Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Biographical Sketch of Natashia Cunningham-Harris
Natashia Cunningham-Harris is a native of South-Suburban Chicago. She is a graduate of Chicago State University where she obtained a Bachelor of Arts in psychology, a Master of Arts in social work, a Master of Arts in educational leadership, and a Doctor of Education in educational leadership. The scope of her career includes special education administrator (Chicago public school), operations manager (Jr. Achievement), youth consultant (Ida B. Wells Housing Projects), and author. Natashia founded Future Career Achievers, a career development program for youth, Natashia’s Youth Enforcement Enterprise (NYEE), an organization dedicated to abused and neglected children, and Just for the Young People. She also is radio host and evangelist.
In addition to her accomplishments and achievements, her love for writing dominates her spare time. Her currently published works include Wake up Generation X, a prophetic book of poems and sonnets, It Worked Together for My Good, an autobiography, What Do You Do When You Get Hurt in the Church, promoting healing and restoration to the wounded and brokenhearted, How to Avoid a Player in the Church, for single ladies, Receiving God’s Financial Favor, helping others on the path to financial blessings, and her latest book How to Deal with School Girl Drama, which focuses on bullying, boy drama, gossip, fighting, and conflict. Natashia dedicates all her gifts and talents to God: always serving with a willing heart and a tenacious spirit. Whether it is authoring a book to teach others His ways, assisting parents and children with special needs, aiding abused and neglected children, strengthening the hearts of juvenile mothers and young adults, or working to reduce cycles of abuse, she strives in all things to put Him first.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The name of my latest book is, “How to Deal with Schoolgirl Drama.” As a school social worker, I see this schoolgirl drama a lot and I experienced it myself as a young girl. I decided to write about it, to help you identify its props, scenes, and patterns. I wanted to offer suggestions that might help girls get through this season of your life with less pain and confusion. I believe that the pain that they are feeling is real, and here are some suggestions to help girls get through difficult time.
My goal is to teach you how to handle these issues.
Happy reading and let’s deal with schoolgirl drama!

A

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t have any unusual writing habits. I do journal frequently.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The bible has influenced me the most.

What are you working on now?
I have just finished my dissertation on bullying so currently I am taking a break. I still journal.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
www.nyee828.com

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Be honest, don’t procrastinate, keep writing and don’t give up on being a successful author.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t limit yourself and believe that you can do it.

What are you reading now?
The Purpose Driven Life

What’s next for you as a writer?
To publish my dissertation.

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 Purpose Driven Life, The Bible, God’s General

Author Websites and Profiles
Natashia Cunningham-Harris Website

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am Writer, A Musician & A Petitioner. Born on May 14, 1988. From Onicha ngwa, Obingwa of Abia state, Nigeria. I attended at “Kingfredson Nursery & Primary school, Aba” and “Livingstone Model College in Lagos, where i got two consecutive double promotions, with several awards in school debates.” I later peregrinated to Ghana to consummate my course for English Literature and Audio Production. I got admission into the “University Of Ghana” There i studied and graduated with “Diplomatic beneficial certificate, associate’s degree,” in 2006.

VOCATIONS:
I has penned 5 Novels & African Literatures, including:
1. COMPENDIUM OF AWARENESS
2. THE OUTCOME OF VERITY
3. SEEKERS OF THE HIDDEN RICHES
4. A COMPUNCTIVE SINNER
5. SHADOWS OF THE BIAFRAN HEROES

These books were published on a cull of varieties and in a wide range for the fascinates of people. However, i was earning little of them, but that never got me deterred, i moved ahead and was plenary of zeal and energy towards my vocation…

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My current book is titled “The Outcome Of Verity”. It is a story of an old man who tried to live a righteous life, and was killed by one of his enemies. He lived 157 years.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Well, I don’t usually write for my own pleasure, but for the interests of the people.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Chinua Achebe was a great African novelist, his book “Things Fall Apart” inspired me. Ben Carson was also a great writer, I love his book “Gifted Hands”.

What are you working on now?
I am writing my next story to be called “The Millipede”. A historical novel about the Rich and the poor.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Google.com is the world largest site for information.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
You must first believe in yourself without self condemnation, using negative words against yourself, such as; i don’t think i can make it, everyone will snub at this story. These are the feelings that could terminate your ambition of being an author. write down your stories, even if it doesn’t make sense at first, don’t give up, keep writing, soon it will begin to make sense…

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

What are you reading now?
Always, I read any book that comes across me.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I am planning to own a library.

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?
Shadows Of The Biafran Heroes, My Penniless Husband, Gifted Hands.

Author Websites and Profiles
Elijah Onyenmeriogu Website
Elijah Onyenmeriogu Amazon Profile
Elijah Onyenmeriogu Author Profile on Smashwords

Elijah Onyenmeriogu’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
After an exciting but debilitating career as a field archaeologist, I partnered with my friend, Barry Hayes, to start Broke Guys Productions and work on creative projects together. We started out writing screenplays, including the first two installments of our Cycle of Ages Saga. After failing to find funding for our ambitious film concepts, we turned to writing novelizations of our fantasy saga. We were traditionally published through Dark Oak Press, but we preferred to go our own way with the newest editions of our novels. I also write short stories and poems and have had both published traditionally through Yahoo Voices, Dark Oak Press, and Pro Se Press.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I am in the editing phase with my third novel, Cycle of Ages Saga: Delve Deep. It is my longest work to date; the current edit is roughly 165,000 words. It is the third installment of our fantasy saga, but it is my first solo novel. Much of this novel was inspired by a prequel novelette I wrote for the Cycle of Ages Saga. Deep Diving Death Defying Dwarves of the Deep is featured in Dark Oak Press’s anthology Capes & Clockwork.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m a bit anachronistic. I tend to start most stories with pen and paper, using legal pads or composition books. Then I type up the results and refine my story while typing. Much of Delve Deep was writing in this fashion, much to the chagrin of trees everywhere.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Hmm…quite a number of writers have influenced me in one way or another over the years. Here’s a partial list: Stephen King, H.P. Lovecraft, Mark Twain, Ambrose Bierce, Neil Gaiman, Arthur Conan Doyle, Robert E. Howard, L. Sprague de Camp, Toni Morrison, Claude McKay, Charles Dickens, Bentley Little, Robert Bloch, Ed Greenwood, Margaret Weis, Tracy Hickman, Robert Heinlein, Isaac Asimov, Ray Bradbury, and Flannery O’Connor.

What are you working on now?
Editing Delve Deep for its June/July release. Working on two fantasy short stories for Richard Fierce, another author who is putting together a shared world anthology. Expanding my email subscriber list (please visit my website and join up today!).

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Honestly, I sell better in person, preferably behind a table at a con or book event. I am still trying to find a wider readership/audience online, which is part of why I am here.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Edit. Find someone professional to edit for you. Then edit again.

Good critical beta readers are worth their weight in Pulitzer-prizes.

Pay for a professional cover. If your publisher won’t, find a new publisher or do it yourself.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
To paraphrase Cheri Priest, the only way to finish a book is to keep your ass in the chair and write, write, write.

What are you reading now?
Changa’s Safari by Milton Davis. The Complete Compleat Enchanter by L. Sprague de Camp & Fletcher Pratt.

What’s next for you as a writer?
After this epic novel, I may turn back to screenwriting for awhile. There are so many content providers now that I may develop some of the ideas for series that have been brewing in my head for the past 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?
Boy Scouts of America Handbook. SAS Survival Manual. A guide to tropical plants, herbs, and how to use them. The Complete Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy Trilogy.

Author Websites and Profiles
Jeremy Hicks Website
Jeremy Hicks Amazon Profile
Jeremy Hicks Author Profile on Smashwords

Jeremy Hicks’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am an attorney and I have practiced law for 40 years. I am married; I live in West Bloomfield, Michigan. I have four adult children and 8 grandchildren. I am passionate about justice and fairness in the legal system and I have dedicated my career to helping plaintiffs achieve those two things. I have published one novel, Betrayal of Faith, and my second novel is nearing completion.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My book, Betrayal of Faith, is loosely based upon an actual case I handled in the 1980’s. Two boys were sexually abused by a Catholic Priest. The Church defended the case vigorously, engaged in a cover-up and transfer scheme to protect the priest, and even entered into a confidential settlement with some prior victims to avoid exposure. It felt like there was a vast conspiracy of silence, with some “higher up” pulling the strings on what the official reactions to these events would be and how victims and witnesses would be treated. I have often thought back on the experience and whether there was material for a novel there. One day, I sat down, outlined a plot that featured a fictional clandestine organization (“The Coalition” in the novel) within a fictional non-denominational church and began to write. Like my original case, the victims were two brave teenaged boys and a dedicated mother who dared to sue their own church. The outline also featured a down and out lawyer who uses the case as a springboard to resurrect his troubled career. Together, they would embark on a pursuit for justice, culminating in the ‘trial of the century’. Several months later, I completed the first draft of “Betrayal of Faith”.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t think so. It is difficult to self-evaluate. I try to write about issues that are important to me and that have real meaning in my own life. I prefer dialogue and character interaction to descriptions or settings, if that makes any sense. “Betrayal of Faith” contains a great deal of back and forth character dialogue.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
John Grisham, Richard North Patterson, Daniel Silva, David Baldacci, George R.R. Martin, Pat Conroy. Ken Follet. I have enjoyed the vast majority of their works. I loved Conroy’s Prince of Tides and have read the entire Gabriel Allon series by Silva and entire “Game of Thrones” series by Martin and “Century Trilogy” by Follet.

What are you working on now?
I am completed my second novel which is tentatively entitled “Betrayal of Justice”.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Honestly, I am not sure yet. I am still learning.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I am a brand new author and I am in dire need of advice. This book writing game has been an expensive and frustrating experience. I am passionate about my books and my topics and I would like to see them find an audience. This is about readership, not fame or fortune. Far be it from me to give advice, however, if I were to do so, I would humbly advise a new author to write about something he/she is passionate about and to write for one’s self. Hopefully, if you are true to yourself, will the follow? I sincerely hope so.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“Get an education; go as far as you can in school.” My father hammered me with that advice and was sitting in the front row at my law school graduation. There is not a single accomplishment in my life that wasn’t influenced in some way by my wonderful parents.

What are you reading now?
The most recent books that I have read are “The Nightingale” by Kristen Hannah, “The Whistler”, by John Grisham, the first three “Pike Logan” books by Brad Taylor, and “The Zookeeper’s Wife”, by Diane Ackerman. I am in between books. A friend, who knows that I read and enjoy Daniel Silva, has recommended “Livia Lone” by Barry Eisler. He suggests that, if I enjoy it, I should then read the entire “John Rain” series by Eisler (9 books). Thus, I have my work cut out for me.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I have no idea. I’ve been thinking that I’d like to try to write a children’s book.

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?
Wow! What a question! As you can see from previous answers, I like a wide variety of books. “Catcher in the Rye” by “J.D. Salinger and “To Kill a Mockingbird”, by Harper Lee. Some Silva and Grisham novels, perhaps I would re-read all of my Follet and RR Martin books since I would have nothing else to do but read. I know, I know, that’s more than 3 to 4, but the question is not fair!

Author Websites and Profiles
Mark Bello Amazon Profile

Mark Bello’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 since I was 17 years old. I love to write romance, both contemporary and historical. Timberline is my second published book, but I have written well over 10 other stories.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My family has a cabin in Colorado, which is where I got a large portion of my inspiration for “Timberline”. The actual story came to me in a dream and I knew I had to start writing.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Typically, I need some kind of music on in the background when I write. For the first draft, I use a pen and yellow legal notepad. Not sure why it has to be a yellow legal notepad, but it does.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I’ve been reading for as long as I can remember. I grew up consuming mostly Christian authors, such as Lori Wick, but I also like to read Kat Martin when I get the chance.

What are you working on now?
I have a new book set to release the end of September (hopefully) with Hot Tree Publishing. It is a mafia/mob contemporary romance I am very excited about sharing.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’ve found social media to be a great source for promotions, but nothing beats good old fashion face to face conversations. I post blog entries on my website each month as well as my social media accounts.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t give up. I know it’s easy to say it, but it’s what I learned from my professors, teachers, and life. Out of the 50+ rejection emails from publishers, I make myself keep going. Another tidbit of advice is to keep writing no matter what.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Always believe in yourself; everyone else will let you down.

What are you reading now?
Pride and Pleasure by Rhonda Lee Carver

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m currently working on two sequels including one for Timberline’s series. I also have additional stories waiting to be brought to light. Never much down time, that’s for certain.

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. Pride & Prejudice- Jane Austen
2. Midnight Sun-Kat Martin
3. The Highlander Series-Maya Banks
4. An empty book to write in

Author Websites and Profiles
Skye McNeil Website
Skye McNeil Amazon Profile
Skye McNeil Author Profile on Smashwords

Skye McNeil’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My name is Maggie Lynn Heron-Heidel and I am a science fiction, fantasy author and filmmaker. To date I have written five books, one of which is published and the other four are being readied for release.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest novel, War Machine, is the first book in my Destiny in the Shadows Series. As for the inspiration behind it, all one has to do is look around at our current times. Looking at the government of my fictional city Nacin, it very much echoes the governments of the world today. We see deadly consequences of corruption and greed that only seem to affect the average citizen, while the politicians sit in their golden palaces plotting their next move. It leaves our soldiers and policemen between them and the public, facing the scrutiny that should fall on those in power.
Another layer of inspiration comes from human trafficking. It is a worldwide problem that I feel needs attention. Slaves and sex trafficking are definitely not a thing of the past. It is a daily occurrence that is virtually ignored by the general populace.
Because of this, I am donating ten percent of all proceeds from my book to Agape International Missions, a cause that fights human trafficking and slavery.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Yes, I do. I find that I write best while riding in the backseat of a car! The habit stems all the way back from when as a child. My mother ran a successful real estate magazine and as a loving working mother, she almost always brought me with her during her travels. And while traveling between destinations in the car, I would often spend my time in the backseat dreaming up new stories to entertain myself.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I have read so many that it is hard to choose which book and authors I love best! Two of my favorites include Christopher Paolini, author of the Inheritance Saga, and Robert Ludlum, author of the Bourne Identity series.

What are you working on now?
Releasing the first books of my other series, the Wings of Caligo and the Vaktare of All Realms books. Unlike War Machine which is a futuristic dystopian science fiction piece, these are fantasy novels based in our current reality.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Using social media to connect with my fans!

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Believe in yourself. Don’t validate your own worth by the judgement of others.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
To keep writing. Most novice writers never even make it past their first the page! Don’t stop until you have finished your first draft, even if you feel it is terrible. You can always edit it later, but for now, focus on getting it finished!

What are you reading now?
Peace Pilgrim, the autobiography of Peace Pilgrim.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Publishing more of my novels! I’m excited for my readers to meet more of my characters!

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’m a Christian, so my first pick would be the bible. After that I would say it becomes too difficult to choose!

Author Websites and Profiles
Maggie Lynn Heron-Heidel Website
Maggie Lynn Heron-Heidel Amazon Profile

Maggie Lynn Heron-Heidel’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have written (and just published) 2 books actually. I couldn’t choose between the two so I released them both on the same day. As for me, I am a piscean person, born in 1992. I’m an adventurer, musician, YouTuber, day-dreamer, bookworm and tea addict.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I have two, like I said, and they fall on opposite ends of the spectrum.

Resfeber is a travel memoir I wrote after running away from my problems didn’t really help and I figured maybe writing would. It’s about love and loss and love again. There were many things that inspired it; pain, romance, adventure, failures, happiness…

The Fifth Warrior is an urban fantasy story that I started writing almost ten years ago. It was initially inspired by Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I talk to myself when I write. I do this often. Sometimes I shout at myself too. I also have a tendency to talk to the inanimate objects around me. Fortunately, they don’t talk back. That would be cause for concern!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Far too many to list here.

What are you working on now?
Absolutely nothing. I just released two books at the same time. A girl deserves a break!
That said, once I have recovered from the absolute nightmare that is first time self-publishing, I’ll be back for round two, with The Knights of Nyroden (picking up where The Fifth Warrior left off).

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Bah! I am unfit and unqualified to answer this question. I am absolutely useless when it comes to self-promotion. It’s actually quite embarrassing.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
No. I am a new author. Y’all should be giving me advice!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
None that I can recall. That should tell you a whole lot about my attention span/ memory.

What are you reading now?
Interview With The Vampire by Anne Rice. I must admit, I don’t love it.

What’s next for you as a writer?
WORLD DOMINATION!
MUHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA!!

I am not kidding.

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 book on how to survive when you are stranded on a desert island
– A book on how to get yourself off of a desert island
– A journal (on condition that it comes with a pen/ pencil of course)
– The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss

Author Websites and Profiles
Kelly Damon Website
Kelly Damon Amazon Profile
Kelly Damon Author Profile on Smashwords

Kelly Damon’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m originally from St. Paul, MN, and sorely miss and adore land of 10,000 lakes during the summer. After several moves (Chicago, St. Louis, Tampa) we finally settled in Upstate New York. No, not that New York-Upstate New York, think gorges and waterfalls, acres of farm land and lush mountain forests as far as the eye can see…and then cover it all in about 200″ of snow.

This is my first novel, it is also book #1 in a series of 4.

I have a hard time sitting still dragging my husband and kids through as many off the beaten path trails as I can stumble upon! During the winter I can be found designing costumes for a local school’s drama club, judging middle school aged kids in robotics, writing, and reading.

And as my husband has learned, if you really want my attention bring an offering of coffee, tea, or Mexican food.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
A Charming Nightmare is a science fiction/fantasy novel. The entire series was a story I used to tell my kids at bedtime when they were growing up. When they got too old for fairy tales I took the characters and aged them, the situation, the language, descriptions, and the conflict into something they can open again today as adults.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t think I have unusual writing habits, I am particular. It has to be pitch black out and completely silent (so usually after everyone has gone to bed), and then I make a cup of tea, put in some headphones and crank music to an unacceptable level writing without thought for hours. Once a week I’ll stop writing, and read what I mindlessly typed, proof reading and fine tuning an incomplete thought.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Got a minute? Are you comfortable? Can I get you anything tea, coffee, a taco perhaps? This is quiet a list:
I am a huge fan or Jean Auel, Douglas Adams, Christopher Moore (you can NEVER go wrong with a Chris Moore novel), Chuck Palahniuk, Kurt Vonnegut, Charlie Huston, Erin Morgenstern, Stephen King, Mark Z. Danielewski, S. G. Browne Seth Graham Smith, Agatha Christie, Daniel Keyes… the list is never ending and I’m sure I’m forgetting one of my top ten.

What are you working on now?
Currently I’m working on the remaining 3 books in the ACN Series. Each of them are in different stages of development/editing.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Social media is my comfort zone. As an indie writer promoting/marketing is a continuous learning process. I’m building up my courage though, one day in a near future I hope to step into a comic-con as a vendor, speaker, or panel guest and not just a face in the crowd.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Everyone has advise. Everyone writer or not will tell you what you should do. Don’t compromise with the masses, if you still love your work as much today as you did on day one thank the advice giver and go with what you adore (even if they don’t love it as much as you do).

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“Why can’t you?”

What are you reading now?
Doctor Who: Shada: The Lost Adventure by Douglas Adams

What’s next for you as a writer?
Hopefully more of this.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
It would be either:
The Earth’s Children Series by Jean Auel, they are my go to books and my copies are so worn that words are faded, but that’s alright, I have them memorized.
Or
Any 4 books by Stephen King not only because he’s Stephen King what’s not to love, but because they’re massive books and would take longer to read.

Author Websites and Profiles
Marie Kammerer-Franke Website
Marie Kammerer-Franke Amazon Profile

Marie Kammerer-Franke’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hi, I’m Craig and I’m an Indie author. (Pause to let everyone chant ‘hello Craig’)

I’ve written four novellas and am about to put out my first full length book. Writing is a passion of mine, I’ve been doing it as long as I can remember, but it’s only fairly recently that I have started to take it a little more seriously. I have two small children and it occurred to me that one day they are going to ask what Daddy does for a living. I’m not sure ‘spreadsheets’ is the inspirational answer they will be looking for, so I figured I’ve got a few years to be able to answer ‘kick arse storyteller’.

I primarily write in the humour genre, but I have dabbled in other areas.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Colony is my latest book. It was inspired by a conversation I had with a friend visiting from Australia. We started talking about Colony Collapse disorder and somehow the conversation evolved to include CRISPR gene editing, global warming, Artificial Intelligence and the death of mankind. After a conversation like that the book practically wrote itself!

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write late at night while the rest of my family is asleep. I get so into my writing I keep forgetting to go to bed. I have gotten to the point where I only need 5 hours sleep to function.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Terry Pratchett. If I could write his name ten more times I would. I can’t stress how much TP’s work has influenced me. Have you ever read a book and felt like it was written specifically for you? Well that’s how I feel every time I read a TP novel. I’m not ashamed to admit I cried when he passed away. It was like losing a treasured member of the family that I’d never met.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on a book called TROJAN, about a team of IT consultants that are tracking down the world’s most dangerous hacker before he can release a virus that has the capacity to end the internet as we know it. It’s a techno thriller, which is completely outside my comfort zone. All the characters keep trying to be funny and I have to remind them that this is a serious book and could they jolly well behave themselves. I think they stick their tongue out at me when I turn around.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
When I figure this out I’ll let you know! I’m still new to promotions so very much in the learning curve.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write. You can’t get help editing something that only exists in your head. No matter how bad it is, get the words down on the page. EVERYONE’s first draft is rubbish, no matter how good they are at writing. You won’t get better by not writing.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Get brutally honest feedback on your first draft and take it like a grown up. Find someone who will tear your book apart so you can rebuild it better and leaner. You’ll thank them later

What are you reading now?
Metropolitan Dreams, by Mark King. Really interesting concept!

What’s next for you as a writer?
NYT bestseller. I’m going to take the scenic route to get there though, because that’s where all the fun lies.

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?
Small gods by Terry Pratchett, Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton and Deception Point by Dan Brown.

Author Websites and Profiles
Craig Anderson Website
Craig Anderson Amazon Profile

Craig Anderson’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 stories since I was nine so it’s hard to tell how many I’ve written but I have one, full manuscript that will be published in September by Totally Bound that is an adult, erotic rock star romance underneath called the Waywards series: All The Right Notes. With them, my author name is C. McGrath.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I was posting bits of novels on facebook for my family and friends. I was really eager to have something out there for them and decided releasing a novel in parts would be the best way to do it.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’ve recently developed a weird habit of making pinterest aesthetic boards for characters. It helps me get a sense of my worlds as well as the characters I populate with them. Like having a storyboard almost.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I am a huge, huge J. K. Rowling fan of course and I love Neil Gaiman.

What are you working on now?
The next volume in the Barton Hollow series, along with the sequel to my rock star romance with Totally Bound publishing, and a New Adult fantasy novel.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Awesomegang seems to be a lovely resource. I am new to this book advertising thing so we shall see.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Keep trying. Every book is an improvement on the last, and as long as you enjoy what you’re doing, that’s what counts. The rest will come with hard work and dedication.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Content is key. Don’t focus on one book if you want to be successful. Get past your first novel, and keep on going. Even if you shove it away, at least you’ve got something for later should the occasion arise.

What are you reading now?
The Fortune Hunter by Daisy Goodwin.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Preparing for the release of my rock star romance, All The Right Notes, underneath my penname C. MCGrath.

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. Harry Potter and the Scorers Stone, J. K. Rowling
2. Six of Crows, Leigh Bardugo
3. I was a Teenage Fairy by Francesca Lia Block

Author Websites and Profiles
Stella Stoker Website
Stella Stoker Amazon Profile

Stella Stoker’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
You’ll hear most writers say that they’ve always wanted to write, since they were kids. That’s not the case with me. I joined the writing community in my middle thirties. I had ideas in my head and used to make stories up, but never thought about writing. Today, I have two novels finished (unpublished yet), five published short stories (four in various literary magazines, one self-published), and about a dozen more shorts drafted.
I usually write stories in the genres of horror, fantasy, and scifi, and from those I gravitate towards the darker subgenres (dark fantasy, psychological horror, cyberpunk, or anything with noir style in it).

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The name of the latest novel (still unpublished) has the provisional title Through Stranger Eyes, and it’s a cyberpunk mystery/thriller. My latest self-published short story is The Man Behind The Bar, and deals with a bar owner who hides his secret past.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I put a lot of emphasis in editing my work. It usually takes me about three months to draft a book, a bit longer to brainstorm and outline (heavy outline), and one to two years to edit. So most of the times, if you reach out to me through social media and ask me what I’m working on, I’ll most likely hear me saying, “editing.”

What authors, or books have influenced you?
R. Scott Bakker, Stephen King, Richard Morgan, George R. R. Martin, Margaret Weis, and Tracy Hickman. Lately, I’ve been reading Margaret Atwood.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on my latest cyberpunk mystery/thriller novel called, Through Stranger Eyes (provisional title) and a horror short story that has proven to be the hardest thing I’ve tackled so far.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I really like the visual power Pinterest offers, as well as its solitude. I get to post things for others to see, uninterrupted (very important not to be interrupted when working – my mind simply goes haywire if that happens. Short attention span, I guess). You can connect with me on Pinterest on https://gr.pinterest.com/c_sarantopoulos/
It may take me a day or two to get back to you, if you send me a message there, but I will definitely get back to you.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Edit, edit, edit. And more edit. Don’t expect to get it right the first time. The same goes for the second. And the third. So edit.
Also, keep in mind that the whole thing is a marathon (cliche, I know, you’ve heard it a thousand times already, but it’s true), not a sprint.
Develop a tough skin. The thing writers do has only one certainty: rejection. Accept it, live with it.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Toughen up. Without a doubt, you will be rejected more often than you’ll get accepted. Turns out it extends to life, not just writing.

What are you reading now?
I’m halfway through Margaret Atwood’s MaddAddam, the last of her post-apocalyptic trilogy.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Finish shopping my first novel, The Darkening, a post-apocalyptic horror, to agents. Get feedback from my beta readers for my cyberpunk novel and edit my work as best I can. Then write the next two (most likely) books in that same cyberpunk world.
I also intend to publish a few more of my short stories on Amazon, which should help me learn a thing or two about the beast called, Self-Publishing.

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?
You’ll have to allow me to consider trilogies as one book for this question.
The Prince of Nothing
A Song of Ice and Fire
It (though I was scared out of my mind while reading it, it’s still one of the best books I’ve ever read)

Author Websites and Profiles
Chris Sarantopoulos Website
Chris Sarantopoulos Amazon Profile

Chris Sarantopoulos’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Having 15+ years of experience in Marketing, Business Development in both the streams – Digital and Conventional have worked for 5 countries across the globe. Want to share my knowledge and findings with the world for mutual growth and development.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
“The Science of Online Business Development” – is the title of my latest book. The purpose of this book is to enlighten readers on how to develop they business and generate various source of revenue to make their lives more meaningful.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Well, my writing style is straight from my heart. I don’t tend to follow any specific style but my core thought is inclined towards helping and educating interested personals.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
There are few like Mr. David Meerman Scott who is author of the new rules of marketing has certainly made an impact on how things are changing thus he has given me an constantly evolving thought process towards exploring new avenues.

What are you working on now?
I have recently published “The Science of Online Business Development”, not I am focused on marketing my eBook. After few days I am focusing on “Marketing analytics for Business Decision”. It would be meant for non technical people who want to make most out the data that they get and use it for better decision making.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Social Media Platforms & Quora are few of the sites which I use for my eBook promotion.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Be authentic, write and share your knowledge in real time.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t fake it. If you do you are wasting everyone’s time.

What are you reading now?
Write now I am researching latest data on digital transformation and emerging technologies. To support my next book.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Write more book that would help the Industry and People in general.

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. Bhagvad Gita
2. Telepathy
3. Desert Island Survival Guide

Author Websites and Profiles
Timir Jaiswal Website
Timir Jaiswal Amazon Profile

Timir Jaiswal’s Social Media Links
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My name is Ryan Burke and I live in New York City. I have written one book so far, but am excited to get more published since I have discovered online publishing.
I enjoy self-discipline along with light-heartedness and try to encompass all the experiences I have had in my book- “Lessons to my Son”. Lessons learned from catholic school, martial arts, mountaineering, extreme cold exposure, massage therapy, music, and life in general.
I am a simple individual, I am just glad to be able to share some wisdom through my writings.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Lessons for my Son is my most recent (and only) book. It is inspired by my role as a godfather to my niece and nephew. I currently do not have any children but wanted to create a piece to be able to pass to my godchildren, my future children, and my figurative children as I enjoy being a provider and a positive influence in life.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I would believe so. I enjoy abstract formats, along with eastern style, poetry like simplicity in my writing. With my involvement in the Hip Hop culture, I plan to write a book with slang that can relate to the youth and give them a positive influence.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The Tao te Ching is a huge influence of mine. I also love The Master Key System and most self-help books.
I have read a couple books on MMA and organized crime which moved me. Not to promote violence or crime, but I enjoy being the focal point of ‘heavy’ situations.

What are you working on now?
My next piece will be called “The Conditional Acceptance”, a principle I learned in contract law. Used in business, I have found value in it throughout the rest of my life.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I am new to all this so I have not found a “Best”, although Kindle/Amazon is a hopeful resource!

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Be true with your expression. Worry less about the book’s format and response and just focus on expression your true intent. I experienced this in writing lyrics; good rhymes are empty but words from the soul will move anyone.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Stay near the center.

What are you reading now?
These questions…..hah!
I am currently finishing a book called “Overachievement” by John Eliot, PhD

What’s next for you as a writer?
Get at least two more pieces out by the end of the year. I imagine new topics will manifest throughout that process and allow for more 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?
Tao te Ching, a survival book (nothing specific comes to mind), and The Master Key System

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I live in the UK with my husband, teen son who is a computer whizz and 3 bossy cats. I write children’s books (my first was ‘Soldiers in the Mist’ published by Collins in the 1990’s but I also write short spooky stories for adults which can be found on line or in anthologies. (Like the horror tree blog/www.101words.org/www.alfiedog.com). I’ve got a collection of short short stories due out soon from indie UK publisher Chapel Town Books. I always loved stories as a child and loved going to our local library, whereas Maths was rather harder for me.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Runaway Umbrella, is my latest children’s story book. It is aimed at 6-11 years old as a story to be read by parents/carers and then as the child becomes a stronger reader for them to read more of the words for themselves. An art student who we know through my husband and son doing jiu jitsu illustrated the book, brilliantly I think. I did once own a penguin umbrella myself but sadly it never did anything magical.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not really, except I drink mugs and mugs of tea and snack a lot while I write.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Children’s authors Penelope Lively and Susan Cooper (The Dark is Rising) series – I loved all their books as a child/teen and still do; they are stars with brilliant talents.

What are you working on now?
I am editing with Gill James of Chapel Town books my collection of flash fiction and after that I am working on releasing a collection of ghost stories.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Don’t know yet, I’m a newbie to the whole PR /self promo game;

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Never give up. Keep reading, write what you love and don’t be put off by failure or rejection. If you want to do it, then do it!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The above really. Believe in yourself.

What are you reading now?
Caro Fraser’s latest novel The Summer House Party but I keep an eye on the children’s book world too and looked at Helen Hancocks Ella Queen of Jazz (for children) fabulously illustrated book lately.

What’s next for you as a writer?
To keep writing and getting my fiction (both for adults and children ) out there;

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
The poems of war poet Wilfred Owen
All of Enid Blyton’s Famous Five adventures

Author Websites and Profiles
Alyson Faye Website
Alyson Faye Amazon Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My name is Victor Agina, I am a digital marketer, copy-writer, MLM pro and work at home advocate. I blog at www.victoragina.com

I have helped hundreds of people all over the world to become financially free through my blog, MLM businesses and my online courses.

When I’m not on my PC, I play basketball and football for fun. I love reading good books.

I have published 5 books on Amazon KDP.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The name of my latest book is: Effortless MLM Recruiting: Sneaky Tactics For Recruiting Hundreds Of Downlines On Auto-Pilot Even If You Were Completely Shy & Have Run Out Of Your Prospect List.

What inspired me to write this book is the zeal to help Network Marketers who are having a hard time recruiting people into their business. The major problem of most Networkers is the inability to get people to join them. As you already know, Network Marketing is a “people dependent” business.

So if you can’t recruit people or sell products, you will not make any money. Recruiting requires specific skills, you don’t necessarily have to talk to anybody on the street or even your family members. In my book, I revealed the secrets that has enabled me recruit thousands of downlines from the comfort of my home.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
None I can think of

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Frank Kern
Eric Worre

What are you working on now?
I am working on my next book. How to Make 7 Figure Income From The Health & Wellness Industry

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
In the time past, I used just Facebook

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write! Write!! Keep Writing, Don’t Stop…. It Gets Better Everyday!

As an author, it’s easy to make money! You can decide on a niche market to serve your contents to. You can sign up on Freelancing websites and make a lot of money. Writing is work, but it’s worth it! There’s nothing like the awesome feeling when someone says ” Your book changed my life”.

Keep Writing

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t Give Up!

What are you reading now?
50th Law by Robert Greene and 50 Cent

What’s next for you as a writer?
Write More!

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. Bible
2. and 3 others

Author Websites and Profiles
Victor Agina Website
Victor Agina Amazon Profile

Victor Agina’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
JulianColeman is a horror fiction author and writes modern short stories in shape of eBooks. She is Paranormal/Supernatural Award Winning author who grew up in Richmond, Virginia. As an author, she write about seductive demons and mischievous pooches. If you want a chuckle then read about my canine diva. She has written 6 books

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Malevolent Sadness: A Paranormal Suspense Thriller

Author Websites and Profiles
Julian Coleman Website
Julian Coleman Amazon Profile

Julian Coleman’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am Oganalp Canatan, currently hailing from Ankara, Turkey. I am 35 and I am an established metal musician. I am also interested in writing stories. As of May 2017, I have released a novella and the first book of my The Blackened Prophecies series; Shadows Bear No Names. My second book in the series, Balance of Power, is set to be released at the end of May 2017 as well.

I am focused on fantasy fiction and science fiction, space opera to be exact. However, I am also working on non-fiction books based on human interaction and human understanding of life. More information can be found at my website.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I have released Shadows Bear No Names, the first book of The Blackened Prophecy trilogy in February 2016. It starts the story of a freighter captain who turns out to be more than he is and he wants. He soon founds himself involved in galactic conspiracies, supernatural powers and millions of lives depend on him.

The story is mainly inspired by unforeseen circumstances surrounding a person, forcing him to take matters into hand and make decisions with burdensome consequences. Just like how life is for some. The space opera setting was because… well, I love space opera, hehe.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not really, no. I just don’t force myself to write. If inspiration is there, then it is there. If not, trying to write for hours only to delete the words, in the end, is not for me. It affects the release frequency, I know. But then, I write for myself first without any commercial concern, and then for people to see. If I am not content, it doesn’t matter much.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Raymond E. Feist is my ultimate inspiration. Other names like Clarke, Philip Dick, Salvatore, Weiss, Herbert, Karpyshyn are all there of course.

What are you working on now?
I am just about to release the second book of The Blackened Prophecy; Balance of Power. I am also working on a non-fiction book at this time, which is about us, humans, and the perception of life and death. I am hoping to release it before the end of the year and then focus on the release of book 3 for my space opera series, The Blackened Prophecy.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I am not too good with marketing, to be truthful. However, most of the sites I had observed either requires you to have lots of reviews, several books etc. It is like asking a young person fresh out of school about his/her experience at a job interview.

Awesomegang, I have just discovered, seems to be way more “author-friendly” than many. I also have my own website and my twitter/facebook accounts to help me. Oh, and I also read kBoards.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Just write, develop yourself and don’t pay a mind for the future. Future is not here yet and you have no way of knowing what will happen. You can plan, ready yourself, and then see plans are overrated. Just keep an eye for opportunities when the time comes.

But be like water. Adapt to life, not expect life to adapt your dreams.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
All these cars, buildings, clothes, smart phones and shiny things are lies. The only truth in life is death. Rest are meaningless tags we put on ourselves and act as if they are indispensable.

What are you reading now?
Zen & Karma: Teachings of Roshi Taisen Deshimaru

What’s next for you as a writer?
My upcoming book about life and death, then to finish The Blackened Prophecy and then start a new trilogy. Writing is fun.

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 will cheat and count series of books as one each.
1- Riftwar Saga and the follow-ups by Raymond E. Feist.
2- Dune series (both original and the expanded universe books by Herbert’s son)
3- Douglas Adams or Terry Pratchett maybe.
4- A book or two about surviving the desert

Author Websites and Profiles
Oganalp Canatan Website
Oganalp Canatan Amazon Profile

Oganalp Canatan’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 31-year-old woman from Ontario, Canada. At age 19, I graduated chef training, and I’ve been indecisively switching between cooking and waitressing ever since. Video games first got me thinking about fictional worlds: I still love the unique way an interactive game can tell a story. And I love all animals, but especially cats!

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Tinder Stricken is a fantasy story inspired mainly by the culture of Nepal. I wanted to set a story on a mountain with many plateaus, so I began reading about real-life mountain cultures. Nepal caught my interest for the sheer variety contained within its borders — tropical jungles, freezing mountain peaks, and over 100 recognized local languages! I thought a place like that would be even more fascinating with a magic system that could translate languages and let all the ethnic groups speak to each other.

The name Tinder Stricken came from the main storyline of farmwoman Esha negotiating with a phoenix. Esha has lived a life of rejection and poverty, so she’s been unable to really appreciate the amazing world she lives in. But once she meets Atarangi the diplomat and learns that phoenixes are intelligent beings she can speak to, her world opens up. Esha suddenly begins to grow as a person, like a spark taking to tinder.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
If I’m writing a rough draft and I can’t decide what to do with a scene, I type out my train of thought. “And she left then on swift feet, headed toward town. But wait geez she can’t go there yet, I have to set up [plot event] first. Unless [character] shows up? Might work.” Spilling my brain out onto the page stops me from getting mired in indecision. I just sort out the possibilites later, while editing.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I read a lot as a kid, usually “adult” books because I didn’t like clueless kid protagonists. I wanted to see characters with skill sets and knowledge of how the world works. But still, I barely remember any of the books I read. I enjoyed them enough in the moment but I was always searching the library for a book I couldn’t describe. It wasn’t until adulthood that I sorted out which specific aspects of fictional I liked, and what I wanted to see in a story. It was the social attitudes and vast possibility of hopeful sci-fi, combined with the earthiness of magical fantasy, ideally featuring anthropomorphic characters who would never pass for a human. My original vision of the Aligare world was a video game, because video game enthusiasts are much quicker to embrace unusual premises than traditionalist publishing. But I decided to try writing a novel because I had always loved writing. Surely, I thought, a long-form piece like a novel was something I could just sit down and do, if I put my mind to it.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on soooo many short stories right now. I don’t have a theme in mind (like I did with Serpents of Sky, my dragon-themed anthology) but I still might put together a short story collection soon.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Recommendations are by far the most helpful to me. Because my books are quiet, emotional stories not easily compared to the usual fantasy best-sellers, they’re difficult to market. So my best possible exposure is when a reader tells their friends what they liked about my themes/characters/worldbuilding/etc. Sometimes my readers understand my work even better than I do!

Do you have any advice for new authors?
There are many ways to fit into this world! Don’t worry if you’re not exactly like the people around you, or if you’re not mimicking some successful person. Just do what you feel is important. Write the story that you’re aching to tell.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
My dad told me to listen to lots of advice, then ignore some of it. I like that sentiment a lot. It’s important to have an open mind, but if you try to please everyone then you’ll be pulled in too many directions.

What are you reading now?
I’m struggling to do any real, focused reading lately, but I’ve been reading Wings of Renewal, an anthology of solarpunk dragon stories edited by Claudie Arsenault. Solarpunk is a type of sci-fi focused on renewable resources, environmental conservation, diversity, and generally positive interpretations of the future. I hadn’t heard of solarpunk before picking up Wings of Renewal, but I like the concept very much! And, of course, everything is better with dragons.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Good question! I don’t have a big project at the forefront of my mind right now. I am dabbling with video game code, though — maybe someday I’ll make a video game of my own, a story-rich one that combines everything I love about fiction and fantasy.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
1) The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle, because its lovely prose is worth a few rereads. 2) The Dictionary of Mythology, an enormous textbook I own that would let me look up those bits of lore I’ll go nuts if I can’t remember, and 3) a guidebook on the flora and fauna native to this island, because I’d hate to die by stupidly eating something poisonous.

Author Websites and Profiles
Heidi C. Vlach Website
Heidi C. Vlach Amazon Profile
Heidi C. Vlach Author Profile on Smashwords

Heidi C. Vlach’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a writer, composer and pianist, as well as being a father of five and grandfather of twelve. Though born in Melbourne, Australia, I’ve lived in Dunedin, New Zealand, most of my life.
I’ve written for as long as I can remember, but only really began to be serious about it in the early 90s, when I took a course that encouraged me to write articles for magazines and newspapers. As a result I had a number of articles published, went on to write a column for a local newspaper for five years, and have been blogging incessantly ever since.
I’ve written three children’s fantasies (for Middle Grade readers) and a nonfiction book based on blog posts I wrote when I was struggling with prostate issues back in 2009.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The latest book is The Disenchanted Wizard, and it’s the third book in a series of children’s fantasies under the general title of Grimhilderness. While it doesn’t have obvious connections with the previous two books in the series, its connections will become clear in the next book, which is currently being written.
In 2012 I co-wrote the script of a musical called Grimhilda!, and composed the music. Young audience members who attended the show asked: When is the sequel coming out?
So I turned Grimhilda into a book, and then that was followed by another…and then another.
The original story of Grimhilda had begun way back in the 70s. So it was an idea with a long gestation!

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not a single one that I can think of!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Among many other things, I’ve always been interested in fantasies. I read the Narnia stories way back, and Tolkien, of course (though I found when I read it again a few years ago that it was pretty hard going!) Wynne-Jones’ stories intrigue me: her imagination is huge. I like stories that start out in the ordinary and take off into fantasy, and that’s what my books do. I’ve recently discovered Nate Wilson’s books. He has more imagination than he knows what to do with, I think!

What are you working on now?
As I mentioned above, I’m (slowly) beginning the fourth book in the Grimhilderness series. It may take some time to complete, as writing is only one of the things I do. And I find I spend a lot of time working out the plot (often with a friend who’s very good at dealing with inconsistencies and structure). This can involve a great deal of rewriting, but it’s usually worth it. Even if I don’t think so at the time. (!)

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
This is process of discovery, and having started the whole marketing thing again with this latest book, I’m finding there are all sorts of sites and options that weren’t available when I wrote the earlier books. Rave Reviews Book Club is one place I’ve discovered. It requires you to be quite involved, which is a good discipline, but the results seem to be worth it in terms of getting your head above the crowd.
But I use Twitter a lot and am involved in a very helpful Facebook Indie publishers page.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t be satisfied with the first thing you write. Be willing to be critiqued to within an inch of your life. You’ll hate it, but it’s good for you in the long run. I’ve read a number of books since the big ebook revolution and some of them are desperately in need of a firm hand, but plainly haven’t had it. Let someone else in on the book, otherwise – unless you’re a genius – you won’t be putting out your best work.
And keep on writing…

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
You can cut any piece of writing in half without losing what’s best about it. Most of us write too much.

What are you reading now?
Just finished reading The Experiment of Professor Polgas by Sarah Brownlee. Another very imaginative writer. She produces several big scenes in her book and has some strong characters.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Amongst all the other bits and pieces, I’m aiming to write a fourth Grimhilderness book, as I said above. Time will tell whether it makes the cut or not. But that will be fitted in with playing for the rehearsals of a new opera, and for young singers in Competitions later this month and so on.

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, because it’s a book that’s not only taught me about the Christian faith, but its words have got me through some dark nights. I’ve memorised a number of passages in it, so even if I lost it, I guess I’d still have some of it in my head. I’d take one of Dickens’ best books, such as Pickwick Papers, or Great Expectations. One of the books by Dale Ralph Davis. He’s one of the most accessible commentators on the Christian faith that I know. And perhaps The Last Battle by C S Lewis. Even though it takes a bit of time to get going, it has the greatest ending of any of the Narnia stories.

Author Websites and Profiles
Mike Crowl Website
Mike Crowl Amazon Profile
Mike Crowl Author Profile on Smashwords

Mike Crowl’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
An Amazon best-selling author and a National Readers’ Choice Award winner, I’m the author of more than two dozen novels, novellas and short stories. My first full-length book, The Officer’s Girl, was released by Harlequin American Romance in 2010. I went on to write seven more books for Harlequin, including the highly acclaimed Glades County Cowboys series, before I started writing the more complex, heart-warming and emotional stories that have resonated with my readers. I lives on Central Florida’s East Coast where I write women’s fiction and contemporary romance with a dash of Southern sass. To learn more about me, visit mywebsite at www.leighduncan.com.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Butterfly Kisses is the first book in The Orange Blossom series.
My niece, Genna, was the inspiration for Butterfly Kisses, and the book is dedicated to her. Genna has battled kidney disease since her teens. She’s one of the bravest young women I know. About a year ago, a woman walked through my dream one night. I didn’t know much about her–just that she was tall and blonde…and incredibly sad. It took a little while to figure out her story, but the result is an emotional, heart-warming story of a woman who’ll do anything to save her daughter’s life.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
A few years ago, when I was facing a serious deadline and things at home weren’t exactly quiet, I started writing at the library with another writer. We made rules–no internet, no cell phone and no lunch until we’d each written 1,000 words. It worked! Now, there are 4 of us who get together several times a week for Writers’ Camp.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I’ve always loved reading! When I was in grade school, I’d go to the school library in the morning, check out a book which I’d hide inside my text books during the day, then check that book back in and get another one to read that night. I love Stephen King’s storytelling, Debbie Macomber’s characters, Kristen Painter’s world building, and Roxanne St. Claire’s strong emotions.

What are you working on now?
My current project is Broken Road, the third book in The Orange Blossom series. Penny Kirk comes home to Orange Blossom to take over her father’s bookstore…and finally deal with the event that changed her life ten years ago.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I probably don’t do nearly enough promotion, but I do work really hard to make every book the absolute best it can be.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Learn the craft. Don’t be afraid to edit. Most good writing is in the re-writing.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Early on in my writing career, friends suggested that I join Romance Writers of America. Through this organization, I’ve learned more about the craft and business of writing than I thought possible, and received the encouragement and assistance I needed.

What are you reading now?
Right now, I’m writing, so I’m not reading much.

What’s next for you as a writer?
More stories in The Orange Blossom series.

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 Bible, first of all. Then, two or three of the thickest, most emotional women’s fiction novels I can lay my hands on.

Author Websites and Profiles
Leigh Duncan Website
Leigh Duncan Amazon Profile

Leigh Duncan’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 self-published author of a NA/YA novel, Bewilderments of the Eyes, and a poetry collection called Cold Sober. I’ve been writing since I was small, but never dreamed I could make a career out of it until switching my major five or six times in college and realizing writing is the only thing I want to do.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Cold Sober is the name of my latest release. I love to try my hand at multiple genres to challenge myself and see what I’m capable of, and I’ve always half-heartedly partaken in poetry over the years. One of the more significant events in my life has been falling in love for the first time, and I found that poems, as opposed to narratives, novels, or essays, was the best way for me to express that journey. So, when I found myself with a handful of love poems one day I decided to commit to the project.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m really only successful at writing at night. If I try to sit down and get some writing done in the morning or midday it’s usually a pretty futile effort. My sister has also alerted me to the fact that I write in odd positions-crouching on a chair, legs extended on the table, sitting in the splits, etc.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I’m particularly inspired by John Green, Rainbow Rowell, and Stephen Chbosky. There’s something extremely honest and vulnerable about their writing that really strikes a chord with me. Storytelling is about transparency, and that can be difficult to do for many reasons, but there are several authors out there that are honest at all costs and I respect that. And then there are generally inspiring books like Eat, Pray, Love and #GirlBoss that just put me in a “conquer the world” mood.

What are you working on now?
I’m actually working on my most difficult undertaking to date, which is a trilogy along the lines of dystopian novels. I never planned on writing something of this magnitude, but the story just kind of happened and I just go where they take me. I don’t know what will happen with this project, but I intend to see it out to its end. Since it is such an all-consuming and extensive project, I am also putting together a couple more poetry collections when I need a break.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m still doing a lot of learning where marketing is concerned. Instagram is my go-to social media platform, and most of my promoting is done via my author account. I use Twitter as well, but have found that word of mouth is powerful, too. Just talking to people is one of the best thing I can do to promote my books. Making connections with others and investing in relationships.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Just write. Don’t force yourself, don’t focus on sales until you have to. It’s true that you should be building an author platform before you’ve even started a project, but all of the business aspects can really get the best of you sometimes and at the end of the day, if you haven’t written anything then the business of it is irrelevant. Others won’t understand, they’ll be doubtful, but if you have a story then just tell it. Know that someone, somewhere, is going to benefit from what you have to say.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
It sounds cliché and super generic, but I always have to remind myself to write first and edit later. In the beginning of my writing career, I had a real issue with perfectionism and it stopped me from progressing. As soon as I let go of that control and just started typing with abandon, the process was more enjoyable and more successful.

What are you reading now?
I’m in the middle of several books. I’m finishing up King’s Cage, the third book in the Red Queen series by Victoria Aveyard and on the Road by John Kerouac. The Collected Journals of Sylvia Plath is an ongoing read.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m going to really focus on my latest fictional novel. There is a chance that one or two poetry books sneak out before I’ve finished my novel, but I’ve been dancing around this novel for a long time and it’s time to get serious about it.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
I would take The Perks of Being A Wallflower, Eat, Pray, Love, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Maybe. One of the Harry Potters), and The Collected Poems of Sylvia Plath.

Author Websites and Profiles
Theresa Sopko Website
Theresa Sopko Amazon Profile

Theresa Sopko’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

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

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book in the series is “Credible Justice: Fighting Back” I was inspired to write the book after my experience as a cop in the U.K. I spent an a lot of time feeling frustrated at the lack of understanding the victims received from those people in authority who should know better, and society in general. The books became a mission to tell the story, ‘within’ a story.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Apart from tapping the keys with two fingers? I find the best time to write, is when i feel a surge of passion, anger and frustration about the unfairness that crime can have on everyday people. My urge is to help solve that, and I can, through my characters in the book.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Strangely enough, this is a mixed bag. I have over the years had more affiliation to non fiction authors, particularly writers of military books. In this I include the late great American historian, Stephen Ambrose and Max Hastings. In more recent years, and my involvement in fiction, I have enjoyed the works of Matt Hilton, Paul Anthony and Wayne Zurl.

What are you working on now?
I am in the middle of my third book in the series, and I am happy to say to the readers that the twists and surprises don’t get any less.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I am still new in writing circles, so I have limited time to unveil everything. However, can certainly say that, no matter how the years pass, there is always something new to learn. I am learning about social media! My website is https://gerry.stewart999

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I am one of those new authors, and all I can say is; if my books sell okay, then it is down to help and advice off experienced authors and support off my peers. Don’t be scared to ask for help.

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

What are you reading now?
I have just finished a couple of Robert Leckie’s books, about his time in the Pacific War. His books, in part were used to make up “The Pacific” series by HBO. I love personal accounts.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I will keep going on with the series, but I do have other works in mind. In between all this, I hope that people who read my work, will see my writing improve. The advantage of this, is that a reader can join me on my learning curve.

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?
Books by Stephen Ambrose, particularly about “Easy” Company, as featured in Band of Brothers.

Author Websites and Profiles
Gerry Stewart Website
Gerry Stewart Amazon Profile

Gerry Stewart’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 wife and mother, I work full-time, and I live in the UK. I’m shorter than I’d like to be (can’t do anything about that expect wear high heels) am cuddlier than I’d like to be (could definitely do something about that, my oh my, food is so scrummy), and I’d like to live somewhere hot (need ot win the lottery to be able to do that!).

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Under the Cherry Tree was inspired by the death of my beloved little Westie. I felt I wanted to commemorate her, and writing a book seemed the most fitting way.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not really, though I write anywhere at any time – and on anything I can get my hands on! It’s usually my laptop, but if I’m out and about I’ll use my phone, a note pad and even the back of a till receipt.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I simply adore chick lit – all those lovely book covers, the happiness in the stories, the yummy cakes, the sweet shops, the perfect villages, the gorgeous locations…
Where do I start? There are so many!

What are you working on now?
Elephant and Pinky Moon, another chick lit, this one with less tears and more laughs than Under the Cherry Tree (I hope!). I look forward to introducing you to Flossie, with her wrinkles, too-small bikini (she’s in her 80s) and her bar-top dancing.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m not sure yet. Cherry Tree isn’t due out until 31st May 2017, so I’ll have to see which websites generate the most interest.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I’m hoping someone will give some to me…

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Keep writing until you get to THE END.
Then do it allover again.

What are you reading now?
Catherine Ferguson’s The Secrets of Ivy Garden. I’m only on page 10, so haven’t had a chance to really get into it yet.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’ve been bitten by the writing bug, and the darned thing won’t stop buzzing around in my head, so I suppose I have no choice but to keep writing stories until I run out of ideas.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
The Mother Tongue: English and How It Got That Way by Bill Bryson then anything else I could get my hands on – does a boxed set count as one book? Pretty please…??

Author Websites and Profiles
Lilac Mills Website
Lilac Mills Amazon Profile

Lilac Mills’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a New Zealand Samoan self-published author who has written 10 books: 4 self illustrated bilingual (English/Samoan) picture books of ancient Samoan stories; 5 Pasifika plays including an adaption of a Shakespearean play and a poetry collection.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I am currently working on painting and writing a bilingual picture book called “Fale Samoa” or Samoan house which tells the story of the origins of the traditional design of Samoan houses as related by an ancient Samoan story.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I like to write in a quiet space usually during the day when I am most alert and focused.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
As a child, I enjoyed reading myths and legends stories from around the world. I was fascinated in understanding ideas from different cultures. I’ve also enjoyed C. S. Lewis ‘Narnia’ series as well as J. R. Tolkien’s ‘Hobbit’ series. Books such as the Bible and ‘To Kill a mockingbird’ by Harper Lee that discuss social justice issues are also important to me.

What are you working on now?
Currently have two projects started: a self illustrated bilingual (English/Samoan) picture book called “Fale Samoa” or Samoan house which retells the an ancient Samoan story of the origins of the traditional Samoan house design; coordinating and editing a community short story/poetry anthology funded by the local community board to be launched mid year and gifted to local secondary schools, educational institutions for use…

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Having book launches and sharing my writing with Book sellers who then promote my books on their websites where they sell directly to schools, institutions and education providers.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
If it’s meant to be, it will happen. Never give up and keep working on sharpening your craft.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Just do it!

What are you reading now?
Currently working on my doctorate degree and am reading a number of books simultaneously for my chapters that I’m writing.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m now working on community anthology i.e. short stories and poetry collection that has been funded by the local community board to be launched mid year and then gifted to the community and hopefully to be available in local libraries etc.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Definitely the Bible, a definitive book and then 2 books by Augustin Kramer called ‘The Samoan Islands’ that hopefully will give me a few ideas on how to craft a canoe to get me off the island!

Author Websites and Profiles
Helen Tau’au-Filisi Website

Helen Tau’au-Filisi’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I was born on the 14th of November 1975 in Communist Romania. The tenth born of a farmer’s family, I’ve got, therefore, six sisters and used to have four brothers, now only two.
I am a very passionate person attracted by the summer rain, the snow, the rainbow, and all people who act like humans.
Aged eight, I read Les Miserables by Victor Hugo and fell irremediably in love with books. Since then I kept dreaming of writing for many years, and I have written, but never thought of publishing.
I lived in Italy for ten years where I learned to drink Prosecco and eat spaghetti without making a disaster around me.
In 2010, pushed by my brother, I started blogging and I’m the owner of four blogs.
Because I cook since I was six, of course, one had to be a Recipe blog (for vegans and gluten intolerants mostly)—quite popular in my country. I invented many tasty recipes I’m incredibly proud of.
When I turned forty, something broke inside me and I knew I had to do something to fix it. So, I stopped wasting time and started writing.

Until now (May 2017), I wrote a few memoirs (self-published two), three novels (one is in progress of being published), and several short (and not-so-short) stories.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Then Years in Italy, Three Weeks a Human – A Memoir. The Brexit Referendum inspired me to write it as I had a shock when I heard the outcome.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Yes! I cannot write at a desk but in bed. Only in bed.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Old-fashion writers like Victor Hugo, Émile Zola, Voltaire, Balzac, Jane Austen, Charlotte Brontë, Thomas Hardy, and many others.

What are you working on now?
Three novels based on reality.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Despite understanding very well the power of advertising, I’m not a business person. Therefore, Amazon is the only website I used until now.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
“What am I?” I asked the universe.
“You are whatever you want to be,” it answered right away.
“Great! I want to be a writer.”
“Ha, ha, ha! Take a number and get in line then! Next?”
Despite the laughs and the mockery, if you want to write, Write because that was given to you.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“Ask and it shall be given you.”

What are you reading now?
The Help by Kathryn Stockett

What’s next for you as a writer?
International recognition.

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?
Les Miserables by Victor Hugo, Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë, and two incredibly boring books I won’t mention.

Author Websites and Profiles
Cristina G. Website
Cristina G. Amazon Profile

Cristina G.’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a working writer in Johannesburg, South Africa. I’ve published three novels, The Book of War, Walk and The Excavations. The Book of War one the MNet Literary prize for best debut.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Excavations, a History of the End of the World.

Sometime in the 1980s, my friend and cousin, Ian Roberts (actor and front man of the Radio Kalahari Orkes) visited my half-brother, Lochart Whyle,in Botswana. Ian borrowed a 4 by 4 from Lochart and travelled into the desert. He met a group of San bushmen and shared some adventures with them. On his return to Johannesburg, Ian wrote for seven days and seven nights and then he brought me what he had written. It was called Dig and was aimed at the screen, but it looked to me like a book. Dig was the story of the end of the world, a tale so strange and shocking that it has been whispering to me, as it has to Ian, ever since. Over the years we have written it, separately and together, in various forms. In 2013, with Ian’s permission, I wrote it as a novel, The Excavations.

In 2014 Jacana, who published The Book of War and Walk, agreed to publish The Excavations. Then Maggie Davey “left the building for a time” and I became despondent and a little arrogant. With the contract ready to be signed, I took the novel to Umuzi where Fourie Botha was interested but unable to fly its outrages past his committee. Jacana were, justifiably, not happy with me. The project was dead, and I shifted gear from arrogance to despond. At the end of 2015 I bumped into Maggie Davey at an art exhibition. She was back at Jacana. I told her I had not found a publisher. Suddenly the “wonderfully strong and completely captivating” book was under consideration again. But fate was only flirting. Jacana’s second answer, couched in the kindest terms, was no.
This is the age of Trump, however. The climate is changing, nothing is impossible, and there’s a whiff of extinction in the air.

The Excavations will be FREE TO DOWNLOAD, on Kindle only, on May 30 and 31, 2017.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t think so, unless it’s unusual to earn a living from it.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Recently, Cormac McCArthy.

What are you working on now?
Promoting the Excavations.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Um … I’m hoping Awesomegang will prove to be awesome.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Never give up.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Forgive my language but I do like Richard Ford’s “take no shit if you can possibly help it.”

What are you reading now?
The journals of the Goncourt brothers.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m exploring a couple of ideas …

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
They would need to be long books, probably history.

Author Websites and Profiles
James Whyle Website
James Whyle Amazon Profile

James Whyle’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My name is A J West but outside the book world I’m Joe. But I’ll go with A J West. I began writing in high school, but I lost all the books I had written, which were about fifty short books of about 10,000 words each. I got back to writing in 2015, more than 20 years later! But I always loved it, always.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is The Stalker Ex. It was inspired by somebody who seems to imagine that she’s my ex but I have no idea when we had any romantic connections between us.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Yes. Sometimes an idea comes when I’m on the road and I have to rush back home or to my office and write it down before I forget it. I also edit as I write and ensure that no much further editing is required. I just like to do things right the first time. My fingers are slower than my brain and many times my brain has to wait for the fingers to type the next three paragraphs that my mind knows need to be typed.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
As a child, Enid Blyton was a great influence. Then there was Mark Twain. There were also kids’ series, especially the 3 Investigators and the Hardy Boys. While I was a high school student my sister tried to get me reading romances, but they were too girlish for me. By the time I finished high school and lost my list of books read, I had read over 400 books. Then, one day I read an author named Hadley Chase and I graduated to ”adult” books, and began to read the Executioner and some Louis L’amour westerns. Then I moved on to Ludlum, Grisham, Heyer, Sheldon among others. I’d say Blyton, Twain and Grisham played a big part in shaping me as an author.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on the draft of a children’s series and working on republishing some ebooks I had unpublished for some update purposes. They include ”Secrets and Blackmail” and ”One Dark Night.”

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I prefer promo sites or groups where I can interact with readers and authors.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
It takes time to grow as an author, except for a very lucky few. If your book doesn’t take off from the start, be patient, keep writing and find out ways to market your book by joining authors’ forums and reading about book marketing on the internet.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Keep writing. Keep growing. Don’t give up. Don’t write for the money. Write because you like what you do. Don’t expect miracles all the way.

What are you reading now?
Sometimes I read 3 books at the same time. I’m reading The Whistler by Grisham, Lee Child’s book 1, and Crazy is my Superpower.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I intend to write faster from now on. It requires discipline. Sometimes I shelve a book for a month before continuing to write. I think a habit of 2,000 words a day is good enough. Please also note that my author page is in the process of being changed to A J West. I once used the name J W Hunter but never changed the name when I stopped using it.

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?
Catch 22, The Client, Huckleberry Finn, The Golden Rendezvous

Author Websites and Profiles
A J West Amazon Profile

A J West’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My name is A J West but outside the book world I’m Joe. But I’ll go with A J West. I began writing in high school, but I lost all the books I had written, which were about fifty short books of about 10,000 words each. I got back to writing in 2015, more than 20 years later! But I always loved it, always.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is The Stalker Ex. It was inspired by somebody who seems to imagine that she’s my ex but I have no idea when we had any romantic connections between us.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Yes. Sometimes an idea comes when I’m on the road and I have to rush back home or to my office and write it down before I forget it. I also edit as I write and ensure that no much further editing is required. I just like to do things right the first time. My fingers are slower than my brain and many times my brain has to wait for the fingers to type the next three paragraphs that my mind knows need to be typed.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
As a child, Enid Blyton was a great influence. Then there was Mark Twain. There were also kids’ series, especially the 3 Investigators and the Hardy Boys. While I was a high school student my sister tried to get me reading romances, but they were too girlish for me. By the time I finished high school and lost my list of books read, I had read over 400 books. Then, one day I read an author named Hadley Chase and I graduated to ”adult” books, and began to read the Executioner and some Louis L’amour westerns. Then I moved on to Ludlum, Grisham, Heyer, Sheldon among others. I’d say Blyton, Twain and Grisham played a big part in shaping me as an author.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on the draft of a children’s series and working on republishing some ebooks I had unpublished for some update purposes. They include ”Secrets and Blackmail” and ”One Dark Night.”

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I prefer promo sites or groups where I can interact with readers and authors.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
It takes time to grow as an author, except for a very lucky few. If your book doesn’t take off from the start, be patient, keep writing and find out ways to market your book by joining authors’ forums and reading about book marketing on the internet.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Keep writing. Keep growing. Don’t give up. Don’t write for the money. Write because you like what you do. Don’t expect miracles all the way.

What are you reading now?
Sometimes I read 3 books at the same time. I’m reading The Whistler by Grisham, Lee Child’s book 1, and Crazy is my Superpower.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I intend to write faster from now on. It requires discipline. Sometimes I shelve a book for a month before continuing to write. I think a habit of 2,000 words a day is good enough. Please also note that my author page is in the process of being changed to A J West. I once used the name J W Hunter but never changed the name when I stopped using it.

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?
Catch 22, The Client, Huckleberry Finn, The Golden Rendezvous

Author Websites and Profiles
A J West Amazon Profile

A J West’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have five biological children (three of whom suffer from a chronic medical condition), three step-children, and two rescued doggies. I am a busy, busy working mom. Though I have read passionately ever since I learned to read, and have written stories nearly as long, The Wantland Files is my first published book! It was selected by Kindle Press through the Kindle Scout process. I also write women’s fiction but haven’t yet published in that genre.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Wantland Files is a paranormal suspense story that developed out of my love of ghost stories. I watched The X-Files religiously back in the 90’s and enjoy watching Ghost Hunters. Poltergeist was my favorite move as a child (which frankly concerned my mother), and later I added Ghostbusters to that list. I’m fascinated by the idea of another realm of existence around us that most of us are unaware of. And I’m intrigued by the possibility of sensitives who are able to detect and interact with presences.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Since you asked – my favorite place to write is in the bath. My husband calls me Trumbo. I don’t type in the tub, obviously. I keep a spiral and pen next to my bath salts so I can write my initial first draft while I’m relaxed and the ideas flow. Later I type it

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I discovered Stephen King at a (possibly too) young age. Dean Koontz hit my radar when I was in high school. Big Douglas Adams fan. I also enjoy Anne Tyler and Jojo Moyes. Those are just a few.

What are you working on now?
The next book in The Wantland Files series, thanks for asking. I’m also revising a women’s fiction manuscript in hopes to publish soon.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I think Facebook works best for me personally right now.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Writing is hard work. Invest some time (and possibly funds) into learning the craft. You’ll be glad you did.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Always outline your story before you start writing it. Outlining can be tedious, but it is definitely worth it in the long run.

What are you reading now?
Forever Odd, by Dean Koontz.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I hope to have the next Wantland Files book available by October. And will be working on the next one

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?
What a dreadful idea. Only 3 or 4? Okay. I’ll go with the complete collection of Douglas Adams’ Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy – a collection counts as one, right? I’d take The Stand because it’s so long and it’s a Stephen King book I’ve never read. Jojo Moyes Me Before You because I loved it so much. And I feel like I should take a classic so I’d go with Dr. Zhivago. It’s a beautiful story and I’m named after Dr. Zhivago’s love, Lara.

Author Websites and Profiles
Lara Bernhardt Amazon Profile

Lara Bernhardt’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I come from a friendly, multi-cultural town in the Northwest of England called Bolton. I have loved books since I can first remember having any great likes or dislikes. I remember my Dad often falling asleep reading my twin and I bedtime stories! I think the advent of Kindle is fantastic as my house would be full to the brim with bookcases otherwise! I have also loved writing stories from an early age – the feeling of bringing a character and a world to life is like no other. My favourite time at school was when we were asked to write a story. The irony is, I failed to get the expected “A” in my English Lit A-Level as I ran out of time because I was too busy writing long, wordy answers!

I have now achieved my deepest wish to publish a book and thought that I could leave it at that…but no..the flame has now been put to the touchpaper.. 2nd novel ( first in a YA fantasy trilogy) completed and 3rd (2nd in the series) also close to completion!

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Tribes of Feralis. As children we loved characters such as the Thundercats as well as Greek and Norse Myths. We both also briefly studied the Classics at University and Ovid’s epic poem “Metamorphoses.” It is these kind of imaginative works that captivated us and that are the inspiration behind our second endeavour.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
We like writing in different genres. The main theme is always Romance. Just love that spark and excitement that comes from writing about love surviving adversity.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, Stephen King, Dean Koontz, Lexi Revellian, Jane Lovering, Tamora Pierce. Think I read every Enid Blyton as a child.

What are you working on now?
As I said before, a YA fantasy trilogy. The Tribes of Feralis began as an idea for a single book but it is evolving into a trilogy of fantasy novels. The story is set on a world with twin suns called Feralis inhabited by five different tribes.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Awesomegang of course! Had some success with free promotion and kindle countdown deals. We also like Kindle Unlimited as this seems to generate a lot of pages read!

Do you have any advice for new authors?
If you love writing and know that you are good at it, keep going. Don’t give up. We haven’t.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t write because you want to be rich and famous overnight. Write because you love it, because there’s nothing else you’d rather be doing.

What are you reading now?
The Home for Broken Hearts by Rowan Coleman

What’s next for you as a writer?
We are in the middle of securing the services of a literary agent.

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?
In Safe Hands by Jane Sandford, Freezing Point by Tim Wilson, His At Night by Sherry Thomas, Flowers from the Storm by Laura Kinsale. Lots more I can think of so would want to download to my Kindle and take that instead!

Author Websites and Profiles
Rebecca Heap Website
Rebecca Heap Amazon Profile
Rebecca Heap Author Profile on Smashwords

Rebecca Heap’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Bryce is a passionate writer and entrepreneur who enjoying watching TV to soak up inspiration for all of his projects. He hosts a late night Facebook live talk show about life, love, and everything in between and recently launched a successful podcast. Most of the subject matter from his books comes from spending times with friends and family and using the always dramatic situations as soul food to capture everyone’s attention.

I’ve written one book so far but I do have two more in the pipeline! They are being released later this summer and I cannot wait to share them with the world.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is titled Skeletons & Summer and the subject matter is something that was very personal to me but I thought it was relatable enough to share with the world. Everyone in their life at some point has gone through some sort of period of depression and I think documenting mine in this poetic form helps make the sensitive subject matter easier to disgust. I was in a period of feeling betrayed by a lot of people close to me and writing was my escape and I think it takes a real vulnerability to put yourself out there like that.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
One thing I always do when I write is find music that matches the mood and tone of my desired work and use that to get me fully in the zone for whatever I’m doing. If I’m trying to exude confidence than I listen to something that gets my blood pumped but if I want to write something really dark then I fully immerse myself into that state of mind and I think it really shows in my work.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The number one author who inspired everything that I do is Ellen Hopkins. The way she captivates readers with her poetic like books is something that I wished I possessed a fraction of ability to do. She is a master of the game and the type of author that I aspire to be.

What are you working on now?
Right now I’m working on a larger collection of poems and also my debut novel which I have been wanting to do for quite sometime now. In addition to that I’m currently developing a drama web series called The Cover Up which will begin production later this year.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Facebook and Twitter have been a godsend for me and the two most useful tools that help me spread the word about all of my business projects.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Just keep at it. Ignore every single hater and doubter that tells you that what you’re doing won’t amount to anything. So many people have told me that my dreams are unrealistic and I turned their pessimism into rocket fuel and now I’m at the top of my game. If you believe that you can do something then, that is 90 percent of the battle. Stay committed and it will happen.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Definitely to be the two percent of the population that dares to be different. Don’t be complacent like ninety eight percent of the world because that road won’t lead to anything but the status quo. Dare to different and put out that extra effort to create change and bring good karma into your life.

What are you reading now?
Right now I’m reading a lot of biographical material. I love getting a picture of someone’s life and seeing what led them to where they are now because it’s always an interesting journey.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Cranking out new material! I have a larger poetry collection tomorrow out next month and then my debut novel in July. I’m also hoping to get back into blogging because for a while there I was making something special and I’d love to recapture the magic I once had with blogging.

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?
Tools for Titans by Tim Ferris
Anything by Ellen Hopkins
WWE Encyclopedia
Where The Red Fern Grows

Bryce Cameron’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
R.J. Romero is my pen name as an independent author living my creative dreams in San Francisco, California. I have written creatively since high school, working in a wide range that includes poetry, horror, and other stories that blur the boundary between reality and possibility.
When not writing, I am Rita Romero, an award winning visual artist. I feel that the unique combination of being both a writer and a painter infuses my literary work with an uncommon artistic approach to conjure vivid images that lend both literal and symbolic meanings to my writing.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The title is “An Untimely Frost”, which is set in the aftermath of World War I. Being kind of a history nerd, I was watching a lot of programs on WWI and the atrocities that were committed. Actually, this story began as a short story for the collection of short stories that I am working on, but it took on a life of its own, as did my first book “The Space Between Walls”. Some stories take a lot longer to tell it properly.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Does murdering my characters count? Since I am both a visual artist and a writer, I have found that I must focus only one creative endeavor at a time. If I am writing, I can’t even think about painting and vice-versa. When I am focused on writing, it becomes an obsession to get the darned thing written until it’s finished.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Without question, Anne Rice, H.P. Lovecraft, and Edgar Allen Poe have influenced me the most in sparking my imagination, as well as inspiring me to be a writer.

What are you working on now?
Actually, it’s the same project that spawned my two books. I am working on a unique collection of short stories that I have been developing since I was in my high school creative writing class.

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

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Read a lot of books!! That’s the only way you can learn how good authors work their magic. I can definitely say that writing is not as easy as everyone thinks. You have to have a large vocabulary, know grammar, and be creative in how you use language. Use an editor service or at least have someone competent proof your work! It’s also important to get honest opinions about your writing, not just from your mom or friends who don’t want to hurt your feelings. You don’t want to publish something only to be embarrassed by really bad reviews that trash your work. Most of all, keep working on sharpening your craft.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Just do it!

What are you reading now?
Lethal Birds by Gene O’Neill.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Well, since I finally have the time and opportunity to commit heinous crimes through literature, I suppose I have no choice but to keep writing stories until I run out of ideas

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Interview With The Vampire, The Collected Works of Edgar Allen Poe, and the Necronomicon. Sense a theme here?

Author Websites and Profiles
R.J. Romero Website
R.J. Romero Amazon Profile

R.J. Romero’s Social Media Links
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Nigel Cooper is a British author of contemporary fiction and crime. He found his ‘voice’ as the editor of his own magazine, which he ran for eight years before becoming a full time author of fiction in 2011. Prior to this he studied screenwriting in London. He also has a wealth of experience as a freelance journalist, writing articles and stories for numerous magazines and newspapers. Nigel also has a degree in classical piano performance and loves nothing more than to sit and play Beethoven and Bach when he isn’t writing. Nigel Cooper has written five feature length novels. He lives and writes in Cambridgeshire.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Sound Of Crying. It was inspired by a real life kidnapping case in England, UK.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write in my bare feet while squashing crushed up Cadbury Flake chocolate bars under my feet and beneath my toes. I have a vinyl office chair matt so they don’t all get squashed into the carpet. It helps me concentrate and it feels nice too. I highly recommend it.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Stuart MacBride, Peter James.

What are you working on now?
Almost finished a novel called Digital Romance Disorder. It’s a romantic comedy with a dark undertone. All about a guy who gets caught up in online internet dating with hysterical, but sometimes not so funny, consequences. More details will appear on my website: www.nigelcooperauthor.co.uk around late June 2017 Sign up to my mailing list to be informed of its release date.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I don’t know a single author on the planet who isn’t still trying to figure that one out

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t do it for the money as 99 per cent of authors don’t even make minimum wage.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
A friend isn’t a ‘real’ friend until you’ve had an argument with them.

What are you reading now?
Not fiction. A book called ‘Eat Fat, Get Thin’. It’s an education on diet and healthy eating.

What’s next for you as a writer?
An unlikely love story. I’m 19,000 words in. I’m writing it at the request of an agent.

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, that’s tough. I’ve never read any book more than once and being on a desert island would not be enough to make me want to. Can I take the movie version of the books instead as I’d always watch a movie more than once

If I can take the movie versions: The Shawshank Redemption, American Psycho, Silence Of The Lambs, Sex, Lies and Videotape.

Author Websites and Profiles
Nigel Cooper Website
Nigel Cooper Amazon Profile

Nigel Cooper’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Carona Davis Diop is a seasoned writer whose love for the unknown catalyzed her creativity within the horror, supernatural and mystery genres. Her work includes independent film Infatuation, published poetry and a host of comedic webtv shows in lieu of her production company Diop Productions. She now lives in Hunterdon County New Jersey with her husband and their four children. The Opening is her debut novel.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Opening is my very first novel, it took me three years to complete it. The opening was inspired by the story of Adam and Eve which spreads past culture, religion and history.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I like writing at night time better than the day. I am a total vampire.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Stephen King and Sydney Sheldon are my #1 faves. They are in a category of their own.

What are you working on now?
I am now working on a mystery.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Facebook is my number one promotional tool. I live by it.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Be consistent! If you are not consistent you tend to fall away from your project. Write everyday and if you cant write every other day. Procrastination is your worst enemy.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Write something everyday. Even if it doesn’t pertain to your current project, still write everyday. It may place you towards a new idea or project.

What are you reading now?
Anything supernatural and horror. Right now I am reading The Stand for the third time.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I would like to go more into writing for television or even a cable series.

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 Stand
The Langoliers
Master of the Game
The Other Side of Midnight

Author Websites and Profiles
Carona Davis Diop Website
Carona Davis Diop Amazon Profile

Carona Davis Diop’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a mother of two. I work full time as a health, safety and environment professional and I’m working on my master’s degree. I live in Indiana with my husband, two children and two beagles. I’m originally from Canada but moved to the U.S. In 2013. Scarlett Wrigley and the Light Beneath the Veil is my first book but I plan to turn it into a series.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Scarlett Wrigley and the Light Beneath the Veil is my latest book. One night, I saw tiny green flashing lights around my infant daughter’s crib. I saw them one minute but in the next minute, they were gone, which got me to thinking about fairies. And then I thought how fun it would be to write a story for my daughter about a young girl who has three fairies that watch over her.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not really other than trying to fit it in whenever I can.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I read a lot of different books, anything and everything from classics like Don Quixote and Wuthering Heights to Paranormal Romance novels. For children’s books, my favorites are Watership Down, A Wrinkle in Time, The Hobbit and the Harry Potter Series.

What are you working on now?
I’m currently working on the sequel to Scarlett Wrigley and the Light Beneath the Veil

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m still figuring this stuff out but hopefully awesomegang.com

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write what you love

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“Don’t worry. Be happy” and “There’s nothing a good cup of tea can’t solve”

What are you reading now?
I just read Five Days at Memorial: Life and Death in a Storm Ravaged Hospital

What’s next for you as a writer?
I plan to keep working on my next book and see where that leads 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?
Probably some survival books so I can live long enough to make it off the island, maybe a bible and some pens and a journal so I can write my own stories.

Author Websites and Profiles
Charmaine Mullins-Jaime Amazon Profile

Charmaine Mullins-Jaime’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile