Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have been writing most of my adult life, mostly white papers and manuals in computer technology. I have written a number of unpublished science fiction short stories and two novels, a political thriller and a fantasy novel.

From 2013 I have been working on the Jonas Watcher Detective Series. I self-published my first novel is “The Case of the Running Bag”. I have written two more; “The Case of the Bourbon Street Hustler” and “The Case of the Jade Dragon”. My current work in progress is “The Case of the Looking Glass Mirror”. I have about half a dozen more titles in some form of development.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
“The Case of the Jade Dragon” is the third and latest book in the Jonas Watcher Series. The Jonas Watcher series is an homage to the writings of Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett, however, this third novel also has its roots tied to the opening of a “Have Gun Will Travel” episode.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
When I get an idea for a new novel I create a folder on my computer. I create an outline document and email it to myself. That provides me a form of backup. I continue this process throughout development so I always have a backup available to me online. It also provides me with copyright dates.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I started reading Raymond Chandler, Dashiell Hammet, Rex Stout, Earl Stanley Gardner, and Mickey Spillane. That surprised my brother who said he thought I would be reading Ian Flemming. I then picked him up along with Dorthy Sayers and Agatha Christie. I have read Mark Twain, Edgar Allen Poe, and Arthur Conan Doyle.

What are you working on now?
“The Case of the Looking Glass Mirror” was developed from me asking myself “What if?” I had been reading “Through the Looking Glass” and I thought about antique books, some of the structure of Lewis Carrol’s novel and then I married that with some classic murders and “The Case of the Looking Glass Mirror” was born.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m still working on that. If I come up with a process I will share it willingly.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Keep writing. learn how to market, keep reading.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
See the above.

What are you reading now?
At the moment I am rereading “The Power Of Myth”

What’s next for you as a writer?
I am taking Jonas Watcher back to New Orleans and delving into the mythology of the city, the Bayou, VooDoo, and vampires.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
The complete works of Sherlock Holmes, an Ultimate DIY Book, Leaves of Grass, and the Complete Works of Mark Twain.

Author Websites and Profiles
Gene Poschman Website
Gene Poschman Amazon Profile
Gene Poschman Author Profile on Smashwords

Gene Poschman’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 going to publish my nineteenth book in November 2016. The first was called “But the Children Survived.” A picture of my granddaughter on my refrigerator was the inspiration for that book. I was looking at it, and I suddenly saw her running down the hallway of my mobile home holding my small dog. That was the beginning. I wrote the book for my family and included almost every member of my family as a character in the book.

I spent the early years of my childhood in Pennsylvania and Connecticut and the later years in New Jersey. I’ve used locations in all three, as well as my current location in Florida.

When I finished school, I worked in a place called Delicious Orchards in Colts Neck where I met my husband, Hans. He was a baker, and when he saw me walk in the bakery for the first time, he turned to the guy working next to him and said, “That’s the girl I’m gonna marry.” We had two boys, Andrew and Thomas, and spent several years in Ocean County, New Jersey. While I was raising my sons, I worked in retail locations, and have used those experiences in my writing.

I live with my hubby and two non-human roommates. Trixie is a mixed terrier who was the inspiration for Baby Girl in But the Children Survived and Libby the Psychic dog, and Sammy, my fabulous feline companion. I also have four grandchildren who continue to inspire me.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I’m releasing a book soon called “What She Deserved,” a contemporary paranormal mystery. When my son was sixteen, he suffered a head injury, and his recovery inspired me to write a character called Marigold Burnside.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
My living room is my office. I write in my recliner with a wireless keyboard and mouse.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I read James A. Michener’s “Hawaii” when I was eleven. I can still remember parts of that book, and I went on to read almost all his books. I also liked Taylor Caldwell, Betty Smith, and everyone’s favorite, Harper Lee. Caldwell and Michener wrote long, descriptive passages, and I tend to do that. I’ve learned over the last three years to tighten up my writing, but I still get carried away sometimes.

What are you working on now?
My next release, “What She Deserved,” is in the editing process. The story is about Marigold Burnside who suffers a head injury in a car crash while on assignment for a TV show she works for called Historical Homicides. After the accident, she’s left with gaps in her memory and other problems associated with a severe head injury, including an ability to see ghosts. Because of her mental problems, Mari is fired, and a friend encourages her to look into the murder she was sent to learn about for the TV show.

In 1941, a young woman named Charlotte Johnson was brutally murdered in her seaside cottage. Another woman was charged and convicted of the murder, and now her spirit is visiting Mari. Soon, Mari realizes that the ghost visiting her is that of Celia Morton, the woman convicted of Charlotte’s death. Celia’s persistence intrigues Mari, who decides to look into the “solved” murder and discovers that things in the small town of Cape Alden were not as they seemed.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’ve had a good response from the KDP free promotions. I feel it gets my book noticed and on the lists of “customers who bought this also bought” section on the product pages of other books. Facebook is a useful tool, and of course, sites like Awesome Gang where readers can find new authors.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Pace yourself. You’re gonna want to know everything so you can get it all down and then “write.” It’s good to read articles on marketing, etc., but don’t get so caught up that you forget why you wanted to write in the first place. Writing should be fun. Let yourself go when you write. Forget the rules because they can be applied when you edit, and always find someone to read your book before you publish. They might see something that makes perfect sense to you, but is incomprehensible to them, which makes reading your book a chore instead of a treasure.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The advice I offered above – to enjoy writing and forget the rules for the first draft. I can see the difference between what I wrote four years ago and what I’m writing now. The stories are easier to read because I’m enjoying myself.

What are you reading now?
I’m not reading anything right now. I have to get “What She Deserved” done first. If I read while I’m writing a book, I find myself imitating the person I’m reading when I write.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’d like to write another book about Marigold Burnside and Libby the Psychic Dog. People like Libby and she, or rather he (Lord Percival Plep, the reincarnated English lord who inhabits Libby’s body) is fun to write.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?

Author Websites and Profiles
A. L. Jambor Website
A. L. Jambor Amazon Profile
A. L. Jambor Author Profile on Smashwords

A. L. Jambor’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My career path has a lot of twists and turns in it. After active-duty service in the U.S. Air Force (during which I worked at the White House), I supervised the information-technology department for the construction manager of the Los Angeles subway.

Instead of succumbing to the usual outlets for a midlife crisis (sports cars and cheerleaders), I studied art history and set design and became a game artist for Activision and 3DO.

Following the terrorist attacks in September of 2001, I decided it was time to get a “real” job. Having received training in emergency management through my work in the Air Force Reserves, I entered the field as a civilian working for the Contra Costa County (CA) Office of Emergency Services, then moved to similar functions at the University of California at Riverside, Sprint and Ericsson, and now Buena Park, California. I retired from the Air Force Reserve as a lieutenant colonel; my last two assignments were as an intelligence officer.

I’ve been diving since 1999 and hold advanced open-water, rescue diver and EAN certifications. I’ve been intrigued by shipwrecks and maritime archaeology since growing up watching Jacques Cousteau, Sea Hunt and National Geographic specials on TV. In 2006, I studied maritime archaeology with the Aegean Institute in Greece.

I’ve been writing since I was in fourth grade and wrote my first full-length work (narrative nonfiction) in high school. I started with novels after a twenty-year break. The Collection is my third published novel.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
It’s THE COLLECTION, an international crime novel.

I’ve been interested in art-related crime for some time. The art market is both weird and fascinating — almost completely unregulated, awash with money, and largely irrational. There are nearly as many types of art-centric scams and crimes as there are types of art. It’s surprising there aren’t more novels about art crime (other than forgery, which gets most attention).

Once I finished my thriller SOUTH, I was looking for another project. I’d written a quasi-Hitchcockian suspense novel called FAKE back in 2007 that dealt with Nazi-looted art, but it never worked right. I thought I might try to fix the problems and revive it. The fixes never worked, either, so I ended up junking most everything and coming up with a new plot. This is how THE COLLECTION was born.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I practice just-in-time research. I know of authors who research everything up front and spend ages doing it. How can you do that if you don’t know what your story is? So I do just enough to let me map out the story, then research additional material as I need it.

This works best on settings. When I get to the appropriate scene, I’ll research that location hard and use what I find for set-building and to block out the action. That way the information is as up-to-date as possible and is fresh in my mind while I write.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I grew up reading Alastair Maclean, Jack Higgins, Ian Fleming and John D. Macdonald. (Yes, in junior high and high school — there was no such thing as YA then.) They had a much stronger attachment to reality than a lot of thriller writers do now (even Fleming — the Bond books aren’t much like the movies).

Now I read Alan Furst, Daniel Silva, Philip Kerr, Don Winslow, and I’m starting to go back to John LeCarre. I made the mistake of reading LeCarre in my twenties and didn’t really get him. I recently re-read The Spy Who Came in From the Cold, and now that I’m Alec Leamas’ age, I totally understand the book and the protagonist.

In nonfiction, I love Stephen Ambrose, Barbara Tuchman and David McCullough. They can make history read like fiction and still boost your IQ.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on the sequel to THE COLLECTION, called STEALING GHOSTS. Our hero, Matt Friedrich, is hired by the family of a Holocaust victim to steal from a museum a painting that the Nazis stole from the family, and then the Soviets stole from the Nazis. Needless to say, it doesn’t go as planned, and not everything is at it seems at first.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m still looking. Goodreads is a good source for reviews, although unfortunately, they don’t always make it out to Amazon of B&N. I’ve had decent luck with Kindle Books & Tips for e-book sales. I manage to sell paperbacks at most of my personal appearances, which is about the only form of marketing I actually enjoy, so I’m hoping to do more of those. I tend to get more hits on my website when I write an article for Criminal Element (criminalelement.com), but I have no idea if those translate into sales. Discoverability is still a massive problem if you don’t have a Big 5 ad budget.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Read. A lot. Read widely and critically in your chosen genre. Figure out what works and what doesn’t.

Write. A lot. Pick a small number of craft-related how-to books – written by actual authors, not people who only write about writing – and learn from them.

Join a critique group. You may need to try out a few before you find the right one. This not only allows you to get live feedback on your own writing, but by critiquing you learn what works and doesn’t work by reading other people’s writing. Critique also helps you build up the scar tissue you’ll need in order to survive the publishing merry-go-round.

Your first novel is going to suck in an enduring and spectacular way. As we said in the sandbox, “embrace the suck.” It’s a learning experience. Bury it someplace and move on.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Elmore Leonard’s “Leave out the boring parts.” If I ever figure out which are the boring parts, I’ll be set.

What are you reading now?
I just finished GOMORRAH by Roberto Saviano. It’s an expose about the Camorra (Neapolitan mafia) that I reviewed for Criminal Element.

My TBR pile is truly getting out of hand. High up on the pile are: THE ART OF THE STEAL, by Christopher Mason; SAVAGE SEASON, by Joe Lansdale; GUNSHINE STATE, by Andrew Nette; Declan Burke’s ABSOLUTE ZERO COOL; and ZOO STATION, by David Downing. My next book will probably be one of those. Or not.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Depending on readers’ reception of THE COLLECTION and how soon I get tired of writing about the same characters, I hope to be able to continue a series (The DeWitt Agency Files) exploring different aspects of art-related crime. This may extend to issues such as counterfeit wine (yes, it’s a thing), fraud in classic car sales, and knockoffs of luxury goods.

Somewhere along the line, I’ll probably take a break and write another thriller. It exercises a different set of muscles.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
It depends on how long I’m on that island… I’m not big on re-reading novels. Once I know how they end, I just can’t budget the attention to go through them again. I might take a David McCullough box set or Shelby Foote’s Civil War books. If I get a choice, though, I’d probably ask for airdrops of The Economist and Smithsonian magazines.

Author Websites and Profiles
Lance Charnes Website
Lance Charnes Amazon Profile

Lance Charnes’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Auguste Crenshaw is a Confidence Coach, Speaker, and Author. Through her work, she passionately aids others in experiencing transformation and enjoying the benefits of a joyful, empowering life. The blood in her veins is laced with compassion.

As a hairstylist for over two decades, she has added to the beauty of many women, internally and externally. She provided the experience of a lifetime by being a confidant and mentor to many of these women.

Born and raised in the Saint Louis, Mo. by her paternal grandparents, she was taught the following values: respect, honor, spirituality, and a strong work ethic. Being given up by her mother at 18 months haunted her for a season. However, it would not deter her from aspiring to achieve bigger and better things. Unable to rest in the hurt, she chose to forgive and love.

Before this revelation, Crenshaw made quite a few wrong turns. Teenage pregnancy, welfare, an abusive marriage, and divorce are a few dark moments from her past. Yet, there was a silver lining in the gray cloud. People saw her phenomenal ability to bounce back. Often called the epitome of resilience, nothing has ever stopped her from accomplishing a goal. Known for having a relentless spirit, she eventually rose from the ashes.

The wisdom she gained from this conversion process was liberating. Now she translates this same vision to others. Realizing we were all created to be extraordinary, her mission in life is to help others repair their hearts and minds through practical lessons. A primary outlet she uses to do this is through her writing. Her books are controversial and intriguing. Currently, she has four published works.

Reframing an individual’s mindset brings her joy. It also has a positive impact on their families, and their performance at work; for entrepreneurs, it heightens their attraction to clients. And it aids in client retention.

Her latest creation she is finalizing is Created to be Extraordinary. She developed her company, Created to offer training and coaching of the highest caliber. Her primary focus is Personal Development via mindset conversion. Her core belief is “New thoughts new life.” By gaining control of one’s mind, the unimaginable becomes real. Thus, a domino effect occurs, and success naturally flows in all facets of life.

She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Lindenwood University in St. Charles, MO.

Currently, she is a resident of Houston, TX. Auguste had an excellent life in St. Louis, MO, the perfect marriage, a beautiful home, a thriving business, and family and friends galore. But somehow she lacked purpose. Discontent with mediocrity, she and her husband thrusted themselves out of their comfort zone. In three months they made a decision, sold their home and possessions, and moved to Houston to live in a more opportunistic environment. All of this was accomplished with three children and a baby on the way, at six months pregnant.

Instead of fearing the unknown, they did the unthinkable; they embraced it. They Created it. Auguste’s desire in life is to impart this same spirit in those she comes into contact with.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is 10 Behaviors to Avoid, so You Don’t End Up With Mr. Wrong! Women come to me all the time and want to understand men. They feel taken advantage of, mislead, and they are sick of dating. Yet, they desire a relationship. It would be so easy to write a book and call all men scum bags, but it wouldn’t be real. Sometimes our natural nurturing tendency creates a recipe for disaster. To maximize my reach and assist in developing more healthy relationships I wrote this book full of tips and techniques. It addresses the unobvious things we do that condition a man to give himself but not is best.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I am a brain dump kind of girl. I write in puzzle pieces. I give headings and start writing in each section until I can’t write anymore. I move to another section and do the same thing. Sometimes the speaker in me comes out. I read my work out loud and get into a head-space like I am talking to someone and the thoughts start flying out.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I love to read self-help and personal development books. My favorite authors include but are not limited to John C. Maxwell, Eric Thomas, Ken Blanchard, and Bruce Wilkinson. I love these guys because they are clear, concise and straight to the point. They don’t hold any punches. They give you what you need to be a better person. However, when they are done correcting you, you still feel whole.

What are you working on now?
Currently, I am working on a book to inspire others to conquer their fears. I have achieved many goals others would deem impossible. I want to set others belief in themselves on fire.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I am new to the promoting thing. I love how easy Amazon makes it for you to establish yourself as an author. The option to have my material available in print or as an EBOOK is amazing. I am excited to use Awesomegang. They have an excellent reputation, and the site is very user-friendly.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Be you! There is no competition where there is authenticity. There is a specific audience for you. Last but not least don’t be afraid to put yourself ALL the way out there. Turn up the volume on your gifts. They don’t matter if no one hears about them.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
It is a disservice not let people know what I have to offer; I must assume the throne!

What are you reading now?
I am re-reading The Alchemist and Think and Grow Rich.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I want to do a fiction series. I lived a troubled life in my early years and experienced too much at my age. I would love to construct a character resembling my life’s story showing how we start doesn’t define how we finish.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
#1 The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
#2 The Dream Giver by Bruce Wilkinson
#3 The Secret by by Rhonda Byrne

Author Websites and Profiles
Auguste Crenshaw Website
Auguste Crenshaw Amazon Profile

Auguste Crenshaw’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I was born and raised in Indiana, and I recently graduated from Purdue University with a double major in Linguistics and Asian Studies. During my time there, I worked as a financial aid counselor, which was a very interesting job to say the least. I’ve worked in the customer service industry for over ten years, but my passion has always been writing and story telling. I have just begun to pursue this passion as a self-published indie author, and my first book, “Duplicity: The Aurora Chronicles” has just been released on Amazon! I’m currently working on my second book, which will be the second book in the Aurora Chronicles series, and it is currently set for a late November to early December release date.

My current work is science fiction. I have a passion for science fiction and fantasy, which can be blamed on my father. He introduced me to Star Wars, Star Trek, Lord of the Rings, and Stargate at a very early age, and it became a big way for him, my brother, and I to all bond. On the other hand, my mother is very anti science fiction and fantasy. Not because she hates them, but because she just doesn’t understand them. You can say the word, “Blaster” or “Starship” and just watch her eyes glaze over, so I was really dedicated to writing a novel inside my genre that even non-scifi lovers could enjoy.

I do this first by downplaying the science fiction elements in my book. For instance, you see a lot less science fiction terms in Star Wars then in Star Trek. They are still there, but they are just more hidden. The second thing I strive to do is to highlight elements that are common in other genres. This allows me to bring other elements into my book like: mystery, suspense, romance, thrillers, ect… The last thing I strive to do in my books is to create a compelling plot that will keep readers guessing. I love to take worn out narratives and turn them into a surprising adventure. Superhumans being persecuted by humans/the government, man eating creatures, unfair hierarchy enforced on the basis of blood/genes, and a race to capture a weapon of mass destruction, these are all plots that have been done to death, but it is how the author presents these elements to readers that makes them unique, and I can promise that I will present them in a surprising way that readers won’t see coming. I may only be getting started, but there is going to be way more to come.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest, and first book, is Duplicity, and it is the first book in the Aurora Chronicles series, which is currently planned to span two more books. My inspiration for this book really started with my love for Christopher Nolan movies. Christopher Nolan has a great way of presenting movies with plots that leave watchers shocked at the end. For instance, “The Prestige” and “Inception” both have plots that leave watchers screaming, “What?!” at the end. I love this feeling and want to give my readers the same shocked feeling that comes with a well layered plot.

So in my days of endless day dreaming, I came up with one of those “What?!” endings. Once I had the ending, I worked backwards to create a story that could support such a massive conclusion. I’ve already had several people contact me and react to the ending, and I can tell you, their reactions never disappoint!

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I can’t write without music. Music really inspires me and is a big part of my life. There’s been times when I’ve gone to write my novels in a public place and accidentally forgotten my headphones, so I can’t listen to music. It is like Chinese water torture. I can do it, but it is certainly not as enjoyable.

Ever since I was a kid, I’ve had really sensitive hearing, so music not only helps motivate me, but it helps me filter out the background noises and distractions. Sometimes, I’ll spend hours looking for good music and then realize that I’ve gotten nothing else done!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Books with compelling narratives and books that can stir a strong emotional response are what I admire. I’ve really enjoy Jane Austin, and “Pride and Prejudice” is one of my favorite books. I also really fell in love with Robin Hobb’s Farseer trilogy. That trilogy has a really unique world that you can really delve into and enjoy, and that’s something I wanted to create myself. I’ve also talked a lot about shock factor in my books. That has probably been influenced the most by Oscar Wilde’s “The Picture of Dorian Gray”. If you have never read his original novel, you should. It is a real classic. He has a great way of painting pictures and making you relate to the main characters, and the ending is phenomenal.

What are you working on now?
I’m currently writing the second book in the Aurora Chronicles series, which is titled “Ground Zero”. It’s going to be a continuation of the first book, and will being just slightly after the end of the first book “Duplicity”. It will follow the same characters that were introduced in the first book with the addition of one or two new ones.

Beyond continuing the Aurora Chronicles series, I am also currently developing the plot of a standalone novel that I plan to call “The Tower”. The Tower will follow the steps of a young girl as she finds herself waking up in a tower where everything is determined by games. Residents of the tower can challenge other residents to a game. The winner of the game will get whatever they desire from the other player as long as it was agreed on beforehand. The only way to ascend from one level of the tower to the next is to win a game devised by the creatures known as the level guardians. The residents of the tower find that they cannot leave, and no one knows how they got there in the first place. It is rumored that if one reaches the top of the tower, they will be granted one wish. With no way out of the tower, the only way left is up.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
awesomegang.com of course! Actually, I’m really just getting started, so I’m still in the testing phase myself when it comes to marketing and promotion. There are a lot of options to choose some, but social media is definitely not something to forget when you are starting out as a new author.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
There are three main points I would recommend to new authors:

1. Don’t give up. It can be really hard to get publishers and agents to accept you, especially if you have never published before. Just because you can’t get an agent or companies attention doesn’t mean that you need to scrap your dreams. Self-publishing is becoming a force to reckon with in the literary world, and it is now easier than ever before.

2. Don’t underestimate good cover art. I about choked when I learned that a good quality cover could cost me anywhere from $300 to $600, but a cover is going to be your readers’ first interaction with your book. Good or bad, they are going to form an opinion about your book when they first see the cover, so don’t be fooled, everyone judges books by the cover. It is worth shelling out a little extra cash to get a cover you love and can be proud of.

3. Develop a good support network. Writing is really solitary work, and it can be easy to get discouraged. Fill your life with people, who you know will cheer you up and support you. It can be as simple as a friend you go get coffee with once a week. The point is to find people, who will remind you why you started writing in the first place.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I was getting really discouraged that every plot I seemed to come up with had already been done by someone else. It was at that time that I was told, “Anything that could have been written already has.” It may not seem like advice at first, but really delving into that statement has given me so much motivation and confidence. Anything that you could possibly think of has already been done by someone else. It’s inevitable, so you shouldn’t pressure yourself, believing that what you do has to be 100% unique. Somewhere along the line it won’t be. What will be unique is your take on it. You want to write a zombie novel? Great! Zombies have been done to death, but what makes your version unique? What twists can you add to make your story different and interesting? Knowing that I can still be unique, even if there are stories out there that share similar plots to mine, has been some of the best motivating words I’ve gotten as an author.

What are you reading now?
I’m finishing up the Red Rising Trilogy by Pierce Brown. It is a really great series. I keep saying that it is the Hunger Games with more death and less annoying teen romance. Brown is a mastermind when it comes to catching readers off guard, and I can’t get enough of his work!

What’s next for you as a writer?
Right now its all about finishing up my next novel, but I am looking forward to participating in a number of book fairs in 2017. These fairs will be the first time a hard copy of my book is sold, so it’s going to be pretty special. Readers can subscribe to my website or Facebook to get updates on what fairs I’m going to and when.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Definitely, “The Picture of Dorian Gray” to start with. It is a novel I could read over and over again. The same goes for “Pride and Prejudice”, so that one is definitely on the list as well. As for the last two books, I’d probably have to say “Watership Down”. That was one of my favorite books growing up, and it still holds a dear place in my heart. For the fourth book, “Bear Grylls World Adventure Survival Camp” would probably be a must.

Author Websites and Profiles
Alice Redd Website
Alice Redd Amazon Profile

Alice Redd’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Well, under my own name I have written 9 books all up. 2 children’s books, 6 non-fiction books, and one fiction. I have also probably written another dozen as a ghostwriter for other authors. I work with my wife Sam, we’re in a long-distance relationship and frequently travel between Canada and Australia.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Day My Fart Followed Me To Hockey, and it’s a sequel to my first children’s book, The Day My Fart Followed Me Home. We have another book almost finished, it’s a fart inspired Christmas special!

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
No, I don’t think so. Maybe! I enjoy writing while I watch tv and Netflix etc! It isn’t as productive as it could be, but I enjoy it!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Leon Uriz, and Wilbur Smith are two of my all time favorites, also James Patterson.

What are you working on now?
Our third children’s book. Timmy and the Little Fart are back again, with Santa paying a special visit!

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I like to work on Goodreads, Facebook.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Just start writing, the more words you get down on paper the better.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Write more, produce more and grow.

What are you reading now?
David Baldacci – King and Maxwell.

What’s next for you as a writer?
More books, more flying!

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?
Self-help survival books!

Author Websites and Profiles
Ben Jackson Website
Ben Jackson Amazon Profile

Ben Jackson’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My name is Melvin West. 11 years I was working on company and one day I said to myself: “Hey, stop! What are you doing day by day? It will bring you to nowhere. And what will you do when you retire? I really love my job but I need to do something for my happy future”. So I found myself in investing. From that day I spent more than 10,000 hours on studying and practicing investing. And now want to share my knowledge with you!
My result: It’s no need to think about money and I can choose whatever I like to do and enjoy every day of my life. It’s easier than you think and now I know it!

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Be a Bull! How to Invest in Stock Market for Beginners
Great reading for those who want to change their life with examples

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Richard Branson, Robert Kiyosaki

What are you working on now?
new part of book about investin

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Belive in yourself!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
You can do everything! But you don’t know about it

Author Websites and Profiles
Melvin West Amazon Profile

Melvin West’s Social Media Links
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am 35, I live in Staffordshire in the UK, and to date I have published two books: The Dimension Scales and Other Stories’, a collection of speculative/science fiction stories, and my first science fiction novel: ‘The Great Connection: Worlds in Waiting’.

Apart from working full time in the social housing sector, and gearing up for the arrival of my first baby next year(!), I also write, record and perform original music when I’m not writing fiction.

I like to relax by walking with my wife and playing games with friends. I’m a bit of a board game geek, and into my video games, especially the new generation of immersive, story-led, epic tales that are emerging in the market.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The latest book is called ‘The Great Connection: Worlds in Waiting’, and it is inspired by the idea that in the future we may stop trying to travel physically to other planets, and instead start exploring using deep space telescopes and sensors connected to virtual reality simulations. Walking on other worlds in the comfort of our own living room, and using the entire consumer nation to chart the Universe, as a form of home entertainment. From this, I wanted to imagine what would happen when the first user to find life on other worlds discovered something possibly disastrous for the human race, and how this could play out in a drama…

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not really! I just get on with it… boring but practical. I sometimes strum on a Ukulele when I’m thinking…

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I’m a big fan of the big classic authors, namely Isaac Asimov and Philip K. Dick. I was specifically influenced by Ursula K. Guin for this title too, having absorbed ‘The Left Hand of Darkness’. But also I love Roald Dahl’s short stories for adults, and they were a big influence on my first collection.

What are you working on now?
My next book, working title: ‘Transported’, is a comedy science fiction about a bodged teleportation experiment leading to an identity crisis that threatens all existence, in this world, and the next… I’ve written quite a bit of comedy over the years for scripts, but never tried it in a novel. I’m really enjoying it. As a fan of Douglas Adams and Terry Pratchett, I would love to capture that same combination of great story telling and laugh out loud moments. Also, I didn’t plan it that way, I stared writing the idea, and that’s how it has developed, so I’m going with it.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I honestly can’t say. There are so many out there, and so little time! I’m trying a combination of paid and free channels. Unfortunately, it is very hard to get heard and seen as an indie author with limited resources. My long term plan is for conventional publishing, but in the meantime, I am just happy to have an outlet that I can get feedback from.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Just to put the writing first and make sure that is more important to you than sales, fame and fortune, because chances are, that won’t be happening anytime soon, and you need to enjoy the process in the meantime. I’m still at the enjoying the process stage myself…

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Beware of weak intensifiers… and edit, edit, edit…

What are you reading now?
A collection of science fiction shorts compiled by Brian Aldiss. It’s great.

What’s next for you as a writer?
The next book! While I am marketing my newly released title, I’m working on the next. I try to keep that pattern going. I will be sending the manuscript to agents when complete, and if I get no joy, self-publishing again. That’s my formula that I am going to repeat until something happens or I run out of 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?
The Lord of the Rings (does that count as one?), The Complete Collection of Philip K Dick short stories, The Bible (just because I always thought I should read it one day as a historical text), and ‘Someone Like You’ by Roald Dahl… I don’t know, I’ve got a terrible memory, there are probably loads I could put in here.

Author Websites and Profiles
Garry Abbott Website
Garry Abbott Amazon Profile
Garry Abbott Author Profile on Smashwords

Garry Abbott’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve finished four novels. Given the time and more talent I could probably whip all the words I’ve typed into another three or four.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Lucid sourced from wondering what it would be like to be the sibling or parent of Katie Holmes during her time married to Tom Cruise. Not that I can make some blanket condemnation of any religion, but all kinds of horrors could result once someone you loved was under the sway of certain influences.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Tom Robbins said to show up at the same place at the same time every day so the muse knows where to find you.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Too many to list with any kind of certainty. Of late, I’ve started reading William Gibson again. I really need to finish off the works of both Carson McCullers and Flannery O’Connor.

What are you working on now?
A Teen horror novel titled Exit The Skin Palace. Depending on how that turns out, sequels might result. I also have another crime novel bubbling away on the back burner.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m still too new at self-promotion to answer this one authoritatively.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Turn off the Internet connection, and then start working.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“Art is long and life is short, and success is very far off.” – Joseph Conrad

What are you reading now?
I’m poking around Wattpad looking for someone writing work similar to mine.

What’s next for you as a writer?
More hard work in front of the keyboard, and hopefully making connections with other writers out there.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
The Library of America two-volume Raymond Chandler set. Other than that, Infinite Jest, and either some Nadine Gordimer short story collection or a Charles Portis novel.

Author Websites and Profiles
Brian Stillman Website
Brian Stillman Amazon Profile
Brian Stillman Author Profile on Smashwords

Brian Stillman’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I live in England with my husband and two teenage sons. I work three days a week and write the other two week days, leaving the weekend free for family time (unless I have a writing deadline or am in the middle of writing a very big important scene).
I’ve written four books: Iniquity is my new release (25th October, 2016) and the first in a planned trilogy. And the other three are from my four book series, the Mine series, Sachael Dreams, Sachael Desires, Sachael Delusions, and Sachael Destiny. Sachael Delusions is with my editor at the moment and will be released in 2017, with the final book of the series released the following year.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is titled Iniquity. It was inspired by watching the world news. There seemed to be a time where there was a run of natural disasters: earthquakes, tsunamis, and ash spewing volcanoes, and I thought what if these aren’t actually natural occurrences? What if something is causing these things to happen? My overactive imagination ran with the idea that there was another force at work, one that would eventually break free from under the earth’s crust. That’s where the main thrust of INIQUITY came from.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not really, although I will only ever drink from my special writing mug. It’s a large red and white spotted mug. I’m a massive tea drinker and get through far too many cups of tea whilst I’m writing.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The Twilight series was the main reason I started writing. I hated the ending of the series and decided that I’d write my own ending. After that, I decided to try writing something of my own. That’s when the idea for Sachael Dreams was first thought of, although it was another 2 years before I began to write it.
I also enjoyed the ‘Fallen’ series by Lauren Kate. I’m a great lover of YA fantasy, but also enjoy a slightly older read with NA, although I hate when NA is used just to sexualise a story (as I’ve read many times). I also enjoy a good mystery. Lindwood Barclay’s books always keep me up at night reading.

What are you working on now?
I’m having a little bit of a breather before heading into writing the second book in the Ascent Series. It has a working title of Adversity and will pick up exactly where we left Athena in Iniquity.
I’ll put that aside though when development edits of Sachael Delusions come through, and after working on them I may head into continuing with the last book in the Mines series, Sachael Destiny.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I think a good mix is the best way to promote your books AND yourself. I post on facebook and Twitter, and have my website and newsletter. But for assistance with cover reveals and blog tours I recommend Giselle form Xpresso Books. She is so professional and always provides an excellent service.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
You have to believe in yourself and your characters. There are plenty of people out there who will question you and your commitment, but you need to stay true to your dreams and keep writing. Ignore the doubters, and listen to the one who want to encourage you. Writing is hard, but once you have your book in your hands it’s worth every little bit of effort.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t take negative reviews to heart.

What are you reading now?
Fallen, by Lauren Kate. I’m rereading it in preparation of the film which is out very soon. The trailer looks AMAZING!

What’s next for you as a writer?
The release of ‘Sachael Delusions’, followed by lots of writing in preparation for the future release of ‘Adversity’, and ‘Sachael Destiny’.
I also have a 3 book series, ‘Love is . . .’ planned out. It’s a contemporary romance, no fantast in sight. And I have a stand alone novel planned, Glow, which is a dark fairytale retelling.

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 definitely take a survival handbook as my first choice, probably one by the hunky Bear Grylls. I’d also have to take Twilight with me as I can read that book over and over again.
I’d also like to take Poison Study by Maria Snyder, another favourite book of mine.

Author Websites and Profiles
Melody Winter Website
Melody Winter Amazon Profile

Melody Winter’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Although I’ve been writing since childhood, I have a BA in History. I love studying history as much as wanting to evoke stories. I like to believe that after decades worth of introspection we have learned, hopefully more wisely if not conscientiously, what happened yesterday with a critical eye. I currently have three books published: two novels and one children’s.

Why subject matters outside of my personal experiences? I live in the Midwest and grew-up in a medium size town where cultural diversity is a bit underdeveloped. My reason is simple: I don’t want to continue to live in a conical world. Consciousness does not develop and mature by existing in a frozen pond. That’s why I love history: To learn. To question. To redeem our humanity. Submitting to a moment in time allows us to remember, or to muse even, over our society’s past. Although writing can educate as well as entertain, yet what makes art incredibly amazing, to that of paintings, photographs, and music, it transposes emotion into another form of humanity, and therefore, it is our humanity which keeps all of us striving for an improved future.

Aside from a history degree, I also have a graphics art degree. My husband and I once owned a music store, a pizza delivery business, and several internet businesses. I also have dabbled with real estate and am grateful I got the heck out right before the crash! Sadly, history tends to repeat itself in important ways. Currently my family continues to live outside of Kansas City and will always have roots tied to Kansas.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
How the Water Falls. If a person is to become socially conscious as a means to understand the world around oneself, then exploring the past is a good way to start. For me, it began with the movie Cry Freedom, which was based on the friendship between Donald Woods and Steve Bike. The inhumanity shown in the movie left me horrified and emotionally displaced. I was only fourteen. Then, years later, I came across a documentary, the name I don’t remember because I missed the beginning, about a white South African couple who had nothing in common. The wife was a liberal reporter, and the husband was a former army personnel and police officer who had been fired as a scapegoat for apartheid’s problems. They struggled with understanding each other’s past. The other inspirations came from the book Kaffir Boy and A Human Being Died That Night: A South African Woman Confronts the Legacy of Apartheid. In dealing with how to come to terms with violence and poverty, these two books opened up a world history books didn’t touch.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Sadly no. My habits aren’t as interesting as my stories and my characters.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I love stories that deal with struggle for freedom, searching for identity and purpose, and have some sort of message that forces you to contemplate. Therefore, John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath and Of Mice and Men are still inside my head. He mixes literary prose and realism with such grit and fortitude that I’m charmed by his depressing and enriching style. I love how F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby used cultural references of that time period to preserve the essence of the Roaring Twenties. I’ve also been inspired by G.J Ballard’s Empire of the Sun, William Golding’s Lord of the Flies, and J. M. Coetzee’s Waiting for the Barbarians when dealing with war, prejudices, and violent interactions between people under stressful circumstances. But more recently, I’ve enjoyed how integrating the art of storytelling with historical research have succeeded beyond a marginalized audience such as Jeffrey Eugenides’ Middlesex, Sara Gruen’s Water for Elephants, and Kathryn Stockett’s The Help.

What are you working on now?
A non-ficiton book this time! It’s titled- The Buster Clan: An American Saga. The reputation of “Buster” has a fun history in itself, indisputably so. Buster isn’t just a name you bequeath to your dog or horse, or even to your rabbit; nor it is a nickname attributed to a fellow for either being clumsy or anonymous. Buster is an Americanism. It is good and as stereotyped as apple pie. Was it their surname which influenced the American culture? I hardly think not. But they were not absent from the scene, either. The Busters were, like all things American, pioneers. They began as farmers and slave owners. While being a part of the benefits and consequences of Manifest Destiny, they headed out to Texas, California, and Colorado before the consolidation of the Pacific Railroad, and shortly after the gold rushes. They fought in all American wars, and yes, did have brothers and cousins combat on opposing sides of the Civil War. Although once divided, unification prevailed under the Reconstruction of the South, for those who had stayed in the South. They became entrepreneurs, politicians, bureaucrats, sheriffs, ranchers, teachers, writers, and actors. They were murdered and committed murder. They gambled, embezzled, and served their communities to the best of their abilities. With a timeline expanding three centuries, they undeniably had made an impression, whether positively or negatively, or even conjointly, depending on the angle when we look through the prism.

This exploration started out with a singular intention of wanting to know who my ancestors were, and nothing more, like anyone else on the planet. For years I had procrastinated with my lack of commitment to finally swim in the many rivers of genealogy. Foremost, middle age has an uncanny way of redefining your identity. And so does the death of both your parents within nine months due to two types of cancer. Existential crisis echoes in between your ears like Woody Allen’s nasally voice. It’s poignant. And annoying and unwelcoming at times. I’ve always thought the surname was a bit odd and humorous, often thinking about old Depression Era movies with their Transatlantic accents, calling out to strangers, “Hey, Buster!” I linked my direct line to the Revolutionary War, War of 1812, and of course, the Civil War. I pursued the paper footprints from Virginia to Kentucky to Illinois, and ultimately to Kansas. Striking facts about my many generational great-grandfathers accumulated. It became like an Easter egg hunt and I wondered how many “eggs” I could find in historical archives and newspapers. As their personalities transformed from one dimensional relics to human beings, that was when I decided to tribute pay to the Buster clan.

Check out the progression on my blog: http://TheBusterClan.blogspot.com

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Prior to publication, I had already established one blog, one Facebook fanpage and Twitter just two years before marketing my book, but once I had something worth marketing, my followers dramatically increased during November 2011- June 2012. Because I understood the difficulties of reaching out to an audience I still had yet to find, I set my goal to sell a 1,000 copies. Along the way, through trail and error as I experimented, I’ve gathered a list of what I used, what worked best and what didn’t. Below is a list of strategies I had used as a means to market my first novel. To simplify things, I’ve decided to rate the list as it seems fitting as to how authors’ books are rated:

Kirkus Reviews: 2 out of 5 stars
For the price of $425 to stamp a name brand in order to acquire credentials for your book, I would say use your money elsewhere to benefit your marketing budget. It doesn’t provide the exposure as it claims in their statements, and you’re playing Russian roulette when assigned to a reviewer who may not even finish reading your book and then leaves a compromised review. I’m not the only one with this complaint, as you can read here: http://selfpublishingadvice.org/publishing-is-a-kirkus-review-worth-the-price/

Publishers Weekly: 1 out of 5 star
They only select 25 DIY out of 200ish to review and feature your book. If your genre is very selective, the odds of PW selecting your work is very slim; otherwise your book becomes lost in the slush pile PW establishes on their quarterly DIY section. If the price were only $50 or less, it might be worth the gamble, but not for $149. http://accrispin.blogspot.com/2012/05/publishers-weekly-moves-into-self.html

The Bookplex: 5 out of 5 stars
Highly recommend! Amazon accepts their paid reviews, and the affordable pricing is well worth the 5-10 reviews you will receive on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and even the reviewers’ blogs if they have blogs. Their reviewers are bona fide readers who enjoy reading a good book, not critics who feel superior. They do provide fair and thoughtful reviews, so don’t expect all 5 star reviews because we live in the real world. TheBookPlex.com

Self-Publishing Review: 4 out of 5 stars
If you’re looking for an extremely affordable credential, this is the spot. They are a medium size format. Their reviewers are also self published writers, editors, and bloggers whose background compliments the indie author industry. SelfPublishingReview.com.

Blogger Book Reviews
5 out of 5 stars
I am so grateful for the support of bloggers who support indie authors. To read about how to acquire book reviews, check out my article: The Low Down of Book Reviews for Indie Authors http://blog.elenchera.com/2012/10/guest-post-the-low-down-of-book-reviews-for-indie-authors-k-p-kollenborn/

GoodReads: 3 out of 5 stars
A wonderful place to set up your author’s page and load up your book(s). It’s a great resource for exchanging ideas and thoughts. No spamming. The best feature is the book give-away. You have up to 6 months to give-away a physical book as a means to generate a buzz and accumulate reviews about your newest release. When I mailed off the winners copies, I included a letter thanking them for entering and congratulating them for winning. I also asked them to leave a review if they would like to do so (which all did.) How many books you want to give away is up to you, but the more you send out, the more reviews you collect. Author Program. And this is an excellent article: 5 Ways Writers Can Get the Most Out of GoodReads http://www.writersdigest.com/online-editor/5-ways-writers-can-get-the-most-out-of-goodreads

Smashwords: 2 out of 5 stars
I’m still not sure about Smashwords. I do love what it has to offer: It offers different outlets- Apple, Kobo, Diesel, Sony, Baker & Taylor, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, (although with Amazon and B&N it’s better to directly upload it yourself because you’ll upload immediately and will receive a higher royalty percentage.) I do like that you can download epubs and mobi conversions that are ideal for submitting to reviewers that way you don’t need to find and download programs to perform those tasks. I also like that Smashwords will assign a free ISBN for ebooks needed for libraries, Apple store, and Baker and Taylor. Here are the problems I have with Smashwords: First, it took anywhere from a month to three months to upload the files, and my book never made it on Apple or Baker & Taylor. Second, my sales are 1/5th compared to that of Amazon. I have read, however, Smashwords does well with authors OUTSIDE of the U.S., and for those in the U.S., certain genres like romances, paranormal romances, and erotica have done well.

Amazon Selects: 3.0 out of 5 stars
Now to be fair, I recently joined Select and only have one book. Other authors who have multiple books have done fairly well with this program. I can understand that. Once you gain a fan base, readers want to read more of your writings. Despite having only one place to sell my ebook, (which sounds like jail,) I have to admit that when I offered my book for free for the Christmas holiday, I sold A LOT OF BOOKS. I like this feature for available exposure. Now, in order for this program to work, you need to list it on sites where they advertise your free ebook.

Barnes & Noble: 1 out of 5 stars
As dismal as my sales appeared with Smashwords, they are even worse on B&N. But the listing is free, and it’s at least another outlet. Some authors have claimed to have fared well, and again, it’s all genre based- which seems to be dominated by romance. And if you want to offer your book for free as a promo gimmick for a few days like Amazon, you would need to do so via Smashwords, and there is a little bit of a delay before it shows.

Createspace: 5 out of 5 stars
Createspace has the most affordable POD to date- comparable to Lulu, Blurb, Bublish, Wordclay, The Book Patch, etc. If you are on a tight budget, Createspace will provide a FREE ISNB and the most cost-effective printing when you need to buy your own books for promos. Also, with a cheaper wholesale, you can competitively compare your book within your genre. I started with Lulu, and although they have excellent customer services and products, I had to pay twice as much for my book. And for $25, Createspace offers an extended distribution to other online bookstores to include Barnes & Noble, Alibis, Books A Million, and many smaller distributors. Plus with Amazon offering free shipping on their Prime program, it encourages readers to purchase via Amazon instead of other stores. Although 90% of my sales have been ebooks, to offer physical copies has been helpful with give-aways, (especially on GoodReads,) and for those who do prefer soft bound to that of ebooks. CreateSpace.com

Blogging: 4 out of 5 stars
It’s difficult to calculate direct sales from my blogs, but the hundreds of hits I get on a monthly basis has helped expand the exposure of my name and themed interests. Not to mention I love sharing and have a strong belief in paying it forward.

Author Interviews & Guest Blogging: 5 out of 5 stars
Finding other bloggers who not only provide book reviews but allow interviews and guest blogger is a fantastic way to grow your marketing. If you can coordinate at least several within the same month, you will see increased traffic toward your social media outlets and will help keep your sales steady. It can be time consuming, so pace yourself, and I wouldn’t recommend doing so every month because you will burn out. Either every other month or quarterly intervals, depending on your stamina level.

Facebook and Facebook Writers Groups: 4 out of 5 stars
Depending on the month, I got an average of about 10% of referrals to my blogs and website via Facebook. I use both my personal page and business pages, ( pages to include author and book pages.) But since Facebook had changed it’s system- again- the last few months of the year I had noticed a decrease, so 2013 very well may have different results. The events page invitation is a great way to invite your friends, however. Although most groups have authors post their books for sale, but every once in a while either a blogger, another writer, or some other promo person will post a request seeking other authors for interviews or offer free resources to help market your name or book. I think of it as classifieds, therefore several times a week I’ll scroll through to see what’s going on. In the meantime, sometimes I am able to answer a question or share some advice to others.

Twitter: 3 out of 5 stars
Again depending on the month, I get an average of about 5% of referrals, but what I like about Twitter is that it establishes these 3 elements: 1.) Connecting to other indie authors and see how they are communicating on Twitter to grow their audience; 2.) Finding more book reviewers to connect to; 3.) Finding indie book stores to connect to. Check out the best hashtags for writers: http://www.authormedia.com/44-essential-twitter-hashtags-every-author-should-know/

Hootsuite: 5 out of 5 stars
This was awesome force to utilize a way to schedule my posts on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. You can login on any computer and do not have to worry about downloading a program to use it. I usually set up my posts on Sunday, and allow them to go out for the rest of the week. Hootsuite.com

Newsletter: 2 out of 5 stars
I haven’t had much success with my newsletter thus far. I’ve noticed that unless you’re constantly providing freebies, people won’t sign up or hardly will read your emails. About 3% of people who had signed up will check out my newsletter. I know the ultimate goal is to announce your next event and release of new books; however, with one book right now it’s a hard sell. I will need continue to improve my content and database. I use MailChimp because it’s super easy to use and it’s FREE up to 2,500 followers. Mailchimp.com

Press Releases: 1 out of 5 star
THEY DO NOT WORK. Authors who specialize in self-help, advice, how to, etc. have claimed that press releases work for them. For the fiction sector, it’s a bit more challenging. Unless you’re well known, the unknowns rarely get a second glance. Even John Locke of Donavon Creek series, not the 15th Century philosopher, admitted that press releases didn’t work for him, either.

Website and Book Trailer: 3 out of 5 stars
Although I only get a handful of hits, nevertheless, by having a website establishes professionalism as a published author. Book trailers will not necessarily increase your exposure, however it a cool feature to compliment your website. If you can’t afford one, then don’t worry about it. Websites for Indie Authors

Book Club Reading List: 1 out of 5 stars
For $39.95 you list your book with them, they send out a newsletter and press release to their audience. I was intrigued by the idea, and the cost was worth the gamble. Sadly, I had a few people look at my book, and no buys. They are fairly new and in order for them to grow they want you to back-link their site.

Indie Author Land: 3 out of 5 stars
A free place that supports indie authors and I have noticed some sales that it came from that week of publication. IndieAuthorLand.com

Indies Unlimited: 3 out of 5 stars
Another free place that supports indie authors. I didn’t get much traffic, but I believe the main reason is due to my genre. They focus more adventure, romance, mystery, horror, sci-fi, fantasy, and biography. I do appreciate having an opportunity to market my book at any rate.IndiesUnlimitied.com

Hand out Cards: 3 out of 5 stars
Hand out business cards and postcards, (postcards to include your book, book reviews, where to buy your book, and website.) Keep these with you in your purse or wallet. If you strike up a friendly conversation with a stranger, just hand them a card. ”In case you may be interested.” The most cost effective printing I’ve found is this one, (and yes, cheaper than Vista Print.) http://www.overnightprints.com/

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Persistence pays. Even with bad reviews and low downloads during slow times. My first year I’ve sold 3,248 copies, and gave away 40. Very, very rarely will an author hit it big on their first round. Many authors, whether indie or traditional, have often stated it was either their third or fourth book before they started gaining recognition. And sometimes it wasn’t until their seventh or eighth book before raising brows. The best part about being an indie author is the absolute control you have in managing your book(s); and you don’t have to worry about either a publisher or agent dropping you due to the amount of sales you have accumulated. Ask, politely and without stalking or begging, to acquire book reviews and to also buy your books. If you don’t ask, you won’t know.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“Fasten your seatbelts, it’s going to be a bumpy night.” All About Eve, Bette Davis

What are you reading now?
The Scotch-Irish: A Social History and Away Off Shore.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Completing my next project and try another avenue for publication- I’m looking at small to medium presses. I’ll still be independently published, but this time not self-published to see what that’s like.

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?
Empire of the Sun, Empire of the Summer Moon, (yes, I do love my empires!,), The Joy Luck Club, and a dictionary. Still need to expand my knowledge and vocab!

Author Websites and Profiles
K.P. Kollenborn Website
K.P. Kollenborn Amazon Profile

K.P. Kollenborn’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Soldier (from the mystical deserts of the Middle East to civil war in Cyprus), designer, educator (in Further and Higher Education), writer, gravedigger (well assistant), labourer, gardener and a few more that I have forgotten. Plays alto sax with a lot more enthusiasm than skill. Written one book so far but full of them.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Pegasus to Paradise was inspired by true events within my own family (some of which literally changed history). The problem for me was determining what the truth was (inevitably there are several versions, all of which are held true to someone) and trying not to upset my family. The other problem was being a character within my own book and finding myself constantly changing from the first to third person. In the end I changed my name within the story.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not really although I do read my writing aloud (to myself). Then I know where the pauses occur and fit the punctuation accordingly. It’s not always where I thought it might be when I write it.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I love the English language – it’s power; it’s poetry, it’s lyricism, the way it re-invents itself. I despair of writing that is not only technically inaccurate but mangles the language.

What are you working on now?
Senior citizens who re-invent the rules that society and the establishment throws upon them and also re-discover the extraordinary power of sex at a mature age. Very surprising (and erotic). The erotica is very difficult to write in any meaningful way without being clichéd or resorting to soft porn.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I have tried many (and probably spent a small fortune in doing so). In my experience the small, make you an instant fortune, tell the entire world are a complete waste of time. I’m concentrating on Goodreads in future

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t expect any great monetary return. So gain a reputation as a good writer – someone with a unique voice, with an imaginative story to tell rather than someone who really only regurgitates what is already out there. Be yourself. Have something to say.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Believe in yourself. Be yourself. Be unique.
Go to a writing group. Learn your trade.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
How to build a raft, navigate the oceans and a book with blank pages to write about it.

Author Websites and Profiles
Michael Tappenden Website
Michael Tappenden Amazon Profile
Michael Tappenden Author Profile on Smashwords

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

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have worked as a professional fine art, portrait, and documentary photographer for the last 12 years in New York. I’m also a certified tour guide and history buff, and I teach photo tours and workshops around New York. I’ve written three books, The Essentials of Street Photography, Street Photography Conversations, and The New York Photographer’s Travel Guide.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book was The New York Photographer’s Travel Guide: The Best Places to Photograph from a Professional Photographer, Tour Guide, and Lifelong New Yorker. I’ve always had an equal passion for both photography and New York and its rich history. I have been teaching workshops around the city combining these two passions for the last six years. This book was my way of collecting all the knowledge that I have learned over the years to help photographers capture the city to the best of their ability.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I just sit down and write quickly. I’ll spend a lot of time creating a detailed outline, but when I start a chapter, I just type what comes to mind, without much thought for editing. I just go and go until I can’t write anymore. Then I come back to what I’ve written the next day and take the time to edit to a coherent chapter.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I love photography books. Robert Frank’s the Americans is my favorite book of all time, but I also love Garry Winogrand, Henri Cartier-Bresson, William Eggleston, Trent Parke, among many other photographers. As for books, I read mostly non-fiction, but I will read all types of topics.

What are you working on now?
I am currently working on a documentary project doing one portrait and interview a week with long time residents of the East Village neighborhood of New York. The project began in 2012 and consists of around 150 interviews. The entirety of the project has become a historical account of the last handful of decades in one of the most vibrant neighborhoods in the city, and covers the history of Tompkins Square Park and the riots, the diverse ethnic neighborhoods, the history of punk rock and the music culture, the art, creative, and nightlife culture, the restaurants and local businesses, the daily life intertwined with drug dealers, addicts, and beat up and burned out buildings, the struggle against gentrification and slumlords, and the special stories of everyday life here.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I love guest posting, writing articles for other websites, and going on podcasts.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Get really good at something, but use the writing of a book to fill the holes in your knowledge. Writing has always been a way for me to share my strengths while also improving them to a level that I don’t think I could have achieved without writing them.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t be afraid of being uncomfortable. Putting yourself in uncomfortable situations means that you are pushing yourself and doing good things. I’ve learned to enjoy being in uncomfortable situations, as much as that is possible at least.

What are you reading now?
The Brooklyn Wars: The Stories Behind the Remaking of New York’s Most Celebrated Borough.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I have been working on a marketing book for photographers for the last two years. The release date will be in the next month or two. Can’t wait!

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?
Robert Frank’s The Americans, The Decisive Moment by Henri-Cartier Bresson, William Eggleston: Chromes, and Garry Winogrand’s new retrospective book.

Author Websites and Profiles
James Maher Website
James Maher Amazon Profile

James Maher’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
t

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I hail from sunny South Africa and first started writing about three years ago though I’ve always loved books and reading. My writing ‘career’ began on Wattpad, an online community where you post your work for free. The support I received there encouraged me to learn and grow and eventually I spread my wings and joined more serious writing clubs and groups and learned more of the craft. Recently, I published my first book Last Another Day and have two more books ready for imminent release.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The name of my latest book is The Black Tide. It is an apocalyptic story centering on Ava, a young woman, and her kid sister Lexi. I was inspired to write this because I am fascinated by the different aspects of human nature that emerge in extreme situations. That and the bond of blood, family, and love.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t know if it’s unusual but I’m very haphazard. I will work simultaneously on three works at a time to avoid boredom and often do little planning, preferring to write as I go. That is something I’m trying to work on, though, and I’m hoping to have a more structured approach in future. I also have tons of little notebooks lying around, each filled with various notes and info.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Micky Neilson has influenced me quite a bit as I find his work very fast-paced and driven and his characters uber realistic. All of which I like.

What are you working on now?
I’m currently editing the Black Tide I – Remnants to be ready for release over Christmas. I’m also editing a short story volume that follows on my first book Last Another Day, also for Christmas. At the same time, I’m in the process of writing the sequel to Last Another Day. So I’m quite busy at the moment!

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
As I’ve only recently published my first book, I’m still learning how to promote and boy, is it a steep learning curve! But so far, Facebook has delivered the most results for me as well as Goodreads. Networking with other writers in my genre and promoting each other’s books on our sites has also worked really well for me.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Never stop learning. There’s tons of info out there if you’re willing to learn. But make sure you’re learning from reliable sources and double check the facts. Not everything out there is good advice or up to date anymore.

And don’t try to do too much at once. That road leads to burn-out. Trust me, I know!

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

It’s simple advice but good. No matter what, keep writing. Even when you’re overwhelmed, nothing you write seems any good or you have nothing to write. Just sit down and let those fingers start clicking keys.

What are you reading now?
I have just finished Micky Neilson’s The Turning and am now looking for my next read.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I plan to publish and promote the full Last Another Day series by the end of next year as well as The Black Tide II – Rebellion.

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 Light Bearer by Donna Gillespie as well as the sequel.
A book on how to survive being stranded on a desert island!

Author Websites and Profiles
Baileigh Higgins Website
Baileigh Higgins Amazon Profile

Baileigh Higgins’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile