Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Miss Tee Lane AKA Miss T. hales from the infamous Compton, California. This sexy, artist began writing poetry and short stories since a very early age. Her writing originally began as an outlet. As the daughter of a drug addict mother from the hood, Miss T. truly needed a way to vent. So, she turned to her creative side. She now finds strength within herself through her writing, and writes every day.

The talented author was inspired to write the erotica novel Seductive Dreams by what she experienced during her loveless, unfulfilling marriage to her ex-husband. Now, as a divorcee, she writes erotica sex stories in hopes that they will help to spice up the bedroom for lovers. Miss T. aims to touch the seductive sides of both men and women, while bringing them gratification through reading graphic, yet seductive works.

Miss T. is the author of the erotica novel Seductive Dreams: The Prophecy Begins (Part I). Fans raved about the sex, intrigue, lies, drama, deceit, deception and seduction that went down in this first part of the planned series. Now, she’s proud to announce the upcoming erotica novel sequel, Seductive Dreams: The Prophecy Continues (Part II), which launched on December 1, 2016.

Miss Tee Lane was born in Inglewood, California. She was raised in the notorious City of Compton. This amazing author currently spends her free-time writing and continuing her spiritual journey in life. She has many more sexy erotica stories, novels and erotic poetry coming soon. So, stay tuned!

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest title is Seductive Dreams: The Prophecy Continues. It was inspired by my own marriage, which became very sexually unfulfilling towards the end. My own seductive dreams are what kept me sane… and sexy… at the time.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write using urban slang.

What are you working on now?
I’m currently working on a title called Call Me Tuesday!!! Watch out for it… coming soon!

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
My own website and blog are my best arena for promoting my books… http://missteelane.com.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Just write!

Author Websites and Profiles
Miss Tee Lane Website
Miss Tee Lane Amazon Profile
Miss Tee Lane Author Profile on Smashwords

Miss Tee Lane’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hi! I’m Kelly The Critter Lady and I’ve written three animal-themed memoirs. I’ve always loved writing, and I’ve always loved animals, so putting the two together was a great fit for me. I also rescue and care for animals in need. Doesn’t matter if it’s wild (a skunk who got caught in my humane trap) or domestic (those noisy domestic ducks in my back yard-with many apologies to my neighbors!), I love them all, and firmly believe that they’re all equally deserving of care and respect.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The new book is Sorry Honey, But The Critters Come First. My poor, put-upon husband came up with the title, and it takes no imagination at all to guess how he did! LOL Sorry Honey picks up where No Better Medicine left off, with new tales about some of the same animals featured in my previous two books, and some new animals, as well. Did I mention that skunk that got caught in my humane trap…

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m probably the only writer out there who refuses to write on a daily basis. I’m a firm believer in practicing and honing your writing skills, and improving your craft – one look at anything online proves that there are far too many writers who do neither – but I simply don’t have things to write about every day. My usual process involves letting an idea simmer on the back burner of my brain until I’ve come up with the lead sentence and a paragraph or two. Then I sit down at the computer and let the magic happen.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I love Bill Bryson’s humor, as well as his subject matter, which generally involves multiple mishaps during his travel adventures. I enjoy Bob Tarte’s animal-themed memoirs for the same reasons. Bob doesn’t travel, but his life with 50+ animals seems to be full of mishaps! And because I have absolutely no talent for fiction, I greatly admire Stephen King and his prodigious amount of work. My goodness! Can you imagine what goes on in his brain, that he manages to write so many terrific (and terrifying) stories?

What are you working on now?
Book 4 is currently stewing on the back burner of my brain. I have the first two story ideas in my head. Now, it’s a matter of setting aside the time to start writing them.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Awesomegang is a great one. I try to hit all the online sites that are willing to promote books because the more exposure you have, the better your chances of sales are.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
WRITE WRITE WRITE! And then write some more. It took years of writing before I came up with anything worth reading. Your first and second (and possibly your third, fourth, and fifth) manuscripts are NOT best-seller material! Keep honing your craft, know your subject matter inside and out, and don’t be afraid to ask published authors for help. I’ve found several who have been very generous with their time and knowledge, and I try to be, too.

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

What are you reading now?
Nothing at the moment because I’m writing an online newspaper column and doing promo work for Sorry Honey, which doesn’t leave me much time for other things. I do know that my locally-owned bookstore has ordered a copy of Bill Bryson’s new book, The Road To Little Dribbling, for me, and I’m really looking forward to reading that.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I plan to keep on writing at every opportunity that presents itself!

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?
Bill Bryson’s Notes From A Small Island, and, Neither Here Nor There. Bob Tarte’s Enslaved By Ducks, and, Fowl Weather. And a few of Stephen King’s early books (The Shining, Carrie, and ‘Salem’s Lot) if I was allowed to bring more.

Author Websites and Profiles
Kelly Meister-Yetter Website
Kelly Meister-Yetter Amazon Profile

Kelly Meister-Yetter’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m 28 and a father of two. My day occupation is a Team Leader at Target. I love going to new places and meeting new people. I admire all talents and search for them collectively. My dream goal is to become a best selling author and use my proceeds to develop educational programs that teach teens about credit, loans, and job ethics. I currently have three books published and plan to publish many more. I love teaching and I love learning but mostly I love when people can come together and share the love. Unity is a lost term these days and I intend to revive it.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My lastest novel is titled Trustworthy. I wanted to connect with readers but I also wanted to tackle some issues many people suffer in relationships today. Trust is a major factor in any relationship but it is also a forgotten, and under valued term. I wanted to speak to people in ways they can understand by developing similar situations. I experienced issues with trust myself and wanted to use those experiences to make a change.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Yes, I stare at my screen for minutes maybe hours drinking coffee and daydreaming. And then, finally I wrote one sentence and close my laptop. Hours later, I watch a series of television shows to inspire me and then I go back and write. Strange system but hey it works.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Honestly, I know I can’t name them all, but mostly it was movies. Seeing situations depicted on television I felt a connection with the characters. I wanted to build a connection the way the writers made it possible for the characters to develop a connection with me. There is one show I watched, and three main characters were killed off. It hurt every bone in my body and I felt so different in the real world. It was like I had actually lost someone. Ever since, I wanted to create a relationship like that.

What are you working on now?
Currently I am working on a new fantasy adventure novel, the follow up to my second novel Minutes To Go. But, later I intend to create a sequel for Trustworthy.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
This one lol, but I have learned the best connections are actually made off the internet. You have to really get out there and reach people. That’s where it really counts. Other than that, I’m everywhere and into everything. If it’s book related I’m associated.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Yes, do not skip getting an editor. Trust me, I don’t like those people either, bug unfortunately they save careers and develop them too.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
You can’t help anyone until you can help yourself.

What are you reading now?
The Secret

What’s next for you as a writer?
Become a best seller, meet and gain more readers and try to establish a name for my work.

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 Shack
Deathly Hallows
Minutes To Go
SAS Survival Handbook 3rd edition lol

Author Websites and Profiles
Cori Coleman Website
Cori Coleman Amazon Profile

Cori Coleman’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My first novel was published in 1998 with Barbour Publishing, in 1999 the second was published and I was contracted by Harlequin’s Love Inspired line. Today I have 69 published novels as well as numerous reissues. Before becoming a novelist, I was a high school English teacher and following my master’s degree a counselor for many years. I taught university English for 5 years and then became a freelance writer until I sold my first novel. I’ve won numerous national awards including an ACFW Carol, two Romantic Times reviewer’s Choice for Best Love Inspired of the year. Two Holt Medallions, two Booksellers Best and numerous others. I am now writing for Winged Publications.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is Say Yes in Tucumcari. When traveling from Michigan to Sedona, AZ where we spent the winter…until we moved to Sedona in 2016, I fell in love with the small town of Tucumcari, NM noted for its prominence on the Mother Road Route 66. My latest book is third in a Tucumcari Series, A Trip to Remember Book 1 and A Tucumcari Christmas book 2. Each book revolves around the same characters and are romances with humor. My next book, Over Her Head, is a reissue and is romance with loads of humor.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
When on a deadline, I write seven days a week with no set hours or word count and only stop when I run out of energy.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Robin Jones Gunn, Secrets, was the first inspirational romance I read many years ago and I knew I could write that type of book, although I found that I needed a lot of craft honing that I didn’t know about. I love books by Maeve Binchy, Kristin Hannah and books that focus more on story than on a quick romance.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on numerous books. I am updating the reissue, Over Her Head, which is a humorous romance, but I have three other contracts due in 2017 so those will be coming to life soon.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I have always used social media to promote my novels as well as a Newsletter to readers and even one to my snail-mail readers, but I am learning that sites such as yours–Awsomegang–is an excellent way to promote. You have collected the names of people who love to read and they can select from the genres they love.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Too many writers think they can write an amazing book without knowing how to write. I’ve been asked by many to read their books and though I don’t have a lot of time, I sometimes agree to read the first five pages. By page one I can usually see the writers problems, some serious problems, that will turn off readers who like good writing. So honing the craft is a must. Connecting with critique groups, writers’ organizations, magazines and books on writing. Would you want brain surgery from someone who decided he could cut into your brain and fix it? I don’t think so, and most people don’t want to read a novel by someone who has no training in how to write an excellent book.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Learn to understanding and use good pacing. This was written to me by an editor who liked my working but saw a major flaw. I had no idea what to cut from a novel or to hold off on the information so that the book moved the plot forward. I know now.

What are you reading now?
When writing, I do not read books so I have a huge pile of books in my Kindle to read, but the last book I read was Girl On The Train. I also saw the movie. The book was excellent and I enjoyed the movie.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I have a couple of series that I would like to write. The first is a romance about three sisters who live in a small town and each will be the focus on one of the books. One of the stories has lived in my mind for years. Another series is set on a college campus and will be a suspense with romance. One will involve a student, one a college professor, and the other a college counselor. Those are quite well developed in my head.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Goodness, if peanut brittle were a book, I’d take it. Since you asked about books — Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers, An anthology of Mary Steward’s novels, and the Bible.

Author Websites and Profiles
Gail Gaymer Martin Website
Gail Gaymer Martin Amazon Profile

Gail Gaymer Martin’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My name is Mary Schmidt, and I write under the pen names S. Jackson and A. Raymond. A. Raymond is a pen name for my husband, who has a lot of input into our books. I am a retired registered nurse, a member of the Catholic Church, and I have taught Catechism. I have worked in various capacities for The American Cancer Society, March of Dimes, Cub and Boy Scouts, (son, Noah, is an Eagle Scout), and sponsored trips for high school music children. I love all forms of art but mostly I focus on the visual arts; as amateur photography, traditional, and graphic art as my health allows. I have an online art gallery, and I am currently finishing up a screenplay from my first memoir (there will be a sequel someday). More recently, we both love to devote precious time with our first grandson, Austin.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Shadow and Friends Spend Christmas in New York

In Shadow and Friends Spend Christmas in New York, a fox squirrel named Stubby receives an invitation from his twin, Shorty, to spend Christmas with him and his squirrel family and friends in Central Park. Stubby invites Shadow, a small dog, and his squirrel family to go with him. They board the Rodent Road Adventure Tours jet, flown by Pilot, and Shorty greets them with a hello from atop the Empire State Building as they fly past! Not only do children learn safety and are introduced to the Eastern Gray Squirrels that range on the east coast of the USA, they have many fun adventures. In this delightful and funny book for children, the squirrels and Shadow learn about the huge Central Park in the middle of New York City. Children are entertained by the adventures of the group as they build a snowman, and Foxy goes shopping at Saks on Fifth Avenue. They decorate a Christmas tree, go ice skating at Rockefeller Center, and decorate a float for the annual Central Park Christmas Squirrel Parade! Add to this mix a few rocking horses, teddy bears, nutcrackers, candy cane castle, angels, elves, and a manger scene, and children are entertained. On Christmas Eve, all of them go to the Central Park Chapel, and celebrated the birth of baby Jesus! Targeted at ages 4-11, this book is easy to read and perfect for home or classroom. This story illustrates how beautiful Central Park is in winter, and the illustrations will fascinate children and adults. Our backyard wild squirrels inspired this fifth book in our children’s picture book series.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t really think so. For our award winning memoir, When Angels Fly, I already had journals from which to work with, however, that memoir actually has three beginnings, and rightfully so, and it is our Freshman book. For the children’s series, we figure out the paragraphs for each page after we come up with the basic plan. We incorporate new things for kids to learn while featuring our wild squirrels in comical moments. Once the narrative is complete, then I do the illustrations.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I’ve read since I was a little girl so I loved to read Cherry Ames, Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys, Little House, the classics. I love historical romances – I adore them actually. So many great authors out there on this beautiful blue sphere of life.

What are you working on now?
That’s a secret. Okay, I will say it will be our 6th book in our Shadow and Friends series for children. Uncle Stubby (a wild squirrel) Gets Married.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Twitter is great for author branding. For selling I think Facebook is one good way depending on the genre in which one writes. Author interviews are very helpful – I do them for free on my blog and when I do them, I always include a review on Amazon. Reviews are key on Amazon.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Keep on writing. No one has a best seller right away. Keep on editing and perfect your work. Don’t use family or friends as editors.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Hire a professional editor.

What are you reading now?
I’m in the middle of our newest children’s book and I will next read, Captured Lies by Maggie Thom.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Three more children’s books, followed by consulting during production of my screenplay of my memoir, When Angels Fly.

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 memoir – When Angels Fly – for the beautiful memories among the sad ones. Swiss Family Robinson as I think that would aid in survival.

Author Websites and Profiles
Mary Schmidt Website
Mary Schmidt Amazon Profile

Mary Schmidt’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a single mother of a twelve year old son who lives in North Carolina. This is the first book that I have published.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is titled Prayers of Motherhood: Prayers and Devotions. This book was inspired by how prayer, and my faith in God, helped me through some of the stresses and confusion of being a first-time parent.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Mot really. I view myself as a to the point writer. Prayers of Motherhood end of being only twenty-six pages because that is all I had to say on the topic.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I have not read a book in a while, but I love the writing styles of Toni Morrison, Dr. Maya Angelou, and Stephen King. To name a few.

What are you working on now?
I am currently working on a collection of children stories titled Bee Sting Pinch,

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I Have promoted my book on Social Media and mu blog.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Be true to yourself. Write the stories that you want to write and in the voice that you want to write with.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
To always be myself.

What are you reading now?
Because of my work schedule and other family obligations I have not had time to read any book besides the bible.

What’s next for you as a writer?
The next thing I hope to accomplish as a writer is to continue publishing books that will not only be a good read but will also spark conversations and discussions between people of all ages and all races.

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 wow! I can only bring four books? Okay. Of course I will bring the Bible, Toni Morrison’s Blue Eyes. Dr. Maya Angelou’s A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, and Stephen King’s IT.

Author Websites and Profiles
Rachel Smith Website
Rachel Smith Amazon Profile

Rachel Smith’s Social Media Links
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My name is Robert Clifton Storey Jr, and I have written three books: Flight of the Vessel, Daughters of Thine Lesser Evil, Suzerain of the Beast. All three are part of fantasy the Vision Dream Series.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Suzerain of the Beast is my latest book. I would have to say that my main character inspired it. She was not done with her adventures. There is a fourth book in series being written right now!

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Love to drink coffee, iced tea, or hot chocolate while I write. I also love to listen to music…mostly music with a medieval or celtic vibe to it.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Tolkien, Terry Goodkind, Barbara Hambly, Terry Brooks, Anne McCaffrey. Piers Anthony

What are you working on now?
The fourth book in the Vision Dream Series. I am excited about how it’s shaping up.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Visiondreamseries.com, Twitter, Facebook, Awesomegang.com

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Keep up your writing while trying to market.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Unlike in the movies where one movie is the hit, the writer become the hit, not an individual book. It takes many books to make a writer.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Finished the Vision Dream Series first.

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 trilogy plus the hobbit.

Author Websites and Profiles
Robert Clifton Storey Jr Website
Robert Clifton Storey Jr Amazon Profile

Robert Clifton Storey Jr’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 mostly written text books but always had a secret novel in the works. A group of us got together and all confessed that we secretly wanted to write a novel – but since we were already accomplished in our own areas (animators, illustrators, jewelry makers) we were afraid to fail. So, we decided that as a member of “The Sh!tty Writer’s Club” – it is OK to fail and be bad. You just have to write it. So…we did. The other’s are not far behind me on their journey to a completed bad book! The approval to be bad – was a great release. I have 2 text books published prior to this.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Amazing Darkness is the latest book and first fiction book I have published. The characters from the book, Brandy and Susan, are actually from a different novel I started in ’05. It was a murder mystery titled “Running in Place”. There was no caving involved. Then in ’06 I found caving and wondered what would happen if I put the characters there. Then they met a new character, Alexander, and he fell in love with Brandy. I fought it for months then gave in and wrote this love story.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I travel extensively so write mostly in planes or hotels while not at home. Though my FAVORITE is to sit on the porch at home, overlooking the valley, smoke cigars and write away.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
What books do I read? I read anything with good characters. I used to listen to books from audible while traveling. It would be hilarious to listen to me comment and critique the dialogue while I drove “What’s the matter with you? A female detective would not say that.” At the point that I started becoming very opinionated about what I read – I knew I was ready to actually write a book. My favorite writers: King, Koontz, Cormac McCarthy, Lisa Gardner, Hugh Howey, Andy Weir to name a few. The character in this book, Alexander, is heavily influenced by Chelsea Quinn Yarboro’s St. Germaine character.

What are you working on now?
I am very curious to find out where Alexander and Yindi from “Absolute Darkness” came from. The next novel is titled “Alexander” where we will find out some surprising background to Yindi and Alexander’s relationship.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m still figuring this one out. I’ve relied heavily on this website: http://www.readersintheknow.com/ and on books on self publishing by Rick Smith.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Read lots. Write lots. Keep going. You’ll hate it. You’ll love it. You’ll hate it again.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Odd, I can’t think of any. Perhaps I didn’t listen so therefore learn the hard way. That could be it.

What are you reading now?
Sherlock Holmes.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Next for me is to figure out this marketing thing. It is harder than writing and I’d much rather be writing. However, the finished work deserves some love and attention first.

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) Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy
2) A thesaurus
3) Fabric of the Cosmos by Brian Greene

Author Websites and Profiles
Tina O’Hailey Website
Tina O’Hailey Amazon Profile

Tina O’Hailey’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I was born in London in 1963 and have lived and worked in London, UK: Sri Lanka: UAE and Bahrain. Currently I live in Johannesburg, South Africa with my three dogs and two housemates.
I have taught in a Primary School and was a Scout/Cub Leader for over 20 years. This I feel was a very good grounding for what Middle Grade Readers enjoy reading about.
Polly’s Piralympics is the seventh children’s book I have written.
Other books include: How Polly Became a Pirate and Polly Ya Nay Can Fly also part of the Polly’s Piralympics series.
The Magic Vuvuzela (re: soccer and South Africa) and Peter’s Wimbledon Dreams (re: tennis and the UK) both self-published through Amazon.
Tane’s Rugby Dream (re: Rugby and New Zealand) and Cricket Crazy (re: cricket and Sri Lanka) and as yet unpublished.
I have also written over 100 poems published on the voicesnet.com website under Jan Weeratunga.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Polly’s Piralympics

It was inspired by the closing ceremony of the 2012 London Paralympic Games. In his closing speech, Sir Phillip Craven told of how a young boy was reading with his mother. In the book he saw a man with an eye patch, a hook for a hand, a parrot on his shoulder and a wooden leg. When asked who it was, he said:
“Well he has only one leg, so he must be an Olympian.”
Such was the strength of the London 2012 Paralympics that it changed peoples’ perceptions of disability forever. The speech made her both laugh and cry and gave her the inspiration for this series of books which are both unique in concept as well as content.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
No not really, I just love to write, though I usually like it to be quiet when I am writing, other than the birds singing and my dogs playing/barking.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
J R R Tolkien

I used to escape into Middle Earth as a child and it all became so real for me, the elves, dwarfs, hobbits, dragon, magic everything, I was lost to it all.

What are you working on now?
The 4th book in the Series of Polly’s Piralympics – Polly’s Eskimo Piralympics
The Pirates find themselves in the Eskimo world of snow and ice, where they take part in Eskimo Games and in some cases get more than they bargained for.
It also introduces two female pirate ships to the mix, with some interesting results.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
everything and anything, but to date Facebook – friends spread the message the best as they have a vested interest – they know me ha,ha,ha.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write. No matter what it’s about, write and don’t be discouraged by what other have to say, yes they are entitled to their opinion, but it is just that – their opinion. It is yours that really counts.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
That the greatest authors in the world have also been rejected by publishers, so I am in good company, ha,ha,ha. Now I belong to a very special clun called the Indie Authors and we are taking the world by storm!

What are you reading now?
The Labyrinth

What’s next for you as a writer?
To finish the series Polly’s Piralympics, which I originally thought would be five books, but is up to seven to date and if my promoter at SkOObs books store has anything to say about it will be even longer, ha,ha,ha.

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?
Lord of the Rings
The Complete Works of Sherlock Holmes
The Blue Planet

Author Websites and Profiles
Jann Weeratunga Website
Jann Weeratunga Amazon Profile

Jann Weeratunga’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hi, I’m Sylvie. My favorite moments as a reader happen when a book touches both my heart and my funny bone. I love Romantic Comedy, especially when it comes with a little steam, so, of course, that’s what I write! I currently have two books available – The Fix and The Spark. They are part of a series of standalones called the Carolina Connections.
The awesome state of North Carolina is where I call home and where I hang out with family and friends, enjoying wine, laughs, and occasionally some kayaking (limit of 2 activities at once – I have learned my lesson).

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Spark is my latest release, and it was loosely inspired by the song Kiss Me Slowly by Parachute. I often get inspired by music!

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t know how unusual it is, but my characters often don’t obey me and they go off in their own direction! That’s why I start with a firm concept but only a general outline.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
How much time do you have? I love any romance author who writes strong characters that are well-developed. I want to feel like I know these people. Then, if the author mixes in humor and sexy times, I’m a happy girl! Some authors who do this exceptionally well are Kristen Ashley, Emma Chase, Alice Clayton, Tara Sivec, Mariana Zapata…I could go on for days.
I also love reading autobiographies by pretty much any comedian or satirist!

What are you working on now?
I’m working on two projects right now. The third book in the Carolina Connections series is my main focus going forward…the working title is The Lucky One. I’m also working on creating a new version of The Fix for a younger audience. This was a special request from the daughter of a reader, and I thought it had real merit so I’m giving it a go.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Wow – that is a tough one. I’d say I spend the most time and money on Facebook and Amazon. But sites like Awesomegang are invaluable, as well as bloggers and reviewers!

Do you have any advice for new authors?
First, I would advise getting yourself an editor and proofreader (there are lots of freelancers who are affordable). Nobody is going to slog through a book with tons of errors. And, as careful as you are, you will not catch your mistakes most of the time – you’re too close to it. Second, research, research, research. If your book is great but nobody reads it, it’s very disappointing. Learn how to promote yourself and your work. Third, don’t give up!!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
You think I came up with the answer to the last question on my own? LOL

What are you reading now?
I’m reading several books at once – a few ARCs for some other authors and a few new releases in romantic comedy.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Hopefully many more new releases!

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 Eyre, Deacon (Kristen Ashley), Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls (David Sedaris), How to Survive on a Desert Island 101

Author Websites and Profiles
Sylvie Stewart Website
Sylvie Stewart Amazon Profile

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

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a Colorado native, though spent years living in western Europe in outdoor education with a nonprofit, where I wrote cross-cultural humor essays for our in-house newsletter. I wrote two nonfiction books after I discovered the beauties of the Eastern Orthodox Church; Regina Orthodox Press published them and that experience of publishing was quite addicting. Now I’m finding that fiction writing is a very different animal!

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Gold in Havilah is the result of writing the book I always wanted to read. From the time I was a kid in Sunday school staring at the pictures of Adam and Eve in their fig-leaf loin cloths puzzling over an apple, I wanted to understand that story. I wanted to know what Eden must have looked like, and what life might have been like for those first people and their kids once they got the boot out of paradise. I’ve tried to make Akliah, my lead character, as much like the rest of us as possible, a reminder of how much like each other all of us really are, despite barriers of time or culture. For as Akliah herself says in the book, “There are few stories on the earth. We are all derived of one Heart.”

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I mostly subscribe to Hemingway’s famous quote: “There’s nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.” I prefer to end the writing day in a heap on the floor, preferably begging the muse for mercy either way.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I’m inspired by historical fiction authors Tosca Lee, Geraldine Brooks, and the fabulous indie author, Libbie Hawker. The British writer Elizabeth Goudge wrote novels that break my heart every time I read them. I like Annie Dillard for her unusual word choices–what an essayist! For the spare, quiet phrase, I turn to Kent Haruf and Ron Hansen. E.B. White and G.K. Chesterton are my current favorite essayists. And I’m in awe of many other authors in between.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on another novel set in the antediluvian world, on the world’s first polygamous family.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m trying to learn the ropes with social media, which seems to be the way people learn and discover things now. My website is www.jeanhoefling.com

Do you have any advice for new authors?
In The War of Art, Steven Pressfield quotes the Dalai Lama, “The enemy is a very good teacher.” The enemy is the self-doubt and inertia that stalks most of us daily. How we manage those tendencies says everything about us. Also, be open to critique and editing. The self-insulated writer is doomed.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Hemingway again: “Don’t worry; you have always written before and you will write now.”

What are you reading now?
The Wright Brothers, by David McCullough
Angel’s Ashes by Frank McCourt

What’s next for you as a writer?
I want to write more fiction stories based on the early chapters of Genesis. I’ll do that until I’ve gotten it out of my system.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
The Bible
The Complete Works of Shakespeare
Bartlett’s Quotations
Funny stuff…

Author Websites and Profiles
Jean Hoefling Website
Jean Hoefling Amazon Profile

Jean Hoefling’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a Christian wife and mom. We live in a cordwood home that we built ourselves over ten years ago. I started writing when our youngest daughter went to college. I have fourteen published books, and many more in the works!

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My newest book is called Finding Love in Christmas Creek. It is a feel-good Christmas romance, inspired by my love of Christmas-time romances in books and movies. My other new book is the fourth in my Mail Order Bride Express series. It is called Love in the Wind. I love history and the American west is a special love of mine.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not really. I do like quiet when I write, though sometimes I will listen to instrumental music.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I have loved reading since I was a small child and read many authors. I am especially partial to mysteries by Agatha Christie and Anne Perry.

What are you working on now?
I am writing more in my Mail Order Bride Express series and also have a few other books in the making.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I like Romance Reviews, as well as using my author page on Facebook.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Just write what you love!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Write even when others discourage you.

What are you reading now?
I am reading through Louis L’Amour books.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Just to keep it up!

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, Little House on the Prairie, and anything by C. S. Lewis

Author Websites and Profiles
Mary L. Briggs Website
Mary L. Briggs Amazon Profile

Mary L. Briggs’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m Alex Fitton and I’m a Crime/Thriller writer. I live in the Midlands region of England. My debut short story, Goodbye Prison, came out earlier this year and hit 18th position in the What’s Hot chart on Amazon. Goodbye Prison inspired me to go on and write a full length novel, and I’m hoping that will be out in mid-2017.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I finished my first full length novel earlier this month (December 2016) and it’s currently with an editor for a final go through. I’ve been working on it since first outlining my idea way back in 2012. Fight or Flight tells the story of a young woman who’s trying to escape gang life and move on to a more normal one, but a possessive prison officer and her former gang boss set about hunting her down.

The inspiration for the novel comes from almost every Crime/Thriller book I’ve ever read and all the different crime dramas that I watch. They all tell the story of a crime and the process of solving it before catching the bad guy. I wanted to do something slightly different and pick up the storyline from after being released from prison.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’d say that I’m quite old fashioned. I wrote the full Fight or Flight novel out by hand over a couple of different journals before I even started typing anything up. 92,000 words by hand might seem a little daunting to some people, but I found the process quite therapeutic. When I finished typing the whole thing up, it felt like I had already got to second draft stage as I was editing as I went along. I guess it might not work for everyone!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
When I was 15 we started reading The Lord of the Flies in English Literature classes. Ignoring the Harry Potter series, it was the first time I really got into a book and from then on I’d become pretty hooked with devouring as many different books as I could. Sat on my bookshelf now I have everything ranging from things like 1984 to The Da Vinci Code and a fair few non-fiction history books too.

What are you working on now?
I mentioned before that I’d just sent my debut novel off to an editor for a final go through, so right now I’m not working on anything specific. The last year has been really intense focusing on the novel with BETA readers and a couple of rounds of editing. I’ve given myself a few days to have a break from writing so I’m just focused on the promotion side of things at the moment. Having said that, I do have an idea for another short story, so I don’t think it will be long before I start filling up another journal!

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m not really sure that I can say that I have ‘one best way’. I personally think it’s about the right mix of things. I know I can approach a really supportive group of readers that have been with me on my journey so far and I know they’ll go out and purchase things that I’d release, but I think authors have to do more than that. When I released Goodbye Prison, I worked hard to make sure it got featured in lots of Kindle Book newsletters and on Blogs too, as well as approaching people I knew followed me on the different social media channels.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I might have been writing since around 2012, but I’d still say that I’m a new author myself. My first published work only came out in March 2016 and the full length novel won’t be out for a good few months yet. Having said that, I think the most valuable thing that I’ve learnt while writing is this: write! I think sometimes it’s hard to force yourself to sit down and write when you’re having an off day or just not feeling ‘it’. I’ve found it useful to keep going though as you never know when you’re going to write a killer paragraph or page that you’ll end up using in a published piece of work.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“If you think you can, or your think you can’t, you’re probably right.”

What are you reading now?
I read Origin by JT Brannan a year or so back and have decided to reread it. I really enjoyed it last time and it’s been staring at me from the bookshelf for the last few days. I can’t reccomend the book enough to anyone who’s into thriller/suspense!

What’s next for you as a writer?
The next few months will be pretty heavily focused on promoting my work in the run up to releasing Fight or Flight. Having said that, I know I’m going to make time to work on another short story – so watch this space! I feel like I’ve been really growing as a writer over the last year and I’m really looking forward to seeing where 2017 takes me.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Anything and everything by Dan Brown and Johnathan Holt are books that I can’t really live without. They’re books that I absolutely love!

Author Websites and Profiles
Alex Fitton Website
Alex Fitton Amazon Profile

Alex Fitton’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My life has been traumatic and strange, for the most part, but at least it’s provided me with an endless amount of incredibly varied material. Now that I’m a believer in Christ (since June 2015), I’m finally at peace. So, while much of my writing is dark, that is no reflection on the Marian I am today.

I have been writing, submitting, and receiving rejections for about 20 years. My most ambitious project was my life story (currently being edited, possibly torn apart and cannibalized). My main loves are poetry and short stories. I’ve had several of these published in small press literary magazines. As well, my story – ‘Starving Artist’ was published in the E-zine ‘Underground Voices’. That story was also included in their printed issue.

I’m also excited about 2 new worlds of writing that I’ve recently discovered – Faith based writing, and illustrated children’s books. I love to draw, and I’ve learned that using a wacom pad to make vector drawings is just a fun as drawing the old fashioned way. Along with kids bible story books, I’m in the process of creating illustrations for a children’s book that I’ve written myself.

I currently have four books for sale: ‘The Heavens Declare the Glory of God’ – a 10 day devotional, including my own testimony, ‘He Heals the Broken Hearted and Binds Up their Wounds’ – a 10 day devotional with excerpts from my own life, ‘Noah’s Ark’ – a children’s story, and ‘Pretend No one is Singing’, available in digital and paperback.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is called ‘Pretend No one is Singing’. I was inspired to write it after I was discharged from the hospital after a month of drying out, and realized I remembered in detail, all of my hallucinations. I originally wrote them as therapy – as a way of convincing myself that these had indeed been hallucinations, and not actual experiences.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I absolutely love writing, but I have been known to go for several years at a time where I write nothing. I don’t even edit my work. I just don’t feel like it. And I’m ok with that. I tell myself it will come back, and it always does. And then it feels like a brand new gift. I don’t know if that’s unusual or not.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I’m a big fan of Evelyn Lau’s work, and feel very influenced by her style. Also just listening to Janis Ian singing ‘Jolene’ seems to do it for me.

What are you working on now?
Right now I’m working on ‘All the Broken People’. It’s the story of my childhood, and years on the street in Vancouver, B.C. I originally wrote it 20 years ago, and have been editing it ever since. It’s a heart wrenching, brutal story. Revisiting it now for what I hope is the final time, is proving to be the hardest edit yet.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
So far I haven’t found one. I’m hoping this will be it.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
If you love it, don’t stop.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Why not check out non-traditional book publishing.

What are you reading now?
‘Living Under Plastic’ by Evelyn Lau

What’s next for you as a writer?
I have a good start on a novel. My first attempt at fiction. I really like it so far, but have no idea how it will end.

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. I know that sounds so pious, but I’ve discovered it’s not boring at all. Some kind of ‘Do it Yourself’ book, and also an empty notebook with a pen.

Author Websites and Profiles
Marian Toews Amazon Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am currently living in central Florida working as a manager at a healthcare linen facility. In 2015 I moved from St. Augustine, Florida where I graduated from Flagler College magna cum laude in business administration. Besides writing, my main passion is working out. To date, I have published one book, but I have written a science fiction novel about a 1000 year old immortal from east Africa who is besieged by aliens and the World Order. I plan on publishing it next year.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Plexi: Adversity is my latest book. There is real magic in the world and I wanted to write about it. Years ago I had an idea for a short story about a mystically powered teenage girl who tangled with two evil boys from her school. I eventually expanded upon the idea and made it into a book and gave the girl some friends to help her fight. Also, I have Mage Terminus to thank for additional inspiration in the form of knowledge of other worlds. To hear him tell it though, he does all of the hard work.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I do indeed. I like to make a game out of names in my writing. If you read Plexi: Adversity you may find something to the main evil wizard’s name T’navreskrad. I also play around a bit with other names but I will let my readers discover the twists for themselves. Outside of that, I do not think I do anything strange when I write. Except for having to listen to the persistent entity Mage Terminus spew his wisdom.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Michael P. Kube-McDowell has influenced the flavor of certain sections of my book. Mr. McDowell is in touch with his dark side, which has shown me it is okay to write about the dark side of my villains. Piers Anthony and his crazy humor have been a definite influence also. I am not of his caliber but I like to include humor in my stories from time to time. Octavia Butler is also a big presence for me because she is my inspiration as a black author.

What are you working on now?
Right now I am working out the plot for my next book Plexi: Deception. It will take place when Plexi is in college and should have lots of surprises. In the interim, I am mainly focused on reaching my audience for my first book.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Since I am new to the arena I cannot say what is working best for me yet. So far I am using social media as much as possible and I went through Smashwords to initially publish my book. Searching Youtube for advice, I happened upon Awesomegang as a resource and hope to see good results there. My main focus is on finding sites for my target audience of fantasy fans in general, with readers who like multi-racial teams in particular. I have also started the first steps to having a book signing at a local Barnes and Noble.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Being a new author myself the best words of wisdom I can give are that it takes a lot of work to put the word out about your book, so never give up. More importantly—make a game of it and have fun!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I am taking the best advice I have ever heard which is to self-publish. If I had done that in the beginning I would have had my fantastic book out there sooner!

What are you reading now?
Cobra Slave by Timothy Zahn; Worlds of Star Trek: Bajor and Trill by Andy Mangels, Michael Martin, and J. Noah Kym; and I am finishing Ibrahim Unites by James Lee Nathan III. I usually read two or three books at once.

What’s next for you as a writer?
My next move is to launch a science fiction series entitled Return of the First Gods about an immortal named Henry Michaels from east Africa. Henry is one thousand years old and is have a bit of trouble with aliens and the World Order. The story is set in the mid-twenty first century and is for an adult audience, targeted differently from my mainly young-adult audience in Plexi: Adversity.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
I would bring The Mote in God’s Eye by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle, because it is long. I would also bring a survival manual. And lastly, I would bring a book that tells how to get off a desert island.

Author Websites and Profiles
Kwame Opeyo Website
Kwame Opeyo Amazon Profile
Kwame Opeyo Author Profile on Smashwords

Kwame Opeyo’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I was born in Trinidad & Tobago and emigrated to the U.S. when I was 12. Finding it difficult to assimilate to the new world, I immersed myself in music and writing. After spending 2 1/2 years in Iowa State University, I returned to NY and studied to be a nurse. Even though I practiced nursing for years, my heart was always in music and writing. A few years ago, after playing and recording music all over the U.S., I stopped to concentrate on my writing. So far, I have six books on Amazon. I’ve written more than six, but those were during my years in Iowa State.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is “Murder in Rock & Roll Heaven.” I’d been meaning to write a book of interviews, my subjects being historical geniuses like Benjamin Franklin, Beethoven, Einstein, Mozart, Da Vinci, Tchaikovsky, and several others. When I saw books like these had already been written, I thought I’d approach the subject with a new angle by involving historical figures in a crime drama.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I sometimes wake up in the middle of the night to write an idea down before it disappears. Most of the time, the only papers available to me are napkins from fast food restaurants, but they work just fine.

Since I’m homeless, I’m forced to write in public, specifically, the local shopping mall and library. In a sense, I’m immersed in public 24 hours a day, prime opportunity to engage in one of my favorite activities – watching and listening to strangers, wondering why they say the words recently emitted from their mouths.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Upton Sinclair has had a profound influence on my writing as did John Steinbeck. Most of my works have a strong sociological/psychological bent to them, topics that the aforementioned authors never shied away from.

What are you working on now?
It’s a non-fiction book called “Sick Twisted F*ck: The Confessions of a Troubled Clown.”

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Facebook comes in handy for promoting my books as well as the CD’s I’ve produced.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Some books I’ve written brought me close to the point of madness; specifically, the ones I often had to fact check to make sure the details are accurate. Writing a book can cause you friends and family time, too. Are you willing to sacrifice important face time from your social network to lock yourself away in a discipline that may or may not prove fruitful? I write because I have to. It makes my days go faster, and gives me a sense of purpose.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“Write as if your life depended on it.”

What are you reading now?
Mainly news stories. Real life drama can be just as scary as fictional literature.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Once I’m done with “Sick F*ck” I’d like to take another dig at playing music again. If I’m still homeless, then that idea will have to be postponed. I may then go ahead and have another look at my past screenplays, perhaps modernize them and try to get them in the hands of Hollywood agents.

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 Tattvartha Sutra
A Biography of Leonardo Da Vinci
Martyrs Mirror
Greek Mythology

Author Websites and Profiles
Robin Ray Website
Robin Ray Amazon Profile

Robin Ray’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am almost certain that I am the only sane man on Earth. I haven’t met all of the others yet, but from the sampling I’ve personally vetted, I fear this made be the case. A truly disturbing number of them haven’t seen the value in building a dark wizard’s tower, or in detailing the intricate mix of technology necessary to summon up a lightning storm when someone gets brave enough to try and sell a vacuum cleaner door-to-door at said dark wizard’s tower.

I am sure however, that the many short stories I have written, and a novella or two, have gone a long way toward helping the sanity impaired recover from their terrible condition. With my newest work, my first full length novel, I hope to finally make a real difference in regards to this terrible condition.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
“The Chronicles of Henry Harper” is the result of looking at the science fiction I owned, and realizing there was an unfulfilled perspective. I can be said to specialize in that area. That is to say, in the writing of the unusual or unrepresented perspectives. In this particular case, the perspective was one that boggled my mind a bit, once I realized it was missing.

There were no books about engineers. Not in sci-fi at any rate.

How that came to be I can only guess, I ran into a number of major problems I had to solve to make the perspective work, so I can assume that some of the account for the reason the perspective is nonexistent or rare. However, at the time, I couldn’t even point to those and it totally flummoxed me that one of the most important types of people in all of science fiction could be missing representation.

When I did a little digging, and still couldn’t find such works, I wrote a short story called “The Machinist.” It was quite well received by the writer’s group I was working with at the time, and so when I decided to write a full length novel I decided to expand upon that work. While very little of the original text survived eighteen months of writing and rewriting, many of the basic details from that short story now make up the first chapter of “The Chronicles of Henry Harper.”

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m not so sure it’s all that rare, but I prefer to write with pen and paper. I also prefer a double Marker’s Mark & Coke, with exactly three cubes of ice, as the best way to break through writer’s block.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
All of them. I’ve been reading novel length works since I was six, and my personal library contains something in the order of 1500 books. My absolute favorite series is Robert Jordan’s “Wheel of Time,” but I’ve also been inspired by any number of sci-fi series. The Honor Harrington series, “Ender’s Game,” and Asimov’s “Foundation,” just to name a few. Most recently, “The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet” by Becky Chambers has made me reorder my top ten list for the first time in a decade. Her gift for characterization may actually be the strongest I’ve ever seen.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on a new book, fantasy this time. It’s tentatively titled “Patchwork Magic,” and only about 30% complete.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Read. Read a lot. Then go back to what you just read, and study page-by-page how the good authors achieved the effects they did. How they introduced emotion into a scene, how they balanced action and dialogue, etcetera. It won’t all work for you, but you can begin building your own style from the understanding you achieve.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“All we have to decide, is what to do with the time that is given to us.”

Hey, you asked for the best advice, if you wanted something more specific you should have said so!

What are you reading now?
I’m between books at the moment, due to managing the launch of “The Chronicles of Henry Harper.” The last one I read was the previous mentioned “The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet.”

What’s next for you as a writer?
Writing, of course. Then, possibly, building that dark wizard’s tower.

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?
Either some good books on escaping desert islands, or blank notebooks to write in.

Author Websites and Profiles
Jacen Aster Website
Jacen Aster Amazon Profile
Jacen Aster Author Profile on Smashwords

Jacen Aster’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Megan Easley-Walsh is an author of historical fiction, a researcher, and a writing consultant and editor at Extra Ink Edits. She is an award-winning writer and has taught college writing in the UNESCO literature city of Dublin, Ireland. Her degrees are in history-focused International Relations. She is American and lives in Ireland with her Irish husband. She is the author of the historical novels: Flight Before Dawn and What Edward Heard. She has over ten new novels that are set for release!

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My most recent release is What Edward Heard. It tells the story of a WWI veteran who encounters a Renaissance portrait. I’ve always loved art history. I’m used to reading the meaning behind a painting. I was intrigued by the idea of a painting being able to read into a person. I also was interested in exploring the journey of the painting, from its origin, to when it was found by the veteran. The painting travels across time and space and it was fun to explore all of the different locations it had been present in. As an author of historical fiction, lots of research goes into each work.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Shakespeare’s influence finds itself into a number of my works. Jane Austen is also alluded to at times. She was revolutionary in crafting happy endings for her characters and allowing them agency in their own love lives, at a time when women often had little say in the matter. Some of the first books I read were American Girls books, which helped fuel my love of historical fiction and Boxcar Children, which influenced my love of mystery. As a teenager, I read the books of Jack Cavanaugh and enjoyed his blend of history with faith. I am a fan of the suspense and intrigue of Sherlock Holmes. I read a lot and every book a writer reads influences the writing in some way, large or small.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
In addition to being an author, I also have previously taught college writing and I am a writing consultant and editor at www.ExtraInkEdits.com. My best advice is to write the story that you want to tell. You are the only person in the entire world that is able to do so. Also, keep a notebook with you. You never know when an idea will strike and they can be fleeting.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
To be a better writer, read more. It’s true!

What are you reading now?
I’ve recently been enjoying the Maisie Dobbs series by Jacqueline Winspear.

What’s next for you as a writer?
More book releases and more writing!

Author Websites and Profiles
Megan Easley-Walsh Website
Megan Easley-Walsh Amazon Profile

Megan Easley-Walsh’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 only written the one book. It’s a short one. A novella. I’ve got half-written novel on my desk; the first chapter is probably half the length of my one published book. Some works want to be small, others large. I find writing is most fun when I’m not forcing form or word count. It’s fun to write when I let the story dictate the form.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Descriptions of Heaven is the title of my debut fiction novel. It was inspired by a TV show, actually. On this television program, a group of cryptozoologists went to find a lake monster. But not in Loch Ness. They explained (with a neat little world map) that there are hundreds of lakes around the world that harber supposed lake monsters. That was the inspiration. The themes of morbidity and loss were inspired both in large part by simply looking at our planet, sick and slowly dying. If you look closely, you’ll see that the environment is the undercurrent of the novel, one of the main but most subtle themes weaved into the book.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Lot of coffee. Lot of desk clutter. A big dictionary beside me. A shelf full of reference books. More coffee. Sometimes a dog that sleeps at my feet. No, I don’t find any of this unusual.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Don DeLillo, Virginia Woolf, László Krasznahorkai, and many others. I’m a voracious reader.

What are you working on now?
Currently I’m working on a backlog of short story ideas. Once I’ve gotten some of my creative pipes cleared of these shorter tales, I’ll start working on that half-written novel again.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Trick question? The answer is awesomegang, right? Truth is, the best method for me has been finding advance book reviewers. I simply don’t have enough experience to know the answer to this question.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t hold back your impulse to write. Don’t wait for the right time, mood, atmosphere, job, or whatever. Write right now. Books don’t write themselves. Being a writer isn’t like being an alcoholic. Alcoholics can quit drinking for years and still claim their alcoholism. If you’re not spending a good chunk of your time writing, well, hate to break it to you, you’re not a writer. So get out there and start making stories.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Read more than you write. Read good books. Read mostly the kinds of things you want to write.

What are you reading now?
I just finished Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami. Right now I’m reading Great Expectation by Charles Dickens.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Over the next few months, I need to do my best to market Descriptions of Heaven. While I have a publisher, they’re a small group with limited ability to assist in getting news about my book out there. I’ve got a huge “after publication” list. But, in tandem with that, I also need to slowly increase the hours I’m putting in at the writing desk while decreasing my marketing hours as items on that marketing list get crossed off.

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?
Joyce Carol Oates’s Wonderland
Virginia Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway
Thomas Pynchon’s Gravity’s Rainbow
Cormac McCarthy’s Blood Meridian.

Author Websites and Profiles
Randal Eldon Greene Website
Randal Eldon Greene Amazon Profile

Randal Eldon Greene’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My name is Lewis and I am a twenty-five-year-old author living in South-East London, England.

Following a dream I had at the age of 19, I began to write what has transformed into a ambitious time-travel adventure series called: Of Hearts & Minds. As an admirer of encapsulating stories with multi-layered characters and interconnected storylines, and a devoted fan of time-travel, I seek to share a story that explores not only our hearts and minds, but also our strongest hopes and our most daring dreams.

An Empire of Dreams is my first book, which I have been developing for over six years (along with planning the sequels to come!).

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
An Empire of Dreams is my first book and it is inspired by my great ambition for time-travel and the many stories of the human condition that it can convey. I also adore the themes of hearts and minds, and how the greatest battle we face is between what we think and what we feel. The concept of destiny also intrigues me greatly, and mystifies me!

The synopsis of An Empire of Dreams is as follows:
Some criminals will travel miles to escape.
Some will travel centuries…

The Evergreen family have just been framed for the first murder in one hundred years.

The future is crumbling and everything is ending, and it’s all because of them.

Their only hope for freedom lies further than they could have ever imagined … in a young boy called Alex, from centuries before, on the night his parents mysteriously disappear.

What can possibly tie together a criminal family from the distant future and a twelve year old boy from 1993?

As destinies collide and the dark forces that framed the Evergreens rise, hunting them down through time, can Alex help the family discover the secrets to their innocence before it’s too late?

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I started writing following a dream I had at the age of 19, and haven’t stopped since. My writing habits stem from this, so whenever I wake up from a dream of some interesting idea I’m always sure to write it down and think about it as much as I can before I fall asleep and forget about it! My writing habits also stem from observing people – I love people watching and picking up unique traits for characters.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Like so many other people my age I grew up adoring the Harry Potter books, so they have always been a great inspiration to me. I also enjoy the complexities and multi-layered fashions of some equally famous works such as 1984.

What are you working on now?
I am hard at work writing the sequel to An Empire of Dreams.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Building buzz via Facebook and Facebook Ads has so far been successful, but utilising other sites is proving successful too such as ebooksoda and BKnights.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I’m a new author myself, but having spent six years writing it would definitely be that ‘you can do it!’ – just keeping going and you will get there in the end.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Never stop dreaming

What are you reading now?
Room, by Emma Donoghue

What’s next for you as a writer?
Continue to build an audience and begin work on the sequel of An Empire of Dreams

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?
Harry Potter
The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August
1984

Author Websites and Profiles
Lewis Jones Website
Lewis Jones Amazon Profile

Lewis Jones’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a writer, photographer, and psychotherapist. My award-winning Flower Mandala images were inspired by the paintings of Georgia O’Keeffe and the flower photographs of Harold Feinstein, with whom I briefly studied. I have been taking photographs since he I was six. I came to psychotherapy after a transformative near-death experience shifted me toward art and healing. I hold Masters degrees in Counseling Psychology and Creative Writing. In addition to ‘Paths to Wholeness,’ I am the author of two coloring books for adults that are based on my Flower Mandalas, as well as a book about American folk music and three books about computer software

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
‘Paths to Wholeness: Fifty-Two Flower Mandalas.’ The book was inspired by my work with Harold Feinstein, the well-known flower photographer, and by great psychologists and spiritual teachers such as Carl Jung and Thich Nhat Hanh.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t think so. But then, I’m not sure what “usual” habits are!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
There have been too many to name, but most recently I’ve been influenced by the Buddhist teacher Thich Nhat Hanh, by essays written by the poet Mark Nepo, and by too many fiction writers to name. The Japanese novelist Haruki Murakami is a current favorite.

What are you working on now?
Learning how to market my books! My goal is to learn the tricks of the trade and then to provide a publishing platform for other writers. Then I’ll get back to writing, possibly on aging, and to photography. My current photography project involves fallen leaves.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m partial to the methods Tim Grahl promotes in his book ‘Your First 1000 Copies’ and in his training videos.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Develop a writing schedule and stick to it.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Develop a writing schedule and stick to it.

What are you reading now?
‘The Wind-up Bird Chronicles’ by Haruki Murakami

What’s next for you as a writer?
Becoming a publisher.

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 Kindle powered by solar power.

Author Websites and Profiles
David Bookbinder Website
David Bookbinder Amazon Profile
David Bookbinder Author Profile on Smashwords

David Bookbinder’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m from Canada’s Ocean Playground – Nova Scotia! Sunsets inspire me. The salt air calms me. I’m never without a book, whether reading or writing. And always with Chocolate! I write romance…sometimes sweet…sometimes spicy…sometimes suspenseful. I’ve written twenty books so far and working on three new projects for 2017.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is Christmas Country Wishes. Tis’ the season for a sweet holiday romance! This time of year always inspires dreams, wishes, horse-drawn sleigh rides, carolers, and a white Christmas.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not that I think is unusual lol I write everywhere from my desk to the couch to the deck and in waiting rooms! Hey, any free moment is a moment to write! Then you just fit everything else in

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Danielle Steele has always been a favorite since I was a teenager. Hallmark writers inspire my sweet holiday romance stories. And my suspense & mystery side has been influenced by James Patterson and of course, I’ve been an Agatha Christie fan since I could read! There are so many other authors I’ve come across that have inspired, influenced, and touched my heart….I could go on lol

What are you working on now?
I’m working on three separate projects at the moment. I usually do work on various projects at the same time…keeps me from getting blocked
One project is a new romantic thriller, another a romantic suspense for a charity book release in 2017, and one is a new romance series.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Social media! My website (angelafordauthor.com), facebook, google, goodreads, amazon, and so many more sites available to help reach my readers.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Never quit. Write because you want to…you love to! Write from your heart <3

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Take the good with the bad with reviews. You can’t make everyone happy but you will learn from all reviews.

What are you reading now?
The latest Danielle Steele

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’d like to start writing more novel lengths. Provoked is my longest to date and I plan to write at least that length, if not longer. I still enjoy writing short romance stories and will continue to do so. It will be my suspense, mystery, thrillers that will grow.

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?
And then there were none…Agatha Christie
Journey…Danielle Steele
Alex Cross…James Patterson
Provoked…Angela Ford

Author Websites and Profiles
Angela Ford Website
Angela Ford Amazon Profile
Angela Ford Author Profile on Smashwords

Angela Ford’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 an American woman from the deep South that has lived in the United Arab Emirates for the last 26 years. With a Master’s Degree in Library Service and one in Communication, I have always been close to the written word. My writing career started out as a free lance writing for a variety of lifestyle magazines, such as Emirates Woman and Friday. I had always loved writing, and it was only a matter of time for me to write a book. Now, I’ve written 5. They are the 3 books of The Hakima’s Tale trilogy (The Revenge of the Blue Jinni, The Rise of the Warrior, and The Dawn of Redemption), a crime fiction called Desert Magnolia, and a horror called The Skinwalker: Resurrection.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book, The Skinwalker: Resurrection was inspired by my love and respect for the great Native American tribes of the United States, and my deep desire to write something in the horror genre.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I burn either a scented candle in the room or a bundle of sage, as I think the smell of these things help me to concentrate. I also love to think of my story at the beach, and if I get an inspiration, I usually record my voice notes so that I can get back to my laptop later and write them.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was my favorite book growing up, as it helped take me out of my own world into a beautiful world where the rivers are made of chocolate and the trees are made of candy. Now, as an adult, I love writers like George R.R. Martin and classic authors like Oscar Wilde and Bram Stoker.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on a new paranormal novel called, The Companion, as I had already finished half of it long ago, but shelved it to write Desert Magnolia and The Skinwalker: Resurrection.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
That would have to be my website, www.bluejinnimedia.com which was brilliantly designed by my partner, Rodney W. Harper. He’s made it convenient to click on the books, choose the format, and be directed to your favorite online store to order the book in paperback, Ebook, or Audio.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write about something you love, and don’t do it for the money at first. You’ll spend so many hours with this venture, and at first the rewards will be little to none, but slowly over time, you’ll gain speed.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Stay true to your voice and write what’s in your heart to write. Fiction writers must be able to “feel” more emotion on many levels than non-fiction writers. We create characters and get inside their minds and personalities, and we can’t do that without a big heart.

What are you reading now?
I’m currently reading The Girl on the Train, and I love it.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Writing screenplays. I truly believe that every book I have written would make an excellent movie, and I’m willing to write the screenplay that demonstrates this.

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 Koran, The Secret, and Gone with the Wind

Author Websites and Profiles
Dedra Stevenson Website
Dedra Stevenson Amazon Profile

Dedra Stevenson’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 qualified aircraft engineer, a profession I have pursued for over forty years.
A lifelong interest in crime, in particular forensic psychology, led me to write my debut novel, Fishing for Stones.
I released my second novel, Harry, in August 2016. Harry is a tense thriller set in Kuwait and London.
I also write a weekly cookery column, for the Weekender magazine here in Bahrain and I am a contributor to Bahrain Confidential, a monthly glossy magazine.
When not writing, I can sometimes be found on two wheels, often using my motorcycle to raise money for charity.
My work has taken me to Bahrain, where I live with my wife, Jess.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Harry
This started as a short story exercise in character creation. I liked the character so much I had to write a full length story around him.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I usually start with the last chapter, I know where my story will end. I don’t necessarily know where it is going to start. I write as the ideas come to me for various parts of the book so I may write something in the middle and then maybe the second chapter. I don’t see the full story until after the first draft.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
So many. As a child I was a great fan of Jules Verne, I still am. More recent authors would be; Arthur C Clarke, Alistair MacLean, Isaac Asimov, Desmond Bagley (okay, none of them too recent), Tom Clancy and John Grisham who both build a story incredibly well. I am an immense fan of Terry Pratchett and I love the world he created. I wish I could write like that.
As for books, I can’t think of any particular one that had an influence except maybe ‘Around the World in Eighty Days’, the first ‘adult’ book I read as a child. This made me realise you could take a reader on a journey without them ever leaving home.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on two novels, Helene, the next in the series that Harry started and a detective fantasy novel. I am also attempting to write a screenplay for Harry which is incredibly challenging, but I love the discipline of having to tell a story almost entirely in dialogue.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I have yet to find the best method. Like many independent authors, I struggle to get my books in front of readers. I hope I will be able to edit this soon and say Awesomegang is the best.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t stop. Don’t give up on your dream and write for your own enjoyment. If you don’t like what you are doing then you can’t expect others to like it either.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Write, write, write and read, read, read. Only by writing can you improve, and reading other works will help with your own writing, besides, reading is enjoyable anyway.

What are you reading now?
I’ve just started Religion of the Heart, by DM Miller. Not my usual genre but sometimes we have to move outside our comfort zones.

What’s next for you as a writer?
After Helene there will be two more in the series started by Harry, then I think I will write no more of those. I would love to try my hand at sci-fi as well as more fantasy but I will continue in the crime genre too. Screenplays fascinate me so maybe I will attempt one from scratch rather than an adaptation.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
The works of Shakespeare, corny I know, but there is a lot of reading matter there and I do like the humour in some of his works.
Journey to the Centre of the Earth, Jules Verne.
Guards Guards, Terry Pratchett.
To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee.

Author Websites and Profiles
Glen R Stansfield Website
Glen R Stansfield Amazon Profile
Glen R Stansfield Author Profile on Smashwords

Glen R Stansfield’s Social Media Links
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