Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I just had my seventh book published! Most of my books have been self-help, recovery, and inspirational books. Some of my titles include: “Tales of Addiction” “Gifts from the Child Within” “The Pact: Messages from the Other Side”

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My newest book is my first novel, titled “Finding Destiny.” It was a story that began as I sat at my keyboard without knowing where it would go! I finally did a brief outline of characters and realized it had become a complete book…:)

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Ummm…I guess that fact that I don’t write notes or in handwriting might be a habit. I just sit at the computer and storylines come to me naturally!!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I love poetry and have written it most of my life as a way of relaxing and enjoying life. My new novel has lots of poetic prose and some actual poems in it. I was even thinking the sequel could be mostly poetry, what do you think?

What are you working on now?
The sequel to “Finding Destiny.”

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Well, I don’t do a whole lot of promotion–oh no! when I found this site, Awesomegang I thought it looked good enough for me to join and see what happens! My publisher does little marketing as well but does get it out to the public worldwide.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Keep writing! Everyone has a story…maybe even a book! I have helped many friends complete their own books–love to edit and help others with their writing.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Well, as it pertains to writing I would say: Be simple…less is best.

What are you reading now?
I just re-read The Shack to see how it went with the movie. I had read it when it first came out and loved it, watched the movie and felt something was missing–so, I re-read it and found many things missing from the movie. However, the movie was very well done…:)

What’s next for you as a writer?
I am trying to finish the sequel to “Finding Destiny” which isn’t an easy task because I am feeling like traveling again.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
“The Seat of the Soul” “The Education of Oversoul #7” “Finding Destiny”

Author Websites and Profiles
Barbara Sinor, Ph.D. Website
Barbara Sinor, Ph.D. Amazon Profile

Barbara Sinor, Ph.D.’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Well this is awkward. Talking about myself isn’t a strength, but let’s give this a try shall we? As covered in my bio I am really into playing with imagination. I’m a hypnotherapist by day. That’s a lot more like storytelling than it isn’t. By night, as I’ve pointedly said before, I am not a vampire. This too is storytelling. Although it is a very short story to be sure. I’ve written more books than I have released and hope to release more books than I have currently written in the future… Right now though I’m releasing my second officially out there book in my Witchlight series.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
BUMP is the title of my current release. It was dreamed up after I wrote a short story that was accepted into an anthology. I really liked the character in the short I’d written and I wanted to explore more of her and her world, so I started writing more. It developed into more ideas than you could fling one page at…or 20 or even 300, because BUMP is more than that in itself. The more I learned about my witch, her friends, her thing for werewolf girlfriends, and the world she lived in, the more I wanted to know. Hopefully, you do too!

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Well, every few months or so (usually around the time visitors show up) I clean up my desk till it’s neat (as a pin) and organised. This generally means that there is only a monitor and keyboard on the desk, along with a very small number of carefully selected (and oh so tasteful) knickknacks. You want examples? Well, recent winning pieces were a Green Lantern figurine, a skull carved with Celtic knots, a crystal ball, and a Han Solo figure in heroic pose. Interestingly, I usually struggle to get very much down on my current work in progress until I’ve managed to pile that clean desk full of notes, reference material, random bits and pieces drawn from who knows where and a few crumpled up pieces of paper for good measure. Clutter, clutter, clutter! What can I say? I write well on a messy desk… This is why I need a private writing space. Yeah, because I’m hiding my messy desk syndrome. Shhh!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Barbara Hambly’s Darwath Series threw me deep into a fantasy reading spree from which I have never recovered. Before dipping my peepers into this series I’d been into mysteries and whodunnits. Goodbye guess the villain, hello magic! It just snowballed from there and to try and list them all–Katherine Kerr, Stephen Donaldson, Mary Stewart, Anne Rice, Tim Waggoner, Patricia Kennealy, Clive Barker, Jimk Butcher–isn’t possible. Nope…not even a drop in the inky oceans I’ve paged and dreamed my way through.

What are you working on now?
At the moment I’m working on a novel in a world where the Empress rocks, the Inquisitor keeps the really nasty stuff in check, the Sorceress is a nontraditional nun, and the Courtesan is a taserslinging monster hunter with a preference for parting vampires from their heads. The latter is a lot of fun to write and is the principal in this cast of interesting people. Would you like to meet her?

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Clearly, I’d recommend Awesomegang… Other than that I’d say I’m still feeling the media waters and trying to see where my best X marks the spot place are. It’s tough to judge some of the promo sites because they have quite a high entry point and it’s something you have to build up to.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Just write. Don’t try to do what every other author does. If you like taking advice (okay…yeah…maybe you’re reading this for more than just the pleasure of reading me write) then I would say find one guru in the writing world that really gets you pumped up, nodding your head, and thinking inside their boxes, and follow them. Don’t be distracted by the shiny gurus to the left, to the right, or the new one popping up ahead. You can switch from one guru to another if you want…but don’t collect them like shiny tokens to bestseller success. You’ll only burnout trying to do everything that they tell you will bring you raving fans and killer royalty zeros. Try just being you…with a touch of your lit-hero if you must.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Just write. A friend–probably growing really tired of me telling her, I want to be a writer, and what do you think of these first chapters of this book I’m never gonna finish, and how does this story idea sound–told me that. In her mind she was probably yelling at me… Thank you, Misty.

What are you reading now?
I’ve just finished a book actually…and it was awesome! Kim Newman’s The Night Mayor. It’s like LitRPG before LitRPG; yeah Kim Newman was ready player one-ing in the 1980s!

I’ve got a thousand books to hand for what to read next–some of it on my desk under those sheets of paper, chapters, notes, and scrawls that I may be able to decipher some day. Not to mention an ereader bulging at the pixels. Although I’ll probably stumble across something new before I get to any of these. Shiny new things are cool…even if they’re from the 1980s…

What’s next for you as a writer?
Erm, you’ve probably heard this one before…I mean it’s all right, I know I’m an addict, but more books. You can expect more books. Lots more books if I have a say in it, which technically and ultimately I do…if I say so myself. I do have a crystal ball on the desk…but it’s just shiny and reflective right now, so I’m not completely 100% on the direction I’ll take with those new books. More than likely I’ll be playing in the big wide open world of fantasy…I like it with a contemporary bent at the moment, with a big dash of diversity, and a whole lot of racing through from one page to the next. I figure it’ll go on like that…but look me up in a few years. See if I’m writing contemporary or non-contemporary. You never know where the next line will take you.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
If I had that much foreshadowing, I think I’d get them to build a library on that island first…just saying. Books to keep me from talking to a football or befriending a corpse… I guess I’d start with a massive mythology volume, because I love that stuff… Then a dictionary because who can’t get lost in a few pages of that? Not too much plot, but the words are stellar! I rarely reread fiction books because I come out of them remembering every last page I’ve just immersed myself in so any other books I bring along of that nature would only give me one good read. I’d have to be really picky about it… Something really good on that day when I end up stranded on a desert island… Maybe I’ll find it now and save it for then?

Author Websites and Profiles
Jaime Munn Website
Jaime Munn Amazon Profile

Jaime Munn’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am an avid reader and have always enjoyed writing. The month after I retired from teaching, I started a novel and haven’t stopped working to get my writing published. I have three novels, three children’s picture books and a non-fiction YA book published. I enjoy working in my garden, spending time with my kids and grand kids, and running around with my husband.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Pepper is my latest novel. I was inspired by a neighbor who requested that I write a book about my 7 brothers. The book is not a memoir, but many of the scenes in the book are inspired by actions of family members, especially my brothers.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t know about unusual, but I often write while watching hummingbirds feeding just outside my window and wildlife such as deer and foxes that visits my garden and my backyard.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
As a kid I loved books by Charles Dickens and Mark Twain, and I love the old classics like Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, Walter Farley’s Black Stallion series, and Jack London’s novels. Because I’ve always read constantly, it’s hard to say which books have influenced me the most.

What are you working on now?
I am working on a novel based on the relationship between two Biblical characters but set in modern day. I haven’t gotten past a summary and characterization lists, but I’m pretty excited about it.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I use Facebook to share my new publications and events. I hold book signings at local schools, libraries and book stores. My website is growing and gaining followers.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I’m relatively new myself, but you just have to keep on keeping on. Be patient and work to develop your writing talent while you grow your reputation as a writer.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Start in the middle of the action.

What are you reading now?
Sullivan’s Island by Dorothea Benton Frank

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m learning to illustrate my own children’s books, and I’m ready to plow headlong into getting my next novel written.

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, Structuring your Novel by K.M. Weiland, The Emotion Thesaurus, and my 4″ binder full of writing helps I have printed from internet sources, especially Pinterest.

Author Websites and Profiles
Martha Rodriguez Website
Martha Rodriguez Amazon Profil

Martha Rodriguez’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hi there! I am Dr. (Prof) Shailendra Singh Bhadoria. I specialize in Orthodontia and judicious use of psychotropic medication. I have written 46 books on a wide range of topics including metapsychology, neuropsychiatry, physiology of the nervous system, neuropathic pain, psychotherapy etc.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The title of my latest book is “History of Brave Bhadoria Empire”. It is inspired by the bravery, struggle, determination and persistence of the Bhadoria Rajput soldiers of my community.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Like many authors, I call myself a “horizontal author” because of my lazy writing method. I love stretching out on a bed or sofa with an extra hot chocolate drink or coffee or fruit slushie with some extra ice in it. I think that I can not think unless I am lying down.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
“Bhagvad Geeta” It is the most powerful analytical tool establishing the wholeness of the reality and its relation to mind , matter and spirit. It was explained by Lord Krishna to his friend and disciple Arjuna in the battlefield, during Mahabharata.
Tolstoy’s ‘The Kingdom Of God Is Within You’ Today’s individual’s life specially on his inside, is no less than a war place where innumerable battles are fought each and every moment where he feels defeated, ending up in pains and sufferings, and this is only due to ignorance of one’s true nature.

What are you working on now?
Right now I am busy framing multiple choice questions asked in different medical competitive exams.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I don’t want to flatter you guys but I am a great fan of Awesomegang.com

Do you have any advice for new authors?
To sell a million copies, you need to touch a million hearts…..

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
To sell a copy, you need to touch a heart first……

What are you reading now?
I am busy solving multiple questions right now.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’ll rest for a while and let my finished books rest for a while.

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?
No books on the island..

Author Websites and Profiles
Shailendra Singh Bhadoria Amazon Profile

Shailendra Singh Bhadoria’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I write sassy, sizzling, western romance (contemporary) set in the Flint Hills of Kansas- the original Wild West.
I’m just getting ready to release my 5th book in the Cowboys of the Flint Hills Series. I was born in the Flint Hills, but raised in Colorado, so I’m an avid skier too!

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Prairie Fire is my upcoming release (Sept 19) inspired by a friend who is a former army helicopter pilot. This book was also inspired by record wildfires in the Flint Hills and in the Rocky Mountain west- it’s packed full of romance and action.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
When I get desperate for words, I reach for the ultimate brain food: Chocolate and Popcorn!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
So many. Madeleine L’Engle for starters. I adore her. Her heroines are smart, sassy, and true to themselves. That’s *definitely* influenced how I write my heroines. I love Jane Austen, Tolkein, and of course, Harry Potter… I love a well-told grippy story. I also love James Michener.

What are you working on now?
The first book in my spin-off series, Military Heroes of the Flint Hills. The book is titled A Hero’s Honor, and features a Prairie favorite- police chief and former Navy SEAL, Travis Kincaid. This five book series will be set on a ranch in the Flint Hills that works with wounded vets. It’s inspired by the work of Heroes & Horses.

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

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

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
When it comes to making life choices: “It’s just a different set of experiences. There’s no wrong answer.” That advice has helped me a TON in my life.

What are you reading now?
Centennial, Shoot Like a Girl, Julie (a bio about Julia Child), The Wine Bible, and Delectable by RL Matthews

What’s next for you as a writer?
Military Heroes for a bit, then more books in the Cowboys 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?
A dictionary/thesaurus, A Wrinkle in Time, Heidi, LOTR, HP Series, Mists of Avalon, Ahab’s Wife… (And I would have one of those bottomless purses like Hermione and would have no guilt sneaking in more books)

Author Websites and Profiles
Tessa Layne Website
Tessa Layne Amazon Profile

Tessa Layne’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Let Me Introduce Myself……

Rewind to an insanely busy day inside the compounds of cubicle city, I pondered why I continued to beat my head against this weary and unforgiving wall.

You see, I displayed my most favorite quote dab smack in front of my face:

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do, than by the ones you did do.

So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor, catch the trade winds in your sails, Explore. Dream. Discover.”

-Mark Twain

Yet, I continued to be miserable and exhausted to the point that I crashed on my comfy couch every work night, maybe taking in a baseball game on TV (if I had the energy).

It was a sad sight and even more pathetic, knowing I could change my life, be happy again as no one – but me – had the power to make the changes I needed for peace.

Intro to the present – My name is Lori Armstrong and I have been a writer my entire life, but took hollow and ungratifying jobs along the way, which either led to dead ends or downright lousy atmospheres. Oh the pay was great, but not a sustaining ounce of fulfillment.

Approaching 50, I had that “lightbulb” moment when I knew I was not where I was meant to be in this life.

I left my well-paying District Attorney’s job with health benefits and began reaching out to other writers, creating profiles, writing for magazines, blogs, and even ghostwrote a couple published novels.

The fulfillment and peace has been more gratifying than expected.

I have written two books – both published, supplementing my writing by court reporting for my local newspaper.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is Behind the Gates of Neverland – Conversations with Michael Jackson.

I met Michael Jackson’s friend and manager of his Neverland Amusement Park, who was searching for a writer to compose and share the conversations he shared with Michael. He wanted this memoir to speak on the human side of Michael that many of his fans were not able to see.

I was honored when Ray chose me to take on this exhilarating and enjoyable project.

We have become fast friends and we hope to spread the word of the humble Michael, who truly loved his fans and wanted to make the world a better place.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Actually, I do.

Being a Wizard of Oz fanatic, my Dorothy doll stands proudly upon my desk (with Toto at her side). There is a recording of Somewhere Over the Rainbow embedded in her stand, which I routinely play daily as it motivates the creativity inside of me.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Aw yes – the great Stephen King and Ernest Hemingway.

“The Sun Also Rises” (Hemingway) is definitely one of my most influential books.

What are you working on now?
I am working on formatting the paperback version of “Behind the Gates of Neverland” as only the digital version is on pre-order now through Amazon.

My next book will be a fantasy novel – dedicated to my brother and his brilliant mind.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
For me, promoting books may be time consuming but it is well worth the effort.

I designed my website -https://www.authorloriarmstrong.com/ – and believe the combination of marketing through my website, social media and press releases (both in print and on-line).

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

Believe in yourself and take on your projects… one sweet day at a time.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“If it doesn’t challenge you, it wont change you.”

What are you reading now?
I am currently reading “It” by Stephen King as I want to refresh my memory of the spine-tingling story before the movie arrives this September.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I plan to add a blog to my website which provides book marketing tips to new writers.

I also plan to expand my novels to the crime/mystery genre.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
The top 4 books which detail “How to Survive on a Desert Island.”

Author Websites and Profiles
Lori Armstrong Website
Lori Armstrong Amazon Profile

Lori Armstrong’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a creative writer. I started writing books when I was 22 years. I have written seven books both in literature and religion, but only four are published.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Devil in the Cathedral is my latest book. I was inspired to write it when the ex- governor of Rivers State Honorable Chibuike Rotimi Amechi gave room for employing thirteen thousand teachers which I was one, and also when Etche experienced incessant crisis beginning from 2014 to 2016. Those who were involved in killing their brothers because of one secret cult and the other are called devils. So the evil that engulfed the land made me to write such a play as a warning to people of evil conscience.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Yes. I write when the spirit of writing is willing. This I have noticed because if I try to force myself to write, I would not make a reasonable impact.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Shakespeare, Ossafason the author of Women of Owu, Wole Soyinka

What are you working on now?
Widows in the Web of Grief

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Use goodreads and amazon

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Every good author must be a good avid reader

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Readers are leaders

What are you reading now?
Morphology

What’s next for you as a writer?
To create my own website

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 go along with my Weeping Voice, Devil in the Cathedral etc

Fortune Emerence Chinemerem Nwaiwu’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve written four books and many novellas and short stories. I’ve three more books close to release sometime in the next six months. And a fourth book – a paranormal London mystery – is almost done.

I believe in having many fingers in many pies. It suits how I like to write.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book – out November 2017 (ish) – is book two of my space noir action mystery series: Vatic.

Part one was inspired by… who knows?

I had this idea about a guy waking up from hyposleep with no idea who he was or what was happening.

It was supposed to be a short but was soon a full novel. A thrill ride.

I love it when that happens.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m a pantster, which means I start off not knowing where I’m going or whom I’m going to meet – writing by the seat of my pants!

A real journey of discovery.

This means that I regularly hit brick walls. But I just I move on to something else for a while, until my subconscious can come up with a solution – which it usually does.

However, it can freak me out a bit when I get really stuck. But I’ve learned to trust that other part of my brain working in the background.

I’d be lost without it!

I can work anywhere. I’m not bothered by noise – unless it’s high-pitched. I have ASD which means certain sounds drive me crazy – anything that beeps for instance. But I can sit in a loud pub and tap away lost in my own little world without any problems.

I regularly change where I write, as I get easily bored. So sometimes I pop out with my trusty laptop, find a new cafe, order a large mug of tea, power up – and its ‘tapping the plastic’ time.

I also listen to music – drum and bass does it for me. Gets me fired up and increases my words per minute.

As for inspiration? I design all my book covers, and sometimes I design the cover first. I know, its a bit arse over tit. But it somehow works. Other times I just have a single idea and start – finding out where I go.

It can take me a while to find characters. They emerge from the mist as I write them – although I feel that they are there all the time, just waiting for me to come get them. They slowly become very much alive in my mind and I can hear them speaking to me.

Once created, they are as real to me as actual friends. And I think of them like that. Even when I have to kill them…

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Nearly every book I’ve read has influenced me. It’s the story that matters. I find there’s nothing very interesting about authors. I couldn’t care less why they wrote their story or who they were/are.

A good story can transcend human life. It can take us out of ourselves and transport us away to fantastical lands. Finding out about the author only serves to bring us back to real life with an uncomfortable bump.

Like the ‘behind the scenes special’ of Star Wars from years ago. I remember quickly switching it off because watching it was ruining the experience.

I find it hard enough to get lost in a movie or book as it is, without all those extra thoughts of ‘why and how’.

Who cares?

If it was up to me, I’d ban all ‘behind the scenes’ shows. Why are they needed? And why do people watch them?

Same with author interviews. And yes, I’m aware of the irony.

I suppose, I’m an escapist at heart. That’s also what writing gives me. A way to escape the mundane day to day.

What are you working on now?
I’ve just finished a story for an upcoming sci-fi anthology in the ‘Gravity City’ world created by Artie Carbrera. Written on the beach in Spain, no less.

I’ve a book of short stories coming out whenever its finished.

Vatic Book 2: Ariadne is nearly a few chapters away from completion – coming out November 2017.

I’m also working on the much-anticipated follow up to ‘Blue Into The Rip’ – out march 2018 – called ‘Blue Into The Moon’. It’s gonna be a cracker!

And I’m also formulating a more mainstream crime series :-0

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I have over 140,000 Twitter followers – so I use that extensively. As well as Facebook and fans and reviewers.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write 1000 words a day every day. Read every day. Finish what you start. Get it edited professionally. And buy my book:

‘The Complete INDIE Editor – 55 Essential Copy-edits for the Professional Independent Author’.

Available worldwide: http://smarturl.it/IndieEd

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I’m not a great fan of advice. I’m a bit bull-headed and resistant. Always have been.

If someone tells me this is the way to do something, I’ll probably do the opposite. I much prefer to make my own mistakes – it’s just a better way of learning for me.

If pushed, I’d say, learn to accept criticism. Or, more precisely, critiques. Getting feedback is gold dust. Use it.

What are you reading now?
I tend to read two or three things at once depending on my mood.

I’m presently reading a never-ending collection of Stephen King horror shorts (which is fascinating) ‘Perfect Remains’ by Helen Fields (a cleverly-plotted detective mystery, probably a tad over-plotted, but it’s a great read) and ‘The Dispatcher’ by John Scalzi (a neat idea).

That’s this week’s reading. The search for stuff to read is never-ending…

What’s next for you as a writer?
I may go mainstream! We’ll see. And I need to start investing in some audiobooks.

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 hate questions like this. I’d take my trusty Kindle – it’s got thousands of books on it.

Job done.

Author Websites and Profiles
K. J. Heritage Website
K. J. Heritage Amazon Profile
K. J. Heritage Author Profile on Smashwords

K. J. Heritage’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hi. I’m Melanie Mole. I’m a little different in some respects because of a wacky sense of humour. But I like to think that I’m a kind and supportive person who is, and always will be, totally into books, writing, and everything to do with those. I literally live and breathe books. They are like oxygen for my soul.

I live in a small market town in England. I grew up here, although I have lived in several other counties at other times during my life. Where I live now is surrounded by lush green countryside and I am so lucky to be able to live in an area like this. It is a place where people will often stop and chat to you or give you a smile and a wave, and I like that.

I am one of four children, and have two of my own. During childhood our house was often filled with people. One of my brothers liked to play his punk music really loud, and there always seemed to be a reason for my family to throw a party or have some sort of social gathering at our house, and so I craved peace and quiet. I would often go out and walk our dogs in the country lanes near our home. They became a place of solitude for me where I could finally hear myself think.

Like a lot of writers I have always been an introvert. I don’t like loud noisy places or people as they make me feel uneasy. Having said that I like small gatherings of people I know, or feel comfortable with. But that would be an occasional thing for me. I am a loner despite being a twin.

I like to see the good in people, and will do until they prove me otherwise. I am an optimist at heart and am thankful for the little things in life like rain for the plants, and small gestures that can really make a difference to someone’s day.

The books I have written are called ‘Simply Does It’ (See more about this below), and ‘Man + Woman = Trouble’ which is a humorous look at relationships, where I show the reader how not to do it, with lessons from my own disastrous experiences. I have made every mistake possible in my relationships, and this book was written with an aim to help other in their relationships so that they don’t get to the point of disaster.

I have also had a short story published in ‘Once Upon A Broken Dream:A Creativia Anthology’. We were all given a phrase to include in our stories, but could do this in any way that we chose. The result is a great mix of totally different stories in one book. This was my first try at writing fiction, and I was happy with the end result. I have decided that my story will be the prelude to a series relating to a fictional place called Buttercup Bay. I already have the outlines for several stories in this series. So watch this space!

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My new book is called ‘Simply Does It’. It is about living more simply with a view to being able to write more.

I have spent my whole adult life trying to find a way to fit it all in, so that I can feel good about more days than not. By that, I mean getting everything done which needs to be done on an average day. That means looking after family, doing chores, working and everything else which needs doing like so many of us It also means trying to fit some writing into my schedule. I would think that most writers who don’t have the luxury of being able to write full time, would often like more time, and less stress, in order to be able to do that.

During the first two decades of me trying to find the time to write without much success, I had become resigned to the fact that this was what a writer’s life was all about. That it would always be difficult, and so I would just have to live with it if I wanted to write.

I had tried every way that I could think of to fit it all in, and to be less stressed about it. But it got to the point I couldn’t see a way out. I thought that being a writer was just one of those high stressed vocations which was a ‘take it or leave it’ type of thing. So, you either put up with it, or just didn’t write.

But, now I know that I was wrong. I know that there is an answer. In the past year I have exceeded my wildest dreams in relation to my writing because I have increased my writing output by over 800% now. Yes, that’s right. I did say 800%! The the first part of that journey is in my new book Simply Does It.

Like most of us my story is a long one. I literally spent years writing my first book Man + Woman = Trouble (which will be available on Amazon next week as I have revamped it a little). Then I suffered loss, like we all do at times. But because of my diagnosed Depression I spiralled into the darkest and most gloomy place imaginable. I couldn’t get out of it. Nobody seemed to care, and nothing seemed to help. On the rare days when I was aware of what I was doing I knew that I couldn’t write enough. But what I really needed to do was to get back on track in search of what would now only make me better, but also make my life so much better generally too. I didn’t know it at the time, but writing was the answer in its most simple form.

The great news is that anyone can increase your writing output, whilst still retaining its quality, perhaps by 800% in a year like I did, and maybe even more! I did this whilst being a full time, live in carer for a relative. Anybody who has done this will know that there are constant interruptions both day and night when you are a live in carer, and that it is also physically and mentally exhausting. So, even if you have a job which seems to take everything out of you, you can still do it if you choose to do it like I did.

So, in a nutshell, my own needs inspired it. The need to be able to write, and to live a much stressed life. I am so fortunate to have found the answer!

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m not sure if you would call them unusual, but I often get up about 3-4 a.m. and write. Then I sleep in the afternoon to be refreshed for more writing in the evening. I can only do this sometimes because of my other responsibilities, but life feels right like this.

I am strongly into doing what suits you. Nobody can really tell you what you should be doing as a writer because the creative process doesn’t really run well on rules. So I will continue to do what I need to do despite how strange it may seem to anyone else.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The person who has influenced me the most in relation to my writing is the author Julia Cameron.
In my view she is like a writing goddess and guru all rolled into one. Because she continues to offer brilliant advice, to encourage, and to show us the way, and has done for several decades now.

She is really honest about what motivates her, what problems she has faced, and the difficulties that we probably all have in relation to our writing. I read each of her books at least once a year. My favourite one is ‘The Artist’s Way’. But this is closely followed by both ‘The Right to Write’, and ‘The Sound of Paper’. Julia’s books feature heavily on my reading list. Each time I read them I see something that I missed the last that time I read them. They are my guiding light for my writing.

What are you working on now?
At the moment I am just finishing another book called Write Yourself Happy. Despite being an optimist at heart I am diagnosed with Depression. So this book looks at how I did actually write myself happy through one of the darkest times of my life. I actually still use the same techniques to write now.

I hope that it will inspire others to keep going through the bad times, and to come out the other side a stronger, wiser and more determined person. If it helps even just one person then I will be pleased. You don’t need to have Depression to benefit from the book. It is aimed at anyone who needs a gentle push in the right direction in relation to their writing.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I would have to say that my website and my Twitter account are the best way that I have found to promote my book. But I also guest post on other websites too, and this definitely raises my profile.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
The best piece of advice that I could give to new authors is to research well before you even start to write. I’m not saying not to write a little, but I mean before you begin to write seriously, because this can save you a lot of time and heartache.

At the start of my writing life, if I had known some of the things that I now know, I would have started my writing career so differently. Little things, like to start your author website and social media profiles as early as possible could have made all the difference.

Plus, if I knew some of the tricks that I have learned along the way at the start of my journey, (many of which I discuss in my books), I would have written many more books before now.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Never give up. It is the advice which kept me going for years. I truly believe that it is the best advice that I have ever received. If I was brave enough to have it tattooed on my forehead, backwards, so that I could see it the right way round in the mirror each morning, I would. It really is that important. To see it first things in the morning when I was my face, and last thing at night when I bathe. It sets the tone for each day, and soothes the soul before bed each night. So I’m never giving up, and neither should you.

What are you reading now?
At the moment I am reading Julia Cameron’s ‘The Sound of Paper’ for the fifth time. It still inspires me every time that I read it. I plan to keep on reading at least once a year because I like it so much.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I am just finishing another book called ‘Write Yourself Happy’. Despite being an optimist at heart I am diagnosed with Depression. So this book looks at how I did actually write myself happy through one of the darkest times of my life. It is a positive story which I hope will help to inspire other writers.

Then after that, I am will finish another book called ‘The Simple Writer Experiment’. I am half way through writing it at the moment. At this stage I don’t want to give too much away about it. But I think that it will really be my best yet in terms of offering advice and sharing solutions to many of the problems that writers face. So I am really excited 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?
The first would be ‘The Measure of a Man’ by Sidney Poitier. If you want inspiration on not giving up then this is the book for you. It looks at Mr. Poitier’s journey to America with barely a cent to his name. It is both uplifting and moving. A great book to get you thinking.

The second book would be ‘Secrets at the Maple Syrup Farm’ by Rebecca Rasisin. I love all of Rebecca’s books because they have great story lines that keep me interested throughout the whole book. Her writing is so easy to read. I could see me still wanting to read her books when I am 100!

The third book would be ‘Excuse Me, Your Life Is Waiting: The Astonishing Power of Feelings’ by Lynn Grabhorn. It is an amazing book about the difference your feelings, and the energy that they bring with them, can make to your life. I learned so much from it. It is also a book which I read again and again.

The fourth would definitely have to be anything by Julia Cameron.

Author Websites and Profiles
Melanie Mole Website

Melanie Mole’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 SpookyMrsGreen: the Pagan Housewife, and I live in Cheshire, England with my husband, two children and a collection of pets. Having been a lover of words from a very young age, it was inevitable that I should finally write my own stories. I now have six published novels and various short stories available in anthologies and as digital downloads. My genre is paranormal, with elements of Gothic horror and urban fantasy. I have been fascinated by ghosts, vampires, werewolves and witches for almost as long as I could read, so they have to appear within my stories.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest novel, Eye of the Tiger, is book 4 in the Redcliffe Novels series set in Cornwall, England. The series was born while I was on holiday several years ago, and inspired by the beautiful seaside town Looe. The vampires were already lurking in my mind, but the werewolves came as a surprise!

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
What do you consider unusual? No, I think my writing habits are fairly normal, actually.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I have been largely inspired by the Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter series by Laurell K. Hamilton, and the NIghtworld vampire series by L.J. Smith. Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles played a part in my creative development also, along with Anne Radcliffe and Bram Stoker.

What are you working on now?
I am currently working on Book 5 in the Redcliffe novels series, “Heart of the Vampire,” and preparing to write book 6 (as yet untitled).

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I am still trying to figure that out! Generally I try to promote my author blog because it is a central website that I can control fairly easily, and it has information about everything I have published, all that I am currently working on, and details for public events that I attend. I am also a member of ASMSG, a network of indie authors who run cross promotions and keep up the social media sharing.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Never give up hope! The journey is long and hard, so do not be fooled by people who say you can turn around big book sales within 2 years. I am sure that it must be possible, but only if you have a business mindset, the money for advertising, and a solid, supportive team of people to help with promotions and sales. Be realistic, be nice to yourself, always consider new opportunities, and don’t be afraid to take risks.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Start a mailing list, and build it! I admit I was a little nervous and reluctant in the beginning, because i had no idea what I was doing. But I joined a programme called Your First 10k Readers, and now I am actively working towards achieving my goals, using the teachings from the team behind the course.

What are you reading now?
I am currently reading Sophie’s World by Jostein Gaarder for my local book club, and I am reading Italian Playboy by Holly J. Gill from my personal TBR list.

What’s next for you as a writer?
My next task is to work on a collection of manuscripts that have been languishing on my hard drive. They are novels set in and around Manchester, England, and feature vampire hunters and vampires in contemporary settings.

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?
Ooh, that’s a tough one! Can’t I just take my Kindle?

Author Websites and Profiles
Catherine Green Website
Catherine Green Amazon Profile
Catherine Green Author Profile on Smashwords

Catherine Green’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I started out with short fiction, selling stories in the confessions market, and then progressed to novels. I have three novels – each a different sub-genre in contemporary women’s fiction (I am not a fast writer, so the idea of writing a series does not appeal). I studied story structure through books, articles, conferences, writers’ groups, etc. to understand how to be a more effective fiction writer.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
SeaStruck, my latest novel, was inspired by a dream. I just saw all the characters (including the winged horse) emerge from the water and stand on shore looking at me. My first draft did not include the Sacred Laws. I felt prompted to check out a book display and bought a book on Atlantis, which triggered more of my plot.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I like dialoguing with my characters – I ask them questions and they answer (in writing). Getting detailed answers feels magical and otherworldly.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The Last Mermaid by Shane Abe was one book that helped to inspire the writing of SeaStruck. I also enjoy reading Jayne Ann Krentz, whose books include a great deal of intrigue/suspense, sometimes with a hint of the paranormal. I’ve also enjoyed Alice Hoffman and Joy Fielding.

What are you working on now?
My next writing project will be short story collections. I am also working with authors of women’s contemporary fiction as a developmental editor. I’ve always enjoyed teamwork!

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I am only beginning to promote my books, so I can’t really answer this question.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Keep improving your work and read the books you enjoy with a critical eye, paying attention to pacing, characterization and structure. There’s a lot involved to writing effectively, especially when it comes to fiction.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Ernest Hemingway: “The only kind of writing is rewriting.”

What are you reading now?
I’m busy researching marketing options for new authors.

What’s next for you as a writer?
My short story 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 Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle, Walking in This World by Julia Cameron, The Intuitive Way by Penney Peirce

Author Websites and Profiles
Thelma Mariano Website
Thelma Mariano Amazon Profile
Thelma Mariano Author Profile on Smashwords

Thelma Mariano’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My name is Jennifer Julander and I’m a lover of fantasy, mythology, and music. My debut novel, Green Lady, just released last April, and the sequel, Curse of Brys, is scheduled for publication this fall.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Green Lady was inspired by my childhood. I grew up in Georgia and I was a tree-hugger by nature. But when my parents moved me to the West, I remember being appalled that we were living in a desert (heaven forbid). The earliest version of this story was a short story I wrote at the age of 12, or at least an attempt at a short story. That’s when I realized I was a novelist. I couldn’t write anything short, and the story kept growing.

Green Lady was also influenced by a lot of what I read growing up. Some people say it has the same kind of adventure vibe as other epic fantasy novels. I was always entranced by stories with magic, and I love mythical creatures, which obiously had a heavy influence on this story. My love for mythology also inspired the development of this world’s legends, which are more important in the sequel, Curse of Brys.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I used to write everything by hand, but now I use the Write or Die App on my desktop. Many writers are surprised to learn that I can write 2,000 words/hour, but it’s thanks to the App’s clever design–it has different settings to motivate you to keep writing.

I also tend to use music to turn on my creative brain. Some people can’t listen to music and write, but as long as it’s instrumental, music definitely helps me dive into the story.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Oh, gosh. I read everything, so that’s a difficult question. The first book I can tie to Green Lady is A Walk in Wolf Woods, by Mary Stewart. The story of a king under a wolf curse stuck with me, and you can definitely see its influence in the behaviors of King Friedrich.

What are you working on now?
I’m currently writing the last half of Curse of Brys, which is both a sequel and a prequel to Green Lady (less commonly known as a Circumquel). If you’ve read Green Lady, you’ll be happy to know that Curse of Brys goes into detail about Amnar’s past, and the events leading up to everything that happens to Cleandra.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
The ebook is available on Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/Green-Lady-Part-Storm-Book-ebook/dp/B01NCZIOPG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1503774514&sr=8-1&keywords=green+lady+jennifer+julander

Print books are available on my website: www.jenniferjulander.com

Do you have any advice for new authors?
The cure to writer’s block is to write. There are various tactics for this, and my recent favorites are 1) Doing a brainstorm map of the current events in your book so you can see how everything ties together, and 2) Getting your book cover designed as early as possible. I find it very inspirational to look at the cover when I feel stuck.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Write every day. My first novel took me 5 years to complete. It’s normal for first-time novelists to take this long (or even longer) to complete a manuscript, but it wouldn’t have taken quite as long if I’d written for 1 hour every day.

What are you reading now?
I’m currently reading Autumn in the City of Lights by Kirby Howell. It’s a post-apocalyptic romance novel co-written by two best friends. I was amazed by how seamless their writing is; if I didn’t know better, I’d think it was written by one author, not two.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Book promotion, scheduling signings, marketing until the sky falls… haha.

As far as writing, I have a dark fantasy novel (series?) in mind about an ugly goblin and a beautiful faerie who find themselves stuck in Victorian England… and they’ve switched bodies.

And I also have a comedy crime series in mind about a smart-ass lawyer who can get away with saying anything in court (kind of like how Dr. House gets away with bad bedside manner).

I have no intention of sticking with one genre, and I even have a few ideas for Sci-Fi novels down the road. But fantasy is by far my favorite, so you can expect to see a lot more of that.

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?
:O
I can’t… you’re killing me.
It’s not a “classic,” but I’d have to take Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor. My second choice would be The Witching Hour by Anne Rice, and Howl’s Moving Castle by Dianna Wynne Jones would be third.

Author Websites and Profiles
Jennifer Julander Website
Jennifer Julander Amazon Profile

Jennifer Julander’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I live in an A-frame castle with a cast iron dragon in my cellar. Every winter, I feed him chunks of rotten wood and he keeps me warm when the night winds howl. I have written three fantasy books that are of decent quality and one contemporary book that is an unpublishable soporific.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is ‘Rotten Magic,’ a dark fantasy steampunk coming of age story about a frustrated apprentice who has grand ideas that never seem to launch off the ground. My own early adolescent frustrations inspired his.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I say, “Good morning” to my pet corn snake Arwen every morning when I enter the office to write. I am told by several people she is an evil scaly creature and not a charming reptilian princess. I do not believe them.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Oh my, let’s see. Heinlein, Dumas, Swift, McCaffrey, Eddings, Flint . . . the list goes on and on . . .

What are you working on now?
I am currently working on the second book in the series to which ‘Rotten Magic’ is the prequel, entitled ‘Hidden Revolt.’ It will be released November 2017.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Pounding the keyboard with my fingertips until words come out.

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

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Never go to bed angry.

What are you reading now?
Slowly working my way back through old Michael Crichton novels.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’ve got a few parallel fantasy series on the backburner that exist in the same universe and timline as the one I’m writing now. This will likely see me through the next two or three years. After that, revisiting my early contemporary works and cleaning them up appeals to 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?
The Lost World – A. C. Doyle
A Stranger in a Strange Land – R. A. Heinlein
The Dragonriders of Pern – A. McCaffrey
A blank book and a pen.

Author Websites and Profiles
Jeffrey Bardwell Website
Jeffrey Bardwell Amazon Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a lifelong writer with a keen interest in many things, including mysteries of all kinds (anything odd captures my attention) mythology, history and films, I love old films, anything old really. I often feel as though I’m a man out of time, like I should have been born in the days of the Victorian explorers, but I wouldn’t be without the internet for anything.
So far I have released four novels, with half a dozen planned for the next couple of years, and others in the back of my mind.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
A Perfect Pose, it’s book 3 in the Inspector Stone Mysteries series. The idea came to me quite a while ago now, and was inspired by the old crime-of-passion style stories from Agatha Christie and her contemporaries. Too often today crime stories aim for an unnecessary level of complexity, and I wanted something that was the opposite of that, a relatively simple story that nonetheless kept the reader guessing for a while.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I wouldn’t say my writing habits are unusual, but I do generally find it easier to write at night than during the day, I’m very much a night owl.

What authors, or books have influenced you?

What are you working on now?
I’m working on the first book in a planned scifi/space opera series about a soldier who inherits a rundown ship and a large debt from his brother, whose involvement with gangsters leads to his death.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
My best method for promoting so far has been networking with other authors, primarily through Goodreads, and the best website has been Bargain Booksy, they have produced my best single day results, while networking has generated more long-term results.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
The best advice I can give is that which I received, don’t expect too much too soon. It takes time, money, and luck to make a success of writing.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Writing is a marathon not a sprint, set realistic goals, and be prepared for it to take a while to develop a following and get sales.

What are you reading now?
Currently I am beta-reading a fantasy author for a fellow mystery/thriller writer who, like me, is experimenting with a different genre.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m taking a step away from my Inspector Stone Mysteries series, and mysteries/thrillers in general to try my hand at scifi.

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 have to bring Oliver Twist, it’s one of my all-time favourite books, outside of that, I have a hard time narrowing a selection down, especially since I’m a fan of series, so picking only 3 or 4 books would leave any series incomplete.

Author Websites and Profiles
Alex R Carver Website
Alex R Carver Amazon Profile

Alex R Carver’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m based in Calgary in Western Canada and am an author of science fiction and fantasy novels for children and young adults, including The Alchemist’s Portrait, The Sorcerer’s Letterbox, The Clone Conspiracy, The Emerald Curse, The Heretic’s Tomb, The Doomsday Mask, The Time Camera, The Sphere of Septimus, Flashback, Future Imperfect, Twisted Fate, and the Shadowzone series. I’m also the author of The Time Traveler’s Guide, The Children’s Writer’s Guide, The Working Writer’s Guide, The Social Media Writer’s Guide, almost 100 non-fiction books, and many articles on a wide range of topics..

I offer a wide variety of presentations, workshops and author in residence programs for schools and libraries, covering such topics as the writing process, editing and revision, where ideas come from and how writers turn them into stories, character development, historical fiction and historical research, story structure, the publishing world and more. I’m an instructor for adults with the University of Calgary and Mount Royal University and offers a variety of online workshops for both children and adults. I also offer a number of services for writers, including editing, coaching, consulting, writing workshops both online and in person, as well as copywriting services for the business community.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Shadowzone series involves the discovery of a grim dystopian version of Earth that’s ruled by a totalitarian dictatorship, the threat of a deadly virus, and a race against time to save the lives of millions. This is the synopsis for the first book, entitled Shadowzone.

“While watching intense flashes of lightning during a violent storm, Ben experiences mysterious and disturbing visions of another world, one very different from his own. In the chain of events that follow, Ben encounters Charlie, a girl from a dark version of Earth, a planet doomed by the effects of environmental catastrophe, where the leaders will stop at nothing to complete their deadly mission.”

The second part is entitled Into The Web and is followed by Black Dawn.

The original idea was about someone capturing mysterious images on a video camera of a person that no one else could see. It was around the time that a local hospital was about to be demolished. I imagined that my character was filming the event and captured the image of the person stepping seemingly unharmed from the rubble as the building came down. The idea of capturing unexplained images on film was something that I’ve continued working on too.

For a while, I was never sure the idea would come to anything. It was early in my writing career and I put it aside and worked on other stories, but I’d periodically add another element to the story about the camera and the mysterious individual. At one point, I decided that the person that the boy caught on film wasn’t a ghost but from another dimension or perhaps a parallel universe and they were attempting to contact him for some reason. I then began to add details of this other Earth and the reasons for the connection to our world, and it went from there. An initial concept involving kidnappings from hospitals didn’t quite work, so instead I developed the idea of a deadly virus, which was a good fit with the type of government running the other Earth. Once that was all in place, I was able to get to work.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I do tend to mostly write late at night but many writers do that, so I’m not sure whether that would be classed as unusual. I also sometimes go to coffee shops to work on outlines for stories, specific parts of chapters, and so on, or occasionally just to get away from the home office for a while.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I read a lot of science fiction novels and collections of short stories while growing up, as well C S Lewis, Tolkien, other fantasy writers and ghost stories. I also read a tremendous number of comic books as a child, which were great for the imagination. At high school, I studied a great deal of history and have retained my interest in the subject up to the present day. I also read voraciously on ancient civilizations, mysteries, the supernatural, and the unexplained.

When I began my career as a writer I was influenced by the earlier books in the Harry Potter series. However, I didn’t want to write about wizards, dragons, or magic, but rather about the things that I was interested in, such as time travel, the paranormal, superheroes, ancient mysteries, or history. I was also influenced by Phillip Pullman’s The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass, along with some other excellent fantasy and science fiction works.

What are you working on now?
I always have a current project or two and right now I’m working on a historical fiction novel for young adults set in the turbulent era of the English Civil War in the 1640s. The novel’s about half finished, but I still have a lot of work to do.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I have a website, blog, and am very active on social media and while these are very effective I still find that promotion in person seems to be the best method for books written for children and young adults. I do a great deal of teaching and conduct writing workshops for both children and adults, which helps to promote the novels and other books. I also do many book signings at local bookstores throughout the year. This not only helps to sell books but also to promote my other services for writers, such as editing, coaching, or online workshops and courses.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Writing is in some ways the easy part. It can be a very long process not only to write a book, but also to get it published. A book is a marathon measured in years rather than weeks or months. Don’t be afraid to revise and revise over and over again. Most authors go through many revisions before their work reaches its final format. Remember too that your book will never be to everyone’s taste, so don’t be discouraged. A firm belief in your own success is often what’s necessary. After all, if you don’t believe in your book, how can you expect other people to?

Read as much as you can and write as often as you can. Keep an ideas file, even if it’s only a name, title, sentence or an entire outline for a novel. You never know when you might get another piece of the puzzle, perhaps years later. You also mustn’t forget the marketing. You may produce the greatest book ever written. However, no one else is going to see it if your book doesn’t become known to potential readers. Be visible as an author. Do as many readings, signings and personal appearances as you can. Get your name out there and hopefully the rest will follow. Especially for newly published authors, books don’t sell themselves and need a lot of help.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Probably to keep writing, read as much as you can, and always be open to new ideas. After all, you never know when you’ll get a really good one.

What are you reading now?
I’m always reading a wide variety of things, either online or in books and magazines. Sometimes this is for research purposes or during the editing process for clients but at other times purely for pleasure, either fiction or nonfiction and either new material or books in my own collection that I refer to every now and then.

What’s next for you as a writer?
As I mentioned, I’m working on the English Cicil War novel but the third part of the paranormal Flashback series will be published early next year so I’m sure I’ll be tinkering with those stories in the coming months. I also hope to start work on two sequels to Future Imperfect, which was published in 2016 and am considering at least two potential sequels to my fantasy novel, The Sphere of Septimus, which was published in 2014.

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 not sure but perhaps a book all about tips and advice related to surviving on a deserted island might be a good idea. I’ll have to give some thought to what other books I might want to take along with

Author Websites and Profiles
Simon Rose Website
Simon Rose Amazon Profile
Simon Rose Author Profile on Smashwords

Simon Rose’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
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Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am the author of Dear Love, Are You Dead? It has become a global success in just two months after the initial release. I am currently working on the second book of the sequel, which will be named very I am the author of Dear Love, Are You Dead? It has become a global success in just two months after the initial release. I am currently working on the second book of the sequel, which will be named very I am the author of Dear Love, Are You Dead? It has become a global success in just two months after the initial release. I am currently working on the second book of the sequel, which will be named very I am the author of Dear Love, Are You Dead? It has become a global success in just two months after the initial release. I am currently working on the second book of the sequel, which will be named very I am the author of Dear Love, Are You Dead? It has become a global success in just two months after the initial release. I am currently working on the second book of the sequel, which will be named very I am the author of Dear Love, Are You Dead? It has become a global success in just two months after the initial release. I am currently working on the second book of the sequel, which will be named very I am the author of Dear Love, Are You Dead? It has become a global success in just two months after the initial release. I am currently working on the second book of the sequel, which will be named very I am the author of Dear Love, Are You Dead? It has become a global success in just two months after the initial release. I am currently working on the second book of the sequel, which will be named very I am the author of Dear Love, Are You Dead? It has become a global success in just two months after the initial release. I am currently working on the second book of the sequel, which will be named very I am the author of Dear Love, Are You Dead? It has become a global success in just two months after the initial release. I am currently working on the second book of the sequel, which will be named very I am the author of Dear Love, Are You Dead? It has become a global success in just two months after the initial release. I am currently working on the second book of the sequel, which will be named very I am the author of Dear Love, Are You Dead? It has become a global success in just two months after the initial release. I am currently working on the second book of the sequel, which will be named very I am the author of Dear Love, Are You Dead? It has become a global success in just two months after the initial release. I am currently working on the second book of the sequel, which will be named very I am the author of Dear Love, Are You Dead? It has become a global success in just two months after the initial release. I am currently working on the second book of the sequel, which will be named very I am the author of Dear Love, Are You Dead? It has become a global success in just two months after the initial release. I am currently working on the second book of the sequel, which will be named very I am the author of Dear Love, Are You Dead? It has become a global success in just two months after the initial release. I am currently working on the second book of the sequel, which will be named very I am the author of Dear Love, Are You Dead? It has become a global success in just two months after the initial release. I am currently working on the second book of the sequel, which will be named very I am the author of Dear Love, Are You Dead? It has become a global success in just two months after the initial release. I am currently working on the second book of the sequel, which will be named very I am the author of Dear Love, Are You Dead? It has become a global success in just two months after the initial release. I am currently working on the second book of the sequel, which will be named very I am the author of Dear Love, Are You Dead? It has become a global success in just two months after the initial release. I am currently working on the second book of the sequel, which will be named very I am the author of Dear Love, Are You Dead? It has become a global success in just two months after the initial release. I am currently working on the second book of the sequel, which will be named very I am the author of Dear Love, Are You Dead? It has become a global success in just two months after the initial release. I am currently working on the second book of the sequel, which will be named very I am the author of Dear Love, Are You Dead? It has become a global success in just two months after the initial release. I am currently working on the second book of the sequel, which will be named very I am the author of Dear Love, Are You Dead? It has become a global success in just two months after the initial release. I am currently working on the second book of the sequel, which will be named very I am the author of Dear Love, Are You Dead? It has become a global success in just two months after the initial release. I am currently working on the second book of the sequel, which will be named very I am the author of Dear Love, Are You Dead? It has become a global success in just two months after the initial release. I am currently working on the second book of the sequel, which will be named very I am the author of Dear Love, Are You Dead? It has become a global success in just two months after the initial release. I am currently working on the second book of the sequel, which will be named very I am the author of Dear Love, Are You Dead? It has become a global success in just two months after the initial release. I am currently working on the second book of the sequel, which will be named very I am the author of Dear Love, Are You Dead? It has become a global success in just two months after the initial release.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Dear Love, Are you Dead? was written with no proper intention to get it published. I started writing a few chapters to gift it to my girlfriend Merlyn on her birthday last year and eventually ended up getting it published after realizing that the manuscript was too good a thing to be kept in the dark. A few TV shows like Vampire Diaries and Originals inspired me to write a supernatural thriller of my own and I hope I did justice to those shows.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Whenever I gather ideas, I lock them inside my head and use them at appropriate places in my book. I believe most writers do the same, but how I stand different from them is that the ideas that I gather aren’t just from the books. Most of the ideas that I end up gathering are from real life conversations, which I had or some of the real life incidents which would have fascinated me to a massive extent.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I loved the novel “Before I wake” I thought it was a fascinating novel. I enjoyed every page of it. It pushed me to write something of my own by planting plenty of ideas into my head. I also love the Saw movie series which I believe is a spine chilling set of movies. A few scenes of the book Dear Love, Are you Dead? were inspired by that series.

What are you working on now?
The second book of the Dear Love, Are you Dead? is being written right now. I have promised the fans that the second part will be a much thrilling and much darker than the first book. Hence I am not in any rush to complete the book. I am writing it patiently to make sure that the fans get the best entertainment possible from the book.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Reviews. Professional reviews can be a big time game changer. My book’s sales went from good to great after C.L Taylor and Washington times were kind enough to review my book and post those reviews in the amazon.com page of my book. Contesting in competitions and winning will also increase the visibility of the book and can be a big difference.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I have said it before and I will say it again. Write to learn. Not to earn.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best advice I have got so far is by C.L Taylor. She asked me to be patient in writing. Usually I have the habit of finishing a manuscript in a month or two, but she told me that rushing up will end up exhausting me someday and will eventually lead to a huge loss of creative ideas in my head. I took her advice and I am writing very little these days with a fresh state of mind and its doing wonders by getting the best out of me.

What are you reading now?
The Twelve by Justin Cronin.

What’s next for you as a writer?
My second book will be out in January and my goal is to cut down the prices of my book as most of the fans thought that the first book was a bit too costly for the poor people. I want the second book to be affordable to all types of people and hence the book I am working on a deal with a few publishers to get it sold for less than 5 dollars in all formats.

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 Passage., Before I wake, American Gods and The twelve

Author Websites and Profiles
SJ Henderson Website
SJ Henderson Amazon Profile

SJ Henderson’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Peter Muzo Godwin is a thinker, a better life enthusiast, and a writer. My passion is helping to shine the light of knowledge for progress!
I have written a number of short stories, and five children books to some local publishers when I was in my twenties. Now in my thirties, and over the years of studying and observing, I decided to take this whole writing craft to a new level. I have recently completed “The Next Door”, and I’m currently working on a novel titled: The World Is Waiting.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is titled: ‘The Next Door’. It’s born out of my observation of people in the society. It occurred to me that many people are focussing too much on the side of their lives that is not yet in accordance with their desires, forgetting the sides where things are working well. While we wish to work to correct the side things are not working, we shouldn’t forget to count our blessings on the side things are already working. Failure to do this could lead to so many negative emotions that could rob us of our joys which are crucial for moving ahead.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t think so.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
A lot. But a few of them includes: The Alchemist, Atlas Shrugged, Awaken The Giant Within

What are you working on now?
A novel titled ‘The World Is Waiting’

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
This is my first time of actively promoting online. And I think awesomegang.com would be superb. That’s why I chose them first. I have heard many great reviews about them.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Follow your dream; your innate passion. Write what’s right for you that flows from your inside, not just what you think is popular.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Many good bits of advice come one’s way. To name just one is, work hard when you are still young so your old age won’t be a burden.

What are you reading now?
1984

What’s next for you as a writer?
To keep on working on my novel till fully completed

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?
Robbinson Crusoe, The Alchemist, Atlas Shrugged,

Author Websites and Profiles
Peter Muzo Godwin Amazon Profile

Peter Muzo Godwin’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I published my first novel, Even Halos Can Be Crooked, in February 2017. I published my second novella of short stories and poems, Castles in the Sky, in July 2017. I’m currently in the process of finishing a cozy mystery that I hope to have published late September 2017 and the second book in The Crooked Halo Series late 2017.

My go-to choice of genre to read is Paranormal Mysteries. I’ve long enjoyed reading authors such as Kim Harrison, Christopher Pike, Katie MacAlister, Laurell K. Hamilton and L. J. Smith. I’m a little bit sad because a numerous of the series I’ve enjoyed for years have ended but I look forward to discovering new authors.

I’ve been writing for years. The 2 books I’ve published this year were started years ago. A lot went into delaying publishing them and I’m excited to finally be able to share these stories.
I love humor mixed in with fast paced action and conversation. I’ve tried to create that with Even Halos Can Be Crooked. I truly enjoy these characters in The Crooked Halo Series and hope that others will come to enjoy them as well.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Castles in the Sky was published in July 2017. It’s a compilation of short stories and poems written throughout my life so far. I tried to publish the poems years ago but set it aside after a number of rejections.
After publishing my first novel, I pulled out my old files and began reading them again. I realized I had a complete novel, ready to be published, sitting right there in my hands. All I had to do was convert it to digital files, edit it, and create a cover. That turned out to be a bigger process than I anticipated. I decided to add in 3 short stories (which I’d written) that I have read time and again and felt they belonged in this novella.
I really enjoy a number of the poems. It’s hard for me to pick a favorite but if you were to read just a few, I’d recommend Uh, Oh! Maud’s Knitting Again, Yellow, and Alone.
I know poetry isn’t for everyone but hope some of my fans give Castles in the Sky a try. It’s a little bit dark, a little bit romantic, and a little bit adventurous.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t really plan a story out. I get an idea and just start to write. It’s both thrilling and terrifying because I don’t know what’s going to happen next. Sometimes I have scenes I can see and want to include which I have to steer the characters to and other times I’m surprised by where my story goes. Doing the NaNoWriMo seriously helped me get past doubts and roadblocks. I told myself to just write. Don’t get stuck. If it isn’t needed or helpful to the story, it can be taken out later, but just keep writing. Some days, I don’t write at all. I think about my characters and where I want the story to go. I’ll re-read what I’ve written and proofread/edit it. Writing the stories on my cell phone, as I have been, means I have to watch out for auto correct a lot which makes proofreading all the more important and just that extra little bit of special fun when I see words I know I typed correctly changed from ‘bit’ to ‘but’ or ‘be’ to ‘he’.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
A number of authors have influenced me. Having a comedic side kick for Even Halos Can Be Crooked was such a big help for me. I love my character Desmin.
He was inspired by the sidekicks in series by Kim Harrison, Victoria Laurie, and Katie MacAlister. I wanted someone in my story that made me laugh like Jenks, Jim, and Gilly. Someone to love that also spoke the truth in such blunt ways.
I’m sure a number of other authors have influenced my style of writing. I definitely enjoy books with more dialogue that moves the story forward than pages of description. It’s hard to be original in this day and age, but my goal is to continue to bring something new and different to each story.

What are you working on now?
I’m currently working on finishing a cozy murder mystery. It has the potential to be a series. It’s definitely a little more serious but I’ve included humor here and there. It certainly has a steamy romance that is fraught with complications for the characters to overcome. I’ve always enjoyed a story more when the characters may be attracted to each other but fight the attraction.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Ha. Well, I’m still trying to figure that out. I’ve joined a number of Facebook groups and Goodreads. I’ve created the Facebook page The Crooked Halo Series and actively post on my blog, Lori’s ET Reviews, updates and news.
The most successful method so far was a book blog tour by Silver Dagger Book Tours. I received my most page likes and activity by doing the month long tour.
I’m still trying to find more ways of reaching people. Any suggestions??

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Just keep writing. Try to set goals and write as much as you can.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The same as above, just keep writing.

What are you reading now?
Dangerous Minds by Janet Evanovich.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m really looking forward to finishing this cozy mystery. It’s getting harder to write each day, every day, with an active toddler but I’m doing my best to finish this mystery. Even though I’m the one writing it, it’s still a mystery to me and I can’t wait to solve it. Mysteries are tricky and I have a great respect for all the mystery authors I read. Picking your victims, finding suspects, creating red herrings, not getting side tracked, and moving the story forward takes skill. For someone who usually writes as she goes, this is not that easy. I have an idea of ‘who dunnit’ but getting to the big reveal takes more planning than I’m used to with my writing. I binge watched Scooby-Doo to keep me on track with all the different ways a mystery can get to “And I would have gotten away with it, too, if it wasn’t for you meddling kids!”

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
That’s a hard one. I’ve re-read so many stories and I have quite a few favorites. I’d take Even Halos Can Be Crooked – the humor alone would keep me entertained. I’d take a survival book, maybe. Then I’d have to choose. One of my favorite historical romances is Whitney, My Love by Judith McNaught. I’d probably take that book. For the last one, I don’t know. I’d be torn between Fistful of Charms by Kim Harrison and either Blue Moon by Laurell K. Hamilton or….wow, this is a tough question. Maybe High Tide by Jude Devereaux. I would have a seriously hard time with only being allowed 3 or 4 books.

Author Websites and Profiles
L. M. Schukraft Website
L. M. Schukraft Amazon Profile

L. M. Schukraft’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have already written 3 books being one only 4 pages having the name “Mystery of the 7th floor”, fomm for experience, there is one that I am still reviewing that has more than 350 pages being Society of Dragons “, the idea and launch it at the end of November , Has on the site the sale “The Ventura Boys” and the same series that I am reviewing “The Ventura Boys – Nemeses”, I intend to release another 4 books of this series.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Ventura Boys, the inspiration came from the house itself, I have a 14 year old son who still loves to play with hero dolls and the 7 year old son who has autism, very intelligent but with his difficulties I learned how to proceed .
So I looked for ispiration in a story with characters with real problems and common in our family.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I believe so.
I always write two books at the same time, this helps me to have more disposition and ispiration.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Dan Brown
Bernard Corwell

And reading the bible, there are many stories that can be titled from several books.

What are you working on now?
The series The Ventura Boys, Nemeses that will be the second book, will bring their first enemy and also the strongest of them.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I still do not know, I’m learning, as I said and my first book of expression.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I’d rather not put it as advice, I think we should all persist in the dream we want.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Be strong, even if you have much defeat on the path that follows, do not give up.

What are you reading now?
The Land of Stories, Worlds Collide with my little son.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I honestly still do not know.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
The bible, the little prince, angels and demons and The Venura Boy.

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
It has been a great long-term goal for me to become an author. My plan was to write vast novels when I retired, but fate intervened in the form of being laid off. I began working part time for a company and decided to write in-between work. This prospect has become a real adventure with many unexpected twists.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My first book, Interviewing Immortality was just Released on Amazon. I am really excited about this book and the reception this book will receive. It is about an author that is kidnapped and forced to interview a 500-year-old woman. In the process, he is forced to confront his own poor life choices.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
When I get stuck writing, I like to take bike rides and think it over. The solution usually presents itself. Otherwise, it is banging away in solitude on Microsoft Word.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Neil Gaiman. What an amazing mind.

What are you working on now?
I have two unrelated books ready to be formatted for publishing. I am working on the sequel to Interviewing Immortality.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I like goodreads, but i feel that all the book websites need some work. They fail to answer the basic question: What is a good book for me. I think some AI could help.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Writing the book is the easy part. Getting it ready to be published is the hard part. Promoting your book is the impossible part.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Data is the foundation for knowledge. Knowledge is the foundation for wisdom.

What are you reading now?
Steve Martin’s Shopgirl. Interesting book so far. Only a few pages into it at this point.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I have two more books that i am about to get published. This includes title design, editing and proofreading. It is a lot of work. I then have the sequel to Interviewing Immortality and two other sequel’s to work 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?
This is a trick question. Books about how to survive on a desert island.

Author Websites and Profiles
Bill Conrad Website
Bill Conrad Amazon Profile

Bill Conrad’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have written 2 science fiction books, 1 children’s book, and 3 screenplays.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My book, “When the Earth Had a Moon (Part 1)” and Part 2 were inspired by a documentary I watched about what would happen to the Earth if we had no Moon. I was fascinated by the idea and wanted to craft a story around it. Then, I took a creative writing class at Stanford University and flushed out the idea and began what became this current book.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I think every writer has their own way of approaching the craft of writing. I usually have time at night after the kids have gone to bed to scribble down my ideas.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I stopped reading after college. Before that, I was an avid reader and could not wait to read all of the classics. Now, I read out of utility, whatever suits my needs at the time. I read Joseph Cambell’s works and so I suppose I like instructional books now that I would have never read in the past. If I had more time I would listen to more audiobooks. When I lived in NYC and walked to work I would listen to audiobooks like “Eat, Pray, Love” and “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.” However, since I’ve had kids, my reading is relegated to bedtime stories.

What are you working on now?
I am editing Part 2 of “When the Earth had a Moon,” and two children’s spin-off books therefrom.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I wish I knew!

Do you have any advice for new authors?
It’s a business too so the earlier you get that “author page” up the better, go to writer’s conferences, take writing classes and just finish something.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“Follow your bliss” from Joseph Campbell.

What are you reading now?
“Go Dog Go,” by Dr. Seuss, the “Cat in the Hat Knows a lot about That” series, and whatever book ends up in my lap at 7 o’clock bedtime.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Getting Part 2 of this series out, getting the children’s spin-off out into the world, and then I have another idea for inspiration and self-motivation.

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 Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne. The language is so rich and over the top, I love it.
Lost Horizon by James Hilton. I loved it when I read it the first time and would like to read it again.
The Hero’s Journey by Joseph Campbell because it’s so dense I’m sure I missed a lot.
The Bible because there are so many odd things in it that I’d like to go through it again and see what it says about Nephilim, watchers, Longinus, and other supernatural aspects not taught in Sunday school.
The Torah, to compare what Christians say about the same topic and how it was translated.
The Epic of Gilgamesh for similar reasons.
The Vedas for ancient wisdom.
I guess that’s more than 4.

Author Websites and Profiles
A.M. Cunning Website
A.M. Cunning Amazon Profile

A.M. Cunning’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve been a writer for almost my entire life. Most of my writing has been of the professional sort, much of it in the military. I was drafted in 1972, won an appointment to West Point, and spent a career in the Army, both as an infantry officer, and later as a civilian employee of the Department of the Army, during which time I deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan for a total of 38 months. My job there was to mix with the population and learn about its concerns for security, and incorporate that into operations planning. The objective was to meet military objectives while avoiding lethal means.

I’ve written two books, Curse The Moon and Rasputin’s Legacy. Both hit the top 100 in at least one of Amazon’s categories on the first day of publication. The first is Book 1 of my Cold War series, and is based on my father-in-law, who was a leader in the resistance against Fidel Castro in Cuba. The main character, code-named Atcho, is a composite character composed from the experiences of my father-in-law and many other heroes and their real experiences. The second book, Rasputin’s Legacy continues the Cold War series with the same hero. Both are historical thrillers, spy/espionage stories, and historically accurate.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest published book is Rasputin’s Legacy. I was fortunate in writing it to be mentored by Carmine Zozzora, the producer of Die Hard with a Vengeance. When he had taken me as far as he could, he delivered me into the hands of Bill Thompson, who discovered and edited Stephen King and John Grisham, to name two great authors. I was inspired to write the book by the common theme between my two books: the heroic actions of clandestine warriors and the suffering of people having to live by the political decisions of malicious and incompetent national leaders.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t have an office to work in. My office is wherever my laptop is. If I need solitude, I look for it. In our last home, I had a library, but the call of grandchildren became overpowering, so we moved into our vacation home near them. It does not have a library. However, I wrote my first novel years ago when our kids were small and we were crammed into an apartment. I managed, and it won an award. So, I learned to make do with where I am, regardless of the distractions.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Robert Ludlum always comes to mind for me. I loved the Bourne Identity long before it became a movie (and think the movie does not do justice to Ludlum’s characters, who are very human and bleed when cut). Others are Vince Flynn, a master of his subject matter; Tom Clancy, unmatched in technical detail; Shakespeare, unparalleled in literary philosophy and efficiency of words; Dostoyevski for depth of thought; Edgar Allen Poe for setting mood. The list goes on and on. When I finished with Rasputin’s Legacy, I mentioned to Carmine that I could not have produced the quality of that book without his and Bill Thompson’s guidance. His response: “No author does it alone except those that lie about it.”

What are you working on now?
Currently, I am working on Book 3 of the Cold War series, with the same hero, Atcho. It’s working title is World Afire. The story carries to Europe, and centers on East and West Berlin in the days surrounding the fall of the Berlin Wall. It pulls in the lines of influence that led to movement of terrorist activities into the middle east, which will be the concentration for Book 4.

Also, Carmine and I are agreed to co-write the screenplay for Rasputin’s Legacy. Depending on the outcome of Book 3, we might have a franchise. The other project, longer term, is working title, Cuba. It is more of a historical saga along the lines of a James Michener novel, but with much less description and a lot more suspense. It traces the outsized influence of Cuba on world events from the time of Columbus to the present. It won Best in Show in the Golden Triangle Writers Conference several years ago.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m not sure there is a single site. For me, key is driving traffic as efficiently as possible (meaning with fewest clicks) to the purchase sites, meaning Amazon, BN, Kobo, etc. Driving that traffic is a function of interplay between a website, FB page, Twitter account (with automated posting), a subscription email list, and paid promotion. The Amazon is the big daddy for sales, and Bookbub is king of eBook promotion. For successful sales, credibility on the sales sites is imperative, and to be promote on Bookbub and other paid promoting sites like Awesomegang, requires credibility in terms of good writing, good storytelling, good editing, a great cover, effective copywriting, and effective use of market resources.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t be in a hurry. Current advice from sellers of writing/marketing courses seems to be to write and publish as rapidly as possible. However, it’s easy to find authors who’ve published 20+ books who make very few sales. They are numerous. The story in the book *must* be great, or it’s a one-off sale, and no amount of speed in writing or getting to market is going to cure that.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Story, story, story. That from Carmine Zozzora. We worked together on Rasputin’s Legacy for a year. I had though it complete when he offered to read it, and I was just looking for a blurb from him. I got much more than that. He became my mentor. He called and said, “Lee, you’ve got a goldmine with this book, but you’ve got a lot of work to do.” Based on his guidance, I cut out roughly 30% of description, beautiful writing, interesting detail, but they were all elements that distracted from the story. His advice was sound. The book has been out for a month, has 84 reviews (average of 4.8-stars), and a common comment is how fast moving it is, without confusion, and without bogging down in unnecessary detail. Story, story, story. If an element doesn’t move the story forward, take it out. That’s sometimes painful to do, but the result will reward.

What are you reading now?
I’m reading Forty Autumns by Nina Willner. It is the true story of her family, which was divided for 28 years by the Berlin Wall. I’m reading it for background for World Afire, which again, centers on the intrigue in the days surrounding the fall of the Wall. It is an excellent book, very well written. I give it 5 stars.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Curse The Moon was just selected for a Bookbub promotion. For many authors, that is a game changer, often launching them into the major best-seller lists (i.e. New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, etc.). I hope that happens for me. Time will tell. With this Bookbub promotion, my main objective is to set up Rasputin’s Legacy for a similar promotion. I am already a full time writer. If I achieve those objectives, I have a shot at moving into the major ranks of authors.

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 definitely take Rasputin’s Legacy. That might sound conceited, but I like reading what I write, and that book had so much loving attention, and was good enough that both Carmine and Bill Thompson put their blurbs on the cover. I would also take The Bourne Identity. At the time it was written, the premise was so unusual, a cover operator suffering amnesia, and it was so well done. I’d take Hunt for Red October for pure entertainment well written; and, given that I’d be stranded on an island, I’d take Kris “Tanto” Paronto (hero of Benghazi)’s The Ranger Way for mental toughness. Since I’m restricted to 4 books, I’d try to sneak on the Ranger Handbook as a survival guide (I was a Ranger).

Author Websites and Profiles
Lee Jackson Website
Lee Jackson Amazon Profile
Lee Jackson Author Profile on Smashwords

Lee Jackson’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Gregg rules the dating advice genre having sold a quarter million books. He is a multiple #1 best-selling author, dating coach, and life coach. Being both gives him an incredible advantage over his competitors. He helps women (and men) succeed in both their dating and everyday lives. He encourages his readers to contact him through his books and get answers for free.

Gregg’s motto? Build Yourself and He Will Come.

When not answering emails from his readers, Gregg loves jetsking, surfing, hanging out under the palm trees in West Palm, and calling his Mom at 5 am. His Dad was a life coach, before they were even popular, and coached Gregg.

Gregg just completed a video shoot with world renowned dating/relationship expert Dr. Helen Fisher in NYC. He credits his three older sisters as the reason why he understands women so well. He gives to The Wounded Warrior Project and animal shelters.

Gregg is currently working on his latest book that helps women truly understand men so they can acquire what they want by communicating in a language that men understand. Exciting stuff!

Visit Gregg at WhoHoldsTheCardsNow.com and become a believer, thousands have.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is called “Weed Out The Users, The Couch Potatoes And The Losers. I get 50 emails per day through my books (hopefully I will talk to you too!) so my readers tell me their needs and encourage me to write about the subjects they need most help with. Understanding men in relationships is a HUGE subject! My readers asked me their questions so I wrote this book – this book is for you!
-Gregg

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Yes, my sentence structure is terrible and I repeat myself! Thank goodness for my editors!

Author Websites and Profiles
Gregg Michaelsen Website
Gregg Michaelsen Amazon Profile
Gregg Michaelsen Author Profile on Smashwords

Gregg Michaelsen’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Julianne Q Johnson writes in a little Indiana house when her three cats, two ferrets, and one fiancé will let her. Her favorite stories to write are modern-day, realistic worlds with a supernatural or paranormal element. She enjoys taking otherwise ordinary characters and giving them a paranormal gift or putting them in fantastical situations to see how they will handle it. Though her works are not comedy, there is a touch of humor in all of her books. Visit her website at JulianneQJohnson.com She has five novels published and soon to publish the sixth.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My most recent novel is Ghost in the Park. It is one of her favorite genre’s to both read and write, a murder mystery combined with paranormal elements.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Many writers like to have music on while they write. I like to have Netflix playing a favorite TV show. One that I’ve seen before so that I don’t have to pay too much attention to it.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I love Dean Koontz’ books. He is fabulous at combining the paranormal with realistic contemporary settings.

What are you working on now?
I’m putting the final touches on Ghost at the College, the second book in my Unruly Ghost Mysteries. I am also finishing up a YA dystopian called Crucible Station.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Obviously I love Awesome Gang and enjoy reading their newsletter. I alo have a newsletter and a Facebook page in addition to my website.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t be too quick to publish. Write a few books, spend some time growing your voice, and then consider publishing. Go back to those first efforts and do a re-write with the things you have learned.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t listen to writing advice that says to never do something. Ly adverbs are fine in moderation. Sometimes there’s places in a story where telling is better than showing.

What are you reading now?
I just finished Ghosts in Glass Houses by Kay Charles. Murder and ghosts! What more could you want?

What’s next for you as a writer?
After I finish Crucible Station, I’m starting the third in my Unruly Ghost series, Ghost on the Downs.

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?
Dean Koontz’ Tick Tock
Jane Austin’s Pride and Prejudice.
J K Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

Author Websites and Profiles
Julianne Q Johnson Website
Julianne Q Johnson Amazon Profile

Julianne Q Johnson’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Adele Baker was born in the shadow of the Blue Ridge mountains. Her father’s job relocated the family every few years. At 13, she had experienced many cuisines, from Cajun seafood gumbo, to Swiss cheese fondue, to Mediterranean keftedes (lamb meatballs). Her family prioritized time around the dinner table, and there were usually more people at the table than the original six. She appreciated the close-knit family of her childhood and valued meals together.

Micah and Adele met in college, married, and within two years of graduation, their family had grown. Addie Rae was born in March, and Adele experienced unbounded joy during her daughter’s first year. The family hiked the Blue Ridge mountains with Addie Rae tucked into the backpack. They sailed the lakes of northern Michigan, skied and biked the hills of Virginia and hiked the San Jacinto mountains of California.

Despite a healthy lifestyle, Adele discovered that the weight gain of pregnancy had not disappeared. She sought a workable diet, and research led her to the low carb diets. It fit well with her lifestyle and became a way of life. The pounds melted and Adele’s energy increased. The drawback was a sad lack of tasty ketogenic and paleo recipes. In time, Adele created many keto- and paleo friendly recipes, and was frequently asked to share them. She recorded her recipes for others to enjoy, and that collection is now available to you. She hopes that you enjoy the following recipes, and wishes you success with your new way of life
I wrote five Cookbooks so far.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Electric Smoker Cookbook: Smoke Meat Like a PRO: TOP Electric Smoker Recipes and Techniques for Easy and Delicious BBQ
Love to my husband inspired me to write this Cookbook.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I like write books in public places

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Robert Kiyosaki, “Rich dad, Poor dad”

What are you working on now?
The Keto Crock Pot Made Easy: 55 Budget-Friendly Low Carb Recipes for Rapid Weight Loss.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
This site, Facebook, special groups for Readers

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Believe in your talent and keep going no matter what

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
• Think positively and be thankful to the Universe!

What are you reading now?
Hey There, Speedy, don’t be Greedy: How Speedy the Squirrel learned to put others first
I read it to my daughter.
https://www.amazon.com/There-Speedy-Greedy-illustrated-books-kids-ebook/dp/B073XQJV2L/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1504184135&sr=1-1&keywords=hey+there+speedy

What’s next for you as a writer?
Continue creating delicious recipes.

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?
Robert Kiyosaki, rich dad, poor dad
Two any books by Ernest Hemingway

Author Websites and Profiles
Adele Baker Website
Adele Baker Amazon Profile

Adele Baker’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account