Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hello, I am an author, philodopher and subjective explorer. I have been an author since 2013 with my first book “unSpirituality: Permission to be Human.” I then wrote and illustrated a children’s book entitled “The Imaginarians.” I also blog on my website unspirituality.com.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I just published my spiritual memoirs which chronicles a journey through religion, metaphysics and personal healing from childhood trauma, culminating in a major Kundalini experience. I felt my story could be an inspiration to other seekers, philosophers and survivors of unsolicited childhood programming.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t think so. I get up at 5:30 am and go to a coffee shop and write until noon.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Authors? Christopher Hitchens, Christopher Hyatt, Alice Miller, Joseph Campbell, Austin Osman Spare, Peter Carroll, to name a few. Books? The Power of Myth, Focusing, The Radical Acceptance of Everything, God is Not Great, Undoing Yourself, For Your Own Good, The Book of Pleasure.

What are you working on now?
Now that I’ve published “unSpiritual: A Spiritual Journey” me net project is a series on the unSpiritual Philosophy. I’m thinking it will be 5 to 7 parts culminating in a master volume. I’ll release each Kindle segment as I go probably around 100 pages each.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’ve done some radio interviews but this is the first free giveaway I’ve done, so, we’ll see how it goes.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
In general I would suggest hacking out your words and keep that separate from formatting. Consider your writing the raw content and formatting the paint brushing. Write when and where it feels good. I strangely like writing in loud coffee shops; the background noise creates a focus. Even so, I still like writing in quiet as well.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Follow your bliss!

What are you reading now?
The Psychopaths Bible and Liber Null & Psychonaut: An Introduction to Chaos Magic

What’s next for you as a writer?
Keep writing.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
That’s funny, I think of that question often. 1) The Power of Focusing 2) The Ultimate Understanding 3) Survival: How to Survive on a Deserted Island: Survival Island Guide Handbook 101

Author Websites and Profiles
Christopher Zzenn Loren Website
Christopher Zzenn Loren Amazon Profile

Christopher Zzenn Loren’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a happy new author of unusual erotica. My intention is to write stories that are friendly, appealing, and hot for women, men, singles and couples (with a variety of orientations). Some might say that I have a dirty mind. Having spent my life enjoying genre fiction and nerdy pursuits, I intend to visit as many of my favourite realms as I can… and “have sex” in them, so to speak. I want to create sex-positive entertainment for like-minded individuals.

I will admit that Tracey DeSanto is a pseudonym. My Gramma wouldn’t understand, and she misses nothing.

I have written three erotica books since the summer of 2015. The first is “Pecking Order” which takes place on a polygamist farm in the old west. There are quite a few randy folks in that one. The second book is called “Making the Rolls”. It explores what might happen at the fantasy gaming table if things got sexy. My third book takes place in the American Circus of the 1950’s.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My newest book is called “Under the Big Top: Clowning Around”. Basically… it is about what happens when a curvy concession owner ends up working at the circus. She is in the process of having an affair with the Rockabilly Tomboy Ringmaster (really!) when she realizes that she might have a thing for Clowns. Plenty of circus sexy-time ensues!

I have always been entranced by the circus. I’m old enough to have been in the audience of the old touring shows that would come into town. I am fascinated by the artistry and energy that goes into such a colourful and spectacular tradition. Plus… the weirdness, greasepaint and sexuality of the circus can’t be ignored!. It is a perfect place to set an erotica book, in my opinion.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I need privacy, quiet and coffee to allow my inner “sexy” to become refined at the computer. But first, honestly? I am an avid cyclist and find that I come up with most of my ideas on my bike while riding. As I pedal along my dirty mind wanders, coming up with interesting characters and scenarios. Then I take them home and write them down.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I find my influences come from a lifetime of genre fiction and film. I was a Tolkien kid. I read all the Ray Bradbury I could find. Louis Lamour westerns are awesome, as is Dashiell Hammet’s crime noir. It never hurts to read some H. P. Lovecraft. I have also enjoyed an enormous number of comic books. Alan Moore, Neil Gaiman, Jack Kirby, and so many other creators have helped shape me. These are the inspirations for the scenarios I enjoy placing my erotica in. The sexy parts are mostly me, though… I will confess.

What are you working on now?
I am at a crossroads. The new book will either be Superhero erotica, or a creepy ghost story where a man gets haunted while he’s in bed. I intend to flip a coin next week to see which idea gets fleshed out first. Heh… “fleshed out”… see what I did there?

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I have no idea. I am learning as I go along. I wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for Amazon.com, so that has to be the top of the list. I am currently learning how to navigate the choppy waters of online book promotion. Tracey DeSanto is on Facebook, and has a website (http://traceydesanto.com), so those are important beginnings.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Ha ha! See above. I am a new author. Anyone got any tips for me? In all honesty, though… I try to write every day, and I keep a running journal (on my phone!) of story ideas as they come to me. Yesterday I was madly jamming something in with my thumbs as I paid for groceries. I am having fun writing the kind of erotica I enjoy reading, I hope that the readers who will enjoy my work will come along for the ride.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Stop talking about it and just do it. Don’t be shy.

What are you reading now?
I just finished the new Hellboy Graphic Novel by Mignola and friends. I am halfway through a vintage paperback called (embarrassingly) “Dead Yellow Women and Other Stories”. It is an old Continental Op collection by Dashiell Hammet that has, shall we say, some rather dated racial attitudes. Still… as far as texture and craft go, Dashiell was the man. I wonder if I’ll ever get the nerve up to try a crime noir erotic story.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I intend to release 10 pieces of short erotica in the next year. I am hoping to build a solid catalogue for an engaged readership. Then I will be able to retire on my erotica earnings and move to the south of France. Hey. I can dream, can’t I?

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 Lord of the Rings. The Maltese Falcon. Watchmen. Cannery Row. Whew… that’s a hard question.

Author Websites and Profiles
Tracey DeSanto Website
Tracey DeSanto Amazon Profile

Tracey DeSanto’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Well I used to be in IT, well…IT then Project Management. I had a motorbike accident and couldn’t work for many months so I began writing short stories, blogs, website content for friends. I realised was really good at it so I started writing a lot more. I’ve written several dozen books over the years but I’ve only published 1 and there’s one in pre-sale on Amazon and another i’m finishing up now.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My current published book is called Monique and it is based on someone I met that I thought was really interesting so I asked her if I could write her book.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Yes, I wake up in the middle of the night and suddenly have an idea for something so I will pull my laptop out and start writing it.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Dean Koontz, especially his older works like Watchers and Funhouse. Those books were really well written. I’m still a bit of a fan, but he describes things too much for my liking now so I’ve eased off on that obsession.
Anne Rice, she’s amazing. The way she writes as a man is so on-point. She’s a truly talented writer who has very visual descriptions.

What are you working on now?
I’m writing a book called Toby. It’s based on someone I met in Barcelona. You’d be afraid to meet me wouldn’t you? You might end up in my book, the way I meet people and write books on them. Don’t flatter yourself, you’d have to be exceptionally interesting for me to do that.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I don’t know if there is one. I write blogs that are clues to my books and I write about things that might be slightly related to my books or characters.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t pay for promotion on websites until you’ve checked out similarweb. Some websites will tell you that they have x amount of visitors but when you use similarweb to check them out, you’ll find out they don’t.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Spend a dollar, if it makes you two, spend 2.

What are you reading now?
I’m reading I, Zombie by Hugh Howey. Brilliant, it’s written from the perspective of the Zombie and very well done!

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m about to publish Mr 303, which is my apocalyptic book and it’s part one. So I’m going to focus on parts two and three as that story is epic! I’m having so much fun writing it. There’s also an autobiographical ghost story that’s gotta be done. I’ve alluded to it in one of my blogs, it’s been happening to me for years and a story is forming….

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’s nonsense. I’d just bring my Kindle and battery pack and then I’d have a lot more than 4 before my power went out!

Author Websites and Profiles
Fox Emerson Website
Fox Emerson Amazon Profile

Fox Emerson’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a model citizen. I pay my taxes and vote when I’m told and I leave a glass of milk out with some cookies for Santa on Christmas Eve. I have penpals in 10 countries but none of us share a common language. I enjoy easy listening music and feed the neighbour’s cat. I water my plants on a daily basis and have never had one die on me. If the boat is being rocked I do everything in my power to steady it and return us to previous course.

In all honesty I’m not a great big share bear. It’s my written work that does the talking. Mind you depending on who you talk to it slurs a lot and loses its train of thought

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I released a short story collection called ‘Bed Time Stories for Grown Ups’. It’s a mix of fairy tale with modern living and contemporary issues that many face in shape or form.

Inspiration? When I was 18 I had a friend and his girlfriend of the time was turning 18. Without having met her I decide to write 18 short stories with her the main protagonist. I ended up writing three.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I practice automatic writing; I should probably share the acclaim (and derision) with the ghosts I met through my Ouija Board

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Probably Kurt Vonnegut, Gore Vidal and countless non-fiction books about historical or political figures as well as books on history, society, culture and the environment.

What are you working on now?
A short novelette about a band called Sick Amour that I invented after helping a friend practice taking band photos for a magazine she worked for. I have a novella called Splutter coming out in May 2016 as well.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Goodreads has been good for connecting with people and pressing the digital flesh. My twitter accounts where I create fake news headlines or superheroes are also helpful.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Quit your job, sell the house and come join us! Viva la revolution!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I ain’t got time for advice I’m too busy making mistakes.

What are you reading now?
The label on my jumper. Is this machine washable?

What’s next for you as a writer?
The dishes. I’ll try think my way out a fix my character has himself in.

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?
Big heavy domes with good quality paper. That way starting a fire will be a little easier to begin with and if I am still clinging to the social niceties of society I can use some parts when I go to the bathroom. Yep I went there.

Author Websites and Profiles
Cearúil Swords Website
Cearúil Swords Amazon Profile
Cearúil Swords Author Profile on Smashwords

Cearúil Swords’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hello, I’m a passionate wordsmith and motivational speaker with a flair for wordplay. I love crafting messages and writing stories that not only entertain but also inform/inspire readers. I’ve written four books to date, including two novels.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is called Elementals: All That Matters. It was inspired by a writing prompt on Twitter I participated in. We were asked to write the opening line of a book (in 140 characters or less) based on one photo. The book is about two young scientists who journey to the ends of the Earth to find the four Element Keys that will enable mankind to control Mother Nature’s four elements.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I won’t move on from a chapter until it’s “perfect” in my eyes. So, I tend to only write on chapter a day. I’m OCD like that. The good thing is, it saves my editor work. Well, good for her.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Authors like Dean Koontz and Dan Brown have definitely influenced me a great deal. Dean Koontz is arguably the most meticulous writer out there, and I’m a fan of Dan Brown’s sophisticated writing style. In terms of books, The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho is one of my all-time favorites. It aligns well with my goal to inspire people with my writing.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on the sequel to my latest novel, Elementals: All That Matters, entitled, ‘Elementals: The Antimatter.’ This will be a superhero romance with a sci-fi twist.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I like to use promo sites so my book is always circulating in front of readers. So far, my best results have come from Ereader News Today, Robin Reads, and Book Barbarian.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Always be creating. Dwelling on the ranking of your debut novel will only cause you undue stress. Keep promoting on effective sites and keep writing more books.

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

What are you reading now?
Too busy writing now, so nothing, really.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’d like to get my debut novel, ‘The One-Eyed King’ adapted into a feature film. It’s X-Men meets Harry Potter.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, The One-Eyed King by moi, The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown and Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe.

Author Websites and Profiles
Kenny S Rich Website
Kenny S Rich Amazon Profile

Kenny S Rich’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m an Associate Editor of Mathematics by day and a blogger for the B&N Teen Blog by night, as well as a former (for now) Copy Editor, Production Intern and Fashion Intern. I pretty much live on Twitter (but literally live in New York City), and my newest book, Right of First Refusal, will be my fifth book published. (The sixth, Out on Good Behavior, releases in June.)

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is called Right of First Refusal, and it’s a companion to my first New Adult novel, Last Will and Testament. It’s a sports romance about a lacrosse player named Cait whose new roommate turns out to be dating an old flame Cait never expected to see again, and how she deals with the fact that her feelings for him have never really gone away. The idea of Cait and the guy, Mase, knowing each other from sports camp was definitely inspired by the fact that I spent many years as a camper myself, then returned there for two years to work as sports staff. It was really fun to mentally revisit that setting!

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not really, but because I have a fulltime job, it does mean I’ve become pretty good at writing in unusual places – in my notebook or on my phone when I’m on the subway, or when I take myself out to lunch, in particular.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Courtney Summers was a really groundbreaking YA author for me because she proved characters don’t have to be sweet (and frankly boring) for you to care about them, and for them to get a story. She inspired me to write bolder, real female main characters who exhibit very real flaws that just make them human. And in NA, Leah Raeder’s books were instrumental in helping break me out of a certain comfort zone.

What are you working on now?
Right now I’m working on the final book in this NA series, which is called Out on Good Behavior and features a romance between an experienced pansexual girl named Frankie (who’s the third in the BFF trio of the series) and a sweet southerner named Samara, who’s just coming to deal with her own sexuality.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m a huge fan of social media, especially Twitter – nothing’s been better for promoting my books than talking about them (and others) there. Of course, that’s only a fraction of the conversation, and that’s my favorite part about it.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Recognize when you’re just making excuses to quit – like constantly editing your first five pages instead of finishing a draft – and stop it.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Always write forward.

What are you reading now?
I’m currently beta-reading a gay NA romance, and hopefully my next read will be The Smell of Other People’s Houses, by Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock. I’ve heard fabulous things about it!

What’s next for you as a writer?
Finishing up my next NA, and then hopefully returning back to YA for a while. I’m in the middle of a draft of a dual-POV contemp YA inspired by the War of the Roses, and I’m looking forward to finishing it!

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Black Iris by Leah Raeder
Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta
The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson
The Bible – great story inspiration in there!

Author Websites and Profiles
Dahlia Adler Website
Dahlia Adler Amazon Profile
Dahlia Adler Author Profile on Smashwords

Dahlia Adler’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a writer, a coffee fanatic, a mountain bike enthusiast, a teacher, and a mom to three amazing children. I also have an adorable miniature schnauzer named Rufus.

I have two books published right now, one contracted to a publisher and in the editorial process, and two in rough draft format.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest release, Dragonfly, was inspired by the idea that love can be a powerful catalyst for change.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
When I’m especially busy, I dictate my writing to my phone, as I drive to work, so I can listen to myself later and write it down. Sometimes I forget that I’m recording and I catch myself talking to myself – organizing my thoughts for the day or whatever. Then later when I listen to it, I have to laugh. I can sound ridiculous!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I think I’ve been greatly influenced by books that made me “feel”. Books like “Summer of my German Soldier”, when I was younger, or “Hunger Games”. Book like the Mark of the Lion series, by Francine Rivers. These are all nothing like the stories I write, of course, but they are stories where personal courage, forgiveness and redemption are such important themes. I love that. I want to write about that.

What are you working on now?
Right now, I’m veering away from the speculative fiction genre and moving towards a YA drama.The piece I’m working on now is about a painfully shy girl who goes to live with her mom for the summer in a small mountain biking community. It’s much different than anything I’ve written before, but I like it, I think. It’s sweet.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I have yet to discover the best method of promotion. I’d much rather be writing than promoting, any day. Hoping that Awesome Gang helps a little in the area of promotion.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Keep writing. Set a deadline for yourself. And plan. It’s okay to go off plan, of course, but if you go into a piece with no plan in place, you very well might get lost.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“The worst thing you ever wrote is better than the best thing you never wrote.”

What are you reading now?
Labor Day, by Joseph Farley. It’s a pre-release, coming out in a couple of months. It is fantastic.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I have another book coming out soon (Infusion), and I’m just working with my editor on another release, which is yet only tentatively titled. I also have a third piece in the early editing stages.

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 Prayer for Owen Meany, The Mark of the Lion Trilogy, Mockingly… and maybe a guide book on how to survive on a desert island?

Author Websites and Profiles
Alyssa Thiessen Website
Alyssa Thiessen Amazon Profile

Alyssa Thiessen’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Francine Barish-Stern has been an author for over 30 years, and has received numerous awards for poetry and short stories. Her “Rainbow City” won first place and was published in “The Arts Newspaper.” She has written many articles for newspapers and magazines and has worked on over 13 books including, “TELL IT TO THE FUTURE” and “NEW HORIZONS.” She has recently finished her first full length novel “Code 47 to B R EV Force.” Francine has developed writing programs for all ages and has created and designed materials for numerous businesses. She teaches writing, acting and co- wrote and produced, the play, “The WE Nobody Knows” for Crown Players. Over the years, she has expanded to teaching writing and has worked with many authors editing their books. Recently Francine co-wrote “How to Write from an Idea to Your Finished Story. “ She has also turned her love of writing to children and is currently tutoring children to develop their imaginations into brilliantly told stories.
Also an accomplished business writer, she has specialized in seminars on telemarketing.
Francine has recently added photography to her creative interests and has won a major prize for her first exhibit. Recently, her photograph, “Falls at the Bridge” was exhibited at the Art Museum of Western Virginia. All her art work are reproduced exclusively as Art on Gold.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Code 47 to BREV Force was originally written to encourage my sons to read instead of playing computer games

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I see my stories in my mind

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Ayn Rand, Clive Cussler, Sheldon Leonard,

What are you working on now?
Just finished “How to Write From an Idea to a Finished Story,” and will be starting another fiction book about immigrants coming to this county in the late 1800’s

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

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Let a professional edit your work and review it – not family or friends

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
You can’t possibly edit your own work

What are you reading now?
A not as yet published manuscript for a historical fiction called Eatons

What’s next for you as a writer?
Beginning work on a new book

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Atlas Shrugged, Fountainhead and that’s like taking 4 or more books

Author Websites and Profiles
F Barish-Stern Website

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have been writing since my first story, The Little Raindrop, at age 6, illustrated by my mother. My love of reading came first. Since then I have written many poems and stories.

I am From

A slow dance on the shoes of father
into the ocean’s crashing waves
baskets of peanut butter and jelly
and the sand of warm days

The man hiding behind walls
where dimension’s invisible hand
weaves lines across a meadow
to my heart that understands

A woman’s still simple warmth
holding porridge with grape jelly
four leaf clovers in her hand
to show me the magic bone from which
my cheek and chin and smile began

The silly shingles of a roof
outside my window’s openness
where I hid my precious things
don’t tell the rain
forgotton now the darning egg
not watching rocking chair take age

From each tiny blade of grass un-kept
as morning glory’s crept along the fence
with continuation circle’s way
regardless of the weather
I came from that kind of day
and midnight’s petticoats around the room
ballet dancers as I slept

From the sky laced with wings
gliding on thermal highs and lows
dipping into the pictures in my mind
that grant passage into a poem’s flow

I am from a peacock’s colors
and the sound of doves on phone lines
the cozy keeper of the children of the children
and the soft hand of a teacher

I am from the number of stairs in a house
the timber of their music’s rhythm
the piano of my shouting spirit
and the view from the upstairs window

I am from a grandfather with hair thinning
that loved with unwholesome hands
and sent me wondering into the stars beginning
why

I am from Sunday questions and gold stars
games of canasta and paper dolls
hand made kites and scooters
flapping sheets and running boards
skate keys and Lassie Come Home

I am from lollygagging and that’s not like you
the ice cream man and Saturday Matinee
coloring turkeys with no feathers
and rubber band fights for play

I am from stick horses plum trees
and wrong choices
from late night wetting
dreams of tidal waves
and loud voices

I am from the time before I was
and in charge of every minute’s
layers of poetry and music
and creating myself within it

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I am inspired every day by life, people, conversations, nature, the earth and all its creatures. I am currently writing a memoir. In 2013 my novella, Sweet William was published. It was inspired one night as I lay awake in my comfortable home listening to the sound of rain falling on an old aluminum boat outside my bedroom window. My husband and I owned a flower shop in southern California and often went to the flower market in Los Angeles in the wee hours of the morning. The area was where many homeless slept. That night in my warm bed, I wondered what they were doing to stay safe and dry. The seed was planted that night. The next morning I began writing Sweet William.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I often write in poetic form, using imagery to bring a scene or person into light. I go into a place I call, “the zone”, where normal time and activity stop. I need quiet to get there and often spend hours, forgetting to eat or do any other usual thing. I am alive within the story in the zone.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The book that influenced me as a child were Twig by Elizabeth Orton Jones and A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle. Because of my love of reading and writing I majored in English Literature in college and read many books that I loved because they were required, but more because I just wanted to. I enjoy novels that take me into the life of the characters.

What are you working on now?
I have been enjoying mixing my poetry with photography. My husband calls this creative expression, phoetry.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I have a blog and also use social media.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Follow your heart.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Found in, Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life, by Anne Lamott

What are you reading now?
Catching Heaven, a novel by Sands Hall

What’s next for you as a writer?
I have heard it said that “time will tell”, but it never tells me because now is all there is.

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 book I am reading now so I could finish it, and several books that I want to read.

Author Websites and Profiles
Martie Ingebretsen Website
Martie Ingebretsen Amazon Profile

Martie Ingebretsen’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
We (Husband and Wife author team) have written two novels in the Hank Rangar Series. DK Halling is the husband and wife team of Kaila and Dale Halling, who raised their kids in Colorado where they enjoy camping, hiking and skiing. Both of them grew up in Midwestern small towns where they could bike wherever they needed to go, Kaila in Iowa and Dale in Kansas. They are entrepreneurs at heart; Dale started a water sprinkling business right out of high school. They both share a love of books and you’ll often find them, when not in Colorado, writing on the wild beaches of Baja, Mexico. They are passionate about everyday heroes of advancing technology, which lifts the standard of living and quality of life for all. When they are not writing books, Dale is a patent attorney, engineer, inventor, and entrepreneur.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Trails of Injustice (2nd Hank Rangar Thriller). We were inspired by the ATF (bureau of alcohol tobacco and firearms) gun running scandal. Hank Rangar, the hero of the series, is a thinking man’s hero and is laying low in Mexico when the death of an ATF agent draws him into a global conspiracy to disarm the world. This is the second book in the Hank Rangar series, ripped from today’s headlines. Hank discovers an ATF agent has been murdered to cover-up a Fast and Furious type scandal and now he knows too much.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
We are a husband and wife writing team.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Micheal Critchon, Tom Clancy, Ayn Rand, Mark Twain, Edgar Allan Poe, David Morrell, Walter Donway

What are you working on now?
We are working on a prequel to the Hank Rangar series entitled “Love and Justice”. We are also working on the third Hank Rangar novel set around EPA wetlands land grab.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
https://www.galtsgulchonline.com/hot

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I think the writing books by David Morrell and Stephen King are must reads.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Be sure to use professional editors for both developmental editing and line editing.

What are you reading now?
Cryptonomicon

What’s next for you as a writer?
Publishing the Hank Rangar prequel and writing the third Hank Rangar thriller

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 Mark Twain, Atlas Shrugged, Complete works of Shakespeare,

Author Websites and Profiles
DK Halling Website

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I really enjoy writing picture books, hut I have only publish one currently “The Forgotten Little Penguin.” Currently I am writing a Young Adult book which is taking a lot of my time, so picture books are on pause for the moment.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Forgotten Little Penguin was actually dreamed up in a creative writing class. I can still vividly remember the feeling of abandonment as a child, when my parents left me mistakenly behind in a friends house.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I like to read about the skill of writing before I begin. I feel it places me in the right frame of mind to begin.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I recently enjoyed the young adult novel The Fifth Wave by Rick Yancey. The action was great and I felt fully submersed. My favourite picture book as a child was about a pancake that escaped, with a recipe for pancakes at the back. My first incentive to make anything edible came from that book.

What are you working on now?
My Young Adult book. Its drafting stage and its killing me. I keep finding ways to escape from its clutches (such as filling in the bio).

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I am still searching.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Be persistent and it will eventually pay off.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“You are the only person that can write this book in your unique way”.

I should have written the name of the author that said that.

What are you reading now?
Need Joelle Charbonneau.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I wish I knew. To keep writing and reading as much as I can.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Book on surviving being stranded on a desert island. Book on building boats and a blank book so I can fill in the pages.

Author Websites and Profiles
Mairead S Martin Website
Mairead S Martin Amazon Profile

Mairead S Martin’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a graduate of the Solstice MFA Program in Creative Writing. My first book, a memoir-in-essays titled Message From a Blue Jay, was published by independent press Buddhapuss Ink in 2014. I have published personal essays, short fiction, and poetry in a variety of literary journals and magazines. I’m also an Adjunct Professor of English at Lasell College.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Message From a Blue Jay is a collection of personal essays that were written over a number of years and that reflect on the events in my life (and the world around me) during what I call my “middle decade” — my 40s. I was inspired by everything from my personal history as the child of a Holocaust survivor and my start at a new life with my husband to travels around the world and the birds and animals I encountered in nature. Life has its ups and downs, its “wins” and its losses, and I reflected on all of that in my essays.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
My writing habits are pretty usual…I write early in the mornings whenever possible, and am most productive when an idea grabs me and keeps me thinking about it and working on it for days, weeks, or even months at a time. Sometimes I go through dry spells when I find it’s harder to write and nothing seems to work well, but I push through those times and try to keep writing whatever comes to mind as practice until the muse visits again.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I love classic literature…from Shakespeare to Jane Austen to the Russian classics. I’ve also been influenced by modernist texts and a variety of contemporary writers and essayists, and by mystery writers such as Tony Hillerman and Tana French. My tastes vary widely — I can become engrossed in everything from a Harry Potter novel to a book of poems by T.S. Eliot. My writing has also been influenced by some of the wonderful faculty members in my MFA program: Joy Castro, Michael Steinberg, Randall Kenan, and Laban Carrick Hill.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on both short fiction and more personal essays right now. I’ve been kicking around ideas for a fiction novel, but so far nothing has started in earnest.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
My publisher, Buddhapuss Ink, helped a lot with marketing Message From a Blue Jay. I think Bookbub was one of their most successful promotions.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Just keep writing, keep working to get better, and don’t let the almost inevitable rejection stop you. Find a reason you’re doing it for yourself and feel happy with following your own path, because if you’re doing it for reasons like money or fame or major literary success, the chance of being disappointed is much greater.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“Get back up. You chose this. Keep writing.”

What are you reading now?
I’m reading a mystery novel right now that I’m not too involved in. I just finished a couple of books that I found to be more well-written: My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante and The Girl on the Train by Paul Hawkins. My Brilliant Friend had a very European feel and was fascinating and intellectually stimulating and somewhat unique….while The Girl on the Train kept me absorbed in the story, even though I know some people haven’t loved the book.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I am working hard to get a rhythm going with either some new essays and stories, or a novel. I had to take a bit of time off recently, so now I’m really trying to get re-focused on new projects.

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 don’t think I can answer that question. It’s so tough! Taking a stab at it, I’d say I’d have to take the Complete Works of William Shakespeare and Pride and Prejudice. After that maybe I’d take War and Peace or Anna Karenina…and maybe the Norton Anthology of Poetry to get a lot of poetry in…and can I take all of the Harry Potter novels and count that as one?

Author Websites and Profiles
Faye Rapoport DesPres Website
Faye Rapoport DesPres Amazon Profile

Faye Rapoport DesPres’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a certified engineer working in the technology field, who has a passion for writing science fiction stories based on scientific probability. This means that the technologies I describe in my stories could stand up to scrutiny and makes the story believable.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I have recently completed Equinox: The return to Earth which is the conclusion to the Equinox trilogy. The story, while completely a work of fiction was inspired, in part, by my hometown and the characters borrow their personalities from people I’ve encountered there.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write on my old Blackberry during moments of insomnia, which is fairly often. Only final assembly and editing of my stories are done on my PC.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I’m a huge fan of Isaac Assimov & Greg Bear. These two authors have definitely influenced my writing.

What are you working on now?
I’ve just begun writing Equinox: Timeless, which follows from where the original Equinox trilogy left off.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write, because you enjoy writing and because you’re passionate about telling your story.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Aside from writing science fiction stories, I am also writing a teen fiction drama called Being Jason.

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 all Isaac Assimov titles as they are all quite long and should keep me entertained for a long time.

Author Websites and Profiles
Yusuf Shaik Amazon Profile

Yusuf Shaik’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m an artist from Ukraine who now lives in beautiful New Zealand.
Flowers, sunshine and new horizons are my inspiration. I believes that art is magic and impressions are food for your heart.
Just a mention of travel for me is thrilling! Since 2014, we travel with my husband (he is an artist too!) and I create coloring books. My first book was created in Vietnam
Why coloring books? For awhile I have been looking for ways to share my art with others so it is engaging and lets people co-create with me. Adult coloring books and “How To Color For Adults” series were just the right solution. I hope you enjoy these books and keep your creativity flowing.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is Flower Coloring: Printable Coloring Pages, And How To Color For Adults.
It is a second book in series Adult Coloring 101 where I show basic coloring techniques with colored pencils and some additional materials. Just easy tips and tricks that will make coloring a breathe and bring the fun back to it.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Yes! – I am mostly drawing in my books…Or painting and coloring. Then I explain to readers what goes where so they can repeat and quickly gain some art skills.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
My first book The Cosmos Within has been inspired by books on self knowledge and sharing what you have with humanity. So I was thinking how I can use my skill (I’m an artist) to engage others and boost their creativity too. Since 2015 I’ve started publishing adult coloring books and How To Color For Adults guides. Books brought a lot of joy for colorists around the world since then, and I’ve been getting occasional emails with finished pages all full of colors and thank you notes. For me it’s far more rewarding then posting an oil painting online, these books have more impact, because it’s not just me but everyone who colors them is an artist.

What are you working on now?
At the moment I am working on Bird Coloring 101: book three in How To Color For Adults series. In this book I will show step by step how to color birds pages from The Bird Of Fantasia. Colorists will get color schemes and free 5 coloring pages from examples, so they can repeat and have a finished artwork in 40 minutes. I even show what to do with those coloring pages after you finish.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
My best method is my tribe An ever growing group of people who are on the look out for my next book. I communicate with them through social media and my website www.coloring.ekaterinachernova.com

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Yes, a word of encouragement for new authors.
* Keep creating and sharing your work.
* First book might not be a hit but you will get following along the way.
* Learn what works in terms of marketing.
* Give some books away for free.
* Any negative reviews – learn from them, treat them as a feedback and improve your books.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Just do it. No matter how awesome your idea might be, what’s it worth if you don’t bring it to life?

What are you reading now?
Honestly I’m reading travel forums about India where we are going soon

What’s next for you as a writer?
Keep creating, listening to my readers, and improving books.
Books give me freedom to travel, and travel give me inspiration to create those 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?
I’d bring all 4 blank sketchbooks and a couple of pens. Then I’d meditate on the island, and you can pick me and my new 4 books up later

Author Websites and Profiles
Ekaterina Chernova Website
Ekaterina Chernova Amazon Profile

Ekaterina Chernova’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I never really took my fiction writing seriously and I had another goal in mind: working in the music industry and I focused all of my energy toward achieving that. And I did too. I took a decade long detour through the entertainment industry and got to be a tiny bit of Hollywood history. After that I was working in radio for a while and then I thought I’d been writing so long maybe I should make a serious attempt at fiction writing. But it wasn’t like riding a bike, it took maybe a year and a half before I used all that writing training to get it into high gear! I got signed for a futuristic crime thriller trilogy and now I’m working on my seventh novel and second series.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Brede Chronicles came about as a result of my own author insecurity. I’d gotten a really bad review on some short story or something, I can’t even remember now and I went into a really downward spiral thinking I’d never write again. They say writer’s block doesn’t happen but it does to me at times. Finally, after a year I decided to distract myself with other characters for a while. When I began I wanted to write something deep regarding religion but I couldn’t make it work and besides the new characters were taking over the story. I never really wanted to make a statement about anything deep, lol! So I started thinking about the two main characters, Alekzander Brede and Elektra Tate. I started with their names and knew them and what they and I wanted them to be. Alekzander Brede is half-human and hates his human side. Even his last name, Brede, means ice and that fit him as a cold hearted alien who behaves as he sounds. His first name I spelled with a k and a z to give it a more harsh sound. Elektra Tate? Well, she was my little scamp kind of character grew up out of her element as an orphan in New Cairo, Egypt Earth 2107. Both of them grow a lot in this series, especially after they share a lot of emotional trauma. It is on the dark side, not the typical romance story there’s violence though not too gory. I usually don’t use gratuitous sex or violence since there are a lot of other, darker places to go to that work better most of the time. I do have my characters swear a lot though.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I was going to say no, but I guess I am different than most authors since I just sit down and write if not everyday then pretty much as I can. I call it linear writing either horizontally with characters leapfrogging over each other toward an end like a centerfold crease in a checkboard with the black and red squares or vertically as in opening up a document and start writing down the page to the end. I’ve only met one other author who writes like that when we were speaking at a library. I have absolutely no writing rituals at all. I don’t outline, rarely write scenes out of order and don’t do character charts. I also don’t do revisions unless an editor specifically. My first draft is the only draft, so that kind of separates me from most authors I think.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Good Lord! I’ve read everything from Milton to Mad Magazine and pretty much everything in between. I think probably (as every current writer will most likely say) Stephen King. I read Carrie when it first released and I think I still have the original embossed black cover. He taught me about inner dialogue/monologue and about how to express a dark scene/character and how to create a cliffhanger. I love Colleen McCullough for her Masters of Rome historical series (I adore ancient historical fiction, Christian or not) where her research was both extensive and impeccable and she put a GLOSSARY at the back of each book! I took Latin in high school so of course I loved that series! Also I think what kicked off everything in terms of novels was Shakespeare’s MacBeth. I read that when I was like 8 years old (yes I was precocious, lol) and it taught me about foreshadowing, irony, and most of all the psychology of criminals and pretty much all humans in terms of guilt! Also I credit the World Book Encyclopedia set for enmeshing me in ancient history particularly Egyptian. That’s my favorite of all cultures and genres. I haven’t started writing a true historical yet. I do have the bones of an actual Western crime thriller that was born of visiting Tombstone, Arizona. Just haven’t had the time to work on it!

What are you working on now?
I’m feverishly writing Brede Book Two! In March of 2015 I suffered a full-on cardiac arrest, spent weeks in a coma and then in rehab for months. The doctors said I’d be a vegetable and never use my hands again. Everyone is still shocked that in less than a year I’ve pretty much come all the way back with a few little problems. So I haven’t had a lot of free time to write or promote and am behind for my publisher who is very patient with me. I hope book two is as good as book one. I got a bit off-track there.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Goodreads has come back as one of the major sites I’ve come back to though I’d pretty much given up on them. Amazon as always rules the roost. And then review sites and I have several readers and reviewers who are faithful fans. I like reviewers a lot but it’s gotten so pricey it’s difficult to find something that works. Lots of reviewers couldn’t afford to give free reviews, even voracious readers they may be, because it cut into their lives and time and effort so they started charging or and this became a cottage industry in the last few years with paid for blog tours. And inevitably, those grew into marketing businesses which of course were also paid for by authors. I can completely understand that evolution, it just makes sense for reviewers to charge. It’s just sometimes too much for authors to use too many times. In person signings, presentations in libraries, and book fairs can up readership as well.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I say this constantly to new authors: learn your craft beforehand! Go to writing groups either online or in person at a workshop. You may have a great idea or story but if you don’t know how to write it and write it well it will always show. If you’ve never read a book seriously that shows too. Don’t use words you use in everyday life–write the dialogue the way you’re supposed to not in your dialect or incorrect emphasis. If you aren’t sure there are groups online that you can ask a question and they will be glad to help you and won’t make you feel you don’t know anything. The only stupid question is the one not asked and that is true! Ask away! You may start an entire discussion thread with other new authors who have the same question and a seasoned author who will be glad to answer it.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
There are two pieces of advice I have used to guide my life: “The gods only go with you if you put yourself in their path.” Mary Stewart’s The Crystal Cave and from a fortune cookie in a restaurant:
“You are in your own way. Stand aside.”
That may sound idiotic but I’ve based my career(s) on both of them and I’ve achieved almost everything I ever wanted. Things that can sound impossible or too difficult or even scary I’ve managed to accomplish. I just have to remember to stand aside, lol!

What are you reading now?
Just my upcoming manuscript unfortunately! I wish I had enough time to grab up some books I’ve seen and delve into them but I’ve got so many changes going on in my life along with book two I can’t. I do love textbooks though. I finally learned to love them especially the history ones. Well, okay, I’ve always loved the history text books, but lately I just have gotten into others. I wish I had time to read organizing magazines too!

What’s next for you as a writer?
Well, I think it’s time maybe to submit to an agent or two. I really love and support indie publishing houses. They pay attention to you, they double check your grammar, pacing, etc., and they have absolutely magnificent cover artists most of the time. I’ve never and I mean never had a bad cover for any of my stories or short stories. They teach you things that you should already know for a bigger publishing houses. I’ve always been intimidated by agents though. It’s time to put myself in the path of the gods 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?
First, the Bible because I would have time to really study it (especially if I had the Chronological Bible) at last. Second, I think, would be the entire World Book Encyclopedia set again. I wish I still had it or the latest version though it’s more than one book. And any or all of the Harlequin 1960s romances–they were so much fun to read! Okay that’s all more than one book except the Bible but if I had to pick one Harlequin book it would be Dark Star! That was my first Harlequin read and I still have the original printing!!

Author Websites and Profiles
P.I. Barrington Website
P.I. Barrington Amazon Profile
P.I. Barrington Author Profile on Smashwords

P.I. Barrington’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Howdy! The GAIAD is my first published novel, though like many authors I’ve been writing for a while, and even took a year off school when I was 19 to work on an early (very precocious) novel, which I actually finished. But I realized that the old adage “write what you know” is absolutely true, and at 19 I didn’t know much. A few years in a pretty cut-throat finance job and then in law enforcement as a cop solved that problem quickly. I write science fiction, but don’t limit myself to the standard box of the genre. My editor described The GAIAD as ‘surprisingly literary.’

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The name of the latest book is The GAIAD. This is a good story, actually. I hint at this in other places, and I plan on putting the story out there in a more substantive way, but at the time I was traveling the country in a solar-powered RV. I was camped outside of the San Rafael Swell in Southern Utah, about two hours west of Moab. The location is beautiful, almost untouched and always pretty sparsely visited. It was early November.

One day I was hiking around the face of this pretty substantial cliff. It was gorgeous, the sun low in the sky, the light red-golden. I was pretty far from an established trail in this amazing little area that reminded me of some naturally sculpted zen garden. The rocks were formed and smoothed by wind and rain, the junipers and other little bushes stunted and colorful, the shadows long and dark in the fading light. In the middle of nowhere, really, I came upon a stack of rocks, a cairn placed in a very inconspicuous spot. I thought to myself, “What could this mean?” And realized that it could have been there for a year, or a few thousand. It didn’t mark a trail, nor anything else obvious and really the only conclusion was that its message was simple, as simple a communication as there can be. “I was here. I existed. I was. I am.”

This realization triggered a cascade of thoughts and concepts that led to the ultimate premise behind the book.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
You hear a lot about how “so and so successful writer” was such a professional that he woke up every morning, dressed in a suit and tie, and pretended he was going into an actual office everyday. I’m in the most comfortable clothes possible (possibly my underwear), with a steaming cup of coffee in front of me. (I wouldn’t want to spill it on my suit)

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The greats of scifi. The classics. And quite a few old spiritual works as well. I have like 5 copies of the Tao Te Ching lying around my home.

What are you working on now?
The sequel to The GAIAD, and the next title in the “LOGOS Series,” of which The GAIAD is the first.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Despite the global, mass, expansive nature of the Internet, that personal connection is still invaluable. Seriously, please feel free to “personally connect!”

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Know thyself. Know the other. Endeavor to learn as much about life, about humanity, about people. When you see something ugly, either within yourself or out, don’t look away. Look it square in the eye.

And don’t conform.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“Do your work and then let go; the only path to serenity.”

What are you reading now?
Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus by Ludwig Wittgenstein. The Revenant by Michael Punke.

What’s next for you as a writer?
More writing! Film?

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?
3 or 4 books on desert island survival. Right?

Author Websites and Profiles
William Burcher Website
William Burcher Amazon Profile

William Burcher’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Thousand Sinful Kisses is my debut novel – my first full-length complete work. But of course, I was crazy about writing from my school days. I was the editor and writer of two Christian magazines, which I used to locally distribute.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My debut work is a Paranormal romance called Thousand Sinful Kisses. It’s story about romance that’s dark and forbidden – but yet unusually powerful and pure. I was inspired to write this book while watching the World Cup in 2011 – when I heard a wonderful piece of music and right there, the climax scene of this story flashed in front of my eyes. So, music really started it all for me. Haha.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Many. I’m one of those weird dorks who seem to the outside world they’re cool – but are writing freaks on the inside. I maintain a digital journal, I occasionally give tributes to all my loved ones (really weird) and I’d be lying if I say I don’t like to write blogs. I blog mostly about my current work, which is kinda important to me. I like writing which makes you feel its real and at the same time give you this strange realization that you yourself have written it down. That’d be some really cool writing.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I’m influenced mostly by books. I’m all for content. So, as far as I know, Thomas Hardy, John Green, Khalid Hosseini and Stephenie Meyer.

What are you working on now?
I’m currently drowned in writing work. I’m getting ready to start writing the sequel to Thousand Sinful Kisses. Along with that, I’ll be “trying” to finalize another draft with my editor for a probable release in 2017.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I haven’t got much (or any for that matter !) experience in eBook promotion but I’m really stoked by the exposure of social networks… And author interviews…
I mean I for one wasn’t really expecting an exposure to such an extent.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Your material is your trophy. You’ve already accomplished by writing something. Work hard. Work harder. Just believe beyond your capabilities.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Go for it.
From my mom. Haha.

What are you reading now?
Honestly, I’m hardly able to sit and chill it out – like all my friends hang out on weekends. I’m not reading. But I’d love to know if you recommend any great read.

What’s next for you as a writer?
This year, I decided to be blank about my prospects in future. Just sweat it out, study, write – whatever happens – happens. I believe my work will be loved, and that’s gonna show my future.

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?
Avengers comic book. Even if I was stranded on Mars, I wouldn’t have asked any other. Next, I would take a survival guide book… But one which also could help me have a rad time out there! I’d take a copy of The Kite Runner and Mockingjay.
Lastly, I’d grab my rotten copy of Fault in our Stars, because desert or no desert, stranded or not stranded, I’m a hopeless romantic.

Author Websites and Profiles
Liam Levi Amazon Profile

Liam Levi’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am an author primarily focusing on Project Management and Digital Marketing domains. I have written 5 books in Project Management domain and 3 in Digital Marketing domain.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The name of my latest Kindle book is ‘Crack the New (2016) PMP® Exam in 4 Weeks’
For past 2+ years I have helped thousands of project management professionals around the world prepare for their PMP certification exam, and ace it through my blog PMExamSmartNotes.com. I have coached over 657+ students to reach their PMP goal. His first Kindle book is the direct result of this years of work.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I usually write in chunks using a mindmap approach. Since my books are non-fiction this approach helps me get over the proverbial writers block.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I follow many authors for their style, most of which are business authors such as Seth Godin, Tim Ferris or Gary Vaynerchuk.

What are you working on now?
I’m writing a business book on blogging currently, scheduled to be released in Q2 of 2016. It will be a book series.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I usually try to build audience before authoring a book. This way I can survey them, understand their needs and write accordingly. This ensures certain level of success. I promote socially, through book promoting sites and to my list.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Try to match your area of strength and needs of your market. Survey the market, understand what is that people are expecting and write to it.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
For non-fiction books include lot of proof (stats and numbers), and use teasers to create expectations for your book among target audience.

What are you reading now?
Unleash the power within – by Tony Robbins

What’s next for you as a writer?
My focus right now is to complete the my upcoming series on 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?
Biographies of successful entrepreneurs of all time.

Author Websites and Profiles
Shiv Shenoy Website
Shiv Shenoy Amazon Profile

Shiv Shenoy’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My background is science and research and I started writing as a career after getting burned out doing the tech stuff. I’ve written six books, five in the series that starts with The Rogue Horse Recovery and My House Has Wheels, a guide to full time RV living. All my books are set in South Florida because this is strange character central down here. All the characters in my books are based on people I know down here or people I used to work with.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is called The Falling Star Recovery and it was inspired by my brother-in-law’s wife who is from South America. It dawned on me I hadn’t set a book down there so that’s where the team went.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
My wife says I talk to myself more than anyone she knows. I’m rehearsing dialog to see if it sounds authentic. My wife thinks I’m CRAZY but the voices in my head say not to pay any attention to her.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Probably my favorite for many years was the John D MacDonald Travis McGee mystery series. That’s why I decided to write my mystery series in the first person. I wanted to modernize the premise and update the technology which is where the idea for Recovery and Marine Salvage was born. Down here that would be the perfect cover for the life my characters lead.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on a murder mystery set in Miami. It’s my first fiction book not based on the series characters.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
All my books and background material are at http://www.recoveryandmarinesalvage.com.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Just keep at it. Don’t quit. Success is a process and it won’t happen overnight. Keep showing up and eventually it will click for you.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
When you win, stop negotiating.

What are you reading now?
A book about the history of air to air combat.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Another murder mystery and try to get three books out this year.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Moby Dick. The Forever War. The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy and A High Wind In Jamaica, the only book by someone else I wish I had written.

Author Websites and Profiles
Chris Poindexter Website
Chris Poindexter Amazon Profile
Chris Poindexter Author Profile on Smashwords

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have been writing since I was a child. The first thing I wrote at about age nine was a poem, which I still have thanks to my mother who saved it. Its theme is about escaping to a better world; a theme that would follow me around the rest of my life. This is the first time I have been published.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Letting Go: An Anthology of Attempts is a compilation of 30 essays from writers writing on letting go. They write more about the process than the success. It isn’t a how to guide, yet it may inspire someone who is struggling with letting go of anything from feelings of rage to family heirlooms. My essay, The Boy Who Saved Me, explores my journey into rage and fear while watching my high school aged son navigate homophobia.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
No. I have limited time so I have learned to simply sit down and write, get up from where I am and write. I do need privacy and relative quiet. In my family life that means closing a door and mentally shutting out everyone else’s ‘stuff’. Which I am not good at doing. Consequently, I don’t write every day, which is recommended.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Earliest influences in terms of writing would be Thomas Wolfe, F. Scott Fitzgerald, some of James Joyce, Tom Robbins, and then later Alice McDermott, and Alice Munro. The first novel I read was The Exorcist which my aunt covered in plain brown paper as if it were a school textbook. She was putting me on a flight to England to spend the summer with relatives and didn’t want anyone, including my very Catholic, Irish grandmother to see what I was reading. That’s when I learned that literature could be clandestine, and that thrilled me. Perhaps one wouldn’t recognize The Exorcist as classic literature, rather commercial fiction. Regardless, it was an engaging story, well written and well told that captured my eleven year old mind and made me think that maybe one day I too, could tell a good story.

What are you working on now?
Final touches on last draft of literary fiction, Memoirs of A Budding Drifter. We get to experience parts of Ireland and America, and Ireland again through the lenses of a young female protagonist who is looking for permanence until permanence is shaken up, again. She’s walking the razor’s edge, trying to figure out the next right step.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Being new to this part of the published author world, promotion, I have to say I don’t have a specific recommended site. I do tweet other authors, and have discovered mutual promotion on twitter.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Learn that dreaded world of marketing. It hasn’t been too difficult for me. I come from a marketing/promotion background, and technology, although sometimes frustrating, isn’t something that scares me. Use social media, find sites like this one that will help you promote your book. Set up readings alone, or with other authors. Until you become Stephen King or Alice McDermott, promotion will largely be on you.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Rewrite. Find a trusted editor, fellow writer who has experience and then take their advice. Saying out loud, ” My editor says . . .” is pretentious unless it’s followed by, “that I should go through it one more time.” Do it. Let go of the crush you have on your written words, and rewrite, improve your craft so the reader can fall in love with your words. Crushes vs. Love. Go for the love every time.

What are you reading now?
In the middle of Someone by Alice McDermott. I read poetry every day. Poets.org which is sponsored by The American Academy of Poets will send you a poem a day. My inbox usually has three or four waiting to be read. For me, the creativity in a poem in a modicum of words if you will, is paramount. Poetry lends itself to my own creativity. A couple of volumes of Seamus Heaney sit next to my chair. I flip through those at will. I would like to tell you I write every day. I don’t. It is vitally important to write as much as possible and for most that is every day. I know that my craft improves with each line I write. My time is crunched, and my ability to set aside all other things and people isn’t easy for me. So, when not writing I do make sure I read something every day.

What’s next for you as a writer?
On the agent hunt, and writing another novel, which I began several years ago and put down. Revisiting that.

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?
Webster’s dictionary, Look Homeward Angel by Thomas Wolfe, a comprehensive anthology of W.B. Yeats, and the same but of Alice Munro.

Author Websites and Profiles
Kerry Guerin’s Social Media Links
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am an author from Toronto, Ontario, Canada. I am forty three years old and I have six manuscripts at this time. Some of my books are fiction while others are memoirs of self help books. I enjoy writing but what I enjoy most is when someone buys one of my books and finds something of worth or something that causes them to think in different way. I like reaching out and touching people.
I was educated at Alberta Bible College in my twenties. I have led a very interesting life. I have worked as a ski coach and there was a time when I skied a hundred days a season. I also worked as a bus driver all over Canada and the States. I worked as a business man and a salesman.
I have four children from my first marriage. I have not seen them in four years because of a prolonged battle over custody and visitation. This colors most of my books in some way. I miss my kids every day.
I currently live in the Philippines with my new bride of two years and we have a step son together. I have started a charity to help girls free themselves from sexual slavery, something that is all to common in this poor Country. You can find this charity online at gofundme.com and search under “saving girls from sexual slavery”.
I am a devout Catholic but I am also open to other denominations and theological views. My faith is often found in my writing but I try to keep it non preachy and enjoyable for all. Thanks for reading and God bless all.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is called “Isla ni Kristo (coming home)”. It is the story of a small town preacher who finds some books, diaries, a detailed family tree going all the way back to the first century and a map leading to long forgotten and mysterious island. He decides to set out on a sea journey of discovery. He faces danger in the form of a group of evil fishermen who have enslaved his true love. He overcomes them and continues on to the island. When he finally get there he is greeted by wondrous things that change him forever. He is reunited with the family he never knew he had and meets all his ancestors. It is a very happy ending. This book was inspired by my deep love for all my children and it is dedicated to them. Each one of them is a character in the story line and I hope I have honored them in this way.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write mostly at night and I sleep during the day. It is cool at night and my thoughts come easily in the silence.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The Bible is my greatest influence. After that all of C.S. Lewis’s writing from the beginning to the end of his life have greatly inspired me. I also enjoyed the book called the shack although I cannot remember the authors name. I have read too many books from too many genres to list them here. I am an avid reader.

What are you working on now?
I just finished a book about fathers and daughters. It deals with all the topics that come up when our girls start to come of age. It is pretty frank and open and maybe even shocking to some, it does not shy away from the taboo subjects but it does so from a Biblical perspective.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I have a website. It is mccrabbo.wix.com/r-b-mccrabb. I have a blog and all my books can be found on Amazon.com or Amazon.ca. The best promotion for my books is word of mouth and I put them on amazon for free on a regular basis to build a platform of dedicated readers.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Stick at it. If you enjoy writing, do it, no matter what. Do not expect success or a readership overnight. It takes years and honestly the better the writing, the longer it might take for it to be appreciated. Just like some famous painters who were not appreciated until after their death, many great artists in every form can face this.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
With God anything is possible. Or if God be for us then who can be against us.

What are you reading now?
I just read a book called “the girl on the train.”

What’s next for you as a writer?
My next book, even though I do not know what it will be about 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?
The bible
Real Christianity

Author Websites and Profiles
Robert Benjamin Mccrabb Website
Robert Benjamin Mccrabb Amazon Profile

Robert Benjamin Mccrabb’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a SAHM with four kids and two sweet dogs. I’ve always wanted to write and love that I get the chance to write full time and be there for my kids. I’ve written 6 books and plan to do so many more! I LOVE to read any genre and write in YA paranormal and Adult contemporary romance. Stupid pun jokes and Superwholock are my faves!

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is Her True Colors (Book 4 in the Kismet Series). As I wrote No Holds Barred (Halle and Luke’s book) and we got to know Kelsey a little better, I really wanted to give her a great happy ending. I wanted her to move past the death of her fiance and what had happened when she was kidnapped. So now I’m writing it.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m not sure any of them are unusual, although my husband likes to point out that I stick my tongue out of the side of my mouth when I’m concentrating.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Nora Roberts has been the biggest influence. I’ve read her books forever and love the family vibe and the strong female characters. She’s a powerhouse and so awesome. I also love Kelley Armstrong and her YA series. I’ve read them a few times over.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on Her True Colors and Stopping My Heart, which is the second book in a baseball series I’ve coauthored with Karly Morgan.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I feel that the best method is getting out there and really interacting with your readers. It’s a great way to get to know them and hear what they think about your writing..

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write! Seriously, the only way you’ll get better is to just sit your butt down and write. No matter what it is, just get it down. And don’t focus on negative reviews. Not everyone is going to like your work, and everyone is entitled to their opinion.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Getting that first draft written and not going back a thousand times to rewrite the first chapter. I did that with my first book and it took my 5 years to finish it.

What are you reading now?
I am reading Identical Disaster by CM Owens. It’s the Sterling Shore series, Book 8. I love the humor, romance, and hot scenes. Definitely a great series!!

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m hoping to write another YA paranormal series based in New Orleans.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
This is the hardest question EVER!! I guess something by Nora Roberts, a Harry Potter book (Deathly Hallows is my fave), a How To Survive on a Desert Island for Dummies book, and a Stephen King.

Author Websites and Profiles
Samantha Long Website
Samantha Long Amazon Profile

Samantha Long’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have just published my first book, “Shattered Crust: Yellowstone Bites Back.,” a suspenseful, fantasy where Native American legends surge to life through the earth’s crust at Yellowstone National Park.

I live in the beautiful Pacific Northwest and I’ve sprinkled my story with bits and pieces of this area, as it really is a wonderful place to live.

I have always been a creative person. I enjoy photography and a unique art form where I upcycle small pieces of magazine’s to create vibrant pictures on canvas. My art is on display in homes and galleries across the United States.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My book is “Shattered Crust: Yellowstone Bites Back.”

When I started writing this story, I did not intend on writing a book. I had been uploading a chapter at a time to a writer’s blog. After about the third chapter and multiple people saying that the story was “more than blog worthy,” I pulled the posts and started getting serious about making it something special.

It had started as just a simple love story, set in Yellowstone National Park. I wanted to bring suspense, mystery and fantasy into the story. I started thinking about how magical that area is. There really isn’t anything else in the United States like it, with it’s geysers and hot springs. There’s something comforting, yet eerie about the geothermal areas.

I did some research and realized that the Native American’s had a big part in Yellowstone history. So, I decided to create some legends and then make them come to life in my story. Once I added that element to the plot, the writing became effortless.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t think I have anything unusual when it comes to my writing habits. I just like to write! I’ll write everything that’s on my mind and then trim-the-fat later!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I love the “Twilight” series and how the character’s transformed. I also love “Gone Girl” and how the author switched the narrator from one chapter to the next.

What are you working on now?
I am currently working on the sequel to “Shattered Crust.”

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m still in the process of figuring this out! I’ve started a blog on goodreads.com and am trying to get involved in the author groups. I also have a website, Facebook page, and a book trailer on YouTube.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
My advise is to just do it! If you enjoy writing, write! Don’t worry about your first, second, third or 100th draft! There’s always time to polish and correct grammatical errors at a later time. And, don’t worry about how long it takes. It’s hard to carve out time in this busy world. It took me six years to complete my book, as I was working full-time and raising a family. Just stick with it, and wonderful things will happen.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best advice I’ve ever heard is a quote. I’m not sure who first said it, but I think of it often.

“Worry is like a rocking chair. It gives you something to do, but it doesn’t get you anywhere.”

What are you reading now?
I haven’t had much of a chance to read lately because I’ve been working on trying to promote my book. I do have a list going on goodreads.com of books I want to read when things settle down a bit though.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Currently, I’m trying to figure out the wild world of marketing! I’ve decided that writing the book was the easy part.
As far as what’s next for me as a writer, I am working on the sequel to “Shattered Crust.”

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 were stranded on an island and only allowed to bring a few books with me, I would bring “The Memory Keepers Daughter,” “She’s Come Undone,” and “Water for Elephants.”

Author Websites and Profiles
Susan Rose Website
Susan Rose Amazon Profile

Susan Rose’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have written the first volume of my Construction Tales series. My first book is entitled, Construction Tales: Volume I: A Woman’s Journey to Become an Electrician. Nine months later I edited my teen version of the book. It is entitled, Construction Tales: A Young Person’s Guide to Accomplish Anything in Life. These books will cover my journey to becoming an electrician in New York.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My first book is entitled, Construction Tales: Volume I: A Woman’s Journey to Become an Electrician. Nine months later I edited my teen version of the book. It is entitled, Construction Tales: A Young Person’s Guide to Accomplish Anything in Life. My life as a female electrician in New York had inspired me to write about it. Few women enter the trades so writing about being a part of history is important to me.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I will think of a funny story and write a short story and post on my Facebook book page. I will then go back and expand on the moment in time with more details and feelings during that snapshot in time. I then carve out a small block of time and then go back to other tasks.
No I do not write every day. I do write short stories on my lunch break or while walking on the treadmill during the first 15 minutes of my cardio routine. I must then find a nice quiet time to write more in-depth.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I enjoyed reading V.C. Andrews and Stephen King as a teen and young adult. I have not been able to find time to dig more deeper into writers since I am usually very busy. I do have a tendancy to read and assortment of work that is thought provoking and maybe controversial.

What are you working on now?
I have been very busy promoting my first (teen and adult version) book. I started writing Volume 2 that is entitled, Construction Tales: My Illuminated Path Continues… I need to carve out more time to write the book.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I make it happen through TONS of social media exposure. I abuse hashtags for many big book fair events. I reach out to as many libraries, book clubs, and people accepting interviews as I can. My best vehicle for promoting is on my Facebook book page since I can reach many book related venues to target my book. I chose these routes since it is the cheapest way to promote my book. I must keep my costs down.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I would say don’t pay to get published when you have the marketing world of Amazon already at your fingertips. It gets printed, shipped, and funds are collected while you carry on with your life. A royalty check just pops up in your bank account. I would also say pick up some mentors in the business and ask alot of questions. If you don’t know about something, find out by asking around until you find someone who knows. Then make yourself available to help others.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I think going to a book venue and giving away copies of the book. I hear that is the best way to spread the word around to other readers.

What are you reading now?
I have dived into the first chapter of the book entitled, The Joy of Plumbing by Hattie Hasan. It is about a group of women plumbers in business together in England. I am trying to read more books by women in the trades to enrich my writing in subsequent volumes.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I am trying to promote the first volume. I am trying to work on my goal and get at least 3-4 books written in the Construction Tales series in the next 10 years. I would like to see the book as a film so learn how to develop a screenplay. I would also like to write a fiction story about a young woman growning up in a tough environment to become successful and secure.

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 stranded, that means I don’t have to go to work. I would then have big blocks of tme to read. It would be a vacation to me. I would have to choose the last 4 Stephen King novels so I can catch up. I have read a few in my younger years so enjoy his work tremendously. I have a couple of copies kicking around my house I have not read yet.

Author Websites and Profiles
Leslie M Jasper Website
Leslie M Jasper Amazon Profile

Leslie M Jasper’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m Thomas Fenske. I was grew up in Texas but have lived in North Carolina for a number of years. I’ve written a five novels but as of today, I’ve only published one. I’ve been married to the same lovely lady for over thirty years. We have three grown children and currently have a houseful of cats with one over-sized dog.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Fever is my debut novel. I was always intrigued by tales of the lost Sublett mine in west Texas and one day while journaling about events in my life I realized that one event might serve as the catalyst for a story about it. After three unsuccessful attempts at starting, I tried it as a project in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) and the story just seemed to click. I’d written other drafts but I kept hammering away at this one after completing the draft.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I am most comfortable writing early in the morning, in the living room, in my easy chair, using the arm as a mousepad. This drives the cats crazy because they want to sit in my lap and sometimes it is a constant battle because they try to push between me and the laptop.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I have been influenced in a lot of ways. I always like the candor of Ernie Pyle. Yeah, not a fiction writer but seriously for me he was one of the best twentieth century writers. Dashiell Hammett also had such an easy way of weaving a story. Flannery O’Conner is another favorite. She was a marvelous storyteller. I am in awe of Tolkien and wish I could create entire worlds like he does.

What are you working on now?
Even though I have three other rough drafts to work through, all good stories I think, I decided to go with a sequel to The Fever. My publisher was interested in it as were dozens of my most ardent fans. It takes up where The Fever leaves off. The working title is The Curse. We’ll see if that stands … but there is trouble afoot for Sam and his friends, both old and new.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Still working on that one. I’ve had some success with Facebook and twitter, and am only now hearing about Awesomegang … hope it helps get my name out there. I have limited resources and my publisher can only help me so much … small publisher equates to “author does all the work”

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Everybody says write, but beyond that, leave your ego at the door when you sit down. I’ve found that the initial writing is in fact the easy part. It is the editing and revision that are the hard parts. Sometimes you might craft a masterpiece of wording but you know what? It might not fit into your story. It is your baby and you hate to let it go, but if it doesn’t fit it needs to go. I have thousands of words of “clip files” … I will remember them and use them if I get the chance. Oh, and one final word … learn about marketing before you get published. Marketing is even harder than revision.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?

What are you reading now?
I intersperse fiction with hard history. I had been reading The Atomic Times by Michael Harris, a somewhat fictionalized autobiographical account of his time stationed at a south pacific nuclear testing site in 1950s. I interrupted that to read Enemies by Richard W. Barnes. It is a fictional account of two opposites fighting in WWI.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I have a checklist of other good book ideas, but I’d sure like to work through one or more of my current drafts. Getting to full-time writing is my goal.

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 take a complete works of Shakespeare … I never get tired of the plays. I’d probably take a compilation of Lord of the Rings (cop-out!). I’d probably fill in with Ringworld by Larry Niven and The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Robert Heinlein … I never get tired of re-reading those.

Author Websites and Profiles
Thomas Fenske Website
Thomas Fenske Amazon Profile

Thomas Fenske’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have written 4 books. 2 cookbooks and 2 children’s books. Jamaica’s Forgotten Treats, Memba When, The Great Compost Heap and Freddie’s First Race.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My last book was Freddie’s First Race which is the second book in the Freddie Series. My boys run track so I decided to write a book about their experience, from sign up to running the first race.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t think I do. I write as I feel inspired.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I remember Beverly Cleary growing up. I don’t think I was necessarily influenced by her. I write books for boys because I have 3 boys.

What are you working on now?
I am working on my third children’s book – Who Turned Out the Lights? It sheds light on the homeless and near homeless in a way that a child will understand without scaring them.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I use Facebook and Twitter mainly. Book signings, social media, book giveaways.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t give up, the road is rocky at times, but it is worth the journey.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
When you know better do better.

What are you reading now?
I read historical romance books.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Taking my children’s books on the international scene. My cookbook Memba When has won an international award for the Gourmand Cookbook Award for the Best First Cookbook for Jamaica for 2014.

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, my cookbook, 101 ways to simplify your life.

Author Websites and Profiles
Renaee Smith Website

Renaee Smith’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve worked as a freelance writer and editor for more than 20 years. I’ve had 15 books published, most fiction, but a few non-fiction.

I live in a tiny little town in southern Indiana called Henryville. It’s famous as the birthplace of Colonel Sanders (KFC) and for a tornado that hit in 2012. We never planned to live here, but it’s grown on us and we love it.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My most recent book is Cupid’s Quest. It is the first book in the Cupid’s Crossing series. I often struggle to answer the question about what inspired a book. I actually had started another story set in this fictional town, but ultimately felt the story was too dark for the light heartedness of a town touched by Cupid’s magic. The characters and situation just seemed to come to me from the town itself.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not really. I have to have background noise when writing and I’m a terrible procrastinator. Once I get started, though, I can’t stop.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Way too many to name and I’d be worried I’d forget someone important. I do love Jane Austen and Pride and Prejudice is my favorite book of all time. I also like to read Stephen King and Dean Koontz, though. I don’t always read within my own genre, but romance will always be my first love.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on the second book in the Cupid’s Crossing series. It will be Sinclaire’s story, Gracie’s friend and helper from Book # 1. The title is Change of Heart.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Social media and my newsletter both seem to be really effective when promoting. My friends and family are wonderful about helping spread the word.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Never give up. Writing is hard. You’ll face rejection, bad reviews, and people telling you they may just sit down and do what you do one day on a whim. However, if you truly love writing, don’t let anyone or anything discourage you. Find the reason why you write and cling to it. For me, I want to touch just one heart of one reader. If I can change one person in some small way, or give them hope, then I feel like I’ve done what I was put on this earth to do.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
My mom always told me I was destined for greatness. My father had lived through a horrific car crash he shouldn’t have survived and she frequently told me that she believed it was partly so I could be born because she knew I would do great things. She believed and still does believe in me, so I believe I am capable of great things.

What are you reading now?
JoAnn Durgin’s “Prelude: Prequel to The Lewis Legacy Series”

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m going to keep writing a mix of fiction and non-fiction. I’m going to keep telling the stories of my heart and hope they reach the right people who need to hear that message.

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 my Bible, Pride and Prejudice, and a medical journal.

Author Websites and Profiles
Lori Soard Website
Lori Soard Amazon Profile
Lori Soard Author Profile on Smashwords

Lori Soard’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Well, basically I am a filmmaker; however, I started writing much before I stepped into filmmaking. For me, writing is a way to decode my mind and I enjoy the process. I started my writing with short stories, then eventually grown to become a poet and now, am a research scholar in film studies and have written a few books on films. I have written four books.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The name of my latest book is BAZIN and belonging to cinema background, I was automatically drawn to interpret the great theorist, Bazin’s works and it inspired me to write this book.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Well, I love the idea of being claustrophobic and hence, often I close down myself in a room and write my mind out. This often helps me to remove creative blocks and understand myself better.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Manto and O.Henry have influenced me to a large extent. Manto speaks largely of partition issues, riots, and his way of portraying the prostitutes as any other normal being interests me.

What are you working on now?
I am working on a few films actually and a project that helps to nullify the usage of language in Indian Cinema.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Though, I do not believe in promoting myself, I would prefer my Facebook page to do the honorable deeds.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Well yes! Read your mind than reading your environment in order to become a better writer.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
That I should write for others, not only to satisfy my ego.

What are you reading now?
I am reading the lines, am writing down.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Let time decide that!

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?
Manto’s stories, Tagore’s short stories and Das Kapital.

Aneek Chaudhuri’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I grew up in England. Studying English language and literature, as well as law, I worked in a solicitors for many years before moving to Spain. I do however still visit the UK, which in a way, will always be home.

Returning to my lifelong passion of writing books, I’m also a weekly columnist for The Ibizan newspaper on: lifestyle and fashion. My other interests include reading, shopping and a nice glass of wine to shows such as Sons Of Anarchy, Dexter, Gossip Girl and SATC. I’m a social media addict, and love connecting with new people.

His Confession is my first published book and part of The Black Door Trilogy.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
His Confession is book 1 of The Black Door Trilogy. I was sitting there one day, and thought, imagine meeting someone you really liked, and you found out they had dark desires / fantasies / lived a lifestyle in which you didn’t understand. What would you do? I wanted to enter an unfamiliar world, a taboo topic, which I enjoyed researching thoroughly.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I never plot. I write a brief blurb, and then just let the story take me wherever it wants. Actually I have another, I like to work on a couple of manuscripts at the same time.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I love so many different authors, but those that have stood out to me are: Jackie Collins, Danielle Steele, Virginia Andrews, Catherine Cookson, Candace Bushnell, Lauren Weisberger, Don Winslow, Kimberly Chambers, and so many more!

What are you working on now?
Book 2 of The Black Door Trilogy, Her Confession. Also a contemporary / drama novel.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Just interacting with other authors, readers and bloggers. Facebook and Twitter are great, also thebookbloggerlist for seeking reviews and features.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Build your author platform straight away – Facebook author page, Twitter, website etc. Interact. Friend other authors for tips and advice. Make your product as professional as it can be. Wix and WordPress are free, so create an author website / blog. Be tough! It may be a long and hard process, but it’s worth it!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Never give up on your dreams. Ignoring your passion is like a slow suicide.

What are you reading now?
I have several books on my Kindle and paperbacks. I like to read a couple of books at the same time. I’m currently reading Jackie Collins – The Power Trip.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I want The Black Door Trilogy complete this year, and to publish novels in other genre’s, of which I have almost completed. I want to reach a wide audience.

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 Secret – Rhonda Byrne
Savages – Don Winslow
Any book on survival!
His Confession – S Valentine (my own book as an achievement reminder)

Author Websites and Profiles
Sophia Valentine Website
Sophia Valentine Amazon Profile
Sophia Valentine Author Profile on Smashwords

Sophia Valentine’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hi all. I’m Andy, an indie author. I am a psychiatric nurse by profession, and married with 2 daughters. I’m loving every minute of my life as a new author.

I lead a quiet life with my family in Ireland, though I love being around people. I love to study people – especially quirky, unusual types. It must be the author in me – looking for ideas and the like.

I love art, especially bright and bold coloured stuff! I love everything medieval (watch out for the fantasy novel I hope to be publishing sometime this year).

We’re animal lovers here at the Marmion Zoo! Three stray cats are keeping us busy. There’s only one cat we can’t allow into the house, Tommy, as he… well I’ll leave that to your imagination!

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My book’s called Angelic Thinking. Trying to overcome depression was what made me investigate the neuroscientific principles ontained in the book, together with an unexpected experience with angels.

A friend of mine suggested I have a special hosting of the archangels which I did. The next day I could feel their resence in the house and knew my depression had lifted. I twas trult miraculous as I’d been battling with it for nearly thirty years.

I work with the angels in so many different ways now, including reading people’s angel cards and having healing services. But this book itched to get written. The angels helped me every step of the way including the title. It incorporates both the neuroscientific side of self-help and how the angels can help if we’re open to it. I also appreciated this as a psychiatric nurse.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not unusual as such. I like to write in a conversational style which I learnt as a copywriter. I like to use appropriate humour too.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Think and Grow Rich by Napolean Hill, the Bible, the Barchestere Chronicles by Anthony Trollope (unfortunate name – see what I mean about the humour!), The Hobit and The Lord of The Rings by JRR Tolkein.

I have to say though that every book Ive read has influenced me to a certain extent as they’ve become a little piece of me one by one, helping me become the person I am today.

What are you working on now?
I am in the middle of eriting my second book – Angelic Mindfulness. I hope to have it ready for publication at the end of April.

Like my first title, I show how the angels can help us use Mindfulness techniques to greater effect. I’m training as a mindfulness instructor at the moment and am quite excited about all this.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I must admit, I don’t have a website per se when it comes to publishing and promoting my books. I use the blog page on my angel website to do this at www.angelsdancenow.weebly.com.

I also use Twitter and Facebook to do this. I’ll have to review this though (scratches his head).

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I’m a newbie myself so can’t give any definitive advice to other new authors. However, I think self-belief is paramount. Procrastination has been my biggest blockage, but I just jumped in, and – hey presto!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best advice I acted on was getting a mentor to help me. Luckily, I’m with an organisation which helps network marketers for free (Mentoring For Free). It was with them that I learnt a lot of how to avoid and deal with the headache stuff.

What are you reading now?
I’m reading the Great Gatsby at the moment.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’ll continue to write books of the Angelic Guidance Series. But I hope to start publishing my novels soon. They’re a bit long I think for Kindle so am considering splitting them into three parts each. I’m not sure how to do this exactly. Anyone have ideas?

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
I’d bring the Bible, Think and Grow Rich by Napolean Hill, The Hobbit by JRR Tolkein and Angels in My Hair by Lorna Byrne.

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

Andrew Marmion’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My name is Chris and I have written several books. Currently, I have a Zombie short story called “The Home” available on Amazon and a number of other stores for free. It is a story about a group of survivors searching for some medicine that they need. Their search leads them to a nursing home that seems to be intact. My first published fiction book is “CSS Appomattox.” This is an alternative history story about a Confederate airship crew battling its way across the Caribbean. I have also writing the prequel to the “CSS Appomattox” series called “Sharpsburg Sunrise” which explains how the Confederacy managed to win the Civil War. All tend to be action/Adventure types of stories.

In addition, I have written a number of historical wargames scenarios that have been published through TooFatLardies out of the UK. They are predominantly about WWII or the American Revolution.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My current book is “The Last Airship from Khartoum” which continues the story of the “CSS Appomattox.” I have been interested in General Gordon and his ill fated stand at Khartoum for a while and wondered how it could have been different if a better means of resupply and assistance would have been available. Having Thomas Devareaux and his airships handy seemed like just the trick to try to save Gordon.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not really. I mostly write when I have a free moment. The oddest bit of writing that I have done had to have been when I wrote a chapter of “The Last Airship from Khartoum” on my cell phone. Last year, my mother had a series of hospitalizations before she passed away. While staying in her room, I pulled out the only thing I had available to me and started typing out part of the story. It is a feat that I honestly hope to never duplicate again.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
There are so many. I really enjoy Harry Turtledove’s alternate history. Tom Clancy is another fun read. I have been a fan of Barry Eisler’s work as well. But the one book I keep coming back to is always the Bible. I love fiction and fantasy but the Bible will always draw me in.

What are you working on now?
I am completing the edits on “The Last Airship from Khartoum” at the moment. But I have also started a new book on the battle for Kharkov in 1941. That story will follow several men, both Soviet and German, through the battle and their experiences. I am reading a number of books on the battle now and it has captured my imagination.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Honestly, I am still figuring this out. I have no real clue of how to promote.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Invest your money in good editing. Do not rely on yourself as an editor. I paid the price for that and am still trying to overcome those mistakes.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Love your neighbor as yourself, the rest is commentary. Go study.

What are you reading now?
I just started reading the series Gabriel’s Journey by Steve Umstead. I got the prequel for free off of Amazon and liked it so much, I had to buy the series. Also I am rereading Exodus.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I need to complete my book on the battle of Kharkov (taking suggestions for the title now) and will then revisit Thomas Devareaux and finish the series.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Well, I would have a copy of the U.S. Army Survival Manual, my Bible and probably a copy of the Hobbit. Between them, I should be able to figure out life with a bit of fun on the way.

Author Websites and Profiles
Chris Stoesen Website
Chris Stoesen Amazon Profile

Chris Stoesen’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a full time mom, writer and I have a day job, which means I’ve learned to get by on very little sleep sometimes. I’ve been writing books and stories since I was a teenager, but I published my first paranormal romance novel, Revelations: Book One of the Lalassu, last year and the sequel this year on Valentine’s Day.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My newest book is Metamorphosis, the sequel to Revelations. There were several inspirations which came together for it. The inspiration for the series was the idea of what would it be like if we really had superheroes (or at least people with supernatural abilities) living among us in secret, forming a secret society that only a few people even realized existed. What challenges would they have? How would people feel when they discovered these powers were real? (As a comic book geek, I’d be delighted and excited, but I’m sure not everyone would feel that way.)

For Metamorphosis, I wanted to explore the challenges and difficulties of soldiers suffering from PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). My hero, Ron, has been running and self-medicating for years. I wanted to show how insidious and relentless the symptoms could be. For Lily, there were two main inspirations. First, I knew I wanted to make her a shapeshifter and since I’ve always been fascinated by bears, making her a skinwalker who transforms into a grizzly bear was lots of fun. Second, my first heroine, Dani, was a kick-butt and take-names kind of heroine, so for Lily, I wanted to show a heroine whose strength comes from personal integrity and family connections. She’s strong, passionate and protective, a true mama bear.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Because of the challenges of my life, my writing has to be extremely portable. I do most of my writing while my kids are at their various activities. I found I work well with a plot board, but carrying around a giant display isn’t always practical. So I put the cards from my plot board into a photo album which I carry with my laptop. I have a section for each character and the overall plot notes, as well as a detailed summary of each completed chapter. (Very handy for remembering what I called that guy who appeared briefly in the car rental scene in chapter four, or maybe five, or seven?) By nature, I’m more of a pantser, letting the writing flow where it will. But, I found I needed a proper plot and outline to be able to avoid spending half my writing time remembering what I planned to do next.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The first romance novel I read where I thought “I’d like to do that” was Jessica Andersen’s Skykeepers, the third book in the Nightkeeper series. It was clever, funny, sexy and used a magical system which was entirely new to me: Mayan. Since then, I’ve also become a huge fan of Jenna Black, Sherilyn Kenyon and Bec McMaster. They all have a talent for creating vivid characters who feel real, and they combine humor and tragedy. They explore the darker side of life without leaving a reader feeling worn out and hopeless.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on the third book in the lalassu series, Inquisition, and a short story set in the lalassu universe. It’s the second short story in my Spirit Sight series, which is about paranormal investigators who don’t know about the lalassu but are drawn into the strange occurrences the lalassu leave in their wake.

Inquisition will focus on Detective Joe Cabrera as the hero and introduce a new heroine, Cali, a Robin-Hood-esque thief and master of diguise.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’ve found my best method for promotion so far has been developing relationships with the smaller bloggers. Some authors ignore them because they don’t have thousands of regular visitors, but I’ve found a number of very enthusiastic supporters. They loved the first book and when I offered to give them advance copies of Metamorphosis, they set up features and did some great reviews.

In the end, I think word-of-mouth is still how most people find new books to read, so the goal of every author should be to start as many word-of-mouth chains as they possibly can.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I have a few pieces of advice which definitely have helped me. First, be prepared to treat writing as a business. Set a budget for both time and money, including costs/time for promotion. It’s too easy to find the day slipping away on social media or emails.

Second: edit, edit, edit! Too many authors put up their first drafts, eager to move on to the next story. Without a second opinion, it’s too hard to find your own plot holes and blind spots. A good editor should rip your story to pieces (without being mean) and that kind of time and effort will be expensive and worth it. My editor sends me 20-30 pages of notes and hundreds of in-manuscript comments, which is the difference between a good story and a great one.

Third: Don’t be afraid of hiring help. Professional cover, professional formatting, professional promoters. Know your own weaknesses and then hire people to cover them. Include those costs in your budget before you publish.

Fourth: Find a writers’ group. Personally, I’ve found the Romance Writers of America (and my local chapter, the Ottawa Romance Writers’ Association) to be incredibly supportive and helpful. There are both online and local chapters. They’ve been a great source of suggestions, references and mentors. I’ve avoided so many pitfalls through the advice of my fellows and been made aware of a huge number of opportunities. Writing is lonely work so talking to someone else who also talks to themselves in the grocery store to work out plot details can help the process to feel less isolated.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best advice I’ve ever heard is to plan for a marathon and have confidence in your own voice. There’s a lot of competition out there, which can seem overwhelming to a new writer. A few years ago, there were tons of stories selling thousands of copies a month within their first few months. Now the market has shifted and building an audience takes time. Be prepared to work for your sales, but don’t be disheartened. If it’s a good story and professionally presented, sooner or later, readers will find it.

What are you reading now?
Right now, I’m reading Kim Harrison’s Dead Witch Walking. I’m a fast reader, so I usually pick up at least five books at week from the local library. I grab a romance, a sci-fi/fantasy and one fiction book at random, as well as two non-fiction books. It’s led me to discover some pretty entertaining new authors and genres as well as given me a cheap and thorough education on what works and what doesn’t.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I have six books currently planned for the lalassu series (although a seventh and eighth are hazily beginning to take shape in my mind). After the sixth book, I’m going to re-evaluate and decide if I want to continue with the lalassu books or if I want to explore some of the other series ideas floating around in the back of my brain.

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?
First, because I am eminently practical, would be latest edition of The SAS Survival Handbook by John “Lofty” Wiseman (because I’ve seen Castaway a couple of times, but I’m not a real expert). After that, it would be a really difficult decision. I’ve got a couple thousand books in my library and I’d want to take them all. But, if I have to pick, I think the winners would be:
Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Styxx
Stieg Larsson’s Girl With the Dragon Tattoo Omnibus (okay that may be cheating, but it’s a single volume)
Robert Jordan’s A Memory of Light

Author Websites and Profiles
Jennifer Carole Lewis Website
Jennifer Carole Lewis Amazon Profile

Jennifer Carole Lewis’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a business coach, consultant, author and speaker. To this date I’ve written 7 books: 4 business titles, 2 health books, and 1 mystery under a pen name.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
“Mocked” is a mystery written under the pen name Liv Parker. You might say it’s a cozy mystery in that it’s a “clean” fiction work. After writing non-fiction books and articles, this story started out in my head during the summer of 2014. I wrote a draft and had it edited. It took months to work on it from there!

My latest book by my own name is “You Can Make Money From YouTube”. It’s a short book that helps people figure out how to get started with a YouTube channel and then how to get it monetized. I like helping people know how to make money while they’re sleeping, and YouTube is one way to do it. The book includes a significant discount to my course on Udemy where I show in video format everything that goes into starting and growing a YouTube channel, making money from it, and then how to increase the channel’s number of subscribers, views, and watch time, which all directly affect the amount of money you make.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I like starting out writing with paper and pen. There is a visceral connection between the brain and writing by hand that stimulates creativity.

I’ll also start out by doing something creative before writing. I used to draw and use color pencils. Now my go-to is coloring books for adults! I have 5 books and two sets of color pencils.

I also like playing classical music in the background when I’m writing. I’ll often find I’m more productive after a writing session when classical has played quietly through the speakers.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
C.S. Lewis, Mary Higgins Clark, and I’m sure I’ll think of others later!

What are you working on now?
While I’m thinking about what I want to write next (which includes more mysteries in the Ginger Stevens series + a couple others and I have one more health book to write to complete that trilogy which will be about preventative measures to ward off heart disease and cancer), I’m constantly working on the YouTube business (growing my channels, promoting my YouTube course on Udemy), and looking for speaking engagements and training assignments on the topic of workplace bullying.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I haven’t figured that out yet! I’m just now getting into the KDP promotions by experimenting with book #1 in early 2016.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Amazon has changed everything. Meanwhile, you need a good editor and proofreader. They’ll clean up your writing better than your best friend can do it.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t let people bully you in the workplace; find ways to stop it.

What are you reading now?
A couple books by indie authors (want to see what they’re doing!)

What’s next for you as a writer?
Figuring out the best way to do the KDP free promotions. After experimenting with my first book, I’ll dive into it for my other books.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
The Bible, “Country Matters” by Jo Northrop, “Not All Bullies Yell and Throw Things” (that’s mine & I still love it).
How long am I going to be stranded on this island? “Stranded” being the defining word, I wouldn’t bring a book that is suspenseful.

Author Websites and Profiles
Glory Borgeson Website
Glory Borgeson Amazon Profile

Glory Borgeson’s Social Media Links
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My first book, ‘The Balancing Game: A Child Between Two Worlds, A Society Approaching War,’ was published on Amazon in 2014. It describes the internal and external worlds of a child growing up in an orthodox Jewish family in post-war London, and the experiences of a young woman who is living in Jerusalem and in the final stages of pregnancy in the period leading up to and including the Six Day War of 1967. My second book, ‘Time Out of Joint, the Fate of a Family,’ was published on Amazon in 2015. It describes the experiences of the members of a German-Jewish family in Europe starting in 1924, in the context of the political, economic and social events of the time. It is based on considerable research, as well as on my family’s correspondence and documents.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book, ‘Levi Koenig, A Contemporary King Lear,’ is very roughly based on my own experiences. I am the eldest of three sisters, and at one stage we were involved in caring for our elderly widowed father. Beyond that basic situation, of course, the characters bear no resemblance to any of us. I studied Shakespeare’s ‘King Lear’ at school but it never occurred to me then that I would find myself in a similar situation. I think that the Bard of Avon has done a great injustice in the way he portrays the three sisters, with two who are entirely evil and one a perfect angel, and I have sought to right that wrong by portraying each sister as human, i.e., a mixture of good and bad.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write quite quickly, and then try to carefully edit and rewrite what I’ve produced.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Virginia Woolf is my model of a writer, although my writing isn’t anywhere near as good as hers. She was highly intelligent and I can’t possibly compete with her, but I try to devote my time and energies to improving my writing. I think the main thing is to keep going and never give up. There are a great many factors out there that tend to discourage one, so the trick is to try to overcome them and not succumb to the tendency to give up.

What are you working on now?
I’m currently working on a novel about English people living in France. It is suppposed to be humorous, but I’m afraid that there are tragic undertones. Inadequacy and ignorance of the local culture and language are the principal themes.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I wish I knew. I would like to devote my time to writing rather than marketing, but it seems that this is not an option at present.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
My advice to new authors is just keep going and don’t let the bastards get you down.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best advice I’ve ever had is “show don’t tell.”

What are you reading now?
I’m currently reading ‘A Song for Issy Bradley’ by Carys Bray, which I’m enjoying for the insights it gives into a family affected by the tragic loss of a child. The fact that the family are Mormons adds another interesting dimension to the text.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m going to continue writing, despite the setbacks I encounter along the way, as it’s something I feel I was always destined to do. I’ve been an avid reader since childhood and I still feel that I have something to say.

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?
‘Mrs. Dalloway,’ by Virginia Woolf. ‘The Tempest’ by Shakespeare. The collected works of Oscar Wilde.

Author Websites and Profiles
Dorothea Shefer-Vanson Website

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Paul had dreamt of becoming an artist ever since he could hold his first crayon. Over the years, he has fine-tuned his craft. From the early days of indescribable squiggles to better, describable squiggles, to what you see here today. He loves travelling with his family, learning something new every day, and soaking up everything that life has to offer.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
An A to Z Dinosaur Mystery. My inspiration comes from a many different, yet complementary, sources. Firstly, I LOVE to draw…it’s simply a passion. This, intertwined with my love of history (shared with my two boys, ages 7 and 9) and the fact that I’m really a child in a grown man’s body made it impossible NOT to make!

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Wait, are there usual writing habits? Well, I suppose my most unusual writing habit is that I often “act” like the character I’m writing about so that I can better develop and understand their personality. This often results in strange looks from other family members…and from people on the bus.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Theodor Seuss Geisel (Dr. Seuss) has influenced me greatly and serves as a constant reminder that children’s books must, above all else, entertain the readers.

Current (read: living) authors that have helped me a great deal would be Rebecca Howard-Patrick, Avery Bryer, Mark Messick, and Matt Stone.

What are you working on now?
Writing books two and three in the Dinosaur Discovery Series. They started out as one muddled idea and though cycles of writing and rewriting, have morphed into two separate and distinct stories.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Well, this one of course!
Since I’m still relatively new to this whole “Author” thing, I’ms still trying different things, staying active in various forums (asking a lot of questions) and really listening to authors who have had some success and are open to sharing their knowledge.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Stick with it! Yes, it’s terrifying. Yes, you will have some sleepless nights but it will all be worth it!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Get out of the way!!!
Ok, in all seriousness, it’s the same advice that I share with new authors…stick with it!

What are you reading now?
Dumbing Us Down: The Hidden Curriculum of Compulsory Schooling by John Taylor Gatto

What’s next for you as a writer?
Right now, I’ve got books two and three of the Dinosaur Discovery Series percolating and some other ideas running amok in my head. My next job is to shape these into actual books…sounds easy right?

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Robinson Crusoe (for inspiration), The SAS Survival Handbook (in case things get dicey) and a bible (in case the other two don’t pan out).

Author Websites and Profiles
Paul Guilleminot Website

Paul Guilleminot’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My name is Katenna Adderley and this my first book. I always write poetry and performed in events for friends.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
“Flights of Emotions” My Life is an Airport is the title to my first book. I can say life inspired me to write this book. This was something that was in me that had to come out, I deal with everything around me by my writing.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
My unusual writing habits is stopping what ever I’m doing whether it’s driving, or eating, or even shopping to write, right then and there at where ever I am.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The author that influence me now are Joseph Prince (Destined to Reign) and Mitch Albom (Have a Little Faith). From past I would read anything from Nora Roberts, Linda Howard, Dr Seuss, Napoleon Hill, Christine Feehan, Langston Huges, just to name a few. I’m a reader I think that why readers because authors. We read a lot of books.

What are you working on now?
I working on my second book which come out later this year. Also I have an online radio station that will be launch in March.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I have a facebook book page (www.facebook.com/flightsofemotions) and I perform at events contact skatenna@yahoo.com.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Like Nike Just do it you never regret it.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
If you’re a star in the sky no one can reach you but if you’re a rock on the floor people will walk on you. My mom gave me that advice.

What are you reading now?
In between contracts and promo sites. I’m re-reading Johanna Lindsey books. Also I’m re-reading Napoleon Hill Think and Grow Rich. No matter how many time I read these two authors I always find something new.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m going on a couple of book events that starts in April.

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 my God only 3 to 4, One would be the bible to stop me from going crazy. I would have one Linda Howard, one Johanna Lindsey, and last but not least Joseph Prince Destined to Reign. I’ll probably hide a few and carried them too.

Author Websites and Profiles
Katenna Adderley Website
Katenna Adderley Amazon Profile

Katenna Adderley’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a learn-a-holic who has been fascinated with human behaviour for over 10 years. I have had success and failure in various areas of my life and wanted to understand better why some people get the results they want, and some never do. I was also keen to learn easy to adopt steps so that I could share these with others.
This is my first book in which I wanted to help people who are frustrated in the area of weight loss. It’s a very common topic discussed across the globe, and in my view we are often overwhelmed by information on what to eat/ not to eat and what exercise for the best weight loss results. All too often, what’s really behind success in anything is our mindset and behaviours. This is rarely shared in the area of weight loss.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Weight Loss: 5 Simple mind set tricks most people don’t do to lose weight and keep it off
The weight loss industry is worth hundred of billions of dollars. I believe it’s booming because, not only do we want to have the bodies of our dreams, but we are also fed very quick fix information that’s marketed for a general population. I’ve overheard so many conversations between friends and acquaintances about how frustrated they were, and how the latest diet didn’t work. Using my knowledge on human behaviour, I knew that success in weight loss is in the person’s individual mindset and daily habits. Helping people to understand this in relation to weight loss, drive the inspiration for this book. I want to help people see beyond the overload of diet information and understand their own power to drive success. In addition, I wanted to ensure I kept the information simple enough for anyone to implement.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t believe I have any unusual writing habits. I like to keep information simple for the reader. I would say however, I often come up with my own new words for my own humour. One such word is ‘cowp’ – to flop on the ground like a cow, when exhausted and surrendering to the day. It makes me laugh….and I do know not everyone will share the same view.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I’m really interested in human behaviour and personal development so one key influencer on my life has been Tony Robbins. He has written a few books;
Awaken The Giant Within: How to Take Immediate Control of Your Mental, Emotional, Physical and Financial Life
Unlimited Power: The New Science of Personal Achievement
Money Master the Game: 7 Simple Steps to Financial Freedom
Other authors in this genre include Jim Rohn, Marianne Williamson, Ekhart Tolle, Dale Carnegie, Stephen Covey, Wayne Dyer, Caroline Myss among many more.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on further books on topics that have caused pain or stress for people in my working career; Stress, work-life balance, healing crises, workplace emotions and managing people. Using what I’ve learned, I really want to help people gain skills in living a better life outside of commonly perceived stressful situations.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Currently I’m using Amazon since that’s where I get all my personal books from.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I spent too long considering what people would think of my book, if it was the right topic to write about and should’ve published a lot sooner. If you want to do it, just DO IT! In the words of Taylor Swift, ‘hater gonna hate, hate, hate’ anyway. If your book entertains or helps even just 1 other person in the world, your voice, time and effort is absolutely worth it.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
When I read this quote by Marianne Williamson, it made me cry because I think it truly speaks to everyone and she’s right. Who are we not to shine?

Marianne WilliamsonMarianne Williamson > Quotes

Marianne Williamson quotes (showing 1-30 of 451)
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?’ Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

What are you reading now?
I’m currently really intrigued by the world of healing and how many different forms of healing there are. Healing is a very personal journey of learning – outside of the condition we experience or suffer from. Caroline Myss is fascinating, so I’m reading her book, ‘Why people don’t heal and how they can’. I’ve given lots of copies to friends and families, I love it so much.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I have another area I want to write on and that’s beauty. I have a big dream to change the world’s perception of what beauty really is and help lift the pain of many out there who look in the mirror and see a negative image of themselves. We look at beauty in the wrong way, mainly because of what we’re fed by media. Beauty is all around us, and in us but we look externally to feel beautiful. I’d like to make as many people as possible feel beautiful in and of themselves.

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?
Tony Robbins, Awaken The Giant Within
PS I love you by Cecilia Ahern
The Art of Happiness by The Dalai Lama
Shopaholic series by Cecilia Ahern….(just for the laughs)!

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hi. My name is Angela Holder and I live in Houston, Texas. I’ve been writing original fiction for ten years, and publishing my books for two. I’ve published five novels and two novellas. I’ve got several more completed rough drafts that I’m currently working on (one at a time) to get ready for publication. I’ve also got a couple of incomplete projects waiting their turn. Plus lots of ideas to keep me busy writing for years to come.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is The Wizards’ War, the fourth and final volume of The Chronicles of Tevenar. It’s the grand finale to the series that I first started writing ten years ago.

The original inspiration for the Tevenar books came from two sources. First, I was playing with ideas for a gender-neutral naming system and the culture it would come from. Second, I was reading a dare thread on the Nanowrimo forums where someone had suggested “Write a animal wizard with a human familiar.” Along the way I was influenced by a song we were singing in my church choir: “Whoever would be first among you must become your servant, and whoever would be great among you must be the slave of all..” After that it was mostly a matter of thinking up interesting challenges for my wizards to face.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I think about stories all the time, both the one I’m currently working on (I can only actively work on one at a time) and new possibilities. While driving and while taking a shower are particularly good times to think. I have to be careful not to get too deep into thinking while I drive, because more than once I’ve missed a turn and ended up in the wrong place.

When I get an idea I think will make a good story, I keep coming back to it, fleshing it out as much as I can. Usually I’m able to get a good feel for at least the main character/s and the general shape of the story. I like to plan out as much as I can, but I usually get to a point where no more will come to me. I seldom write any of this down, because if it’s good enough, I’ll remember it. Occasionally I’ll write a brief narrative summary, usually because it’s part of the backstory of another book (like the two-page tale of Gurion Thricebound in The Fuller’s Apprentice, which turned into a 300,000 word epic).

Once I get to a certain point, which is different for every book, the only way to figure out the rest is to discover it while I’m writing. All my books have started as Nanowrimo projects (all in November except Beyond the Boundary Stones, which was for Camp Nano). I’ll write the first 50-100 thousand words during the month, then continue to work on it until its finished. I’m lucky in that my husband’s job supports our family, so I can devote full time to writing. I write at about the same pace during Nano and outside it, around 2000-5000 words a day, done in about 3-5 hours. During Nano or when I’m pushing to meet a deadline I write every day, including weekends. Other times I take days off when I need to. There are times I take whole months off for family commitments. I used to not be able to write much during the summer because I was taking care of the kids, but now that they’re older I can be more consistent through the year.

I start at the beginning of a book and write straight through. The only exception is when there are two separate plot threads going on – then I’ll sometimes write one, go back for the other, and decide how to interweave them afterwards. Part of The Law of Isolation was done that way. But otherwise I can’t write scenes out of order. When I do have to go back and add a scene during revision, I then have to go through the entire book and make adjustments in how the characters think and feel and react to everything that happens from that point on. It’s a lot easer to get it right from the beginning.

I frequently throw in things that seem interesting or appropriate, without knowing how they’ll play out. Many times those things have become pivotal to the plot in ways I couldn’t have foreseen. I’ve learned to trust my subconscious – it’s a really good storyteller, and it knows what it’s doing. There was a point I felt I needed to include in The Tale of Gurion Thricebound, which I wrote nine years ago right after The Fuller’s Apprentice, even though it didn’t affect anything I had written or planned at the time. It became a crucial plot point in the climax of The Wizards’ War, in a way that was completely unexpected but felt inevitable. Another example: there’s a line Kabos says in The Fuller’s Apprentice, about his people. When I wrote it, I had no idea what he was talking about. I could have taken it out, except it felt right for his character. That led to the invention of the Dualists/Faithful, and huge parts of the plot of the later books.

I start each day’s writing session (yes, even during Nano!) by going back and rereading/doing light editing on the portion I wrote the day before. It gets my head back into the story and lets me fix any obvious problems right away. While writing, if I become aware of any obvious plot problems, or have ideas about ways I need to change what I’ve already written, it works best if I go ahead and do it. Otherwise it nags at me and distracts me from moving the story forward. I don’t hesitate to correct errors and change wording around while I’m writing – again, it would bother me more to leave it, and I don’t have a big problem with my inner editor shutting down my creativity. But invariably the best writing I do is when I get deep into the story and the words are flowing fast. Usually those sections come out almost perfect and need very little editing later. It tends to happen most often with scenes I’ve been thinking about and looking forward to writing for a long time, so especially around the climax. But even scenes that don’t flow and need lots of tweaking/reworking later I’m usually able to eventually get to a state I’m happy with. I can still see where the seams are, though. That’s why I like to do my writing in long chunks of time – it can take a couple of hours to get into that flow state, but once I get there I can keep it going for hours until I have to stop.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
So, so many. I’ve been an avid reader since I first learned how. The first books I fell in love with were the Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder. I would read them through from beginning to end, then go back to the beginning and start over.

The Tevenar books have a lot of influence from The Dragonriders of Pern by Anne McCaffrey, which my aunt introduced me to when I was 12. I’ve written fan fiction for The Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, and Harry Potter, all of which I love.

Other favorites include The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis; The Chronicles of Prydain by Lloyd Alexander (both of which I honored with my series title); The Dark is Rising series by Susan Cooper (who I got to meet at a book signing recently!); Enchantress from the Stars and The Far Side of Evil by Sylvia Louise Engdahl; Emergence by David Palmer; The Egypt Game, The Changeling and The Green Sky Trilogy by Zilpha Keatley Snyder; the Damar books and Beuty by Robin McKinley, the Miles Vorkosigan and Chalion books by Lois McMaster Bujold, the Dragaera books by Stephen Brust, the Xanth books by Piers Anthony, the Deryni books by Katherine Kurtz, the Cadfael books by Ellis Peters, Windhaven by George R.R. Martin and Lisa Tuttle. Isaac Asimov, Robert Heinlein, Orson Scott Card, Spider Robinson. I’m sure I’m forgetting some.

In the past few years I’ve started reading romance. I started with fantasy/science fiction/paranormal, branching off from my lifelong love of fantasy and science fiction, but to my surprise I’ve also discovered I love historical romance. Favorite authors include Mary Balogh, Mary Jo Putney, Jo Beverley, and J.R. Ward. I’ve got an as-yet unpublished science fiction romance series I’m working on, which I’ll probably publish under a pen name.

What are you working on now?
Finishing the final proofread of The Wizards’ War. I need to turn over the finished copy to my husband so he can format the e-book (I format for print) before the pre-order deadline, ten days before its release March 8. I’m also setting up promos for The Fuller’s Apprentice and The Law of Isolation to run in conjunction with its release.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’ve had good luck with a number of sites. Vinny’s sites were a big help early on, helping get The Fuller’s Apprentice off to a great start. Others that have performed well for me include Betty Book Freak, Robin Reads, Bargainbooksy and Freebooksy, Book Barbarian, and ENT. I haven’t landed a Bookbub yet, but I keep trying.

I’ve also done well including the first chapter of the next book and link to the preorder in each of the Tevenar books. More than 400 people preordered The Law of Isolation in the two months between it and TFA.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Read lots of advice, but don’t be afraid to toss what doesn’t work for you. Experiment until you figure out what does.

Don’t ask permission. The answer to “Can I do this?” is always the same: you can; no one has the power to forbid you. The real question is “Will readers want to read this?” You get to decide how much the answer to that matters to you.

Learn basic grammar, because editors are important but they can’t do everything. Words are the tools of our trade; you have to know how to use them.

Spend some time critiquing other people’s work. You’ll learn a lot about what you want to do and not do. Seeing problems in other people’s stories is a lot easier than seeing them in your own, and trying to figure out solutions will help you do the same for yours. Get your work critiqued and work through all the comments, even when it’s hard. Get the same story critiqued by multiple people. If only one person mentions something, it may or may not actually be a problem, but if several do, something needs to be fixed, although maybe not be exactly what any one of them is saying. One or two rounds of critiquing is enough, though. Don’t get stuck revising and re-revising the same story forever. Make it as good as you can at the moment and then move on to the next one.

Write what you love, because nothing else will have the same spark. But it will be easier to sell if it fits firmly into an established genre.

There are advantages and disadvantages to both traditional publishing and indie publishing. Research both before you decide which is for you. But right now I think there’s more money and more opportunity for most authors in indie publishing. And whichever way you go, consider going hybrid if you get the chance.

Write more, worry less. You won’t do everything right the first time, and that’s okay. Learn from your mistakes.

Have fun! Making up stories and having people read them is the coolest thing in the world. We’re so lucky to get the chance to do it.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
On a radio show, I once heard a story about Maurice Sendak. When he was working on “Where the Wild Things Are,” he got stuck articulating exactly why Max decided to leave the island and go home. His editor kept asking him, and he kept not being able to say. Finally he said, “Because he wants to be with his mommy, but I can’t say that!” His editor asked him one more time. He said “Because he wants to be where someone loves him best of all, but I can’t say that!” His editor said, “Yes, you can.” And that’s what’s in the final book.

So whenever I’m stuck on something I just can’t quite find the words for, I throw out ideas, whatever I know is true, no matter how stupid it sounds. Sooner or later that gets me what I need.

What are you reading now?
The Shadows, by J.R. Ward, the latest book in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series. I just finished Only a Promise, by Mary Balogh, and am waiting for her Only a Kiss to come from the library, both from the Survivor’s Club series. Before that I read The Martian by Andy Weir.

What’s next for you as a writer?
My next project is going to be revising and editing The Tale of Gurion Thricebound, a 300,000 word epic prequel to The Chronicles of Tevenar. It’s set 1000 years before the main series and tells about how the ancient wizards lost their powers and how Tevenar and the Wizards’ Guild were founded. Attentive readers will know a fair bit of what to expect, but there are plenty of surprises along the way, too. It’s told in first person from Gurion’s point of view. I enjoy writing in first person very much, because everything in in the character’s voice. I can just open up and let the character talk through me to the reader. I think you’ll like Gurion very much – I know I do!

After that, there’s another Tevenar prequel, Into the Storm, about the hurricane that’s been mentioned a few times in the main series. I have ideas for a sequel series, too, but right now they’re pretty vague. I’d like to get the other drafts I have finished published first before I turn my attention to new stories.

I’ve got two novels unrelated to the Tevenar books that I’ll be publishing soon. One, Hero’s Journey, is an epic fantasy that has fun playing with many of the tropes of the genre. What happens when the hero’s mother, who was supposed to be killed off at the beginning of the story, instead fights off the monsters and follows her son through a portal into a fantasy world? I had tons of fun writing it because half the story is a very traditional quest narrative. Marc is the lost heir to a fantasy kingdom, and has to seek out eight pieces of a powerful magical artifact with the help of a wise old wizard and a diverse group of companions to defeat an evil overlord and reclaim the throne. Meanwhile, Val, his mom, who’s a police officer, has her own half of the story which isn’t traditional at all. Lots of things turn out not be what they seem at first. Also, its got the best blurb I’ve yet written, which I hope will grab readers and make them need to read the book.

The other is a YA paranormal, Nothing But the Truth. Allison is a teenager who is allergic to lies. Literally. When someone around her lies, she gets physically sick. When one of her friends is murdered, she hears the suspect declare that he’s innocent and knows he’s telling the truth. She and her friends must investigate to discover the real killer using Allison’s unique talent.

Then there’s the previously mentioned science fiction romance series, The Covenant of the Rainbow. I’ve written one and a half books out of eight so far. Eight thousand years ago, an alien scouting party came to Earth after their planet was destroyed by a supernova. They attempted to terraform Earth, causing planet-wide floods, but were stopped by a heroic group of eight humans, helped by a renegade alien who taught them psychic powers. They formed a secret society, dedicated to preserving the memory of the invasion, teaching psychic skills and preparing mankind for the arrival of the alien’s colony ship. Now that ship is about to arrive, and the eight powerful psychics who lead the Covenant, along with their soul-bonded partners, must defend Earth from the ruthless alien leaders determined to conquer and remake the planet into a new home for their 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?
My copy of The Dragonriders of Pern, which has Dragonflight, Dragonquest, and the White Dragon. It’s been a while since I read them and I could happily read them over and over.

A single-volume copy of The Lord of the Rings. It benefits from long unbroken stretches of concentration, which I don’t have much of these days to devote to reading, because I’m spending all the time I could on writing.

A Feast for Crows and A Dance of Dragons, because they’re long and dense and I haven’t gotten to them yet.

Author Websites and Profiles
Angela Holder Website
Angela Holder Amazon Profile

Angela Holder’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m rather all over the place, to be honest. I’m a writer, blogger, traveler, reviewer, student, and wife. I’m studying Geology and Anthropology (not mixed together… yet) at the University of Wyoming and plan on taking my studies all the way. Space fascinates me completely as well as our planet and her history. All of which will eventually leak out onto the page, I’m sure!

I’ve published one novel and have many more hiding within me.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My debut novel, Dust, is scheduled for release March 9th, 2016 and I couldn’t be more excited! It’s a journey of rediscovery, love, and the reclamation of spirit. And it was inspired by conversations I’ve had with my husband, my girlfriends and their struggles in their own marriages, my grandparents, and others. It’s set in Wyoming and very much so inspired by the landscape here which easily could cleanse even the darkest of souls.

Here is the back cover teaser blurb:

Some people seek marriage counseling; others find wisdom in horse manure. Austen St. Johns has taken up a shovel.

When her marriage transitions from blushing newlyweds to people who merely co-exist, Austen realizes perhaps she’s responsible for her misery.

Desiring change, she leaves Oregon for the open plains of a Wyoming ranch where she discovers through love of self how she can save her marriage.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not that I’m aware of. It usually comes in spurts. When I force myself to sit down and write it never turns out right, but rather feels like I’m doing homework and writing essays for a class I don’t care for. So I try to stay inspired and often. This could be just a simple trick of leaving the house and getting away from the well beaten path of my daily or weekly routine. I crave new spaces, so if I’m feeling any sort of writer’s block I’ll hop in the car and drive somewhere I’ve never been.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I’m a huge fan of Zane Grey. I love his writing style and his way of paying so much attention to the environment his characters are in. In essence, the landscape becomes a character which helps drive the story. I read a lot of his work and can see that it greatly influenced my own writing in my novel.

What are you working on now?
I’m dreaming up a sequel to Dust and hope to be able to put her together soon.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Honestly, I’m just a baby when it comes to this. I have found, though, that the best way to promote my name is to help other people. By shining the spotlight on other writers I have been able to increase my name recognition online and in the writing community. This type of practice is much in line with my overall perspective on the business world that we would be better off if we worked to build each other rather than racing to the top alone.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
A few pieces.
1.) Just write. Write whatever is in your head and your heart. Who cares what anyone else says. Write for the sake of writing and because it’s what you love. Write because it is a challenge or because it comes easily. But no matter what, just keep writing.

2.) Release yourself of any guilt you have over that one project you started a few years back that has so much potential, but has earned a thick layer of dust. You’ll get to it eventually… or maybe you won’t. Worrying about it won’t write it. It’s ok that it’s sitting there.

3.) A word written today is one more word written than yesterday. Not everyday is going to be a 2,000 word day. And that’s ok.

4.) Continue to grow your craft. I don’t care if you’re Hemingway reincarnate. There is always something to learn from other writers. Go to conferences and expand your writing community.

5.) But don’t let all that advice go to your head. Weigh it, see if it truly applies to your work, and then use what you can. Just don’t let your ego get in the way.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Craig Johnson told me during a book signing that the reason his books seemed to be successful was because he saw what other authors were doing and he went the opposite way. It seems an obvious piece of advice, but it was helpful.

What are you reading now?
Textbooks. Mostly. But I am also reading “Waking Up Joy” by Tina Ann Forkner and “Rose Under Fire” by Elizabeth Wein.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Travel… I think. And school. There will be lots of writing in between and hopefully a follow up to Dust coming soon.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Jane Erye – no question!
Any sort of map of the stars anthology so I could learn something while I was there.
“Rumo and His Miraculous Adventures” by Walter Moers
“I, Coriander” by Sally Gardner

Author Websites and Profiles
Beaux Cooper Website
Beaux Cooper Amazon Profile
Beaux Cooper Author Profile on Smashwords

Beaux Cooper’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have written 1 book to date.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Both Eyes Open and Both Eyes Shut and I was inspired to write due to seeing how many in my own community is living and the separation that it seems that many has towards the word of God. And I just wanted to be used to try to be the Donkey that is talking in this hour as I describe in Chapter 1 of my book.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
No, not really usually when I get a topic or subject that I feel strongly about, I just grab my notebook and start brainstorming and try to come up with different concept that seems appealing to myself.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
T.D Jakes, Joel Osteen and Richard Exley to name a few.

What are you working on now?
I am currently working on a new book entitled “A Real Man’s Hustle” and I am also working on my 2 volume of Both Eyes Open and Both Eyes Shut “Why Am I So Comfortable Living In My Sins”

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Well I just recently published my own website and my best resulting for selling books is Amazon.com.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
If you have a passion about something and you want to express yourself through words stay with what your passion is, it took me 16years to release my first book and it was a great experience.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Never give up on my dreams and that I had volumes of books within me so let God lead me to wherever this journey is going to take me, because I will never know how many people I may touch that I may never even meet.

What are you reading now?
Man of Valor Every Man’s Quest for a Life of Honor, Conviction, and Character
by Richard Exley

What’s next for you as a writer?
What’s next for me as a writer is to keep writing and redo some of my previous writing and try to get those published as well, with the things I have in my bind at home I probably have about 7 more books already. But after getting that first one published and you see people buying and enjoying your work it gives you confident that my other books can do the same.

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 Holy Bible, So You Can Yourself A Man, Man Of Valor, And A Purpose Driven Life

Author Websites and Profiles
Corwin Johnson Website
Corwin Johnson Amazon Profile

Corwin Johnson’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account