Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hi! After years of writing newspaper articles, public relations releases, and legal briefs, I have come back to my first love, which is writing stories just for fun. So far, I have published three sweet Regency romances– two are Christmas stories, and the third is a full-length, light-hearted Regency romance novel, inspired by my love of Georgette Heyer’s wonderful tales of laughter and love.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
LYDIA’S CHRISTMAS CHARADE is a sweet and amusing love story that takes place during a Christmas celebration — and it was inspired by my desire to give young Anthony Moore, who was only fourteen when we first met him in A LIMITED ENGAGEMENT, his own grown-up love story.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I like to have classical playing while I write — but it has to be instruments only! No words, or I’ll be distracted.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
For my Regency novels, I am completely inspired by Georgette Heyer’s romances. Her stories are so rich in historical detail that you really feel like you’re there! I love the way she uses the slang of the period. Also, her books are really funny and still romantic.
For mystery novels, I love cozy and historical mysteries like Elizabeth Peters, Charlotte MacLeod, and Barbara Hambly. It’s fun to be an armchair time-traveler.

What are you working on now?
I am currently writing an historical mystery novel featuring Gilbert & Sullivan of comic opera fame. My amateur sleuth, Lucy Turner, is a young woman who becomes very close to both men, and the mysteries she solves will take her from the fascinating backstage world of the theater to elegant aristocratic country houses.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’ve got a Facebook fan page, and I like to hang out on Facebook a lot! You can find me at https://www.facebook.com/AuthorSaraleeEtter/

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write a lot of stories! Keep writing. Don’t let yourself get hung up on perfectionism, because you need lots of practice to get better.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
There’s no such thing as “overnight success,” so keep writing.

What are you reading now?
THRICE THE BRINDED CAT HATH MEW’D by Alan Bradley, RUDDY GORE by Kerry Greenwood, and THE WAY WE LIVE NOW by Anthony Trollope. Plus lots of research on Gilbert and Sullivan!

What’s next for you as a writer?
Launching my Gilbert and Sullivan mystery series! The first story is called A SHORT SHARP SHOCK, which will be Lucy Turner’s first murder investigation.
How can a proper Victorian miss find out who killed the handsome young curate at the country house party? And what if her mother finds out what she’s doing?

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 MUMMY CASE by Elizabeth Peters, CARPE JUGULUM by Terry Pratchett, THOSE WHO HUNT THE DEAD by Barbara Hambly, and REST YOU MERRY by Charlotte MacLeod.

Author Websites and Profiles
Saralee Etter Website
Saralee Etter Amazon Profile

Saralee Etter’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hi, I’m Ryan Ringbloom, a Jersey girl who doesn’t write Alphas. I couldn’t if I tried. Social Media stresses me the frick out, yet I can’t seem to walk away from it. I love to binge watch TV. I think cats are awesome. I’m obsessed with coffee and Fireball. But never together. My road rage is ridiculous. And if there is ever a zombie apocalypse, I won’t even try to run. I will let the first one I see eat my brain and get it over with.
I have published eight books, my latest is The Two-Night One-Night Stand.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest release is The Two-Night One-Night Stand. It’s a romantic comedy inspired by the fact that I was in need of some serious laughs. I decided to reach back to my twenties for some awkwardly funny memories and use them in this book.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Twisting my hair and over-snacking.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I’ve always been an avid reader but Abbi Glines and Kelly Mooney were my first introduction to awesome Indie reads!

What are you working on now?
The Two-Night One-Night Wedding.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I like to use NetGalley, it gets people reading and hopefully sharing. The best way to promote is through word of mouth.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
If you don’t have thick skin…get it quick!!

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

What are you reading now?
The Awkward Holiday Anthology.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I don’t know… but the magic eight ball told me “OUTLOOK GOOD”.

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 Vincent Boys, Harry Potter Books 6 and 7 and 50 Shades!!!!

Author Websites and Profiles
Ryan Ringbloom Website
Ryan Ringbloom Amazon Profile

Ryan Ringbloom’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I seriously began my writing career three years ago (I say seriously because I would like to forget my first attempt at a writing career). I started out as an architect-contractor and then morphed into a computer I.T. and business consultant. The writing bug never left me, so I decided to give it another go, as I said, three years ago. My first published novel, Sheaves of Zion, won a Readers’ Favorite book award for fiction-mystery-sleuth in 2013. I felt the heavens part after that. My most recent book, Swarm Theory, is the second in the series and have received four and five star reviews.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
As I’ve said, my latest book is Swarm Theory. It’s a murder-mystery thriller (I know publicist hate this description) set in the Southeastern U.S and partly in the Middle East and North Africa. What inspired me to write this book was a single but not so simple question: How could we rid the world of terrorism? Fictionalizing this topic was easy after brainstorming the various ways one could do this. Many thrillers have been written on the subject so a fresh view needed to be broached. The story’s protagonist Dr. Thelonious Zones must find out who’s behind a series of bombings in and around Atlanta, Georgia and the murder of a young Arab college student. He must do this while also investigating the twenty-four year old murder of his mother. Needless to say, the action is non-stop.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
At the expense of grossing out your readers, I tend to not bath for days (or until my wife says enough! Stinky pooh) when in the middle of writing a book. It’s a bad habit I’ve kept from college when preparing to present a design project. We (I wasn’t the only student to do this) would pull all nighters for days in our studios, foregoing the sometimes long walk back to and from our dorms to shower. The hour saved could mean the difference between a pass or fail – or so we thought. As I reflect now on those days, the true reason for this habit was the fear of not being in your studio working when the professor made surprise visits to the school at ungodly times such as 2:00 am. I perhaps fear that the writing gods would finally visit my office to bless me with literary success and instead of being at my desk writing I’m in the shower.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Authors who were an early influence on me were Richard Wright and James Baldwin. Their seminal novels Native Son and Go Tell It on the Mountain respectively, allowed me to see the power of words. In that same vein so did the playwright Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun. My early youth was spent obsessing over how I could emulate JD Salinger’s protagonist Holden Caulfield without my mother taking my life. But the author who set me on the path to becoming a mystery writer is Edgar Allen Poe. The Fall of the House of Usher still stands as the zenith in mystery literature. Contemporary authors who are on my reading list are Walter Mosley (my writing has been compared to his) and George Peleconas who I consider the Shakespeare of crime fiction. His writing for the HBO series The Wire is perhaps the best ever.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on a number of projects, one being the third book in the Thelonious Zones saga titled The Path to Kriya. It’s a crime mystery, of course, in which Zones must profile a serial killer before…well… they serial kill. Look for it between late 2017 and spring 2018. I’m also in the very early stage of writing a story of literary fiction set in the early 19th century, with a crime-mystery storyline. I can’t give a projected date for its publication (that’s just how early it is). I’m also planning an indie author book and music festival in Atlanta. My company sponsors and organizes a jazz festival in the North Georgia mountains and we’re looking to expand it to Atlanta but with the added component of literature. I am accepting any offers of volunteering for the project. See my website www.ewsullivan.com for details.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I live on twitter. It is perhaps the first method. Sites like Awesomegang is another one. By the way, writing the book is a whole lot easier that promoting it – at least for me. I really appreciate venues like this to help get the word out.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I know it’s a cliche, but keep writing. Before you do, take time to study the craft. You don’t need a MFA, but you do have to put in the same amount of work. There are many workshops and online classes one can take to improve his or her writing. I started this interview by saying I try to forget my earlier attempts at a writing career. That’s because I jumped into it without knowing how to swim. It wasn’t until months of study that I felt learned enough to pen my first novel. Indie authors make the mistake believing we are in competition with other indie authors. No! My belief is that I’m competing with the James Pattersons of the genre and I study the craft to make sure that I can.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best life advice I’ve heard is to trust in God, and the second is liken unto it: trust in yourself. The best literary advise I’ve heard is to make sure that the only difference (in quality) between your writing and that of an Edgar winner is the name on the book.

What are you reading now?
I have a backlog of reading: Natchez Burning by Greg Iles. The Red Queen Dies by Frankie Bailey. All The Lucky Ones are Dead by Gar Anthony Haywood. Violent Spring by Gary Phillips. Lust, Money & Murder by Mike Wells

What’s next for you as a writer?
I want to continue to improve my craft. I would love to win an Edgar if only they allowed indie authors. As I’ve mentioned, I’m in the early stage of planning an indie author book and music festival that I would like to take nationally. In between all this, I’ll be working on my next book The Path to Kriya. I’ll be pretty busy.

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
E W Sullivan Website
E W Sullivan Amazon Profile
E W Sullivan Author Profile on Smashwords

E W Sullivan’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
If you count the terrible books I wrote when I was a teenager, I have completed at least five novels. I’ve only published one so far – LONG LIVE DEAD RECKLESS.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
LONG LIVE DEAD RECKLESS was born on a dare. My husband wanted me to write him as a vampire and since I didn’t have any big ideas at the time, I just went for it. The earliest version of this novel was just 8,000 words and was technically fan-fiction based on our lives. Once I realized how much fun the story could be, I took us out of the storyline and gave the characters their own story.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Other than writing waaaaaay too late at night?

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Delilah S. Dawson and Diana Gabaldon

What are you working on now?
I’m currently prepping the LLDR sequel, FOR THE AGES, for publication in March.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m very new to book promotion, but I’m trying about a half a dozen right now so I’ll know which work the best soon!

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t compare yourself when you read. Be inspired by other authors, not intimidated. My writing has grown so much over the last decade because I’ve read incredible authors who challenged me to stretch my skill set. I only wish I’d spent more time celebrating our unique voices and less time feeling inadequate.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.” – Epicurus

What are you reading now?
I have about three unread books on my bed stand, but I just started Meg Little Reilly’s WE ARE UNPREPARED.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Surviving the publication process of FOR THE AGES! It’s a gauntlet to get books ready for readers, but it’s exciting to keep fine-tuning sentences until they sing.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
That’s so hard! But I guess the Bible, FANGIRL, WICKED AS THEY COME, and A THOUSAND PIECES OF YOU.

Author Websites and Profiles
Safari Spell Amazon Profile

Safari Spell’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a native Texan, a bit on the older side (but that’s our secret okay!) who loves to read everyday. Now that the children are all grown up and it’s just hubs and I, an attempt to write a few books – that have been rattling around in my head for years – seemed like a good plan. At least I hope it was!
My very first book: Murder at the Knife’s Edge is the first book in the Mystic Pines Mystery series. I hope you folks enjoy it.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Murder at the Knife’s Edge, book one of the Mystic Pines Mystery series.
A native Texan, I’ve always loved the smaller hidden away towns one can find here. There’s always a unique and quirky group of people to be found in these smaller towns and that was what I wanted to portray in my series.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Well, I don’t think so, but if you ask my husband: I tend to carry on conversations with myself and he finds that a bit unusual.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I would have to say Wendy Corsi Staub and Heather Graham. I love their books and would like to be able to write that well someday.

What are you working on now?
I’m currently working on the second book in the Mystic Pines series as well as an idea for a YA Sci-Fi Novel series.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
For now, it’s my website/blog,facebook page, and Goodreads, but I’m working on finding other places as well. I’d truly like to connect with some readers.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Only for those who might be sitting at home thinking about writing a book. Just DO IT! Just jump in there, start writing and see where it takes you. When I say this is my first book, talking about my own, it literally is my first book! I simply woke up one morning and decided to start writing and wound up here. You just never know where an idea will take you till you dive in and give it a shot.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
To just write . . . without worrying about chapters and scenes and punctuation (not my thing at all) and let the editor worry about the rest. Once I relaxed about the punctuation part, the story became better.

What are you reading now?
I’m just about done with Hargrove House, The Haunted Book One, by Allie Harrison. Great story so far!!

What’s next for you as a writer?
To just keep on going with my Mystic Pines series, but also try something different. I’d love to write a haunted house or ghost story as well as Sci-Fi. I’ll just keep on writing and see where the adventure 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?
Hmmm let’s see . . . The Shinning by Stephen King, The Blackstone Chronicles by John Saul, A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens, and Portrait of Jennie by Robert Nathan.

Author Websites and Profiles
T.G. Hanson Website
T.G. Hanson Amazon Profile

T.G. Hanson’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hi, this is my first full length novel. I’m an actor. I guess I love words…spoken or written. I started off writing for stage. My first play was a comedy, second one serious drama, third on surreal comedy. I really like ‘the surreal’ angle on writing as it gives a lot of zanny power to the comedy. I’ve found that ‘truth’ is stranger than fiction in real life and I believe that taking things to a ‘surreal’ level can say just as much truthfully and accurately as any kind of attempt to create ‘Social Realism’ in a play or a film. I’ve been filming and editing plays( the film of the play) for the past two years . We’ve just applied for crowdfunding for a feature film. So that’s my life, basically writing, acting and filming. There’s not a lot of money in it but like most actors I’m addicted to acting and do it all for the love of it

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The book is ‘Angel Bootcamp’. the book is a comedy of errors. It started off as a stage play about a young lawyer.It was basically about all the worst things that could happen to him in one night. I re-wrote it as him becoming an angel because it would give him the opportunity to really mess his world up. It made it possible to bring in the surreal concept of a ‘Parallel Universe’ and play around with that.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Na, not really,I assume that most writers do what I do and that is to write early in the morning and late in the evening every day to get it done.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
To be honest I don’t have time to read a lot but Shakespeare has influenced me a lot. The finest plots , dialogue and charecterization is all there in his plays. Jane Austen is also a major influence. She is so worth it if you want to see amazing characters.

What are you working on now?
I’ve got three quarters of the sequel to the first book written already. I

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Sites like ‘Awesomegang.’ are good but it is good advice to put in a sample chapter of your sequal at the end of your book, and an email contact, and offer to send a free copy of the next book if they would kindly do a review of this book.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
GIVE UP,GIVE IN …OR GIVE EVERYTHING.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
‘Writing is STRUCTURE’ and… when you leave Drama College get trained up in a ‘Trade’ or skill that can actually pay the bills while you await the amazing ‘Breakthrough’ that is going to happen in your Acting career … if it ever does.

What are you reading now?
The history of the ‘Magna Carta’. that is the basis of your own American constitution and ours. Those guys back then had a lot of problems that we face now: People in charge lining their own pockets, corruption in office and the common people getting less and less rights. .. We need a ‘NEW’ ‘Magna Carta’.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m doing notes on a book about the essentials of ‘Copy writing’. I was a free-lance Copywriter for a while. I’m also taking notes for a future book on the Ten ‘must do’ Commandments for leaving Drama College.

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, Raymond Chandlers ‘The big Sleep’ and the bible.

Author Websites and Profiles
Noel Franson Amazon Profile

Noel Franson’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I began writing books in 2008 after many years of studying Scripture. My goal is to educate Christians into a mature reading level where Scripture is concerned. Up to date I have written eighteen books/e-books on Bible Prophecy.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest e-book is “False Doctrines; Misconceptions Inside the Church.” Having studied Scripture since a child of eight and hearing many different interpretations of Scripture, I felt it was time to show through careful and thought provoking scriptures that many of today’s Church doctrines are based upon men’s doctrines and not Jesus’ doctrines.
Too often Church leaders have relied upon one line Scriptures to prove their doctrines, rather than listening to entire paragraphs to understand exactly what Jesus’ points were. Furthermore, they have ignored when Jesus used the singular as opposed to the plural in Scripture. When Jesus used the singular, He was speaking about only one individual. Usually it was Himself. It is only when He used the plural that we are to apply Scripture to ourselves. This is key to rightfully understanding Scripture.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
My style of writing is unique. I force those who are reading my books to answer questions that cause them to use their minds, not just accept what they have been taught. God gave us a mind for a reason. Just because someone says he is a preacher sent by God and has a Church building, doesn’t prove he was actually sent by God. He must speak the words of God accurately if he was actually sent by God.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The Bible is the only book that has influenced my life. I use the concordance along with the Bible for accuracy.

What are you working on now?
I just completed my eighteenth book. I am currently advertising it.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Any and all promotion is good. I use free sites myself.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
If you desire to write and have your writings read, keep a tough attitude and expect delays. Anything worth its weight is always an uphill battle.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best advice I have ever heard is that whatever you do, do it with honesty.

What are you reading now?
I continue to study Scripture. This is my passion.

What’s next for you as a writer?
As a writer of prophetic books, I don’t follow the news. I follow Scripture. The news eventually will follow Scripture as well.

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?
Alone with my Bible and a concordance, I could study my way into another few books to write. I write to educate others, not for pleasure. It is my calling.

Author Websites and Profiles
Jesus Villalobos Website

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My husband comes from a large and loving family of nine children, and they were the inspiration for the Adler Family Series. I’ve always been an avid reader of love stories, and my passion for romance found another outlet when I discovered how much fun it was to write about my own smart and sexy heroes and heroines.
I am also an ardent and devoted student of personal development. Weaving the life changing principles that guided me to the love of my life and to a happy marriage is an important aspect of all of my books.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
“You Light Up My Life ~ Olivia & Tyler, The Adlers Book 5” has been submitted to the Kindle Scout program for publishing consideration. I’ve been looking forward to writing Olivia and Tyler’s story as they have known each other since childhood and had a “secret” crush on one another. Adding a near death experience and the loss of a loved one made writing this novel both interesting and challenging. Here’s the nomination link if anyone would like to see what it’s about. https://kindlescout.amazon.com/p/AV4PF9Z7LHAB If you nominate this book and it is selected, you will receive a free copy. ;o)

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write daily, Many times I ask a question about what my story should include or where a scene should go before I go to sleep. Usually, by the time I wake up the next morning a very good answer is there for me.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I’m a romantic at heart. I fell in love with Scarlett and Brett’s love story in “Gone With the Wind” as a teen. Since then I’ve become a big fan of Nora Roberts, Bella Andre, Jill Shalvis, and too many more to name.

What are you working on now?
Currently, I’m working on “The Things We Do For Love ~ Luke & Shelly, The Adlers Book 6”. This couple played a significant role in “Bad Case of Lovin’ You ~ Brooke & Zack, The Adlers Book 2” and again in “You Light Up My Life ~ Olivia & Tyler, The Adlers Book 5”.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I write a blog 3 – 4 times a month – always on some aspect of romance and relationships. Readers who are interested are encouraged to sign up to receive Advance Reader Copies of my upcoming books. In addition, I am active on Facebook and Twitter.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Have faith. Keep going. Keep growing and learning.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“A professional writer is an amateur who didn’t quit.” ~ Richard Bach

What are you reading now?
Sam’s Song: A Sam Smith Mystery, Book 1 by Hannah Howe – another talented indie author!

What’s next for you as a writer?
First is to finish the Adler Series. Since I’m now on the 6th of 10 books, I expect to finish in 2018. After that I plan to stick to 3 or 4 book series in the contemporary romance genre.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Bible, Gone With the Wind, and the biggest complication romance bundle I could find.

Author Websites and Profiles
Anita Louise Website
Anita Louise Amazon Profile
Anita Louise Author Profile on Smashwords

Anita Louise’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’d a college educated woman with a love for words. I find pleasure in storytelling and igniting others’ imaginations. There is nothing like the crisp, leafy smell of a paperback novel but I understand how busy life can get so I write ebook formats as well. I write from experience and my unfiltered thoughts flow out of my fingertips and onto my keyboard, coming together to bring you a five star novel that you won’t soon forget!

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Book 2 (The sequel) is named “Poppy Hollow” and it follows it’s five star prequel “Sugar Whipped.” My inspiration is purely driven from the heart as I was once walking about in the heel of the Head Dominatrix/Madam of a popular dungeon in Texas. The trilogy you will be exposed to is a TRUE STORY, only changing character’s names and teeny tiny bits here and there for privacy’s sake. True LIFE and all the things it comes with, the good and the bad is what inspired the trilogy.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m a night owl. I also have a 9-5 at the moment so writing during the day is sometimes an issue. I like it that way though, as I find that with the setting of the sun and the rising of the moon, my creativity grows as the night progresses, sometimes turning into daylight. Also, I need noise in the background in order to write productively. If it’s too quite, it gets too loud…if that makes sense.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I’ve loved books my entire life. BUT, as for inspirational authors I wouldnt be able to answer that with a name or a title. I was inspired by me. By all of that occurred within the eight years I lived a double life.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I love Twitter! I love the Look4books.com site and I love Amazon! I’ve done both published and indie and I find all these three social media sites are very helpful in promoting either type.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Yes. Don’t give up! Just as in anything else in life you will have your good days and you will have your bad days. On the bad days always remember that they don’t last and it’s only a matter of time till you hit another good day. There are ups and downs, sometimes so many more interruptions than you expect that you might feel like just giving up and forgetting the entire “silly idea.” I thought this many times, that is until I received my first contract from a well known publisher. After I saw and held my first book in my hands, the feeling of accomplishment was so over-whelming and amazing I knew that all the bad days were well worth it. So really, don’t give up! Just write!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
There are way too many cliches I could write on here but honestly even the BEST ones are only as good as they are received by the person who is willing to listen. No amount of “good advice” is going to help someone who has already given up or began to doubt oneself. So with that I guess a great piece of advice would be “Don’t doubt yourself. There are plenty of people who will do that for you. Don’t be one of those people, instead show them how wrong they were to ever doubt you in the first place.”

What are you reading now?
Right now I’m reading shorts here and there. Mostly for kix. I don’t have much time to read lately as I’ve put publishing my trilogy in it’s entirety first and foremost. I usually have to always have some sort of reading material every where I go. Quite honestly, lately I have been concentrating on me and my own work in progress. Still a short or two every week or so clears my head.

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I started on this journey to writing as part of my day job; I had encouraged others on my team do to nanowrimo so they could get more comfortable with writing small things like PowerPoint presentations or blog posts. If you’re not familiar with nanowrimo, every November people from all over the world try to write a 50,000-word book in 30 days. After I challenged them, I said I’d write a book too to set an example. Three books and three years later, here I am.

I still have a day job. I’m a single mom raising two teenagers, and I went a little crazy when the local shelter had an adoption special. We have 5 cats, which is about 4 cats too many.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Catalyst is the name of my most recent book. It’s the second in the Jo Benally series, picking up where Beacon left off. Part of the inspiration comes from the scientific explanation for the word – the catalyst begins the reaction in any given experiment. However, the lead character is a catalyst for other people. Her role as a pastor defines her trying to help save her congregation’s very souls, with Jesus as her catalyst. There are many reasons behind the title.

The Jo Benally series is probably closest to the Anita Blake series by Laurell K. Hamilton, particularly in regard to having a strong female protagonist and moderate levels of sex and violence. I also have to say that Stephen King has always been my biggest influence as a writer. His innate gift with giving small simple details fresh elements of true horror. My books may not be a great fit for TWILIGHT fans, as BEACON definitely doesn’t shy away from exploring some of the darkest parts of what makes us human. In that, it’s a lot like the Mercy Thompson series where humanity is constantly reshaping core concepts of inclusion, evil, and fundamental rights in a world where humans are aware of and must interact with vampires, werewolves, shapeshifters, and the fae.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I have a writing chair in my house. It’s my safe space and the only place I can really create. I don’t know that it’s unusual. I can edit anywhere. I can only write in my chair.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I mentioned before that I love Stephen King. I started out as a playwright, so I bring to the table excellent scene-setting and dialogue. Some of my favorite playwrights are French: I like Sartre a lot.

But I am a reading addict and I’m always reading something. You can keep up with my tastes on Goodreads. I dabble across all genres: I love Richard Adams, Diana Gabaldon, Jack McDevitt, and lately I’ve been re-reading David Farland. Because of that diversity, my own writing tends to be hard to pin into one genre. The strongest feedback I’ve received from readers is that they a) can’t stop thinking about my book after they’ve read it and b) can’t figure out what genre I belong in. I’ve gotten Christian Contemporary, Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Romance, Contemporary Crack, and Horror. I believe a story should teach us about who we are and what we believe. BEACON and CATALYST are designed to do that, under the guise of vampire popcorn literature.

What are you working on now?
Actually, I needed an emotional break. The US election cycle has really drained me – I probably care more about politics and civic leadership than I should. So I’m writing a business book about how to hack into a career in digital analytics (my day job career).

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’ve had the most success with Facebook ads and Goodreads giveaways. Since my background is in marketing, you can believe I’d tried just about every other marketing method.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Just write. You have a story within your fingertips that the world deserves to read. The hardest thing about writing is silencing your own inner critic. My best advice: write the story that is in your heart, and worry about everything else later – editing, proofing, publishing, marketing, etc. Write for you. Then worry about everyone else.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
[Feel free to edit this if you need to] When I was in middle school, my parents debated the need for us to have a family motto. I’m not really sure what inspired it – maybe it was just the thing people did back in the 80’s. My father lobbied diligently for our family motto to be “Fuck the Dumb Shit.” My mother, a proper Southern woman, never allowed it. But even though it’s not a great family motto, it’s great advice that has always stuck with me. Thanks, Dad!

What are you reading now?
Time Travelers Never Die by Jack McDevitt. I also finished reading a beta copy of Domain, by indie author Vincent Wade. I like reading work by other indie authors and I always welcome a review exchange.

What’s next for you as a writer?
After the business book, I’ll settle down for the third book in the Jo Benally series. I’m also working on a spinoff book to really tell the story of Jenna Smith (she’s dead in the Jo Benally series but I’d like to go back and write her story).

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?
Watership Down – Richard Adams
The Stand – Stephen King
IT – Stephen King
Echo – Terry Moore

Author Websites and Profiles
November Ellison Website
November Ellison Amazon Profile

November Ellison’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account