Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hi everyone! I’m an author, playwright, and television & film writer. I’ve had three books published so far, with three others soon to come out. My newest book is “How to Live Like a MILLIONAIRE When You’re a Million Short.” It’s an information-packed guide with tons of money-saving tips on Entertainment & Travel, Shopping & Fashion, Health & Beauty, Home Décor and more. The book also includes many of my true-life experiences, which have been exciting, fun, and often funny, too. My first book was a humorous relationship book, “Never Kiss a Frog: A Girl’s Guide to Creatures from the Dating Swamp.” I’m happy to say it has been published in ten countries. My second book is “MUTTweiler: An AutoDOGography,” cowritten with my dog, Boomer. I did the typing; he did the dogtating!

I’m also a writer for television and film. I wrote a family movie that came out last year online and on DVD. “How to Beat a Bully” is a “Home Alone” type comedy with an anti-bullying theme. On television, I’ve written for numerous series, including Murphy Brown, FAME, Sherman Oaks, Friday the 13th – the Series, and Carol & Company, starring Carol Burnett and Jeremy Piven. I was fortunate to receive a Luminas Award for the Positive Depiction of Women in Film and Television, and the Writers Guild of America honored me as a writer of one of the 101 Best TV Series of the Past Seven Decades. As you can imagine, it was extremely gratifying.

One of the things people always find interesting is that I didn’t study writing or literature or film in college. In fact, I have a Master’s Degree in Biology and Physiology! I worked for a brief time in Washington D.C. at the National Academy of Sciences as a Biomedical Information Specialist. Then one day I decided, I didn’t want to be a scientist – I wanted to be a STAR! So I quit my job, sold my furniture, sold my boyfriend (didn’t get much for him) – and moved to New York to become a star. I worked as an actress, and even did stand-up comedy for a while. I used to go on back-to-back with Jerry Seinfeld. Then, one day I decided I either had to take a vacation or get a job! Duh, not much of a decision. I took a vacation and went out to Los Angeles, and never went back to New York. Although I thought I was going to do acting in LA, I switched to writing and that became my passion.

In addition to my books, television and film, I’ve also written a couple of plays, and two Web Series that are based on my books, Never Kiss a Frog and “How to Live Like a MILLIONAIRE When You’re a Million Short.” In addition, I’ve written over 100 travel and entertainment articles for different magazines. However, my favorite things to write are screenplays and books.

I’ve lived in quite a few places: I grew up in Philadelphia, then went to graduate school in Boston, after which I moved to Washington, D.C. and then New York, before moving to Los Angeles which I currently call home.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is How to Live Like a MILLIONAIRE When You’re a Million Short — and it’s easy to say what inspired it. For over 20 years, I have been living like a millionaire even though I’ve never been close to being one. I have a beachside apartment, a cool car, and designer clothes. The only thing I don’t have . . . is a job. The strange thing is that most people I know have steady jobs with regular paychecks every month, and they never seem to have any money to do anything. Yet, I don’t get a monthly paycheck – or sometimes any paycheck – and still I’m able to enjoy life, even the high life, all the time. Everyone has been asking me how in the world I do it. So, I finally decided to reveal my secrets – by writing the book and telling everyone how I do it – and how they can, too!”
In the book, I tell lots of my personal experiences, plus I give tons of money-saving tips on entertainment, travel, shopping, fashion, beauty, health, home décor, celebrations, charity and more. I also include many opportunities to go exciting places and get fabulous things for free.

The book is especially meaningful for authors and others in the creative arts, because we don’t have that steady job or steady paycheck. We might get a chunk of money for one gig, and then not work again for weeks, months, even years at a time. Yet, I have found the ways to go out and have all kinds of amazing experiences and buy whatever I want, without spending a lot of money. The opportunities are out there, but most people don’t know about them. These days so many people don’t have the money to do things that would bring them joy – and now, in my book, they learn they can do them — all sorts of incredible things – without having to spend a bundle. In fact, I even tell how to spend 6 nights at a 4-star resort in Spain… for FREE!

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
When I’m writing solo, I tend to stay up till the wee hours of the morning. For screenplays and television, I often write with a writing partner, and that’s fun, particularly with comedies. For my books, I’ve written several alone, and with a couple of them I’ve actually teamed up to write with partners. I know that having a partner is not as usual a practice for authoring books, but I enjoy the collaboration of working with a partner. It’s not as lonely, and you always have someone to run things by and brainstorm with — and someone to make decisions with, be they creative or business decisions. Of course, if you write with a partner, you also have to split the money! Although when I co-wrote with my dog, he didn’t want any money – he just wanted extra treats!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
My favorite book is Roget’s Thesaurus. Okay, I’m joking, but it’s sort of the truth. Of course, these days there are many thesaurus choices online, and they are terrific for authors. Powerthesaurus.com is my favorite. I also like the Online Slang Dictionary and Thesaurus at http://onlineslangdictionary.com/thesaurus/ and http://urbanthesaurus.org. In today’s world, so many new words and phrases are being coined all the time, and I think it’s important for authors to stay up-to-date and keep their writing fresh, especially if their books are about contemporary topics.

As far as my favorite fiction authors, I tend to like those who combine fascinating stories with lots of humor. I always loved Nora Ephron’s books. Carl Hiasen and Dave Barry are other authors I enjoy for the wit and creativity in their novels. I also love a good thriller. Although I read it decades ago, the novel “Coma” by Robin Cook was one that has stuck with me through the years.

What are you working on now?
I am working on two novels – one is set to come out at the end of October. It’s a multicultural thriller about a beautiful surgeon with a secret, a tough detective with a cold heart, and the murder that brings them together. I’m using a pseudonym, because it touches on a controversial subject and it is so different from my other books, which are lighthearted and fun.

I’m also completing the novel version of “How to Beat a Bully,” which is the movie I wrote with a writing partner that came out last year. We will be ready to publish the middle-school novel later in 2017. So many stories of bullying are sad or distressing, we wanted to create one that could provide kids and parents with smiles and laughs, yet still promote the idea, “It’s better to be friends than bullies.”

I also have a romantic comedy movie that is soon to go into production as well as a buddy comedy and a thriller. I often have many projects going at once. The truth is you never know which one is going to take off first.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’ve just started promoting it, via Facebook and direct emails and doing this Q & A! I also answer HARO requests. I did a radio show this morning and hope to do many more. In addition, I am sending out press releases every day. That can be expensive, but here’s something I just found out about and it’s my top recommendation to other authors: 90 DAYS OF FREE PR Releases: www.Expertclick.com/Discount/Marilyn_Anderson

Do you have any advice for new authors?
My advice is to just love what you’re doing and be passionate about it, because it’s a ton of work and you never know if it will pay off… or how, or when! Also, if you believe in your work, never give up.

I had a couple of screenplays that I truly believed in; they got optioned numerous times but never made. One was finally produced 20 years after I wrote it. My newest one, How to Beat a Bully, was optioned eight times by Hollywood producers and never made. I finally decided “no more options.” That’s when things took off. I found an investor, teamed up with a production company who brought in a second investor, and we were cast and in production in six months! The movie came out on Amazon and iTunes and the DVD was picked up by Walmart! That was a real coup for a little indie film. The truth is there are always ups and downs, and craziness in all aspects of the business. You just have to keep believing in yourself and in your work.

As far as other advice for authors – know that there is no specific timeline. Sometimes you will have an idea, and it might marinate for years before you actually sit down to write it. Live happens, and we don’t always get to things as soon as we’d like to. For both my first book, Never Kiss a Frog, and my latest book, How to Live Like a MILLIONAIRE When You’re a Million Short — I had the ideas long before I started writing the books. I knew I wanted to write them, but other things came up that took precedence. Then, when the time was right, I just put my mind to it — and focused on writing the book.

Also, I would advise authors to always have several people read the book when the first draft is finished. Not your mother or your best friend, but several other authors or people in the industry. Get feedback. Listen. If several people have the same issue, know that they may be right. Don’t be resistant to rewriting. That’s a major part of writing (although certainly not MY favorite part.) However, you want to be sure that when your book does go out, either to agents or publishers – or to the world – that it’s your best work.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Some wonderful advice I’ve received many times is that writing the book is the easy part. It’s the publicity and promotion that is the hardest, but often most important part. You can have the greatest product in the world, but if no one knows about it, it won’t go anywhere. So once their books are published, authors must be prepared to really get out there and promote their work.

The other life-changing advice I received was after I wrote my first book. I was invited to several other cities to give presentations, but most of the time I had to foot the bill for all the travel expenses myself. A book publicist suggested I contact a hotel and tell them I was an author of a book and that I would write an article about their property. The hotel hosted me for free. It was such fun, I decided to do more of it. I created a travel column in an online magazine, and went all over the U.S., staying at wonderful hotels and eating at fancy restaurants that I never could have afforded on my own dime. I wrote over 100 articles and had a blast while doing it!

What are you reading now?
Right now I’m reading tons of books on marketing and selling books! So much goes into getting a new book out and there’s so much information – I’m trying to learn as much as possible about it. I’m also reading a lot of screenplays. I’ve been a judge for several important screenwriting contests for many years, and this is the season for those contests. So that keeps me very busy between writing my own projects.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m always working on numerous projects. I have a new thriller novel that I’ve started, so I want to complete it and get it published. I also have a few new comedy screenplays in the works. Since my new book, How to Live Like a MILLIONAIRE When You’re a Million Short just came out, I’d really like to find the way to license it and have it come out in different regions as a series: How to Live Like a MILLIONAIRE When You’re a Million Short in New York… How to Live Like a MILLIONAIRE When You’re a Million Short in Chicago… in Atlanta… in London… in Paris, etc. I wouldn’t write them all, but I’d get experts in the various cities to do editions there that would use my title and original format. Also, since the information is so timely, new editions could come out every year or two. That would be my dream as the writer and creator of this project.

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?
Okay, the first book would be: How to Get Off a Desert Island! If that one isn’t written yet, perhaps I would start writing it. What other books would I want? Sign me up for a few thrillers, some humorous novels, and maybe a fascinating biography. I might want to read one of Mindy Kaling’s books, since she’s clever and funny. Can I join the five-books-a-month club and have them sent to the island? This is one tough question. Hopefully, I will never need to know the answer, since I don’t want to be stranded and I tend to get seasick and stay away from boats, so I don’t know how I landed on the island in the first place.

Author Websites and Profiles
Marilyn Anderson’s Website
Marilyn Anderspm Amazon Profile

Marilyn Anderson’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Who am I? Yes, this was a tough question for me a big part of my live. Who am I and what am I doing on earth? What do I need to do in this crazy world? After a big journey, what you also will find in my book is how I found my true self and became who I am today.

I am that I am, and I am here to enjoy existence in this human body, to be on Earth and to experience a good lifetime while realizing my enlightenment. I have realized that I am enjoying life on this beautiful Earth which is also indeed a disruptive creation.
For example, I quit my job when I turned 20. I did it cause it simply felt wrong to spend my life behind a desk and under the orders of someone who called himself my boss.

After quitting my job, my girlfriend and I decided to get married and start a family. We lived almost 4 years together until we felt it was time to make being human more exciting. Thus, a lovely daughter came along on Earth to join us in our journey and a since a couple months our family is complete when our little son has born.

Nowadays I travel fulltime I love to discover new parts of the world where my human body has never been before in this lifetime. I travel with my family and spend as much time with them as I can. Also, I like to have my own time to spend some time alone in nature or just to be with myself.

To entertain my human self, I have started a few businesses in order to play and see what happens when I allow myself to write and share all my experiences. A big part of my life now is allowing, going with the flow of life, and just being in the moment.

It is all about being free and doing whatever I want to do whenever I want to do it. This is how I live and this is how you should live from this day on.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The name of my first an only book up until now is ‘The Journey of an Ascended Master named Kiora Amo – From birth to ascension’ . The inspiration came when I was at an seminar in Hawaii. The one who was talking named the words Ascended Master and he was looking at me, I knew the title of my book, it came in so clear. My human had first some resistance against that term, but when I went into the writing of my book it came back time over time. The rest of the name is inspired by the story about the road into enlightenment and the name Kiora Amo is taken to let myself be free to write about someone else instead of myself. So I could write without holding back about my own experiences.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Yes I do, I am writing in the third person about myself. Sounds crazy but I had to tell a story about myself and I felt this would be the most interested to read. Writing all the time about yourself and using I all the time, thats boring. I off course I write form the I perspective, between the story line, I I share stories what I thought, felt and experienced in that specific moment.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Although I never was really I reader, I had troubles with reading and writing even in my native language what isn’t english. I have read a few books and the one who truly influenced me where; Energy speaks form Lee harris, Act of consciousness from Adamus St. Germain channeled by Geoffrey Hoppe, Losing My Virginity form Richard Brandson.

What are you working on now?
I am working on my Youtube channel, I am sharing all the knowledge I have grained during my hell of a ride into finding my true self. Sharing whatever tools I used and all the how to’s I can offer for free you can check it out here if you like, https://www.youtube.com/c/MauriceKokCreation

Besides this I started with the follow up on my first book putting some bullet points on paper and I will write my book at the end of 2017.

Also I am working on some new video courses who I will record on some cool places around the world. For this I am going to take topics like Freedom, Wealth and Creation

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I am doing where I flow to, It can be running into your site or speaking with a friend who is making a documentary and I am joining them with my knowledge and sharing this in a interview. So it is not just one way, it is a varies of many things I bump in to or love to do like YouTube.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Yes off course, follow your heart and if you have an idea of how you would love to write, do it. The less you know about others and the more you listen to your way and true self, the more authentic your book will become. You write this book for yourself and for the experience.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Follow your heart and start living in the now moment. That is the only thing that count.

What are you reading now?
Becoming Sar’H by Lauren Hutton

What’s next for you as a writer?
Like I said before I’m going to make the following up on my first book. After this, I have no idea yet. Everything can change 100 time until that time will be there. And at the same time I feel that I would like to write a songtekst, so maybe I will pick this up also..

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 can ask the question a little bit different, when I will be on my own Island which books do I bring. For now that would be ‘Whatever Arises, Love That: A Love Revolution That Begins with You from Matt Kahn’ , ‘The Completion Process: The Practice of Putting Yourself Back Together Again from Teal Swan’ and ‘The Leap: The Psychology of Spiritual Awakening from Eckhart Tolle.

Author Websites and Profiles
Maurice Kok Website
Maurice Kok Amazon Profile
Maurice Kok Author Profile on Smashwords

Maurice Kok’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have written my whole life, from publishing various poems to short stories locally. I have over the past few years turned my attention to my real passion, romantic fiction. I have two published books (Seduced by the Boss and Bride on the Run) and I am currently working on the following up for Bride on the Run, For Justice or Love.

I live in Cape Town, South Africa and have two little boys. I love dreaming up characters that readers can associate with and creating plots which are intriguing. My writing will make you laugh and cry and which for more when you reach the end.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Bride on the Run.

I think what inspired it is that woman are always expected to live up to other’s expectations. In this book, the heroine, Sarah Rothman, escapes her own wedding and follows her heart. Even if it does take her away from her trust fund and everything she knows.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Don’t we all. I love writing with a glass of wine nearby, even if it remains untouched it is there for when I need it. And nibbles. You always need something to nibble on when a plot is nibbling on you.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
My biggest influencers are Nora Roberts, Sandra Brown, Marianne Keyes and Lisa Kleypas. I must say the my favorite(not like I have just one) at the moment is The Liar from Nora Roberts.

What are you working on now?
I am working on the sequel to Bride on the Run which was Book 1 of the Sullivan Family Series. The second book is For Justice or Love. It’s a story about a physically abused female firefighter and the lawyer that helps her to learn to trust and love again.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Awesomegang always works, but I also like using Freebooksy, the Fussylibrarian and a few others.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Rome wasn’t built in a day, neither were your books. Readers take a time to get to know you, so be patient. That doesn’t mean stop working, or stop marketing your books.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Keep writing. If it’s your passion don’t let outside opinions or preferences stop you. Remember a best seller could be just around the next corner.

What are you reading now?
The opposite of Wild, Kylie Gilmore

What’s next for you as a writer?
Go big or go home! I am spending more and more time honing my craft as writer making sure each book is better than the one before.

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?
Wuthering Heights, obviously. Black Hills, Nora Roberts. The best of me from Nicholas Sparks and a notebook to start writing my next best seller.

Author Websites and Profiles
Milan Watson Amazon Profile

Milan Watson’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a mom of five very active children! Jayson is a softball player, swimmer, and very involved in community service and dramatic arts. Hayleigh is my hockey player, as well as a swimmer, and also involved in drama! Collin just started playing softball and is also in Cub Scouts. Kimmy is about to bridge to a Brownie Girl Scout, and Madi is too young to be involved just yet.
When I’m not chauffeuring the children around to various activities, I work part time as a tax professional and struggling to find time to write!
I currently have eight books available and the ninth will be released next month!
My First Love series (Summer Love and Autumn Goodbye) is about a girl who calls in love with someone so completely wrong for her. As they struggle to make their long-distance relationship work, the characters learn a lot about themselves.
My Self Inflicted Saga (Self Inflicted, Scars Fade, Before the Scars, and Reopening Old Wounds) deals with many social issues that teenagers and young adults face every day. Aurora struggles to control her self-mutilation as she copes with the loss of her mother. She is a teen mother stuck in an abusive relationship that she keeps hidden from her friends.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book, Finding His Soul, is part of my Saving Avalon series and will be released in June. The Saving Avalon series was inspired by a friend of mine who basically begged me to write a fantasy novel. The first book in the series, Finding Her Wings, consisted of dragons, faeries, witches, elves, and demons, but Amanda wanted mermaids, so I included that creature in Finding His Soul. That mermaid is actually becoming one of the more important characters in the series!
Finding His Soul is ultimately about a demon who wants to turn his life around. He is tired of being lonely. He is tired of hurting and using others just to survive.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Everything I write (including this interview) is written out with pen and paper before I even touch a computer. I love seeing my stories written out in my own horrible handwriting!
I’m picky about how I write! It has to be in a multi-subject 9 ½ by 5 ½ inch notebook. I always start in the last section and work my way forward. I also use different colored pens every time I sit down and write. Not only does it make the pages more colorful, but it makes it easier to track how much I write in a given day!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I could spend all day mentioning favorite authors and books. As a child, I loved the drama of Lurlene McDaniel books, even though I knew I was going to cry every time I picked one up. I loved RL Stine’s Fear Street books, but what kid in the 90’s didn’t?
I jumped on the vampire bandwagon and immediately fell in love with the Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead as well as the Bloodline’s spin off series. Both series were hard to let go when they were over.

What are you working on now?
Procrastinating!
I should be working on a book three of Saving Avalon, but I’m having a hard time getting started. I’m not sure what I want to accomplish in this story, so I might have to come back to it. My mind keeps drifting back to characters from the Self Inflicted saga. I feel that there are more social issues that readers are struggling with. I feel the story isn’t finished. I have been told by more than one fan that that series makes people suffering from those issues feel less alone, which is the reason I had started them in the first place! I also struggled with a few of the problems that those characters face! I also really want to write something about eating disorders, which is something that my daughter has friends that are struggling.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Marketing is my biggest weakness as a writer. I’m still working n getting myself out there, so I have no advice for others in that category.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Focus on marketing from day one! It’s easy to write the books. It’s easier to edit and format the books. It’s also really easy to get discouraged when a book you have spent so much time on isn’t even seen by other because you were a slacker when it came to promotion!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t be afraid. Even as a child, I always had a notebook handy and I would disappear into my own worlds that I created. I was just too afraid to share any of my work. I didn’t want to be judged. I didn’t want anyone to tell me it was no good, because I had put my heart and soul on paper and couldn’t bear for people to hate it.
Some people probably will hate it, but others will love it. You can’t please everyone. If you are too afraid to try, you will never know.
Losing my grandma to cancer was what actually gave me the push to put myself out there.

What are you reading now?
I just started the fifth book in Rachel Higginson’s Star Crossed Series. I immediately feel in love with the series as soon as I picked up the first book. In the last couple of months, I have had to force myself to put the book down (or let my kindle die) to pick up my own work!

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m not entirely sure. I have an idea for the next installment of Saving Avalon, but I’m not 100% committed to it at the moment. I have some ideas for revisiting Self Inflicted. I have some ideas for some freebies that will only be available to my email list. I have lots of ideas. I just don’t know which will hit the paper first!

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
I have two books left in the Star Crossed series, so I would definitely have to bring The Relentless Warrior and The Redeemable Prince. I would also definitely need a blank notebook.

Author Websites and Profiles
Harley Turner Website
Harley Turner Amazon Profile

Harley Turner’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve written a comic book / graphic novel, called Blind Prophet, which I actually converted from the original screenplay I wrote. We have the first of 4 of 7 planned episodes in print and combined them into a single volume called, “Blind Prophet, Part 1,” which is available on Amazon. We are publishing each episode separately on the Kindle, using the panel view feature.

I am also working on converting another of my screenplays into a traditional novel called, “When The Wood Is Dry.” It is likely that we will separate this work into three eBooks of about 100 pages each, once the editing is complete.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I had been writing screenplays, as an answer to a challenge from a Hollywood producer who suggested that if you don’t like the movies you are seeing, you should write your own. Well, the problem with that is Hollywood almost never makes the movie based on the spec script, and typically only use it to raise money, and then they use the money to make a completely different movie. I like to think of myself as an author who has something to say, not one who is writing to help Hollywood bilk investors out of money.

So, I am working on converting the three screenplays I have completed into more consumable formats, like comic books, graphic novels and novels.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I like to write a step outline on a pad, typically in a public place, most comfortably with a glass of wine. I have been known to go on cruises, and sit an write all day while sipping cocktails. I don’t drink much, but find that some loosening is helpful.

Once the outline is finished, I work on the computer, in a much more pedestrian way. Mostly, the outline for me is the creative part. Then, once I send the work to the editor, I typically have the hard work to do of making it more interesting to read. I like to create the stories, and I wish there were someone I could just hand the outline to and have them do the rest, which is sort of what you do in the movie script. The director takes it and fills in what’s missing.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Graham Greene, C.S. Lewis, Flannery O’Connor, J.R.R. Tolkien. I like exploring the moral dimension, and the Christian/Catholic writers are the ones that do that best.

What are you working on now?
I am working on publishing and promoting the Blind Prophet comic book series on the Kindle. I am simultaneously working on completing my novel, When The Wood Is Dry, which is with the editor, after an arduous rewrite.

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

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write!

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

What are you reading now?
I’m writing, now…

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

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Well, I would say the Catholic Breviary, which would be 4 books! But, if we are talking fiction, likely The End Of The Affair by Graham Greene, The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis, and perhaps, A Prayer For Owen Meany by John Irving, and probably, A Good Man Is Hard To Find And Other Stories, by Flannery O’Connor.

Author Websites and Profiles
Joseph Cillo, Jr. Website
Joseph Cillo, Jr. Amazon Profile

Joseph Cillo, Jr.’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have written eighteen books, seventeen of which I hope to publish. I’ve written way more than that – probably more in the twenty to thirty range, but most of those are books I wrote when I was much younger. Hunter is my first published book and the first book I wrote when I was serious about being a writer – I started it way back in high school.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is unpublished but it’s called Barbarian Minds. What inspired it was a show called Barbarians or something like that, which was a history TV show about the barbarian tribes that brought down ancient Rome. I had already decided to make a galaxy-wide Empire like from Star Wars, now I decided to make it more like Rome, conquering planet after planet. That’s where I started my book, on a planet and from a race that would be considered “Barbaric” hence the title: Barbarian Mind.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
My husband would say that it’s unual how fast I write sometimes. I wrote a 200+ page book in under 24 hours. When he read it through to edit it – he’s my editor – there weren’t too many mistakes, so I didn’t rush it like I had thought. When I’m determined, I can finish books in an unusually fast rate.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Cassandra Clare and all of her books are a huge inspiration. She does fantasy elements that are thrown into the real world, except for the country Idris that she invented. So I decided to take it a step further and set all of my books in a galaxy of my choice. My biggest inspiration isn’t books, though… It’s Star Wars. I’m horrible at writing Sci-Fi (I don’t understand the technical stuff enough to write it), so I decided to invent a galaxy of my own but tweak it to be fantasy instead of Sci-Fi.

What are you working on now?
I’m planning the next book in my Dragon Empire Series. Barbarian Mind is the first book of the series and the one I just finished writing last week. The next book I think I’m going to call it Broken Time and it’s going to be a sort of flashback book to give insight on a minor character. Some chapters are going to jump back into the present since I ended Barbarian Mind on such a horrible cliff hanger (if I don’t continue it at least a little, my readers on wattpad.com are going to go crazy).

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m actually still trying to figure this out. I know absolutely nothing about marketing so getting my book Hunter out there has been the hardest part for me. What I hope is a game changer for me is going through Best Seller Publishing. So far, it seems to be working and promoting Hunter very well.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write, write, write! Write when you don’t want to and write even when you hit writer’s block. If you’re stuck, just sit at a keyboard and write whatever comes to mind, even if it’s random or doesn’t make sense. When you’re writing, usually you’re get naturally inspired. Even if you don’t use any of what you wrote, keep writing. Also, don’t get discouraged when it feels like no one is reading your book. You’ll be tempted to think that no one ever will. But hang in there. It will happen – I promise you! A great way to build a fanbase is to start on Wattpad.com. It may be a site to read your books for free, but I’m telling you, it will build you a solid fanbase.

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

What are you reading now?
I’m actually not currently reading anything, although I should be.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Keep on writing more books and work on making Hunter a best seller!

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?
Cassandra’s Clares books!

Author Websites and Profiles
Joanna White Website

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve been writing for a long time but began self-publishing novels in 2011. My first novel was Trojan Hearse: A Light Look at the Dark Side of the War on Terror. I’ve written four others since then. I work full time so my writing time is between about 4 and 6 am, seven days a week. Writing is primarily a hobby for me but I really enjoy seeing a final product available and having people tell me they enjoyed reading one of them. My books are a little hard to categorize, but I have the most fun with the characters and dialogue and I think those are their strongest points.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest novel is Soul Source. I can’t tell you what inspired it because it would give away too much about the novel. You’ll just have to read it and see. I got the idea for the one before that, Right of Passage, from a dystopian movie where New York had been turned into a prison. I thought it would be interesting to look at a future where it was the law-abiding people who ended up behind walls and fences in cities to protect them from the lawlessness outside. Right of Passage is about a caravan master who leads food runs between gated cities.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I outline and prepare a lot but once I start writing I let the characters and story go where they want. That means I spend a lot of time going back and revising my outlines to try to be sure the story is going somewhere. My first novel, Trojan Hearse: A Light Look at the Dark Side of the War on Terror, started out as a standard, post cold war spy novel, but kept going down the road of satire and so that’s what it ended up as.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Too many to list. Charles Dickens, Mark Twain, John LeCarre among others. A pretty eclectic group, but hopefully that describes my writing as well. One of the reasons I think it’s been hard to market my books is that they don’t fit neatly into categories.

What are you working on now?
A sequel to my previous novel, Right of Passage (Book 1: Police State of Anarchy). It is a dystopian thriller set about fifty years in the future.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I don’t do as much promoting as I probably could or should. I only sell through Amazon (amazon.com/author/charlesvella). I also have a website charlesvella.com, and a Facebook page.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
You have to like to write. Writing a novel and spending your time trying to sell it isn’t a very enjoyable past time. Once you finish a novel you should start writing the next one. I’ve asked myself if I would keep writing even if I knew I’d never achieve any success at it and am happy that the answer is yes. That’s why I’ve written five novels so far and why I believe that my writing is getting better and better.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
In terms of writing advice it came from Hugh Howey, the author of Wool. He suggests that you shouldn’t bother marketing your books until you’ve written several. He also emphasizes that if you want to be a writer you should spend your time writing.

What are you reading now?
Public Enemies: America’s Greatest Crime Wave and the Birth of the FBI. This is a rare foray into nonfiction for me, but I’ve always been fascinated by violent subcultures like the Cheka, the Nazis, and gangsters. This is a very interesting, and ultimately pretty sad, story.

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

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
I’d probably take everything by John LeCarre I could. For some reason he’s the author I find myself reading and rereading. I am a huge Smiley fan.

Author Websites and Profiles
Charles Vella Website
Charles Vella Amazon Profile

Charles Vella’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have written three novels. The first one, A SLOT MACHINE ATE MY MIDLIFE CRISIS (2011), was a humor book. Fun but hard to write. Being funny for 350-plus pages is not easy! I admire the talent of authors who write many funny novels. My second novel, A DEAD END IN VEGAS (2014), was dark and dramatic. Another challenge, but a joy to write. And my third, POP-OUT GIRL (2017) was just published. I think it’s my best book–fast-paced, amazing characters, compelling storyline, lovely cover. A good read with some real insights sprinkled throughout. I hope readers will enjoy it.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The basic idea for Pop-Out Girl came to me one night in Las Vegas as I was standing on a street corner on the Strip waiting to cross. I saw one of those tacky, obnoxious trucks advertising “Girls That Want To Meet You” driving by, and I thought: what would happen if a man came to Las Vegas and met a showgirl and she was actually his biological daughter from a long-ago first love that he was engaged to but never married? He has no idea she’s his daughter; she has no idea he’s her father. The showgirl goes on to get involved with a colleague of his. And the story evolves from there in many interesting and complex directions. It’s a love story with some dark twists and turns.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m sort of compulsive. If I get a great idea at 3 A.M., I turn my computer on and start writing. I like to follow my impulses. I’m always afraid that the mood will pass if I wait and I won’t be able to recapture it.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I love Henry James and Edith Wharton. They wrote novels before there were televisions and computers. It was an important source of entertainment and escape. James and Wharton created entire worlds in their novels, and their use of language was original and stunning. There are many other writers I love, most of them 19th century novelists. Gustave Flaubert is another one. Madame Bovary is a masterpiece.

What are you working on now?
Pop-Out Girl was published a few weeks ago, so I’m still in the marketing and promotion phase. I would love to do a sequel–or another humor novel.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I love Twitter. Many of my followers are writers–and we re-tweet each other’s Tweets about our books. I also love Awesome Gang because it uses multiple websites to promote authors and their work.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
If you have a good idea for a story or novel, go for it. Even if you don’t have it entirely figured out, it will come to you as you work. Just get started, and keep going!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I think Maya Angelou said: “If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, accept it.”

And Nora Ephron had this famous quote about being the heroine of your life instead of the victim. I’ll second that emotion.

What are you reading now?
I’m reading an autobiography of British novelist Elizabeth Jane Howard called Slipstream. Her personal life and her novels were amazing. I love it.

What’s next for you as a writer?
When the promotional activities for Pop-Out Girl slow down, I would love to do a sequel. Or a funny novel. You really do laugh a lot on those–and I love to laugh. Writing dramatic novels is difficult because you live through all the emotions of the characters, and sometimes that’s draining. It would be fun to spend the days laughing and creating.

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?
Slim by Slim Keith
Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Dafoe
The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton
The Portrait of a Lady by Henry James

Author Websites and Profiles
Irene Woodbury Website
Irene Woodbury Amazon Profile
Irene Woodbury Author Profile on Smashwords

Irene Woodbury’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Reese Spenser, resides in the suburbs of Maryland, with her husband of twenty-four years. Preferring the fantasy of a classic movie or the happily ever after of a romance novel. This fueled her imagination at an early age. She began writing stories, with the first entry of her journal at the age of fourteen. The need to share the stories she’s created has led to her first novel, Tainted Bond. Which will be the first installment in The Bonded Trilogy.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Tainted Bond, is my debut novel, inspired by a recurring dream and a desire to write my own happy endings.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I wouldn’t say unusual, however, the characters in my book have become my family. Therefore, I’ve gotten into the habit of saying good morning and good night to them.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I love Jane Austen and Janet Dailey, they are the reason for my love of the romance genre.

What are you working on now?
I’m currently working on multiple projects including, Undeniable Bond, the second installment of The Bonded Trilogy.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’ve used Facebook Ads, but I’m looking for other opportunities to promote my books.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write even when you don’t feel like, the more you write the better your writing will become.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
If you don’t try you will never know.

What are you reading now?
Surrender by Helen Hardt

What’s next for you as a writer?
Writing and publishing, the second and third installment of The Bonded Trilogy, Undeniable Bond and Everlasting Bond.

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?
Tainted Bond by Reese Spenser
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough
The Bible

Author Websites and Profiles
Reese Spenser Website
Reese Spenser Amazon Profile

Reese Spenser’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I write because I used to have problem in delivering what’s inside my head. I used to be afraid to speak up or to give opinion about someone or something. During those times, writing was my form of communication to others. But now, I write because I just want to be heard. I want people to understand the way I think of certain things in life. I want them to feel exactly the way I feel about something. I want to spoil them with my imagination. But the most important thing is, writing keeps my life in balance.

I have written 5 books which have published globally. I also write promotion stuff for hotels/villas/restaurant. Back in the days, I have written poems, music lyrics, and biography of a public figure in my local town.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Unseen Face. This book is actually based on my close mate’s testimony about his disease. He had struggled with mental disorders since the loss of his loved one. His story was very triggering for me to came up with The Unseen Face. However, it also elicited a lot of unexpected responses, negative or positive. For that reason, and to protect my friend’s personal life, I decided to twist up some of the facts. The content of The Unseen Face, however, is 80% based on actual event.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I do. I normally write every night between 12am until 4am. I guess silence boosts up my creativity.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I must say that the turning over point of my life had occurred when someone handed me a novel by Paulo Coelho “The Alchemist” and a motivational book by Rhonda Byrne “The Secret”. Those books really changed my perspective about life, and that was when I decided to let go everything I had to follow my passion.

What are you working on now?
At the moment, I am at the final stage of launching another book. It is a collection of poetry. The title is “As The Rest Heal My Heart”

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
To be honest, I am not really good when it comes to promote my books. I let the publishers do the job. I am just helping in spreading words to my networks.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Be yourself! That’s very important. I mean, don’t try to write using your favorite author’s writing style. Use your own style, and don’t be afraid to show people what’s inside your head.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
We only live once, thus make the most of it!

What are you reading now?
Travel Magazines

What’s next for you as a writer?
I want to see one of my books in the movie screen

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
The Secret, The Bible, and my journal

Author Websites and Profiles
Joannes Rhino Website
Joannes Rhino Amazon Profile
Joannes Rhino Author Profile on Smashwords

Joannes Rhino’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve worked the last ten years as a creative consultant, life coach, and digital content developer, but I’ve been hooked on stories ever since my grandma first starting tucking me in with tales of her life on the South Dakota prairie swimming in my head.

I grew up in the Blue Ridge mountains of Virginia and was blessed to have a mother who didn’t complain when I came home from the woods covered in mud and burs, and a father who told me the stories questing knights, trolls, and faerie castles that sent me out there in the first place.

I’m a Martial Arts aficionado, a gaming nerd, a classics geek, and a list of other classifications both pejorative and praiseworthy. I live, travel, and work in various parts of America and the world at large with my amazing wife Mindy and wondermutt Chino.

I have a Masters in Creative Writing from Oxford University, and I just released Fire in the Dawn, Book 1 of the Twin Skies Trilogy. I’m also the co-author of the Stetson Jeff Adventures, a quirky 80s satire action comedy series.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Fire in the Dawn is a book that I’ve been working on for a long time. Like, 15+ years. I essentially learned how to write by working on it. The earliest versions were monumentally bad, but I was fascinated with the world and the characters, and that really drew me into studying the craft of writing well.

The book is set in the world of Tiira, which I created by drawing heavily on ancient Chinese and Japanese history, culture, and mythology for inspiration. I’ve always been interested in East Asian culture and history, which I studied in college as part of my History degree.

I love the process of shaping a world from scratch, taking a few familiar elements or interesting ideas and then thinking about what all the other elements of society would look like based off of that one thing. It’s time consuming, but also a lot of fun.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
When I get stuck on a plot point or continuity issue I’ll write all the answered questions I’m wrestling with in really big letters on a piece of paper and tape it to the wall. Then I’ll pace around and talk out loud, arguing with myself and coming at the problem from lots of different angles until I figure it out.

I’m a verbal processor, so I’ve just come to accept that sometimes I need to shout at the wall to get anywhere. The neighbors give me weird looks when I take out the trash, but what can you do?

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The author whose books are closest to mine is Guy Gavriel Kay. He writes incredible, rich fantasies set in worlds based on cultures and periods in our history, and I love all them.

My favorite author to read for fun is Jim Butcher, especially the Dresden Files series. His books are basically the only ones that I will pre-order in hardback just to make sure I can read them the minute they hit the shelves.

I also love Neil Gaiman, Patrick Rothfuss, S.M. Stirling, Ursula LeGuin, Hugh Howey, C.J. Cherryh, and Robin Hobb. I could keep going, but then this interview would take up way too many pages.

What are you working on now?
I’m currently writing a short “Visitor’s Guide to Tiira” to offer as a free giveaway to anyone who wants to know more about the setting of the book. I’m writing it as a historical essay by a famous scholar from that world’s history, and having a lot of fun experimenting with a new voice and style.

After that I’ll dive in Book 2 of series, which I aim to publish this time next year. I’ll also be working on Book 5 of the Stetson Jeff series with my co-author next month.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
The most valuable thing I’ve done so far is joining and participating in a few great writers groups on Facebook (shout out to all the Ninja Writers out there!). It’s been a great resource and encouragement, and I’ve been able to do some cross-promotion and review exchanges with other authors I’ve connected with.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write every day.

Seriously, even on Christmas. It can be just 50 words if that’s all you have time for, but the momentum that you build up over time by keeping your brain engaged in your writing is incredible.

Also, draw a very big line in your thinking between draft writing and editing. When you’re writing a draft the one and only thing that matters is getting words on the page. Quality isn’t even something you should be thinking about until you have a complete draft and you’re ready to start editing and polishing.

Finally, take advantage of all of the amazing resources out there to help you learn and grow as a writer. We have such a wealth of books and other materials on the craft, challenges, and disciplines of writing and publishing. If you want a headstart I’ve written a blog article listing 10 books that I know will make you a better writer: https://medium.com/@justinfike/skip-the-mfa-part-2-10-books-that-will-make-you-a-better-writer-767a2a620734

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Write as if you’re the only one who will ever read your stuff.

What are you reading now?
I’m currently reading The Name of the Wind for the second time, along with a biography of Chin Shi Huangdi (the first emperor of China).

What’s next for you as a writer?
The next big learning curve for me is getting better at social media and connecting with readers. I’ve always been a bit of a grumpy old man when it comes to Facebook and Twitter (even though I’m only 32), so I’ve been trying to play catchup by blogging regularly on Medium and such.

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 Book of Amber by Roger Zelazny, because it’s amazing and also friggin huge so it would keep me busy for a while.

Fortress in the Eye of Time by C.J. Cherryh, because I loved it as a kid and have been meaning to go back and read it again.

The Lord of the Rings trilogy, because Tolkien.

Author Websites and Profiles
Justin Fike Website
Justin Fike Amazon Profile

Justin Fike’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile