Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve been writing for over three years and have managed to complete six books, four of which I have since self-published. Three of the published books are in the White Rose series, and the fourth, Seeing Red, is a New London book. I have another book coming out in May, which is also a part of the New London books. I like to write about the military and law enforcement, and tie it up with romance. It allows me to draw on my experiences in the Australian Army Reserve and the Royal Australian Air Force, and my love of love!

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My upcoming book, Secrets Within, is the second of the New London books and follows on from Seeing Red. This series was inspired by my favourite movie – The Hunt for Red October. While I love the on-board action, I wondered about the families left behind and the other side of the Navy. That brought the characters of Nell and James to life and Seeing Red was the result.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t know that I have an unusual writing habits, but I certainly like to drink lots of tea when I’m writing! I do like to have the window open when possible as I love fresh air.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I’ve always loved reading both romance and crime related books (thrillers, mysteries, etc.). When I started to write I didn’t have any particular genre in mind—I simply wrote what I wanted to. It wasn’t until I’d finished my first story that I realised I’d combined the two and written a romance suspense. The ‘Death in…’ books by MM Kaye have probably had the most influence on my writing as they are a great example of romance suspense stories.

What are you working on now?
I’m currently working on the third of the New London books. I wasn’t going to write any more for the series, but when I got to the end of Secrets Within I knew I couldn’t leave it there! This will definitely be the last in the series, especially as I have several more books planned for the White Rose series.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I find that word of mouth is good. I’ve had many people tell me they want to buy my books because someone they know has read one and told them about it.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t give up. That is the most important thing to remember. The second most important thing is to allow yourself to write a terrible first draft. Get it down, fix it up later.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Whatever you do, use a professional editor. Best advice by miles!

What are you reading now?
I’m current reading Night School by Lee Child and a Georgette Heyer regency romance (told you I liked to mix the two genres!).

What’s next for you as a writer?
Next up I need to finish the third New London book and then edit the fourth of the White Rose books. There’s not enough hours in the day!

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?
Death in the Andamans by MM Kaye, Precious Time by Erica James, The Hunt by James Phelan, and a book on building canoes from palm fronds which I would use when I wanted a new book to read!

Author Websites and Profiles
Alison Clifford Website
Alison Clifford Amazon Profile

Alison Clifford’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
So far, I have published four standalone short stories, one novelette and a short Twitter guide. Instead of writing longer pieces. Instead, I craft shorter tales that are multi-layered and full of symbolisms. I also provide bonus materials with my stories, such as author’s notes, which gives additional insights, hints and perspectives about the story. I’ve had readers tell me that they’ve re-read my short stories and have found new gems with each read through.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is “The Legend of Tanisha Biggers: a novelette” (“TLoTB”). There are many things that inspired the writing of this story. As a spinoff of the previously published short story “Swiggers,” TLoTB serves to flesh out Tanisha’s character while allowing the reader to explore the neighborhood in which the story takes place.

Another reason for penning “TLoTB” was to complete the circle of life for a reoccurring character named Theodore Roosevelt Washington aka Teddy. In “Cardinal Rule: a short story,” tries to woo his love interest, Earline, reminiscing over their neighborhood’s past glory. In “Swiggers: a short story,” Teddy is older, but in rare form. He posts up with his crew outside their favorite corner store and lets the jokes fly fast and furiously. “TLoTB” is a story about how rumors and gossip circulating around a small neighborhood can give the rambunctious Teddy a life beyond the grave. Albeit, one he did not choose…

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Mountain Dew and chocolate (with almonds) are staples of “getting the words out.” When I have enough stuff figured so that I can write, that combination of caffeine and sweetness puts me in a zone. Once the buzz kicks in, the magic begins…

Walking while talking with my characters is another one of my writing habits. I tend to pace and converse with my characters while I’m trying to figure out where a story is going. Sometimes, the communication is one-way, and the characters give me tons of things to include in their story. All I have to do is sit back, listen and take notes.

This happened a lot with “TLoTB.” The main character Tanisha told me the history of her neighborhood and gave me its name – Black Haven. Tanisha’s best friend in the story, Vida, gave me the scoop on the present-day goings on of that same neighborhood. They gave me a lot of “creative clay” to work with.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I tend to watch authors as opposed to reading their works. I’ve always been interested in how different authors build these huge literary families around their personalities, their characters and their books. Authors like Stephen King, Treasure Blue, Azarel and K’Wan have intrigued me because of how loyal and support their readers are. I can only hope to build that type of rapport with my own family of readers.

I can’t name one particular book that has influenced me in terms of writing. There are many. I tend to buy books on literature and writing, but I seek and use parts that are relevant to whatever particular literary endeavor in which I’m indulging. To that effect, I search the Internet for articles directly related to solving the problem or giving me more insight on the issue I’m having at that moment.

What are you working on now?
Right now, I’m in the pre-outline stage for my next few publications. I have a few stories set in Black Haven that I want to complete.

I’m also doing a lot of the behind the scenes stuff to market “TLoTB” to give it some momentum. This includes social media, graphics, interview (like this), etc.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
My best method has been to continually promote stories to my huge digital footprint. Instead of thinking of it as “the shameless plug,” my self-promotion comes with no shame. I actually think it’s shameful to publish your book and make little to no effort in promoting and marketing.

I make various tweets, graphics, blog posts, YouTube vlogs, etc. about my books in order to spark interest. It’s a slow grind, but persistence pays off.

My writing partner, Faydra D. Fields, owns BookTweeter.com. She does a tremendous job with getting the word out.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Give yourself permission to succeed. Also, give yourself room to fail.

There is no “right way.” For every “right way,” there’s a naysayer. Find what’s right for you.

Take risks. You know when a story is going to a place that only you can take it. Go there, and make the best of it.

Don’t let being your worst critic get in the way of you being your best supporter.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Do your research. It sounds simple, and it can be, but most of the time it’s not.

“Do” = action word = blood, sweat, tears and fears
“Your” = take personal ownership
“Research” = studying

Scary, scary, scary, but necessary…

What are you reading now?
I’ve been intent on writing, publishing and marketing lately. I’m not currently reading anything in particular in terms of fiction. I’ve reading writing guides and publishing guides. lately.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m going to continue to learn about the craft of writing and applying it to my creative output. The standalone novelette of “TLoTB” and the Deluxe Edition (which also includes “Cardinal Rule” and “Swiggers”)”TLoTB” are currently ebook only. I plan on publishing a paperback version of “TLoTB: Deluxe Edition.”

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
If I was stranded on a desert island, I would bring “The 48 Laws of Power,” a dictionary and a thesaurus.

Author Websites and Profiles
Joey Pinkney Website
Joey Pinkney Amazon Profile

Joey Pinkney’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a stay at home mom of four and I am always on the lookout for clean reads to pass along to my kids. When my husband was in post-graduate training we had a limited income and I spent a couple days a week at the local library with my little kids because it was totally free. I have always been a voracious reader, but it was during those years I fell in love with young adult literature. I’d take the kids to story time and then spend another half an hour perusing the YA section and taking a stack of books home. Now that I’m a mom of teens my kids and I love recommending books to each other and I am trying to teach them to not just read anything that falls into their hands, but to be selective and learn from the best books that are out there. I believe strongly that books can be entertaining and teach us something about ourselves at the same time.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My book Cecilly in Cinderland was published in October 2016. Two things shaped this book: my love for fairytales and childhood summer trips to Yellowstone National Park. Cecilly is at it’s heart a retelling of Cinderella with an emphasis on families coming together to support each other. The heroine and her sisters travel to a magical land where their wish is granted and the setting is based largely on the Old Faithful Geyser basin. After my third child was born, I stayed in the Old Faithful Inn and wandered the geysers and hot pots at night and read ghost stories about the park on the second floor mezzanine. The park took on a creepy feel viewing it on a cold night with steam all around, listening to the constant burbles and hisses of the fumaroles and geysers. After that trip I wanted to capture the park’s beauty and wild side and spent two more years attempting to get the feeling right in Cecilly in Cinderland.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I do most of my writing in my head when I go to sleep. I had terrible insomnia as a kid and one night after crying about it to my mom she told me to just close my eyes and make up a dream and that would help me fall asleep. So I tried it and stopped caring if I didn’t sleep because I had discovered that I could make stories up and watch them in my head. I see everything before I write it down and I hear all the dialogue and run it over and over for a few nights before typing anything out.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Is there enough space on here to list all the authors? As a young adult I loved Agatha Christie, Mary Higgins Clark, L. M. Montgomery, Robin McKinley, David Eddings, and Charlotte Bronte. As an adult: Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, Garth Nix, Robert Jordan, Shannon Hale, and Sarah Eden.

What are you working on now?
I am working on a Beauty and the Beast retelling. It has a sort of nod to the difficult years my husband and I spent getting him through medical school and residency.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I am so new at this, I’m still learning.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write because you love it. It sounds weird, but since getting published it’s like I don’t write anymore just for the pure love of it. I’m so busy trying to figure out how to promote books, make visits to schools, figure out sales tax, etc. Block out specific times you’re going to forget everything else and just write a story that speaks to you and enjoy it.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Participate in a critique group! I learned so much about writing from my peers.

What are you reading now?
An oldie, but goodie: And Both Were Young by Madeleine LeEngle.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Some fellow authors from Fire and Ice and I are kicking off a month long author event in April celebrating strong heroines in literature. Check out my facebook page for more details.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
A Tale of Two Cities, Pride and Prejudice, Seeking Persephone by Sarah Eden, and (this is embarrassing to admit because I’m anti vampire) The Host by Stephenie Meyer.

Author Websites and Profiles
Emily S. Deibel Amazon Profile

Emily S. Deibel’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I always loved English at school, and whilst I was studying the subject at university I thought I’d give novel writing a go – I’ve completed several books as well as some poetry and stage plays over the last twenty years or so, but it’s only now I’ve felt brave enough to offer them to potential readers.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Champagne Jealousy – A Detective Investigates: A comedy community and its workplace romance. I suppose the gargantuan title speaks for itself, but in a nutshell it’s inspired by my many years working in the retail industry.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Great question! I don’t believe in inspiration, is that good enough!!? I reckon you’ve just got to write, and get on with it too, especially when you have a family and work full-time into the bargain! (Please see my Goodreads profile for more)

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Mary Shelley (Frankenstein), Charles Maturin (Melmoth the Wanderer), Douglas Adams (Hitchhiker’s Guide), Arthur C. Clarke (Rama)

Please see my Goodreads list for more

What are you working on now?
I’m writing a 10,000 page poem! I started in 2007, I’m at 6,600 at the moment!

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I hope this one will be the best yet

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write for yourself, not for anyone else

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
What you put into life, you get out of life

What are you reading now?
This question!! Only joking, I’m reading a book about religions of the world

What’s next for you as a writer?
I want to write a thriller

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Those above who have influenced me – at this point, I apologise for my brevity in responses, but please do see my Goodreads profile for more.

Author Websites and Profiles
Christopher Griffith Amazon Profile

Christopher Griffith’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
‘Bittersweet’ is my newly released novel, and I wrote it because I had something to say about this male attitude towards rape that so many young men seem to have. Back in 1872 there were indeed very hushed up reports of officers on leave who raped girls and only last year we h ad in our area a similar story of young men raping girls.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I love writing the basic plots and ideas in beautiful notebooks with a fountain pen. Looks os much prettier than cold black type on the computer.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
This is so difficult to answer because every writer I read influences me. Every book I read teaches me about writing, particularly dialogue, character building and marketing. Even books I do not enjoy teach me.

Perhaps the lovely language of the King James Bible and the original Anglican prayer book, Shakespeare and the Elizabethan writers, Gerard Manley Hopkins, and other poets are an influence too.

What are you working on now?
Trying to find the story behind a young woman and her mother who are nagging at my creative mind. Judging by costume they are 17thC but that could change!

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
There are too many to name.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Please read, read, read before you write. And then please edit and pay an editor to copy edit and proof read before publishing anything. This digital age means work is available forever and it is hard to remove writing which makes you squirm with embarrassment because you did not edit well!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Write for yourself then edit for the market.

What are you reading now?
The Foriegner series by C.J. Cherryh and some 17th century diaries and a hefty set of research notes on silver making.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Hopefully another few novels, several short stories, and getting my Tizzie filmed by Yorkshire TV. (Aren’t I hopeful?)

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, a complete Shakespeare, the Oxford Book of English Poetry, The Complete Elizabeth David cookbook and my favourite Terry Pratchett, ‘The Nightwatch’

Author Websites and Profiles
p.d.r lindsay-salmon Website
p.d.r lindsay-salmon Amazon Profile
p.d.r lindsay-salmon Author Profile on Smashwords

p.d.r lindsay-salmon’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My debut novel, ‘Lily’s Fire’, came out on the 12th of March. It was super exciting to see my first story in paperback and e-format on Amazon, B&N and Kobo. Soon it will be for sale as ibook too.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
‘Lily’s Fire’, was inspired by my own coming out story. Just like Lily, the main character, i found out in my late twenties that I was attracted to women. I wanted to create characters with great chemistry in a tropical setting. I love travelling so to me, there’s nothing better than to write about my favourite places in the world. I’s a great book to take with you on holiday and relax with.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I like to drink wine when I’m writing in the evening. Not too much, just enough to for my writing to flow more natural. And I like to have candles. I’m a true romantic at heart.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The first lesbian fiction I read was by Melissa Brayden. They were relaxing and entertaining.
My favourite author is David Sedaris though. he makes me laugh out loud.

What are you working on now?
I’m just starting on my second novel now. I don’t have a title yet but it will be set in Hong Kong. It’s a love story between two female colleagues.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
For me, it’s Facebook. The community of readers have been incredibly supportive and helpful. it’s always hard when you write your first book so it’s great when you have people around you that are willing to give you advise.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t think your book is ready until you’ve checked and edited it so many times that you’re completely sick of it. Never attempt to do your own initial editing.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Show, don’t tell.

What are you reading now?
I’m currently not reading anything as I’m super busy with the launch of my new book but I have a whole list to start with next month. ‘Alice and Jean’ by Lily Hammond first.

What’s next for you as a writer?
My second novel! I can’t wait to start writing again.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
David Sedaris – Me talk pretty one day, Bill Bryson – The lost continent, Dorothy parker – Collected poems.

Author Websites and Profiles
Lise Gold Website
Lise Gold Amazon Profile

Lise Gold’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am an Author, a reader, a music lover, and a movie enthusiast. Halfway is my debut novel.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Halfway, my latest novel, is book one of ‘Aspiration for Deliverance’ series.

Since my early childhood, I was somewhat different from my friends. There weren’t many readers in the city where I was born and raised. Almost all my friends were crazy about Cricket. I, on the other hand, was partial to reading comic books. I read my first novel when I was in fifth standard. By the time I was in tenth, I had read so many books that my mind had developed a habit of imagining things even when I wasn’t alone. My friends sometimes made fun of me when they caught me talking to myself.

In 2012, when people started talking about the impending “End of the World,” instead of being worried or scared, I was fascinated by the thought of it. I wanted to know what afterlife would be like. I mean, if there really is a place where we have to answer for our wrongdoings after death, it’s only fair to imagine that that place must be way more advanced in terms of technology than ours.

By the time I decided to write my debut novel, I had spent so many hours, days, years in that imaginary realm called Enigma that it was like I grew up there. The image of afterlife was so clear in my mind that I didn’t even have to jot the details down on a piece of paper.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
None that I know of. I guess that’s the only thing that makes me feel like a normal person.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Stephen King, George RR Martin, Joe Abercrombie, Brandon Sanderson.

What are you working on now?
I am currently working on the sequel of Halfway. I also have a couple more ideas in mind, but I haven’t started working on them yet.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I just started promoting my debut novel, and this is the first place where I decided to promote it. I am glad that I am now a part of this Awesome Gang!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
You can’t control what others think of you, so stop worrying about it.

What are you reading now?
Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman

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 read almost all genres, fiction or nonfiction, and I have more than one favourite author in each genre. So it would be hard to say which books I would bring with me. But I would definitely bring the manuscript of whichever book I am working on at the time, because I’d hate to leave my manuscript unfinished in case I died there.

Author Websites and Profiles
Lokesh Sharma Amazon Profile

Lokesh Sharma’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Stuart Larner is a chartered psychologist. As Mental Health Expert, he ran an advice column for XL for Men Magazine. He has published international articles and poems in magazines and newspapers, as well as in scientific journals. He has been involved in scriptwriting and directing productions at the Edinburgh Fringe. Stuart published Scarborough Modern Sea Songs; an ebook in verse “Jack Daw and the Cat”; and an enovel about cricket entitled “Guile and Spin”. With Rosie Larner he co-wrote : “Hope: Stories from a Women’s Refuge.”

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Car: a sonnet sequence with illustrations Kindle Edition
this is a reworking of my original sonnet sequence first published in Envoi Magazine twenty years ago. This time with illustrations

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I sometimes like to write standing up.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Philip Larkin, William Shakespeare

What are you working on now?
A radio play based on a piece of music By Mussorgsky.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
i am examining digital marketing.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
get as much feedback as you can.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
cut the first page

What are you reading now?
i am working along the shelves in my local public library, reading books written in the first voice in order A to Z .

What’s next for you as a writer?
to master digital marketing.

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?
chamber’s dictionary, walker’s rhyming dictionary, and roget’s thesaurus.

Author Websites and Profiles
Stuart Larner Website
Stuart Larner Amazon Profile

Stuart Larner’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I program computers for a living, and a few years ago I got involved in the One Laptop Per Child project, which aimed to put inexpensive laptops in the hands of the world’s children and give them educational software unlike anything else that came before. The idea was that the children would go on to develop their own software for that platform and share it with the world. Before they could do this, they needed a good manual on how to write programs for these laptops, and I ended up writing a manual that is still used: Make Your Own Sugar Activities!

Another goal of the project was to get free e-books into the hands of these children, and I sensed the need for a book that would explain how to get these books, how to create them, how to convert printed books that were in the public domain into e-books, how to know what was in the public domain, how to photograph book pages, and lots of other stuff. My research into these topics led me to write E-Book Enlightenment: Reading And Leading With One Laptop Per Child.

After this I took out a manuscript I had written thirty years before and used my book scanning knowledge to make a publishable book about it. Since this was a memoir of my wasted youth, I published it under a pseudonym to avoid embarrassing my family. I have since used that same pseudonym to publish a novel and I’m working on a second one.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Format Your Own Damned Book is my latest title under my own name. It was inspired by corresponding with a science fiction author in Canada who was spending a fortune getting her manuscripts formatted as e-books. I pointed out that she could save a lot of money by doing that kind of work herself, as I had been doing all along. She didn’t know how, so I attempted to teach her. That led to writing the book.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
If you don’t count leaving a typewritten manuscript on a shelf for thirty years and then revising it for publication, no.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I’ve been going back to reread books that I’ve loved to see what it is about them that works. I like how Raymond Chandler describes things, Ron Goulart’s sense of humor, ditto for Mark Twain, Neal Stephenson’s ability to make exposition interesting, and many others. I’ve described my first novel as a Hermann Hesse novel written by Edward Elmer Smith.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on a second novel in the world I set up for my first novel. It features minor characters from the first book and tells their story.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I have a Google+ branding page for my memoir and my first novel. I put a lot of effort into them but it hasn’t helped.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Read the books by Jack Woodford if you want to learn how to write a novel.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Write drunk, edit sober. That was by Hemingway.

Write a short story every week for a year. That was by Ray Bradbury. He claimed that nobody could write 52 bad short stories.

Avoid using adverbs. Not sure who said it, but it seems to be true.

What are you reading now?
Mother Night by Kurt Vonnegut.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I hope to quit my day job in a few years.

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 Ganguli translation of The Mahabharata is fascinating and long enough to read until I either got rescued or died from malnutrition. Donald Westlake’s Dortmunder novels and anything by Clive Cussler are good for reading on airplanes, so should work on a desert island too. I have a big collection of Ray Bradbury short stories that would be welcome.

Author Websites and Profiles
James Simmons Amazon Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I started artistically late in life since my parents cautioned me to stay away from art related careers; and instead, pursue a serious occupation that would lead to a “real job and a stable career.” So I became a metrologist (No it’s not misspelled, nor can I forecast the weather. Metrology is the art and science of measurement.)

Thirty years later, when I was one of many caught in the economic downturn, I decided to turn my hand to writing. I published “The Science of Loving” in 2014, followed by the novella written under the psuedonym E.V. Iverson, “Dead Dwight: a dark comedy.”

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I started writing “The Science of Loving” shortly after the economy had tanked. A lot of folks were experiencing dark times, and I was one of them; just another face in a jobless mob. Every evening, network T.V. piled on more bad news. Employment was down and home foreclosure was at an all time high. We’d gone to war over a pack of lies, and there were mass shootings in our elementary schools.

The media’s daily bombardment of real-life murder and mayhem was exhausting and I needed a vacation. But book vacations were all I could afford, and after the nightly rehash of Capital Hill’s daily torture debates (seriously? Water-boarding’s torture, what’s there to debate?) I didn’t need to ingest any more dark crap.

Figuring I wasn’t unique, and having an abundance of time (jobless,) I thought just maybe my special brand of geeky humor could make the world lighter one smile at a time. So here we are and I hope you’re smiling.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Is wearing men’s boxers while I write considered unusual? Hey, don’t judge me.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
There are so many… both good and bad. I wish I could say something profound and impressive, but I’m much better being profane and silly.

Stephen King is great when it comes to setting up a scene and creating mood. He’s great a master at crafting symbolism using every day objects.

Ray Bradbury, when it comes to descriptive writing… “Dark they were and golden eyed.” Six words was all he needed; the way their ordered is almost melodic. It’s a beautiful example of linguistic rhythm that makes the words stick in your mind (I read those words almost 40 years ago in middle school, and I’ve never forgotten them.)

Kalil Gibran’s “The Prophet” is a great example of using juxtaposition to enhance a point.

I learned just as much from authors and books I hated, but rather than naming names… I’ll just point out the lessons learned:

When you run out of new things to say you’re done, stop writing.

There will always be typos, if you can afford a copy-editor use one (God, I wish I could afford one.) If you are fortunate enough to have one, learn from them. They are specialized professional readers (and no matter how good you think you are, you cannot do their job as well as they can.)

What are you working on now?
I’m about midway through the first draft tentively titled, “It Only Takes Two.” It picks up where “The Science of Loving” ended; following a different pair of characters from the previous book.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Probably GoodReads. Although, I’ve pulled back on my marketing and social media efforts in order to find time to write.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Read all your reviews, listen to your readers, learn from your mistakes. Good or bad, be grateful they took the time to read.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“Friends lie!!!! Just because they told you your book was great, doesn’t mean it’s ready for publication. Find a stranger who won’t shy away from pointing out your mistakes.” Max Branscomb, journalism professor and playwright at Southwestern Community College– Chula Vista, Ca.

What are you reading now?
Darynda Jones “Charlie Davidson” series, New York Times, The Washington Post and anything else I can get my hands on.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Probably Hell if I don’t change my ways.

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?
Survival Manuel, The Complete Foxfire Collection Set, Complete Works of Edgar Allen Poe and Mark Twain

Author Websites and Profiles
Candace Vianna Website
Candace Vianna Amazon Profile

Candace Vianna’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a recent graduate, artist and graphic designer. Big Bad Beautiful is my first book I have shared with the public, but I have one more being edited and there are several others that I have written in the past to help me better craft my style.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Big Bad Beautiful, a post apocalyptic, science fiction adventure. The story is a nightmarish combination of dystopian fiction and the classic Red Riding Hood fairytale.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
It takes me months to come up with an idea and figure out how to write it, but once I put pen to paper, or finger to keyboard, I can usually push out an initial draft in a few months.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Stephen King, Dave Eggers, Jonathan Stroud, JK Rowling, Dean Koontz.

What are you working on now?
A coming of age, horror novel called California Dark. The two houses featured are the ones I grew up in.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Facebook allows you to connect with friends and contacts super easy.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Just start writing.

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

What are you reading now?
A novel a friend wrote.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Combine my latest text with my photography and move on to a kickstarted campaign.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
HARRY POTTER 4-7

Author Websites and Profiles
Daniel Garvin Website
Daniel Garvin Author Profile on Smashwords

Daniel Garvin’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have written one novel — so far. Time opened up for writing when I went into what I thought was semi-retirement a few years ago. But with two part-time jobs and working on another novel, retirement has been postponed.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My novel is Red Dot. I didn’t actually have a burning inspiration for the book. Basically I wanted to write a novel and I thought it would be interesting to portray space aliens as other than murderous monsters.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Occasionally I will get an idea while I’m jogging or just daydreaming for a bit of dialogue or a scene that I like. When I get to the point in the story for that dialogue or scene, I’ll make stuff up to go with it. With Red Dot I had bits ready for different parts of the novel, including the middle and the end, but I didn’t plan out the whole book. I must say that having two good editors to work on the draft was a huge help.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I am definitely old school. In the last couple years I read, or re-read, novels by Dickens and Dostoevksy. I really like the short stories of Chekhov . The last two books I read certainly provided a look at different writing styles: The Aneid by Virgil and Frankenstein by Mary Shelly.

What are you working on now?
Now I’m working on a sequel to Red Dot, looking at life after the massive social and political upheavals caused by the first alien visit.

Author Websites and Profiles
Eugene Linn Website

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My name is Matthew Drzymala, I’m an indie author from Manchester, but now live in Liverpool, UK.

I write a series of stories called The Bumpkinton Tales, there are four single stories released in total and one collection. The collection has the 4 stories plus a bonus, unreleased story.

the titles of the released stories are: Last Christmas, Bittersweet, The Bachelor & Albert’s Christmas.

The bonus story in the collection is called The Family Jewels.

I’ve also written one non-Bumpkinton story. This is called Brainstorm and is about a clinical psychologist and his fight with depression. It’s quite a personal story and one that means a lot to me.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is called The Bumpkinton Tales: Volume One, it is a collection of my Bumpkinton stories, plus a bonus unreleased tale.

The stories are inspired for my love of writingt comedy. Each story is different. One is about a newcomer to the village, opening a shop that they are keeping secret.

Another is about a singles night with a womanising idiot while others are about Christmas, protests and flirty florists with a fixation for one of the village priests.

I just love coming up with situations.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not really, no. I have my writing pattern, I write on certain days and times (due to work etc).

So I wouldn’t say I do anything unusual.

I’m probably a bit boring like that!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Terry Pratchett, massively. Especially his Discworld series.

He was a master storyteller but he wrote with a lot of humour. That’s why I write comedy and if I could get 1% of is comedy genius into my stories, I’ll be a happy man.

What are you working on now?
I’m currently working on the first Bumpkinton novel. My previous stories have been short stories and novellas. I’ve been writing it for 2 years and it’s almost read for my editor and proof readers to look it.

It’s called: The Fantastical Gregory Shortbread

It’s about a theatre extraordinaire who turns up in the village after a speight of vandalism and helps Bumpkinton raise money.

Naturally not everything goes to plan, there are hooded hoodlums running amok, the village busybody has had a change of personality and there are secrets everywhere.

Will Gregory have the energy to finish the job?

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I try to promote everywhere. I promote a lot on social media, do interviews on websites as well as try Goodreads.

I do a lot on my own website too, it’s hard being an indie, especially when you write humour. It’s a tough cookie and not a massively popular genre. I love it though.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write!

That’s all you have to do. Write. If you want to be a writer you’ll do it. You’ll love the highs, you’ll love the lows. You’ll just love it!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Write.

Honestly.

What are you reading now?
I’m currently reading Phantom by Jo Nesbo, one of my favourite authors.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Getting my novel completed and published, then I am going to work on a story for younger readers. Between the ages of 8-12.

I have a character I want to get stuck into,, but all of my energies are aimed at my novel right now. Once that’s off being read and edited, I will start that story.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
The Green Mile by Stephen King
Guards! Guards! by Terry Pratchett
The Lord of the Rings by J R R Tolkien (it’s thick enough, it’ll keep me going for some time!)
I, Partridge: We Need To Talk About Alan by Alan Partridge

Author Websites and Profiles
Matthew Drzymala Website
Matthew Drzymala Amazon Profile
Matthew Drzymala Author Profile on Smashwords

Matthew Drzymala’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have been writing avidly since I was three years old. There is hardly ever a time when I am not working on a new novel, and when I am not writing, I feel lost! All in all, I have written five books, and two have been published so far: Portrait of a Sunset (a romantic suspense novel) and Chase and Charlie, a thriller.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is Portrait of a Sunset, and it was partially inspired by a dream I had. It was also inspired by some of my own personal struggles with anxiety, which manifest themselves in my main character, Clara, in an undiagnosed form of PTSD. Although my own personal experiences are nowhere near as traumatic as Clara’s, writing this character really helped me to vent some of the pent-up emotions I was feeling, and to learn that what I perceived as a weakness could actually be a strength.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Perhaps at one time this habit wasn’t unusual, but in this day in age, I’m sure people will find it very strange that I write out the first draft of all of my novels completely by hand! I find that this helps me to take my time, and to pick up the book whenever I feel the urge to write (without having to boot up the computer). It also makes it easy to see all my work in one place, and reading it as I type the next draft really helps with the editing process.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
So many authors have influenced me that I have lost count! But I would have to say that the three who have influenced me most are Stephen King, Dean Koontz, and J.K. Rowling. Stephen King in particular really influenced me with his memoir/writing manual, On Writing.

What are you working on now?
I just finished writing the first draft of a new novel in the romantic suspense genre. Unfortunately, though, I have a policy of never telling anyone what my books are about until they are in the final stages of production (I don’t want to jinx anything!). Sorry!

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I have found the most success promoting my book on my Facebook author page, or in Facebook groups, as well as on my author website, www.jessicascottauthor.com.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
NEVER GIVE UP!!! Writing is a tough, lonely job full of obstacles like writer’s block and time constraints and people not “getting” you. But you are stronger than all of these things, and you will overcome them. Never stop believing in yourself and your writing, no matter what!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“You will face many defeats in your life, but never let yourself be defeated.” – Maya Angelou

What are you reading now?
Right now I am actually exercising my Italian skills by reading an Italian-language novel called “Volevo essere Audrey Hepburn” (“I Wanted to Be Audrey Hepburn”) by Vanessa Valentinuzzi. I bought it in a bookstore near Milan last year when I went to visit my pen pal of seven years.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Next up for me is one of my favorite parts of being a writer: the first read-through of the novel I just completed. I love getting to see the characters again, and seeing the whole story come together. I can’t wait!

After that comes publishing, and then, who knows!

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?
Hmm… This is a tough question. I think I would take Nine Stories by J.D. Salinger (a book of some of his best short stories, including my favorite, “For Esme – With Love and Squalor”), Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, and Stephen King’s memoir, On Writing. If I can take a fourth book, I would also bring one I hadn’t read before, because I always enjoy reading something new and different.

Author Websites and Profiles
Jessica A. Scott Website
Jessica A. Scott Amazon Profile

Jessica A. Scott’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve been writing since I was 12! And acting since I was 5. I’ve written 2 novels–Priest Kid and You Can’t Get There from Here (under consideration). I’ve also written two screenplays…Saint John the Divine in Iowa, which won the 2015 Meryl Streep Lab, Run from Fire, which was a finalist for the 2016 Half the World Literati Award and a 3rd undisclosed project as a writer for hire. I also write plays. My full length play They Named Us Mary won me a scholarship to Brandeis University, and then was produced in Boston. Murder by Psychotherapy was produced at Sarah Lawrence College, My Mother and the Nun won the Eleanor and Stanley Lipkin Prize in Playwriting, the play version of Saint John the Divine in Iowa got great reviews in Boston. I’ve also competed as a slam poet, been nominated for a Pushcart in fiction…I find that certain stories won’t let me go, and I trawl around until I find the right genre for the characters.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Priest Kid. I was originally inspired by an actual priest kid–the son of an Episcopal priest who was my colleague and the director of photography on a short film I directed. But then I started interviewing Episcopal priests and their families and I fell in love…with the beauty of their struggles toward goodness, with the exceptional burdens of their lives, with the search for meaning which is all too evident in their lives…and with how their families put up with their higher calling.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I laugh at my own jokes. I can’t help it. Sometimes I sit at the computer, write a line, laugh, then write another, then practically fall out of my chair. I have also been known to sit there crying while I write the tragic scenes. It’s the actor in me…

What authors, or books have influenced you?
My greatest influence by far is James Baldwin. I think he writes about three layers deeper than anyone else, and the poetry in his books sings you awake. I also love Jane Smiley…both her big comic novels like Horse Heaven and A Thousand Acres. I love that she borrowed the plot from King Lear and turned it on its head.

What are you working on now?
I’m writing a web series called 100 Ways to Write Your Own Eulogy Dot Com. It’s about a suicidal eulogy writer, her porn-obsessed stock broker husband who’s lost his mojo, and their transgendered teenage child. It’s a comedy. I swear. It really is funn!

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Outside of this one? Facebook, Twitter and IndieAuthor. But Kirkus will release a review in May…let’s see what that does.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write to find your own voice, to give the world what only you can give. The work comes first, and the joy we find in it.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t push the river.

What are you reading now?
Sharon Shinn. I’m a sucker for fantasy.

What’s next for you as a writer?
A one woman show about my 30 year relationship!

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?
Another Country by James Baldwin
Horse Heaven by Jane Smiley
Fire and Hemlock by Dianna Wynne Jones
The Forgotten Beasts of Eld by Patricia McKillip

Author Websites and Profiles
Lyralen Kaye Website
Lyralen Kaye Amazon Profile

Lyralen Kaye’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a writer: five novels, one non-fiction self-help (tongue-in-cheek), and a book of poetry.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I never thought that I would write a horror novel, but my son kept saying, “Write just one horror novel, Dad, and after it sells then you can write anything you want.” O the irony! Thus, I actually wrote The Vampire for my son, and he loved it. He’d take off upstairs with every next chapter hot off the printer. He said, “Dad, I laughed, I cried, and you scared the _____ out of me.” With a review like that… he was my audience and I knocked it out of the park.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Coffee and peanuts. I start every day with these, add some Janis (Joplin) to the background, and start to write. The best days have rain drizzling down, and I hold the steaming mug of coffee against my chest whenever my fingers aren’t playing over the keyboard.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I grew up a Dickensian, read my first Dickens, Oliver Twist, when I was in fourth-grade, and I was gone. I entered Dickens’s world, more macabre and madcap than the worlds of the most far-flung science fiction and fantasy, and to this day I still live there as much as possible. Not long afterwards, I came across Hugo’s Les Miserables and am to this day a Francophile. I still consider Hugo’s tome to be the greatest novel ever written. And then there’s Kinky Friedman, Tom Robbins, the wonderfully defiant A Confederacy of Dunces which mixed in and mingled with Ayn Rand’s The Fountainhead, along with all the other foregoing, pretty much constitute my worldview–which is probably why I wear glasses–and my sense of life, which is still one of wonder, though the wonder’s become a bit dogeared and bleary around the edges much of the time.

What are you working on now?
My next work follows in the footschleps of my first novel, a genre bender still unpublished, a dystopian comedy that is an equal opportunity offender, and this present work I hope will prove worthy of the first.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m a writer. The self-promotion makes me feel like a huckster or a carnival barker. I write the books. I do the work. Now, read me, world!

Do you have any advice for new authors?
No.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Sing “Happy Birthday” twice to know how long to wash your hands.

What are you reading now?
William T. Vollman’s The Ice-Shirt, Stephen Kotkin’s biography of Stalin, Ezra Pound’s Early Poems and Translations, Jose Ruben Romero’s La vida inutil de Pito Perez, and Liu Cixin’s The Dark Forest. I keep several books going at once, usually this kind of mix: fiction, nonfiction, poetry, non-English, and something just fun.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Another word. The novel I’m now writing will take years, as did my first novel, its literary predecessor, so I will probably pull off from time to time and finish or carry through on other books I’ve got going or have projected, as a pressure valve release. That first one almost killed me.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Der Bibel (Martin Luther’s translation) and the KJV; these need to be interlinear so I can count them as one. The complete works of the Bard. The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club. And the one-volume microprint edition of the OED (Oxford English Dictionary).

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My Words Your soul : Collection of soulful Poems from my heart for people to share and be happy.

I write..

I write because something inside me forces me to pen down my thoughts. It’s like an adrenaline rush that makes me restless until I do something to calm down, so I write.

Most of the times it may not make sense to those who read my poems or articles but remember, that is who I am without your acceptance or rejection that is who I will be and it won’t change. I write because something inside me screams every single day that’s it’s just once we live, so I write

I am not here forever but my words and deeds will be so that’s my focus in life. Most struggle to find their purpose and I have found it so let me be true and faithful to it because my mind goes crazy if I don’t, so I write

I feel the feeling what others go through even if I personally haven’t experienced it. I feel the pain, I feel the joy, I feel the excitement of things I haven’t been through and may be I am an old soul, so I write

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My Words Your Soul : Collection of soulful Poems

Life and all the events good or bad inspired me.
There is beauty in happiness as well as sadness and I have tried to capture through my poems

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write at night

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
All the online sites which can promote my book and spread it to the world and readers

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Be real
Be natural
Believe in your self
Enjoy the Journey

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Love yourself and believe in Karma

What’s next for you as a writer?
More Poems on the way…

Author Websites and Profiles
Darshan Joshi Amazon Profile

Darshan Joshi’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m Nikki. I’m 24 and I recently graduated from university with a degree in biochemistry. Although science has always been a passion of mine, so has writing. I have written and published one book so far but I have many more to come.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The name of my newest, and first ever release is called Monster. The book is about a sixth form student called Tessa Brooks who inflicts torment onto the lives of many people who attend her school. It was inspired mostly by the neighborhood that I grew up in and the secondary school that I attended- not a very nice place!

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m not sure that it would be unusual as such but it is something that I always do. Before I even know what I’m going to write, I always make playlists that make me feel the characters I’m going to be writing about.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Sharon Bolton has been a big influence on me. I have loved all of her books and I admire the way she interacts with her fans. I suppose another big influence on my writing has been the Pretty Little Liars series of books by Sara Shepard. I love the suspense and mystery that is generated each book in the series and I would love to be able to emulate that in my own writing some day.

What are you working on now?
I’ve got two other projects that I am currently working on. One is another book that fits well into the mystery category but the other is completely different style and I suppose that would be a supernatural/action/adventure book.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m not really sure yet, I’ll let you know when I figure out the best way.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
As a new author I suppose I’m not really in the place to give much advice at the moment. However, I guess I would say don’t give up. Have the courage to put yourself out there. Someone wants to read what you have to say.

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

What are you reading now?
I’m currently reading Calamity; the last installment in the Reckoners series by Brandon Sanderson.

What’s next for you as a writer?
A bit of promotion and then carrying on working on my other two projects.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Reasons to stay alive, SAS Survival Guide and The Hobbit.

Author Websites and Profiles
N.L. Bosworth Amazon Profile

N.L. Bosworth’s Social Media Links
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I wrote my first book at the age of 17. It was a long and complicated stream-of-consciousness rant on the interior conflicts of a teenager, and I count on getting out a new edition of that some day. I studied Literature and Philosophy at the Third University of Rome, so my graduation theses are actual books that are currently published in Italian. Julia Dream is my first sci-fi novel.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Julia Dream is my latest novel and it was inspired by an actual dream I had (hence the title, although I do love Pink Floyd too). It was very vivid and I tried to mirror with my writing style the extremely visual mental image I have of the story, the setting and the overall mood of the book.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write best late at night, in bed before going to sleep, by hand in a journal. I then review and copy my work by hand one more time, because I feel it improves my writing. All subsequent editing is done at the computer.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I love The Lord of the Rings with a passion. Not only for the imagery of Middle Earth, which set the groundwork for all fantasy from there on, but for Tolkien’s specific sensibility. His characters are epic in the real sense of the term.
Another book that influenced be enormously was George Orwell’s 1984 – so much that my own novel is set in a dystopian future.

What are you working on now?
Right now I am working on the second book of the Julia Dream series.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m very happy to have my blog as a platform to deliver content to my audience.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I would tell them not lo let fear of judgement stop them and keep them away from their dreams.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
There’s no bigger failure than not trying at all.

What are you reading now?
I’m currently reading Le Mort d’Arthur.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I think it’s very exciting to see how the self-publishing community is developing. I look forward to participating in the community and engaging with my readers as much as possible.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
– The Lord of the Rings (J. R. R. Tolkien)
– The Wizard of Earthsea (Ursula LeGuin)
– The Mysterious Island (Jules Verne) because it might come in handy
– Robinson Crusoe (Daniel Defoe) as a manual for stranded survivors

Author Websites and Profiles
Fabia Scali-Warner Website
Fabia Scali-Warner Amazon Profile

Fabia Scali-Warner’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m 36 years old and I have a background in acting. My degree is in theatre performance and in addition to acting in plays I’ve gotten some work as an extra and as a stand in for some films and tv shows. Currently my full time job is working as a marketing and social media assistant at a blood bank. I have a lot of hobbies. I enjoy weightlifting, running, tennis, comic books, video games, television, movies, reading, and writing. Currently I have only written one book but am working on my second, a sequel.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The title of my first book is The Lost Kingdom of Moora, and the title is taken from one of the locations explored in the book. The first protagonist in the story deals with this lost kingdom.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not that I am aware of. I am new to writing a novel, and so I may notice some as I progress. Before I began writing this book I hadn’t written a story since I was assigned to write one in high school (though I did have to write a script in college for a script writing class).

What authors, or books have influenced you?
My greatest influence as an author is Edgar Rice Burroughs. I love his Tarzan, Pellucidar and Barsoom series, and all his other books I have read. The Outlaw of Torn is my favorite standalone book he wrote. I love many other authors and books: Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time Series, Piers Anthony’s Xanth, David Eddings’ Belgariad, Fred Saberhagen’s Swords books, and of course Tolkien’s Hobbit and Lord of the Rings, just to name a few. However, my writing isn’t high fantasy like Tolkien. I prefer the way Burroughs wrote, and feel that my storytelling reflects a similar style to some of his works.

What are you working on now?
I’m currently working on my sequel to The Lost Kingdom of Moora. The epilogue of TLKofM leads into events that will take place in the second book. I’m also putting ideas down for the third book I plan to write, which isn’t a sequel to these books, and is actually going to be a Science Fiction story. However, I definitely will be returning to the world of my first two books with new characters and returning characters after that.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’ve just started promoting my book, so I am learning. So far, word of mouth through my facebook friends and at work is helping me to promote it. I’ve also been working to promote the book on twitter.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
As a new author myself, I’d say my biggest piece of advice is to write in a genre you love. Get friends and relatives to read the book as you are writing it and give you feedback on characters, the world, and the story. Be willing to take criticism and change if necessary. If you feel strongly about certain things in your book, don’t compromise on them, but be willing to bend if possible.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best advice I’ve been given is to not let rejection letters get you down. If you are turned down by an agent or a publisher, then move on to the next. And you can always self-publish if nothing else!

What are you reading now?
I’ve been focused on writing but I have several books I need to crack open around the house. I do need to read something soon.

What’s next for you as a writer?
The sequel to The Lost Kingdom of Moora!

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
I’d definitely bring my Bible, because my faith is important to me. I’d also bring The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan, The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien (I do have it collected in one book), and the Pellucidar Series Complete Collection by Edgar Rice Burroughs. I know that may be cheating. If I could only choose one of the LotR books, I’d choose Return of the King, and if I could only choose one Pellucidar book, I’d choose At the Earth’s Core.

Author Websites and Profiles
Robert Cruce Website

Robert Cruce’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have co-written one book and written many unpublished poems.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Fifty Shades Deeper is my book! And the books and movies written by and inspired by EL James, which are Fifty Shades of Grey, Darker, Freed, and Grey. I fell in love with the characters and their journey together. The books changed my life for the better! I stand firmly behind my belief that reading Fifty Shades of Grey can enhance married life for curious and/or stagnated couples. I am adamant that reading FSOG changed my life and marriage for the better because of the message contained therein of unconditional love and feeling free to fully express love without reservations. I wanted to share my love and appreciation for the deeper messages in the Fifty Shades of Grey series, so I co-authored this insightful book with Brownell Landrum, Jewell Hennessey, and the contributions of over 150 fans of the FSOG series.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Well, this being my first book, the 3 of us authors worked only over facebook and email. We never spoke to each other over the phone one time. And we never texted during this adventure. It was really a labor of love built on trust and respect that made this book possible.
When I’m writing poetry, I usually write when I’m unhappy or very happy. And the poems just come to me and I have to get them out of my head, and heart, as quickly as possible.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
EL James was really the biggest influence I have had in writing this book. Also I relied heavily on the support and guidance of fellow author, Brownell Landrum, who is herself a published author.

What are you working on now?
Marketing for the Fifty Shades Deeper book.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Twitter and Facebook for now. And the 50shadesdeeper.com website. I’ve not found any “author” website that has given me much in the terms of exposure.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write about what you love! And don’t feel shy about asking for help. Make sure you have someone else read your work. You’ll be surprised what you will miss by being the only one reading the work.
Also, I had no idea how much marketing would be put on my shoulders by being a self-published author. I had no idea! It can be very overwhelming.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Do what you love!
When you know better, you do better.

What are you reading now?
I’m still reading Fifty Shades of Grey series. I’ve never stopped reading them since I picked them up in March of 2015. I love them so much!!
I also am reading the Twilight series while I’m reading FSOG. I also have started reading Carrie Fisher’s The Princess Diarist.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I hope to publish some of my poems.
I also have two ideas for kid’s books. I just have the ideas. Nothing down on paper yet. I had one of the ideas since I was a child myself.

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, no doubt they would be Fifty Shades of Grey, Darker and Grey. Then I’d probably add the Narnia series.

Author Websites and Profiles
Kaydee Fergus Website
Kaydee Fergus Amazon Profile

Kaydee Fergus’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am first and foremost a loving (and sometimes nagging) wife and a mom of a beautiful little boy, but when I’m not wrangling my toddler or covered in messes, I write and try to manage a career as an indie author.

Quitting my job and leaving the world of adults was a life-changing decision for our family, and although it came with its own difficulties, I would make the decision again in a heartbeat. Being home with my son was precious, but being the person that I am, I still felt like I needed something more. Writing became the “more” I was looking for and I was pleased to discover that I had at least one book in me. About six months after I set out to write my first book, Mended was completed and I’d discovered a whole new part of myself I didn’t know was there.

For me, writing is a way to escape the everyday stresses of life and it creates a welcome challenge on a daily basis. I hope to make a career out of it, but even if I don’t succeed, I can be grateful that I’ve pushed myself to achieve my dream to publish my first book.

I’m currently working on the second book in my Sweet Home Dixie Series, Survivor, and it’s scheduled to be released later this year. My Sweet Home Dixie series is made up of standalone contemporary romance novels set in a small, charming town in southern Alabama. All of my books have deep-rooted emotions, realistic and relatable characters full of flaws and personal struggles, and happy endings. I want to show readers that it’s okay not to be perfect and that everyone falls down at some point in their lives. But with love and personal reflection, we can become far better people than we ever thought possible and can often achieve the unimaginable.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My debut novel is called Mended. It’s a contemporary romance set in a small southern Alabama town and is part of a bigger series of three or more standalone novels (I haven’t quite decided yet.) When our son was born, we made a life-altering decision for me to quit my job and stay home with him. It was a huge change for us, but in the end it turned out to be the right move. Raising my son was like a dream come true, but I found myself feeling closed off from the world and needing something more. Long story short, I started writing and I soon discovered it to be the piece of my life that was missing.

For most of my adult life, I worked with troubled youth and their families. It was heartbreaking to watch them struggle and make mistake after mistake that would set the course of their life forever. Most of these youth came from a troubled upbringing, abuse, neglect, missing parents, and it affected them deeply. But sometimes, in rare circumstances, all that was needed was one authentic role-model who made the extra effort for them to help inspire change. I had the honor of witnessing this miraculous change a handful of times during my career and I wanted to create a story that showcased the beauty of it and the importance of love and stability in people’s lives.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write whenever I get a spare minute, which usually means only during my son’s nap time, bed time, or when I can distract him with some kind of activity long enough to get a few words on the page or jot down some notes. I know it’s not the best set up to encourage creativity, and is not a permanent solution (kids don’t continue taking naps forever!) but for now it’s what I have to work with and I’ll take every opportunity I can.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
There are a great many talented authors out there who I love to read and who have inspired me to write my own book series: Nora Roberts, Nicholas Sparks, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Gena Showalter, to name a few, But the book series that truly inspired my own was the Fool’s Gold Series by Susan Mallory. I love her witty and fun writing and the sweetness and sizzle of her romances. I loved the idea of creating a series within the same small town, where each book focuses on a new set of characters, but your favorites from other books come in and out of the story as well. Each story has its own conclusive ending, but all of the books intermingle, so readers can enjoy them all in any order.

What are you working on now?
I’m currently working on my second book in my Sweet Home Dixie Series. This standalone novel features Reid from the first book, along with some new intriguing characters. Our favorites are still hanging out as well, so we’ll get to see what they’re all up to in Book 2 and readers will get some of their questions answered from Book 1.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I don’t have a lot of time for book promotion, so I like to set things up ahead of time that can do the work for me later. Countless posts on social media is time-consuming, and frankly the results I’ve seen don’t equal the effort put in.

I’m still learning a lot every day, but from what I’ve found, building a mailing list of eager and enthusiastic readers is a great method in getting the word out to your fans. Getting those fans is a bit more work, but you can often find them by taking the time to talk with people, open yourself up to questions, collaborate with other authors, and be willing to give away your work for free (or at least samples!)

I also like using book promotion sites because they are an inexpensive, time-friendly, and effective method of finding potential readers and telling the world about your book. So far, I’ve only used these sites when I have a sale promotion for my book, and they have been very effective. To name a few: Bookbub is the most expensive and the most effective of these sites with the biggest readership and following, but it also has the strictest guidelines and they reject up to 90% of the submissions they receive. I’ve also tried Reading Deals with some success and in my next campaign I’m using Many Books, Read Cheaply, Buck Books, and of course Awesomegang. Some other great sites are E Reader News Today, and Kindle Nation Daily. There are tons of affordable promotion options out there today. With a little research, you can find the right methods for you.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Research. Learn about the inner-working of the business before you publish and never stop learning. Things change quickly in this business and you have to be willing to adapt. That means continuing to learn and try new things and move on from the things that don’t work.

Define what success means for you and be willing to work for it. Success will not just fall into your lap. It takes a huge amount of effort, patience, AND A TON OF MISTAKES to get there.

Above all, don’t be afraid to fail. Finding out what doesn’t work is an important part of finding out what does. Becoming a self-sustaining and even money-making author is a marathon, with many pot holes along the way. If you want something, be willing to work your booty off for it, and if you’re not willing to do that, it is OK to quit (as long as you’re okay with it!)

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Hire a professional editor. I know the cost of hiring a good editor can be daunting, but don’t skimp out. Getting your book professionally edited is a game changer and a necessity. Beta readers are great, but they can’t replace a good editor. It is the best investment you can make for your book and for yourself as an author. (A great cover designer is also important!).

What are you reading now?
I’ve been on a Susan Elizabeth Phillips kick lately and I recently went down to the library and cleared out the shelf. I just read Call Me Irresistible and I’m finishing up Just Imagine.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’d like to finish writing my Sweet Home Dixie Series (even if it takes me years) and then, I don’t know. Maybe a new book series. I’ve always hoped to co-author a book with my husband and I hope we get the chance to do that some day.

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 can never answer questions like this. If there was a fire and I was only allowed to choose 3 things to take with me (people and pets not included) I would burn to death.

Author Websites and Profiles
Kayla Marie Website
Kayla Marie Amazon Profile

Kayla Marie’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My pen name is Biohacked Trader (what I go by on social media). I have been writing ebooks for almost a year. I write part-time and also trade foreign exchange. I have been blessed with being able to work-from-home. I mostly write within the self-help genre, but have also written books on life hacking and wealth hacking. I live in Columbus, Ohio and I am 29 years old!

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
“Let’s Get Smashed” – It is a recipe book full of avocado toast recipes. I was inspired by my love for avocado and low-carbohydrate recipes! As a self-proclaimed “biohacker”, I try to increase my focus and motivation by eating a high fat diet.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
My only habit would be – coffee – lots and lots of coffee.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Tim Ferris

What are you working on now?
I haven’t decided on my next ebook yet. At the moment, i’m just trying to learn more about the Amazon algorithms.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
fiverr has worked pretty well for me in the past; this is my first time using this site!

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Coffee >.<

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t listen to anybody and mistakes aren’t always a negative.

What are you reading now?
Nothing at the moment

What’s next for you as a writer?
Not sure!

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?
All of my books, of course.

Author Websites and Profiles
Matt Gearinger Amazon Profile

Matt Gearinger’s Social Media Links
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Acting is what lead me to writing. I started off acting like most people when I was in a school play at the age of 4. I carried on acting in schools and joined an academy for a short while. I started acting professionally in 2006 when I started college.

Doing all this and finding it hard to get acting work, on the side I made my own projects.

In 2014 I wrote my first book – The diary of an actress. It’s a mixture of my expereince in acting and also a guide for beginners.

In 2015, acting lead me to writing my first Novel – Anuanna. I turned my film idea into a book and I’ve been enjoying writing Anuanna very much.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest Novel is called ‘Anuanna: The Karda Jewel.’ It’s an adult fantasy romance following a woman named Anne who lead an average life in an average job – or so she thought. Until one day, strange, unexplainable events began which made her question her sanity.

She finds out she is one of the last of an ancient dying race with special abilities and magical powers – she’s actually a witch. But, she is not alone.

After Anne’s gifts began to progress, she was approached by an older stern looking woman, a professor from an academy for the gifted such as Anne. Things haven’t gone smoothly for Anne as she experiences love loss, stumbles into dangerous battles with creatures she thought were only in fairy tales, faces enemies and learns to control her newfound abilities.

But not everything is looking dark for Anne, as she meets her two new close friends – Charlotte Williams and Liam Lang, along with some unexpected friendships with Felix Stryker and Spencer Ivin. But the one relationship Anne will cherish more than most, is her new found love, whom she believes to be her true love.

As Anne builds a new life for herself at Anuanna, things begin to look up for her, dare she say, even perfect? But will her new life stay a dream or become a nightmare?

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I think my main habit is slipping from current to past tense when it’s not needed. When I get into it, for some reason, I’m compelled to write in past tense than have to goo back over everything and correct it.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I wasn’t influenced by any author or book. I was thinking of a new film script to write. I had my character in mind but I was bored in writing horrors and thrillers, I wanted a change. So I thought I’d try and romance but pure romances aren’t my thing, but I do love a good bit of fantasy. So I mixed them and when I decided to write a romantic novel, that’s when I created the main characters partner. The book took off from there, with the main two characters.

What are you working on now?
Anuanna 2. I haven’t thought of a subtitle yet.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
So far it’s only been Facebook and Twitter. I’m now branching out to websites such as this one to help promote my book.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I’m a new author myself so I’m not an expert, I’m still learning a lot myself. I guess, the main advice I can give is the key to success is the obvious – advertise, advertise, advertise. The more people whom hear about your book, the better for you.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“If the writer doesn’t feel sad, the reader won’t feel sad. If the writer doesn’t feel happy, the reader won’t feel happy. If the writer doesn’t feel angry, the reader won’t feel angry. If the writer doesn’t feel excited, the reader won’t feel excited.”

Basically, if you’re not completely and emotionally dedicated, it’s unlikely to come out in your writing.

What are you reading now?
Leaving Time.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Continue to write the next book of Anuanna.

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?
Mostly like books on survival, how to build with the materials around me, the food I’m able to eat, essentials like that. And maybe one book for pleasure, something I haven’t read before, to help keep my spirits up if possible in that situation.

Author Websites and Profiles
Madeline ,McQueen Website

Madeline ,McQueen’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
AM Surakshith MArkanti; hails from Hyderabad. am a civil engineer but in heart a writer.
Published a book titled “You are never a stranger”; looking forward to write more books and let world know about my books

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
You are never a stranger
Inspired from my own life; am a loner and i always feel it deep in my heart that; no one is ever alone. its from here the concept of book; tickled me

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
No,

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Not many; i read very few books. I like “Into the wild”

What are you working on now?
am working on two projects “The conflict of Belief” which am ready with and a another project called “the friend Zoned boy” based on the life of Students

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I seriously need to learn on it and promote my book

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Am not in a stage to advice any one; the only thing i can say is; don’t lose hopes

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Everything will be alright;
I say to myself everytime

What are you reading now?
am reading Purans; i want to write a book on them

What’s next for you as a writer?
grow big and gain maturity and improve myself

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
“The secret” and “Into the wild”

Author Websites and Profiles
surakshith markanti Amazon Profile

surakshith markanti’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Retired Navy service member of 21 years, I’m the co-founder of the Crawford Irby International Foundation, founder of the National Christian Writers Conference and Chairman of Orange County Christian Writers Conference and Publisher Christian Ignite Enterprises. He is a publisher and author of several books. Antonio uses his skills to help writers, authors, speakers, infopreneurs, and business owners increase their overall positioning and production performance. He teaches seminars and workshops across the nation to show participants how to develop their ideas using performance-based production models.

Antonio earned his MBA and BA in Marketing. He has a degree in Computer Science, a degree in Ministry and a professional certificate from San Diego State University in Lean Enterprise Solution. An advocate for literacy he has helped thousands of writers, authors, artists, speakers, infopreneurs, and entrepreneurs publish their ideas. Antonio served in the U.S. Navy for 21 years and lives in sunny San Diego, California, with his wife, Gwendolyn.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Christian Authors Unite: Changing the Way Writers, Write and Think
http://amzn.to/2nRDrOt

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Writing early in the morning when everything is calm and quite. The only voice that I hear is the one inside my head.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Jack Canfield, Chicken Soup for the Soul series

What are you working on now?
my upcoming conference for writers, the Orange County Christian Writers Conference

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Amazon.com is best because the site has Author Central as a blog and many other hacks for authors.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Find your niche’, build your following and test your market

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Believe in your own creativity!

What are you reading now?
The Better Business Book by Tyler Wagner

What’s next for you as a writer?
Publishing People and not books through my conferences and workshops.

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?
Who Moved My Cheese
Prayer of Jabez
The Bible

Author Websites and Profiles
Antonio Crawford Website
Antonio Crawford Amazon Profile

Antonio Crawford’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
This is my first & only book for public consumption. I have in the past written several technical books. It could save—or take—my life.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
COSTA RICA THEN/COSTA RICA NOW

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Every word in this book derives from personal experience & reprinted newspaper articles.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
You will have to read this book to understand its mission.

What are you working on now?
Trying to get out of Costa Rica.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XK71MNB/

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Writing the book is the easy part.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
NEVER JUDGE A MAN UNTIL YOU HAVE WALKED A MILE IN HIS MOCCASINS.

What are you reading now?
JOHNY CASH

What’s next for you as a writer?
Possibly death

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?
All versions of A BRIEF HISTORY OF TIME.

Author Websites and Profiles
cr captive Website
cr captive Amazon Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve written 2 short stories and I’m 20% done with my 400 page novel, Dark Ascendancy.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Apprentice Mistake, is an exciting story similar to Fantasia in that the apprentice to a wizard gets himself into trouble. My story isn’t so cartoon-ish, though. There are secret doors, magical dragons, wizards and the possibility of death.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write whenever I get the chance, so I don’t know that there are any unusual habits. Its a lot harder to get yourself into the muse mode when it doesn’t want to, but I’m getting better at it.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Terry Goodkind’s Wizard’s First Rule inspired me to create a world that was both dangerous and unknown to the main character. Originally, I was only thinking up this new world as a game idea, but I soon realized that writing the story comes first. If enough of my fans get excited about that world, then I’ll try and make it into a game.

What are you working on now?
Dark Ascendancy. Teslanar (the main character) is going to quickly find himself in a war he didn’t want to be in. Besides, there are layers and layers of things happening in this world. I ran into the Marshall Plan, which really helped me out on the creation of this book. There will be several points of view (not just the main character) for the reader to get enmeshed in the story. I hate how long it is taking to write this story, but I love that world too much to do a poor job of painting the picture for my fans.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Unfortunately, there is no one method or website that takes care of everything. If it did it would either be really expensive or so unbelievable of a good deal to be true. However, the best marketing advice I can give you is this… Pretend readers are sitting at the bar and you are going to walk up to them and seal the deal. Instead of dating that person, you’re trying to get them to read your book. Many times an author will spend so much time creating their book and then just serve it up as if it were fast food. Readers have so many choices that they can easily buy the best “food” for pennies on the dollar. Take the time to introduce yourself and show the reader that its not just about you. Take the perspective of the reader and help them decide if your book is right for them. It might not be, in which case, you move on to the next person. My point is this… pick-up lines don’t usually work. Unless the other person is so enamored with you that it doesn’t matter what you say. Okay. I’ll get off of my soap box, now.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Stay the course. Enjoy writing for the sake of writing and stay true to yourself. Don’t expect the big bucks to come immediately. If they do, great, but don’t hold your breath. Remember that everything you create will have value for the next 100 years. It can be very difficult psychologically, but having two to three products to sell makes marketing so much easier.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Learn from other people’s mistakes, so that you don’t have to. Unfortunately, I still learn things the hard way. I just hope they are fewer than they could be.

What are you reading now?
I just finished reading a couple of Brent Weeks’ books. The Black Prism and The Way of Shadows. I really like the complexities he puts into his writing. I think he is still growing as an author, too. I can’t wait for the book that comes out when he’s nailed down all the things he’s researching.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I just want to keep writing.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Blank ones. Its not that I don’t like other people’s writing. Its just more fun to be the first reader of a book. I have a muse that I listen too, so I get to be the first reader.

Author Websites and Profiles
Kalvin Thane Website
Kalvin Thane Amazon Profile

Kalvin Thane’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account