Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
First time author, so written just the one book

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Yetunde: The Life and Times of a Yoruba girl in London

It was inspired by my mom and daughter

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I am not sure what unusual is when it comes to writing

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Stephen King definitely, Ola Rotimi

What are you working on now?
Marketing my current book

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I am still trying out different things. What I believe (yet to be tested) would be highly effective is to have a street team and I am working on getting one together

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Start marketing your book even before it is completed

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Failing to prepare is preparing to fail

What are you reading now?
marketing tips in less than 1000 words

What’s next for you as a writer?
The paperback of my book is now only just available for purchase, so focusing on my marketing at the moment

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 10 books box sets (is that cheating?)

a fantasy one, with shifters (including a setting in an African jungle with traditional wrestlers, think ‘The Concubine’), mages etc by self published authors
Stephen King box set
James Bond and Hardley Chase Box set
Collection of children’s book

Author Websites and Profiles
Segilola Salami Website

Segilola Salami’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Segilola Salami is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am not naturally a word girl. Numbers were my thing and always came easy to me. However, as I found myself a stay at home mom for the first time, I found writing to be a great outlet. I knew nothing about writing at the time. Since then, I’ve spent 10 years writing and learning about writing. I think I’ve almost spent as much time reading about writing and attending writer’s conferences as writing. Of course if you factor in editing….

To date, I’ve written (and published) 5 books and co-written two. I also have my first novel in the editing process with a traditional publisher

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest published book is Living Stress Free. It’s a Bible study that I wrote in conjunction with a talk I did for the 2015 Abundant Life Conference for Women. Stress seems to be a big issue in lives today, yet there is a way to live without letting stressors control us. My goal is to write things that not only entertain, but also encourage people to live better, more fruitful, more joyful lives. Living Stress Free is aims to guide people to life-long habits that reduce stress and can even have eternal consequences.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t think I do. As any author, I sometimes write at really odd hours. As a homeschooling mom, people often ask me when I find the time. I don’t find it, but make it. Sometimes it’s at the school table, sometimes holed up in my bedroom as they do “computer school” or watch educational videos, sometimes it’s in the middle of the night as everyone’s sleeping.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Gone with the Wind is the first great book that had a major influence on me. Although I saw the movie dozens of time before I ever read it. Margaret Mitchell’s ability to weave characters and story lines is very inspiring. More contemporary authors that have influenced me are Karen Kingsbury, Dee Henderson, and Terri Blackstock.

What are you working on now?
I’m currently working on a handful of projects. The first is a non-fiction book called A Closer Walk: Exposing Deceptions that Hinder Your Walk with God & Revealing Truths that will Set You Free and Bring You Closer to Him. The is serious, while the second main project I have going on right now is a lot of fun. It’s called Broccoli for President and is about a very shy 6th grade who gets bamboozled into running for class president by her very outgoing friend. I also have about half a dozen other projects that are in some stage of progress, from outlined to 1st draft completed and in need of revising.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I think consistency is the best book promoting method. Also, I try to do several events a year where I’m able to sell my books directly. Online, I haven’t found the magic sweet spot yet, but have found free book promotions to help boost sales, and Twitter very helpful in reaching the most people.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Keep writing! Don’t give up if it’s your calling. Also, keep learning. I often tell people that learning everything about writing well and the world of publishing is like studying for/earning a Master’s Degree. It’s a lot of work! And it’s never as good as it could be on the first go round.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Write, revise, and rewrite. Then revise again. A good idea only becomes a great work of literature by hard work, a little blood, a lot of sweat, and some tears. To make a book feel seamless, an author must pour over every page, line, and word.

What are you reading now?
Love Takes Flight by Lee Carver and You and Me Forever by Francis & Lisa Chan

What’s next for you as a writer?
Keep writing. As I browse my works in progress, hopefully lots of writing! I’m excited to be moving into the traditionally published world after self-pubbing several books and hope that will allow me more time to write and go to events.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Definitely my Bible. It is the food of my soul and most thirst-quenching reading. Beyond that, it’s hard to decide. Maybe War and Peace, since I’ve never read it. Also, a couple of uplifting and encouraging biographies of people like Corrie Ten Boom and Billy Graham.

Author Websites and Profiles
Tracy Wainwright Website
Tracy Wainwright Amazon Profile

Tracy Wainwright’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tracy Wainwright is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I grew up in Africa on a diet of unconventional parents, theatre and Georgette Heyer. Eventually I went into acting and trod the boards in England until the writing bug got me, when I changed to teaching and directing while penning historical romances and edgy women’s fiction. My 8 year apprenticeship ended with publication by Mills & Boon, and 18 historicals. Latterly I had two historical mysteries published by Berkley and I’m hoping to release more Lady Fan novels. Meanwhile, it’s wonderful to be able to return to my first love and put out new and old releases in ebook where I now have 16 books for sale.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is a contribution to the Regency Quintet Christmas Edition anthology. My story is called His Lordship’s Christmas Bride and it’s the first of my series about Cinderella or convenient brides. I really love the idea of creating happy endings for women whose position in life means they are unlikely to contract any kind of marriage, let alone an eligible one. So it is pretty much the Cinderella or fairytale theme.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
At the moment I do, because I’ve started writing first thing in the morning! I used to write about 3 or 4 afternoons a week, but lately I’m so busy with “life” that I don’t get the chance. So I’ve got into the habit of writing before I get out of bed. A cup of tea and then I’m ready to roll. I use an Alphasmart battery-operated basic computer for my first drafts, and I use that balanced on my knee. It seems to be a successful way to work because I get something down every single day.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I began reading Georgette Heyer at the age of 11, and fell completely in love with the genre. But I’m also very into sci-fi fantasy like Harry Potter and Terry Pratchett, and I’ve lately become addicted to Jodi Taylor’s Chronicles of St Mary’s – a crazy time-travel series. Agatha Christie turned me on to mysteries and The Hunger Games got me into apocalyptic fiction. I’m thinking of writing one of those myself.

What are you working on now?
Currently, I’m writing the second Brides story, and I’ve got another Lady Fan novel in the making as well.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I use AskDavid and Fiverr mostly, and like the email lists that a lot of websites have now.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Get the story down. You can’t edit something that isn’t there. Once it’s there, you can work on it to make it better. I think Nanowrimo is excellent for doing this.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t think – write!

What are you reading now?
Georgette Heyer for the umpteenth time! But I’ve got a load of different styles of book waiting on my Kindle.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Getting more books written, and getting my short stories out on ebook.

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 Works of Shakespeare. Brewers Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. A Georgette Heyer anthology (if I can find one). Halliwell’s Film Guide.

Author Websites and Profiles
Elizabeth Bailey Website
Elizabeth Bailey Amazon Profile
Elizabeth Bailey Author Profile on Smashwords

Elizabeth Bailey’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Elizabeth Bailey is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
THE AUTHOR, Mark Fine was born in Johannesburg, South Africa. He has made the United States his home since 1979, living in New York, Minneapolis, and Los Angeles. For well over a decade he headed an award-winning record label that he founded, called Hammer & Lace, that united non-profit organizations with world-class celebrity and music talent to create benefit albums and entertainment events to raise awareness and funds in aid of breast cancer research, at-risk children, the blind, freedom of speech, and wildlife conservation. For these philanthropic initiatives Mark was voted by Variety magazine as the “Music Executive with 20/20 Vision.” He has also contributed articles to entertainment industry publications, and conducted public speaking engagements at media and charity events.

The oncology community has honored Mark for his innovative, entertainment-based approach to health education. But he is especially proud of his “Paws of Fame” award he received from The Wildlife Waystation for support and commitment of animals worldwide. As such, animals always make an appearance in Mark Fine’s writings. Now he resides in the South Bay, where he lives with his two sons, his “significant other” and Charlie, a neighborhood dog that drops in from time to time. There he wrote the historic romance novel, The Zebra Affaire. Set in apartheid South Africa, Mark brings an insider’s perspective to the gripping account of a bi-racial couple’s forbidden love.

When asked to compare his career in the music industry to his new endeavor as an author, Mark Fine replied, “This is a wonderful new adventure for me. I’ve always been an integral part of the creative process, and had the privilege of working hand-in-hand with remarkably talented individuals. But my role was to enable, nurture and provide support to others, and it had plenty of rewards. However in writing this novel, for the first time I was the sole creator and it’s given me a true appreciation of the solitary challenges of the creative process–and I’ve found it to be immensely satisfying.”

A story worth telling is the inspiration for his work, usually based on moments in history that both entertain and inform the reader, such as the gritty period of apartheid South Africa and elsewhere in sub-Sahara Africa. As a storyteller, Mark enjoys the notion of using fictional characters to lead the reader through periods of our past that are interesting, challenging, and instructive.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
“The Zebra Affaire” quite well sums up my romantic-suspense, historical drama novel. We who are born in Africa speak in terms of having the “dust of Africa within our veins”—this extends to the way Africa’s wildlife inspires us. Well, my favorite childhood memories are going on safari with my father, and watching how the beautifully striped zebra and ugly wildebeest teamed up together, grazing the veld so contently. This lack of awareness of skin/hide differences displayed by these creatures made a marked impression on a young lad in segregated South Africa. I can’t claim that this notion was all my own, I was too young for that, but my dad wisely pointed out this evolved behavior. Thus the image of the zebra, with its discrete black and white stripes, remained indelible to me.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Inspiration manifests itself at the most inconvenient times, so I’m constantly emailing and texting myself. Makes sense to preserve those nuggets of wisdom, but somewhat odd to find oneself constantly electronically communicating with oneself.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Herman Wouk and Leon Uris awoke me to the merits of historical fiction. I learned that I could read big tomes like “Winds of War” and “Exodus” and be thoroughly entertained—and at the same time acquire stacks of knowledge, painlessly.

What are you working on now?
Believe me I want to begin writing the next book, and I’ve begun plotting the story. But Zebra Affaire is keeping me preoccupied. A filmmaker, I’m pleased to say a woman, has just hired a screenwriter to do a movie adaptation of the novel. I’m immersed in discussions of what to include, the motivations of the characters, where and how to build plot tension within the two hours running time, and create a compelling device to preserve the historical context of my original story—a cinematic analog as it were of the “anywhere notes” I created in the book in lieu of footnotes.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Nothing beats email as a tool to effectively market and promote my book, The Zebra Affaire. I’m dedicated to growing my email list of prospective readers, in fact I’d be delighted if Awesomegang readers contacted me at mark@finebooks.co directly.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write the end of your book first! I know this seems odd, but I see the conclusion of a book like the closing argument in a court case; everything going before it terminates with that closing presentation. With the conclusion clearly defined, the writer has a clear destination–a sign post as it were–to aim for, and reduce the chance of straying into the weeds. That said, please go back and tweak the ending as often as needed.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t exhaust all your creative ideas in a one sitting; leave something wonderful in reserve to use the next time you face a blank page. Almost a guaranteed solution to writers block.

What are you reading now?
Important characters in my book are women, and it’s important to me that they are fully-fleshed three dimensional personalities. To achieve this I began reading books by woman authors. Shamefully, I hadn’t made a habit of this before. What a revelation it has been! For example, I’m reading “View from the Sixth Floor” by Elizabeth Newton. It is an intriguing alternate history about the Oswald assassination of President Kennedy. Now this isn’t a typical conspiracy theory tome, but a fascinating human study.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m polishing my writer’s chops and working on a few short stories to satisfy requests from some Anthologies. In the meantime I’ve begun the research for my next novel based in sub-Sahara Africa in the late ’70s.

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?
“Cry, the Beloved Country” by Alan Paton
Sherlock Holmes Anthology by Arthur Conan Doyle
“Heart of Darkness” by Joseph Conrad
“A Tale of Two Cities” by Charles Dickens

Author Websites and Profiles
Mark Fine Website
Mark Fine Amazon Profile

Mark Fine’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Mark Fine is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I spent my early years in Waco and graduated from Belton High School and Texas A&M back in the 70’s. This Central Texas boy married a West Texas girl, Ann Becker, in 1977. We moved to Midland, her hometown, in 1980 after I received my Master’s degree. I went to work for Gulf Oil as a landman and was just happy to have a job. I’ve been a landman ever since. Sometimes with a company and sometimes independently. Our four children grew up in Midland. We now have five grandchildren with one on the way. I’ve always enjoyed books, words and letters. My writing, until recently, has been for family, friends and church. A couple of years ago, about the time our grandchildren started coming along, my muse took off and I started writing books and songs for children and young people. I’ve completed two books and am now working on two others.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest and first published book is titled SHAKY MAN. It was inspired by the man in the mirror and the boy he used to be. He had a story to tell his grandchildren. They are my muse.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write mostly in my head. I’m not one of those who sit down to meet a writing quota every day. When I write, it is in furious spurts. I wrote what I think are the two best chapters of SHAKY MAN in one day. I wrote several chapters of my first, unpublished, book NATIVITY TALES in a cabin at Pagosa Springs, Colorado over one weekend. I’m not what you would call disciplined.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD has always been my favorite book. I’m also mindful of the characters, dialogue and plots of Larry McMurtry’s good books. I still love Dr. Seuss and his messages. Other important books include OLD YELLER, WHERE THE RED FERN GROWS AND SOUNDER.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on a sequel to SHAKY MAN titled SKINNY BOY. I won’t give to much away since I don’t know yet how it’s going to end. I didn’t know how SHAKY MAN was going to end until I wrote it. I’ve also started a book based on the early life of my wife’s grandmother. She grew up in China and Burma in the late 1800’s as the daughter of a Baptist missionary during the Boxer Rebellion. It is titled BESSIE GRAY. That one is going to take some time. It needs a lot of research.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
First and foremost is my website, http://marksparker.com/. Then I take full advantage of GoodReads, Texas Association of Authors, Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, Lone Star Literary Life and, of course, Facebook.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Find what works for you. Seminars and conferences are great. Writing classes give wonderful suggestions. In the end you have to work within yourself.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Write what you know.

What are you reading now?
LOST IN THE SUN by Lisa Graff.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m lucky that I enjoy the marketing side of the business a lot. Selling books has kept me pretty occupied lately. I’m speaking at a seminar in Odessa next week.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, LONESOME DOVE, CATCHER IN THE RYE and THE BIBLE.

Author Websites and Profiles
Mark Parker Website

Mark Parker’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

Mark Parker is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I live and write in two worlds. He is the author of three social justice-themed novels (works for a Human Rights organization) and an award-winning series of Epic Fantasy. I try to convince myself and others that there is a connection.

In 2009, while on a family camping trip in Northern California, I began writing an epic fantasy novel to read to my sons around the campfire. Every year since, both my sons and the ancient redwood forests bear witness to the summoning of the Wycaan Masters, as each new manuscript is read on the annual camping trip to these diligently tough young editors.

My first epic fantasy novel, At The Walls Of Galbrieth, won the 2013 Eric Hoffer Book Award – YA Category and was a Grand Prize Finalist. The fifth book in the series is From Ashes They Rose was released in October 2015. All books are published by Tourmaline Books who will release Book 6 in early 2016.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
From Ashes They Rose – I wanted to explore the idea that the so-called ‘bad guys’ were motivated by a deeply felt injustice, and this justified their actions. They have an acute awareness of what they are doing and show great intelligence. It is not always so easy to hate your enemy.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
My first draft spews out in 100 days (average of 1,000 words a day). I have no outline, and let the story take me. I have been seen crying at my keyboard and once alarmed a woman on a plane when I gasped and told her I had just killed someone.

I rise early and get to my office by 7.30am and write for at least an hour. I might stay an hour after work, and once the kids are in bed…well I think sleeping is overrated.

Editing takes much longer and I am blessed with a wonderful editor and critical but supportive writing friends … oh, and a long-suffering wife and children!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I love Patrick Rothfuss. I would give his books 6 stars if allowed. I grew up on Tolkien and Terry Brooks, greatly admire R.A. Salvatore and Daniel Arenson, and secretly dream to write like George R.R. Martin and Terry Goodkind.

What are you working on now?
Editing Book 6. I would tell you the title, but my publishers always change it! And wondering what will come after Book 6. I so love these characters, it is hard to imagine leaving them.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
There is no magic bullet. I love communicating with readers. It blows my mind that someone in Japan or India read one my books and cares enough to reach out. I always try and respond. Great believer in twitter – @elfwriter – if you are interested – love when people comment on my blog posts (elfwriter.com). It is all about building friendships.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write your next book. There are few one book wonders and, if your book is good, even fewer readers who will finish your book and not immediately look for the next one.

Read everything you can.

Be a great human being.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
R. A. Salvatore – if you can quit do so. If you can’t, you’re a writer.

What are you reading now?
Mistborn – Brandon Sanderson

What’s next for you as a writer?
After Book 6, I am exploring a more edgy magical realism book. Okay, I have already written it and am reading it now to my writer’s group. There is a lot of work to do, but no one has thrown their coffee on me…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?
Patrick Rothfuss – his three novels would be an omnibus (is that cheating?) – and yes, the third would be published by then.
Terry Goodkind’s Sword of Truth.
The final Game of Thrones book – just so that I don’t have too much fun there but the time passes! Nice to know there are people (even fictional suffering like me on the island).

Author Websites and Profiles
Alon Shalev Website
Alon Shalev Amazon Profile

Alon Shalev’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Alon Shalev is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I BROUGHT HOME A CHUPACABRA is my first Kindle book. Years ago I published a collection of plays simply called TWO PLAYS (AND SOME SKETCHES) BY BRAD McENTIRE, but it is now out of print. I also did a short ebook on thearical solo performance a while back called 7 CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE SOLO PERFORMER. I have a paperback collection of comics available called I HATE HAWK SEASON as well. It can be found on Amazon. It is a collection of comics that originally appeared on the webcomic site Dribble Funk Comics. The series is named after the main charcater Donnie Rocket Toaster-Face.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I BROUGHT HOME A CHUPACABRA was inspired by my wife. She is a supreme dog person. I mean, she wanders straight up to dogs when she first meets them and gets all up in their faces. I am always worried that she will someday get bitten in the face.

She’s also the kind of person who when she hears about, say, traffic accidents that involve people and their pets, she cries because animals were hurt (nevermind those pesky humans who also might have suffered…)

I thought, what if she was this obsessive about something that was not a dog. What if it was a mythical beast of some kind? Thus was the seed of I BROUGHT HOME A CHUPACABRA born.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
The unsual thing is, I don’t have really any staedy habits. I get an idea, then let it percolate in my brain for a while. Then I lay it down on paper in a mad dash. Then rewrite as needed.

I wish I coul be one of those people who sits down every day and turns out so many hundreds of words like clockwork.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
In the theatre, I am influenced by the works of Samuel Beckett, Mickle Maher and David Mogolov.

In a wider scope, I like Hemingway a lot. And William Gibson. And Elizabeth Gilbert.

Walt Disney has had a big effect on me, too.

What are you working on now?
My latest play is called THE YETI IN THE AIRPORT LOUNGE and will go up in Dallas in December 2015.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
This one, maybe?

Actually, I have gotten a lot of traction with Facebook.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Ignore that phrase “Write what you know.”

Ignore it because, seriously, what’s the alternative? Writing what you don’t know?

As an alternative I would offer “Write what you wanna see.” this one works if you are writing for the stage. If you are writing for readers, then phrase it like this… “Write the book you would want to read.”

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Fight to stay excited

What are you reading now?
I am actually reading non-fiction at the moment. I am almost done with T. Harv Eker’s SECRETS OF THE MILLIONAIRE MIND.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I am working on another one-person show about a man with one of the highest IQs in the world. He may have solved one of the biggest problems plaguing humanity, but because he has a heavy southern accent and no credentials he is overlooked by the academic system. The working title of that one is called BARTHOLOMEW CLADWELL COULD SAVE US ALL.

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 a collection of Shakespeare, of course. I’d also probably take the collected short stories of Hemingway, MEDITATIONS by Marcus Aurelius, Peter Brooks’ THE EMPTY SPACE and a book called ZEN AND THE ART OF MAKING A LIVING by an author named Boldt. That last one is actually filled with way more than the title implies.

Author Websites and Profiles
Brad McEntire Website
Brad McEntire Amazon Profile
Brad McEntire Author Profile on Smashwords

Brad McEntire’s Social Media Links
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Brad McEntire is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
While I spent the majority of my adult life in telecommunications, (operations, software and hardware cognizant engineer, and systems implementation), I come from a family that, in hindsight, was an enterprise for arts and sports. My grandmother was a sob-sister, writing human interest pieces for a penny a column inch. Eventually she opened her own publishing company which remained in operation for several years prior to my birth. But she remained a strong influence on my reading and writing habits. Just as powerful, my mother was an actress in little theater productions. So, these two women had a tremendous impact.

Writing raised up its head when I was twelve. I had read William Golding’s “Pincher Martin,” and found it fascinating, and upon a visit to my uncle and his wife, (he was an Army hero and she was working at the Pentagon in the film relations department), I was invited to sit in on some screenings of films that involved the US Armed Forces. We would receive a copy of the script to follow the film and make notes about appropriateness. So, in my naivety, I launched into scripting “Pincher Martin.” But I never really discovered writing until I had performed in several stage plays, and had enlisted in the USAF. It was there that I realized how little I knew and how much I had to learn.

Along the way, I was fortunate enough to have written several story lines and a couple of teleplays — all dabblings while living my engineering life in NASA/JPL’s Deep Space Network.

These many years later, I have completed two novels. The character, Noah Chance began as an Homage to “those that went before,” including Sam Spade, Phillip Marlowe, Mike Hammer, and a conglomeration of television gumshoes. But, I’d like to think, that with “Chance in Hell” and “Second Chance” that Noah has found his own voice, his own footing.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The latest book is “Second Chance.” I have a great relationship with my publisher, Three Graces Press, and in particular, with Darren Westlund. I think we both came to the conclusion that “Second Chance” could set a standard by which a trilogy could be created — perhaps a series.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Really. On a good day, I “gush.” On a poor day, I struggle to get one coherent sentence down. But I “worry” about it every day.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Many, many. But to pick a few: Sophocles, Chandler, Golding, Joseph Heller, Derrick Swansson, James Michener, James Clavell, Lee Child, James Lee Burke. The list goes on.

What are you working on now?
I am currently working on the third book in the Noah Chance series. The working title is “Fat Chance.” It deals with the fall out from the 2008 banking disaster. The events that continue to unfold will give Chance an opportunity to get involved with whistle-blowers, crooks, spies, and agents of the NSA, all simmering in the Deep Net.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I don’t have what I would call a “best” method. I surf through the Internet looking for suggestions and opportunities for “site” postings. But I suspect most writers are doing that. Of course, find good, honest reviewers, build a support team of fans and writers, and keep plugging away. I work from a very small budget, mainly fishing around to see what works.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Yes. Don’t stop. But, up front, if you are chasing money, this is the wrong game. Eventually, your commitment to continued work will pay off. You hear that time and time again, and I believe it is true. We are at the beginning of the adventure — not the end. So keep on keeping on, as we used to say.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Read. If you have difficulty reading take survey of literature courses at your local junior college. Force yourself to read.

And, write.

What are you reading now?
“The Mark and the Void” by Paul Murray is next up on my list.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Happy Thanksgiving with family. (I do take some time off.) And, then continued work on “Fat Chance.”

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?
Wow. Well, the Bible — it has such a rich set of stories, villains, and heroes, and always with some moral conviction — always something there to learn. Probably The Grimm Brothers — scared me when I was a kid, scares me now. Something by Heller or Swannson to make me laugh. And anything by Joseph Campbell.

Author Websites and Profiles
Michael Seaver Amazon Profile

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

Michael Seaver is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I was born in New York City to Irish parents. My family moved back to Ireland when I was three years old. I’ve lived there ever since.

I appeared to have a natural gift for writing. The first school report card I got when I was five had just one comment at the end: “Stewart writes very interesting stories.”

I listened to my grandmother’s tales of the Banshee in her kitchen and was enthralled and terrified. It was direct exposure to Ireland’s Celtic storytelling tradition and I was hooked. I love the folktales, traditions and superstitions of Ireland, the country that gave the world the festival of Halloween and Dracula author Bram Stoker. I went on to do an Irish Folklore course in University College Dublin. I also have qualifications in Theatre Studies, Criminology and Social Media for Business.

The Vorbing is my debut novel. I have a plan to write five novels; three in the Vorbing Dubhtayl saga and two crime books.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Vorbing is my first book and a nightmare I had back in 1996 inspired it. I rushed to type it up before I forgot it (you always think you’ll remember these ideas later, but you never do. Get them down!) The short story that resulted became the first chapter of The Vorbing. 19 years later, it’s finally out there.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t have a set wordcount goal that I must reach each day. I wait for inspiration to strike and write in feverish bursts. That way, what I’m writing is fresh and just sings off the page. Sometimes it can take weeks for ideas to start flowing, but I never panic and wait for it happen. Thankfully, it keeps happening. I don’t know how or where these ideas come from, I’m just grateful they appear.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Joseph Campbell’s work on mythic structure was a definite influence. James Ellroy (L.A. Confidential) is my favourite fiction writer and Antony Beevor (Stalingrad) is my favourite non-fiction writer. I also admire Richard Matheson’s daring take on vampire lore with I Am Legend.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on the paperback version of The Vorbing and its sequel.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
This is all new to me, so I’m still trying to figure that one out. Online sales are the Holy Grail for writers and you’ll come across a zillion people promising you the earth, moon and stars. Everyone likes and shares my book posts on social media and wishes me luck but somehow that doesn’t translate into actual sales. If I could crack that one, I’d be on to something. Everyone that has read The Vorbing raved about it, so it’s frustrating that people won’t take a chance on a new writer. I’m hoping this will change.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Finish your book no matter what. Don’t listen to negative people or your own doubts; keep going, get it done and get it out there. Never put something out that isn’t up to scratch. Get your work professionally edited. Believe me, there are mistakes in your writing that only others can spot.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t listen to advice. Give yourself the freedom to make your own errors, it’s the only way you’ll learn.

What are you reading now?
How Star Wars Conquered the Universe: The Past, Present, and Future of a Multibillion Dollar Franchise by Chris Taylor

What’s next for you as a writer?
Vorbing II and III and then two crime books. That will be my five-novel plan completed. After that, there may be a Cold War black comedy or maybe I’ll give up writing, who knows. It depends on whether people want to read my work. Supply and demand.

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 Year in Ireland by Kevin Danaher
The Writers Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers by Christopher Vogler and Michele Montez
Stalingrad by Antony Beevor
The Black Dahlia by James Ellroy

Author Websites and Profiles
Stewart Stafford Website
Stewart Stafford Amazon Profile

Stewart Stafford’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Stewart Stafford is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I was born in Adelaide, South Australia; I moved to Sydney, New South Wales when I was nineteen (for love, marriage, children and dogs).
For a long time, I just assumed my childhood was an average one (although … having a lamb as a domestic pet in an urban setting should have been a giveaway). My parents were not your average Aussies and I was not your average kid. They were born and raised in Egypt, Jewish and of Romanian descent. I was a misfit, caught in a cultural crossfire as they struggled to assimilate. Not an easy road, but, oh … what fabulous raw materials for a writer!
‘Odyssey in a Teacup’ is my first novel, but there’s still an anthology of dysfunction imprinted on my psyche and hankering for show-and-tell.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My whole life inspired ‘Odyssey in a Teacup’. I’d always thought my existence was … meh, you know, nothing special. And it was for quite some time because I’d conformed (conforming makes you dull and is utter damnation for a wild child). But when I started writing (first, in a personal journal after my parents passed away twenty-four years ago), memories of childhood, adolescence and early adulthood resurfaced. Seeing these through an increasingly clearer lens, I realised my existence hadn’t been mundane at all; it had been ridiculous! I was able to perceive the comedy in events and occurrences that were tragic in childhood. I also remembered that I’d had that ability as a child, but I had systematically shut it down because laughing at inappropriate times did not go over well back then, and I was often in sh*t! At home, at school … everywhere.
Although my book is a work of fiction, just like my life, it’s ‘The Ugly Duckling’ meets ‘The Odyssey’ in satire. It’s had a long incubation—I started it fourteen years ago! Hey, great things take time (and pay off)—I was chuffed when it became a bestseller on Amazon not long after its release, and after two months, a US Amazon #1 bestseller (humour & satire).

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m usually saturated with ideas in the shower. When I’m done, I’ll just wrap a towel around myself, drip all over the carpet on the way to my study, just sit and pound away at the keyboard, and dry off naturally. Also, if I’m stuck on an idea, I’ll lie on the bed, but in the opposite direction (to the way I sleep) and with my feet up the wall. This 180° physical rotation usually elicits a turnaround in perspective. And I record my thoughts on paper, which is a much more organic way of writing than the computerised writing space (and it yields deeper insights).

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Many authors and many books. I guess every one has in some way influenced me (sometimes that manifests as what not to do!). In terms of structure, since I’ve been writing, I’ve become mindful of writers’ techniques and what makes a book interesting, for example, fleshing out a character through dialogue (not just description), which engages the reader’s imagination and allows her/him to fill in the gaps.
In terms of content, the books that have most influenced and inspired me are ‘Women Who Run with the Wolves’ by Clarissa Pinkola Estés, and ‘Care of the Soul’ by Thomas Moore. These have been game-changers. Estés and Moore’s unusual take on the human psyche might seem like a new view, but it really just revamps a cobwebby old one, and demonstrates how ancient myths can help us understand what really drives our thoughts, impulses and behaviours. For me, this has breathed life into the tragicomical perspective that had been dormant in my psyche, and it’s resuscitated a sacred obscenity! It has also ignited a passion for a creative and multifaceted approach to the many great themes of the human condition (illness included. I applied this to my honours thesis, which addressed our collectively authored cancer story).

What are you working on now?
I’m having fun writing the sequel to ‘Odyssey in a Teacup’! And I’m also regularly blogging on the mythical approach to life.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I don’t believe there is just ‘one’ best website to promote a book (all have something to offer: Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Pinterest, Goodreads, and my own website—www.paulahouseman.com). The ‘one’ best method to promote is CREATIVITY! And that comprises myriad techniques: proactivity (participating, having a regular presence on a variety of sites); flexibility (if one way doesn’t work, try another), adaptability (if one way works and then stops working, rejig it); tenacity (don’t be discouraged by slumps. I’ve learned that ebb is as necessary a part of the creative process as flow. So I apply that to all aspects of life); self-belief (remembering that I have a marketable product. I’ve spent years writing a book that I’m proud of and believe can make a difference to my readers!)

Do you have any advice for new authors?
If there’s nothing you’d rather be doing than writing, then just write! Don’t worry about censoring yourself, or plots, and don’t try to adhere to a formula. There isn’t one, and if you do have one, it’ll change! Don’t fret over self-doubt and other creative blocks. Don’t expend too much energy trying to find a solution to these. When you get that there’s purpose in them (not least that they keep you humble), you’ll see there is no solution because there is no problem! Write from the heart, believe that you have something to offer the world, and trust that everything else will follow (of course, you need to act on insights).

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Mainstream views have never sat well with me and I’ve struggled to find who I ‘belong’ with, who I can totally be myself with, who really gets me—all of me. ‘Women Who Run with the Wolves’ is filled with guidance. But the one (of many) that has made the most difference to me is Estés’s counsel that we must keep searching for our pack, and that our ‘true kin’ may not necessarily be a group of people! It may be an ‘art form’. I’d read this hundreds of times, and then recently it fell into place for me. I’ve found my ‘true kin’ in writing. When I write, I feel like I’ve found ‘home’.

What are you reading now?
I’m just finishing a Robert Crais novel (thriller/mystery), ‘Voodoo River’, and I have a Danielle Steel novel, ‘Undercover’, waiting in the wings.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Hopefully, releasing another bestseller (the sequel to ‘Odyssey in a Teacup’). And I’ll keep blogging.

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?
An eclectic combination: ‘Women Who Run with the Wolves’ to soothe and nourish my soul and strengthen my spirit in this confronting situation; a Danielle Steele novel to remind me that we’re all tested, and for a dash of romantic escapism; a book by Janet Evanovich and a Lee Child novel for their respective lead characters, the kick-arse Stephanie Plum—to help me see the humour—and the indomitable Jack Reacher—to give me courage, to inspire a creative way to survive my predicament and to help me find a way out of it.

Author Websites and Profiles
Paula Houseman Website
Paula Houseman Amazon Profile

Paula Houseman’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Paula Houseman is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I was born in England and raised in Zambia like my hero Wilbur Smith. As a child of eight, I would travel between my boarding school in the north of England and my family home in Lusaka, Zambia. I developed a deep affinity for the people of Africa and its spectacular natural wonders. My favourite spot in the whole world is the Luangwa Valley game reserve in eastern Zambia.
When I left university in the UK I became a procurement manager in London and the south east working for prestigious firms such as IBM before meeting my Australian wife and emigrating to Sydney. I have settled in the Sutherland Shire, south of Sydney for over twenty years and have four children aged 19, 18, 16 and 12.
I have written two novels, the Sleepwalker Legacy and the Nocnista Agenda.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is called the Nocnista Agenda. I was inspired by my wife who told our kids not to put any photos or personal information on Facebook or the internet as it would come back to haunt them later in life. ‘Now there’s a great idea for a book’, I thought! And so was born the social media tycoon and serial killer Leo Wulff who bought a database used by the rich and famous. Those leaders of society who did not live up to his conservative values of ‘the American Way’ were systematically and brutally murdered by Wulff’s hit men operating under the code name ‘Nocnista’. (Night Hag.)
Much of the action is set in the civil war zone of the Eastern Ukraine and I have absolutely loved weaving into the book the customs, traditions, icons, exotic buildings and the beautiful but often ferocious people that inhabit this region. I have managed to include Pussy riot, Cyber criminals, and ancient religious sects into a whirlwind plot in which the hero Sam Jardine, and a number of incredibly strong female lead characters, have to save the world yet again.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I started writing novels a few years ago when I missed out on a promotion at work that would have had me flying around the world at least six times a year. Rather than feel sorry for myself, I decided I would do something constructive with the time I had been given back in my life and hence my writing career was born.
Much of the time I find for writing comes while watching my children play representative cricket on the fields of the Sutherland Shire in Sydney’s south. It’s amazing how many sentences can be written in between the fall of wickets.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I grew up reading the adventure books of Wilbur Smith who wrote about the plains of Africa, but I particularly enjoyed his Ancient Egyptian stories. I also enjoyed Frederick Forsyth (Day of the Jackal), Tom Clancy’s earlier books and all the historical fiction of Bernard Cornwell. If I were skilled enough I would write nothing but historical fiction!
I also love authors who are able to include subtle elements of humour into their thriller novels despite the seriousness of their genre. It is a rare and precious skill and provides a much needed break in the relentless tension that can sometimes make thrillers hard work to read. An absolute master of this art is Peter James with his DI Grace books. His novels are so good that I was inspired to finally put pen to paper and emulate his wonderful style as best I could in my own books.

What are you working on now?
I am currently working on a third book where much of the action will take place among the beautiful ruins and the volatile atmosphere of modern day Egypt. It will be the last book for the hero Sam Jardine who must negotiate his way through the politics, conspiracies and moral issues facing the oil industry. I have always had a fascination for Egyptian history and culture. This setting represents an opportunity to use Egypt’s stunning heritage, internal conflicts and fascinating people to create a conspiracy in which Sam will face global catastrophe.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
My main character, Sam Jardine is a procurement manager. Procurement is usually seen as a dull profession like accounting, but the key difference is that procurement managers must also be excellent negotiators. This gives me the opportunity to throw Sam into some pretty hairy situations where he must use his powers of negotiation to save himself and the world.
It has the added benefit of allowing me to market directly to the half million or so procurement professionals in the English speaking world who would love to see one of their own as the new James Bond.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
It takes thousands of hours to write and fine tune a novel to the point where it becomes an enjoyable and effortless read. I was very lucky as I found the process completely addictive. I would experience withdrawal symptoms if I was not writing!
New authors must have a self-belief and determination to keep writing and never be satisfied until they have completed their first draft. Good advice from family, friends and experts coupled with hard work can turn an average book with a clunky style into a blockbuster!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Follow your passion. You will always thrive if you enjoy doing what you do.

What are you reading now?
am researching the oil industry at the moment for my new novel and am reading the hilarious book
about life on the oil rigs by Paul Carter ‘Don’t Tell Mum I Work on the Rigs…She Thinks I’m a Piano
Player in a Whorehouse’!

What’s next for you as a writer?
More books in the James Bond genre, except that the leading characters could easily be any one of us with our faults, strange personality traits, relationship hang ups but unique and special qualities that make us all heroes.

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?
It is tempting to say Shakespeare or Dickens, but in reality I would like a thumping good read to take my mind off my predicament. Top of the list would be Wilbur Smith’s Egyptian blockbuster ‘River God’. The second would be Tom Clancy’s revenge novel ‘Without Remorse’, while the third would be the genre defining ‘Girl with the dragon tattoo’ by Stieg Larsson. To lighten the mood I would bring along my favourite book from my teen years – the hilarious ’Three Cheers for Me’ by Canadian author Donald Jack. This beautiful book, written in 1962 is an absolute gem that makes you laugh hysterically, cry and gasp in wonder every chapter.

Author Websites and Profiles
Christopher Hepworth Website
Christopher Hepworth Amazon Profile

Christopher Hepworth’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Christopher Hepworth is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a former park ranger turned YA Fantasy author. I grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and hold degrees in anthropology, religious studies, and environmental leadership. When not conjuring up other worlds, I can be found hiking, antiquing, traveling, or painting. Strange Luck is my first novel and I’m currently working on the sequel. Look for it in 2016!

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I get a lot of good thinking done when I’m driving and since I drive by a cemetery nearly every day, I often think about memories, regrets, life, and profound experiences. Having as many experiences as possible has always been a personal goal of mine – don’t even get me started on my mile-long bucket list. One day, my mind wandered to the idea of collecting the most cherished memories possible and that’s when I got the idea for a story about just that.

Strange Luck was a lot of fun to write because it allowed me the unique opportunity to explore how I feel about the mind, memories, and what it means to be a good human. Having discourse with my husband, who is a philosophy teacher, also helped me to think through a lot of these concepts. And, because I’m a huge fantasy fiction and magical realism fan, I decided to weave in lots of magical and supernatural elements, too.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I have to have a warm beverage and chocolate nearby.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Joanne Harris inspired me to become a writer. Having only seen the movie, I didn’t know what to expect when I picked up a copy of Chocolat nearly a decade ago, but I instantly fell in love with it. I absolutely adore the whimsical world that Joanne Harris creates, the hints of magic, and especially the sweetness she sprinkles throughout. She remains one of my favorite authors of all time. I also adore Neil Gaiman, Sarah Addison Allen, J.K. Rowling, Alan Bradley, and Erin Morgenstern. Although I didn’t actually read The Neverending Story by Michael Ende until very recently, it is definitely one of my favorite books of all time (and it’s so much better than the movie).

What are you working on now?
The Nightmare Birds. It picks up right where Strange Luck leaves off and follows Daisy Darling on her quest to authenticate a mysterious, evil book, but gets more than she bargained for. Keeping with an underlying philosophical theme, I implement one of my favorite topics—existentialism. There’s also lots of magic, myth, and supernatural elements. The Nightmare Birds is in the vein of The Neverending Story meets The Night Circus. Look for it in 2016.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
My home base is my personal website, amieirenewinters.com.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
There isn’t a single path or author playbook that you need to follow. It’s all about exploring the diversity of options out there and doing what works best for you.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Neil Gaiman put it perfectly when he said: “The main rule of writing is that if you do it with enough assurance and confidence, you’re allowed to do whatever you like. So write your story as it needs to be written. Write it honestly, and tell it as best you can.”

What are you reading now?
The Scorch Trials by James Dashner.

What’s next for you as a writer?
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?
The Neverending Story by Michael Ende, Happy Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling, and Chocolat by Joanne Harris.

Author Websites and Profiles
Amie Irene Winters Website
Amie Irene Winters Amazon Profile

Amie Irene Winters’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Amie Irene Winters is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My name is Gabriella Kovac, I am a bestselling author on Amazon.
I was born in Hungary, just after the Second World War had drawn to a close. I lived through the Hungarian uprising against the Communists in 1956, and remember vividly Russian tanks under our bedroom window. Through the genius of my mother Georgina .My family managed to leave the Communist block and come to Australia in 1957. I am an experienced public speaker, fashion designer and cook So far I have written a Technical book on fashion and pattern making, then a children’s book

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Through out my life I have been inspired by my mother’s amazing tenacity on outsmarting the Nazis and Communists and winning!. Her zest for life motivated me to write Georgina Holocaust Stories.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I like to go inside my characters and just use my body as a medium to write their stories for them.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
As a young adult I loved Oscar Wild and his great sense of humour later Leon Urlis Exodus

What are you working on now?
Right now I am writing a different kind of historical romance from a young man’s viewpoint. The book is based on truth.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I like talking and being interviewed on radio stations.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Let your inspiration take you to wonderful places in your mind and do not let criticism stop you.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
For a writer the best thing i heard was “Butt Glue” In other words : Just sit there and write.

What are you reading now?
Mostly I read other new writers work at my book club.

What’s next for you as a writer?
To finish my novel I am working on now.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Now that you reminded me I think I would go back to Oscar Wilde

Author Websites and Profiles
Gabriella Kovac Website
Gabriella Kovac Amazon Profile
Gabriella Kovac’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Gabriella Kovac is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Santosh Avvannavar: Santosh started his career as a consultant and Soft Skills Trainer. After his college education from NITK, Surathkal, he worked as a researcher at University of Eindhoven, University of Twente, and Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. He was also the Placement President while working at IISC, Bangalore. He has over twenty-five publications of mostly research documents in national and international journals. He has also authored sixteen conference papers and regularly writes articles for a national and worldwide daily paper. He also works as an advisor for different organisations.

He also dabbles in fiction writing and is the author of Adhuri Prem Kahaniya; Dear Wife, Your Husband is not a Superhero, Second Heart and Get a Job WITHOUT an Interview; Be A B.A.; Surrogate Author; Title is Untitled; Black, Grey and White; The Departing Point; God’s Table and Umbilical Cord.

He likes to devote his personal time in writing for a website, namely the Amrita Foundation for HRD (www.amritafoundation.wordpress.com). He has conducted seminars and training sessions for more than 45,000 people in India and abroad over the last seven years.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is She: Ekla Cholo Re a story of person who is in search of identity. The story is set in 1990 Calcutta, the protagonist is inspired from Rabindranath Tagore song, Ekla Cholo Re. There are few books I have read on characters that are stuck between ‘She’ or ‘He’ but didn’t see a progressive approach of such characters.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Yes, pretty much! I end up writing anywhere on anything!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I’m inspired by Bible and several books out of it. I’m also enlightened by Rabindranath Tagore’s and M K Gandhi’s work.

What are you working on now?
There are few projects in pipeline the next one would ‘She Is Single’ that has tried to break a taboo of being single.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Blogging is something that could give choice to read and check for picking their genre.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I would day ‘Write it, Write it’!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
To write a book that would give progressive approach to the readers.

What are you reading now?
Several psychology books!

What’s next for you as a writer?
Continue to write, as it gives immense pleasure!

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?
It’s definitely Bible!

Author Websites and Profiles
Santosh Avvannavar Website
Santosh Avvannavar Amazon Profile

Santosh Avvannavar’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Santosh Avvannavar is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Angela started writing stories when she was 8 years old. Her first story was about Indiana Jones and she wrote it on pages she tore out of her school books. She has come a long way since those early days. She invents her own heroes now, but she tries to keep the sense of passion and wonder that infused her early forays into the craft.

When she’s not herding her three children through the garden of their Johannesburg home, Angela surrounds herself with words in all their glorious forms. She is the submissions editor for an online magazine, the lead technical writer for a fast-growing software company, a dedicated author and a voracious reader.

She tends to write darker stories, and enjoys experimenting with genre. Horror and fantasy will always be her first loves (yes, she can have two), but she also enjoys science fiction and thrillers.

Her short stories can be found in numerous anthologies and self-published on Amazon.com.

Angela’s novel about the zombie apocalypse with a dash of psychological terror and a sprinkling of guilt, A Taste of You (Amazon), was published in December 2012.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My newest release is Dead Ends and Sharp Bends, and it is an anthology of my short fiction. I won the Inkitt End Game horror competition in August, and I felt like it was a great opportunity to put some of my short fiction together for new readers to discover my style (it’s dark).

Apart from that I’m busy putting the final touches on a novel set in Johannesburg, which deals with witchcraft and ritual murder in South Africa.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I have a chaotic household, so the best time for me to write is when the kids and my husband are not around. I like to get up early and write if I can, or stay up late after everyone has gone to sleep. Apart from that I’m pretty usual.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I think that everything I consume influences me in some way. Whether it’s Terry Pratchett or Joe Abercrombie, Steven King or Dean Koontz, it all goes into the hot volcano of creativity in my cranium.

What are you working on now?
Right now I’m working on the first draft of a thriller-with-ghosts set in a small town in South Africa. It’s about a woman who moves into a new home with her family and discovers something terrible that happened there at the same time as the murderous previous owner shows up to protect his secret.

I’m in love with the idea, and I hope it gets onto the page well!

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I do very little promotion. I think it’s more important to just be me and try to connect with people, if they’re interested in my books they’ll pick them up.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Finish what you start. That’s really the most important thing, if you don’t learn how to write a book from start to finish, you’ll never make it.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“Finish your shit! Completo el poopo!” by Chuck Wendig.

What are you reading now?
I’ve just started reading Stella Gemmel’s The City. I’m in the mood for some Fantasy after a long stretch of thrillers and suspense novels.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’ve recently signed a contract for a novel which I will start on as soon as the current WIP is in the drawer. The contract is with the Ed Greenwood Group, and I’m really excited about the opportunity Ed has given me.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Ugh, can’t I be stranded on a desert island that has a library?

Okay, okay! Midnight’s Children by Salman Rushdie, The Ancestor’s Tale by Richard Dawkins, Cosmos by Carl Sagan, and S. by by Doug Dorst and J.J. Abrams.

Author Websites and Profiles
Angela Meadon Website
Angela Meadon Amazon Profile

Angela Meadon’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Angela Meadon is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I wrote when I was in high school, and even before that, but I only wrote sporadically until I was 30. It could be said that I still write sporadically, but at that point I decided to make a serious go at becoming a career novelist. That said, in the past 15 years I’ve only finished four books, but there was a lot to learn, I had kids, and I plan to publish at least three more books in 2016.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I’m working on a series of fantasy novels which I started so long ago that I can’t even remember what inspired them any more! They’re very loosely inspired by the myth of the fall of Atlantis and the Persephone story. The most recently published of the bunch is Priestess of the Dragons’ Temple.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Most of my writing habits are bog standard: the long walks, talking to myself out loud, shifting position from standing to sitting to lying down, caffeine, chocolate. I enjoy reading about other writers’ habits, and I’ve learned that few of us are truly unique in our ways of working.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Long ago, I was inspired by the Narnia series and the Mists of Avalon. Turning back to them years later, I’m less impressed by them. Nowadays, my favorite speculative fiction writers include Connie Willis, Mary Doria Russell, and Jo Walton.

What are you working on now?
I’m still working on that fantasy series I started in the early 2000s, but the end is in sight (only one more book to go!). After that, I may make another foray into historical romance, or maybe I’ll write a cookbook.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I haven’t found the magic sauce yet, sorry!

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Take your time, pace yourself, and try to figure out how to enjoy the process. The journey isn’t a marathon, it’s more like a transcontinental trek.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Forget “write what you know.” Write what you’re interested in.

What are you reading now?
Children of God by Mary Doria Russell

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’ll be finishing this series in 2016, and then I’m probably going to take a break from epic, secondary world fantasy to try something in historical fiction or non-fiction for a while.

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 at least one blank book, a collection of poetry, and maybe a collection or two of ancient myths.

Author Websites and Profiles
Amelia Smith Website
Amelia Smith Amazon Profile
Amelia Smith Author Profile on Smashwords

Amelia Smith’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Amelia Smith is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor, writer, wife, and mommy, living the serendipitous moments of God’s divine intentions.

Over the last sixteen years, I have worked with children, adolescents, adults, families, and couples through private practices, group homes, foster family agencies, community based services, and wrap-around programs. In addition, my husband and I have fostered multiple children over the last decade, in addition to adopting two and birthing two.

My writing has appeared in newspapers, magazines, blog posts, children’s books, and books for adults. I have one published children’s book with SNAP Learning (and one on the way!) as well as two chapters published in Becoming Women of Worth: Stories of Hope and Faith and Becoming Women of Worth: Stories of Trauma and Triumph.

I currently have a memoir called, “And Then There’s Hope” about the murder of my mother-in-law and a Young Adult novel called, “Forever Homes.” Both are in revision. I also have numerous picture-books on submission.

I live in the Black Forest of Germany with my husband and four children (two of whom are adopted through foster care). I work as a counselor for the local English-speaking community in their German village. I also volunteer at our local refugee camps (I’m sure you’ve seen the news about the huge influx of asylum into Germany), as well as serve as a local writer for the Art Factory in my town.

I blog inspirationally about my work, writing, and other resources at www.marcypusey.com.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book, “Reclaiming Hope: Overcoming the Challenges of Parenting Foster and Adopted Children” is a little like a memoir and guidebook wrapped in one. It is NOT a how-to parenting book. However, with my experience as a foster mother, adoptive mother, biological mother, friend to families like ours, and counselor, I saw the need to be a voice on some issues that are otherwise unspoken. We found ourselves struggling deeply in ways we assumed must be unique to us… but the more we talked with other families, the more we realized that many of us struggled, and many of us felt alone. Thus birthed the idea of Reclaiming Hope- a book about the 10 greatest challenges of fostering and adopting, infused with HOPE. Sometimes this was an accountability practice for me. For some chapters, I didn’t know what the hope was. But after digging deep, I found it… and I share it with my readers. So what inspired this book? My children. The children of our friends. And my desire for us all to know that we are not alone and our work is not in vain.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
My favorite place to write is sitting in bed, just about any bed, with classical music playing (so I don’t get distracted singing the words) and a nice cold glass of Wild Cherry Pepsi (with shaved ice, preferably). I can’t find WC Pepsi in Germany so I have to settle with regular ‘ol Pepsi. Fortunately I’m surrounded by the beautiful woods of the Black Forest of Germany to hike off the weight of my writing habits!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Some of my favorite authors right now are Shauna Niequist, Lysa Terkeurst, Lisa-Jo Baker, and Anne Lamott. I love each of their styles of writing. I love their tell-it-like-it-is mixed in with grace and acceptance and a sense that you would feel right at home around their dinner table. I love when they’re a little rough around the edges because it gives me permission to be also. To be a work-in-progress. They inspire me to offer the same to my readers (which is my heart… to offer hope, encouragement, and camaraderie)

What are you working on now?
I am currently revising a Young Adult novel called, “Forever Homes.” I also have a few picture-books underway.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I am still working on the best way to promote my books, but so far my community friends (and their friends and their friends) on Facebook has been the most successful place of promotion. Otherwise, I’ve tried Buck Books, BKnights, James Mayfield, and a handful of others.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
You have a story and you have a desire to tell it. So tell it! Don’t let the fear of what others will think stop you, because SOMEONE out there needs to hear your story and they are WORTH it. They are worth the possibility that someone else might NOT like it. They are. That one person. Or maybe they’re more. But your story has a purpose, or it should anyway… so get it out there.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Laure Halse Anderson, best selling author, talks about art-dates. In a workshop I attended with her, she told her audience to date art. That this is how we prevent burn out and writer’s block… to keep filling our art-tank. It could be a visit to a museum, or a concert, or a new gallery. It could be taking out a paintbrush instead of a pen, or reading a new book, or ANYTHING that allows art to feed into YOU. Because only then, with your art tank full, will beautiful art overflow from you onto others I LOVE this.

What are you reading now?
I am currently reading “The Best Yes” by Lysa Terkeurst and “Changing Lives: Gustavo Dudamel, El Sistema, and the Transformative Power of Music” by Tricia Tunstall

What’s next for you as a writer?
I also help others as a freelance editor, so I have two projects I am working on for others. Of my own work, I plan to finish the revisions of my Young Adult novel, “Forever Homes.”

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
My Bible, a family photo album (I know, I know, it’s not a “book” but I’ve journaled in the books and want them FOREVER), Hunger Games (I’d need the trilogy in one big book so I can count it as one) and Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott (that’s how much I love it, Anne!)

Author Websites and Profiles
Marcy Pusey Website
Marcy Pusey Amazon Profile
Marcy Pusey’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Marcy Pusey is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My name is Skye and I live in Iowa. I have been writing since I was seventeen years old, and I absolutely love stories that keep me guessing. I have three rescue pets, two cats and one dog. My day job at the moment is as a paralegal at a Des Moines law firm. In my free time, I enjoy photography, playing volleyball, and spending time with family and friends. I have written seven books and just recently had my first one published October 2015 with

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My book that came out in October 2015 is Donuts, Diamonds and Assorted Details. Ironically, a dream inspired a majority of this book. The rest came to me as I wrote the rough draft. There is quite a bit of personal influence in this book, so I am very excited for everyone to read it.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I have to write the first draft of my story with pen and paper. It can’t be on my laptop, so I am constantly getting writer’s cramps in my hand. I write the best when I am multitasking, which I always thought was unusual.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I love anything Jane Austen wrote. I think her style of writing and stories influenced me to not take my writing so serious and to really dive into my characters. I also like Maya Banks and her Scottish stories and Kat Martin.

What are you working on now?
At the moment, I am writing a contemporary spy type book. I’m not sure where it came from, but I’m on my second draft right now. I’m hopeful it will be a best seller.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I have my own website, www.skyemcneil.com, that I use to promote my book. I also use lots of social media. I have Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and Goodreads to name a few. I think all the websites together are my best method at promotions at this time.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
My advice to new authors is to keep writing and don’t give up. Write even if the story is horrible and goes nowhere. The more experience you get while writing will turn into something great.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Stand straight and smile. You can’t get back a first impression.

What are you reading now?
I just finished Highlander Most Wanted by Maya Banks. There are a few new books I want to check out from my publisher’s page.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I want to finish the book I’m writing now then focus on the series I have on the back burner. I need to edit the first book and write the third book then of course get them 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?
That is very tough because there are so many good books. I would bring Kat Martin’s Sinclair Sisters trilogy then a spare notebook so I can write a book while I await rescue.

Author Websites and Profiles
Skye McNeil Website
Skye McNeil Amazon Profile
Skye McNeil Author Profile on Smashwords

Skye McNeil’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Skye McNeil is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a native Floridian, wife, and mother who loves to travel, especially to the mountains of North Carolina an Tennessee, the setting of my Elan Series. I have published three books in the Elan series, Echo, Whisper, and Blur.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Whisper, a novella that bridges the events from my first book, Echo, to Blur, the second in the Elan Series describes what happens in the weeks that follow Tara McAllister’s abduction, attack, and rescue. She and her soul mate, Derek Williams, have chosen to continue their relationship despite the legalities.

I wrote Whisper in response to readers asking: What happened to such-and-so character? How does Tara reconcile her fear of being caught with her love for Derek?

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I like to dictate most of my ideas into my recorder as I drive to save time with the first draft process. I will transcribe these notes using Dragon Naturally Speaking and edit them during my scheduled editing times.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
My greatest influence as an indie author is Sarra Cannon. The information and inspiration she provides on her site for non-trad authors is amazing. I also have to give a shout-out to my writing partner C.L. Roman, author of Descent, Sacrifice, and Illusion in the Rephaim series. She has encouraged me to write what is true to me.

What are you working on now?
I am finishing up second drafts and cover art for the Elan series prequel, Spirit, and the finale, Bound for release in the next couple of months.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I haven’t promoted too much. Facebook and Twitter are the only sites I have used for the most part. Plus word of mouth.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I would tell new authors to find a critique group or writing partner that will be honest with you. Your writing will only get better with honest, constructive feedback. Choose what writing chores you can do yourself and hire out those tings you can’t do or don’t have time to do. And don’t give up, even when it gets tough. If writing is what you really want to do, find a way to do it.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best advice I’ve heard relating to writing is that it’s a marathon, not a sprint. If you want this to be a career, you have to set long term goals and be in this for the long haul.

What are you reading now?
Right now I’m focused on finishing two books so I read a lot of marketing, cover art, or prep books on the different aspects of writing. Take Your Pants Off by Libbie Hawker is what popped up when I opened my Kindle app. It’s a how-to book for faster, better writing through the use of outlines. It has really helped me prepared for the Jesse Carpenter series.

What’s next for you as a writer?
What’s next? Too much! I have the first book in a new YA series, The Supernatural Adventures of Jesse Carpenter, slated for release in March of 2016 with future releases scheduled monthly throughout the summer. I also have spin-off books for the Elan series characters in the works, but they are only in the outline stages now.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
The Bible, a romance novel, a survivalist how-to, and To Kill a Mockingbird.

Author Websites and Profiles
Tracie Roberts Website
Tracie Roberts Amazon Profile

Tracie Roberts’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tracie Roberts is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have always loved writing, and started writing as a child. Life took over with college, marriage, starting my own business as an interior designer, our children–two daughters. Over the course, I continued to write but have never published anything. My husband and I have recently retired and moved from my home town of Olympia in Washington state to a serene coastal setting. The perfect environment to finally be serious about writing. I love history, especially history about the early pioneers, including my own pioneer family settling in Olympia, coming to America to make a new life. There are so many stories to be told. I am presently working on my first novel of a story of a fictional pioneer family in the 1850’s traveling by paddle wheel steamship from New York City to the rugged Pacific Northwest via the South America route. So much is known about the Oregon Trail, but there hasn’t been as much attention about the water route. I have many hours of research logged in. I can’t wait to have people read it and come to love my characters as much as I do.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
After my husband and I retired and settled on our country/coastal property , we planted an orchard and have grown an organic garden every year. I found out that my pioneer family’s Planters’ blood is alive and well in me. I enjoy the garden and plucking the fruit from the orchard. I have always enjoyed making food gifts, and now that we have access to such bountiful harvests, I became inspired to write and publish my first book, Food Gift Recipes From Nature’s Bounty. It’s all about the old fashioned tradition of giving the gift of food. Two of the recipes in this book play a role in my historical fiction novel which has been on the back burner while I finish this book.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t know if it is considered unusual, (possibly because many people write using the keyboard), but I like to start out by hand writing the book. It’s not long before my hand begins to ache, and I have to finally switch to the computer keyboard.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I like stories about the past and biographies. Gone With The Wind is an amazing and timeless book, and the story of the author, Margaret Mitchell, is intriguing.

What are you working on now?
As I mentioned earlier, I am working on a historical fiction novel, 98,000 words. I have many hours of research in including reading narratives by people in the 1800’s. The story centers on a family traveling via paddle wheel steamship from the Atlantic coast to the Pacific coast. Their destination–the rugged Pacific Northwest. My own pioneer family migrated from Michigan and Nebraska to the Pacific Northwest; namely, Olympia, Washington which is where I was born. They came via the Oregon Trail, and some who came a little later, were the first to come by rail. So little is talked about the water route in the 1850’s. I was inspired to learn what they went through. My fictional family go through many trials and tribulations including a kidnapping into the white slave market in San Francisco.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
This is my first published book, so everything is trial and error. I have been building an email list, using Facebook, and trying promo sites such as this.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t go it alone. Involve yourself with other writers. It’s a rewarding and gratifying experience. We support each other rather than compete with each other. I have made new friends of people I would never have known existed.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t give up, be persistent.

What are you reading now?
I am reading self help books on writing and marketing them.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I would like to interview war veterans and write their stories with their permission.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
I would take books that would teach me how to live off of the land and inspirational books.

Author Websites and Profiles
Lilly Brock Website
Lilly Brock Amazon Profile
Lilly Brock’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Pinterest Account

Lilly Brock is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a full-time real estate investor and author. So far, I’ve written three books. I write nonfiction on the topic of real estate investing.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The name of my latest book is Real Estate Investing Sucks: How to Find, Hire, and Manage Contractors—the Right Way! After all of my trials and tribulations as a real estate investor, I soon learned I had to learn the skill of interviewing and hiring contractors to do the fix up work for me. With over a decade of experience, I know now that I can’t do everything myself.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m not sure if it’s unusual but I get up early at 5am everyday to write. I set aside at least one hour a day to focus on my writing. Since I’m a morning person, I find this is the best time for me. As an author, I also can’t start my day writing without a cup of coffee!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
In the nonfiction, personal finance, realm definitely Robert Kiyosaki who is the author of Rich Dad, Poor Dad. As for fiction, I like Stephen King’s work. I have an interest in horror and the paranormal.

What are you working on now?
Right now, I’m working on the third book in my series Real Estate Investing Sucks. It will focus on the topic of helping real estate investors find their area of specialization. It will be released soon.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Honestly, I have not done much promotion. I have used Author Marketing Club a bit. Other than that, I’m still exploring the area.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Just start. Don’t wait for opportunity to strike. Write. Everyday. In the beginning, it will be hard. This field demands discipline. Though with experience, it’ll come easier. Plus, you’ll have more fun!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Success is a journey, not a destination.

What are you reading now?
I just finished another nonfiction, real estate book. I have not had time to read fiction in a while. I hope to pick up a good one during the holidays.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Just to keep writing. I continue to write for my series Real Estate Investing Sucks. I may write about my experiences as an author down the road.

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?
1408 Everything’s Eventual by Stephen King (I have not finished the collection of short stories in the novel.)

Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki

Wilderness Survival for Dummies (for practical matters!)

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

Rachel Hernandez is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a mother two 3 human kids and 1 dog. I have been married since 1998. In 2013 we moved from sunny Southern California for South Western Pennsylvania. (The husband made me do it!) I was born and raised in So. Cal and this move was one of the hardest I have ever had to do. My parents and brother still live in my childhood home. So far I have one book published called Changing Lives. It was released July 19, 2015. It is a historical romance with a paranormal twist. It takes place in modern day and the Titanic is involved. I will have a new book coming out January 11, 2016 called Freeing Lost Souls. And in February sometime I will be part of an anthology, with a short story from FLS. I plan on writing at least one more book in the Freeing Lost Souls series. But only time and the voices in my head will tell

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is called Freeing Lost Souls, to be released January 11, 2016. Two summers ago my family and I took a trip to Gettysburg for the first time. My parents made it out for the trip as well. My dad is a huge history buff and the Civil War is one of his favorites. While at Gettysburg I felt odd. I like to think that I brought a ghost home, and he wanted his story told. It took me about a year to get this book done. Once I started it just flowed.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t know if they are really unusual. My desk has to start off organized. Of course it doesn’t stay that way, but at least it starts off the way I want it. I always have a jar of Jordon Almonds sitting on my desk. You know the wedding candy that no one likes. Yup those ones! And I have to have Pandora on. With Freeing Lost Souls I created a Civil War station to keep me in the mood.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
JK Rowling all of the Harry Potter books
Stephanie Meyer all of the Twilight books
Anything by H.M. Ward
E.L. James just because she was bashed so much.

What are you working on now?
Right now I am working on editing Freeing Lost Souls and I am writing a short story from FLS for an anthology. My story in the anthology will be called Past, Present and Future. We hope to have it out sometime in February.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Well Facebook is where I do most of my promoting, but since they are starting to ban authors from doing so I am starting to look into other ventures. I am on almost every social media outlet I could find. Recently I started up a group on Google Plus to see if that is any better. I just started it last week so we will have to see.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Keep writing. You never know if you can do it until you try. When I first started writing Changing Lives I never thought I would do anything with it. I let my author friend Eryn Black read it and she told me to submit it and see what happens. She thought it was good and different from any other Titanic story she had heard of. So I did.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Keep writing. Doesn’t matter what you write just keep writing.

What are you reading now?
I am between books right now. But the next one on my list is Manwhore by H.M. Ward. I love her books.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I plan to keep writing. I can’t wait to see where the voices in my head take me. I have a supernatural vampire type story that is working it’s way into 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?
Fifty Shades of Grey for some spice.
Harry Potter for the fantasy
BUT if I knew ahead of time that I would be stranded I would totally load up my kindle with as much as I could!

Author Websites and Profiles
Tracy Kincaid Website
Tracy Kincaid Amazon Profile

Tracy Kincaid’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tracy Kincaid is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I was born in the UK in 1978 and have lived my whole life in the north east of England. I’m married with two wonderful children and we have several pets which include a dog (our third child), a corn snake, three goldfish and two hamsters (one of which we think has mental health problems as it keeps doing backflips in its cage!)
I fell in love with books at a young age because I was drawn to book covers through my love of art rather than writing. I was especially attracted to horror and mystery books and would spend hours copying any cover that showed a haunted house or a misty graveyard or a ghostly figure. As I grew up my collection of novels increased to the point where I actually started reading them and soon became inspired to write rather than draw – which was a problem considering that I qualified as a graphic designer. Thankfully, it’s all worked out in the end seeing as how I now design my own book covers. To date, as well as having several short stories published in magazines and websites, I have self-published four books on the Kindle platform.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I recently published two books on the same day back in October 2015. One was a collection of short stories that had originally been written for the stage. The other was a novella called THE DARKEST NIGHT OF THE YEAR which was a supernatural tale with a Halloween setting. I have no idea where the story came from (I’m never really sure where ANY of my ideas come from) but I had always wanted to write a story based around Halloween – which is my second favourite time of year, behind Christmas.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I wouldn’t say unusual – I’m hardly Roald Dahl writing on a desk in his shed. I can’t write in absolute silence and I can’t write with too much noise. I like writing with the television on with the sound very low. I don’t like to look up from my computer when I hit a wall and have nothing but the walls to look at.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Being a horror author, people assume you want to be the next Stephen King. I like a lot of Stephen King but he was never a big influence on me (which is good, because I don’t have his talent…) When I started reading a lot I started with collections of short stories and so I guess I was inspired by too many authors to mention. However, during my late teens, the three authors I read more than any others were James Herbert, Shaun Hutson and Richard Laymon.

What are you working on now?
Being an Indie author means that I have the luxury of creating my own schedule, so I’m often working on several things at the same time because I have no deadlines to meet. Right now I’m writing a Christmas short story to help promote one of my novels MEMENTO MORI which is a traditional Victorian ghost story and I am also working through a rough draft of my next novel which I hope to publish by June/July 2016.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Promotion is probably the weakest of my skills. There are authors out there who are great at it; they’re active on Facebook and Twitter and they blog and stuff. I’m not really comfortable trying to promote my books by turning myself into a brand but unfortunately that’s exactly what you have to do as an author if you want success. For the time being I have a Facebook page and a twitter account and the help of various websites (AWESOMEGANG being one!) that I contact to help spread news of a new release. Being a Kindle author I can also schedule days to give away certain books for free to increase the chance of gaining reviews and obviously Amazon do their part by promoting my books to people who have bought similar stuff. Most of my sales come from those wonderful people who take a chance on me, read my stories and then tell others. Word of mouth sales may not make me a bestseller but the reward of knowing a reader has recommended me to others is a great feeling non the less.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Keep going and don’t get disappointed when things aren’t going well – be that in terms of sales or in terms of the actual writing process. If you want to be a writer then write! Remember that as long as you keep writing you can never be called a failed writer. You only become a failed writer when you give up because of lack of success.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best advice is the same advice that’s been around for years, and that is to read a lot and write a lot. We are now living in a time where ANYONE can publish stories FOR FREE and hopefully have people read them. You might never become rich through writing or even make a living at it, but you have a lot more chance of achieving those dreams if you read a lot and write a lot and keep learning about writing.

What are you reading now?
I’m always reading several different things. I have my Kindle where I usually browse the horror section and take a chance on authors I don’t know anything about. I also hit the charity shops to pick up older books that may be out of print. Then I have my collection of stuff that I sometimes dip in and out of. I have books by my bed, books in the living room and, of course, books in the smallest room of the house.
That’s the toilet, by the way…

What’s next for you as a writer?
To keep going! As long as ideas keep popping into my head then eventually I’ll have to write them down. My next novel is in the early stages and I’m not sure where it’s heading yet – which keeps it interesting. Let’s just say that the premise is that two petty criminals break into a house and find more than they expected. I can’t say anymore than that because I don’t know anymore than that at the minute. Sorry…

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
I have many collections of short stories and so I would take a couple of those (I’ve always had a soft spot for shorter fiction). Novels? The three I keep coming back to are THE EXORCIST, THE SHINING and THE DA-VINCI CODE.
On second thoughts, maybe I should take a book about how to survive on a desert island…

Author Websites and Profiles
Lee Stevens Amazon Profile

Lee Stevens’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

Lee Stevens is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a married full time working mother. That sentence alone should tell you I also tired most of the day. When I get a few hours to myself where I’m not resting from the day, I enjoy painting, crafting, and writing. I’m wanting to join exercising to that list but so far it has lost out.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I have always been a fan of dystopia novels. When the hit television show The Walking Dead started filming in my area, I was inspired to write my own version of a zombie world. So The Deepest Red was born.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not that I’m aware of but there is always time to start one.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I’m a big fan of Kresley Cole and her Prison Princess series. Also I’ve read many of Jennifer Armentrout’s books and almost all of the popular young adult novels. Rhiannon Frater’s As the World Dies was one of my favorite zombie dystopia themed series.

What are you working on now?
I’ve decided to take a break from the Deepest Red world and focus on a few shorter novels. The one I’m working on now follows a senior in high school. There is a twist ending that I’m excited about which has a deep meaning to many people.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Promotion is still a working progress but facebook has helped me to get the word out.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
If you get published or not, just write stories that you love. You never know when someone might find your writings and it change something about their lives. Even if I don’t sell a lot of books, I enjoyed the journey.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Every day you have to make decisions. The key to life is to make more good decisions than bad.

What are you reading now?
Where she went by Gayle Forman. Her book If I Stay was the first book to make me cry.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I plan to keep promoting The Deepest Red and see where I go from 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?
How to survive a deserted island by Tim O’Shei and Al Siebert, How to survive a desert island by Jim Pipe, Arcana Chronicles by Kresley Cole and The Phantom of the Opera.

Author Websites and Profiles
Miriam Bell Amazon Profile

Miriam Bell is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
S.K. Ballinger born (1974- current by luck) S.K. Ballinger lives in central Kansas. Has four children that is the world to him. Has owned two patents known as the ‘Sherloc’ and ‘Can Handle’. Also while being venturous has owned his own business at one point. He simply tries over and over and is not afraid to keep going. His latest is writing. The autobiography of ‘Blissful Misery’ is the first series of three. His attempt is to do something very uncommon in writing about his life. While this first book now known as ‘BM’ has stirred up much controversy, he continues to write. While he has no stars of accomplishments, he has set ground to a large range of fans and other authors great or indie.

I have written a total of thirteen books and one anthology which is due out March 2016 (Painted Mayem) where all proceeds will go to a charity fund. Currently working on four books which I hope to have completed before 2017.

Contact: S.K. Ballinger / 9033685416 / s.ballinger74@gmail.com

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book was the second of the Swanson Series (Sebastian Swanson – Rise of the Lycan). After writing the first nove of the series and having great feedback from it, I began to think of possibilities of going far to the beginning of how Stanley and werewolves evolved. I needed to test my mind on how to establish the first ever Lycan and in doing so, I wanted to the first to be the father of both Stanley and Stephen. I always felt that every creature has a beginning and I worked really hard on doing that with Rise of the Lycan.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I take many notes throughout the day and write them on whatever I might have close by. I can be in a store and if something strikes me, I will grab anything I can write on even if it means that I have to pay for it.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
TJ Weeks by far has been a huge influenced to me and my writing. We have since worked on a few books together and continue to do so. He has given me great appreciation and advice over the past few years and even challenged me to open up my horizons by writing some horror. There are others as well, such as Tawni Rae who I met while writing my first book as she was writing her first. Both autobiographies and her support has been phenomenal.

What are you working on now?
I am currently working on my second autobiography ‘Blissful Misery – Darker Days’, the second book of the ‘Unfleshed’ trilogy titled ‘Ashes to Ashes’ and co-authored with the talented TJ Weeks.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Using Facebook and linking my twitter through it has seemed to help. I also use ditterverse which is very similar to Facebook but more driven for authors.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I would recommend to write at a minimum of a sentence every day. I believe it keeps the interest and focus in what you are trying to accomplish. I also believe that it helps to prevent losing the interest or where you were originally wanting to go with your story.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
When becoming frustrated at either the story line or the characters, it is best to walk away and take a breather/break before going back to it. If you don’t, then it is easy to rush through and make more mistakes then need be.

What are you reading now?
Actually I am reading my Sebastian Swanson – Rise of the Lycan. I always order my own copies and find it a thrill to actaully read in my hand the book I wrote.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I am planning on doing a book signing locally in the near future and possibly one in New York in the summer of 2016. I am also aiming on having my third book of the Swanson series completed by the end of of 2016. Something I would like to do as well is allow my readers of the any of the three books of the series to pick five individual characters that they would like to have me write a short story of.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
I would take one of mine for sanity to remind myself that I was the one who wrote it. I would also take along ‘Interview with a vampire’, Anne Rice. For sure would bring Devil Days by TJ Weeks as it is a book I never get tired of reading over.

Author Websites and Profiles
Shane Ballinger Website
Shane Ballinger Amazon Profile

Shane Ballinger’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Shane Ballinger is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
This is my first book written. I am working on a prequel to this book to be released in the next month and another book which will be a thriller.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The First Ones – As a kid, I was terrified and fascinated by vampires. As I got older, I was attracted to them for three reasons: their nature, desire and loneliness. Their nature is always looking for love and bonding to their love interest for life. I wanted this in my own life. Their desire for blood and difficulty abstaining from it related to my temptations and challenges in life; namely, to remain a loving person in a not so loving world. Vampires are often outsiders, on the fringe of society. I often felt like I did not fit in as well. I think these are reasons why people can relate to them.
If I ever wrote a vampire story, it had to be different than what is on television and film. Honestly, nothing is really “new” but you can have an original angle on it. My angle is not so far out there that you can’t understand it; however, it does blend the lines of good and evil. This story still has the elements of your traditional paranormal romance but with a slight twist. I hope you enjoy the book and thank you in advance for checking it out.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not really. I just have to know how the book ends before I can write. Once I do write, it is like watching a movie in my head and I am just writing down what happens.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Steven King, Gabriel Rodriguez and Joe Hill, Rachael Mead

What are you working on now?
I am working on the prequel to the First Ones which will explain how everything was started in detail and another book called Twisted Love about a girl who has an unusual way of showing and feeling love.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I will have a website up 2016. Right now, I have a blog.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Continue to write. I have material, but I just have to get it out there. Don’t give up writing ever. Look at other people’s examples, the way they market , their cover. Read other books to get acquainted with different styles of writing. The trail has been laid before you. Use it.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
-Some people come into your life(unknowingly) to cause you harm. They make life more difficult in some kind of way. Get rid of them.
-You have to continually protect yourself.
-You are enough for the right person
-Before you decide to help others, look at their example to see if they have been helping their-self.

What are you reading now?
True Blood

What’s next for you as a writer?
Getting out my prequel and thriller and doing a book trailer for Twisted Love.

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?
Bible, Fifty Shades of Grey, my book, and Ted Talks

Author Websites and Profiles
Regina Walker Website
Regina Walker Amazon Profile

Regina Walker’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Regina Walker is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hi,
I’m Stella. I’ve written six novels, and two are published. More are coming, not to worry.

Besides writing, I love Zumba, yoga, watercolor painting, and running along the ocean’s sand in bare feet.

I’ve always loved to make up stories. I mean it. As a kid, I made up names for the street lamps.
I go out to restaurants, and watch people. By the time my meal is done, I have a whole life story for everyone.

My careers have varied. In addition to all the jobs that come from being a Mom & wife. I’ve been a librarian, a classical clarinetist wanna-be, recording studio engineer, broadcast electronics repairman, and now I design software programs. I live in Bergen County, NJ with my life-long hero and our two cats. My two girls are grown but ever supportive. You go Mom!

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is ‘How to Marry Your Wife’ and I would guess it was inspired by my first book, ‘How to Train Your Knight.’ Both books stand alone but one of the characters from the first book becomes the hero in the second.

What inspired both? I wanted to write a different kind of love story, before ‘romance’ was a well established ideology.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write in my pajamas from 5:30 AM until 8:00 AM every day.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Jayne Ann Krentz, Tolkien, Shakespeare, Grimms Brothers, and Robert Frost.

What are you working on now?
I am working on a third Medieval Romance while thinking about the next, which may be a contemporary.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I love sights like this one, I tweet, and I post on Facebook.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Every morning, the alarm goes off, and I state my mantra. “Writers write.” That is the most important thing. Then, go get feedback and learn. Oh yea, and bury your ego. It’s gotta go.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
You become what you think about all day long. That is so profound. Our thoughts define us. I am very careful to think positive things all day long. It can be quite difficult.

What are you reading now?
Adri Sinclair’s latest. It was taken off the shelf, as she has a new publisher, but you should check out her work. http://www.adrisinclair.com/

What’s next for you as a writer?
I love the medieval genre, but I have a few contemporary “Chic Geek” ideas that I am dying to get back to. I want to move from Romance into mainstream thrillers with romantic elements. I have a friend who is a NYC police officer, and he is dying to help me.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Complete works of Shakespeare, a bible, Tolkien anthology. Gah, that sounds odd, even to me.

Author Websites and Profiles
Stella Marie Alden Website
Stella Marie Alden Amazon Profile

Stella Marie Alden’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Stella Marie Alden is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I taught English at the high school level and went on to obtain graduate degrees at Rutgers University where I taught Creative, Expository and Technical Writing. I also hold an MLS Degree and worked as both an academic librarian and an educational media specialist. I’ve taken an early retirement so that I can now write full-time. I love romance and mystery fiction and write both for adults and teenagers.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
STACY’S SONG is a romantic YA novel. It’s about growing up and having to make hard choices, about finding out who you really are and what you want and not what other people tell you. Stacy has two boyfriends that represent two different lifestyles. Eventually, she has to choose between them.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I get up really early to start work. I like to work on my writing every day, even when I’m busy with other things.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I read a great deal. So I can’t pick out just one or two writers. Way back, I loved Bible stories. I also loved Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice.

What are you working on now?
So many projects. My adult romance DARK MOON RISING, a paranormal Gothic, was recently released by Luminosity and is available on Amazon as both a paperback and digital book. January 20th, THE KILLING LAND, a Western romance, will be published by Five Star/Gale/Cengage in hardcover and e-book. I have my fingers crossed for good reviews!

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m hoping it will be Awesomegang!

Do you have any advice for new authors?
If you really want to be published, keep writing, then rewrite and edit your work. There’s no substitute for effort.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t give up.

What are you reading now?
Jayne Ann Krentz’s latest novel. I’m a fan of her romances.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m working on another YA novel. I also had a new romantic mystery accepted for publication by Intrigue Press. It’s not part of my Kim Reynolds mystery series. I think that may end with THE BAD WIFE, at least for the time being. This is a new novel and possibly the start of a new series. It’s entitled THE INHERITANCE.

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 for comfort. That would be enough.

Author Websites and Profiles
Jacqueline Seewald Website
Jacqueline Seewald Amazon Profile

Jacqueline Seewald is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a mother and now a grandmother, living in the country on 22 acres and writing full-time. I’ve written over 20 novels under various pen names; mystery, romance and historical adventure. I was traditionally published in 2008 and 2011 but I discovered self-publishing in 2014 and never looked back.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The latest book is The Way Home. It was inspired by the screwball romantic comedies of the Thirties. I love the idea of a man and woman–both dedicated to remaining single–being thrust together and seeing what happens. And I love snow and Christmas so it has that in it too.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I eat corn flakes out of the box when I’m on a roll and don’t want to stop to make a proper lunch.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Classic romances with a deep story such as Gone With the Wind, Wuthering Heights, Jane Eyre, Daphne de Maurier, Phyllis A. Whitney and Victoria Holt, as I mentioned. I love mysterious, gothic elements in a historical romance.

What are you working on now?
I am currently working on a Victorian series called Victorian Villains that I hope to release this year. I used to devour Phyllis A. Whitney and Victoria Holt when I was a kid and I longed to read a juicy gothic romance (as we called them back then). When I want to read something but can’t find exactly what I’m looking for, I usually write it. The premise is to take the villains in Victorian novels and turn them into heroes. These are darker, edgier romances with gothic overtones and satisfying happy-ever-afters.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write every day even if it’s only a paragraph. Writing is mostly a discipline that will absolutely take hold of you if you do it every day.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Gosh, I’ve heard so much excellent advice in the past year…I guess the best has been to know who you are and what you want for your life and going from there without worrying too much about what the guy next to you is doing.

What are you reading now?
Heathcliff by N J Dorrian.

What’s next for you as a writer?
My goal is to release the first Victorian Villains trilogy and to finish up another series I have under another pen name. More writing. 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?
Oh, I love this question. 1) the Bible because it covers all bases. 2) A how-to Wilderness Survival book 3) Wuthering Heights 4) blank journal (for writing)

Author Websites and Profiles
Catherine Lloyd Website
Catherine Lloyd Amazon Profile

Catherine Lloyd is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I only wrote a book, but translated into 3 languages (English, Spanish and German). I lived for many years in Asia, specially in India, mainly meditating. It´s now 8-9 years that I live in Germany, but it was through the meditations that I did during my 21 days Christmas holidays 2 winters ago, that it came to me that I had to write this book.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My only book is “Unconditional. Based in the true story of a metanoia”. As a child I had a friend who gave me very important advices. In that time he already told me that when I will be grown up, I will write books. But that stayed somewhere in the “back of my mind”, till during the retreat that I did, it came up again. It´s actually my memoir.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don´t think I do too many unusual things, because in any case everybody is special, and so are the things each does

What authors, or books have influenced you?
They didn´t influence me because it´s a memoir, but when I did a research to find out what kind of books are similar to mine, I found out that in this same field are “The Alchemist”, “The Little Prince”, “Jonathan Livingston Seagull”, “The Celestine Prophecy” and “Conversations With God” as examples, but the situations and experiences of Unconditional were real.

What are you working on now?
One of the main things is to start a “business” where I take people to have spiritual experiences to different countries.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I´m just learning

Do you have any advice for new authors?
By writting, one expresses oneself and gets out things that might otherwise be stuck inside. It doesn´t matter of the book sells or not. Just feel free to express your inner side.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
All the advices are good and the best in every given moment. Because the same advice given when that´s not the point, it´s not an advice, it sounds more like beautiful words. But an advice given when one needs it, in that moment, is the best advice

What are you reading now?
No really “normal” books because I´m studying to become an alternative therapist

What’s next for you as a writer?
The second part of the story, which probable is much more interesting

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 books I mentioned before

Author Websites and Profiles
Maitri May Website
Maitri May Amazon Profile

Maitri May’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Maitri May is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have four books published, but many more than that written. The Eye of Tanub and The Celestine Sword are part of the Into Terratir Saga, and Reluctant Guardian and The Elementalist, are part of the Ransomed Souls Series.

I’ve been writing for only a few years, but it’s something I intend to do for years to come. I live in northern Utah and have five kids. We live in the country with 4 horses, 2 dogs, 4 cats and too many chickens to count.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Elementalist is my last book to be published. It’s the sequel to Reluctant Guardian. My publisher inspired me to write this story when they told me they wanted a series, rather than a stand alone book!

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Nope. I sit on my bed with my laptop on my lap and write away!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I love Stephen King, but many other authors inspire me. Maggie Steifvater, for one. She’s one of my very favorites. She’s brilliant. I alsolove all the new dystopian authors that have blossomed as of late. I’m really not too picky as long as it’s a well written book. I read mostly YA since that is what I write, although I love books like The Poisonwood Bible or The Color of Water.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on a sequel to a series I haven’t published yet. I’m thinking of pitching that first book to an agent to see what happens.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Right now, Facebook, instagram, and Twitter. Word of mouth works great too, so if you love my books, be sure to write a fabulous review! LOL

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Keep writing. Don’t let rejection discourage you. If you keep working, you make it one day. Never get up and practice, practice, practice.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The same thing I just wrote above.

What are you reading now?
I’m reading James Dashner’s book, The Rule of Thought.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I want and agent. That is the next big step for me.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Probably the Bible. I wouldn’t want to lose my spirituality. After that, I’m not sure. There are too many to choose from and I’d probably just end up using their pages for the fire.

Author Websites and Profiles
Melissa Cunningham Website
Melissa Cunningham Amazon Profile
Melissa Cunningham Author Profile on Smashwords

Melissa Cunningham’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Melissa Cunningham is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Minister Rufus H. Reddick III

Min. Rufus H. Reddick is the Youth Pastor of Sixth Mount Zion Baptist Temple a strong growing congregation in Hampton, Virginia under the leadership of Rev. Dr. Jerome A. Barber. He is the fifth born child to Rev. John Snell and Dorothy R. Snell. The Cleveland, Ohio native is currently serving his country in the most respected military command across the military branches and has thus far dedicated fourteen years in the United States Navy. His life motto is: “In order to be an effective leader in any capacity you must first learn to be Relational, Relevant and Real.”

While working for the Unites States Navy, Minister Reddick III won the distinction of being selected Sailor of the Year for his tremendous work ethic, integrity and dedication in 2004, 2010, and 2013. While working in a demanding career he still never gave up on his passion for youth ministry. During his leadership as Youth Director and now Youth Pastor (2006-Present), Sixth Mount Zion Baptist Temple’s Youth Ministry has grown both spiritually and physically. Since January 2009, he established a well sought out youth service, a strong youth council and an effective youth leadership training that continuously meets the spiritual need of the youthful believer and allows them to unleash those special gifts God has entrusted them to share with the world. A statistic he is most proud of is one which reveals how under his leadership the youth ministry of Sixth Mount Zion Baptist Temple has not lost one teenager to teenage pregnancy. Minister Reddick’s youth service has been the model for several churches that have traveled from Ashburn, Virginia; Cleveland, Ohio; Houston, Texas and from the local areas of Hampton/Newport News. Minister Reddick also creates ideas and currently trains three youth groups on how to effectively minister to the youth of today.

Minister Reddick is married to the former Tiara A. Anderson. Together they are the proud parents to two children; Rufus H. Reddick IV and Reagan Brielle Reddick.

I have only written 1 book.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Modified Village is the name of my latest book and it was inspired from a burden for the 21st century parent. Raising children in this society is so very challenging and there is not much material out there that speaks to this generation on how do raise your children with a spiritual perspective outside of the Bible. I wanted to share some effective strategies that have been tried by parents. These tips were shared through counseling sessions I have had over a span of 10 years with parents and their children.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
No unusual writing habits outside of writing the way that I speak and not editing your book until the very end.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I love Andy Stanly, TD Jakes and Frances Chan.

What are you working on now?
I am currently not working on another book as of yet because I am committed to advertising the current project.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Facebook has been very successful.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
My suggestion would be to write exactly the way that you talk. This makes your book unique because there is only one you in this world and when you commnicate through the pages of your project-people hear your voice while they are reading.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Keep writing. No mattter what just keep writing. Before you put your book out to the public…allow yourself time to gain confidence in what you have written. The purpose of this is to develop such a belief system in your message that no matter what the critique may be, it will not discourage you to the point where you will never write again.

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?
Destiny by TD Jakes, Who moved my cheese, The Bible and my book…The Modified Village.

Rufus Reddick III is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I just turned forty this past summer. I still can’t believe it. Where did the time go.

I live on a permaculture farm in central Pennsylvania with my wife, Denise. I raise chickens and bees, and grow much of our food. I’m a big proponent of self-reliance. When I’m not working on the farm, I’m writing.

Growing up I never thought of myself as an author. I’m directly related to three people that have either written professionally or do consider themselves to be authors. This is probably not a great endorsement.

“Read my stuff. I’m the fourth best author in my family!”

I’ve written two “practice” books that will never see the light of day. Since then, I co-wrote a children’s book with Denise entitled, Farmer Phil’s Permaculture. On my own I wrote a nonfiction piece entitled, Fire the Landscaper and two novels, Stone Lake and Against the Grain.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I dedicated my latest novel, Stone Lake, to Denise. The female protagonist, Morgan is a lot like my wife, and Morgan’s relationship with Jon reminds me of my marriage. The main characters’ story is fictional, but their pithy dialogue and deep feelings ring true for me. Morgan’s feelings of desperation and despair, coupled with Jon’s horrible luck, tug at my heartstrings, because I’ve been there before.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m not sure if this is unusual, but when I start first draft material, I am religious about writing everyday at the exact same time, 8-12, until the first draft is finished. During that four hour block in the morning I turn off my phone and shut out the world. If I’m going strong I might push past noon, but usually my brain is fried by lunchtime.

In the afternoon, I get outside and tend to the farm chores. Doing something physical outside helps to recharge my brain for the next day.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
For the craft of writing, I learned a lot from Stephen King’s, On Writing. For big picture ideas, The Crash Course by Chris Martenson is a book that will turn your world upside down. My books tend to have an anarchist bent to them, and Stefan Molyneux’s work has had a tremendous influence on me.

What are you working on now?
This morning I started to plot out a new novel. I’m still hashing out the details and I don’t have a title yet, but it is about an Army brat that joins a high-powered high school football team. Once upon a time, I was a small college defensive back, and I’ve been coaching high school football for the past five years. In my opinion this genre is typically unrealistic, so I hope that with my background I can inject some realism into the narrative.

I don’t want to give it away, but there’s a hazing incident that makes the protagonist question everything he thought he wanted. Ultimately, he will have to pay a hefty price to escape with his head held high. I’m a big fan of philosophy, so there will be the search for truth and virtue.

This will be out next summer.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
My website and my subscriber list.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write a practice book before you publish anything. When I read my unpublished manuscripts, I’m thankful that nobody else has read them. You only get one chance with a reader. Make sure you are putting only your best out to the world.

Oh, and don’t listen to your family. Chances are they are not your audience.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Get an editor.

What are you reading now?
The Essay by Robin Yocum. (It’s been good research for my current project)

What’s next for you as a writer?
I hope to improve with every book I write, so I’m concentrating on new material.

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?
Different Seasons by: Stephen King (I know I’m cheating because there are 4 great novellas inside)
The Swiss Family Robinson by: Johann Wyss
SAS Survival Guide by: John Wiseman

Author Websites and Profiles
Phil M. Williams Website
Phil M. Williams Amazon Profile

Phil M. Williams’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

Phil M. Williams is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a proud Indie author with seven full length novels published, and more on the way! I have a young adult, scifi trilogy called The Forgotten Origins, and on on-going middle grade mystery series. The Samantha Wolf Mysteries has been gaining some ground on Amazon and I am very excited to see the readership build.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Heiress of Covington Ranch, book #4 in The Samantha Wolf Mysteries

This is the fourth book to be released in this series, and it’s a special segment for met. I do a lot of character development with this story, introduce a new returning character and hit on some very real topics for kids today. I hope that the fans of the series enjoy the setting in the girls hometown, and like the more personal look into the girls lives.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t think so. I try to keep things routine, as that is what works for me. I might spend more time working on my outlines than some other writers do. Okay, so maybe there are a couple of odd things. When I get stuck on something, I have to step away and either go for a walk or take a shower. I think best when I’m isolated. I also like to like a candle. I have an extremely sensitive sense of smell, and having something pleasant burning puts me in more of a relaxed state.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I grew up reading Trixie Beldon, Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys. I can’t tell you how thrilling it is to have young readers give me positive feedback, and to know that perhaps, I am offering them the same type of healthy escapism that those amazing stories gave me as a child.

As I got older, I read a lot of Stephen King, Dean Koontz, Ken Follet, Cook, etc. I love scifi, thrillers, and a good medical mystery.

What are you working on now?
I just completed The Heiress of Covington Ranch and it’s in the process of final edits in preparation for the December 21st release date. (It’s available on pre-order right now). I’m planing on taking two weeks off, and then I’ll decide what’s next. I narrate my own audiobooks, too, and I might go ahead and start on The Beach House Mystery (book #3), or else Heritage (book #2 in the scifi trilogy). After that, I’ll get going on book #5 in The Samantha Wolf Mysteries.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I had the amazing fortune of running a BookBub campaign earlier this month (Nov. 2015) and I hope to do more of that. Aside from this massive site, it’s the wonderful promotions I get through the ‘ground troupes’ like Awesomegang that really add up to make an impact.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Never give up! It has taken me nearly three years and six books to even begin to make a dent. It takes a whole lot of perseverance.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
To have a professional cover made.

What are you reading now?
Above the Bridge, by Deborah Garner

What’s next for you as a writer?
To keep going, and marketing! I’m excited where the future is taking me!

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Pillars of the Earth
Watchers
Lonesome Dove
The Hunger Games

Author Websites and Profiles
Tara Ellis Website
Tara Ellis Amazon Profile
Tara Ellis Author Profile on Smashwords

Tara Ellis’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tara Ellis is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m based in Calgary in Western Canada and am an author of science fiction and fantasy novels for children and young adults, including The Alchemist’s Portrait, The Sorcerer’s Letterbox, The Clone Conspiracy, The Emerald Curse, The Heretic’s Tomb, The Doomsday Mask, The Time Camera, The Sphere of Septimus, and Flashback. I’m also the author of The Children’s Writer’s Guide, The Working Writer’s Guide, The Social Media Writer’s Guide, and many non-fiction books.

I offer a wide variety of presentations, workshops and author in residence programs for schools and libraries, covering such topics as the writing process, editing and revision, where ideas come from and how writers turn them into stories, character development, historical fiction and historical research, story structure, the publishing world and more. I’m an instructor for adults with the University of Calgary and Mount Royal University and offers a variety of online workshops for both children and adults. I also offer a number of services for writers, including manuscript evaluation, editing, writing workshops and coaching, plus copywriting services for the business community.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest novel is Flashback, which was published in 2015. It’s a paranormal mystery adventure for young adults involving psychics, ghosts, and mind control experiments. With regards to the inspiration for the novel, this is another of my favorite themes in the science fiction and fantasy genre. The initial idea was one of the first that I had when I began my writing career but the novel took a while to develop to my satisfaction.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I do tend to mostly write late at night but many writers do that, so I’m not sure whether that would be classed as unusual. I also sometimes go to coffee shops to work on outlines for stories, specific parts of chapters, and so on, or occasionally just to get away from the home office for a while.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I read a lot of science fiction novels and collections of short stories while growing up, as well C S Lewis, Tolkien, other fantasy writers and ghost stories. I also read a tremendous number of comic books as a child, which were great for the imagination. At high school, I studied a great deal of history and have retained my interest in the subject up to the present day. I also read voraciously on ancient civilizations, mysteries, the supernatural, and the unexplained.

When I began my career as a writer I was influenced by the earlier books in the Harry Potter series. However, I didn’t want to write about wizards, dragons, or magic, but rather about the things that I was interested in, such as time travel, the paranormal, superheroes, ancient mysteries, or history. I was also influenced by Phillip Pullman’s The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass, along with some other excellent fantasy and science fiction works.

What are you working on now?
As of November 2015 I’m working on the two sequels to Flashback, which along with the first novel will form a trilogy. I’ve also completed the first installment of a dystopian novel set in a dark parallel universe, which I’m continuing to work on, along with a couple of screenplays. In addition I’m working on the second installment of The Children’s Writer’s Guide and some more nonfiction books featuring tips and advice for aspiring writers.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I have a website, blog, and am very active on social media and while these are very effective I still find that promotion in person seems to be the best method for books written for children and young adults. I do a great deal of teaching and conduct writing workshops for both children and adults, which helps to promote the novels and other books. I also do many book signings at local bookstores throughout the year. This not only helps to sell books but also to promote my other services for writers, such as editing, coaching, or online workshops and courses.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Writing is in some ways the easy part. It can be a very long process not only to write a book, but also to get it published. A book is a marathon measured in years rather than weeks or months. Don’t be afraid to revise and revise over and over again. Most authors go through many revisions before their work reaches its final format. Remember too that your book will never be to everyone’s taste, so don’t be discouraged. A firm belief in your own success is often what’s necessary. After all, if you don’t believe in your book, how can you expect other people to?

Read as much as you can and write as often as you can. Keep an ideas file, even if it’s only a name, title, sentence or an entire outline for a novel. You never know when you might get another piece of the puzzle, perhaps years later. You also mustn’t forget the marketing. You may produce the greatest book ever written. However, no one else is going to see it if your book doesn’t become known to potential readers. Be visible as an author. Do as many readings, signings and personal appearances as you can. Get your name out there and hopefully the rest will follow. Especially for newly published authors, books don’t sell themselves and need a lot of help.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Probably to keep writing, read as much as you can, and always be open to new ideas. After all, you never know when you’ll get a really good one.

What are you reading now?
I’m always reading a wide variety of things, either online or in books and magazines. Sometimes this is for research purposes or during the editing process for clients but at other times purely for pleasure, either fiction or nonfiction and either new material or books in my own collection that I refer to every now and then.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Once the Flashback sequels are completed I’ll be working on the dystopian trilogy, followed by two potential sequels to my fantasy novel, The Sphere of Septimus. I’ll also continue to work on my screenplays, guides for aspiring authors, and on promoting myself and my work to as wide an audience as possible.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
I’m not sure but perhaps a book all about tips and advice related to surviving on a deserted island might be a good idea.

Author Websites and Profiles
Simon Rose Website
Simon Rose Amazon Profile

Simon Rose’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Simon Rose is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve been writing on and off since the mid 90’s, but it’s only been in the last couple of years that I’ve been able to get beyond my fears of publishing my work that I’ve gotten serious about it. Last year (August 2014) I published my first episode of Shadow Stalker, a dark fantasy serial I’m writing. I’ve mainly been focusing on writing the serial so far, but I have a novella, Demon Hunt, plus another I’ve written that will be included in a charity bundle in April 2017, Makari’s Mission. Both are prequels to my Shadow Stalker serial. Soon I’ll be working on a series of novels that take place in the same world. Two of the Shadow Stalker bundles (with six episodes in each) have been published. The first is free to download on my website.

Aside from writing, I love reading, watching movies and playing games and doing science experiments with my daughter. She has ASD and ADHD and hasn’t been able to cope in a school setting, so we homeschool her.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Shadow Stalker was actually inspired by The Celestine Prophecy. While I was reading it, my character, Kado, just popped into my head. I knew right away he was not going to be the main character, but he was going to be a major part of the story as the main characters “guide”. The story and the world grew slowly in my mind from there, and evolved a lot from it’s original form to what it is today.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not really. Since I homeschool my daughter, and I can’t even set a real writing schedule because I spend a lot of time caring for her, for me it’s more of a just get in there and write when I have the chance. I do a lot of preparation work though, so when I do sit down to write, I don’t waste time staring at a blank screen. I know exactly what I’m going to write.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I tend to read a lot of stuff, and it’s hard to keep track of it all, but the authors that have really made a difference for me are Terry Goodkind and Lindsay Buroker. Reading Terry Goodkind’s work puts me in the mood for writing and gets my creative juices flowing. Sometimes I have to stop in the middle of one of his books and start writing. Lindsay is a successful indie author who shares a lot of info about how she found her success, which has been a tremendous help. She is my reminder that it’s possible to succeed as an indie author without it turning into a stressful job.

What are you working on now?
Right now I’m continuing my work on my Shadow Stalker serial, which is going to be 24 episodes long. I’m currently about to start publishing weekly chapters of Episode 14 on Patreon. I’m also compiling all my world building and character facts into one file on Scrivener so I can start working on my Savior of the Serpent Isles series, which is going to be about eight novels long and takes place in the same world as Shadow Stalker. Where Shadow Stalker is from the point of view of one character, the novels are going to give a broader view of everything happening in the world during this time.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I prefer promoting my books through my website. The first bundle of the Shadow Stalker serial is free, so I really try to get people into it by downloading it and if they like it, they can get the second bundle (Episodes 7 – 12) free just by signing up to my newsletter. I also write articles on writing, marketing and self-publishing that I share on my blog and social media as well.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Focus on building your platform and that means getting to know people, helping people and making yourself as visible as possible. Most of my new readers have come from helping other authors promote their work on my website and my Renee’s Author Spotlight blog.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best advice I’ve gotten is the advice I generally always give, and that’s to build your author platform. If all you do is try to sell your books to complete strangers, you’ll get nowhere fast.

What are you reading now?
At the moment I’m not reading anything, but I’m about to start the Vampire Academy series soon… and I don’t even like stories about vampires. I just saw the movie recently and really liked it, so now I want to read the books.

What’s next for you as a writer?
As I mentioned earlier, I’m working on putting everything together to plan my Savior of the Serpent Isles series. Then next year, once I’m done writing Shadow Stalker, I’ll be starting a new serial about the origin of the shadow stalkers. I asked my readers whether they wanted that or something completely new and different, and they chose that. So I’ll be sticking to the Shadow Stalker world for a while to come. It’s an interesting world though.

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?
It would probably have to be the first four books of Lindsay Buroker’s, The Emperor’s Edge, series. I love that series… can I bring the whole thing, though?

Author Websites and Profiles
Renee Scattergood Website
Renee Scattergood Amazon Profile
Renee Scattergood Author Profile on Smashwords

Renee Scattergood’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Renee Scattergood is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have been writing since 2013. Shortly after surgery, I was bored stiff. My wife brought me my laptop and I began Blue Water & Me. I have now published seven books, including the Ted Higuera Series of thrillers and the Catrina Flaherty Mysteries.

If Chevy Chase had played Indiana Jones, he would be me. I have a thirst for adventure, but nothing ever seems to go exactly as planned.

I left my career as a software engineer in the summer of 2012 and set sail for the warm blue waters of Baja California in my56-foot sailboat, the Victory. You may read an account of this adventure on myblog at www.pennwallace.com.

I currently lives in San Diego, but we’re getting ready for our next big adventure next year. I’m pretty sure it will have something to do with Panama and the Caribbean.

Currently, I’mworking on the next Ted Higuera Thriller.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Murder Strikes Twice.

All of my mystery/thrillers are based on true stories. The case Cat follows in Murder Strikes Twice just came to court in real life and, fortunately, real-life imitated my ending.

A husband had two wives. The first was killed in a tire-changing accident. The second killed in a fall off a cliff. He collected nearly two million dollars in insurance money.

Wouldn’t you be curious? Catrina Flaherty and her crew take on the mystery and I guarantee you you won’t guess the ending.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I am a dedicated full-time writer. I get up every morning (seven days a week) and make coffee, then head to my office to start my day. I spent about four hours writing, the break for breakfast.

After breakfast I usually devote two to four hours on marketing my books, then back to writing.

I usually produce about three books a year.

I don’t hang from rafters or work in a dark cave. When I’m on the Victory, sailing around the world, I work from the galley table and connect to the Internet whenever we’re in port.

I’m a plotter, not a pantser. Most writers I know write from the seat of their pants. They don’t know where the story is going when they start it. They have an idea and some characters.

I was a software engineer in another life. I am a methodical, analytical person. I start with a beat sheet to figure out what the scenes the book needs. From that, I know who the characters are, so I write character sketches. Once this is done, I write the outline.

The outline usually is 15 – 20 pages in length. After all of this, I know the story so well, that I sit down to write. Something magical happens. I don’t think about what I’m writing, my fingers just hit keys and the story unfolds on the computer screen in front of me. I’m as delighted to see how it turns out as you will be when you read it.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
There’s a long list.

Let’s start with Edgar Rice Burroughs, the creator of Tarzan. He wrote fantastic adventure stories with multiple plot lines that intertwined and came together in the end.

I also love Elizabeth George. She writes a mystery series about Inspector Lindley. You get so caught up in the characters lives that you don’t care who done it.

Tom Clancy was also an influence. With his incredible complicated plots and intertwining stories, I fell in love with his long, long books.

Finally, I’d have to say Robert Ludlum. He gave me my love of thrillers. I still think the Bourne Identity is the best thriller ever written.

What are you working on now?
The working title is “The Cartel Strikes Back.” This is the fifth book in the Ted Higuera Series.

In book 3, The Mexican Connection, Ted and friends were lured to Mexico and plunged into the drug wars. They left a trail of bodies in their wake.

In The Cartel Strikes Back, one of the drug lords that Ted put away breaks out of prison and vows vengeance on Ted.

The whole cast will be back in action. Ted will propose to the love of his life and there will be a twist ending that you will never see coming

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Check out my website at www.pennwallace.com.

I am also developing what I call my “pyramid marketing plan.” There’s a 30-page paper on eBook marketing on my website if you’re interested.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
1. Join a good writers group. Nothing will help you develop your craft more. Try to get into a group with writers who are better than you. The better they are ,the better they will force you to become.

2. You are the author. You’ll get all sorts of advice from many sources: friends, family, writers groups, writers conferences. You are the final arbitrator of what goes in your book. Listen to everything you’re told, but use only what makes sense for you.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“Never give up.” – Sir Winston Churchill.

What are you reading now?
I’m reading Silent Cats: Deadly Dance. A thriller about two spies who fall in love and get married only to have their past come back to haunt them.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I intend to publish two Ted Higuera stories and at least one Catrina Flaherty Mystery in 2016. I really want to get back to work on a historical novel I set aside.

It’s the story of my great-grandfather and his adventures during the American Civil War.

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?
No question, Lonesome Dove is first. I think Gus McRae is the greatest character in American literature.

Next comes Ken Follett. Pillars of the Earth is the best book I’ve ever read, but my favorite Follett book is Night Over Water.

Patrick O’Brien. I love his Master and Commander series. I would take all of them, but if I only got three or four books, I’d start and the beginning with Master and Commander.

Author Websites and Profiles
Pendelton Wallace Website
Pendelton Wallace Amazon Profile

Pendelton Wallace’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Pendelton Wallace is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have written four books, and I’m currently working on my fifth. Reset Your Life Now is the book that I wrote to help people discover and use the inner power that they possess to get the things that they desire most in their lives.

I have a passion for studying psychology and the area of the mind, and what makes people tick. Which is why I created my Success Coaching Program – Reset Your Life Now! which teaches you how to bridge the gap between where you are now and where you ultimately want to be in life.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is called M.S.P.P.I – Seven Steps To 7-Figures. It was inspired by my Success Coaching Students who all seemed to have one major goal in common : To get a bit of the green stuff and then start to worry about everything else in their lives.

I realized that money is a VERY big part of everyone’s life, and as such, providing my students with an easy and quick way to make money passively, left them with enough time for them to focus fully on my program without the worries and hassles of having to spend months or even years learning a business system that could provide them with the financial freedom that was at the top of everyone’s list!

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Well, I mostly write between midnight and 4 am. I find that is the best time for me to be super productive and that is when the creative juices really get flowing…

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I read a LOT, and I’ve read thousands of books on just about every topic. But if I had to choose just a few of the books which have made the biggest difference in my life, it would have to be

1. Ask And It Is Given by Esther Hicks
2. Psycho Cybernetics by Dr Maxwell Maltz
3. Born Rich by Bob Proctor.

What are you working on now?
I’m always working on a book or program at any given time but right now I’m focusing on my talks as a Transformational Speaker.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
My best method for promoting my books is through my website and blog – www.normadusart.co.za

Do you have any advice for new authors?
My advice for any new authors would be : “Write!” There are entirely too many people who say they want or hope or wish they could publish a book, but ask them what they are doing to make that dream a reality, and there is nothing they are doing on a daily basis.

You become a writer by writing.

Get started. Even if it’s just one page a day that you write, you’re on the right track and slowly – but surely – you will start to build momentum and before you know it, you will be publishing your very first book. (Well that’s how it happened for me anyway!)

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Never give up on your dreams. As cliche as it sounds… That piece of advice is the only reason I’m here today doing what I’m doing!

What are you reading now?
The Power of Your Subconscious Mind by Joseph Murphy. (Don’t ask me how many times I’ve read it already…)

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m always going to be writing till I’m too old to hold a pen. But in the meantime, I want to stretch and challenge myself; to get out of my comfort zone and try new things. My next book certainly will be a surprise to a lot of people!

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
A puzzle book
A bible
A journal to write in!

Author Websites and Profiles
Norma Dusart Website
Norma Dusart Amazon Profile
Norma Dusart Author Profile on Smashwords

Norma Dusart’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

Norma Dusart is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a former software engineer turned science fiction novelist. I’ve written and published the first two books of my eHuman Trilogy; eHuman Dawn (an International Book Award Finalist) and eHuman Deception, released this past summer and garnering great reviews. I hope to publish the final book sometime in 2016, however I’m also in the middle of writing my first historical fantasy, so we’ll see. In my spare time I teach ballroom dance to high schoolers, spin and knit as well as color. I’m addicted to Johanna Basford’s coloring books. And of course I read a lot, but mostly scifi and fantasy. I’m also a crossfit fan, pull ups are the best!

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is eHuman Deception. The entire eHuman Trilogy was inspired by a dream I had five years ago in which I was living in a male android body and the power to my city had been shutdown. I spent the rest of the dream trying to save us and when I woke up I knew I had a novel.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
As a mother of two, I write every day at scheduled times. I can’t just sit down when the muse appears and write, so I’ve developed the habit of creating playlists for each of my novels. When the time comes to work, I cue the music and find myself entering the world of the story.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Too many to mention. Ursula LeGuin, Madeline L’Engle and Brandon Sanderson are often open on my Kindle.

What are you working on now?
A historical romance/history about the Rebel Pharaoh of Egypt. A switch from Science Fiction. Seems like I need to go back in time before I can jump forward again.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Honestly, I’m still working on this. Is it Twitter? Sometimes. Facebook? Sure. Goodreads? Definitely. My blog has been helpful as well…one blog went viral on Reddit this past June. In the end, I think we just need to spend time reaching out in as many ways as possible without taking too much time from writing.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write. Everyday. Even if you don’t feel like it.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Write. Everyday. Even if you don’t feel like it.

What are you reading now?
Just finished Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn Trilogy. Next up: Ancillary Sword by Ann Leckie.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Once I finish up the two novels I’m working on, I hope to adapt eHuman Dawn into a screenplay.

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 Fountainhead, The Catcher in the Rye, The Alchemist and perhaps a journal.

Author Websites and Profiles
Nicole Anderson Website
Nicole Anderson Amazon Profile

Nicole Anderson’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Nicole Anderson is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m Rebecca Belliston, mother of five. I write while my kids are in school to keep my sanity. I’ve published four novels (two Christian romantic suspense novels and two dystopian novels), and I have several more in the works.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
LIBERTY is book 2 in my #CitizensofLoganPond trilogy. This series is set a few years in the future after the financial collapse of America. I wanted to explore the idea of how a small neighborhood might pull together in hard times, how regular people and families would survive without money, technology, grocery stores, or even chocolate. It’s been my favorite project to work on so far.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write whenever I have a minute or two to write. Sometimes that’s late at night, sometimes that’s during my daughter’s gymnastics or my son’s ortho appointments. With five kids, I have to grab writing time whenever I can get it.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I’m a huge Jane Austen fan. Her books are brilliantly clever, funny, and swoon-worthy. My father, Gerald N. Lund, also has had a huge influence on me. He’s written over thirty books.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on the last book in my trilogy which will be called THE PURSUIT. (The first two novels are called LIFE, and LIBERTY.)

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I love book reviewers. They’re so passionate about books, and they’re always thrilled to share what they’re reading.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Read. Write. Repeat.

It’s that easy and that hard.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Great books aren’t written. They’re rewritten.

What are you reading now?
I’m reading “Cress” by Marissa Meyer. Wonderful series!

What’s next for you as a writer?
I have several projects I’m itching to finish including a medieval romance.

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, the scriptures, and probably a few of my own.

Author Websites and Profiles
Rebecca Belliston Website
Rebecca Belliston Amazon Profile

Rebecca Belliston’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Rebecca Belliston is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Félix Augusto Reyes Gutiérrez was born in Ibagué in the department of Tolima; he has the professional degree of Systems Engineer, he is a Technological Specialist in E-Commerce; Magister in Commercial and Marketing Manager, he is a Technologist in Computer Systems, Technologist in Data Networks and Professional Systems Technician.

Nowadays Reyes Gutiérrez is an instructor of Teleinformática of The National Learning Service, “SENA”, in the “Industry and Construction Center”, Tolima regional. He has also worked as a university professor adding so more than 15 years of experience in the area of education and professional formations. Furthermore, he is a member of the “Research, Development and Innovation, of The SENA”.
Among the achievements of the author is also highlighted, the International ICDL START Syllabus Certification Version 5.0 of The International Computer Driving License (ICDL) and an International Certification by the “Internet & Computing Core Certification” (IC3).
His professional profile is complemented with studies of courses in Digital Entrepreneurship, Personal Excellence, Environmental Management and Enterprise Social Responsibility, Innovation Management TIC, Management of Marketing and Customer Service, Virtual Master, Human Resources Management, Digital Content, International Commerce Management, Management in Communication and Information Technology (TIC ́s), as well as others.
Reyes Gutiérrez is an active partaker of seminars, workshops, congresses and all kinds of scientific technological release. From inside the events he has attended the Iberoamerican Congress of Social Media is highlighted (look at http://goo.gl/5eiIqV).
Passionate related with all the Digital Marketing in general. Share the information related with the topic in his Blog: http://felix-reyes.com.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Cyber Threats in the WEB 3.0: A Guide to learn to identify and prevent the risks you and your family, are exposed to when navigating the Internet.

My children

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
No…

What authors, or books have influenced you?
og Mandino,
Timothy ferriss,
Tommy Newberry,
Stephen R. Covey,
Wallace D Wattles,
Napoleón Hill,
Wayne Dyer,
Tim

What are you working on now?
Instructor of Teleinformática of The National Learning Service, “SENA”, in the “Industry and Construction Center”, Tolima regional.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
http://awesomegang.com/

and, word of mouth

Do you have any advice for new authors?
perseverance

and deaf ears

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
You’re never going to please all the World

What are you reading now?
books on linkedIn

What’s next for you as a writer?
Spread the message of safe Internet

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
100 years of Solitude
and how to escape an island

Author Websites and Profiles
Félix A. Reyes G. Website
Félix A. Reyes G. Amazon Profile

Félix A. Reyes G.’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Félix A. Reyes G. is a post from Awesome Gang

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve been an author for over thirty years, which is almost as long as I’ve been living in my small log house in the evergreen forests in Oregon. I currently have 22 romance novels and 3 non-fiction books available on Amazon. All of my books, including their covers and descriptions, are posted on my website. I’m a full-time writer, and I love the quietness that comes with living in the woods. My laptop sits on a coffee table in the living room so I can look out the window and see squirrels, chipmunks, and birds at the feeders just outside, so I have little desire to go to the city, which is about 35 miles away.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is entitled, Finding Justice, which is Book 12 in my Dancing Moon Ranch series. It’s also the final book in the series. Being part of a series, my hero and heroine had already been introduced to readers in earlier books, so the inspiration for the story came out of the series. However, the inspiration for the first book in the series was based on an actual lawsuit over a botched procedure at a fertility clinic, when two women got sperm from the wrong men. That book is entitled, Righteous Lies. My heroine’s sister, who popped up toward the end of Righteous Lies, prompted me to write the second book in the series, which is entitled, Pandora’s Box. That story brought in the twin brother of my hero in Righteous Lies, and things just kept going from there. The 13-book series ended up spanning thirty years and two generations. It’s been great writing the series because I always wanted to live on a working guest/cattle ranch and be surrounded by cowboys and now it’s like I am, and the couples in the first three books, and all of their sons and one daughter, are my family. My series is getting great reviews, and a couple of reviewers equated the series to the “Dallas” TV series without all the sex. There is some sex, but it’s PG-13.

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

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

What are you working on now?
The book I’m working on is entitled, River Hawk, and it’s Book 1 in my CAJUN COWBOY SERIES. The series is a contemporary western series set in the prairie and marsh cattle country of SW Louisiana, not far from where many of my Cajun relatives live.

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

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

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

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

What’s next for you as a writer?
After I complete my CAJUN COWBOYS series, which will be finished in 2017, I’ll probably come up with another series. I love writing them, especially with books that move forward in time so readers can really get to know the characters, who are woven throughout the series, much like a TV series. My DANCING MOON RANCH series spanned 30 years and two generations, and my CAJUN COWBOYS series will span around 15 years so the youngest brother in the series can grow up and find his lady love

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
If I was going to be spending time on a desert island, the book I’d grab first would be A Tale of the Wind because it’s long, involved, spans a lifetime, and I learn something new about writing every time I read it. The second book would be my memoir, which is entitled (on Amazon) Around the Belt. It has over 1000 photos of my family and all aspects of my life while growing up in New Orleans in the 1940s and 50s, including some of the many colorful people who were either directly, or indirectly, a part of my life. The 3rd and 4th books would be books on screenwriting, one by Syd Field, and the other by Laura Schellhardt (Screenwriting for Dummies), so when I’m finally rescued I’d be able to write the scripts for my Dancing Moon Ranch series in hopes that the series would be bought for TV.

Author Websites and Profiles
Patricia Watters Website
Patricia Watters Amazon Profile

Patricia Watters is a post from Awesome Gang