book in the horror short stories series called Tales From the Tatters of Night. Slivers in the Dark is the first book in the collection. This series is the culmination of many years of preparation and writing.

When I was in high school I had a very special drama teacher that was the greatest storyteller I have ever known. We used to sit around the campfire and listen to Miss Shannon tell horror stories. Later on, she selected me to be the lead in a play. She always pushed me to be better than I thought I was capable of and even though she is gone now, I dedicate this book to her.

Picture yourself gathered together with some friends. It is late at night and it is dark, very dark. Someone tells a scary story and everyone listens intently. This is the backdrop for this book. Short horror stories that increases your heart rate and forces you to listen to every sound, whether it is real or imagined.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I do my best writing late at night, long after everyone else has gone to bed.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Stephen King, Stephen Covey, & Tony Robbins

What are you working on now?
The third book in this horror short stories series.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I am hoping it will be Awesomegang.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
You must understand that it takes a lot of hard work, promotion, and marketing. There is intense competition so success requires persistence.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Always do your homework.

What are you reading now?
Stephen King’s “Revival”

What’s next for you as a writer?
To finish Tales From the Tatters of Night series which will be three more books.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
1. Any Stephen King book
2. The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People
3. How to Win Friends and influence People

Author Websites and Profiles
Phil Fogliani Website
Phil Fogliani Amazon Profile

Phil Fogliani is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I didn’t make a serious attempt at writing until my 40th birthday was staring me in the face. Writing was always just a dream. I was stuck in a job I hated, my kids were getting older, and it was time for me to chase a dream. I’ve written three novels. I am shopping the first around now. I have three published short stories with more on the way. I usually write mystery, with the occasional fantasy.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Tales of Christmas in the South is a collection of my three short stories. The genres are different, but the connecting thread is Christmas. My inspiration was my love of the Christmas season. The laughter, tears, and magic. Christmas has it all.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I must have hot tea, chocolate, and music. Well, maybe that’s not unusual.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Everything I write is Southern. The genre changes but the feel and voice is Southern. Books by Harper Lee and Mary Kay Andrews are favorites for me to read, and inspire me.

What are you working on now?
I am working on a mystery series set in a small Southern town. Quirky characters,odd traditions, and apex predators.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Awesomegang of course! And Twitter. I love Twitter.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
You must wear many hats. You are your best, and sometimes only, promoter. You don’t know if your book will be accepted by a site, just ask. They may turn you down, but you have to try. The other piece of advice I have is- Not everyone will like your book and that’s OK.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Not everyone will like your book and that’s OK.

What are you reading now?
The Map of Moments by Christopher Golden and Tim Lebbon. The setting is New Orleans, I’ll read anything about New Orleans. It’s my favorite city.

What’s next for you as a writer?
NaNoWriMo! After that I need to edit a short story I want to publish in January. It’s totally different than anything I’ve written before. It’s very dark and has a great twist.

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?
Tolkien of course. Then something from Mary Kay Andrews, her books are perfect for the beach! The Bible, if I’m on a deserted island I’m going to need all the help I can get.

Author Websites and Profiles
Caren Rich Website
Caren Rich’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Caren Rich is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am happy to report I am a full-time writer who grew up in Memphis, TN and now lives in Malibu, CA with my husband and two German shepherds, whom we adore. I am the author of two books: “A Portal in Time,” which is a Paranormal Mystery written in two time periods, and “Dancing to an Irish Reel,” which is literary fiction ( meaning true to life.) Both books are published by Vinspire Publishing. I am a 4 time, award winning essayist and I write for magazines, such as “Southern Writer’s Magazine” and a wonderful site called The Wild Geese. I have just completed my third novel and am refining the second draft.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
“Dancing to an Irish Reel” is the name of my last published book, and it was inspired from the year I spent living on the western coast of Ireland. I lived in a small village called Inverin, which is a breathtaking coastal town, and I worked thirteen miles away in Galway City. It was an awe-inspiring year and I wanted to share the ambience of Ireland and its incredible, soulful culture, so I wrote “Dancing to an Irish Reel” when I moved back to California. In the story, I wanted to write about the push and pull of attraction; those initial stages of what will hopefully be a wonderful romance, when both people are hopeful and excited, but there is still a bit of uncertainty involved. I think this is a universal experience, for the road to love is rarely smooth! This book is called literary fiction because it is true to life! And because I set this story in Ireland, I was given the opportunity to share a landscape and culture worthy of deep praise.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Every day, I write something and it brings me great joy. I settle down at my computer, which has a huge monitor, first thing in the morning and I have to have lots of coffee! I write usually from about 8:00 AM until noon, then I run around the yard with my two German shepherds ( they’re both puppies, as in under two years old) then I go back to my desk. At the end of the day, my husband and I take our dogs to the beach, and this is basically the rhythm of my days, save for errands, keeping up with my girlfriends, and whatever else comes up. I’ve been living this way for the past 4 years and it suits me!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I love the Southern writers, mostly because I identify with the South, having grown up in Memphis. Southern writers tend to be lyrical, poetic and descriptive. I love the authors Pat Conroy, who wrote The Great Santini and The Prince of Tides and South of Broad to name a few; Anne Rivers Siddons, who is the author of 24 books, all set in the South; and Donna Tartt, who wrote The Goldfinch, The Little Friend, and The Secret History. I think my all time favorite book is Conroy’s The Prince of Tides because it is brilliantly crafted and tells the story of a family with secrets that leave indelible scars.

What are you working on now?
I am still going over the manuscript of my third novel. It is a Southern family saga set in Memphis. I have completed the first draft, and am currently going over it again and again! Writing a novel, for me, is like fine tuning a puzzle. I go over it looking for continuity, then again for dialogue, then again for theme. It’s like shaping and molding clay!

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
My website is http://www.clairefullerton.com, and I really focus on keeping it evolving and updated with new reviews, published pieces, photographs and anything I think will interest its viewers. My website is a constant, and as for promotion sites, I like a site called Books Go Social. I am a huge fan of Google+ and have met many nice people there. The Google+ book community is endless! Also, About.me has an amazingly far reach, thousands a month go to my page there, which is great. I use Twitter every day and keep an eye on many blogs on word Press. There’s a big book community there!

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Yes! I will gladly share what I have found to be helpful: If you have a book out, think outside of the box in promoting it. Promote yourself by writing and submitting to magazines that may draw attention to your books. Here’s an example of my point: I joined a community called The Wild Geese online, which is all about Ireland. Many historians and creative people are in this community, and I write pieces all about my love for and experiences in Ireland and send them as small articles, which typically get posted. Many have found me in this community because they’re all interested in Ireland. Sooner or later they discover that I have a book called Dancing to an Irish Reel! So, the lesson is to go to the places that have interest in your book’s subject or setting or anything that stands out in the story. Get involved. Meet readers and writers. Promotion is all about connections, so a writer has to go to where the action is!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Dawn Carrington of Vinspire Publishing told me that a writer’s career is a marathon, not a sprint! This means be patient, work steadily, and continue to build.

What are you reading now?
“Miss Hazel and the Rosa Parks League.” It is a Southern classic, in y opinion, and the writer Jonathan Odell, who grew up in Mississippi wrote this 3rd person, rollicking joy-ride. Only a Southerner could have written this book!

What’s next for you as a writer?
Great hope for my third novel!

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
The Prince of Tides and South of Broad by Pat Conroy, also The Secret History by Donna Tartt. All three are character intensive, written in the first person, and I love that. First person writing allows you to seriously connect with the narrator, so the reading experience seems intimate and personal.

Author Websites and Profiles
Claire Fullerton Website
Claire Fullerton Amazon Profile
Claire Fullerton Author Profile on Smashwords

Claire Fullerton’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Claire Fullerton is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m Laney! Hi! I have written several different works. I’m the author of the Lock Creek: Time Capsule Series, which currently has four books, with a fifth slated for release by the end of 2015. I’ve also participated in a couple of anthologies, one of those being “The Roses.” That anthology was a charity work, designed to raise funds for Cystic Fibrosis. It’s funny to me that I ended up writing. I’ve never been what I felt like an “author” is. I am trying to teach myself to drink coffee without looking like a walking tremor. I would go to the library and hang out, but I’m pretty sure the quiet would drive me insane and I’d end up getting kicked out. I’m a million miles a minute, more than not. So, I never thought I would ever be an “author.” But, I have always loved writing. I’ve just never been able to finish a book, prior to Lock Creek: One Year’s Time. Now, I’m addicted and I can’t stop. I have four books coming in the near future. I’ve also started another project, writing under a different name. I just can’t stop myself. I have a lot of support behind me and every bit of it encourages me. I do what I do to entertain others. When I hit my mark, I think, “Ok! That worked. I can do this again!” I just think of myself as being so far from what you would envision an author to be. I’m nuts!

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Wow! I actually have so many going at the moment. Um, I’ve been working on a horror novel for my son. He wanted to read a book that was on the same level as the movie, “The Ring,” or “The Exorcism of Emily Rose.” He was disappointed when he couldn’t find books that gave him that same feeling. So, I thought about it and I decided I could try this. This book is due out by Halloween 2015 and I’m still struggling to pin down a title. It’s had a billion different titles. But, if you stick with me, I’ll be happy to keep you posted when the title is finalized.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Yes! …
I sit down to write and I become like a two year old at bedtime. I’m going to write, after I get a drink. Then, I’m going to write, after I find a snack. I remember that I have needed to run an errand for six months – and it’s suddenly crucial that I do it this second. Then, I sit down to write and if a song inspired a story line or a scene, I have to put the song on repeat and I listen to it over and over until the scene is written. Sometimes, it’s a brief time. Sometimes, it’s days – weeks, even months. I’m afraid if I don’t hear that song, I’m going to lose whatever it inspired. So, I think that’s a little weird. But, when songs change, it distracts me. For some reason, the same song on repeat doesn’t do that. I have to use earbuds because, apparently, my family members are not getting the same benefit from the songs being on repeat as I am. No fun letter havers!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
There are tons, honestly. I love Nicholas Sparks. And, then, when Stephen King is dishing out words of wisdom, I hang on his every word. I love what he does. I also like the classic books like “Old Yeller” and “Where The Red Fern Grows.” I just want to “feel.” So, I try to consider what it takes to make me feel and I try to bring those elements into my own writing. I want to make people “feel.”

What are you working on now?
As I mentioned before, I have so many projects at the moment. I’m supposed to be writing a short story for a Christmas anthology. I have a lot of editing to do to make that “short.” There’s the horror novel due by Halloween. I have the fifth Lock Creek book before the end of the year. There’s a murder mystery book, “What He’s Done,” coming after the first of the year, sometime. I have so many projects that I’ve started. My mind never stops cranking out “great ideas.” It’s exhausting, I’m not gonna lie. But, I love it so much!

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I have no idea, really. I’ve yet to figure that out. I know it is something that must be done. It’s not my strength. I’d rather write some crazy story than to learn about marketing dos and don’ts. Thankfully, there are a lot of people that support me and they help a lot. The bottom line is if I’ve done my job, once it reaches a certain point, it should market itself. It’s just a matter of getting it to that point. But, it grows every day. So, whatever combination of things are that get done, it seems to help. So, if it helps, I/we do it. If not, we don’t. You do what works.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write like no one will ever read it. Remember, you can always edit it later. But, then, when it’s time to edit, be bold and leave it! You have to take a risk, as difficult as it is to put yourself out there. Don’t talk yourself out of the “crazy” stuff. I see with my own work, the very things I questioned are the things people love the most. It’s ok to be scared. But, take that chance anyway. The things you question just might be what makes you great. Just go for it! You’ll be glad you did.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
For as long as I can remember, my dad has told me to “go watch the grass grow.” That used to drive me nuts. In my teen years, I’d be rambling a million miles a minute over my typical teen drama-type things. I would be convinced the end was near, because you believe that when you’re a teenager and a friend gets mad at you or whatever. My dad would just sit there with a blank face and finally, he’d say, “Go watch the grass grow.” I would be looking for him to tell me what to do to fix my situation. And he tells me to go watch the grass grow. I would go from rattling a million miles a minute to…stupefied, trying to figure out how the hell watching grass grow was going to help me. It took me a long time to understand and appreciate what he means by that. To this day, he still tells me that. Now, we both laugh when he says it. But, if you just go and sit it out, give yourself a little time to unwind, those swirling, chaotic thoughts in your head have a way of settling. Then, you realize you were making it bigger than it had to be.

What are you reading now?
Nothing at the moment. I get a lot of requests to read/review/edit others’ work. I used to set Sundays aside for that stuff. I usually read the entire day and I typically finish a book the same day. So, I don’t really have them sitting around. If I step away from a book, I’m really bad about getting back to it. Maybe I need to start another book this Sunday. The last thing I read was a short story for Terry R. Hill. That was a great read. Does that count?

What’s next for you as a writer?
I wish I knew. No, actually, that’s not true. I like the adventure. This has been so much fun. If I never had anyone read another word that I’ve written, I’ve already gotten so much further than I ever expected. Every moment, at this point is a bonus. It’s beautiful how it blossoms and each little milestone makes me want the next milestone. As long as I can have fun, I’m going to do this. This is great! But, in my big, grand vision, I want to see Lock Creek on a screen of some sort. It’s going to happen. I can’t tell you how I know that. But, I just feel it. This has felt like destiny every step of the way. There are enough people that tell me they want to see it. The more people that come to Lock Creek will be that many more that want to see it. I know it will happen. I just don’t know when or how, yet.

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?
Uh oh! I would take Gone With The Wind, because I’ve never read that one. I’m embarrassed to admit that, but I’m honest. Then, I would take “The Notebook.” I would probably have to take some true crime book, because I like the Psychology side of those books. Then, I would have to take a funny/comedy. Then, there’s a variety.

Author Websites and Profiles
Laney Smith Website
Laney Smith Amazon Profile

Laney Smith’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Laney Smith is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Armand Rosamilia writes horror books. Thrillers. Contemporary fiction. He also hosts two podcasts. He’s also a proud member of the HWA. He has published over 100 stories and books so far. He loves to talk in third person.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
“Chelsea Avenue” is a horror novel inspired by true events… well, it starts at a real event that happened on July 8th 1987 in Long Branch NJ and veers wildly from there. Still almost based on a true event.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I do what I call the Mando Method of Writing: I write for the first 15 minutes of each hour. I usually get about 600 or more words in. Then the next 45 minutes are for social media, eating, emails, etc. Top of the hour I go back to writing, and do it 4-8 times a day if possible.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Dean Koontz as a teenager. I was 12 when i read his books and wanted to be an author ever since. I’m a big fan of many independent authors, but mostly read nonfiction for inspiration.

What are you working on now?
About 7 projects. I am always busy as a full-time author with no wish to ever go back into a horrible retail job. I’m working on a crime thriller, another 2 zombie books, a haunted house story, a sequel to “Chelsea Avenue” and a million other stories. I’m busy.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Being accessible to readers. I’m not the ‘buy my book, buy my book’ guy. I want people to be interested in me and interact and then buy my book because they like me and the book seems interesting to them. I am very big on promoting fellow authors, too.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write every day, even if it is a few stolen minutes at lunch or late at night before bed. Those few words a day will add up over time and train your mind to keep going each day.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Write every day. Even when I worked 60-80 hours a week I still found time to write.

What are you reading now?
Mostly nonfiction books. I love histories and biographies, but just finished a great crime thriller series from author Dawn Lee McKenna you need to check out. Trust me.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Moving forward. I have a crime thriller currently in the Kindle Scout program looking for votes. Working on quite a few books before the year is over. Setting up my 2016 release schedule.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
I’d bring the omnibus editions of Conan by Robert E Howard, Riftwar saga from Raymond Feist and Watership Down, my absolute favorite book.

Author Websites and Profiles
Armand Rosamilia Website
Armand Rosamilia Amazon Profile
Armand Rosamilia Author Profile on Smashwords

Armand Rosamilia’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Armand Rosamilia is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have spent a lifetime developing skills as a writer. Before I could even read, I would produce scribbles on a page and “read” the stories to my grandmother. I have been most prolific in writing poetry, but has also written a multitude of essays, research papers, and short stories over the span of my life.

Through employment and volunteerism, I have been able to develop writing skills for various business materials including, but not limited to: grants, press releases, policies (personnel, volunteer, and board), marketing materials (brochures, fact pages, etc.), by-laws, articles of incorporation, material for web pages, appeal letters, speeches, curricula and tests for training, client information summaries, meeting minutes, newsletters, and correspondence.

I hold a B.A. in English, a B.S. in Psychology, and an M.A. in Psychological Services – Counseling. As an undergraduate at Shenandoah University, I won the distinguished S. Gordden Link Poetry Prize for an unprecedented 3 years in a row. My first novel, Releasing Me, was Indie-published in July and is available in several outlets.

I was born in New York. With the exception of a brief residency near Nashville, Tennessee, I have lived in various parts of Virginia for most of my life. I have been married to William Payne since 1993 and has a son, daughter, three stepsons, and a large extended family.

I served as Executive Director of three different non-profit organizations in Virginia and also served in Quality Assurance, Grantwriting, and Development positions with other large non-profits. The organizations where I have worked have addressed such complex issues as domestic and sexual violence, child abuse, homelessness, human trafficking, mental illness, disabilities, substance abuse, and child abduction.

Following recovery from Urachal cancer, I switched career endeavors. I currently serve as a contracted Director of Development for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Virginia. I am also completing my Doctorate of Public Administration. I tend to be actively involved in various community groups. I am trying to build a platform, Payneless Projects, from which I can launch my writings and business endeavors.

I recently finished my second book, Valley Voices: Poetry that Speaks to the Soul. It should be published by November 1, 2015.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book — soon to be published — is Valley Voices: Poetry that Speaks to the Soul. I collected the poems I had written over a lifetime, did some editing, updating, and new writing, and put them all in this book. Most of the poetry is about people I have encountered — some whom I just observed and never even met! People and their stories inspire me. I also like to write about my own resilience.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I usually write on a laptop which is perched on a TV stand, with a coffee to my right. I don’t know that’s exceptionally unusual. I would say my sleeping habits are a bit more unusual…

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I hold a collection of Little House on the Prairie and Nancy Drew books. As a former English major, I’ve read and studied a lot of the classics. Again, I prefer stories of people — true or not. I would say my first novel, Releasing Me, is a little influenced by “Flowers in the Attic”. I’m no stranger to Stephen King. In summary, I enjoy reading any genre and it definitely doesn’t have to be something on the scholarly approval list!

What are you working on now?
Right now, I am continuing to learn about promotion and am gearing up to publish my second book. I have a goal to write a book in nearly every genre, just for fun.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Goodreads has been a wealth of information. I’m still learning what others are helpful.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Network and soak up the information you glean from people and available information. Be cautious before spending significant money on things you can probably do yourself.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
This too shall pass.

What are you reading now?
I’m getting ready to read “Bowling Alone”, which will be a book important to my dissertation.

What’s next for you as a writer?
As I mentioned, I’m interested in writing in all genres. I’m planning on writing a book relevant to my work in the non-profit industry. I’ve begun the mind-mapping.

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, The Bible, Chicken Soup for the Soul

Author Websites and Profiles
Melissa DeDomenico-Payne Website
Melissa DeDomenico-Payne Amazon Profile
Melissa DeDomenico-Payne’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Melissa DeDomenico-Payne is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Well, I’ve written quite a few. I have one creative book that’s new and also have a short story published as well! I’m normally a fiction writer, but this new book is a companion to my blog!

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
“Creating A Fit Life” all began while at a conference I was attending! It dawned on me that as creatives, we aren’t up and moving as much as we should be and that we aren’t taking care of our selves like we should be. I believe that if we create the best us, we can create our best work!!

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I can’t really listen to music with lyrics while writing.I’ll end up typing the words. I can listen to musical soundtracks or classical music though!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
C.S. Lewis, Louisa May Alcott, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Veronica Roth, and J.R.R. Tolkien.

What are you working on now?
I am currently preparing for NaNoWriMo!!! Where I am going to write a NA Dystopian novel! Excited about it!

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

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write. Get the words down. You can always edit it. Finish it!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Write. Get it written.

What are you reading now?
I’m currently reading “Taken”

What’s next for you as a writer?
I want to get my dream agent and get my novel 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?
1. The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe
2. Little Women
3. Swiss Family Robinson

Author Websites and Profiles
Devin Berglund Website
Devin Berglund Amazon Profile
Devin Berglund’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

Devin Berglund is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Well, I’m a quasi-existent entity that came into being after humanity subconsciously wished it so- d-definitely!

Truthfully I just like being mysterious, so it would not do for me to tell you much about myself, other than that I love writing, reading, eating, and fighting. (I don’t actually like fighting, it just rhymes with writing)

I’ve written lots of books for only six years of writing: six full novels (most of which are currently unpublished), several incomplete ones, and many short stories.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Nocturna League’s third novella (technically the second, the first NL is a primer short story) is called “The Sunken Breath”.

I’ve been wanting to delve into psychological and horror elements for a little while now, so this is my first real attempt at that. The usual inspirations for the other NLs apply: Pirates of the Caribbean, Sherlock Holmes, and H.P. Lovecraft.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
No.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Tolkien, King, Gaiman, plenty more.

What are you working on now?
Nocturna League #3

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Good thought… I like http://www.readersintheknow.com/list-of-book-promotion-sites

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write every day.

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

What are you reading now?
Write eve- Uh, I mean Carnegie’s “How to Win Friends and Influence People”. Smashing good read.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Probably more NL, edit, or otherwise.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
A compilation of Lord of the Rings, a survival guide, a fishing guide, and a book with tons of blank pages that I could use for either writing or fire kindling.

Author Websites and Profiles
Kell Inkston Website
Kell Inkston Amazon Profile
Kell Inkston Author Profile on Smashwords

Kell Inkston’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Kell Inkston is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have one book in print and one sitting on the back burner. The second book is the beginning of a series set on day 1 of the apocalypse. (it’s not coming the way you think it is)

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Last Ticket is the title of my first book. It’s an account of a family trying to survive on minimum wage. It started out as a diary but I had to rewrite it as a novel, in the process the story that I wrapped around the facts became more poignant than the diary.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I always write barefoot, at three in the morning with a cigarette in one hand and a pencil in the other.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Golding, King, Doyle, Striber, Anthony, in fact every book I’ve read has had an influence. Some were positive and others showed me what I didn’t want to sound like.

What are you working on now?
The second book, title to be revealed in 2016, about the apocalypse. After seeing so many movies and shows about it the one thing that turned me off to all of it was that they all start years after the fact. My book starts, “BANG” 6:00 a.m DAY 1.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
As of now I don’t have enough data to accurately answer that question.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Yes, the best advice I can give a new author is, “Stop trying to write a book from what’s in your brain. Your brain does nothing but work your fingers and spell words, that’s not where you want your material to come from (unless you are writing a vacuum cleaner repair manual). The story comes not from your brain but from your spirit(heart, soul, universal energy, gut, being, everyone has a different word for it). I write in the wee hours because the previous day has been resolved by you subconscious and the new day hasn’t burdened it yet. It’s wide open with nothing to do, so use it.”

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t take any wooden nickles.

What are you reading now?
Urban Shaman by Serge Kahili King, P.H.D.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Nothing at the moment, marketing and promoting take up all my time.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
1. Coconut Wind Chimes Made Easy
2. Walk on Water in Ten Easy Lessons
3.Dummies Guide to Boat Making..second edition

Author Websites and Profiles
Christopher Sharp Amazon Profile

Christopher Sharp’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile

Christopher Sharp is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hey there! I’m from the great white north of Canada, and have a Bachelor’s degree in English Literature. I’m a new author, so I haven’t written that many books yet, but I’m working on it. My debut book is in poetry, but I’m going to be publishing some fiction ones soon. I generally like writing darker things, but I like experimenting with happier stories as well. Basically, I don’t like to commit to one genre. But I do commit to writing the best story (or poetry) that I can. Generally when I start a new story I don’t think “Oh, I’m going to write a romantic thriller,” but rather, I write the story and then decide the genre after it is written.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is called Playing in the Dark. It’s a collection of dark poetry. What inspired it was I noticed a theme to my poetry over the years, that the poems were rather dark, so I thought: hey, why not? Thus a collection of dark poetry was born. Some of the poems are completely fabricated from my imagination, well, pretty much all of them are. But some of the poems in the book were inspired by real emotion, and written when I was feeling that emotion.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I feel like I probably should…but I don’t think I have any. I just sit down and start writing. I suppose sometimes I get ideas in weird places. One time I was in a lecture for school and should have been paying attention, but I got an idea for a book. Then that idea unfolded like a movie for me on the way home. Sometimes that happens, and sometimes I only get a snippet of an idea.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Abarat by Clive Barker was the first book that influenced me to start writing. It was in the summer going into grade ten and after I finished that book I decided that I was going to write a novel. And I did. It’s not published yet but I’m working on it. Other than that I don’t have any huge influences. I read books regularly and I’ll see what the author is doing and experiment with it in my own writing.

What are you working on now?
Right now I am working on Christmas short story that I hope to be ready at the beginning of November. I also have a romantic thriller in the works (also a short story) that will come out sometime near the beginning of the new year. And I am working on a full length novel which I’m not exactly sure of the genre, but it centers around light and dark, and I suppose is a fantasy of some sort. It’s the idea I got in the lecture that I mentioned earlier. I’m not sure when it will be out but hopefully before or near early summer.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I haven’t really figured that one out yet. I do use twitter, but it hasn’t really sold much books, like any. I also use Google+ but that has performed about the same. I’m hoping that Awesomegang works well as a promotion site. I also only have one book out, and it’s poetry, not exactly a popular genre. So it’s not surprising that sales aren’t rocketing through the roof. But from what I’ve heard the best thing for promotion is to just keep writing, and that’s what I’m doing. And really, you look at the top charts on Amazon or some other book site, and unless the person is popular from some other avenue like YouTube, or a huge blog, most of them have more than one book to their name.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I would say write what you want to and don’t worry about what other people think or that you’re writing in an unpopular genre. That doesn’t mean forego editing or suggestions by people, it means take other’s suggestions into consideration and then decide for yourself if you agree or not. Also, let there be some rest time between the first draft and the second draft. It doesn’t have to be super long, just a few weeks (but it can be longer if that helps you), and you can a start another project in the mean time. Also, when writing the first draft don’t worry about it being perfect or agonize over doing everything write. Just write the book and then when it’s done you can edit it into a masterpiece.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best advice I’ve ever heard is to go where your character wants to. You can have it all mapped out in your head (or on paper) but if your character wants to go a different direction, you have to let them go that way. This sounds a bit schizophrenic, but you have to be flexible. Sometimes you’ll think something will go one way, and then you start writing and it goes a completely different way. Which is fine. If you really want it to go the way you intended you could always just go back and edit it that way. But I think part of the magic of writing is when you just let the story unfold and don’t try to force it to be something that it’s not.

What are you reading now?
Right now I am reading Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. I bought the eighth book not realizing it was part of a series, and then decided to give Outlander a try as I’d heard good things about it and it’s wildly popular. And I must say, it is quite good so far, although I’m not very far into it.

What’s next for you as a writer?
What’s next for me is continuing to write. As I mentioned earlier I have a Christmas short story coming soon, a romantic thriller in the new year, and some sort of fantasy that I’m working on.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Well, I would bring Outlander as I’m not finished reading it yet. I think I would also bring Fiend by Peter Stenson as it’s a zombie novel and if I ran into some other stranded people we could read it around the campfire and scare each other. I think I would also bring Spanking Shakespeare by Jake Wizner, as being stranded on an island I think I would need a good laugh.

Author Websites and Profiles
Emily Howitt Website
Emily Howitt Amazon Profile
Emily Howitt’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Twitter Account

Emily Howitt is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve been a writer for over 30 years. I’ve written for newspapers, magazines, advertising as a copywriter, and as a freelancer. I’ve written everything from ads on radio and television to articles and speeches. All that writing behind me gave me the confidence (after many years of practice and navigating a gauntlet of beta readers) to release my first novel.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
‘Goners’ is a young adult, paranormal novel with a mystery twist to it. I was inspired by ghost stories that my parents shared with me when I was a kid. They always gave me chills but were so much fun to hear and I wanted to do the same for readers, especially young adult readers. Many have told me that they enjoy a good scare.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I admire those who can write by the seat of their pants but I honestly couldn’t even attempt it. I’m a creature of outlining. I believe in having a road map that helps keep me on track through the writing process. It’s not carved in stone and I do fluctuate from it, but it is a guide that keeps me moving forward.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Kelley Armstrong has been a huge influence on my writing. I’ve been lucky enough to pick her brain on a few occasions and the information she shared with me has been invaluable. That, and reading her work has been a great learning experience and tremendously enjoyable. Other authors that have influenced me would be Stephen King, Peter Straub, J.K. Rowling, Douglas Adams, and Shane Stevens.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on the follow up book to ‘Goners’. It’s the second of a trilogy I call ‘The Lifters Series’. While I’m plotting out that book I’m polishing an adult paranormal novel called ‘A Bloody Mess’.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I have to say it’s social media. I know that’s generalizing but it’s the truth. What I strive to do is take advantage of the best advertising, word of mouth. Those social media sites get the ball rolling. As will this interview. Thanks for including me.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Keep writing. No matter what, keep writing. Doing is truly the best way to learn the craft.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Aside from the advice I already mentioned I’d have to say it’s never give up.

My writing history allowed me to thicken my skin before I started writing novels and screenplays. I’d pitch magazine editors all the time and even had a few of those magazines hold editorial meetings on just my ideas for stories. But, the ratio of acceptance to rejection is a very low number. I learned very quickly that you can’t take rejection personally. In fact, I used rejection as a motivator – a sort of ‘I’ll show you’ kind of fuel. I even have a file in my desk labelled ‘fuel’. Every rejection used to go in there to help motivate me to work harder.

Never give up. Learn from rejection. Agents and publishers don’t like saying no. They want you to succeed because your success is their success. Listen to them carefully. Use the information they share with you to get better at the craft of writing.

What are you reading now?
On the fiction front I’m reading Kelley Armstrong’s Wild Justice. On the non-fiction front I’m just finishing up Independent Ed by Edward Burns.

What’s next for you as a writer?
More writing. More editing. More polishing. It’s truly the best job in the world. I’ve been discussing the production of a screenplay I wrote with a Scottish production company. I’ve written a short film that I’m crewing right now and hope to start filming soon. I’m finishing up a short documentary on Cosplay and I’m researching another short documentary on the lax penalties of drinking and driving. All this while writing a new novel and polishing a finished one. Lots to do.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
This is truly a difficult question to answer. But, in no particular order, The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy by Adams, Stolen by Armstrong, Misery by King, Ghost Story by Straub, By Reason of Insanity by Stevens and any (or all) of the Harry Potter series by Rowling.

Author Websites and Profiles
I.O. Neil Amazon Profile

I.O. Neil’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

I.O. Neil is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
The founder of European Geeks and a self-proclaimed nerd – Elisha is obsessed with faeries, witches, science fiction, the paranormal, and all things Buffy the Vampire Slayer & Doctor Who. Spending over a decade managing high volume businesses for others, Elisha decided to take a step back and focus on her own passions; leading her to open European Geeks Publishing. Elisha is an editor, reviewer, and freelance writer when not hard at work for European Geeks. Originally from the UK, Elisha now lives on a small family farm in Florida with her German husband and their three children, as well as an assortment of animals – peacocks, ducks, chickens, goats, pigs, and horses. Her children’s book, Mr. Edmund Goat and the Elusive Clover, illustrated by Alyssa Savery, launched July 19th, 2015 and her fantasy novel, RED, is scheduled for late 2016.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Mr. Edmund Goat and the Elusive Clover is my most recently published book. It was inspired by my daughter’s goofy goats and is based on a real-life incident that they experienced.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I am a mother of three that lives on a farm. My kids and animals are all very loud and active during the daytime. This has led to me writing late into the night. I do my best work around midnight, when I’m reaching the brink of exhaustion from a long day. I also require music to write. I find soundtracks that are similar to the genre I am writing at the time and listen to those as I write.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Alastair Swinnerton, author of The Multiverse of Max Tovey, has always been one of my big influences. Of course, the usuals – Anne Rice, Stephen King. I am also a big fan of Joss Whedon and Stephan Moffat as writers – even though they’re screenwriters, not novelists. The Silver Kiss by Annette Curtis Klause was probably the biggest though – it was the first book I truly fell in love with.

What are you working on now?
RED – a dark fantasy that combines Pagan folklore and bits of the old, darker fairy tales (like Grimm’s).

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I utilize Facebook a lot. The paid ads are great, as well as the book clubs and writers groups there.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
WRITE IT DOWN! The best advice I can give any author is to just write down everything – you don’t know if you’ve struck gold or not, if you don’t dig for it! Write everything down as it comes, worry about the quality after you have it down!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have the time (or the tools) to write. Simple as that.”
― Stephen King

What are you reading now?
“Wishing for Survival” by Jessica Marie Baumgartner, book two in the Embracing Entropy Series.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Just keep writing! I plan on finishing RED and pushing it to release by the end of next year. I’m also currently (slowly) working on a paranormal short story collection.

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 Silver Kiss by Annette Curtis Klause, City of Bones, and Heaven’s Forgotten by Branden Johnson.

Author Websites and Profiles
Elisha Neubauer Website
Elisha Neubauer Amazon Profile

Elisha Neubauer’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

Elisha Neubauer is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve written 10 science fiction novels plus a nonfiction book about the history of belief in extrasolar worlds. Six of my novels are for young adults, though adults also enjoy them. (The first one, Enchantress from the Stars, was a Newbery Honor book.) They were first published in the 1970s but have all had new hardcover, paperback, and ebook editions in the 21st century. My four most recent novels are for adults.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My most recent is an adult science fiction novel, Herald of the Flame. It’s a sequel to Defender of the Flame and was inspired by new ideas I had about the hero’s later life — I wasn’t expecting to write a sequel but then I thought of something that would logically happen to him that I just had to tell about.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I do my best writing between midnight and 6 a.m. I normally sleep in the daytime and work at night; since I’m in my 80s and have no outside schedule that I have to conform to, I’m free to do that.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I don’t think any particular ones influenced my writing, at least not recently. Long ago I was influenced by some of Heinlein’s early books, especially his YA novels.

What are you working on now?
A nonfiction book about religious attitudes toward extraterrestrial life that I’ve been researching for many years but have never had time to write.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
My website, www.sylviaengdahl.com. My books are very difficult to promote because they don’t fit neatly into any established genre. They’re not typical sci-fi and are enjoyed most by people who rarely browse in the science fiction category.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write because you enjoy writing and have ideas you want to share with readers. Don’t expect to make money — making a significant amount of money from writing fiction is very rare.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Write the kind of books you yourself like to read; don’t be limited by what you think will sell.

What are you reading now?
Mostly nonfiction.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I don’t know if I’ll ever have an idea for another novel, since all my past ones except the sequels developd for years in my mind before coming to the surface. At my age that’s unlikely to happen again. But I may write more nonfiction.

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?
Whatever was on my Kindle. If I didn’t have an ereader with me I couldn’t read at all, since print is too hard on my eyes now.

Author Websites and Profiles
Sylvia Engdahl Website
Sylvia Engdahl Amazon Profile
Sylvia Engdahl Author Profile on Smashwords

Sylvia Engdahl’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Sylvia Engdahl is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I live in the Blue Mountains west of Sydney Australia. I have been writing since I was a small child, poems, essays, plays, short stories and one book.

Over the years, I have completed several courses in writing, both fiction and non-fiction but have never submitted any of my work to publishers. As a newly published author, I am just starting my journey, and Shadows of Knight is the first full-length book I’ve written, as part of a trilogy.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Shadows of Knight is book one in the Dark Shadows trilogy. It is a romantic suspense story based in Vancouver BC. I got the inspiration to write the book, during my first visit to the beautiful and romantic city, two years ago with my wonderful husband. I’ve never been into straight romance stories, but I do love a good mystery, so I thought, combining the two, would be a perfect fit for me as a writer, and a lot of fun.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I have collected a wealth of experiences and travel adventures over the years. So, I like to pluck out bits of my own life’s story and weave them into my writing, just to add a bit of spice and authenticity to my stories.

From my years of college and university, I’ve developed a passion for doing research, which is something I do, to help me get my head inside the story I’m writing. I love spending time, searching on Google for images that match with my ideas for different elements of my story, such as background settings, and how my characters would look in real life.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
When it comes to reading, I enjoy a variety of genres. Colleen McCullough, an Australian author, is one of my favourites. As a former student of ancient history, I especially loved her Roman series. Agatha Christie is another favourite, when it comes to murder mysteries.

What are you working on now?
The other two books to the Dark Shadows trilogy are almost complete and I will be publishing them over the next few months. I have also researched and mapped out the story lines for next two books, after that.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I have only just started the long journey in promoting my first book, so I haven’t found what works best for me, as yet.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
As a new author myself, I’ve learned how important planning and preparation are when it comes to the writing process. You also need to do your research, to make sure each and every element in your story, rings true.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t let the obsession to be perfect, prevent you from achieving your goals.

What are you reading now?
I’ve just recently discovered Pepper Winters, a dark romantic suspense author, and her “Indebted Series”.

What’s next for you as a writer?
To keep writing stories, developing my craft and learning the business of promoting and marketing.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin – a favourite growing up.
Lord of the Rings Trilogy by J R R Tolkien – another favourite
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho – because it’s been sitting on my bookshelf unread for years.
A History of Ancient Egypt by John Romer

Author Websites and Profiles
M E Whiter Website
M E Whiter Amazon Profile

M E Whiter is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Allen Tiffany is a retired Army Infantry Officer and has graduated from the Army’s Airborne and Ranger schools and the Command and General Staff College. He has also earned his graduate degree in Creative Writing and has published a number of professional articles, a short story, has been a newspaper columnist, and he has been a fiction editor for a campus literature magazine. Allen was born in Kansas and has lived in Georgia, California, Texas and Singapore. He has traveled extensively in Asia and Europe. When not working in the high-tech industry, Allen spends his time with his wife and four daughters or writing. He also enjoys long distance biking. He has published one novel and is working on his second, which he expects to publish in early 2016.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
“Youth In Asia” This novella was been a long time coming. As I detailed in the forward of the book, in a professional sense I matured into a young man in my early 20s under the guidance and support of the officers and NCOs I was working with at the time. They were Vietnam Veterans who taught me a lot about how to be a leader and how to be a soldier. I owed them a big debt of thanks, and this novella is my way of finally repaying that debt. This is also why half the money I get for it is going to Veterans organizations.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I have a long commute to work every morning, so often upload my latest manuscript to a cloud drive where I can access it from my phone, and then play it back with Text-To-Speech software in the car while I’m driving. Of course I can’t make any notes or changes while I’ve got my hands on the wheel, but I often hear a few things that give me pause and I remember to address later.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Frank Herbert’s Dune is a big one. The complexity and intricacy of that one is impressive. Stephen King’s On Writing is powerful not only for what he shares about learning how to write, but also about his life and and how that has influenced his writing.

What are you working on now?
A very big project! It is a complex military sci fi epic that will be cut into 5 books. It did not start out this way, but it is where the characters have taken it. The first two books are close to being done. The third is about half done. Four and five are outlined and a few chapters are complete. You can read an excerpt of the first one here: http://www.allentiffany.com/lonely-hunter-science-fiction-novel/

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’ve not cracked the code on this one. I’m reluctant to spend much money, but I’ve generated a little bit of traffic from Bing advertising (I got a $200 credit), a bit of traffic from my website…a few other random places. I think the best thing I’ve done is optimize my Amazon web page.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Absolutely: 1) Be concise; cut the extra words. 2) At most, no more than one adverb every 250 words. May sound silly, but getting rid of the adverbs will make your writing stronger. 3) Use tools such as ProWritingAid or AutoCrit to help edit your work. They are powerful tools to really clean up your work. 4) Join an online writing workshop such as CritiqueCircle to get others to proof your work (they have a free option). 5) Understand that good writing takes work. So write because you love it, but if you are too lazy to put a lot of effort into it, don’t expect your work to amount to much. 6) Promoting your novel once you publish is far harder than you think, and takes a lot of thought to do it well. Make a plan and make sure it is thorough, and be ready to put a lot of hours into making it work.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
When it comes to writing, be concise and cut the extra words is probably the best.

What are you reading now?
Dune. I have not read it in about 20 years, so going back to it.

What’s next for you as a writer?
More 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?
Dune (as mentioned, I think it brilliant), Atlas Shrugged (also brilliant, and not only is it long, it is dense, so if stuck on a desert island would keep me distracted), Battle Cry (Not a great piece of literature, but a great view of a young American in the early 40’s and his time in the military during WWII), War and Peace (massive, reportedly brilliant, and I have not yet read it).

Author Websites and Profiles
Allen Tiffany Website
Allen Tiffany Amazon Profile

Allen Tiffany’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Allen Tiffany is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have four books out right now, but three more will be completed soon.

Books available right now are: Perfect Match, A Smoky Mountain Christmas, A Matter of Taste and Christmas at Apple Lake.

I read every moment I can.

I love to paint, but haven’t painted in a few years, I’ve always loved the feel of a brush in my hand moving over canvas.

On the other hand, being a grandmother is a wonderful career in itself! I’m married with one awesome son, a fabulous daughter-in-law and a tremendously, bright and talented grandson.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Christmas at Apple Lake. (Available now in Christmas on Main Street Book 2. Anthology.

Christmas at Apple Lake will be available as a stand a lone book mid-January 2016.

I wanted to create a character that had lived too long under someone else’s control and finally comes to realize she’d lived in her husband’s shadow. Now she’s ready to break the mold, but finds her children are unwavering in their persistence to continue where their father left off before his death. They’d learned control too young and too well.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Well…yes. Staying up too late, although I’m sure there are many writers who write into the wee hours of the morning. I sometimes stay up until three or four in the morning. After breakfast, I try to clear a few hours to do nothing but write. If I’m on a roll, writing time can run into five or six hours. I screen my calls in case of an emergency, but no phone calls. The phone is a big distraction for me. I keep photos of my family close by for inspiration. I also have photos of what I think my characters look like. That helps keep them fresh in my mind.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Celestine Sibley, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Susan Wiggs, Rae Anne Thayne, Debbie Macomber, John Grisham.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on three novels right now. A Smoky Mountain Christmas Wedding, Loving Lexi and Forget Me Not.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m one of ten authors at Authors of Main Street. We publish at least two books per year as an anthology. Our latest has five authors for Christmas and is Christmas on Main Street – Book 2. I use Twitter and Facebook and also have a website. http://caroldevaney.weebly.com/ I have two Facebook Pages. https://www.facebook.com/Carol-DeVaney-116690041776153/?ref=hl and https://www.facebook.com/caroldevaney.author

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write from your heart. Without emotion, the story is meaningless. Write something everyday. Keep that brain muscle exercised. Grab the reader within the first sentence or first few sentences .

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Write from the heart. Write what you know. Know your story’s beginning, middle and ending. Outline your story. Outlines aren’t set in stone, and will most likely change as the characters become real to you. Get the story down, then you can revise and polish. Leave your editor in the other room until it’s time for him/her to work with you.

What are you reading now?
Christmas on Main Street – Book 2. The five books are brand new and all have a Christmas theme.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I have several books with short outlines to be written. I also have a children’s book to publish. There’s no shortage of stories in my head.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
The Bible, Gone With the Wind, The Stand, anything by John Grisham.

Author Websites and Profiles
Carol DeVaney Website
Carol DeVaney Amazon Profile
Carol DeVaney Author Profile on Smashwords

Carol DeVaney’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Carol DeVaney is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
When I was a kid I loved to read. Pretty much anything I could get my hands on (some I probably shouldn’t have read at such a young age, but…oh well). I realized I could get lost in a book and the reality of being a bank geek faded into the background. Yes…I was a band geek. Yes…I went to band camp. No…what happened in the movie never happened at any band camp I went to. :o)

So, after high school, I went to college to become a Paramedic and then eventually a Flight Paramedic. I’ve seen things that would make your skin crawl and for you to never have a decent nights sleep again, But I also have seen a lot of good. People helping people. Babies being born (I’ve delivered a lot of them), and people surviving. That’s what I want my characters to experience.

Once I was done with the EMS part of my life, I met a great man and we settled down in Florida (I’m a native). Now-a-days, I work in accounting (I know…pretty boring compared to EMS) and I write when I have time.

We have two cats (one thinks he’s a dog) and four dogs (not including the cat). When I’m not writing, you can find me writing, on social media, researching my next book, crafting (although I’m not very good, I still enjoy it), traveling, and hanging out with my husband.

My books Sideways and Always are out now.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Always – The Sideways Series Book 2
It’s the continuation of the story between Olivia Prescott and Gabriel Hughes.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not really…I just sit down and let the characters tell what to say.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I loved the Fifty Shades of Grey series and the Crossfire Series.
When I read them, I thought to myself that I could do that…so I did.

What are you working on now?
the novella of Olivia and Gabriel called Forever.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Awesomegang.com…..of course.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Just do it. Stop thinking about it and just do it.

Also…carry a notebook EVERYWHERE you go.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Be patient.

What are you reading now?
Star Struck: Starlight Series by JS Taylor

What’s next for you as a writer?
Keep on writing. My imagination never stops.

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 Fifty series and the Crossfire series.

Author Websites and Profiles
Annie Carlisle Website
Annie Carlisle Amazon Profile
Annie Carlisle’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Annie Carlisle is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hello, my name is Tony M. Smith. I am a third year California State college student studying English literature. I love to create stories from scratch. I have written eleven books so far but I have only published one due to the fact that editing is the best part of writing. Every time I edit one of my stories, it gets better and I have to eventually force myself to set a date to publish.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The name of my latest book is titled “The Sinful Nature of Sheep.” The inspiration came from not having a concrete plan for my future. The main character in the story is like a lot of us in many ways. Sometimes we don’t know where to go or what to do, so we end up following others. Because I am a big fan of action movies, this book does have that fast paced element that will keep the readers engaged.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t tend to stress about my writing habits. When I write, I write. When I don’t, I don’t. I tend to focus on editing a lot though. A story is usually written fairly quickly, the editing takes the longest. But, I like it! I want to give the readers something they can enjoy over and over.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I’m influenced by a bunch of different authors. I’m a fan of Ernest Hemingway, Tom Clancy, Mary Wollstonecraft, Stephen King, and many others. I remember reading “Where the Sidewalk Ends,” when I was about 7 years old. I wanted to write like Shel Silverstein, but I didn’t have anything to write about at such a young age. I had no experience and all I could do was copy at that point in my life. Another book that influenced me a lot was “Catcher in the Rye.” It is still one of my favorite books and I like to read it every 2 years or so just so I forget that small details.

What are you working on now?
I am currently editing the next story that will be published at the beginning of summer 2016. I don’t want to give away anything too soon so I’ll try to be as covert as possible.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
The best website when it comes to promoting my book has been AwesomeGang.com!

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Edit! Edit! Edit! That is the best advice I can give. Readers don’t want to spend money on a book with too many typos and mistakes. Try to give your audience the best story they have ever read in their lives. That is the goal.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best advice I have ever heard was, “Shut up and just listen.”

What are you reading now?
Right now I am reading “Private Berlin” by James Patterson.

What’s next for you as a writer?
What’s next for me as a writer is to keep writing. I want the readers to be able to track my progress as I continue to write and publish stories.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
1. “For Whom the Bell Tolls,” by Ernest Hemingway.
2. “Without Remorse,” by Tom Clancy.
3. “The Catcher in the Rye,” by J.D. Salinger.
4. “The Sinful Nature of Sheep,” by Tony M. Smith.

Author Websites and Profiles
Tony M. Smith Amazon Profile

Tony M. Smith is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a former high school science teacher, and I began writing my first novel She Dies at the End when I was the stay-at-home mom of a toddler. I had written a lot of stories as a teen, but I hadn’t done any creative writing in years. I really needed an artistic outlet at that time in my life. Eventually, as the story grew and matured, I decided to publish it. The sequel is about half done, and I have an idea percolating for another series.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My book is called She Dies at the End. It is about a psychic who cannot see her own future, save for what appears to be the scene of her funeral. The book grew out of an idea I had for the main character, November, whom I imagined to be a carnival fortune teller who was a true psychic rather than a charlatan. I also had a desire to write an intelligent vampire novel in which the female protagonist really stands up for herself, and one in which the cast of characters was diverse. I feel like most popular novels have very homogeneous casts, and I wanted characters of color as well as gay and lesbian characters to better reflect the real world. My son is biracial, and all my students were children of color, and I wanted to write something where people like them could see themselves reflected in the characters.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I tend to write over coffee, life everyone else. I do like to brainstorm while on long drives and in the shower.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
My favorite writers are Stacy Schiff, Hilary Mantel, Isabel Allende, and J.K. Rowling. I think they have all influenced me in different ways. I aspire to someday create a magical world as rich as Rowling’s, and her personal story of writing as a young mother is inspiring. Schiff has a way of bringing the past to life that I love. Mantel has an amazing gift for dialogue that I hope to one day be able to approach, as well as a remarkable talent for humanizing villains. Allende conveys various cultures in such an effective, vibrant, emotional way.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on the sequel to She Dies at the End, as well as a set of short stories about different characters from that universe. The stories answer some questions and fill in back story about some of the pivotal people in November’s life.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m still learning what is effective and what is not for me. So far, my greatest success has been in asking those who’ve enjoyed my work to share it with their friends on social media. I’m excited to see how Awesomegang affects my ability to reach readers.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Be brave and let some people read your stuff. Putting yourself out there is so hard, but nothing good comes without risk. You’ll find that most people want to be encouraging and helpful.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best advice I’ve ever gotten is that sometimes, you have to fight for what is yours.

What are you reading now?
Right now, I’m reading three different books: Kismet by Shaheen Darr, The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander, and Rebel Queen by Michelle Moran.

What’s next for you as a writer?
As far as what is next for me, I’m going to keep plugging away on my sequel, work on expanding my marketing efforts, and make more connections with fellow indie 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 bring Wolf Hall, War and Peace, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, and the Bible (NRSV).

Author Websites and Profiles
A.M. Manay Website
A.M. Manay Amazon Profile

A.M. Manay’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

A.M. Manay is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Author of four novels and two nonfiction books, Eric Auxier is an airline pilot by day, writer by night, and kid by choice.

An Airbus A321 Captain for a major U.S. airline, Mr. Auxier is also a columnist for Airways Magazine and AirwaysNews.com, as well as a freelance writer and blogger (capnaux.com).

Mr. Auxier has contributed to such publications as Arizona Highways, Airways Magazine, Plane & Pilot and AOPA Pilot. His blog, ADVENTURES OF CAP’N AUX (capnaux.com) is read by thousands worldwide.

Mr. Auxier makes his home in Phoenix, Arizona.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
“Jihadi Hijacking—Code Name: Dodger Mission 3” continues the young adult “Spy/Fly” adventures of teen orphan Justin Reed and his adopted secret agent father Bob Cheney.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I mostly write in hotel rooms between my flights, but I also have another weird quirk I call, “The 3am inspiration.” I wish it could be the “3pm inspiration!”

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Tom Clancy. I love how he combines technical facts and multiple story lines into exciting fiction. My novel, The Last Bush Pilots, was written in much that style, and captured a Top 100 spot in Amazon’s 2013 Breakthrough Novels Awards in the Mainstream Fiction category.

What are you working on now?
“Yakuza Connection—Code Name: Dodger Mission 4.”

I’m also writing Volume 3 of my nonfiction anthology, “There I Wuz! Adventures From 3 Decades in the Sky.”

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Amazon: http://amazon.com/author/ericauxier
Blog: http://capnaux.com

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write what you know, and write as often as you can. Above all, join a writer’s group, where you can critique each other’s works!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“It starts by saying you can. And what we say becomes our reality.”
—Jessica Cox, the world’s first and only licensed pilot with no arms.

What are you reading now?
Code Name Infamy by Leland Shanle

What’s next for you as a writer?
Continue to deliver awesome content to my blog, capnaux.com, write for Airways Magazine, and pump out as many adventurous books as I can!

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
The Bible
The Autobiography of Mark Twain—Vol’s 1 & 2!

Author Websites and Profiles
Eric Auxier Website
Eric Auxier Amazon Profile

Eric Auxier’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Twitter Account

Eric Auxier is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have been employed in the electronic engineering and computing industries for many years. I have written many documents and manuals associated with this work, but have not until recently published a book.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
When I commenced my spiritual jouney through the churches (that represented the first 10-years of my Christian life), the information I gathered through emails and letters to those I shared my beliefs with eventually inspired me to compile these notes into a manuscript that enabled me to author my first eBook titled, ‘The Hitchhiker’s Guide Through the Churches’.

Through my experiences in the churches, I discovered that God requires those who call themselves “born-gain” Christians to separate themselves from their former sinful lifestyle (after accepting Christ as their Savior) to be transformed into a new lifestyle that equates to ‘godliness’ (1 Tim 6:3-7); however such a choice to draw nearer to God (Acts 17:27) tends to separate such people from their (former) friends (1 Peter 4:1-6).

Since learning about these things more clearly, this motivated me to write my eBook.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Yes. As a Christian writer, I often refer to scripture verses and quote them for the purpose of justifying what I say.

When I quote scripture, I often underline and bold certain words to emphasize my claims. If more emphasis is required, I will CAPITALIZE maybe three of four words.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I find the notes in the Dake Bible very helpful for anyone wanting to seriously study the King James Bible. I have also purchased several of Finis Jennings Dake’s books such as God’s Plan for Man.

Other authors to influence my beliefs are Clarence Larkin (e.g. Dispensational Truth), Derek Prince (e.g. They Shall Expel Demons) and Ray Comfort (e.g. Hell’s Best Kept Secret).

What are you working on now?
I am researching material for an eBook that will explain the forthcoming Rapture of the Church (1 Tim 4:15-18) and especially how the Antichrist’s name can be calculated:

(Rev 13:18) “Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast (or Antichrist): for it is the number of a man; and his number is SIX HUNDRED, THREESCORE AND SIX (i.e. ‘666’).”

The Rapture is where Jesus Christ returns to the earth (in the clouds only) to receive His faithful disciples (Luke 14:26, 27 and 33) so as to remove them from the wrath of God to come upon the inhabitants of the earth (Col 3:5-7; 1 Thes 5:9-11) throughout the following 7-years of the Tribulation.

(Luke 21:36) “Watch ye therefore, and pray always, THAT YE MAY BE ACCOUNTED WORTHY TO ESCAPE ALL THESE THINGS THAT SHALL COME TO PASS, and to stand before the Son of man.”

My eBook will explain (using current news events) how the Rapture is fast approaching. Sadly, I believe many Christians will be ‘left-behind’ because they have failed to “obey the True Gospel message” (Rom 10:16). In this claim, I have discovered that many Christians prefer to embace the teachings of Satan’s ministers in today’s pupits (2 Cor 11:14-15) rather than the teachings of the Holy Spirit, as revealed in the scriptures (John 16:13).

These same attitudes were common amongst God’s people in the days leading up to Christ’s days on earth 2,000-years ago. Apostasy has always been a problem among God’s people, and God has often stated that only a REMNANT of His people will be saved:

(Rom 9:27) “Esaias [or Isaiah] also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, [only] A REMNANT shall be saved:”

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I cannot consider myself to be ‘successful’ so far, therefore I cannot answer this question. However, I am using all available websites that offer free promotions of eBooks to help my work become exposed.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Yes – use the free services of Shelley Hitz at www.shelleyhitz.com.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Shelley Hitz at www.shelleyhitz.com provides the best advice yet – most of it FREE.

What are you reading now?
Currently I am researching information relating to news events that relate to my next eBook.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I would like to engage with more Christians who are looking for more that just ‘church’ on Sundays.

The past 25-years of my spiritual jouney (representing my new life-in-Christ) has been an exciting an huge learning experience that has transformed my life!!

I have received a number of miraculous healings in my body that I would love to share with others as to why God allowed these sicknesses to happen (sometimes cancer); and what it took to receive the healings promised in scripture.

(James 5:14-16) “Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: [15] And THE PRAYER OF FAITH SHALL SAVE THE SICK, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. [16] Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, THAT YE MAY BE HEALED. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. ”

(1 Peter 2:24) “Who his own self [Jesus Christ] bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: BY WHOSE STRIPES YE WERE HEALED.

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 Dake Annotated Reference Bible.

Author Websites and Profiles
David Manalan Website
David Manalan Amazon Profile

David Manalan’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

David Manalan is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
edit biographydelete
Biography
MOHIT DHAKA is an author and a spiritual mentor, working as spiritual teacher on modern lifestyle as a consultant for the improvement of human life.
He has written three books so far
1. The Singularity
The Journey of human consciousness from Homo-sapiens to Robo-sapiens
2. The Science of happiness
The magic of life is to be on the another side of your smile
3. A lifetime of 7 Days
A spark of love, a message to the whole humanity, and an everlasting enlightening experience of being human.

Nowadays he is working on his 4th book, “A River of 7 seas.” This is a science fiction story, a war in the milky way galaxy. a story of four generations and control in the galaxy and the whole universe. and i think i will be a series of 5 to 7 books

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
A lifetime of 7 days – This story is about incarnations of BUDDHA,This book is the result of an inner calling from my heart, something inside me was compelling to write, to connect, and to pass a message of life and living in this modern world of science of technology.
BUDDHA inspired me to deliver a message to the humanity.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I start writing when i feel absorbed inside the story in my mind, i write because somethings pulls me from inside.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Roald Dahl, Dan Brown and many others.

What are you working on now?
A River of 7 seas.”
This is a science fiction story, a war in the milky way galaxy. a story of four generations and control in the galaxy and the whole universe. I think i will be a series of 5 to 7 books .

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I think writing for me is all about generating some human values in the writing. Touching human lives and delivering something valuable to everyone of them. Humanity is all about caring, sharing and helping everyone.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
just one: – Be true to yourself and everyone will follow you

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Doing is knowing and there is no other knowing than doing.

What are you reading now?
Trying to discover something more inside me.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I am a spiritual Guru, and I believe to transcend life in every format. Spirituality is the only sublime path we all have, because we all are spiritual beings and having a human experience of life. To enjoy human life completely, we must be spiritual at the very center of our being.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
1. Bhagwat GITA
2. Magic of believing
3. A lifetime of 7 Days

Author Websites and Profiles
Mohit Dhaka Website
Mohit Dhaka Amazon Profile

Mohit Dhaka’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Mohit Dhaka is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Angela Shori is a wife, mother, best-selling author and marketer living and writing in Austin, Texas. By day, she is a Creative Director charged with shepherding a team of copywriters to create unique campaigns for some of the world’s top brands. As a reader, her tastes are very eclectic, and that comes out in her writing as well. She has written and published a historical romance, marketing texts, short stories and most recently a children’s book.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My recent release, A Boo-tiful Halloween, is a fun picture book for ages 2-5. It’s a brief, rhyming tale of a group of friendly monsters and what makes them different and unique. While engaging young pre-readers with the bright colors and simple language, it explores the concepts of opposites and differences. It’s garnered great reviews on Amazon as well as other blogs. It was inspired by the joy my two children take in most everything, especially Halloween. It’s become a requested favorite in our home.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
As they say, having a baby changes everything. Having two doubles that. As a busy working mom, the time to sit and write grew very scarce and I found that I was exercising that part of my brain by creating stories that my children could appreciate and enjoy. I used to need complete quiet and concentration to write. Now I write around the noise and fun. Most of my recent stories had first drafts in the notes section of my iPhone. A far cry from the dream I once had of typing out the next great novel in an isolated cabin somewhere in the Irish countryside.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I grew up on Shakespeare and Jane Austen, but my recent influences have come from the amazing children’s authors I’ve been exposed to through reading time with my children. Our favorites are Anna Dewdney’s Llama Llama series, Mo Willems’ Pigeon and Friends, James Mayhew’s Ella Bella Ballerina series, and Jane O’Conner’s Fancy Nancy.

What are you working on now?
I created a couple of characters that have turned into alter egos for my little ones. We use the stories to teach lessons and have fun. I’m in the process of getting the first in the series illustrated and hope to have it on the market in the coming months.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m still quite new to the marketing aspect of Indie Publishing, but I’ve found tremendous help and guidance from many places online. I discovered Awesomegang through a listing on Don Sloan’s author blog: https://donsloanauthor.wordpress.com/free-promo-sites-for-authors-2/

Do you have any advice for new authors?
The hardest part of publishing a book is pressing go. It’s never going to perfect, but it can be professional. Write from your heart and find an audience. You will control your success or failure.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Write every day. This has been said by so many people I wouldn’t know who to credit with it, but you get better with practice in almost everything. And read every day. You never know what will inspire or shape your world view.

What are you reading now?
I just finished a great ebook from Pamela Fagan Hutchins called Saving Grace. It was really fun and a nice diversion. I’m also reading James Altucher’s Choose Yourself and couldn’t recommend it more to an aspiring writer or Indie Publisher.

What’s next for you as a writer?
In addition to the children’s book series, next in the hopper are a series of travel books for parents with small children and a picture book featuring great women in history. It’s important to me to be able to share my view of the world in a manner that my girls can consume and to create strong characters that provide a positive look into who they can be. Raising daughters is a difficult job made more so by antiquated gender roles that are still seen in many media targeted toward children. I want to create a world and an expectation in them that they can be and do anything. And that’s the message of my books.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
A Jane Austen compilation, Sophie Kinsella’s Confessions of a Shopaholic, Ludwig Bemelman’s Madeline, and Alexandre Dumas’ The Three Musketeers

Author Websites and Profiles
Angela Shori Website
Angela Shori Amazon Profile
Angela Shori’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Angela Shori is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Currently, I have 15 entries on Amazon, two of which are in the anthologies Erotica After Midnight and Hot Summer Reads. Prior to that, I had over seventy submissions to a free site.

I’m a veteran living in the heart of the Appalachians who loves to spend his time enjoying the outdoors when I’m not writing. I’ve been writing on and off for about twenty years now and have had the fortune to be published in a couple of newspapers for short stories that I wrote. I got into writing erotica a little over ten years ago but put it down to serve my country after 9/11. Three years ago an old friend convinced me to take writing up again and I haven’t looked back since. For over years, I honed my writing skills on a free site, placing 4th and 10th in their Survivor contest before striking out into the indie publishing world.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Bloody Webcams is the latest book. It was inspired by a chat between two members of The Cabin, the group I’ve produced anthologies with. They were throwing out brief scenes, challenging each other to paint an image with as few words a possible. Several of those words, a cupcake, a dildo, and a computer monitor stuck in there and painted their story.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’ve heard of all sorts of habits so I’m really not sure what is unusual anymore. I suppose it’s that I don’t have a dedicated place to write. So many authors have little writing areas where they surround themselves with inspiration. I have yet to carve myself out a little nook like that, though I may have to look into that next year.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
My favorite authors to read are Jim Butcher, John Ringo, and Robert Jordan who I’ve learned quite a bit about world building and character building.
I’ve worked with Tx Tall Tales and Patient Lee on grammar and details in particular to writing erotica.

What are you working on now?
At the moment, I’m working on the fifth book in the transgender erotica series Shelley, titled Shelley: Halloween. Shelley and her boyfriend Matt will be attending a costume party at a transgender friendly resort. The series up till now has been fairly lighthearted and mostly about the sexual exploration of Shelley. With this book, there will be a major plot twist to the series, taking it down a more serious path to bring transgender issues to light.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
The best promotion I’ve had was when we were able to get our anthology, Hot Summer Reads, on Bookbub last June. Other than that I’ve been fortunate enough to be in a number of blogs who offer author interviews and the chance to discuss my writing. I’m exploring newsletters now, with some mixed results.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Keep writing and don’t get discouraged early on. I wrote seriously for over two years on a free site, putting out over 70 entries onto the site until I figured out what I enjoyed writing and what readers enjoyed me writing. Coming into the paid market was like starting all over from scratch. It will take time for you to build a fanbase and for your name to get out there.
Speaking of getting your name out there, be sure to research out the sites that you choose to advertise through. Make sure that they actually get the results they claim.
Finally, be proactive and protect your work, especially any work you put out on a free site. There are story sites out there that exist simply to scrape your story and post it on their own site. Sometimes they give credit, plenty of times they don’t. There are also plenty of people out there who have no qualms with taking your work and posting it on a place like Amazon or Smashwords for the few months that they’ll get away with it.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
To just keep writing. You can’t get better as a writer if you don’t write. With rare exception, every writer needs feedback to find the problem areas that your stories have. All too often we don’t see the little mistakes, and while correction software has vastly improved, it still isn’t the best at asking the little mistakes that add up to big problems. An incorrect name, an unresolved thread, or a pace that leaves a reader disinterested. You only really get to discover these problems by writing and having people read your stories.

What are you reading now?
Currently, I’m reading Green Rider by Kristen Britain when I’m in the mood for fiction and when I’m in the mood for non-fiction I read Our Mathematical University: My Quest for the Ultimate Nature of Reality by Max Tegmark.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Oh I always have a few projects floating around in the muse. Usually when I finish one book I work on several at a time until one really catches my interest and starts to fill itself out. At the moment, I have ideas for a Shelley Halloween story, a second story for the Roommates Delight series, a continuation of Alice’s story that I started in the Erotica After Midnight anthology, and one or two ideas that haven’t gained much traction but are still floating around there.

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?
Only four? Wow, I have way too many bookshelves full of books to choose only four. But I guess here goes: Kildar by John Ringo, Third Principia by Isaac Newton, Eye of the World by Robert Jordan, and Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder.

Author Websites and Profiles
JC Winchester Website
JC Winchester Amazon Profile

JC Winchester’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

JC Winchester is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My son and I write books together. We create, write and publish young adult and new adult fantasy books. We have been publishing books since 2009. Charlie is graduating from Automotive college this winter and I am a stay at home wife and mom. We have written 6 books all together with an adult version for the Kai’s Journey trilogy.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
. Kai’s Journey; The Trilogy is all three of the young adult books in one with an attractive adult cover. It was inspired J.K. Rowling doing adult versions of Harry Potter.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I like to write with no distractions. No phones, pets or people. Charlie can pretty much write anywhere.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Christopher Paolini, Terry Brooks, Louis L’amour, J.K. Rowling, Rick Riordan and many others.

What are you working on now?
Our latest story we are working on is called Pray to the Shadowman. It is inspired by a short story that I read a while ago.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
So far it has been KDRio that blankets quite a few sites including this one of Awesome Gang where we get great exposure.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Never give up and keep writing!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Keep trying, keep learning and there is no such thing as a dumb question.

What are you reading now?
The Elfstones of Shannara by Terry Brooks

What’s next for you as a writer?
To reach the title of best selling author on the New York Times or some place similar.

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?
Eragon series, Shannara Series and Sackett Series

Author Websites and Profiles
Wendy Siefken Charles Siefken Website
Wendy Siefken Charles Siefken Amazon Profile

Wendy Siefken Charles Siefken’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Wendy Siefken Charles Siefken is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I grew up in a small mining town in Northern Ontario where I spent just about every weekend in the bush hunting and fishing with my father. I studied English literature at York University, and attended the Humber School for Writers where I was lucky enough to be mentored by award-winning authors Joan Barfoot and Paul Quarrington. I’ve wanted to be a writer ever since I decided to go to university after high school, and not head out west to try to be a pro snowboarder or stay in town and work in forestry (I came very close to attempting both). Bad City is my first published novel. I live in Toronto with my wife and daughter.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Bad City is a post-apocalyptic story about a lawless world in a not-to distant future. I have always been fascinated with post-apocalyptic literature, probably because I grew up when the year 2000 was thought of as a possible end-times. I love westerns, and the lawless landscape of the classic western is the setting I tried to convey in Bad City.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write everyday, usually for 4-5 hours, and I always make a huge mug of black tea, with lemon and honey.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
My favorite writers are wordsmiths, authors who can do more with a single sentence than most can do with an entire novel, writers like Junot Diaz, Jonathan Franzen, Don Delillo, Michel Houellebecq, and Michael Winter, have all been very influential on me. But I am also a fan of great sci-fi, so I love the stories of Arthur C. Clarke, Kurt Vonnegut, and Philip K. Dick.

What are you working on now?
I am working on a literary fiction novel about a logger in a small town in Northern Ontario whose life slowly begins to unravel all around him. I’m trying to focus more on the words themselves, the sentences, and let the big picture figure itself out. I’m a big fan of not plotting too much. I plan a few scenes ahead just so I know what I have to work on next, but a story really begins to take off when the characters take on a life of their own, seem to make their own choices, and that’s nearly impossible to do when the book is all planned out.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Facebook. It all starts with the people you know, and your friends will be your strongest advocates.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write every single day, even when you are too tired or feel it won’t be any good. I wrote Bad City while working full time. I’d write for 2-3 hours every night, and the nights I was the most tired or uninspired were always the nights I wrote something special that surprised the hell out of me.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Amateurs whine about writer’s block. Professionals get up and go to work.

What are you reading now?
Ballistics by D.W. Wilson.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Finish this next book and worry about everything that comes after, after.

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?
Don Delillo – Libra
New Grub Street – George Gissing
Rendevous with Rama – Arthur C. Clarke

Many others but these are a good three off the top of my head.

Author Websites and Profiles
Matt Mayr Website
Matt Mayr Amazon Profile
Matt Mayr’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Matt Mayr is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m Lexie Syrah, a new erotica author who, like so many others, dreams of filling her days writing stories that make you crave release so badly that you’ll beg to be f***ed into oblivion. My Master is my husband, and I write my stories because he enjoys reading them so much. I live a Master/slave lifestyle that so many of my books are based on. BDSM is not a scene for me; it is my life. When people talk about things such as subspace and submission, I can relate to them, but I have more or less always lived in these states.

I’m a woman who loves a good cup of coffee anytime, day or night, an evening hike in the Green Belt around our Austin home, and secret love for silent films (A Trip to the Moon and Nosferatu are my favorites). I’ve spent entire weekends playing video games with Master, and other weekends, I’ve spent traveling around the country on spontaneous road trips. I’m free-spirited, and my favorite thing to do (other than Master, of course) is to see and experience new things. I love to enjoy every day, regardless of what it brings.

I have always been an avid reader and writer and have a special place in my heart for Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles. I had dreams as a child, long before I’d ever heard of vampires, of people just like Lestat, Armand, and Marius, and there’s a part of me that still has little hope that vampires are real, however, silly that may seem to others.

Master is a kind and gentle man until the wild animal inside of him comes out, and then he ravishes me without any concern other than his own. Being used like this puts me into a place of pure bliss, and I couldn’t imagine being with anyone else. He is my world, and I am his.

When he told me that I should start writing stories for him, I started by sending him emails before he woke up with little fantasy scenes of what I wanted him to do to me, and he quickly replaced those fantasies with shocking realities that ended with me screaming in ecstasy. He started to critique my stories, saying that I wasn’t exploring enough of myself, and I began to reach deeper into my soul to find the parts of me that I hadn’t even known were there. I started writing stories that weren’t as simple, weren’t as easy to throw together in 20 minutes. They led to conversations and personal discovery as well as earth-shattering orgasms that he so kindly gave to me. These stories started to grow in length, and after they had begun to take multiple hours to write, he told me that I should investigate self-publishing, which has led me here.

I started to publish stories and had a very welcoming reception to the process. I talked to people who had read my stories, and they told me some of theirs. Because I love to experience new things, we, of course, tried to live out as many of these fantasies as we could and have created many wonderful memories in the process.

I am a very social girl and enjoy talking to new people. If you’re ever in the mood to say anything, please send me a message on Twitter, my email, or on my website.

Since publishing my first story, I’ve realized that this is what I was meant to do. All of my life, I’ve wondered how I would ever have a lifestyle that revolved around my primal need for sexual indulgence, and writing erotica and dark, steamy real-life romance has given me that chance. So, here I am, a slave that’s reality has become far more perfect than she could have ever dreamed!

I have published 1 novel, 1 novella, and 34 short stories and collections of short stories.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Torn (Shattered Lives Vol 1) was inspired by the song Angel by Theory of a Deadman and recent life events.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I always sing karaoke on Singsnap.com (you can see my videos there!) before I start writing to get the emotions flowing.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Stephen King, Anne Rice, Anne Bishop, and Paulo Coelho are my biggest influences. Stephen King for writing style, Anne Rice for the ability to turn a book into an internal movie, Anne Bishop for writing romance than breaks boundaries, and Paulo Coelho for turning an idea into a story.

What are you working on now?
My current project is Wrath, the second part in the Shattered Lives series. I’ve very excited about it, and have already started the writing process. Expect to see it early in November!

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m a huge twitter user, but I utilize nearly every type of social media. I love talking to people where ever they find me.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Do not listen to others. That’s the beauty of self-publishing. My covers are different. My voice is different. My stories blur the lines of every genre. My subtitle for Torn is A Dark BDSM Romance Novel, but it’s so much more than that (at least from what my reader feedback has been), and I’d never have been able to do that if I’d just followed the traditional genre advice and “beats” like all of the other romance books.

Write whatever it is that compels you. If I were to send my stories to publishers, they’d turn them down because they don’t fit the romance genre, or any other genre for that matter. I write the story as it’s supposed to be written. The characters aren’t just pieces on a storyboard, they’re living, breathing people that I reveal to you.

Do not start writing to make others happy. If it calls to you, it will probably call to someone else, and that’s what matters. You’ll never make everyone happy. I write explicit sexual scenes that would offend many people, but my readers understand that sex is an important part of life, and if I “faded to black”, they wouldn’t be able to see that part of the characters.

Write to make yourself whole and satisfied. My very first stories were self-exploration stories. I wanted to understand what lay behind the veil of my conscious mind, and though I wrote stories, there was always something hidden. After reading these stories, I could understand the emotions that had built up inside of me. Now that I write novels, I feel like the emotions are even more apparent to the readers. If you read Torn, you’ll understand.

Make yourself envious of your own self! I started Torn as a short story, just another sex-filled deviant exploration of my mind. Then it became a novella. Then it became a novel. When I reread it on my first edit, I realized how amazing the story had unfolded. At the beginning of the story, it had simply been another short story. But the story needed… no, that’s the wrong word. The story demanded that everything was told, and I ran with it. Now, I can’t believe that it was really me that wrote it!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“Eat when it is time to eat. Move when it is time to move.”

Sometimes it’s hard to understand why you can’t just keep moving forward, but there is always a reason to do what is required when it is required. If you focus on what you’re not doing, it will only ruin the experience that you’re having at the moment. Every moment in life is beautiful, and all you have to do is stay right there without thinking about what happened yesterday or what will happen tomorrow.

What are you reading now?
I’m reading A Thing of Beauty by Bianca Schwarz. It’s the first historical romance I’ve read in a very long time, and I’m really enjoying it (when I actually get time to read!).

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m finishing the Shattered Lives story, and then I’m shifting gears and moving to a darker series of books with a completely different focus. Shattered Lives is about love (as all romances are), but it’s about all of the emotions that go along with it. A relationship is built on love and trust, but just like steel, the only way to strengthen it is by thrusting it into the fire and forcing the impurities out without mercy. It’s about accepting and embracing ALL of a person without forcing them to be someone that they’re not. It’s about the core facets of BDSM: communication, completely trust, honesty, and the power that a submissive holds over their dominant.

This next series will be a look at life through the dark glasses of heartache and lost love. It’ll be about living life in the moment rather than the past without forgetting that every moment in your life has been beautiful when you live only in the moment. I’d written half of the first book before I finally decided to concentrate on Shattered Lives, but now that Torn has been published, I’ll be finishing this series before returning to the other.

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 journals to write in!

Author Websites and Profiles
Lexie Syrah Website
Lexie Syrah Amazon Profile
Lexie Syrah’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Lexie Syrah is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am 29 and I teach middle and high school English. I love to write and coach recreational basketball for my community. This is my first book and I am extremely excited about putting it out there for the world to read.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
To Death is the name of my book and personal experiences, as well experiences from family and friends inspired it. Domestic abuse needs to be brought to light and women need to know that love does not hurt and there is a way out.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
No, I try to write at least 1,000 words per day to keep my mind going.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Eric Jerome Dickey, Sistah Souljah, and V.C. Andrews are my favorite authors and helped inspire me to put a story down on paper.

What are you working on now?
I don’t have a title for the project yet, but I am currently working on another book to be released by February 2016.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I think giving the book out for free as a promotion for the first few days helps to get it out there for the public to see.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Never give up, writing is process and it takes time to perfect your skill. Never stop trying and never stop creating.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
If you believe it, you CAN achieve it.

What are you reading now?
The Optimist’s Daughter

What’s next for you as a writer?
To publish my next book and have a book signing in my city of residence.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
The Bible, Flowers in the Attic, The Coldest Winter Ever, The 48 Laws of Power

Author Websites and Profiles
Jaquita O’neal Website
Jaquita O’neal Amazon Profile
Jaquita O’neal’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

Jaquita O’neal is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
From daring escapes by tough women to chivalrous men swooping in to save the day, the creativity switch to Kishan Paul’s brain is always in the ‘on’ position. If daydreaming stories were a college course, Kish would graduate with honors.
Mother of two beautiful children, she has been married to her best friend for over 16 years. With the help of supportive family and friends, she balances her family, a thriving counseling practice, and writing without sinking into insanity.
Currently, Kish has three published works.
Blind Love (Contemporary Romance)
http://www.amazon.com/Blind-Love-Kishan-Paul-ebook/dp/B00WYTF3IO/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8
The Second Wife (Suspense/Thriller; Romantic Suspense)
http://www.amazon.com/Second-Wife-Kishan-Paul-ebook/dp/B0144W7QEW/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8
Taking The Plunge (Contemporary Romance, novella)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0172DZ2YG?ref=cm_flw_time

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My lastest full novel is The Second Wife. I still remember the night the story came to me. I was walking to my car in a deserted parking lot. By the time I was in the car, the story line for this book, The Second Wife, was in my head. It was all I could think of until, finally I got out of bed that night and started writing it down. Although Blind Love was the first novel I had published, The Second Wife was the first story I ever wrote.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I really don’t have a routine or a favorite spot where I write. Typically, I need total silence. If I’m stuck, I will put on a song that sets the stage for a scene I’m working on. I don’t really have an ideal writing spot. The kitchen table, the dining room, on my sofa, in my office, in the car — I can write just about anywhere and have a tendency to get bored of staying in one spot for too long. Regardless of where I sit, it needs to be quiet and absolutely boring. As cool as the idea of writing by a beach or in the mountains is, I’d get so lost in the scenery, I’d never get more than a few words written—trust me I’ve tried.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Yikes. There are too many to list. Let’s see: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Twilight Stephanie Meyer, All things Colleen Hoover

What are you working on now?
I just started One Sunny Daye. It will be the story of Sunshine Daye, a character from Blind Love. Sunny’s an erotic romance writer and funny. Needless to say, I’m having a blast with her story.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I am a big proponent of Facebook marketing. Their ads and the help of my street team, Kish’s Collective, I have been able to do most of my book promoting.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
The advice I would give to other authors is the same I’ve gotten: It’s a hard and long process and most of the time you’ll question yourself and your story. Thicken your skin, don’t give up, and one day you can look back and say “Wow did I really do that?” Make friends with other writers, they understand where you are and how you feel. And don’t forget to pay attention to your readers. They are so important in this journey.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Since the answer for this is the same as the advice I’d give, I’m just going to copy and paste it here. The advice I would give to other authors is the same I’ve gotten: It’s a hard and long process and most of the time you’ll question yourself and your story. Thicken your skin, don’t give up, and one day you can look back and say “Wow did I really do that?” Make friends with other writers, they understand where you are and how you feel. And don’t forget to pay attention to your readers. They are so important in this journey.

What are you reading now?
Sonali Dev’s A Bollywood Bride. Wow, what an amazing story.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I need to finish One Sunny Daye and then get back to the sequel to The Second Wife. Sprinkle a couple of short stories I need to create in between all of that and there you have the next two to three years of my writing career.

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?
LOL! I would have to take Twilight by Stephanie Meyers and a couple of Jane Austin books with me.

Author Websites and Profiles
Kishan Paul Website
Kishan Paul Amazon Profile
Kishan Paul’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Kishan Paul is a post from Awesome Gang