Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Decades ago, it was Star Wars that got me into writing. Who else would write a book on politics with multiple Star Wars references in the first chapter?

While I never forgot my dreams of becoming a writer, professionally, I became a software engineer. From working in IT at UCLA to coding on billion-dollar e-commerce systems for multiple Fortune 500 entertainment companies, I worked in technology for almost a quarter century.

When I finally combined my creative writer self with my analytic engineer self, my writing began to click. I wrote screenplays and then switched to my first novel, The Internet President: None of the Above.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest novel is called “The Internet President: None of the Above.”

I can’t tell the full story of what inspired the book without giving away spoilers, but it’s included in the “Fact Versus Fiction” section in the novel. I’ll give the first half of what inspired the book and leave it to readers to see if they can figure out the rest:

Back in the days before cell phones could fit in a pocket, people with new landline phones had to pick a long distance provider. There was a rule that the phone company had to give you whatever company you asked for as a long distance provider. Some scammer had the bright idea to create companies with names like “Whatever” and “I don’t care.” People who said the wrong words got stuck with the scammer’s companies for long distance. I saw a news report warning about them.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
If the toughest moments in my novel aren’t enough to make me cry, why would I expect a reader to ever cry? It has to be real for me. I have to endure what the character does.

For the most emotional sad moments in the book, I worked myself into an emotional frenzy by playing music videos that move me. I watched the music video for Lana Del Rey’s “Born to Die” in a loop for hours. I latched onto every ounce of death, sorrow, and regret from my life and infused them into my words as I sang along.

I kept the tissues I wiped away my tears from in a labeled ziplock bag, as a keepsake. Life begins and ends in tears.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The top books every author should read: Writing Screenplays That Sell by Michael Hauge, Story by Robert McKee, The Art of Dramatic Writing by Lajos Egri, and On Writing by Stephen King.

I’ve been heavily influenced by reading hundreds of screenplays and writing my own. It’s why my novel is so cinematic and fast-paced.

What are you working on now?
I was on a high for days when a reader told me they would “now expect more from books” after reading my novel. I love hearing stories about readers staying up until 7 am to finish the book because they couldn’t put it down, or starting their second read through. Those great moments come at a price. I have to market my book before I can begin the next one.

I’m also working to get the paperback and audiobook versions out.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
That is a lesson I have yet to learn.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t wait for a muse. Sit your butt in the chair and write.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Most overnight successes take about 10 years. Success has its own schedule, which may not be the same schedule you’re on.

What are you reading now?
I’m reading books on marketing because writing a great novel isn’t enough.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I barely finished my first book and readers are clamoring for another book in the series. So, I’ve been thinking about the plotting for book 2, The Internet President: Hot Nights and Cold Wars.

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 bring a copy of my own book (The Internet President: None of the Above) because reading it cheers me up when I’m sad. I’d also take the first three Game of Thrones novels since they would keep me occupied for a while.

If I anticipated I might be stranded, instead I’d bring the biggest books with blank pages I could find, so I could write on the island.

Author Websites and Profiles
P.G. Sundling Amazon Profile

P.G. Sundling’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 very spiritually enlighten by God I have been through alot of rejection from people and heartache like most of us in life when I was younger I always felt that I was different always had visions of spiritual things and people. I just know it was something more for me to do in this world.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
God created Multi-Colors which Xlibris published it for me. Thinking about at that time I wrote it. How different shades of different people came about and racism in the world.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Comes like running once I start its hard to stop.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Joyce Myers, TD Jakes books, and Juanita Bynum

What are you working on now?
Nothing at this time

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

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Let God in spirit guide you what to write and listen not just with your ears but with your heart.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Have Faith….

What are you reading now?
My sisters books Jesus saved me

What’s next for you as a writer?
In waiting right now for Inspiration

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?
Bible…my 2 books….TDJakes book

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have written the book called, “Belief-In-Self” which is a non-fiction book of motivation, inspiration, and leadership. This book is written to help others see how they have the power to overcome any obstacle they face in life, simply by what you already have inside of you.

I have served as a sergeant in the U.S. Marines leading men in combat, I have lived in nine different states in the USA, and three different countries. I have been around the world several times, and have logged over 750,000 miles in the air. Throughout my career I have been in research and development, a young manager in a printing company, a director of technology, a President of a manufacturing company, and currently I am the Director of Professional Services for Canon Solutions America. I have seen much, and experienced many personal challenges. I believe what separates some of us, is the why we respond to those situations in our lives. I believe impossibility is a state of mind, and not a destination. This book is my attempt to explain that belief by allowing you to walk along side of me, as together we overcome things many people considered impossible.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My first, and so far only, book is called, Belief-In-Self. I was inspired to write it when some of my friends and family were facing things they were not sure they could deal with. I decided to write three books, starting with this one. The second one will becoming out this year. To all of you that have read this book, I want to say THANK YOU!!! your kind words, and encouragement have inspired me to continue with the other two. I did not know who the world would feel about this book, but it has been overwhelmingly positive. I cannot express to you all how much your support has meant to me. From the bottom of my heart, Thank you!!

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Maybe. I write my books not to deliver information as much as to have a conversation with the reader. My books are a way for you and I to speak to each other. I want you as a reader to become part of the story. I want you to feel like you are right there standing next to me, I am not just telling you a story, I am writing with the hope that you become part of it.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Wow. Too many to mention. Here is a short list:
John Maxwell, Simon Sinek, Craig Groeschel, William Taylor & Polly Labarre, John Zenger & Joseph Folkman, Marshall Goldsmith, Adam Grant, and the list goes on…

Some of my favorite books are Originals by Adam Grant, and Mavericks at work by William Taylor & Polly Labarre. These books show how people who have a vision and a belief in their ability, can change the world. That is the same line of thinking I used in Belief-In-Self.

What are you working on now?
I am just finishing the second book called, “Belief-In-Others” and it should be out this year. It is a continuation of the first, but with a significant focus on leadership, and inspiring others.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
lulu.com has been helpful. GoodReads.com has been helpful, and so has Amazon KDP. Barnes and Nobel has also really been helpful to me as an independent author.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t give up. To me, if one person reads my story, and gets something out of it, everything I wrote was worth it. All my proceeds go to charity. I am not writing books for profit, I am writing them to help others. Never give up on your dreams of being an author. If you have a story in you, let the world hear it.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
No matter what you do in life, strive to be the very best at it. -George Speelman I was 14 years old when he told me that. Truer words were never spoken to me.

What are you reading now?
I am currently reading The One Thing by Gary Keller

What’s next for you as a writer?
Well, as soon as the second book comes out (it is already written, just doing some editing), I will begin on the third and final book of the series. I would like to continue writing as I truly enjoy 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 Bible. The Heart of everything that is, by Bob Drury and Tom Clavin, and probably anything from Sidney Sheldon.

Allen Filson’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve been a full-time author for over 20 years, enjoying a large measure of success in the YA market, where I publish books under the name of Darren Shan and have sold in excess of 25 million copies worldwide. I’ve always written for adults as well as teenagers, and published four books for older readers under the Darren Shan banner, but a few years ago I took a decision to start releasing my work for adults under the name of Darren Dash — I wanted there to be a greater divide between my adult and YA worlds, so that I didn’t have to worry about younger readers accidentally buying my darker, more disturbing novels. I’ve published three novels as Darren Dash to date, with the fourth, Midsummer’s Bottom due out this year on Midsummer’s day — when else?!? I love moving between genres, and have embraced the freedom of being an “unknown author” as Darren Dash to experiment and try a wide variety of stories. So far I’ve published a dark urban thriller (The Evil And The Pure), a deliciously grisly horror story (Sunburn), an extremely weird distopian sci-fi tome (An Other Place), with the next one up a Shakespeare-inspired comedy!

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Midsummer’s Bottom. I’m a big fan of theatre. I live in Limerick, a quiet place in Ireland, where we don’t have a huge amount of theatrical innovators, but years ago there was a very good local professional group called the Island Theatre Company, who put on some amazing shows. One of them was A Midsummer’s Night Dream, and I’ve rarely laughed so hard at a show. Afterwards I started thinking about what it might be like if a group of BAD actors had performed the play, and that led me into the story of Midsummer’s Bottom, where a group of talentless but enthusiastic friends stage an outdoor production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream every year, much to the dismay of the fairies mentioned in the play, who are forced to attend every single performance of it due to a deal they struck with a crafty William Shakespeare back in the day!

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I like to juggle books. I will spend an average of two to three years working on any one book, but I can work on several different books over the course of that time. I love finishing a draft, then leaving it for several months to go and work on other projects. I’ll return, do another draft, leave it again, and so on. It seems like a strange way of working, but it keeps each work fresh to me — because of all the breaks, I never get bored of a book.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
So, so many. Stephen King is my biggest inspiration and role model, but my books are the children of just about everything I’ve ever read. James Ellroy was a big influence… Kurt Vonnegut… Ray Bradbury… Jonathan Carroll… and, with Midsummer’s Bottom, the Bard himself, Will Shakespeare.

What are you working on now?
I’ve just finished work on Midsummer’s Bottom, ahead of its June 21st release, and now I’m returning to work on my next Darren Shan project.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I run a web site, www.darrendashbooks.com and I post on Facebook regularly. I also use Twitter, but not as much as Facebook. Those three sites are my starting point, the foundations for everything else. After that… well, I’m still figuring it out. With my Darren Shan books, it’s easy — they’re traditionally published, and my publishers do all the promotional work on my behalf. With my Darren Dash output, I’m having to do it all myself, so I’m trying different sites, different strategies. I try pretty much everything, my only stipulation being that I try not to spend any more than I earn — I’ve done very well financially from my Darren Shan books, so it would be easy to treat my Dash novels as vanity projects and spend wildly to drive them up the charts, but I want them to stand or fall by themselves, so I don’t divert Shan funds into my Dash promotions. Whatever I make on my Dash sales, I plough back into marketing, and will hopefully build up to a point where the books can one day make a profit based on their own merits and appeal.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Keep going. It’s a long, hard, frustrating road. You have to love writing, and be prepared to keep pegging away, even when it seems as if you’re wasting your time.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The usual advice is the best — keep writing, finish what you start, rewrite and edit vigorously, don’t let criticism get you down, keep pushing on.

What are you reading now?
Smile, by Roddy Doyle.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’ll be focusing on my new Darren Shan book over the next few months, then my thoughts will start to turn to my follow-up to Midsummer’s Bottom. At the moment I’ve no idea what I’d like to release next on the Darren Dash front — but I’m sure I’ll figure it out a bit further down the line.

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?
Lord of the Rings. Stephen King’s IT. The Belgariad. A Tale of Two Cities.

Author Websites and Profiles
Darren Dash Website
Darren Dash Amazon Profile

Darren Dash’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Gumshoe Girl is my debut novel!

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I have a hard time writing indoors. I love to write outdoors on a lawn chair. The sun can make it hard to see the screen at times, but I always seem to get around it.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I like Robert B Parker, his Spencer series has been a big influence. I also like Janet Evanovich and her Stephanie Plum series. I love the fast-paced style and the wit they include in their stories.

What are you working on now?
I am working on a few projects. I have the second book to Gumshoe Girl in the works as well as a contemporary romance and believe it or not a hard-boiled mystery.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I am so new to marketing and promotions I am learning as I go. It has not been an easy road thus far, but I have high hopes for the future.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take” Wayne Gretzky. This quote is not only applicable to writing but for so much in life. So many of us live in fear and don’t pursue our goals and ambitions because of fear of rejection. Don’t we already lose if we don’t try?

What are you reading now?
I am reading a book by Kari Lamour called Wild Card. I love it so far, so fun!

What’s next for you as a writer?
I am going to

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?
Ok, this is a tough one, but I would take the Bible, besides praying for my life since I’m stranded, the Bible has amazing stories of all sorts. I would take an anthology of Jane Austen because I am a hopeless romantic at heart. I would also take another anthology of Sir Authur Conan Doyle, well because of Sherlock.

Author Websites and Profiles
Andi Ramos Website
Andi Ramos Amazon Profile

Andi Ramos’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a jigsaw and word puzzle fan, which works great when crafting a complicated plot. I’ve published two books, and a third is just about ready.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is called When I Was Seven. I started to craft it in my head when my youngest child was seven. He had such a unique way at looking at the world – it was simple and complicated at the same time. So, I wanted to craft a family drama as seen though a child’s eyes. Everything can still be complicated and messy, but the perspective will be different.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Whenever I have ideas for my latest novel, I jot them down on three-by-five cards. Then as the story progresses, I can sort (and resort) them into the order I want them to unfold. All I need to do when I have enough cards is pick up a card, write it, then go to the next card.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
There are too many to count, but a few stand-outs are: Agatha Christie (always unique, no formula), Norman the Doorman (an out-of-print children’s book), The Book Thief (unique narrator, but I don’t care for the author’s other books), Watership Down (who knew a story about rabbits could be so exciting).

What are you working on now?
I’m finishing up a book entitled Dandelion Summer. It’s a family drama/mystery that explores a mother-daughter relationship and the growth they both accomplish over the course of a trying summer.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
BookBub is pricey but powerful. Quite honestly, I’m always looking for new promotion avenues.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
If you love writing, don’t quit. If you don’t, quit (and find something else you do love).

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Make sure everything you put in your book has a purpose. Don’t waste your reader’s time.

What are you reading now?
A series of books by Vaseem Khan about a retired police detective in India and his amazing pet elephant. They’re quite charming mysteries.

What’s next for you as a writer?
The next book – there are always ideas churning. As soon as one is done, another one begins.

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 Book of Mormon, Pride and Prejudice, and Watership Down.

Author Websites and Profiles
Mary Ellen Bramwell Website
Mary Ellen Bramwell Amazon Profile

Mary Ellen Bramwell’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a business person first, but dabble in many different things. I am an avid stock trader, I have a Cold Stone franchise that I spend alot of time with, but I try to keep time open during the afternoon to spend with my kids. I have always like writing, and do it nearly daily, but I never published anything until now. Nervous I suppose. Fear of putting myself out there to be trolled.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Motivation: 10 Motivational techniques to learn now, before the other guy does!

I feel that so many of us struggle looking for that extra motivation to do that great thing, that each of us inside us. I am hoping that this small book might be enough to help that person.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Unusual? I don’t know. I write in small bursts each day, about whatever is on my mind. I dont spell check, I just write. If after a few weeks I notice that I am writing about similar things for awhile, I go back to see if I can pull it together. The key for me though is consistency. I have to do it each day, and I have to keep the bursts short.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I love business books and self help now, but growing up I loved all fiction. The Hardy Boys was my favorite, I bet I read over 100 of them.

What are you working on now?
I’m learning how to market my book. It’s a fascinating world and surprisingly a lot of fun. But, I’m also collecting ideas for my next book, but still unsure what it will be.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
So far, Facebook has been the most successful by far. Which is surprising since they have the largest reach of any website.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
If you love to write, publish your work. Let the world see your brilliance, don’t be afraid to open yourself up.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I believe it was Ben Franklin who said “Jump at Opportunities at the same rate that you jump to conclusions”. That really is saying a lot, because inaction is probably the worst thing you can do. This world moves so fast, you need to take the opportunities presented to you, the more you do that, the more you will be given.

What are you reading now?
Believe it or not, I always have 7 books on my nightstand and I go back and forth through them depending on my mood. But here are three that I am nearly done with.

Evolutionary Psychology: The New Science of the Mind, Fifth Edition – David Buss
Genetics for Dummies – Tara Rodden Robinson
MONEY Master the Game: 7 Simple Steps to Financial Freedom – Tony Robbins

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m actually not sure. There is this creepy thriller that I am nearly done with, but I’m not sure if I want to continue living in that mindset any longer. So, I may stay on a positive note with a Book 2 in the motivation series. Time will tell.

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?
Perhaps a “how to” on escaping a desert island? No? ok, well I would have lots of time to think, so maybe a philosophy book. Maybe Seneca? or Alan Watts? Something along those lines.

Phillip Batch’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My name is Terrance Williamson. To date I have written two books. I found my love for the literary process through unfortunate circumstances when I self-published a memoir entitled The Days That Are Given Us where I recall the short, yet impactful life of my son, Lucian. After spending over nineteen months in and out of the hospital, my son lost his battle to leukemia. While nothing can truly ease the burden of mourning, writing became a therapy of its own accord that served in facilitating and channeling sorrow.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Pagan & The Jew is my latest book. I love history and reading about the lives of those who have gone on before us. For some reason I find a sort of connection understanding that while they lived ages ago, they are still bound to the same trials and temptations as us. Others may find this sense of commonality with a colleague, I tend to find it in books, as my introverted temperament dictates. During my reading, I came across the eyewitness account of Flavius Josephus and I was stunned to find the historical fiction world was nearly void of an adaption. I charged myself with the undertaking and have thoroughly enjoyed the process!

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Dark rooms and classical music. How do those people write in a coffee shop? How can they stand the commotion and continuous distraction? Though I suppose the kerfuffle could become a static of its own. For me, I need focus. I close the blinds, turn on a single lamp above my writing desk, and smile as I sit down and find my ‘happy place’ writing and creating.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The odd thing is I tend to shun fiction. If I do read fiction I tend to stick with the classics. The non-fiction books that have influenced me the most are William Abbot’s ‘History of William the Conqueror’ and Thomas Carlyle’s ‘The French Revolution’. They opened my eyes to how poetic history could be.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on the second installment into The Pagan & The Jew series, and I have to say I’m enjoying the process more than the first book. Not that I didn’t find pleasure the first round, but there were a lot of kinks to work out in my literary process. I’ve got a lot to learn, but I feel with each new week I’m making headway into becoming a successful writer.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
As a new author, I’m working with a few sites to discover which works best. So far, Facebook is the best method. Word of mouth works wonders, but along the way mouths seem to run out.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
As a new author myself, I shall give myself some advise. It’s not entirely pleasant, but this is what I tell myself when I get discouraged (which I’m prone to do): You will fail, this will not be easy, but don’t you dare give up. Push like hell. You can do this. I know you can. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. Fail doing what you love, rather than fail while doing nothing at all. Let people see the passion that you have for the craft, that is what will draw them.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Make connections, not sales. Build a readership in people who like your work and want to read your other books as well. Essentially, make customers for life, don’t focus simply on sales as that is a short term game plan.

What are you reading now?
Actually, I’m broadening my horizons and reading fiction. 1984 to be specific. Orwell is a master at showing rather than telling and is inspiring me to ‘up my game’.

What’s next for you as a writer?
As I said above, the next step is to finish my second installment in The Pagan & The Jew series. Other than that, I keep my sights set on working on my history blog at historyrepeated.net where I explore and examine historical characters spanning every age and era.

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?

Author Websites and Profiles
Terrance Williamson Website
Terrance Williamson Amazon Profile

Terrance Williamson’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am just starting and have written only 1 novella so far

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Death and Life of Antichrist. It was inspired by bicycling.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
No.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Dostoevsky.

What are you working on now?
Nothing.

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

Do you have any advice for new authors?
No.

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

What are you reading now?
Nothing

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

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
War and Peace, Bible, Harry Potter (any)

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a writer, video producer, and director. I’ve written a total of 6 books, three in Italian and three in English. The first book of the Abyss Series, The Abyss of Lumberwitch, was originally written in Italian and then translated into English over a period of five years. It’s the book that turned me into a full-time English writer.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is called The Caves of Kendalini. It’s the third book of the Abyss Series. The whole series has been originally inspired by the adventure-sci-fi-fantasy literature of the end of the 19th century (Julies Verne, H.G. Wells), gothic and horror novellas by H.P. Lovecraft and Edgar Allan Poe and adventure-fantasy movies like the Indiana Jones series.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m obsessed with the dialogue of early 20th century to the point of researching almost every word the characters use, spending a lot of time between etymology and slang dictionaries. Since I’m really strict about my discipline – writing 1000 to 2000 words a day – this habit really slow down the process.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
All H.P Lovecraft, all Philip K. Dick, most of Stephen King, J. K. Rowling, Rick Riordan, Jules Verne, H. G. Wells, H. Rider Haggard.

What are you working on now?
The fourth book of the series! No spoilers allowed!

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Promotion is still a work in progress

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Discipline, discipline, discipline. Write every day, even 300 words. Get to the end of the first draft first, and then you can start working on your book!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The same advice I’m giving to new authors. It was given to me long time ago by Italian author Roberto Cotroneo. Thanks to that advice I finished my first book, The Child Who Played the Kamizake, that ended up being published by an Italian publishing house.

What are you reading now?
The Golden Compass

What’s next for you as a writer?
Finishing The Abyss Series

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
The Stand by Stephen King (so I will finally have the time read it). War and Peace. In Search of Lost Time. The Eye of the World (first book of fantasy series The Wheel of Time).

Author Websites and Profiles
Dom Cutrupi Website
Dom Cutrupi Amazon Profile

Dom Cutrupi’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have three books written two that are published.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest published book is Maeve, and it is a continuation of the story in my first book, but about one of the daughters rather than the mother Olivia. Olivia was the female lead in my first novel.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I prefer to write in my classroom rather than at home.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Nora Roberts and Dan Simmons, very different genres and authors but very good.

What are you working on now?
I am currently editing the third book in a romance series and am finally starting my young adult science fiction story.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t talk about writing just write. Its harder to write when someone else knows about it.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t listen to how others write, just write.

What are you reading now?
Nora Roberts: Bride Quartet series

What’s next for you as a writer?
young adult science fiction

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?
Nora Robert’s: The Witness
Dan Simmons: Hyperion series

Author Websites and Profiles
Jasper Trey Website
Jasper Trey Amazon Profile

Jasper Trey’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
This is the first book that I’ve written. Well, actually I haven’t written it by myself at all. Two of my children co-wrote it with me – Tobias aged 11 and Althea aged 7.

I work in Student Support and am studying to become a Speech Pathologist. Writing is very much on the side…

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
‘Sienna’s First Day at School’ is the first in series called the ‘Mergirl Sienna’ series. Althea really is the inspiration behind the book. Like many girls her age, she has a love of mermaids. I was seeing mermaids pop up in her drawings and in her imaginative play. During the school holidays, I wondered if she would like to write a story about mermaids. She was keen as mustard, her ideas started to flow. Soon into the project, Tobias jumped on the band wagon too and that began our collaborative story writing!

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
The story writing has become something we are doing in our down time at home… whether it be lazing around or scribbling ideas at the dinner table.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Perhaps the biggest influence behind this book is Sally Rippin. In particular, her Billie B Brown series. Her simple, engaging text for young readers with short manageable chapters.

What are you working on now?
We have nearly finished the second book in the Mergirl Sienna series. I’m encouraged that the enthusiasm has spread in our family with my 9 year old son, Brandon, deciding to join in.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
So far our most productive method of promoting the book has been the Facebook Group called: Free Kindle and Nook ebooks for Readers

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Just get in and give it a go!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
If you never ever try, you will never ever know.

What are you reading now?
The book of Hebrews in the Bible… it tells the story of how God has been working through the ages to bring about salvation.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Well, we are going to finish off Book 2 in the Mergirl Series… we seem to be going strong, so it is likely that Book 3 will be on the cards shortly!

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?
Mmmm well most likely the Bible and the Harry Potter series…

Rachel Jenner’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
This is my first completed ebook although I have tried to experiment a lot in the past, when I cretaed a 50 pg novel.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is named “Get Famous On Instagram: 6 months challenge” and the main inspiration was my endless appetite for growing an online business while also the ultimate goal of helping others, too, to do so.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Well, I wouldn’t say unusual necessarily, however, I tend to switch between informal and formal use of language a lot.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
1984 was a book that definitely changed my way of thinking, although I could possibly name some greek ones, too.

What are you working on now?
I am currently trying to promote my ebook, however I will be writting something totally different in the near future.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Since my ebook was about Instagram, I would choose… you guessed it. Instagram

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Practice makes perfect… so… experiment a lot and dont be afraid of what others will think of you.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Be consistent and success will eventualy come.

What are you reading now?
Geology books for now… however I have plenty of time in the future to read fiction books, which I particularly enjoy.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Probably a novel or another guide… not quite sure yet

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?
Eragon, 1984, lord of the rings, irobot

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
With incredible creative talent, the best-selling author Dan Parisson creates his magical world with beautiful illustrations and easily readable stories. Children of all ages will be inspired and educated through each of the stories, each devoted to essential life lessons, and teaches children the high values that they will take in life. Dan Parisson lives in Texas with his wife and two children.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Teach child knowledge of certain lessons and the importance of reading, so I always wanted to involve children in a story that is at their level, so that they inspire to read, study and understand the meaning behind each lesson. The time of history has always been a powerful time for my children and me, so I try to make it as fun as possible!

What are you working on now?
Children’s books. Now I study different critical social situations and then transform them into a hilarious story.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Love what you do!

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have four middle grade novels–two traditionally published and two indies. A Smidgen of Sky, and it’s sequel, A Sliver of Sun, A Million Ways Home, and the latest Just Left of Lucky. I’ve been writing since I was nine years old, and since that was about the age I fell in love with books and reading, I love writing for middle grade readers. When I’m not writing, I enjoy gardening, taking walks, fishing, spending time with my husband and daughter, and playing with my dogs.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Just Left of Lucky is my latest book. It was an article in my hometown newspaper about the ever increasing needs of our local food bank that really got me thinking about the topic of poverty and homelessness. It’s a topic most of us don’t like to think about, and yet the problem is so very real, in towns and cities large and small, in every region of the country. I started to think how difficult it would be for a child in this situation, how awkward or embarrassing it would be to have your friends find out you were homeless, and how far you might go to keep your situation a secret. I wanted to try and portray this experience in a realistic way, while still offering some hope and light. This is what I’ve tried to accomplish with Just Left of Lucky. The stories I heard, and the things I learned while researching this book, have forever changed my view of homelessness. I hope it might do the same for others.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not unusual, but I’m a really routine person so I have to have my cup of coffee and take my morning walk first. I do much better writing in the morning than later in the day.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
My three all time favorite kids books are Charlotte’s Web, by E.B. White, Where the Red Fern Grows, by Wilson Rawls, and The Outsiders, by S.E. Hinton. Contemporary, realistic have always been my favorite stories to read, which is why they are my favorite stories to write, but I really enjoy light fantasy too. A few examples would be The Indian in the Cupboard, The False Prince, and the Tom Trueheart series. As far as adult stories, I love books by Susan Wilson, Diane Chambers and Bruce Cameron.

What are you working on now?
Something completely different for me! A mix of time travel, historical and speculative fiction for middle grade.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I spent part of the advance money from my first book on a professionally designed website by Xuni.com and I couldn’t be happier with it. It’s http://diannawinget.com. I also have a blog, but don’t keep up with it nearly enough. Recently I’ve discovered a wonderful community of book lovers/reviewers on Instagram made up mostly of librarians and teachers. It’s kidlitexchange, and it’s great! I’ve tried countless other things over the years, but it’s always so tough to know what works and what doesn’t. I used to love doing Goodreads giveaways, but since they recently raised the price from free to $119.00, it ruined such a helpful thing!

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Go into it with your eyes wide open. Writing is one thing, publishing another. It’s a tough industry, for sure. Be willing to expend the time it takes to really learn the craft (years). Expect rejection (lots and lots of it). Be willing to seek out honest critiques and be willing to revise as many times as it takes. Be persistent. Many talented writers give up out of frustration and impatience.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
As far as life in general–live your life by Bible principles and take time to cultivate spirituality.

For writing–if you want to be traditionally published, don’t sign with an agent until you find one that loves your work as much as you do.

What are you reading now?
I’m in between books at the moment, but I just finished Good as Gone, by Amy Gentry.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I recently had the great privilege of traveling to receive both the Kansas William Allen White award and the Missouri Mark Twain award for my novel, A Million Ways Home. At both events I met many wonderful students and librarians and other great contacts and am still in the process of organizing all those. Then it’s back to work on my next book.

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

Author Websites and Profiles
Dianna Winget Website
Dianna Winget Amazon Profile

Dianna Winget’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I grew up with a passion for all things literary. I first put pen to paper writing articles for a newspaper I designed and created during elementary school. My creative channels evolved into writing poetry, short stories, essays, novels, blogs, and children’s books. When not writing my own material I love reading everything and anything I can get my hands on especially mysteries, suspense, and historical fiction.

Some of my other talents include finding new and creative ways to use sarcasm, spilling/dropping things, being supremely weird without even trying, graphic design, and photography.

I attended California State University Northridge where I majored in Psychology and minored in Child Development. I continued my educational pursuit and attended Phillips Graduate University where I earned a Master’s Degree in Psychology with a dual emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy and Professional Clinical Counseling. Months after graduating with my degree, and growing more miserable every day that brought me closer toward a career I truly didn’t want, I finally realized that writing was the only career that would make me happy and nourish my soul.

I am a proud member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators and The Alliance for Independent Authors. I am now gleefully concentrating full time on bringing to life all the stories that live in my head so I may share them with the world. I currently reside in Los Angeles, California and have three books in wide release.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is called A Thousand Little Words – Poems of Life, Love, Loss, & Beauty. The inspiration for the title came from the idea that many words strung together can create something magical. Additionally, though words may be small, their meaning is big. I believe that when the voice fails, the written word communicates and speaks.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
By nature, I am a very superstitious person. That being said, I tend to write in the same places everyday (either in bed or at my desk). When I am writing in a notebook or journal I also have to write with my “lucky” pen. When it empties of ink, it’s quite the ordeal for me to find a new “lucky” pen. I basically have to go by the feel of it. I also keep certain stones around me to help with the creative flow. I believe they bring a certain vibe to my work and help me to concentrate.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I am such an avid reader that this list could be quite long. The authors whose work I have poured over, analyze, and tried to learn from include Dorothy Parker, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Edgar Allan Poe, William Shakespeare, Sylvia Plath, Virginia Woolf, Mary Higgens Clark, Karen White, Susanna Kearsley, and Emily Dickinson.

In terms of books that have influenced me, I loved The Great Gatsby, The Crucible, The Scarlett Letter, Frankenstein, Dracula, Secrets of A Charmed Life, The Winter Sea, The Complete Works of Edgar Allan Poe, Enough Rope (and Dorothy Parker’s other poetry collections), Macbeth, Julius Caesar, The Witches Daughter, and Grand Central.

What are you working on now?
I have a ton of projects in the works! I have a children’s book coming out in June, a historical fiction/romance novel set to be released in the summer, and a coffee table style poetry book coming out in the fall…and that’s just this year! I also have another novel surrounding the North Berwick witch trials that is very near completion. It’s a story that has taken me years to write due to the extensive amount of research that needed to be done. I’m hoping to see that released sometime next year. Stay tuned!

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I enjoy blogging and using Twitter to promote my books. I feel these are the best avenues to connect with my readers and get constructive feedback on my work.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
As cliché as this is, I would say to never give up on your dream. Writing is not an easy field to be in, but if you have a passion for it then I don’t think you should let anything stand in your way. Keep trying to learn your craft in any way possible, read a ton of different genres, take classes, analyze the work of other writers, ask questions, find a mentor, read books on writing, experiment, join writing groups in- person or online, join professional writing organizations, and most importantly follow your gut. Finally, I would say never be deterred by naysayers. There will be people who want to find fault with whatever you do, but you know what…that’s their problem! Just keep writing. I think you’ll be surprised where the journey takes you.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
It’s not really advice per se, but a quote I repeat to myself often. It’s from none other than the great William Shakespeare and it’s “to thine own self be true.”

What are you reading now?
I am currently reading a book called We Were Liars by E. Lockhart. I love her writing style because she has a way of building suspense and then twisting the plot leaving the reader going “what the heck just happened!” I read the book Genuine Fraud first, and then wanted more!

What’s next for you as a writer?
I hope to continue putting out novels, poetry books, and children’s literature. However, I open to expand into other arenas specifically, by trying my hand at writing a screen play. I would also love to open my own publishing house one day to help other authors navigate the complex world of publishing and make their dreams a reality.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
1.) The Crucible
2.) The Great Gatsby
3.) How To Survive on a Deserted Island
4.) A Field Guide to Venomous Animals and Poisonous Plants

Lets be real, I have to survive long enough to get off the island so I can get back to my books!

Author Websites and Profiles
Danielle Van Alst Website
Danielle Van Alst Amazon Profile

Danielle Van Alst’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hi! I’m Isabelle Kenyon. I’m a poet, and my debut collection, This is not a Spectacle, was released in September 2017. I have a new chapbook out with Clare Songbirds Publishing House at the end of this month! I am also the editor of the anthology, Please Hear What I’m Not Saying, which raises money for UK mental health charity, Mind, and has been shortlisted for a Saboteur Award.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Digging Holes To Another Continent, released on May 25th, is a collection written during my time in New Zealand. It was a chance for me and my whole family to feel again after the death of my Grandma.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t think so apart from that I rarely edit. My redrafting process is very short!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I love Sylvia Plath. I learn about writing and interpretation of words every time I read her work.

I love Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie – she has such an understanding of people.

What are you working on now?
I am working on a poetry book about growing up. It is probably my most personal work to date. When I’m happy with it I will find a publisher – at first it was a chapbook but I think when I’m done expressing myself, it will be a full collection!

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I use my website www.flyonthewallpoetry.co.uk but I think social media is my easiest promotion.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Take your time sharing your words – it may feel like you have no time, but you have all the time in the world to refine your craft.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
My wise Mum: that there will always be people smarter, prettier, and more accomplished than you, but there is no one uniquely you.

What are you reading now?
I’m reading a book called ‘The Virgins’, by Pamela Erens. It is both endearing and sinister – I fully recommend.

What’s next for you as a writer?
That’s a secret…I have a release date on May 12th of my next project. The only thing I can reveal is that my last anthology, Please Hear What I’m Not Saying, and the fundraising side of the project, has inspired me as a writer, to make a change.

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?
Ahhh! Well it would have to be a childhood favourite, Inkheart by Cornelia Funke, for one. I rarely re – read books, so this is a hard question for me. Probably the full poetry ‘greatest hits’ book of Sylvia Plath, which was my Grandma’s. Lastly, maybe a survival guide…

Author Websites and Profiles
Isabelle Kenyon Website
Isabelle Kenyon Amazon Profile

Isabelle Kenyon’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I write for a living, but not fiction – I’m in business so most of my writing is blog posts, press releases, annual reports and the like. I write fiction mostly just to exercise another part of my writing. I think it’s helpful, and it’s fun. I guess I’ve written about five or six books, but Badly Cut Up is the first one I’ve published. The very first was when I was about 18 or 19 and it was a terrible Bret Easton Ellis rip off called Richmond Beach. The only other fiction I’ve published was a short story in an anthology called Mafia.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Badly Cut Up. It was ‘born’ from a very particular set of influences in my life.

In the mid-1990s I spent a summer living in the Central District (CD) in Seattle, and it was a ‘hot’ summer as they say. Gunshots were often heard in the night and what I thought was a bum sleeping it off as I headed out one morning was surrounded by yellow tape and turned out to be a murder before I headed home that night. (It’s a largely gentrified neighborhood now, for better or worse, so don’t be afraid to walk there in 2018). I saw a lot of drug dealing, some street fights, and businesses that made you wonder if they were really all they seemed. Years later, living in Tottenham, in London, I was reminded of that thought by a garage next to our flat that seemed to be a hotbed for off the books activities (and more than a few late night shenanigans).

It was not my first ‘bad neighborhood.’ A body had been found in a dumpster outside the apartment I was living in the previous summer, off Colfax Ave in Denver. All of that seemed like it should, somehow, be a book. Not the stories of me and my friends, but the sense impressions those places left.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
When I write for work, none at all. I show up at my desk and write what needs to be written. For fun I guess the main thing is that I do pretty much the opposite – I write on planes, the tube, in bed before going to sleep… just where ever I can fit in another few hundred words.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
We should start with Donald Westlake aka Richard Stark. The first version of Badly Cut Up was going to turn out to be something like The Hunter, with Ash as a more knocked about version of Parker; but coming back to the idea later that had worn off me. I preferred an Ash who was less an actor in the resolution of a mystery than a pinball in a machine he has no view of. In the end it is the supporting characters who provide the impetus that takes Ash to his fatal rendezvous in the shadows of an abandoned shopping mall (based on a place that was not quite dead when I hiked out to it along the freeway in the early 90s, but surely must have been by the time Ash wound up there four or five years later). The way I see the book now is a sort of urban cross over between Dante’s Inferno and Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, by way of Andrew Vachss’ early novels.

And it is Vachss to whom I owe the biggest debt here (despite of course owing something to Richard Stark, Max Allan Collins, Lawrence Block and others). Vachss’ novels are about ethics first of course, especially the protection of the innocent, but not far after that they are about family. I was fascinated by that and although Ash doesn’t realize it, he has a kind of family too, without whom he would probably die in the first few chapters.

What are you working on now?
I’m editing a spy novel, which I’m in two minds about self publishing, and working on a sequel to Badly Cut Up.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
www.dcharold.com; and @readdcharold on Twitter.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Just write. Don’t feel you have to bring your a-game to the first draft. Books are made in the edit.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“Don’t wait to feel inspired. Inspiration comes while you are doing the work.”

What are you reading now?
Night School by Lee Child. I just finished The Midnight Line also by him.

What’s next for you as a writer?
A sequel to Badly Cut Up that explores where Victory came from and the developing relationship between Vye and Ash.

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?
Neuromancer by William Gibson. Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson. Casino Royale by Ian Fleming and, this is a bit of a cheat, The Complete Short Stories of JG Ballard

Author Websites and Profiles
DC Harold Website
DC Harold Amazon Profile

DC Harold’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I graduated high school in 2014, started following Jesus when I was 16, and wrote my first novel when I was 18. Since then, I have written six novels, but only one has been published. I am in the process of publishing my second book now, which I like to think of as my first book, since the previous one was published with no plan prior to publishing and had no advertising campaign(it is also unavailable for purchase). I like to inspire people with my work, despite it being fiction.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is “A Light to the Ruined”, due out June 5, 2018. I just felt inspired by the Lord to write this story and went from there. I want the messages in it to speak to both believers and nonbelievers alike, as the messages of “who am I and what is my purpose?”, “how do I let the past go to move forward into the future?”, and “can I be more than what people expect of me?” are messages that I feel pretty much everyone can relate to.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Hmmm….I don’t know if any of my habits would be considered unusual or not. I suppose always being able to write without getting writer’s block could be one, considering how much it plagues other authors.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The Bible inspires many of my stories, but as far as fictional influences go, none really pop into my head at the moment. Authors that inspired me down the path of writing when I was in elementary though are Bill Wallace, John R. Erickson, Betsy Byars, and co-authors Marcia T. Jones and Debbie Dadey. Before I had my own voice as an author (you know, because I was just a kid) I loved their books and tried to imitate them. Since then, I’ve come into my own style and own genres, but I’ll also remember that I started out with them as my influences.

What are you working on now?
I am currently working on advertising “A Light to the Ruined” while getting mentally prepared for my next project, which is yet to be determined. There are so many ideas in my head and noted to chose from! Whichever one the Lord wants me to write next, that’s what everyone will see.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m still new to promoting, but so far Goodreads and Amazon have been really helpful. And hopefully I can add Awesome Gang to that list!

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I would say not to force yourself to write something that you don’t like just because you think you have to or because you think it will sell better. If you don’t enjoy what you’re writing, then it’s empty, no matter how much money you receive from it, because you don’t really believe in it. I would also say that if you blog about your books, post as if thousands of people are reading them and invested in them, even if there’s only a dozen or less. It will help you feel more enthused about posting things, rather that depressed from focusing on the low numbers. And of course, pray! You may want to go in one direction, but the Lord would have you go in another. Don’t be afraid to follow His guidance, since He’ll undoubtedly be working it all for your good and delivering you the best possible outcome.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
John R. Erickson had an interview in the back of one of his Hank the Cowdog books in my library at Dixie Elementary. He ended that interview by saying write what you know. That sounds so simple, yet it is so powerful. Even if you write fantasy, you can spin it in a way that’s familiar to you, and that makes it all the more real and heartfelt because its coming from a place of experience.

What are you reading now?
I am always reading the Bible and in-between fantasy books at the moment. I just finished reading “The Fates Divide” and am waiting for “War Storm”, the final book in the Red Queen series, to be published.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Growing into my role as my own author, agent, publicist, and funder, while also trying to keep up with my church and day job. Its quite the balancing act, but one that I am growing into.

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, of course(but you probably guessed that), “The Looking Glass Wars Book Three: Archenemy”, “War Storm”, if I bought it before being stranded, Catching Fire, and…is it vain to say “A Light to the Ruined”? I hope not. I mean, honestly, if I were to be stuck on an island for an unknown period of time, I’d want to have my own book with me. I hope most authors are proud enough of their works to want at least one with them on an island. Our books are like our children, and I wouldn’t want to be stranded without mine.

Author Websites and Profiles
Kenneth Britton Website
Kenneth Britton Amazon Profile

Kenneth Britton’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I finished my undergrad studies at App State in Boone, NC three years ago and my interests include reading and writing books, lifting weights, playing videogames, fencing, real estate investing, playing electric guitar, Dragon Ball, and Game of Thrones. I self-published my first book “A Lord’s Treasure” this past January, yet I am currently contemplating republishing it with Inkitt Publishing or another publisher for marketing purposes.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is “A Lord’s Treasure,” which is a Medieval Fantasy book that is also a very useful personal finance book. The book was inspired by me reading George R.R. Martin’s A Song Of Ice And Fire series and the fact that I had previously contemplated writing a personal finance book several months to a year beforehand. I didn’t know whether or not I wanted to write a Medieval Fantasy book or a Personal Finance book, so I meshed the ideas together and have created my own self-help series to help enrich the lives of the readers who actually apply the wisdom within.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Yes, for my first book was written as a hybrid between some writing styles I heard called “architect” and “gardening” since I meticulously planned the messages I wanted to convey and simply went with the flow when creating an appealing story. Fun Fact: I had envisioned the original cover of the book (brownish castle under a purple sky) before imagining anything about the chapter I based it on.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
My influences for “A Lord’s Treasure” include George R.R. Martin’s A Song Of Ice And Fire (ASOIAF) series, Tony Robbins, MJ DeMarco’s “The Millionaire Fastlane,” and George S. Clason’s “The Richest Man In Babylon.” The biggest competition out of the three is “The Richest Man In Babylon” since it’s a similar concept, yet the style the book was written with is more like an ASOIAF book but much shorter and more informative.

What are you working on now?
I’ve had a lot on my plate for a while now, so I haven’t been writing anything at all but doing extensive studying instead. I started a project roughly called “The Optimal Christian Paradigm,” but soon after got bored with it and haven’t done any progress with it since. I think the next book I’ll most likely write will be the second A King’s Wisdom book, which I will do my best to insure it’s much better and longer than the first book “A Lord’s Treasure.”

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m still trying to learn about effective book marketing tactics and strategy even though my first book’s been available since January 2018 and I have a Bachelor’s in Business Administration with one of my majors being Marketing and I was the Marketing Director for a realty for nine months. Book marketing is a totally different creature compared to real estate marketing. I highly recommend getting a marketing mentor to help walk you towards successful marketing and/or try your best to get the book published through a publisher instead of self-publishing so they can do the heavy lifting for you.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Do your best, and try to get the book published through a publisher if you can. Self-publishing is a headache for me thus far.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I don’t recall the best advice I’ve ever heard, but I can give some great advice right now. Self-educate whatever you want to learn and most definitely read the Holy Bible and get the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit into your life. Both the Holy Bible and whatever you want to know is practically at your fingertips, and my A King’s Wisdom series does the heavy lifting for the reader.

What are you reading now?
The King James Version of the Holy Bible. The Protestant version, which doesn’t include The Apocrypha of the Catholic version. The last Bible book I read was Esther.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Planning to write more books, of course. I can have multiple successful careers at once, right?

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 were stranded on an island the books I would want to have with me are the KJV Holy Bible, “Awaken The Giant Within” by Tony Robbins, “A Dance With Dragons” by George R.R. Martin since it’s the only A Song Of Ice And Fire book I haven’t read yet even though my favorite is “A Clash Of Kings,” and my own book “A Lord’s Treasure” since I firmly believe the messages I purposefully convey in that book.

Author Websites and Profiles
David Longworth Amazon Profile

David Longworth’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am an engineer and a patent attorney, but I am a passionate and lifelong writer. I’ve had two books published and I’m working on my third. My first book–“Pieces Like Pottery”–reached Amazon bestseller status multiple times. It was a book exploring loss, heartbreak, and ultimately redemption. My second book–“40 Tips on Creative Writing”–was one that I sat down and wrote last fall after reader after reader of my indie writing blog (www.nothinganygood.com) requested me to put the book together.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is “40 Tips on Creative Writing.” I put this book together because of reader persistence to be honest. In 2016, I wrote a different version of these tips on my website Nothing Any Good. I received more positive feedback then I expected to receive. A lot of readers asked me to put them all together in a book so they could have a nice handy manual. I didn’t have the time or energy to focus on it for a while.

Finally, an author from Scotland reached out and explained that she puts out a writer’s calendar every year to help authors plan their schedules and for writing inspiration. She asked if she could use a shortened version of 10 of my tips for her 2018 calendar. When she sent me the proof of the ten tips, I was really impressed by them. I honestly read them not as the author of them, but as a reader, and I found them tremendously helpful. Once I read them through the new lens of a reader and with her encouragement, I realized I needed to write the book. So, I did the hard work of reordering and revising all of them to be published. And believe me, it took a lot of hard work!

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Oh boy. This is a tough question. I’m sure my wife would say I have some odd tick that I do when I write, like blinking a lot or clicking under my breath. Something odd like that, but I don’t find that entirely interesting. I guess I would say the fact that I pull parts of my writing from old unpublished pieces I have previously written.

I keep a journal of notes and ideas that strike me throughout the day. I’ve been doing this for over twenty years now. An old teacher of mine used to talk about pristine moments of coherence—those moments when an idea strikes us so profoundly and clearly that it seems to be a fundamental truth of the world. I don’t want to lose those thoughts when I have them, so I try to write them down. As I am writing, I will pull concepts from my journals and notebooks. In one of the stories in Pieces Like Pottery, I pulled a couple paragraphs I had written in high school and updated them. High School!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I feel like this is the question that readers and writers always ask in a judgmental way. It’s as if your readers are going to judge me by the authors I enjoy. “Oh no, I don’t agree with that at all. John Grisham? This guy clearly isn’t serious about his writing.” I think people tend to have the same judgmental approach about their music preferences too.

Some of my favorite authors, in no particular order: Gertrude Warner, Shell Silverstein, Dr. Seuss, C.S. Lewis, Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Charles Dickens, John Grisham, Malcolm Gladwell, John Buri, Cormac McCarthy, Bill Bryson and Mark Twain…to name a few.

What are you working on now?
I am currently working on two different books. The first is a novel about a young man trying to follow his dreams while facing the demons left behind by his deceased, alcoholic father and his dying high school teacher that changed his life. The second book is a non-fiction work. It’s still in development, but the book will explore our infatuation (as a society) with happiness while consistency many other forms of fulfillment that life has to offer.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I have tried to crack the book marketing code many times over the years. I have yet to find a tried and true method. Maybe there actually isn’t one, or maybe I’m just not smart enough to find it. The best advice I’ve received is to be genuine and to be kind. That and ask. Ask people if they would consider your book. Ask people if they would be willing to read your book. I struggle with it, but it’s where I’ve found the most success. When you do, be genuine and be kind.

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

If you want to be a writer, write. It’s one of the only professions you can become simply by the act of doing it. Start writing. You only need thirty minutes a day. Life’s too short to not write if that’s what you love to do. That first step is simple: Sit down and write.

I vividly remember when I first started to consider writing as more than a hobby fifteen years ago. Before then, I had an unfortunate mantra: “I’ll write when…” As in, “I’ll write that story when I have a long uninterrupted weekend.” Or, “I’ll write that book when my job isn’t so busy.” It was a mantra that was crushing any hope of taking my dreams of being a writer and actually becoming serious about writing. I realized there was never going to be a perfect time to write, so I threw that mantra out the window for good.

If I hadn’t, I wouldn’t have found myself writing for a number of print and online publications. I would have never started four different blogs over the last fifteen years, something that has been critical for me in learning how to hone my skills as a writer. I would have never become a published non-fiction writ-er and the author of an Amazon bestselling book of literary fic-tion. Now I have a new mantra: “I’ll write now.”

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Over the years, I’ve been offered an abundance of feedback from mentors and teachers I trust. I have heard excellent com-mentary from a few creative people who I admire greatly. There are two ideas that have stuck with me throughout all my writing endeavors. These sentiments helped to get me over the hump and—as Brené Brown would say (or Theodore Roosevelt before her)—Dare Greatly in my writing endeavors.

1. When asked about the fears and doubts that she had with her writing, Elizabeth Gilbert—best-selling au-thor of Eat, Pray, Love—said she finally had an epiph-any that her “writing muse” was telling her that this isn’t her story. If she doesn’t tell it, she bemoaned, then the muse would move on to someone else who will. Ms. Gilbert discussed how freeing this was for her. She was no longer declaring to the reader: “Listen to me. I have something to say.” Instead, she was writ-ing through her muse, her inspiration. It was almost as if she had no other choice but to write. This opened her up to write every day without fear of the result.

2. Ira Glass is an American public radio personality and the host and producer of the radio and television show This American Life. He has a great quote for young creatives. In short, he encourages that your work is not going to be good when you’re first starting out. You may have an excitement for your craft and a killer taste for what’s good, but your execution is poor. The only way to improve your work, the only way to close the gap so that your work is as good as your ambitions, is to keep writing. Every day. Every week put yourself on a deadline to write something new. It’s going to take a while, but that’s normal. Good writing doesn’t come the first time you sit down.

In short:
1. Don’t worry about whether you have anything im-portant to say. If you are inspired, say it.
2. Write often. You won’t become a good writer unless you’re regularly finding time to write.

What are you reading now?
I typically like to have a couple of books I’m reading at any given time. My nightstand currently has the following sitting on it (in either print or ebook format):

All the Light We Cannot See, by Anthony Doerr
Principles, by Ray Dalio
Einstein: His Life and Universe, by Walter Isaacson
The 4-Hour Work Week, by Timothy Ferriss
The Light Between the Oceans, by M.L. Stedman

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m working on the two books above and about to launch the Independent Writers Guild, which is a worldwide organization of writers and publishing professionals dedicated to promoting the interest of indie writers by encouraging public interest in, and fostering an appreciation of, quality indie literature. We will be launching the group shortly.

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?
So, let me get this straight. I’m *stranded* but I’m also *allowed* to take 3 or 4 books with me? This doesn’t sound like I’m stranded at all! This sounds like I’m being imprisoned like Napolean on Elba. What are plotting?!?

If you were kidnapping me for the rest of my life and leaving me on a desert island with only 3 or 4 books to read, I’d have to take these four:

1. The Brothers Karamazov, by Fyodor Dostoyevsky. (My favorite book.)
2. The Bible. (Cliche, but true. I’d bring it.)
3. Leaves of Grass, by Walt Whitman. (I’d have a lot of time to fully and completely study and digest these poems.)
4. Either Infinite Jest, by David Foster Wallace or War and Peace, by Leo Tolstoy. (I’ve never read either, but I’d finally have not only the time to read them from cover to cover, but in the case of Infinite Jest, I’d also have the luxury of reading it in private without judging eyes thinking I’m some hipster poser.)

Author Websites and Profiles
Dan Buri Website
Dan Buri Amazon Profile
Dan Buri Author Profile on Smashwords

Dan Buri’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
We are a small group of writers focused at bringing more of men’s humour and adventure back into entertainment.
This is our first book, we have written collectively.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Happy Singh Canadda Wale: Happy Singh from Canada

Recently we’ve seen many not so centrist and very very feminine stories to become the centre of the entertainment world. The result is a complete disbelief of the masculine stories. Somehow the culture is evolving into something, which might have a very adverse affect on the primary senses of human species. We aim to slow it down by bringing the old school storytelling back.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
This whole book, if taken up seriously, can be called as a collection of most unusual writing habit.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Dan Brown, Da Vinci Code, The Time Machine, H G Wells and many prominent comics and media outlets have influenced us over the years.

What are you working on now?
We are working on a few very secret ideas, that if revealed, we’ll be assassinated either by Muslim Leagues, Church Bishops or Feminist Brigades.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Keep writing, but always have great ideas.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Be discrete, but never try to be somebody else if it really hurts you.

What are you reading now?
Hiroshima Nagasaki

What’s next for you as a writer?

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 only take empty notebooks…. to burn them at cold nights.

Alpha Male Writers’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I was born in Birmingham, Alabama, and adopted at the tender age of 3 months by a wonderful Christian couple in Live Oak, Florida. I grew up on a farm, participating in 4-H and learning that earning your own money to pay your way is one of life’s most valuable lessons. I was brought up in church, where I was taught respect and moral values that are still important to me to this day.

I was able to give back to her wonderful parents by helping my father care for my mother, who suffered with Alzheimer’s Disease, and later by taking care of my father who passed away from Cancer only one year before my mother. I spent the biggest part of my life in Live Oak, raising my five children up until 2014, when I met and married the love of my life and moved to the Ozark Mountains in Arkansas.

Together my husband and I are slowly remodeling one of the oldest houses in the small rural town we live in. We spend an incredible amount of time traveling to see our five grand-children, which means that a lot of my writing gets done on the road, and some of those grand babies tend to pop up in these stories now and then.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is Magic Trixie and the Crystal Witch, which is about a young girl who thinks her daddy is the greatest stage magician the world has ever known, until she learns that they are really from a world where Magic is real, and she was actually a Princess! When she finds out that her evil aunt has stolen the throne and is oppressing her people, little Trixie decides that it doesn’t matter how young she is; there must be a Reckoning!

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Oh, my goodness! I guess my biggest one is that I have to force myself to stop editing. If it were up to me, my books would never get finished because I can always find something more to add.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Terry Pratchett, Tolkien, Tad Williams and a lot of others. I’m sure the list would take several pages if I could remember them all.

What are you working on now?
My next book will be the continuation of the Promise of Magic series. PJ is going to find herself trapped in World War 2, and makes an unusual new friend. Together, they work to stop Hitler from defeating the world, while King Arthur and her Company try every way they can to bring her back!

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m personally fond of www.bookady.com, for two reasons. First, it’s the only real bookseller that pays authors instantly, and second, because I’m one of its founders. We work hard to promote all of our books and authors, and you’ll be hearing a lot about us from now on!

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Yes. Don’t quit, and always get the opinions of others! We tend to either think too highly of our own work, or too little, and either one is a mistake! get others to read it and give you honest feedback, and you’ll learn what you need to do to make your books come to life for the readers!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t try to make your own covers!

What are you reading now?
Terry Pratchett’s Snuff

What’s next for you as a writer?
More books, of course. I can’t help it, I just can’t stop!

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Nothing beats them.

Author Websites and Profiles
Stormy Summers Website

Stormy Summers’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Well, I guess you could call me the girl who is lost in her own words. I recently released my debut title and it is called BLACKOUT. Part memoir part self-help, this title is the story of a journey from the 21st century to who we really are.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I have always been a fan of writing for the sake of writing and maybe even for venting a little. So, when I started writing my debut title BLACKOUT, my initial motivation was simple enough. Venting a little and hopefully knowing myself a bit better in the end. Turns out, this was possible. Because during the first 28 days – the experimenting period of writing this book, I immersed myself in a situation where I do not use any form of modern media and I observed myself get closer to who I really am day by day. I faced with the bitter reality that my social media addiction was almost incurable. And I wrote it all down, side by side with my own stories. Then I added the tips and tricks to make it more beneficial for the readers. And now, I believe it is a sincere read with lots of real intention to actually help the reader and it has the charm of a sweet salvation story.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Oh, that is a good question and I believe I do. My weird writing habit is that I write on the floor. Because no matter how many times I try to get creative while sitting at a table, it just does not work well. So, I grab a tiny pillow from the couch and I sit on it for hours. Preferably in the tiny area between my couch and my dining table. Maybe it is just that floors tend to give you more space than a table, that they are not so limited. Or maybe sitting on the floor makes me feel like I can truly get in touch with my emotions and I can concentrate on my thoughts. I don’t know exactly why, but I feel there is something to it. Even though your body aches after only a few hours much more than it would in a comfortable chair, I think floor sets me apart from my everyday self and helps reconnect with a more free one.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I think the writers who shaped my perception of life are Irvin Yalom, Sam Harris, Dostoyevsky, Alain de Botton, Mark Epstein, Lee Gutkind and John Berger.

What are you working on now?
I am contemplating on a couple of different ideas these days. Most are nonfiction, but I also have been working on a novel in my mother tongue about dreams and how they destroy us.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Considering I am rather new in the area I do not have great formulas yet, but I am a firm believer in taking it one step at a time especially if you are a new author just like myself. I think researching, learning and taking advice from people who’ve been there is essential for me to find out my own formula in book marketing. And I trust deep down that the most important thing is to have the book in its’ most perfect state possible. All this combined, there should be nothing to worry.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Since I am a rather new author myself, I am going to tell them exactly what I need to hear. “Don’t give up on writing. Try to stand the fact that most of the time you suck at it. Be patient. ”

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“Vulnerability comes in pretending to be someone you are not.” by Sam Harris, Lying.

What are you reading now?
These days I am reading Robert M. Pirsig’s Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. It is an inspiring read and quite mind-bending as well. I am still reading the first 100 pages now and it already made me question even the most core values of my life.

What’s next for you as a writer?
To keep writing.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Irvin Yalom’s The Schopenhauer Cure and When Nietzsche Wept, Sam Harris’s Lying, and Mark Epstein’s Going to Pieces Without Falling Apart.

Author Websites and Profiles
Sezen Ahıskal Website
Sezen Ahıskal Amazon Profile

Sezen Ahıskal’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hello there, My name is Christopher. This is my first book that I have written. I come from a small town and I grew up in the movie theater business with my family. I grew up watching most of the great films of the 80s and early 90s. Playing Dungeons and Dragons. RPG. What amazed me about role-playing. Were you determined where the story went? And that is a factor that alwaysed apiled to me.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My book is called, Blaze Trinty Omicron Recountal.
And it is my take on the fantasy in our world. It was greatly inspired by adventures playing Dungeons and Dragons. As a kid.
And some of the other Ideas that movies put in my head like Men in Black. Blade. Star Wars. Lord of the Rings. Just to name a few.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Well considering this is my first book. I would say this whole writing was unusual. I started by writing down a few key scenes. Then figure out a way to link the scenes together. Ande after a while and some advice from a dear friend. I had a book.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I would have to say R.A. Salvatore. In High School, a good friend of mine gave this book called Homeland. I read and I was hooked. I have since by every title of that series. And I can’t wait to read the next one. I am also a big fan of Matthew Riley. That man knows how to write action. And I love Dan Brown, books. Because they are very tangible and based off of real events.

What are you working on now?
I am currently working and the second book in the Omicron series. I am waiting to get feedback from my inner circle of advisors. Before I start editing it. Hopefully, it will have it ready by Labor Day. 2018. Fingers crossed.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Unkown this is my first attempt promoting this book.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Yes, I do. Write. Don’t make an excuse. Sit down and start typing. You don’t have to have a set start or end. If you just have one scene in your mind, write it down. And if you come to a dead end. try doing something outlandish. Something your character would never do. Simply put, be creative. And always listen to your friend’s feedback and advice. You will never know when it will come in handy. Oh, and use Microsoft Word It is some much easier to learn that platform. And if you ever get stuck, youtube tutorials to the rescue.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best advice I ever heard came from director Kevin Smith from clerks. It costs nothing to encourage an artist.

What are you reading now?
Origen by Dan Brown.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I plan to keep going with the Omicron series. My goal for that is to get one out a year. If possible. But I do have a few other Ideas that I want to put down on paper. Nothing set in stone just a few lines and a couple of ideas.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
The Complete Idiots guide. How to get out of a desert island.
Homeland. By R.A. Salvatore.
Digital Fortress. By Dan Brown.
One foot in the Grave. By Jeaniene Frost

Author Websites and Profiles
Christopher Schultz Amazon Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My name is Heru Asaramo. I have written 5 books. All of my work is available on Amazon under my name. I enjoy writing in a highly descriptive manner with the goal of creating a reading environment where you can “see” what’s going on in your mind’s eye.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest novel is titled, “The Lottery Winner and The Gun With No Bullets.” It was inspired by conversations with my mother. Our favorite subject was, “What would you do if you won the lottery?”

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Great question! I would say that I give a very high level of detail. With my work, I want you to “see” what’s going on, I want you to feel like you are there with the characters.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
J.K. ROWLING. Her ability to get the reader immersed in the story.

What are you working on now?
The sequel to: “The Lottery Winner and The Gun With No Bullets.”

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
IG: @IMFIRSTINLASTOUT

Do you have any advice for new authors?
It’s incredibly difficult to sell a book, at any price.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Keep trying new methods, constantly become.

What are you reading now?

What’s next for you as a writer?
New books, maybe a love story?

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
all J.K. Rowling Books

Author Websites and Profiles
Heru Asaramo Amazon Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a cyber security consultant. My job is to attempt to infiltrate secure businesses either through their networks and applications or through their front doors. I also help clients when they are attacked and I have testified in federal court cases as a digital forensics witness. I have written one book, and intend to release several more, including a fiction book that relies heavily on my knowledge cyber security and social engineering. When I’m not busy working, I enjoy motorcycle riding, hanging out with close friends, and spending time with my daughter.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Trust Me I’m Lying: Banks Pay Me to Rob Them was inspired by my many adventures conducting social engineering tests. That is I manipulate people to get them to expose sensitive information and let me into secured areas. Think of it as the cybersecurity world’s term for con artist. My friends are always getting me to tell them, and new people they introduce me to, stories from my social engineering exploits. Because of that popularity, and because I want to ultimately use that to write a fiction novel, I decided to write this book first.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write like I talk, which you could say is somewhat eccentric. This results in heavy editing after it’s done to correct it to a more properly structured book. It’s just a raw dump of my thoughts that needs polishing for mass consumption. I don’t know if that counts as unusual.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
William Gibson was my favorite author for a very long time. I loved how he painted these amazing scenes in the cyberpunk genre. All his early works are influential. I also enjoy the style of R. A. Salvatore, and I must give props to Stephen King’s ability to build tension.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on a few titles. One of which is a fiction novel that uses my knowledge of hacking and social engineering to drive the storyline. It’s early still and I’m still working on the plot. I have a few more in the works for using social engineering in daily life to turn situations favorable to yourself.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m brand new to this. I really enjoyed Kindlepreneur and I’m sure I will continue to read that. Awesome Gang is the first site like this I have used as it came highly recommended.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Just start writing. Know that you will go through several drafts. If you’re like me, at some point you have to to take the plunge and go for it. Put your perfectionism aside. Get some close friends to read it (of course they are going to be kind), and tell them to give you some honest criticism. I put my book down a lot but was told over and over again that it was great. We’ll see what people think. Liek I said, just write. If it turns out to not be well received, learn from your mistakes and try again. Hone the craft. Sitting on it because you think it won’t be good enough is not the way to learn from teh experience and make it better.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Just write. My girlfriend, who is an author, told me that.

What are you reading now?
Marketing books and blogs specifically targetted at writers.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m going to continue to write books and perfect my skill. I have a number of ideas in my head and I’m working on a few already. I’m slowed down for the moment as I try to market this current book and see what the market reaction is.

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?
Neuromancer by Wiliam Gibson
Black House by Stephen King
The Ancient by Salvatore (it’s next in my queue to read by him)

Author Websites and Profiles
James Olivier Website
James Olivier Amazon Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
3 Children’s eBooks

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
“Ellie Captures a Star” to inspire creative and imaginary girls everywhere!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I loved “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” growing up.

What are you working on now?
University English literature courses.

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

Author Websites and Profiles
Tara Panrucker Website
Tara Panrucker Amazon Profile

Tara Panrucker’s Social Media Links
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
All about me! I am a lover of books, reading them or writing them I can’t seem to get enough. After my first day of kindergarten I came home crying because they hadn’t taught me to read that day.

That hasn’t changed since I became an adult, well maybe the crying part now that I can read.

I am married to a great guy and we have two sons. We live in the Midwest where we enjoy all four seasons to their fullest. We are cottage and boat sport fans in the summer and die hard college football fans in the winter.

I write because I love to create stories and I hope that you will get to escape with me into these tales even if for just a little while.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The latest book is Down the Willow Tree. I find that a lot of my books are inspired by music. The funny thing is that the song isn’t often in any way similar to the book. It just seems to start my imagination turning. This particular book was dreamed up after listening to the Johnny Cash Song: Black Veil. You can look up the lyrics and find similarities, I think my story ends happier…no disrespect to Mr. Cash.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t think so! Most of the time is spent on my couch in the living room. My husband watching sailing videos and my kids making me take breaks to come outside and inspect some insect or stop to plan some video game for a minute.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I’m not sure that I could say any in particular. I just love writing. For years I did it just for fun. Finally, I got the nerve to start publishing some of my work.

What are you working on now?
Right now I am working on Mind Games. It is a paranormal book about some kids that were basically a science experiment of some German spies. They hold lots of deadly secrets in their minds and they can communicate telepathically. They are getting chased by a lot of people to get the secrets that they don’t know they have. I am excited about it because I have rewritten this book about three times. I am forcing myself to move it forward and it’s about half done.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Hidden Gems ARC. It really helps to not only hear others opinions but to get the reviews. Unfortunately there are just so many authors, even if you have a great book it’s hard to get noticed.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Do it because you love it, because it’s hard to make money at it initially.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t quit before payday.

What are you reading now?
I just finished reading Prince of Wolves by Quinn Loftis. I love books and especially paranormal books so this was right up my alley.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I want to keep publishing. After Mind Games I have another idea for a book that I want to start to explore.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
I think I would just like my iPhone and a charger so I could keep downloading new books. I can’t commit to reading any of the same 3-4 over an over. I can’t even stand to read my own books that many times!

Author Websites and Profiles
Elizabeth Robin Website

Elizabeth Robin’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am an award-winning author of novels, comic books, short stories, graphic novels, and a couple of produced screenplays. I have written for several publishers and also do some self-publishing on the side.

I actually did a count for another interview a few days ago. as of today, I have 111 published works. There are some written that are not out yet and assorted comic strips, articles, interviews, etc. that I didn’t count. Here’s how they break down:
17 novels/novellas/collections
45 short stories/anthologies
49 comic books/graphic novels

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is SNOW DRIVE, the 3rd book in Snow Series 1 (6 novellas make up series 1). Snow is my homage to the p.i. TV shows and books I grew up enjoying. I was definitely inspired by Magnum p.i., The Rockford Files, Burn Notice, MacGyver, The A-Team, and shows like that. Snow is heavy on action and adventure like the shows that inspired it.

Here’s the official back cover cop for SNOW DRIVE:
2018 PULP FACTORY AWARD NOMINEE FOR BEST PULP NOVEL

Abraham Snow’s career ended with a single shot, but now he’s back behind the wheel and looking for a saboteur.

The Chambers Racing team hires Snow Security Consulting to get to keep their people and equipment safe and to get to the bottom of whoever is trying to put them out of business and why. Archer Snow volunteers Abraham Snow and Big John Salmon as part of the pit crew. Can they keep the team’s young hothead out of trouble long enough to stop the saboteur before the next race? Meanwhile, an old enemy sets her sights on Snow when a bounty is placed on his head.

SNOW DRIVE is the third book in the continuing adventures of Abraham Snow.

You can find it here: https://www.amazon.com/Snow-Drive-3-Bobby-Nash/dp/1548008672

Learn more about SNOW at https://ben-books.blogspot.com/p/snow.html

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not really. My bad habits tend to be the things that keep me from doing any actual writing.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I am influenced by many authors, both in good and bad ways. I’ve learned a lot about writing and how to act as a writer. Some who have positively influenced me include Michael Connelly, Van Allen Plexico, John Hartness, J.R. Mounts, Beau Smith, Jonathan Maberry, Alex Kava, George Perez, James R. Tuck, Gail Simone, and more. Watching these writers has taught me a lot and helped me become a better writer., I think.

What are you working on now?
I am putting the finishing touches on SNOW TRAPPED, the 4th book in the Snow series for BEN Books. Snow is an action-oriented series about a former undercover federal agent who now works as a p.i. and security consultant. This book gets him one step closer to finding the man who sold him out on his last case back at the beginning of SNOW FALLS.

I’m also prepping/plotting book 1 of the HUNTER HOUSTON: HORROR HUNTER series for Falstaff Books. Houston is a new character that will be a spin-off of John Hartness’ wildly popular BUBBA THE MONSTER HUNTER series. At present, there are four novella-length stories planned. Sales will decide if we continue on from there. Houston is a comedy/horror series with big monsters and odd creatures.

I’m also putting the SNOW collection (the first 3 in a single volume) together and cleaning up art for a collection of my old LIFE IN THE FASTER LANE comic strips. Beyond that, there are plots being put together for HUNTER HOUSTON: HORROR HUNTER books 2 – 4, SNOW 4 – 5, a couple of shorter pieces I owe publishers, and 3 novels in various stages that need to be finished: EVIL INTENT, LANCE STAR: SKY RANGER “COLD SNAP”, and BLOODSHOT (although I am probably going to change the title on the last one). Whew!

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
My www.bobbynash.com was named one of the Best Websites for Writers a few months back, which was a great honor. Everything you need to know is there. Beyond that, www.facebook.com/authorbobbynash, www.instagram.com/bobbynashwrites, and www.twitter.com/bobbynash get a good bit of traffic. Promotion starts there and then moves beyond social media with conventions, book signings, interviews, podcasts, etc.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Set goals. Make a plan that fits your goals. Not every writer has the same goals so you need to do what works best for you. If writing is just a fun hobby for you, that’s great. You can make a plan to reach that goal. If you want to write as a career, that’s great too, but that takes a different set of plans to help you get there. Also, and this is very important and why I’m sitting here after 11 p.m. answering these questions, if you want to write as a career, then you’ll have to treat writing like a job. That means making deadlines, missing out on social events to meet said deadlines, long nights, etc. Like any other career, you get out what you put in. Writing is hard work and involves a whole lot more than just writing. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I was once told that I needed to learn how to promote my own work because who else cares more about my work than me? It was great advice and I took it to heart.

What are you reading now?
Vegas Heist by Van Allen Plexico. A great read. I’m nearing the end.

What’s next for you as a writer?
As I mentioned above, there’s plenty of work in the pipeline. SNOW TRAPPED and HUNTER HOUSTON: HORROR HUNTER are top priorities at the moment.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
WOW. That’s tough. Maybe 4 of those IDW Artist Editions they put out. I could lash the four of them together and I’d have a boat.

Author Websites and Profiles
Bobby Nash Website
Bobby Nash Amazon Profile
Bobby Nash Author Profile on Smashwords

Bobby Nash’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a wife and a mother of 4 teenagers. This is my first book in a series of three books. Gymnastics has been a part of my soul since I was very young, and continues to be something I enjoy. I have been a national elite gymnast, collegiate gymnast, coach, choreographer, gymnastics facility owner, mom of a competitive gymnast, a commentator for college meets, USAG judge, and mental trainer. Of all these experiences, my current favorite avenue for helping athletes is through the mental training.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I have written the Flippin’ Awesome Gymnast book series with the intent to inspire greatness and confidence in gymnasts. The books include tools I have taught gymnasts for over 15 years. Tools to increase confidence and crush fears for gymnasts. I love watching a gymnast come to me with disappointment and discouragement, try some tools to change their mental perspective, then come back excited and energized to do gymnastics again!

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
My writing is simple. I enjoy speaking more than writing, but I think the tools are worth sharing with everyone– and therefore, I now write.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I love reading inspirational stories and historical non-fiction. Jonathan Seagull Livingston is one of my favorites!

What are you working on now?
I am going to be focusing on parents and coaches of gymnasts next. There are so many ways in which parents & coaches either increase or decrease the confidence in an athlete- yet, most parents & coaches have no idea what their said and unsaid words/body language are doing to their athlete.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I am just starting…so I am unsure

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Just keep going. It’s intimidating and overwhelming to know others are reading your words, but we all have something we can share or learn from each other!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Pray hard, work hard, play hard!

What are you reading now?
Eat That Frog by Brian Tracy

What’s next for you as a writer?
Creating a 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?
Pride & Prejudice
Lark Rise to Candleford
Bible
Any historical

Author Websites and Profiles
Amy Twiggs Amazon Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve always had a passion for people and their stories. This led me to dissect pieces of my own life and take an introspective view of all the things that go unnoticed in our everyday lives. I published my first book under a pseudonym, which was semi-autobiographical. I saw this more as a learning exercise and quickly realised that my storytelling needed more work. This led me to study a Bachelor of Film Production, as it allowed me to experiment with different types of story beats, and more fully understand its psychology. Since then I’ve established a small film production house, Gothic Zen Studios, and also written a few manuscripts. Acupuncture of The Mind is my latest published work, and I am currently writing the sequel to this unnerving novel.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Acupuncture of The Mind was 12 years in the making and it was mostly circumstantial and investigative. I had conducted interviews and research to give the fictional story some real credibility. The paranormal activity and strange encounters were as real to me then just as it remains now.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
All my stories come from an emotional ledge and the people who stand there with me are the ones who inspire me. I never know if they’re going to pull me away, admire the view, or push me. My golden hour for pulling experiences from my mind is at 4am, usually after a surreal dream jolts my mind. This is particularly relevant to the deeply though-provoking sections of the novel.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I don’t actually read fictional novels; however, an author’s journey does inspire me. Especially the writers who push through all the noise to get their work out in to the world. Most of my inspiration comes from the old masters of European filmmaking, fringe artists, gothic architecture and dark wave music.

What are you working on now?
The sequel, and prequel in many ways, to Acupuncture of The Mind. This will be based on a fresh turn of events that pushed my physical, spiritual and mental boundaries after being hospitalised with a serious medical emergency.

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

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Push the doubts and the naysayers to the side. Carry your intentions proudly and keep moving until the story reveals its strengths to you.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
If you’re going through hell, keep going. – Winston Churchill

What are you reading now?
Research papers for hallucinogenic drugs and painkillers.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Developing a screenplay for the pilot of Acupuncture of The Mind, as I plan to turn it into a TV 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?
1. Acupuncture of The Mind (to remind myself that the mind is the home)
2. A blank diary
3. A sketch pad

Author Websites and Profiles
Goran Zivanovic Website
Goran Zivanovic Amazon Profile

Goran Zivanovic’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I was born In Idaho, lived there a good chunk of life, before moving to Austin for nearly a decade. I published books, played music on stage, and general did thing and met people. Now I live in Pennsylvania with my partner Mel and do my thing here. I’ve published three books, Night Shall Overtake, Pale Winter Sun, and In Shadows of the Wicked.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
In Shadows of the Wicked is a story I started 14 years ago. It had been initially inspired by a steady diet of Asian horror flicks. As the years went on though such authors and Clive Barker and Neil Gaiman helped shape it into what it is today.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write like no one is watching.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Clive Barker and Neil Gaiman have had a huge influence on me. The biggest has to be Poppy Brite. Her books made me want to be a writer in the first place. Vonnegut and Blatty are two others that shaped me into whatever the hell I am today.

What are you working on now?
Right now I’m working on a sequel to Night Shall Over take.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Finding a balance in promotion. You can blanket all social media or people start ignoring it, but you have to post enough that it get people’s attention. It’s a fine line that i’m still trying to perfect.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Just keep at it. Don’t stop writing.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Just keep at it. Don’t stop writing.

What are you reading now?
The Unresting by GS Wright.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Keeping at it. I’m going to continue to write my stories and getting them out there. I’ve got a few projects, some horror, some not, on my agenda.

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?
Ones I haven’t read yet. Preferably ones that explain how to survive on a desert island.

Author Websites and Profiles
Michael R. Collins Website
Michael R. Collins Amazon Profile

Michael R. Collins’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I started writing late in life after being laid off from the energy industry. I have written one novel, 327 Days, and one short story, Lust & Longing.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
327 Days. I was inspired by a dream. A good portion of the book takes place in the Astral Plane, where anything can happen.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not that I’m aware of, but I’m not certain of the average writer’s habits.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
George R.R. Martin and R.A. Salvatore

What are you working on now?
I will soon be working on a second short horror story about the perils of greed.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m new to this. So, I’m not sure what works yet.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Never give up. Try to write every day, even if only a sentence or two.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
See above.

What are you reading now?
I read about nine books at a time, mostly nonfiction. The two fiction books are Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone and Of Fire and Night by Kevin J. Anderson.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Trying to get 327 Days published.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Four encyclopedias-Volumes A, C, S, and T.

Author Websites and Profiles
Richard Jacobs Website
Richard Jacobs Amazon Profile

Richard Jacobs’s Social Media Links
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve just published my first novella, which was scary. Outside of that I write short erotic stories based on my own life.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
‘Please Keep Me In Mind’ is a lyric from The Smiths’ song, ‘Well I Wonder’.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Yes – I like to write in public, especially when the content of what I’m writing is violent or sexual.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Albert Camus, James Cain, Elmore Leonard.

What are you working on now?
Maybe something full-length!

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write about beautiful things that move you.

What are you reading now?
Lorrie Moore.

Author Websites and Profiles
Ellory Jane Cassidy Amazon Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
J.B. Miller
Hmmm, about me. Urgh, this is always the hard part. I have ten books under my belt so far, with about a thousand more in my head screaming to get out. hehe. No one ever said you had to be sane to be an Author right?
let’s see…Wife, Mother, and the crazy lady who hears voices in my head.
I was born in the South, Ironically called North Carolina.
For my sins, I married a Highlander and moved to Scotland at the age of twenty-two against my poor sainted mother’s wishes.
My family often bemoans my inability to do anything “Normal.”

I now make my home in England with my husband, three children, cat, and dog.

My all-time favorite quote is,” For fools rush in where angels fear to tread,”
Often it’s me that is saying it as I run headlong at the front of the line.

You can find me online and in the millions of social media around this interweb thingy.
I am always happy to hear from her readers.

Ps… Made a promise to myself. Being the mom of an ASD child, if I ever broke the Allstars.. lol yeah that’s gonna happen. That bonus is going to charity. Here is the link, I don’t have to get the sales, for you to donate! Help Children with Autism get the help they need! http://www.autism.org.uk/

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
How to Piss off A Dragon
I had written paranormal romance from the beginning, but one day, this sassy little blonde thing with ADHD jumped up in my head and started waving her arms, screaming, “Do me, do me!” Have I mentioned that I have actual imaginary individuals with personalities living in my head? I’m sure there’s a medical term for that. Thankfully, they don’t ask me to do anything other than write their stories.
Anyway, that’s how Lexi escaped my mind, followed by a very exasperated Shayne.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Other than arguing with imaginary characters about how a book should be written?
I like to go to that place that serves very expensive manna in the form of coffee to write. the background noise helps me get into the zone. lol
I always plot on paper and write on the computer.
I tried to plot on the pc once, it did not go well, for anyone.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
sooo sooo many.
The main person that influenced me was Connie Suttle. I have been a huge fan of hers for years, and after stalking her, I mean following her on Facebook, we became real-world friends. Connie inspired me to take up the proverbial pen and write myself.

What are you working on now?
Right now I’m working on an Anthology for Realms and Rebels. Its called the Red Brotherhood and is an alternate world reverse harem. very hot!

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
facebook groups. I spend a lot of time promoing on them. Dont let anyone tell you differently, the majority of my time is advertising. I could write so many more books if I had to spend less time promoting them. lol

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write.
No matter how frustrated you become, or how down and out, just keep writing. You will get fed up, you will cry, you will have your ups and downs, but keep at it. Join groups, make friends in your genre. The author world is very small, and we are close-knit. We have a code, that we have each other back and help out when we can in our groups and genres.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Write every day. even if its rubbish and the words are not flowing, keep writing. The block will eventually go away and the gibberish will turn into something great. Writing is like a muscle, you have to use it to make it strong.

What are you reading now?
Royally Exposed. Its a Reverse Harem book by Catherine Banks

What’s next for you as a writer?
I have several books in the works, but I have to get the next Dia book out, or my readers may revolt. So that is at the very top of my to-do list.

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?
Now, that’s just mean. I’m going to break the rules here since I love to write in Reverse Harem and go with #whychose?

Author Websites and Profiles
JB Miller Website
JB Miller Amazon Profile

JB Miller’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Who am I? I think I’m still on a journey to figure that one out! I definitely never set out to be a writer; it just happened one day. One Friday morning I sat in front of a blank computer screen and by the end of the day, I’d written the first chapter of my debut book “Lerkus: A Journey to End All Suffering.” Twelve Fridays later, I had twelve chapters. Then the hard work began for the next twelve months – elaborating, revising, editing and deciphering what I had written. Writing is one of those rare treasures that makes me loose all sense of time.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
“Lerkus: A Journey to End All Suffering” – In the book’s dedication, I explain that I ended up writing the book that I always wanted to read, even though I prefer nonfiction. I guess my constant search for truth and meaning inspired it. Initially I sat down to write a short children’s story involving an odd character named Lerkus, who lived inside a young boy. However, when I began typing, a very different tale of Lerkus was transcribed – I’m so grateful this book can be shared.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I just open a new document and start typing and story eventually appears. The words fall into my head and I just type like crazy. Even if the words don’t make sense I keep typing them because I’ve learned too often that they are usually part of a twist or subplot that I don’t even know about yet. I love it!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Life is my biggest influence.

What are you working on now?
“The Zombie who Saw God” – it’s definitely not the typical Zombie book. I’ve never even watched a Zombie movie or read a Zombie book. And I avoid horror! But it’s a gripping yet beautiful tale that wanted to be told… again, there was no plot planning. So we’ll see how readers respond when it is released soon!

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Be true to myself. Be honest. Take action but surrender the outcome, otherwise it does my head in!

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write what you enjoy, not what is popular or what you think others will enjoy.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Stephen King’s advice is definitely the best ever: “An opening line should invite the reader to begin the story. It should say: Listen. Come in here. You want to know about this.” After hearing this, I read a few of his “killer opening lines”. Wow! After trying it with my current book, I can see how it not only instantly draws the reader in but it also radically improves plot structure.

What are you reading now?
“The Law of Karma” by Paramahamsa Prajnanananda.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Continuing to write regardless of the outcome.

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?
Each year I ask myself, “If I could only read 1 book for the rest of my life, what would it be?” And for many years now, the answer has not changed: “An Autobiography of a Yogi”. So I’d pack light and only take 1 book.

Author Websites and Profiles
L.A. Golding Website
L.A. Golding Amazon Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am married to my book cover artist, Jason M. Jones for nearly eighteen happy years. I have two fids (a feathered one named Priscilla and a fury one named Princess Polka-dot). As a child I was an avid reader of autobiographies and biographies, and still am. The library was my favorite place to visit, and still is. And I’m the author of ten novels, so far.
I’m a hyper sort with eclectic tastes and interests, and I have to learn how to do just about everything I discover; I even made my own paperback books by hand (library quality) many years ago, because I simply had to know how it was done. When I’m not writing I’m day-tripping, baking, decorating cakes, sewing, sketching, or working on my website (and making people giggle on FB). I’ve always wanted my own tiny bakery shop so I spend lots of time developing magnificent recipes for that eventuality, and I make gifts of the results because it makes me happy.
Periodically, I take on a job outside of writing to meet new and amazing people, get some regular exercise and keep my work skills up to par. An unexpected lesson I learned in retail management is the importance of breaks throughout the day. I’ve incorporated sporadic breaks in my writing day to do something completely different for a few minutes; something I was never a fan of doing before. As a result, I get more exercise and fresh air with my dog and the living pad is a lot more organized.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Never Caught. Never Free. is my latest book. It came to me as I sat in the parking lot of a local big box store watching the police respond to a bank robbery in the adjacent lot. It was clear that they had not arrived in time to catch the robber, and since we had some time to kill my husband and I watched the police do their work.
As we watched, we talked about the odds of the robber being caught and looked around at the many escape routes the guy or gal might have taken. We stared at the bank windows and watched people moving around inside the bank alongside several other people who’d pulled their cars alongside ours to see what was happening from a safe distance. Naturally, that led us to speculate that the robber might be in one of those vehicles so we agreed not to look directly at drivers as they pulled up and parked.
Time passed but I couldn’t get the scene we’d watched play out in front of us out of my head, so I decided to write a story about it offering my own version of what had happened that day at the bank, and how the robber had gotten away. Never Caught. Never Free. was the result.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m not sure if it’s terribly unusual, but I visualize the story I’m writing so it’s as if I am watching a movie no one else can see or hear. Fortunately I am a pretty fast typist because scenes seem to take on a life of their own and move forward at such a pace it’s no easy feat keeping up with it. Because this is my style I am always excited to hear what others think of my stories; they do not feel like I constructed them. I just let them happen and make a note of it. When I finish each story I research the places and time frames to see if the story hits its marks and am amazed and delighted to discover that they are amazingly plausible stories.
This style often leads people to assume that I am a psychic, which isn’t the case. Recently, a man told me he had figured out why I never drove a car (which isn’t true, by the way): he said he decided that I don’t drive because I see dead people and he can imagine that this would make it difficult to drive without wrecking. I was stunned speechless for a moment, then quickly corrected him that I do indeed drive; love it in fact; and that I do not see dead people everywhere I turn. Lucky for me!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom is an amazing book I read as a child and re-read many years later. This book was filled with such imagination stimulating material I couldn’t put it down. It was disturbing and inspiring.
The Redwall Series by Brian Jacques is my absolute favorite series to date. My mother-in-law introduced me to the series and my sweet husband made a point of buying me every book in the series while I was recovering from a massive sinus and double ear infection many years ago when we lived in Florida (my home state). This series was created to be read to blind children – how magnificent is that! – and it is so well done I was completely taken with the tale. I adore animals of all kinds and I’ve always imagined that they live a marvelously integrated society filled with intrigue. This series is not only a terrific read, it is inspiring in that it taps one’s inner confidence to wander and explore the world without trepidation.

What are you working on now?
This author interview, of course. Ha. Okay, I’m finishing up a sequel to Never Caught. Never Free. which may or may not turn into anything soon but it’s fun to write it anyway. I’m also working out some new recipes: I’ve discovered so many new and delicious treats lately I’ve become addicted to making them. One is a mini chocolate chip cookies – which qualifies in my book as a super breakfast of champions. Another is a fabulous bread stick that tops anything you’ll find in a restaurant – and I’m quite serious about this fact. They are so good and the recipe is so versatile I use it to make cinnamon buns, bread sticks and hamburger buns. I’ll post it on my website sooner or later so everyone can try them out.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I only sell through Amazon and I have really enjoyed their platform for both selling and advertising. I make regular use of their promo opportunities for each of my books to help create greater visibility for those readers who might enjoy my stories.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I do. Nearly everyone I meet tells me they’ve always wanted to write a book and I tell them “Please do!”. Follow through with your dream and write a book; just write it. Don’t worry about what will happen next; you can figure that out later.
Too often, I think, people get intimidated by the very thing they love – writing. They believe they cannot do it, they critique others who have, they doubt themselves and they don’t end up writing a thing. How sad.
One thing to keep in mind, if you want to write a book, is that there is no right or wrong way to do it. There is your way and other people’s way, just like everything else in life. You surely wouldn’t work at this place or that, in this role or that, based entirely upon what others were doing or thinking about doing, would you? Writing is no different so don’t treat it differently.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best piece of advise I’ve received was from the administrator of the US Copyright Office. I submitted a request to delay filing for my copyright on one of my books because I couldn’t afford to file at that moment. I received a letter from the administrator granting the delay and in it he stated that what I was doing as a writer was a contribution to my country’s documented history. He said I was contributing to society!
I’d never thought of sharing my stories as anything more than that, but this man put what writers do into an entirely different context. He made me realized that those books of mine in the public library, those registered copies at the US Copyright Office, are my contribution to my country’s history.

What are you reading now?
When I am working on a story I cannot read anything else for fear of cross-contamination, so at this moment I’m reading what I’m writing. And since I write what I want to read I’m sure I’ll like the story when it’s finished.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Several people have suggested that I write a children’s book that includes some of my silly artwork and I’m mulling that over. My husband and I have written one children’s book for one special person (my nephew). There is only that one copy and it was made with love especially for him. I love my silly artwork, but I’m not sure just how to apply it in a children’s book right now.

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?
Four blank-paged hard-bound books with pens secured in the binding.

Author Websites and Profiles
Amy K. Jones Website
Amy K. Jones Amazon Profile

Amy K. Jones’s Social Media Links
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
this is my first book published, I wrote a 6 chapter book for family after my wife and my son’s mom passed away when he was 10.That book has helped my son along with the videos I saved and made in a disk for his use as and when he needed it. I am a sports guy and entrepreneur.I quit my accounting job at 31 to be a full time risk taker,and have learned much and been successful now in 4 very different ventures,as I will never do the same business twice after i sell our of the current one.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
“step off the porch and start your own business’. I was told several times by my younger brother and a few guys on the hockey team and at the gym I should tell my story of how to step off the porch and begin your own business venture with all it speed bumps and success moments . It was time to write it,as I am close to finishing my 4th venture,my gold mine in Nevada.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not sure, wrote the book in 6 weeks from start to first edit, and worked on it each day after my mine business and before I went to the gym.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
too busy starting businesses to read much.

What are you working on now?
selling out my mine business, have page one of book two written, will get there some day.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
this one and my book URL, www.stepofftheporchandstartyourownbusiness.com

Do you have any advice for new authors?
not yet,as my book is fact based from 31 yrs of real business dealings in 4 ventures,from law suits to sales to marketing to accounting to negotiations and so on.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
my best success advice is this ,a Japanese proverb..”fall down seven times,stand up eight “,this is the simple truth for business success, what ever you do keep getting up when you fall of stumble.

What are you reading now?
n/a

What’s next for you as a writer?
book 2, What do we do when we know something is going to happen in the future ?

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
how to build a boat.

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a former Los Angeles Times staff writer who’s written two books and am working on a third. I also blog, write magazine articles and work as a radio broadcaster, specifically as reporter and weekend news anchor.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Nazis & Nudists is a memoir recalling my long journey through the American counterculture of the 1960s and ’70s to my own “green leafy space,” which turned out to be on a remote Philippine island in the arms of a dark-haired girl who, as I said in the dedication, “came from a small island to make my life large.” The book’s theme, really, is the universal search for a place to call home.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Much of the book was initially written in the wee hours of the night and morning on a cell phone.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I had a love affair with Henry Miller back in the day. I actually met him in a theater in Santa Monica once, back in the late 1970s shortly before his death. There have been many other influences, too numerous to list.

What are you working on now?
I’ve started blogging weekly for an online publication called Live In the Philippines Web Magazine, mostly written by and for expats in the Philippines. I expect my contributions to eventually become a book.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’ve tried almost everything I’ve heard of that doesn’t cost too much. Lots of websites have successfully promoted interest, though its hard to get people to actually shell out money for a book.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write every day, even when you don’t feel like it. Write about what you know. If it’s painful or troubling, it’s probably good. Eventually you will find your own voice in a special place you will be able to reach at will.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
See above.

What are you reading now?
Tend to read lots of history.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Relocating to the Philippines. Lots of blogging.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
As many of James Michener’s books as I could carry.

Author Websites and Profiles
David Haldane Website
David Haldane Amazon Profile

David Haldane’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have completed my graduate studies at the University of New York Tirana. It was during my studies there when my writing career started. My these got a distinguishing mark. My supervisor advised me to publish my work. Shortly after, my work was published by LAMBERT Academic Publishing. Later, was the publisher which urged me to continue writing by asking a book on the topic of an article I had published. Soon, my second book was published.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
“Acquisition of Word Formation Devices in First & Second Languages”. The book was ‘ordered’ by LAMBERT Academic Published.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I prefer to write short texts with the intention not to overstrain my readers. At the same time, I try to put all the information I want readers to know.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I can say, Jack London. Though, personally, I have been deeply influenced and taught by my supervisor Prof. Kostantinos Giakoumis who was the Deputy Rector of the University of New York Tirana at the time of my studies.

What are you working on now?
I am working on a new book titled “Religious Harmony”.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Me too am a new author, though, my advice would be to write about what they love most.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
My teacher said: when you write the essay, think how you are going to impress me.

What are you reading now?
Materials about religion and religi

ous harmony.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Of course, the fame, even if a modest ane.

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?
There are many and most of them are academic books whose title I can not really remember right now.

Author Websites and Profiles
Endri Shqerra Amazon Profile

Endri Shqerra’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Twitter Account