Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve always had a passion for discovering ways of removing obstacles that limit human potential, and for finding simple solutions to complex problems. I’ve been working on The Slim Habit for more than ten years. I may sound a long time, but I’ve written several versions and deliberately not published them. The reason? I wanted to make sure that The Slim Habit that I did publish would answer people’s problems, that it could change their lives for the better. In a world burdened by an obesity epidemic, where those in need of an answer to their weight problems have been ill-served by diet fads and quick fixes, my prime motivation has been to reveal the true facts, simply and clearly, about why people put on weight. The aim of the book is to offer a better understanding about exactly why weight gain happens, and to provide an easy-to-do way of losing it – permanently.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Slim Habit fulfills my ambition to provide a solution that I believe will make a real and lasting difference to peoples’ lives.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write small sections at a time and ensure that I have my facts right. Much of what I do is interpreting facts and putting them into a language that can be easily understood – and that resonate with the reader.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Dr Robert Lustig – my hero – and of course John Yudkin

What are you working on now?
I’m putting all my efforts into marketing The Slim Habit right now.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I think I’ve yet to discover the best method – my website www.slimhabit.com works well…

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Inspiration comes from lots of hard work

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I think the best advice is not to give advice!

What are you reading now?
Pour Me by AA Gill

What’s next for you as a writer?
More research, more reading.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
I’d like to stretch this a little and take the complete works of Charles Dickens

Author Websites and Profiles
John McPhie Website
John McPhie Amazon Profile

John McPhie’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I live in the North of England, I was born in Liverpool, but my family travelled around a fair bit when I was a child so I don’t have the ‘Scouse’ accent, although I have inherited that quirky sense of humour!
I have been writing for so long I can’t count, and had some articles and poems published in magazines and papers, and won a few competitions. Then, in 2011 I woke from a vivid dream, and wrote the story down. It was a traditional Western and was taken on by the first publisher I sent it to! They have now published three of mine. I also have 2 full length Western Romances and one novella length in an anthology, a true dog story in another anthology, and a short supernatural book, all published by an American publisher. Last year, a different American publisher accepted my latest work, a full length Contemporary Romance with a touch of the Supernatural. So in all, that makes nine published works now. And I can’t help but smile when I say – I sell cowboys to America!’

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
It is called ‘The Gypsy’s Kiss,’ and was sort of inspired by an old cottage my husband and I moved into many years ago.It was almost as bad as the one in the story, and in it, I felt many of the same sensations experienced by the heroine, Sofia, including the the knowledge of a ghost hanging around the old place.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Being British, I drink gallons of tea! I often play music to match the mood of the piece I am working on at the time. Although I don’t think either of these are particularly unusual as such!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Oh, now that’s a hard one.I read in lots of genres and can’t really point to any one author or book in particular. I do think that as writers, we collect information from other authors and books by osmosis.

What are you working on now?
I like to work on more than one project, then if I should get ‘stuck’ on anything, I can hop over to another one! On the go right now, I have another Western Romance, a Romance set in 1920s England, and a Medieval Romance, and I am working on a poetry anthology and some stories for children.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Well, up to now, I have tended to rely mostly on Facebook and Twitter, word of mouth and talks, I am ashamed to say I have only just realised that Goodreads carried author interviews!

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Never give up! I know, it’s a cliche, right? But it really is true. If you give up, you will never know how good you could have been!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Never give up. See above. It took me a long, long time and one heck of a lot of rejections, but eventually I had just the right book for just the right publisher, at just the right time!

What are you reading now?
I have a huge TBR pile to get through, but the one on my Kindle this week is ‘The Unexpected Bride,’ by Lena Goldfinch. It is a Mail Order Bride story with a twist!

What’s next for you as a writer?
More writing, hopefully more work published, and to be able to get a children’s book published.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Oh dear, that’s a tough one! Hang on, let me shuffle through the untidy filing cabinet that is my brain. Hmmm. One would be ‘Tim,’ by Colleen McCullough, ‘The Complete Winnie the Pooh,’ by A.A. Milne, Because all of human life is there and Winnie can always make me smile, no matter how bad a day I’ve had. Then, as its a desert island and I’d need to know how to survive, the last one would have to be ‘The SAS Survival Handbook!’

Author Websites and Profiles
Jill McDonald-Constable Website

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I live in the greater Birmingham, Al area with my wife, daughter and 2 dogs. I have one novel-length book out, The Bow of Destiny which is the first book of an epic fantasy series, The Bow of Hart Saga. I’m currently working to complete the next two books for publication this year: An Arrow Against the Wind (due out Spring of 2017) and The White Arrow (due out Summer or Fall of 2017).

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Bow of Destiny is a book that I started decades ago and finally finished after several false starts. It grew out of my interest in fantasy fiction which continues today. I don’t know that it has any specific inspiration other than my own interest in writing my own fantasy fiction

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not really, I’m pretty much distracted and procrastinating like most other authors. Look, squirrel!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The fantasy authors I’ve read and like are numerous but include the obligatory Tolkien as well as Robert Jordan, Ursula K. LeGuin, Patricia K. McKillip, Anne McCaffrey. More current authors I like include Brent Weeks and Michael J. Sullivan.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on completing The Bow of Hart Saga this year and moving onto some other fantasy series that I have in mind (I can’t say much about these at this point but maybe in a few months).

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
There’s no one best method. Use some of your royalty income to put into marketing. Be multi-faceted with blogging, guest blog appearances, sales ads, promotional services and an email list. Be consistent and use a budget and use as many channels as possible.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Work diligently at the craft and marketing. Don’t be in a hurry with the first book and get it right. Be practical about results and view things through a long-term lens.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Wherever you go, there you are – or, be present in the moment. Also I like, “Luck favors the prepared.”

What are you reading now?
I’m reading The Wilds by James Derry which is the sequel to his first book, Idyll. I look forward to digging into several other books later this year by C. S. Boyack and Mae Clair.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m currently working to finish the rest of The Bow of Hart Saga by publishing the next book, An Arrow Against the Wind in late April. The last book, The White Arrow, will be published in June/July or September. I have several projects beyond those books that I’m preparing to begin. I also hope to go to print with The Bow of Hart Saga this year and possibly expand into other forms of media as opportunities present themselves.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
I think about this practically. I would want a book about general survival, one about gardening techniques and then I’d choose one book for entertainment and another for spiritual focus. For entertainment I’d choose Lord of the Rings as a boxset. Since I’m from a Judeo-Christian tradition I’d take a Bible – it has lots of stories and teachings which provide a variety of thoughtful reading and maybe inspiration to deal with a desert island.

Author Websites and Profiles
P. H. Solomon Website
P. H. Solomon Amazon Profile
P. H. Solomon Author Profile on Smashwords

P. H. Solomon’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Creative writing brings me joy. During forty years of my business career I created marketing and business development plans in various industries. In real estate I won “The Dallas Business Journal Award 2000 in Retail Development”.

The guiding light for my life has been love and wisdom through a spiritual phenomenon called The Mystical Traveler Consciousness. Stepping into the living love of the spiritual heart is like having a flashlight in the darkness of the soul. With the Light of God through exercising the living spirit within, you can step into an awareness that will lift and assist you in your life’s lessons.

My first two non-fiction books, “A Dream is a Wish the Heart Makes” and “Do You Have a Dream?” are based on my spiritual life experiences.

“Do You Have a Dream? 140 Insights into Building Confidence, Overcoming Stress & Loving Yourself”, you will have 140 of my best insights to assist you in focusing on and discovering more of the wisdom, truth, and beauty within you. Currently available as an E Book and audio book. A soft cover book and journal will be published soon.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Today the term “mystic” is associated with the occult, magic, astrology and tarot readings. I want to educate people to know that the mystical is not dark magic nor should you be ostracized. Being a mystic is a spiritual, religious, and transcendental experience.

Our world is in a process of change, and change is one of the key elements to most people’s discomfort and distraction from their happiness. But change doesn’t have to be difficult. In Do You Have a Dream?, you will find keys to:

Understand change.

Redefine change so it doesn’t have to be distressing.

Use situations of change to propel yourself forward, not hold yourself back.

Empower yourself no matter what life throws at you.

Do you need a job? Have a glass ceiling to break? Or maybe life has thrown you a sudden obstacle that seems impossible to tackle. Though the techniques presented here appear simple, they are powerful and can produce results within 30 days. Their effectiveness for you is limited only by your willingness to work them.

Who made the rule that change has to be hard? Do You Have a Dream? will assist you in making your changes easily, pleasurably, safely, and with joy and enthusiasm.

“Do You Have a Dream? 140 Insights into Building Confidence, Overcoming Stress & Loving Yourself”, you will have 140 of my best insights to assist you in focusing on and discovering more of the wisdom, truth, and beauty within you. Currently available as an E Book and audio book. A soft cover book and journal will be published soon.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Music is important to me. I enjoy listening to Pandora radio’s many inspirational channels as I write.

Visions in my meditations guide my writing. Often early in the morning I find myself channeling words on paper from a dream the night before.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
My favorite genre is historical fiction. Ray Bradbury, James Mitchner, Ken Follett, Ernst Hemingway, James Faulkner, Murakami to name a few are who have inspired me.

I read Ray Bradbury’s short stories often. The rich language in his works wraps me in poetic voice.

Mitchner taught me how to layer a story with people, places, and time.

I am learning from Ken Follett the pacing of characters and arc of story.

What are you working on now?
I am writing my first novel, “Einstein’s Compass: a Novel of What If”
What if…
… Albert Einstein, one of the greatest minds of the 20th century, was actually working with supernatural forces beyond imagination?
… young Einstein, at the age of six, received an ancient compass from pre-history that changed the course of his life and upon which balanced the very destiny of Earth?
… Einstein, a brilliant mathematician, was the reincarnation of a leading priest-scientist who lived during the time of Atlantis and whose twin brother, through a DNA experiment gone awry, was transformed into an immortal shape-shifting, power mad dragon?
… Einstein became a key player in the unseen battle between Light and Darkness?
Einstein’s Compass takes readers on a hero’s adventure through time and across dimensions. It is a blend of historical fact and imaginative fantasy that challenges readers to distinguish between them.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I wrote on my blog how to promote books. http://www.modernmysticmedia.com/new-book-marketing-tools-authorpreneurs/

www.AuthorU.org is a non-profit that teaches authors how to promote and publish their work.
Judith Briles is the Director who has podcasts, on-line workshops, a once a year Extravaganza where authors and publishing experts meet to share the latest and greatest in marketing and publishing.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
If you are writing fiction, write a book of non-fiction based on your expertise.
If you are writing non-fiction, write a book of fiction.

Build your platform of readers by connecting on social media.

Find author friends you can network with to keep your love for your work going.

Read in your genre. Get to know authors you like.

Follow the passion of your heart that shows you the story that wants to be shared.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Writing is a marathon not a sprint. It takes time to write, publish and market yourself.

No one is going to do anything for you to make you successful. The entire project of writing,
and marketing will be up to you even if you have a traditional publisher. Its up to you.

What are you reading now?
Havana: An Earl Swagger Novel

The Alchemist by Paul Coelho

How to Get Great Book Reviews By: Carolyn Howard Johnson

What’s next for you as a writer?
Complete my novel, “Einsteins Compass” writing, publishing and marketing.

Give workshops using “Do You Have a Dream?”

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?
Bradbury Stories: 100 of his most celebrated tales

The Alchemist by Paul Coelho

Hawaii and the Caribbean by James Mitchner

The Trilogy by Ken Follett

Author Websites and Profiles
Grace Allison Website
Grace Allison Amazon Profile
Grace Allison Author Profile on Smashwords

Grace Allison’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 writer/author based in Birmingham, UK. MORAL KIOSK, a time travel tale set in a near-future (but still very recognisable) London is my first novel, published by Kindle Press after I won a publishing deal via Kindle Scout. I have also had short stories published in Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine, Aphelion, Schlock! and a few other places. I’m currently working on a second, standalone, novel.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
MORAL KIOSK is really a story about people and some of the decisions we make in day-to-day life that we wish we could go back and correct, because hindsight is 20/20. The central conceit is extremely short-term time travel — hours, sometimes days, rather than years like in most time travel stories — and I tried to ground the story by making the characters seem real and relatable, deeply flawed though they are. They do come across as unlikeable at first, but that was kind of the point. Elaborating on the science and the world-building was secondary (although that was something I enjoyed, especially researching string theory and all the London locations). The primary goal was to create a character study of a boozy and dysfunctional male friendship: two young men who struggle with the rigours of daily life. Even though one of them is clearly an intellectual genius, he still doesn’t know how to talk to people. This was partly inspired by Samuel Beckett’s plays, the film Withnail & I, and even Sherlock (the TV show). Benedict Cumberbatch repeatedly sprang to mind when I was writing my lead character, Simon Fulbright.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write at a desk, but on a laptop. The desk is necessary because there is usually a cat on my lap. Music or some kind of background noise is a necessity rather than a distraction.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Stephen King’s use of parenthesis and lively prose to tell all manner of dark stories (Pet Semetary springs to mind — especially the theme of bringing someone back from the dead), Ted Chiang’s sci-fi parables about the “human condition”, and Paul Auster’s elegant writing and at times nihilistic narrators. I also tended to think in terms of film and TV when plotting the novel. I’m particularly drawn to anthology shows such as Black Mirror and Inside Number 9 — anything that uses genre as metaphor.

What are you working on now?
I’m interested in the real and fictional potential of virtual reality and augmented reality, which is still in its infancy in some ways, but it’s not hard to extrapolate sci-fi ideas of how the tech could be used or abused. My second novel is set in my home city of Birmingham, England, and is a thematic sequel to MORAL KIOSK, although not an actual sequel.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I have had some success with The Fussy Librarian, but mostly tend to use Twitter. Fingers crossed for a Bookbub promotion from Kindle Press one day.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write one page per day.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Again, write one page per day. Paul Auster does this, but he spends eight hours on said page. I couldn’t spend that long on mine as I have a day job.

What are you reading now?
With Nails by Richard E Grant.

What’s next for you as a writer?
A lot of journalism and as much fiction as I can find the time for.

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 Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger
Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets by David Simon
How to Survive on a Deserted Island by Tim O’Shei
How to Build Wooden Boats by Edwin Monk

Maybe Life of Pi too.

Author Websites and Profiles
Ryan Daff Website
Ryan Daff Amazon Profile

Ryan Daff’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hi! I write Viking and Georgian romance with a recent dip into hot contemporary romance. Viking romance is my first love and the genre I’m drawn to the most. That said, I still love writing Georgian and contemporary romance. Sometimes I need a break from the Norse hammers in my head.

I’m a hybrid author…traditionally published and a late-comer to self-publishing. I’ve written 7 books (2 will release later this year).

One crazy thing I’ve done is take a deep dive into research. Last summer I did an “Eat Like a Viking” series of blog posts. I cooked Viking meals as taken from a Viking cookbook written by two Nordic researchers. I made cheese, mead, unique breads, and veggie dishes along with meat. And yes, my family ate the food!

The big surprise? Vikings ate their kale! It was a key veggie for the big men along with turnips. Who knew?!?

This summer I’m switching gears and doing an “Eat Like a Georgian” series. I have European cookbooks with historical tidbits and recipes from the 18th century (the era of my Georgian romance novels). Stop by and check out my blog at ginaconkle.com.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Lady Meets Her Match is a loose play on Cinderella. Like all the books I write, the characters kept showing up in my head. I didn’t plan out the series so much as the characters took the lead and showed me what their story was.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
No. I like music to play according to my mood and the story. In winter I like to have a fire in the fireplace.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
My first favorite was the grand dame Kathleen Woodiwiss. She put romance on the map! Her novel ‘Wolf and the Dove’ was my first “adult romance” that I read. I was enthralled!

What are you working on now?
I’m working on a new Georgian series set in 1753. I can’t say much more than that at this time.

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

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write. Write. Write. Once you’ve finished that first book, set it aside and start another related book (i.e. to create a series because if readers fall in love with the world you created, they’ll want more of it). After a time, go back and revise the first book. Keep polishing it until it’s ready for submission or self-publication. Lastly, ask yourself if writing is your hobby or your profession. There is no right answer. However you answer, act accordingly.

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

What are you reading now?
Deep Work, a non-fiction book.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Possibly the 1753 proposal in progress.

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?
Yikes! That is tough! I know one would be the Bible. I’ve read it 3 times. The others? I’m not sure.

Author Websites and Profiles
Gina Conkle Website
Gina Conkle Amazon Profile

Gina Conkle’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
As an English major, my bent has ever been toward the written word; I’ve always been a voracious reader and continue to read one or two books each week. I like to be entertained, so I read fiction. In addition, I read the weekly U.K. Spectator, covering international news, opinion pieces, entertainment and the arts. I’ve been fortunate to have my resume include some wonderful jobs, including the Advertising Department of Playboy magazine at their home office in Chicago and also in the Department of University Graphics and Publications at Southern Illinois University where I enjoyed working with editors and writers, along with artists and designers.
When I left Playboy, the Editorial Department asked for me and I still mentally kick myself for declining the offer because at that time I hadn’t realized I wanted to be a writer. Imagine — Playboy Editorial! I could have had a foot in the door of a publishing company — and I turned it down. Duh.
The House of Tomorrow is the first in my Paul Gregory Series. The second book in the series is To Say Goodbye, The Devil Yawned is the third and I have recently completed The Gift of Rose. The Perfume Tree is a stand alone novel about life on a fictional island in the Caribbean.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I’ve just self-published The Gift of Rose, the last in the Paul Gregory Series. I plucked up my courage and aged Paul and Connie by about twenty years, as Rose is their 18-year-old daughter. They also have a 15-year-old son, trouble-prone Nick. Although Paul remains the handsome, enigmatic loner hero, his offspring now are coming of age.
Here’s what originally inspired me to write: Early in our marriage my husband asked me what I would be if I could be anything I chose. I immediately replied, “A writer,” at the time never dreaming I’d ever actually write a book. Well, he took me at my word and built a studio for me where I could write undisturbed and kept after me until I finally wrote my first novel, desperate for him to stop nagging. That book was The House of Tomorrow and was the first in what was to become my Paul Gregory series. That was back in 1997 and I’ve now completely rewritten it, bringing it into the 21st century and cutting 10,000+ words, thus making it a tighter, better read. So I must admit it was my darling husband who was my inspiration to begin writing.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I made an outline for my first book, but the characters took over and went their own ways, so I no longer bother with outlines. I have a general plan of what events will take place and a vague idea of how the story will end, but try not to force my characters to act or speak in certain ways or they will rebel. For example, in my first Paul Gregory book the hero turned out to be much more flawed than I’d planned and the guy who was to be a despicable knave turned out to be noble and self-sacrificing.
I edit all my own work and friends help me with cover creation and with technical challenges

Although I’ve always read that one must just write, sort of stream of consciousness with no editing until it’s finished, I cannot seem to follow this rule and feel I must edit before stopping for the day; the thought of leaving all sorts of mistakes behind is anathema to me. Then the next time I write I read over what I’d previously written and can more easily continue the train of thought.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I can’t say they’ve influenced me because we each have our own writing style, but those who have inspired me are Hope Muntz, Daniel Silva, Bernard Cornwell, Georgette Heyer, Rex Stout, Douglas Corleone, Steve Hamilton and so many others.

What are you working on now?
The book I’m writing now has not yet been named, but I can say that it is not in the Paul Gregory Series. What inspired it? I was trying to think of something that hasn’t already been done and came up with an idea that I think may work, perhaps because it is quite unorthodox.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m still a work in progress on this subject and cannot come up with a definitive answer. I’m dazzled by all the directions one can go.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I don’t feel I’m in a position to give advice, as I don’t obey any of the advice I’ve read from other writers. For example, I’m undisciplined. I’ve always been told I should write every day and sometimes weeks go by when I don’t write anything at all. And when I do write, it’s not easy for me. Some writers complain that while they’re working they don’t like to stop for meals or sleep; they only want to keep writing. With me, I’m continually checking the time to see if I can quit yet. Yes, writing is a chore, as far as I’m concerned; it’s not easy.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Write something — anything — every day and don’t worry about word count. I find that even when I don’t want to write and I push myself to knock some words out, it helps.

What are you reading now?
Just finished Me Before You by Jojo Moyes. What a wonderful book! And I’m about to start reading In the Unlikely Event by Judy Blume.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Becoming famous and putting some money in the bank, I hope.

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 Chicago Manual of Style and my Kindle which can access a public library so I’d have unlimited reading material.

Author Websites and Profiles
Adair Arlen Amazon Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
This is my first novel, but my first book was published back in 2003. It was a memoir called Culua: My Other Life in Mexico, and was essentially a love letter to my mother’s country. Part search for identity, part travel tale, it was my first foray into writing, and I’ve been hooked ever since.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is called THE BAY OF SHADOWS and it is about a woman called Elena Jameson, recently divorced and living in a big old house in a coastal town, who becomes temporary guardian to a six-year-old foster child, Daniel. It is about love, family, hope, and what happens when the child’s father tries to take him back.

The inspiration for this book’s setting was growing up by the sea, and that connection to nature. The water became almost like a character itself. The story itself is an exploration of love in its many different forms.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Good question! Other than staring at the wall, which I think most authors do… I have a plastic Pokey (Gumby’s pet horse) that sits atop my computer; he’s been there for every book I’ve written so I consider him a good-luck charm.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Undoubtedly, the biggest influence on me has been Gabriel Garcia Marquez. I read ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF SOLITUDE when I was 18 and it set me on this path from the very first page. His use of language and imagery just blew me away. It was the way he could draw you into a story – and take you to another world – that has stayed with me ever since.

What are you working on now?
I am working on a redraft of a previous novel at the moment. I thought it was time to go back and re-introduce myself to these wonderful characters who have been waiting for me to do something with them for a while now!

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I think one of the best things I did was set up my own website before releasing THE BAY OF SHADOWS because it became a kind of go-to page for further information, but also having social media accounts, Facebook and Instagram, has been hugely beneficial for building my profile and connecting with readers.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
My tip for other first-time authors is the same one I have used to keep myself going when things got hard: “Never give up.” If you have the talent and the passion for writing you will succeed.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
As above. This is the best bit of advice I’ve ever heard, and I feel compelled to pass it on!

What are you reading now?
EUCALYPTUS by Murray Bail. A mesmerising story about beauty and love, the landscape and storytelling.

What’s next for you as a writer?
To finish my next novel, but having said that, I just try to take it one day at a time because otherwise the writing process can get a bit overwhelming.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
This is a really tricky one, but if I had to choose it would be LOVE IN THE TIME OF CHOLERA by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, THE BROKEN SHORE by Peter Temple, and POSSUM MAGIC by Mem Fox just for a bit of fun!

Author Websites and Profiles
Samantha Wood Website
Samantha Wood Amazon Profile
Samantha Wood Author Profile on Smashwords

Samantha Wood’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m from the East Midlands in England and live with two teenage sons, a dog, and a collection of bass guitars. I’ve written 5 novels and several short picture books for kids.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is ‘A Murder in Nether Bumble’. It was inspired by a conversation about the board game Cluedo (Clue in the US), just wondering about the motives of the characters. This morphed into a cozy mystery which features a vicar being murdered very early on.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I like to write early in the morning, preferably with coffee. If I start early enough, I can stop my brain from interfering with the plot!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I’ve enjoyed reading Douglas Adams, Terry Pratchett, and Stephen King for years, so I’ve mostly been influenced by books that make me laugh, or make me sleep with the light on.

What are you working on now?
I’m currently in the planning stages of a fantasy epic based on some ideas from a good friend. I’m also working on a book of recipes after spending every day last December cooking or baking something for my “Recicember” challenge. Turns out, inventing Recicember was a bad idea…there’s far too much to do in December already!

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
The best method is just simply telling everyone I can about my books! Pictures shared via social media also seem to generate a fair degree of interest.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Keep writing.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Read more. If you haven’t got time to read, you haven’t got time (or the tools) to write – paraphrased from Stephen King.

Also, “never lend money to a man with a sense of humor”.

What are you reading now?
The Obstacle is The Way by Ryan Holiday, and The Constantine Codex by Paul L Maier.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Apart from writing, maybe starting a podcast. That’s what all the cool kids are doing these days.

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 Four Hour Chef by Tim Ferriss, the SAS Survival Guide by John Wiseman, and a book on raft building…

Author Websites and Profiles
Adam G Newton Website
Adam G Newton Amazon Profile

Adam G Newton’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a native of Richmond, Va., where I currently reside, and have been writing professionally for fifteen years. I have written six novels; five of which are historical fiction. The latest is more what I call autobiographical fiction; a tale based on my life story.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Learning Curve is my latest book, and It was inspired by events that happened to me growing up in the 80’s and 90’s.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
When I write, I have to have the door closed at all times (to keep out the sound). I usually construct a time frame (about seven hours) which I will spend out of the day writing. Once I start I don’t stop until I’ve finished the project. The shortest amount of time I’ve spent on one book was a month and a half. The longest amount of time was 9 months.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Though he his out of my genre, Tom Clancy. His Red Storm Rising book starting me reading larger books for fun. Also Shelby Foote, whose Civil War series got me hooked on historical narratives.

What are you working on now?
I am currently converting my works to screenplays.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I use facebook a lot to promote my books.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Remember, if you want your books to be read you will have to promote them.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Word-of-Mouth advertising is the best form of marketing.

What are you reading now?
The Other Wes Moore, by Wes Moore.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Hopefully to continue to write screenplays and novels. It’s what I enjoy the most.

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?
Tom Clancy’s Red Storm Rising, The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown, and The Learning Curve, by yours truly.

Author Websites and Profiles
David Carter Website
David Carter Amazon Profile

David Carter’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a former Army officer and am now retired from private business. I began writing on retirement in 2012 and have one light, family oriented book published in 2013 (Honey, We Shoulda’ Bought the Ark) and am must just now releasing my first fiction novel, Thou Shall Not Take Our Land. I also have a blog site where I write commentaries almost daily about politics, love of country, my Christian faith and nature and animals. I am currently working on another one entitled A Blogger Shares His Faith, a compilation of many of my best blogs about my strong Christian belief. I see writing as a way to express what I believe in a way which others might enjoy, while also keeping me mentally alert and focused as I approach the latter years of my life which are in the not-too-distant future. We are never too old to do things we love as long as we stay keen and healthy.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Thou Shall Not Take Our Land was inspired by my four years of work on a community project designed to keep large corporate developments from smothering the last vestiges of Old Florida. The experience taught me that citizens have to get involved and fight for what they believe in or they will be overrun by those who seek power and financial gain at the expense of others. And I have found the experience also an eye opener when I study the growth of the push for a New World Order which is in reality likely to be a One World Government at some point if not directly challenged. Hopefully my book, while a fictional work about the future, can be used as a means of waking up America to the assault that national sovereignty is facing in a sometimes upside down world.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
When an idea hits me, I hit the computer and put it on paper. Sometimes I wake up with it in the middle of the night or just about at anytime or anywhere. I carry a notebook with me to write it down because some of the best thoughts are lost if we don’t capture them when fresh.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The biggest influences in the form of the written word are the Bible and the works of the Framers of the Constitution. One of my favorite was Benjamin Franklin’s autobiography, written in the language of his time but presenting such a wonderful picture of the man and his humor. I also enjoy Tom Clancy’s works, Hemingway and even Upton Sinclair, among others.

What are you working on now?
I will finish a Blogger Shares His Faith and then look toward additional volumes to Thou Shall Not Take Our land. The book being released Monday is Volume 2: It Begins. Volumes 2 and 3 will be War Erupts and the Aftermath, respectively, unless – and this is a big unless – I modify the thrust somewhat. However they turn out, however, they will be part of the John Argyles series, representing the name of the main character in the series.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I use my website, Twitter and Facebook, emails and letters to many different organization which I think might find the story of interest. I am in the process of working to set up some interviews on several independent radio networks. I will use as many avenues as I can conceivably find.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t give up, work hard and look for creative ways to meet your goals. Sometimes you’ll succeed, other times you’ll fail, but if you stay on course you might just surprise yourself.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Get working early in the day while you are fresh. You’ll find out just how creative you can be.

What are you reading now?
Thomas Sowell’s Black Rednecks and White Liberals.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Finishing the works discussed earlier in this interview by this time next year.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
The Holy Bible, Sir Walter Raleigh’s History of the World and a couple of military books (too many to pick on the spot). I love Civil War history as well as the Revolutionary War. We can learn so much from what created the land that we have today.

Author Websites and Profiles
James Dick Website
James Dick Amazon Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Mahiraj Jadeja is the pen name of Jadeja Mahirajsinh Yogeshchandrasinhji,born in a middle class family in Rajkot,Gujarat, India. I received my early education from a good missionary school that is Saint Mary’s School, Rajkot and then has to pursue a commerce degree due to less appreciation of Arts in his region. My first book was “A Lover’s Will” which is a collection of poems about published on 26 May in UK by Olympia Publishers. And my second book “A Lovely Paradox” is his second book where I as an author debut writing an Erotic-Romantic novella. To find more about the author, kindly visit his official facebookpage that is @Mahirajjadejaofficial.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is “A Lovely Paradox” and my inspiration was that sex can be done in two form one is Love and second Lust, and in the end Love wins!

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Yes, I only write in morning between 8 AM to 11 AM. I can only write in that time frame.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Merchant in Venice by William Shakespeare, Five Days in Paris by Danielle Steel, and many others such as Saki, Charles Dickens, Mark Twain, Osho, Charlotte Brontë (Jane Eyre) and lastly Jane Austen.

What are you working on now?
I am working on a beautiful collection of poems on Love!

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
My best method is to use social media such as Facebook and website such as awesomegang.com who appreciates arts and author.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Yes, never try to copy anyone just be yourself! That’s it!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Do whatever you want to do man but don’t trouble your mother!

What are you reading now?
Krishna- the Man and His philosophy by Osho!

What’s next for you as a writer?
I am going to enter as a spiritual and mystic writer even in future!

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Three Men in a Boat, Sherlock Homes Return and Geeta!

MAHIRAJ JADEJA’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I currently live in the city of Kingston Upon Hull, which is in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England, with my wife, her two cats, and our son. Reading has been a life long passion for as long as I can remember. I usually read two or three books at a time. I have no particular preference for any genre, I just select what interests me at the time. There is no doubt that reading has led me to writing. I used to write stories to entertain friends when I was a child but it was my wife who encouraged me to write my first novel, The War Wolf, after I bored her with details of the Battle of Stamford Bridge one day when we were returning home from a day in York. That was my first novel and the beginning of the Sorrow Song Trilogy, England’s Saga of 1066. This is a historical fiction series concerning that cataclysmic year. The second book, For Rapture of Ravens, followed but I then took a hiatus from 1066 to write my latest title, a novel that came out of something very personal to me. I am in the process of completing the trilogy, however.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest work is called Eugenica, I was going to use ‘The Maleficent Design’ but Disney beat me to it! It was a difficult book to write and yet I think a necessary one as it contains a lot of themes that I have had to deal with personally. My original intent was to complete my 1066 trilogy but I found that I needed some time away from historical fiction and Eugenica offered me that.
I was born disabled and grew up in a time when children like me where given very little support. Perhaps because my disability is genetic eugenics became a subject of interest to me, which some people might find perverse but really it had more to do with trying to understand why I was often treated differently to my friends who were not disabled.
The theme of eugenics itself is also very difficult to deal with so this proved a very challenging book. Add to that the fact that the central characters all have a disability of one kind or another and it might seem that this is not a story that would attract many readers, however, I wrote it with an underlying spirit of hope. I am an optimist at heart and despite the dark subject matter there is optimism in Eugenica.
Since an early age I have loved adventure stories and there are definite elements of that in Eugenica. I have set the story in the 1930’s, which allows for chases by car, train, and aeroplane. It also allowed me to subvert the history of the day somewhat, not drastically, just in response to the question ‘what if Britain had passed eugenic laws?’ There is also an international element in the shape of a government airship hosting a eugenics conference while it travels to America and Germany.
I have been lucky to have known some very good friends and enjoyed the support of my family during my life so I have used this opportunity to examine the nature of friendship, loyalty, personal courage, and even the need to experience the joy of life no matter what. As I said earlier, Eugenica deals with some dark and difficult themes but it also has a core based on what is best about us as people, especially when my characters find themselves in demanding situations. It is a positive book about a negative subject that is, unfortunately, still with us today.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I have become very disciplined in my writing now. Usually I like to write in silence but if I do listen to music it is always ambient, preferably without any lyrics. I have on occasion missed meals because I have become so lost in my work that whole hours can slip by without me noticing. There is one thing that I do that might be termed ‘unusual’ and that is I tend to write an awful lot mentally before committing anything to the blank page. I seem to be able to begin and continue writing like this, which is very useful when I do not have access to a computer as I have a very good memory!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
So many! I read very widely, all kinds of genres, foreign literature, classics, modern, whatever fires my imagination really. Alexander Dumas’ ‘The Three Musketeers’ and James Fenimore Cooper’s ‘The Last of the Mohicans’ are two novels that I often return to for sheer entertainment. I think that every book I have read has had an influence on me, even those that I did not like so much, and, logically, so have the authors of those books. In developing my own style of writing I am not aware of any one particular example, which I think is good as it means that my work is original and not derivative. For me the story must contain an original idea, a subject that grabs my attention, and this, rather than a dedication to any particular genre or author, has led me down many interesting paths and into many unique worlds.

What are you working on now?
I have two books on the go at the moment. The first is the final part of the Sorrow Song Trilogy and covers the Battle of Hastings. It is getting close to completion and I am very happy with the way that it has gone. The second is actually a fantasy novel, another departure for me in terms of genre. This work has just completed the first draft stage but is currently in suspension while I finish the other book.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
To be honest I am still searching for the answer to this question, as I expect many other writers are. To begin with just being on Amazon Kindle seemed sufficient but recently there has been a significant increase in the number of titles available and it is much harder to get your work noticed. It is this situation that has led me to Awesomegang really, I want to be a book writer, not a book promoter, but I am an independent author and I have to do my own leg work.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Many people tell themselves that they will write a book one day and the ebook revolution has made it seem all so easy but the fact is that only good books really sell and they only come from hard work! Writing is hard, lonely, and often discouraging, but it can also be incredibly rewarding; I will never forget the feeling I experienced when I saw my first book had been published even if it was only in kindle format. If you really want to publish your work then make it as good as it can be, do not take short cuts, do not scrimp, believe in what you are doing. Learn grammar, writing styles, punctuation, how to construct a plot, use of style sheets, it may seem boring but it is the tools with which we work. Find someone to review your work, new eyes will help spot mistakes. Do not rush, when your first draft is complete rewrite it! This might seem like an unnecessary task but it is how you hone your book into the finished product and it really is worth the effort.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
To only value the opinions of the people who mean the most to you, ignore everyone else.

What are you reading now?
I am finishing ‘Catcher in the Rye’ and about to start ‘Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee’. I also intend to read some P.G. Wodehouse for a little light relief!

What’s next for you as a writer?
As I mentioned earlier I am straying into the fantasy genre, a decision prompted by my son who loves ‘Game of Thrones’. I never got into it, simply because I am bored of medieval based fantasy so he challenged me to write something different! Challenge accepted and I am quite enjoying the experience of creating a whole new world. After that I have several ideas for other books, none of which are related to the genres I have already written in.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Well, I think ‘The Three Musketeers’ and ‘The Last of the Mohicans’ might be there with me, along with Dr Robert Bakker’s ‘The Dinosaur Heresies’ and Keith Richard’s ‘Life’. I might also consider Tolkein’s ‘Lord of the Rings’ but the first part needs some serious editing, and then there is my love of Shakespeare…can I take my Kindle library instead?

Author Websites and Profiles
Peter Whitaker Website
Peter Whitaker Amazon Profile

Peter Whitaker’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
In addition to my 18 self-published books, I’ve appeared in “Best Life Stories” from Readers’ Digest as well as magazines and blogs. My own blog is maryblowers.com

I live in the Midwest in a 1940s home with my husband, a dog and two cats.

When I’m not writing I enjoy reading, gardening, and walking for fitness. I’m a long-time student of natural health methods and a certified Master Herbalist, Nutrition Consultant, Holistic Health Practitioner and Weight Management Coach.

My writing has been compared to that of Elizabeth Gilbert and Ralph Waldo Emerson. Always creative and deep in thought, my books are innovative and unexpected.

Connect with me at maryblowers.com, @MaryBlowers, facebook.com/MaryCBlowers/ or mary@maryblowers.com.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Medieval Blood! It’s the historical fiction version of the life of true 15th century serial killer, Countess Bathory.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write in the mornings, almost every day. I turn on a salt lamp and a eucalyptus vaporizer and light a candle. If I’m drinking tea or coffee, I use a NaNoWriMo mug.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Currently I’m listening to and reading Derek Murphy. He helps writers succeed.

What are you working on now?
Another mystical novel, Hoarder’s Nightmare. It’s due in May and available NOW for preorder at http://amzn.to/2m7Gvb8

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t give up. Read other authors, and take advantage of the vast amount of free information on YouTube and blogs. Try mine, maryblowers.com.

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

What are you reading now?
Guerilla Publishing by Derek Murphy
A Century of Secrets by Teresa Syms

What’s next for you as a writer?
I will be self-publishing an e-book of my own flash fiction stories.

Author Websites and Profiles
Mary C. Blowers Website
Mary C. Blowers Amazon Profile

Mary C. Blowers’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I read ‘Fire’ by Simon Armitage when I was sixteen and realised poetry could be more than the shit I studied for English GCSE: ‘Anthem for a Doomed Youth’ and ‘Dulce et Decorum Est’ et cetera. ‘Fire’ was more abstract, allowing the reader to bring their own meaning to it. Thus began my obsession with writing poetry. It wasn’t until twenty years later that I published my work, a trilogy of collections, Spilt Milk, poems on birth, childhood and death, Circle Line, poems on politics, war and the media, and Red Wine, poems about love, addiction and religion, all written from 2006-2016, along with Glorious Demise, a collection of earlier poems. I enrolled onto a degree in creative writing at the University of East London primarily to escape the monotony of Bournemouth, where I grew up, and to get to the capital. I have a love affair with London. I didn’t expect to graduate in 2009 with first-class honours. I’m lucky enough to live near Alexandra Palace which is one of the top three places I’ve been in the world along with the Blue Lagoon in Reykjavik and the Old Town Square in Prague. I have a never-ending internal conflict with my duties as a father to a delightful one-year-old and an unfulfilled wanderlust. One day when I can afford it I intend to go around Europe with my son and partner. Oh, and I’m a huge coffee addict and a vegetarian, albeit a pretty bad one. In addition to the four collections of poetry, I have written one novel, The Order of Chaos.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
When I finished uni I continued to work on an embryonic novel that began as an assignment. It came about after I went to what was dubbed the ‘Financial Fool’s Day’ demonstrations in 2009 where I witnessed anarchists no older than teenagers fighting with police. This novel grew over the next seven years to become The Order of Chaos, published in 2016. I took a comedy module at university in which we studied the concept of bisociation: “The simultaneous mental association of an idea or object with two fields ordinarily not regarded as related.” Much of the comedy in the book stems from this idea: the anarchist working in a bank, for example, or the Black homophobe sparring with the gay racist, which is itself intended to magnify the folly of prejudice. The squat in the novel was influenced in part by a house in which I lived in Leyton. You would be cooking in the kitchen and water would be dripping from the light-fitting onto your head. Once I was cooking in a frying pan and left the room briefly before hearing a thunderous bang; I came back into the kitchen to see that half the ceiling had fallen down from the weight of the water. Close call. A girl who was crashing on the sofa tried to burn the place down in the end so we had to move out. Crazy times. She committed suicide a few weeks later, sadly. Actually the character Foxy from The Order of Chaos was based loosely on her.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not unusual per se. I find it helps to have music on in the background, but nothing with lyrics as they can be distracting. I listen to a wide range of instrumental music, far too many to list them all, but Ludovico Einaudi has helped me write many a paragraph in the past. At the moment I’m listening to a band called Esmerine and an avant-garde Polish musician called Stara Rzeka. Other than that, I always make sure I have a cup of coffee when I write which can lead to many unintended sleepless nights. When I was writing The Order of Chaos I replicated the chapter I was working on in my environment, taking the corresponding drug for the drug scenes, getting naked for the sex scene and so on. That’s pretty weird I guess.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Oh, so many. Despite having read a thousand wonderful books since, I still have to rank The Catcher in the Rye as my favourite novel of all time. A cliché, I know. The Bell Jar comes a very close second. My biggest influence, however, would have to be Chuck Palahniuk. I love his use of repetition, or “choruses” as he calls them, something I enjoy replicating in my own work. Henry Miller used a similar technique in Tropic of Cancer, although not to such an extent. A few years ago I read Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro; that has definitely influenced the novel I’m working on now in terms of setting. I subsequently bought all his books and read them all one after the other. I got hooked. My favourite was The Unconsoled. I love that it got really bad reviews upon publication. It’s undeniably a masterpiece. It just goes to show you should never trust the critics. Opinion is subjective. Another major influence for me, Oscar Wilde, said it best in the prologue of Dorian Gray when he said ‘When critics disagree the artist is in accord with himself.’ He also said in the same prologue, ‘There is no such thing as a moral or an immoral book. Books are well written, or badly written. That is all.’ Which brings me to my other biggest influence, Bret Easton Ellis. I have never read anything like American Psycho and doubt I ever will again. There are so many perfect epigrams from Oscar Wilde. My personal favourite is: ‘The only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about.’

What are you working on now?
I attempted a novel in my early twenties, Eight Days in May, which remains unpublished, because it’s not good enough. But the premise is good and is being used for the novel I am working on today, called Inland Island. I can’t really say too much about it without giving away massive spoilers which is going to make marketing the book very difficult. If I ever finish the bloody thing that is.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m new to the whole promoting game. Like a lot of artists, promoting and selling myself isn’t my strong point. I’ve tried the social media route and a few free ebook promotions with little success. I’m now going to try some Goodreads giveaways and this here website. Ask me again in a few months.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
1) Avoid clichés like the plague.
2) Say it in the fewest possible words.
3) Don’t over-describe. Leave 75% of what you write to the readers’ imagination.
4) ‘Show, don’t tell’. I find this arguably the most difficult thing when writing.
5) Edit your work. And when you’re done editing, go back and edit it again.
6) Make sure your ‘shit detector’ is well oiled.
7) Never write for an audience. Only write for yourself.
8) Write about what you don’t know. It keeps you engaged and educated. Wikipedia is your best tool.
9) Stock up on good coffee.
10) Writing stoned helps you be creative. Writing drunk always ends in disaster.
11) Give up your day job.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
God knows. I could go on for a while. “Great works are performed not by strength, but by perseverance.” Samuel Johnson. I’ll go with that for now since it seems relevant.

What are you reading now?
For Christmas I got a copy of Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace without realising how goddamn long it is. I mean, who has the time to write something that long? I would have hanged myself as well, if I’d have written that. I do have the utmost respect for his dedication to the art, and I am really enjoying it – I’m just over a hundred pages in, so only another nine hundred to go – but I find the incessant footnotes irritating. So I decided to get a few other books to read alongside. One of them being The Pale King, by David Foster Wallace, which I haven’t yet started. It’s a bit shorter, that one, because it was unfinished at the time of his death and published posthumously. Makes you wonder how long it would have been if he’d have lived to finish it. I am also in the middle of reading Tell-All by Chuck Palahniuk – I still enjoy his work but it’s not as fresh and exciting as his earlier stuff like Choke and Invisible Monsters – and I’m also a few chapters into Brave New World. It’s awful that I’ve never read Brave New World. People always compare it to 1984 and I’ve heard some people say they prefer it but I don’t think it will top 1984 for me. I’ve just finished Kill Your Friends by John Niven which, being a victim of the nineties Britpop era, I liked a lot.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m hoping my second novel doesn’t take another seven years to finish. I have outlines for another two novels after that – one is a retelling of the New Testament with the Jesus character as an accidental rockstar who can heal people with the power of music. That’s a very succinct explanation of the premise. Then I’m going traveling.

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?
Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace, because it would last for-ev-er.
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger.
No Ordinary Moments by Dan Millman.
SAS Survival Handbook: How to Survive in the Wild, in any Climate, on Land or at Sea by John ‘Lofty’ Wiseman.

Author Websites and Profiles
David Murrow Amazon Profile

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

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Jason Endfield was born in Liverpool, England, in 1965.
At fifteen he joined the staff of a local newspaper as a reporter, an experience that provided an excellent introduction into the world of journalism and from there he began to write regularly for various publications.
He became feature writer on a national UK magazine and many of his short stories were published online.
A short anthology of his work ‘Between Worlds’ reached No.1 on Amazon for poetry on its release in February, 2017
Connect with him at: www.jasonendfield.com

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Between Worlds….stories and poems: Thoughts from another place.
It is a collection of my short stories and poems inspired by a place somewhere between reality and fiction, focusing on life and beyond.
My short stories are written so that often the reader can choose their own endings, depending on how they view the story.
It has received a very positive reception from readers since its publication in February, 2017, reaching number one on Amazon UK for poetry anthologies and number seven internationally.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I stare into space alot and sometimes need to climb a mountain to regain perspective and find inspiration. Then I find the creative juices flow more easily and the actual writing process begins.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Isaac Bashevis Singer
Joyce Grenfell

What are you working on now?
More short stories and poetry for release later in the year.
I’m also going to start performing public readings of my poetry.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
My blog: http://www.jasonendfield.com is very popular and I use this as a sounding board for some of my work.
Also my own personal facebook page where new creative friends are welcome!

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Believe in yourself. If your work touches you and moves you when you read it back then it probably will appeal to others in the same way.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“Never argue with stupid people, they will drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience.” Mark Twain

What are you reading now?
Three Minutes Of Hope by Hugo Gryn

What’s next for you as a writer?
More writing and hopefully some open mike performances.

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 Old Testament
Noel Coward Autobiography
A set of Encyclopaedias
An Atlas

Author Websites and Profiles
Jason Endfield Website
Jason Endfield Amazon Profile

Jason Endfield’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hi, my name is Marshall Nash. I am a personal fitness trainer and nutritional coach. I have currently written my very first fitness book, and I am hard at work on a follow up diet book. Health and fitness has always been my number one passion and I love to coach and educate people using my knowledge to help make their lives better. I love to read, play sports, movies, and to spend time with my family and friends.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The name of my latest book is Blunders In The Gym: Fitness Mistakes to Avoid for Physique Perfection. What really inspired me to write this book was I wanted to be able to make a bigger impact using my knowledge of health and fitness than I was just doing predominantly one on one coaching. I really have a passion for helping people and sharing what I know with people. I want to be able to reach as many people as possible and a book is an excellent medium to accomplish that goal.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not really. I tend to follow advice of great writers such as dedicating at least one to two hours a day to sit down and write with no distractions. Although I did recently start practicing a habit I had not heard of before. What I do now is when I stop writing I will stop mid-sentence. That way when I pick up from where I left off it’s much easier to get into a good flow because I have to finish the sentence and thought I left off at rather than trying to start a new thought. It helps me get right into writing. I seriously think this is a good method to help overcome writers block.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I am a huge fan of Robert Kiyosaki and his Rich Dad Poor Dad Series. I love self-help books like these. I don’t read much fiction, but I am a big fan of Stephen King. Also, I am a fan of a young and very bright writer Tom Corson-Knowles. He writes self-help books on marketing and writing that I have found to be very useful.

What are you working on now?
I am currently working on my second book Blunders In The Kitchen: Diet Mistakes to Avoid While Fueling The Perfect Beach Physique, which is a direct follow-up to my first book Blunders In The Gym. I am currently about half-way done with the first draft. I’m excited to finish this project as a second book in my Blunders Series.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I love social media. Facebook is the biggest and the one I rely on the most. Twitter is another good platform to help find influencers to help promote my book.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write every single day for at least one to two hours or more. In order to get really good at something, you have to do it for hours upon hours. In fact, the advice that I have received is it takes 10,000 hours to become an expert at something, so keep writing and you will only get better.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Writing is only part of the job if you want to be successful and your books to be read. You have to be both creative and an entrepreneur. There are three skills you have to become proficient in if you want to make it as an author; writing, publishing, and marketing.

What are you reading now?
I am reading the Kindle Bible Series by Tom Corson-Knowles. These books are filled with so much great useful information. I highly recommend them for self-published authors.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I want to continue to write more fitness books focused on different niches in the field. This is my strongest passion in life and I want to leave a legacy as a fitness expert.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Well, being stranded on an island I would want entertaining books rather than the usual self-help books that I like to read. I would bring Stephen King books: It, Christine, and Carrie are my favorite.

Author Websites and Profiles
Marshall Nash Amazon Profile

Marshall Nash’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m an entrepreneur and an author; wrote my first book from March till October 2016, which was about marketing, entrepreneurship and psychology: ’50 Cognitive Biases for an unfair advantage is Entrepreneurship’. I plan on writing more books.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I’m about to start writing my official second book, called the ‘Avalanche Effect: Creating Endless Content For Your Online Business’. Which talks about a few different strategies to create endless content, whether blogs, video, infographics, books, etc, that attracts and delights your customers.

In late 2016 I finished my 1st book and loved the prospect of writing more- the challenge, the recognition and the reputation. And in November I started to learn about Inbound Marketing and realised that this was the perfect way to get traffic to your website using a long-term strategy.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
No. I may be too early to the game to have developed any.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Seth Godin has inspired me to write a multitude of books. I appreciate how he has taken his ideas and turned them into a reality. He’s given his thoughts, ideas and philosophy a channel for the world to be exposed to them, and a chance for people to accept or reject them.

Furthermore, I aim to write fiction books in the future and I’m inspired by Terry Pratchett and J.R.R Tolkien, but I’m also making way through a writer’s guide to Harry Potter. I’m not going to write fiction half heartidly.

What are you working on now?
I’ working on a small book at the moment: 101 questions and answers for Entrepreneurs. Where I take 101 different questions about starting a business, mindset, attitude, law of attraction, money, etc, and answer them in attempt to help budding and fledgeling entrepreneurs.

And a few other books after that

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I take the topic of the book and break it down into different blog ideas, in which I write a blog about and create a video about.

This way I can market the book for free, whilst building momentum around my brand and establishing myself online all for free.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Define your overall idea, break it down into 15 chapters, then put those chapters into logical order and reduce to 10. Create 18 points for each chapter and then reduce it down to 15 and put into logical order. This is a very quick and easy way to come up with a template for a book and an easy way to write your book.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Do your idea justice: write it down and share it. Seth Godin.

What are you reading now?
I’m to be a little sporadic with it came to reading and I’d read different books at the same time.
50 Shades of Grey, Writer’s Guide to Harry Potter and Crossing the Chasm: Marketing and Selling Disruptive Products to Mainstream Customers, which I’ve tried to read for over a year but I’ve learnt what the book wants to teach me from experience, lectures and listening to the author.

I also have a collection of nonfiction pdf books on my computer which I’ve turned into a rule to read them one by one and take notes. A little bit overwhelmed with knowledge and really trying to focus down. But I’m mainly writing my own books at the moment, and there’s loads of ideas…

What’s next for you as a writer?
writing my own books, got around 6 left to do, each of varying size and scale.
Once those are all done I aim to create content for them (blogs, videos etc) to build an online momentum and reputation. Which I’ll then be focusing on my 3rd business for a while to establish momentum and do the same with that. The business is WeWantHemp, which champions the use of Hemp and brings it into the mainstream conscious.

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. Survival book.
2. Basic ship building.
3. Journal and pen- to document my experience so I can then turn those lessons into more books.

Author Websites and Profiles
Adrian Nantchev Website
Adrian Nantchev Amazon Profile

Adrian Nantchev’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m 26 years old. I reside in a small city call Lake Elsinore in California. I’m a single mom with 2 kids the youngest being 6 months. I work as a CSA for
Riverside County. I am just trying to get my career started. I have written 2 books.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is titled “Dysfunctional Trials 2” is a continuation to my first book titled “Dysfunctional Trials” I was basically inspired by the feed back I got
From the first book. Everyone who read the first book wanted me to write a continuation. I left the door open to
Do that the way I ended the first book.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
No I usually like it to be quiet no tv or radio playing no noice at all. I want it really quiet so I can really get into the character.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
To be totally honest none. I have always been able to write. When I was younger I use to write songs and I love to write poems. So I had it in me to write a book. One day being pregnant with my first son I was sitting around bored and I just decided to write a book to pass time. I did think I was going to go this far with it.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on a movie based on my first book. We are doing casting now looking to start shooting at the end of may beginning of July.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’ve only been using social media like Facebook, instagram, twitter, tagged etc.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t give up. Don’t let not selling your book discourage you. It took me a while to get where I am. It didn’t happen right
After I published my book it actually took me two years to really get my book out there. You can do it believe in yourself.

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

What are you reading now?
I have so much going on with kids, work, and trying to get my movie together I don’t have time to read so I’m not reading nothing at the moment

What’s next for you as a writer?
I want to write a stage play and I have a good idea in my head for a tv show.

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 2 books, a Zane book, and one
Of Steve Harvey’s books

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a student of Jain University, Bangalore and I am 18.
I have published my debut novel this February.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The name of my latest book is MILES TO GO : FOR A HAPPY BEGINNING
I was inspired by my parents and my friends.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Yes i write since i was 5 years old and I also have a blog.
www.sunshineandtherain1.blogspot.in

What authors, or books have influenced you?
There are many authors and books which have influenced me. The author who influenced me was my senior in when i was in class 6 and she had published her first book.

What are you working on now?
I am a student of first year Bcom. I do blogging and am working on another book.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
The best method of promoting books is online by social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Yes, i would like to tell all new authors to put their maximum efforts in a book.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best advice i have ever heard is that we should never hurt someone’s soul because it hurts us all.

What are you reading now?
I am doing Bachelor of commerce in International finance.

What’s next for you as a writer?
More writing and more hard 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?
Three books from the house of night series.

Author Websites and Profiles
Anushka Agrawal Website
Anushka Agrawal Amazon Profile

Anushka Agrawal’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I was born in the Philippines and I first became interested in playwriting thanks to Edward Albee’s Who’s afraid o Virginia Woolf? This inspired me o study Tennessee Williams, Neil Simon, etc. I have written three books.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Two of my books just came out.” Puppet Dreams” was inspired by watching ventriloquist Terry Fator on TV and wondering, “What if one of those puppets couldn’t get along with all the others and decided o run away? What if he convinced a little boy in he audience o help him?” My other book that came out at the same time is called “Woman of a Hundred Names.” It was inspired by a true story about a young man who managed to convince a grieving family that he was heir missing son.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Yes. I tend to work on two books a one time. While I’m writing the one or two main books, I’m also developing five to ten other books in he background, collecting details, honing structures, etc.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
he Trial, by Franz Kafka; The Joke, by Milan Kundera; A House for Mr Biswas by V.S. Naipaul; chronicle of a Death Foretold, by Gabriel Garcia Marquez; Oedipus Rex by Sophocles; Mrs Dalloway by Virginia Woolf; Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky

What are you working on now?
I’m working on a.) “Enchanted Pane”, about a building custodian who gets entangled with he intrigues of a beautiful woman he sees in a haunted mirror, and b.) “Children of Starlight”, about a runaway orphan who stumbles upon a remote village whose inhabitants come out only a night, and are terrified of leaving their village.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I think giving previews or free copies of one’s books are a vey effective way o go. though nothing is foolproof.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Pick a handful o books you love, then take it apart completely, line by line, trying to understand what elements affected you he most and why.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“There is no method. The only method is to be very intelligent.”

-T.S. Eliot

What are you reading now?
“To Hell or Babados”, about Irish men and women sent to Barbdos as slaves under Cromwell.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m hoping to establish here clear directions in my writing: literary fiction, mysteries, and children’s books

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
War and Peace, Heidegger’s “Being and Time”, The Tao Te Ching, A Hundred Years of Solitude

Author Websites and Profiles
Jose Ho Amazon Profile

Jose Ho’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have spent my 40 year career in sales, and decided to write a few books to pass along what I learned.
I have six books. All on the subject of selling and advertising. They are written primarily for small business owners and salespeople.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Selling Essentials. It’s written for brand new salespeople, starting their career. It helps them develop the habits and aptitudes that will determine how well they succeed with their company.

What are you working on now?
A book titled Marketing To Sell. It shows how to use marketing techniques to increase your sales results.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Video. I create lots of videos talking about points I cover in one of my books. The videos create interest and then the people click the link that goes to my Amazon sales page. Lots of books sold that way.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Writing books is maybe 10% writing the actual book and 90% selling the books. The books in your genre that are the top selling books? Those books are marketed. And the author is doing much of the work. My advice is to read the best selling books on book marketing.

Author Websites and Profiles
Claude Whitacre Website
Claude Whitacre Amazon Profile

Claude Whitacre’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I grew up in rural New Zealand but joined the Royal NZ Navy where I served for 21 years. I have four children and four grandchildren and I currently live in Auckland. I love to travel and plan to see as much of the world as I can. My interest in genealogy is reflected in some of my stories. I have 8 books published through The Wild Rose Press.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is a sensual contemporary romance entitled “Impossible Liaison” released 17 Feb 17. What inspired the story? Who knows, it just arrived in my mind one day and got transferred into a book. It has a genealogy twist

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not that readily pop to mind. I don’t work naked or hang upside down from a tree while balancing my laptop in one hand or anything noteworthy like that. I just keep on plugging away at the computer until a story emerges.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
A New Zealand author called Essie Summers, sadly no longer with us, greatly influenced me. She was a very successful Mills & Boon writer who based her stories in New Zealand, showing me using my own country as a setting need not diminish the appeal of my stories.

What are you working on now?
I am awaiting word on another submitted story and am currently working on an untitled story about a marriage heading along a very rocky road. Of course the problems will all be resolved – all I have to figure out is how.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I use Facebook a lot, both my own page and groups I belong to

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t give up. Its not going to be a walk in the park, but if you want to publish, you’ve just got to hang in there and keep improving your writing skills

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Paper your office space with your rejections and hold your head high. You actually got far enough to submit.

What are you reading now?
An older story by Debbie Macomber “A Turn In The Road”

What’s next for you as a writer?
Continue writing contemporary romances as the ideas pop into my head

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Probably the Bible – hey there’s a bit of reading in there. And I’m not stupid, I’d find some “how to survive on a desert island” books. Is there a Dummies guide?

Author Websites and Profiles
Anne Ashby Website
Anne Ashby Amazon Profile

Anne Ashby’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My very first though I have done blogging.
I like to have a positive, pro-active attitude peppered heavily with patience.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I was asked to write on the topic. I had experience in the area so it just flowed.

What are you working on now?
Organising a home when you have children and pets.
Also about saving time.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m a newbie – so I’m still learning in that regard

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I’m the learner here !

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Be the best “you” you can be.

What are you reading now?
Colin Thiele – “Sun on the Stubble”

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m currently educating myself in Virtual Assistant 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 bible, How to make friends and Influence people

Author Websites and Profiles
Deborah Hunter Kells Amazon Profile

Deborah Hunter Kells’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My name’s Paul Gaskill and I’m a fantasy author from Derby, England. I worked in financial advice until I decided to put all my eggs in one basket and pursue my writing career. I’ve written the Oracus Series, which is a young-adult fantasy trilogy, and I’ve also written several short stories, some which are published and some which are not.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Well I’ve just completed the Oracus Series. The inspiration? My joy of writing. I’ve always enjoyed reading fantasy more than other genres, and when I picked up a pen (opened my laptop) I wanted to help my readers feel that same way. I had a creative idea and I developed it.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m not sure how unusual it is but I tend to have my laptop on my lap on the sofa. I don’t use a study because I can’t keep my backside on an office chair! Also, I like listening to music while I write, but it has to be instrumental, any songs with words confuse me and I find myself accidentally typing the words I hear.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The obvious one is J.K. Rowling. She influenced so many people with the Harry Potter ‘world’. I guess that sparked some of my creativity. Following that, Christopher Paolini’s Inheritance Cycle had a direct impact on me jotting down my ideas.

What are you working on now?
Until you become an author, it’s very difficult to understand how much time and effort goes into promotion. Promoting Oracus is taking up a lot of time, but I am working on a new fantasy series. More details will be available soon.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Goodreads is a fantastic website. That’s my favourite because it’s specific to books and the author-reader relationship is more intimate. Away from Goodreads, I use Twitter and Instagram. And the sale of my books is mostly through Amazon and Smashwords.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Enjoy writing. If you don’t enjoy it then you should take up another project. If you do enjoy it then you’ll strive for you work to be the best version of itself, and you’ll therefore be more successful. Plus, if your book doesn’t quite make it, then at least you’ve had fun anyway!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I was once told not to let the doubters get me down. Writing a novel takes up a lot of time and many of those closest to you will believe that it’s just a fad. I’ve been warned against writing by a few but I ignored them and used their pessimism to drive me forwards because of that little piece of advice.

What are you reading now?
I’ve just finished The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss. The Wise Man’s Fear is the next in the series so I’ll be moving on to that.

What’s next for you as a writer?
More fantasy, whether writing it or reading it. And, hopefully, millions of readers and millions of five star reviews! Maybe my books will be made into films too! We can all dream.

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 biggest encyclopedia I can find – this is my intelligence book.
War and Peace – this will take me days to read and use up some of my abundant spare time.
The Wise Man’s Fear – this is the next book on my to-read list and it’s a fantasy so should keep me happy.
An A4 notebook (and a pen) – so I can continue to write my own work.

Author Websites and Profiles
Paul Gaskill Website
Paul Gaskill Amazon Profile
Paul Gaskill Author Profile on Smashwords

Paul Gaskill’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve been writing short stories and poetry for approximately twelve years but only had my first book published in 2016. I lost my sight in 2005 and it was only once that had happened that I started to write. Although I’ve always loved reading I had never felt the inspiration to actually write anything. I’ve always been into sci-fi and had a vivid imagination. I think perhaps my love of all things geeky along with going through the experience of losing my sight changed something within me and made me dip my toe into writing. I would really love to write a sci-fi/fantasy book one day. My second book is a book of poetry which is due to be released in March/April 2017.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The name of my latest book is The Edge of Darkness and is the book due to be released in March/April 2017. It is a book of poetry containing two collections of poems. The first is a collection I wrote whilst going through losing my sight. I think that writing these pieces really helped me get through that time of my life and my hope is that at least one person somewhere in the world will read them and draw some strength and/or inspiration from them. The second collection in the book is made up of stand alone pieces which I wrote for a variety of reasons. Some were inspired by historical events, some by personal experiences, some by my love of Sci-fi/fantasy and some just because.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m not sure if it qualifies as an unusual writing habit but I often take verbal notes on a Dictaphone as I’m not able to use pen and paper. I also like to have music playing whilst I’m writing and will often fit the mood of the music to the atmosphere of the piece I’m writing at the time.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Terry Pratchett and pretty much every book he ever wrote, Bernard Cornwell and his Sharpe series, Lee Child and his Jack Reecher series, Dan Abnett, Ken Follitt, Brandon Sanderson, Patrick Rothfus, Andy McNab and many more.

What are you working on now?
I’m currently working on the second book in my The Adventures of Larry the Stick Insect series for children.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m very new to this so I’m not entirely sure that I have one yet. Twitter and Facebook seem to be working so far however.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I think if you write what you enjoy and you enjoy what you write you can’t really go wrong.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Be yourself and never change for other people.

What are you reading now?
Brandon Sanderson’s Words of Radiance.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Finish writing the second Larry the Stick Insect book then continue on a fantasy book I started late in 2016.

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 really difficult as real paper books are useless to me. But if I wasn’t blind or I had an unlimited supply of batteries with me for my mp3 player so I could listen to audio books, Terry Pratchett’s Night Watch, Ken Follitt’s Hornet Flight, Patrick Rothfuss’s Wise Man’s Fear and Andy McNab’s Bravo Two Zero.

James Goldsworthy’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I live in the East of England (Hertfordshire). I am 45 years old, divorced with a daughter.
I was inspired to write by Professor Ukala (my university lecturer) and the books by Jackie
Collins and Jeffery Archer. I work as a PMO Analyst (Project Management Office Analyst).
This is my first book; OVERCOMING LIFE’S CHALLENGES.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
OVERCOMING LIFE’S CHALLENGES.

I was doing a lot of writing on my Facebook page and I kept being told I have a gift for writing, so
should write articles for a newspaper or become a writer. I was too focused on my career at the time and didn’t want to change my career path, so I decided to create a blog and write on topics that I was passionate about. I wrote over 35 articles which has attracted over 41,000 visits. Due to popular demand, I have now adapted my best articles into this book.

It is a thought-provoking self-help book, but with a personal narrative. It is a discourse of various
challenges we pass through in life, viewed from different perspectives and illustrated with various
personal experiences, including mine. It is filled with human triumphs and mistakes. I have been told the narratives are quite funny and very interesting. This sets it apart from other self-help books because it is fluid, entertaining and informative all at once. The book ends (i.e. the last chapter) with a beautiful short story which is based on true events.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write on the train while commuting to work.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
7th Heaven (by James Patterson), The 11th Commandment ( by Jeffery Archer)
and Drop Dead Beautiful (by Jackie Collins)

What are you working on now?
I have two upcoming novels;

* THE CURSE; sins of a father

* Diary of a wacky single mum.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Amazon
Facebook
Lulu

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Never give up on your dream. A lot of potential writers give up and never follow up on their dream of getting published. Some are not confident to share their thoughts and stories with the world for fear of being criticized. Do not let that stop you. Do a writing course if you have to and make use of a good editor. Just do what you have to do to get your book out there. Otherwise you may be depriving the world of a very good author and many wonderful books.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Write for pleasure. Publish for success

What are you reading now?
IF YOU WERE ME by Sheila O’Flanagan

What’s next for you as a writer?
* To promote my book

* Do more motivational speaking or speeches

* Finish my 2 upcoming novels this year

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
7th Heaven (by James Patterson), The 11th Commandment (by Jeffery Archer) and Drop Dead
Beautiful (by Jackie Collins)

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have so far only written one book, my first, however I do plan to write much more. I am a dreamer and a romantic, I have lived in foreign countries and learned of many cultures. I love to learn new things, study new things and explore my imagination as much as I can.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The name of my most recent book is Nasi: Seeds of Grandeur. I was inspired to tell this tale when I was eight and was in a bit of an abusive home. I wanted a role model, but none of the people on TV or my family were suitable for me to look up to, so I instead created my own role model, someone who I could look up to and wish to be. That character was Nasi, a young man who could overcome anything through sheer will power.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I tend to write out very long stories, for example some outlines that define events for a character can be one hundred pages long, and I lose my time writing small conversations from way ahead in the story and stitching it together in the end.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I don’t truly read a lot of books to be fair. C.S. Lewis was an author I sometimes read, but to be fair, I found most stories to be too boring, besides my family never let me have time to read books.

What are you working on now?
I am working on the sequel to my current book, but that’s all secret so hush.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I wouldn’t know! This is my first book and I’m struggling to get some recognition, this is a learning process for me.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Walk, a lot. Think about your story, get some water, get a dog, and go on a five hour walk till your feet blister. Walking in the cool wind just lets my story flow so well and helps me imagine the thousands of different ways a story could go. If it helps, act like a child and play pretend, swing your arms like you have a sword, pretend to speak in their voices, do their poses, it helps so much.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
A friend of mine once told me that the best thing to do as a creator is just lose yourself in the moment. Take a day off, waste some time, eat some snacks, dance, listen to music, play video games, but always let your brain flow free during that time. Losing yourself in the moment allows spontaneous ideas to just come up to you and inspire new things. Don’t be afraid to go on tangents and accidentally create fifty new characters.

What are you reading now?
Reading? I don’t do much of that to be fair. I probably should however. So strange for there to be an author who doesn’t read.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Find out how to write the fifty plus books I have planned before I become old and die.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
I’d assume the most logical choice would be to bring a desert island survival guide, a wilderness cook book and copy of fifty shades of grey for the lonely days.

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