Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hi I am Souvik, I work as an HR in a recruitment firm. I love writing scifi stories and making scifi/fantasy art.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Heart of the pyramid is my first book. Jodorowski’s comic books and anime are my two greatest inspirations.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Stephen king, jrr tolkien, jrr martin, anne rice

What are you working on now?
Just taking a little break for now.

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

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
So far I have only published one book, the collection of short stories I discuss in the answer to the next question.
I could tell you about my literary education, theatrical experiences, and political activity, but probably the most notable thing I can mention is that I have the same name and birthday as a former US president. In fact, Bill Clinton changed his last name within one year of my birth. I have received more attention for that coincidence than anything I have written or any performance I have given or any political action I have taken. I’ve appeared on David Letterman’s Top Ten list, on CNN Talkback Live, on an Atlanta radio station, and on a Philadelphia television broadcast dropping the puck on President’s Day due to something over which I had no control or influence. Perhaps that is why I find anti-heroes interesting.
Regarding that other, less spectacular information, I did receive a writing award at graduation from high school, studied literature and creative writing in college, became involved with a semi-professional repertory theater company in the Philadelphia area for a few years after college and achieved some modest success with a sketch comedy troupe I formed with three friends from that company before moving to the Atlanta area for a decade. I became more involved with party politics while in Dixie, continued that activity when I moved back to the Philadelphia area, and soon held local elected office in Pennsburg, Pennsylvania for two terms. This last resulted from someone passing out a piece of paper at the primary asking voters to write me in for a seat on borough council. When I arrived at the polls, he handed me the paper and said, “I hope you don’t mind, boss.” Again, perhaps why I like anti-heroes.
I also have a wonderful family, which is no fault of my own.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest, and so far only, book is “Two Pairs of Shorts,” a collection of four short stories which is organized by tone from light to dark. The stories are not related to each other in any other way. As one might expect, each of the stories was inspired by something different.
“Respectfully Submitted,” the first story of the quartet, uses the format of meeting minutes to expose an undercurrent of conflicting personalities and agendas in a routine church board meeting. I like playing with different writing formats. I have been an officer (from Secretary to President) on several boards, including church boards, political boards, and elected municipal boards, and enlivening the dry, stodgy format of meeting minutes to tell a story struck me as fun.
“Operation Eagle Eye” sprang from the second Persian Gulf War with Iraq. The oft-used metaphor of how one would react to international events as expressed in local terms (“if someone attacked your house, what would you do?”), coupled with my experience attending a meeting to discuss the formation of a neighborhood watch in the outer Atlanta suburbs culminated in the tale of vandalized mailboxes in the Eagle’s Nest subdivision.
“Wintergreen” is the oldest story in the collection. I started it one day when I was bored at work and found myself seated at one of the few word processors that my department shared. It started, really, with a typographical error that became the protagonist’s name, and developed into a melancholy reflection of a young man’s disappointments.
Finally, “Make Lemonade” resulted from my request for a prompt from a co-worker, and reflects the situation of a rural woman in the early days of the 20th century.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Are there usual writing habits?

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Many. I would name Kurt Vonnegut as one of the top, particularly with “Slaughterhouse Five” and “Cat’s Cradle.” I love Douglas Adams quirky and outrageous sense of humor and wordplay in his “Hitchhiker’s Guide” series. “Candide” by Voltaire and “Jacques the Fatalist” by Diderot are among my favorites from the Enlightenment period. Albert Camus’ “The Fall” and more especially, “The Plague” are high on my list, and “No Exit” by Sartre is one of my favorite existential plays. I know I am going to miss some important books and authors – a good number have stuck themselves into my consciousness.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on finding an agent, or failing that, a workable publishing avenue for a novel titled “Dead Certain.” Patrick Casey, a Philadelphia patrolman who is on bereavement leave due to the death of his wife, is informed by the captain that his closest coworker has been murdered. The first-person narrative tells Casey’s story through his accounts of working with his murdered friend, his working-class upbringing in a dysfunctional family, and his sometimes strained relationship with his late wife, intermingled with his attempts to keep tabs on the investigation’s progress despite the detectives’ attempts to keep the details to themselves.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
If I ever find success when promoting my books, I’ll let you know.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Keep going.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“No matter what anyone says – even if your own mother says she doesn’t like your writing – keep writing.”
Incidentally, my own mother has said she doesn’t like my stories (although she does admit that I write very well).

What are you reading now?
I am always reading several books at the same time. Currently I am reading “Vanity Fair” by William Makepiece Thackery, “You Must Remember This” by Joyce Carol Oates, and “This Side of Paradise” by F. Scott Fitzgerald. I have recently finished “Barn Again: A Memoir,” which is a rather picaresque satiric novel by Alan Good. I also dip into a complete collection of Sherlocks Holmes stories and novels by Arthur Conan Doyle, a complete collection of Edgar Allen Poe’s stories, novels, and poems, a collection of Mark Twain’s stories, novels, and essays, a complete collection of H.P. Lovecraft, and “The Iliad and the Odyssey” by Homer. I’ve got “The Sympathizer” by Viet Thanh Nguyen on my soon to read list.

What’s next for you as a writer?
More on “Dead Certain,” I’m sure. More short stories. A short story of mine, “Distractions Might Cause Accidents,” will be appearing in October’s edition of the Bethlehem Writers Roundtable.

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, The Complete Works of Shakespeare, and Remembrance of Things Past. I would need books with the most pages to keep the signal fire going for my rescue.

Author Websites and Profiles
WC Clinton Website
WC Clinton Amazon Profile

WC Clinton’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I live in the intermountain west of the United States with my wife and children. In addition to being an author, I am a musician–I write and record music in addition to playing live on a fairly regular basis. You can hear some of my music on my website if you are interested.

I have written the first two books of my epic fantasy series (The Lemurian Chronicles). Book One is called Children of the Blessing and it is currently available on Amazon. Book Two is called Chaos Rising and it is currently in the editing phase and scheduled to be released by the end of 2018 or early 2019. I have also written a Novella called Renn and the Bounty Hunters. It is a spin-off from the epic series and you can either purchase it on Amazon or get a free copy by subscribing to my newsletter on my website at www.perrymorris.net.

My hobbies include skiing, football, reading, playing music, dancing, hanging out with my wife, kids and grandkids.

Thanks for taking time to read this. I hope you enjoy my stories and music.

Perry

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My most recent published book is Children of the Blessing and when I was twenty-six I had a brother-in-law say to me: “I’m going to write a book”. I thought that was amazing and would be a lot of fun, so I decided to write a book. My brother-in-law didn’t get past a few chapters, but I continued for years (decades to be exact) to work on my writing and stories until I finally felt comfortable publishing my epic fantasy series.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t think so. I do have spreadsheet databases to help me keep straight all of my characters, governments, histories, monetary systems, etc..

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Of course J.R.R Tolkien is the author that first opened my mind to the amazing world of fantasy. After that I was inspired by: Terry Brooks, Patricia McKillap, Ann McCaffery, David Eddings, Raymond Feist, Terry Goodkind, and most recently Brandon Sanderson.

What are you working on now?
Audio version of Children of the Blessing and the final editing of Chaos Rising (book II of The Lemurian Chronicles).

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I have about 1400 people on my newsletter subscription and they are the most responsive to my “calls to action”

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

Also, start working on your “brand.” Build an online following as well as a mailing list while you are writing. Once you are ready to publish, whether indie or with a publishing house, that online presence and mailing list will really make a difference in book sales.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Treat others the way you want to be treated.

What are you reading now?
I just finished “City of Shards” by Steve Rodgers. I am about to start reading “Eloy’s Discovery” by Kara Timmins.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Once Chaos Rising is published I will focus on book III of the Lemurian Chronicles. I have plans for five books in this series (although it may end up taking 6 – 7), and then I will write a couple prequels and several sequels. I also have 3 or 4 other single book fantasy novels that I will write in between the longer series’s.

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?
Stormlight Archive (Brandon Sanderson)
Belgariad & Malorean (David Eddings)

That’s 13 books and counting because Brandon isn’t finished with the Starlight Archive yet.

Author Websites and Profiles
Perry Morris Website
Perry Morris Amazon Profile

Perry Morris’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a passionate writer, teacher and mom. Cancer Can’t Crush Us is my 2nd book and I am excited for it to get out to people who are also going through cancer and hard times.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Cancer Can’t Crush Us- A Journey Through Strength, Faith and Love
This story is inspired by my husband’s battle with cancer. As newlyweds in our mid-twenties we went through our first battle with cancer. It was very difficult, and all happened within the first year of marriage. 13.5 years later the cancer came back. I wrote this book to show people how we are getting through this. We are drawing strength through God and our faith. I want others to know that they too can survive the storms of life.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
No, not that I can think of

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The Bible
Crash the Chatterbox- Steven Furtick
Ruthless- Bo Stern
Uninvited- Lysa TerKeurst
Manna- Steve Farrar

What are you working on now?
I am doing several freelance writing jobs and writing blogs. I am looking to start writing for magazines.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I am just starting out but I am excited about being in the KDP select program and choosing days for my book to be free and promoting it that way.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Speak in your won voice. Be your true authentic voice. Be passionate and do not worry about what people think of you and your writing. You were given a gift.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
If God allowed it then I can accept it.

What are you reading now?
Girl Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis

What’s next for you as a writer?
I would like to write more books about cancer and trials.

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
Beautiful Battlefield by Bo Stern
Wait and See- Wendy Pope
Sun Stand Still by Steven Furtick

Author Websites and Profiles
Michelle Bader Website
Michelle Bader Amazon Profile

Michelle Bader’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I just published my first book and it’s a #1 New Release on Amazon!

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
It’s called “Homeschooling: You CAN Do It! Eliminate self-doubt and get the clarity, confidence, and skills you need to successfully teach your children from home.”
I was inspired to write it after meeting and talking with many people, women in particular, who were dissatisfied with their child’s education in the government schools, but who doubted their ability to teach their child well. I know from personal experience that you don’t need to have a teaching degree in order to successfully teach your children! I share my personal story, lead the reader through the decision-making process, help them achieve goal for each of their children, provide valuable resources, and much more!

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I love drinking a cup of strong English tea while I write. I never knew I liked tea until I lived in England

What authors, or books have influenced you?
So many to name but here’s a few” C.S. Lewis, Beth Moore, Dannah Gresh, Tolkien, Milton, etc.

What are you working on now?
I just launched the book so I’m currently working on marketing the book and prepping talks for speaking opportunities.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Just figuring it out, so I don’t know that I have a best method yet…

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Since I’m a new author myself, I’m not sure I have much to contribute other than to say if you haven’t yet finished your book, and perhaps you are thinking you’ll never get it done, take one day at a time and work at it. It will get done!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
True wisdom comes from knowing God.

What are you reading now?
Glory in the Ordinary by Courtney Reissig

What’s next for you as a writer?
I have a few other book ideas but for now I’m focusing on getting the business side of my book up and running.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
The Bible, a survival guide, and my journal (if that counts!)

Author Websites and Profiles
Kirsten Mcternan Website
Kirsten Mcternan Amazon Profile

Kirsten Mcternan’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
In four separate divisions of the Arts and Entertainment industry do I contribute creatively: music, movies, art, and literature. In the music industry, I serve as a multi-genre songwriter; in the motion picture industry, I contribute as a casting director and film production assistant; in the art world, I moonlight as a professional art model; and in the field of literature, I produce the written word by way of professional book reviews and through works of nonfiction. Reviews by Cat Ellington: The Complete Anthology, Vol. 1 is my very first release.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Reviews by Cat Ellington: The Complete Anthology, Vol. 1. In the context of its main title, Reviews by Cat Ellington was inspired by the original WordPress weblog of the same name. Now defunct, the online journal had been home to the hundreds of literary examinations that will now feature in the Complete Anthology series.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Yes, I tend to write in title case, a habit of mine that most people would consider to be quite unusual. Such a style of writing has been all I’ve known for over thirty years, what considering that I’m a songwriter. Because of that craft, I have, for far too long, been in the habit of writing in titles. However, I strive to control the “supposedly annoying” habit in the literary branch of my career—composing only in sentence case.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Roger Ebert, Stephen King (my Maine man), Iceberg Slim, John Grisham, Carl Hiaasen, and Jackie Collins. Ebert inspires me in the review writing process, King inspires me in the classic suspense process, Slim inspires me in the unfiltered process, Hiaasen inspires me in the humor process, and Collins inspires me in the contemporary layout process.

What are you working on now?
Reviews by Cat Ellington: The Complete Anthology, Vol. 2, and The Making of Dual Mania: Filmmaking Chicago Style, which I am co-authoring with Joseph Strickland and B.J. Patterson.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
The Boutique Domain (my award-winning official website), and The Review Period with Cat Ellington, a new blog that I established in the wake of the old weblog’s departure. My literary works have been graced with their very own pages at each location. And my public is made aware of their availability via said locations. Those external sites through which members of the general public can be made privy to my written works of literature include Goodreads, LibraryThing, BookLikes, etc.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Oh, absolutely. First, there is no such thing as “writer’s block,” that’s just a code term for anxiety. Sit down, brew a pot of coffee or a cup of tea, relax, clear your mind, meditate for a minute or two, and the words will come. Writers write. That’s why they’re called writers. The gift is already in them. They just need to guard their minds against all forms of anxiety. Second, don’t withdraw your true nature, let it run free. Sometimes, we as writers are so busy trying to be perfect, to get the words just right, that we trip ourselves up. There is absolutely no need for that. Let the Spirit guide you and before you know it, your tale—regardless of its genre—will be told. Let the Spirit guide you, always, in the creative process. And you’ll do fine.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
(Laughs) Oh, Lord, where do I start? Well, over the span of my creative life, I have been the grateful recipient of some very wise advice from any number of people, including relatives, educators, friends, strangers, and fellow creatives alike. But perhaps the best advice that I’ve been blessed to receive was that pertaining to maintaining creative control. No one creative artist wants someone else controlling his or her vision—at least not where I come from, which is the creative avenue of independence. Men and women in the creative arts should be free to express themselves, creatively, without interference from those who are without honor where having talent is concerned. An artist should be allowed to create his or her art without any fear of offending someone else—especially not someone else devoid of talent and creativity. It is not my intention to sound like an Arts and Entertainment industry elitist here, but the truth must be spoken.

What are you reading now?
A lot of thrillers, horror, urban fiction, erotica, and some cozy mysteries—but not all at the same time, of course. The singular novel that I am currently reading is J159 by Renee Logan.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Reviews by Cat Ellington: The Complete Anthology, Vol. 3.

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?
Uncollected Stories by Stephen King; God Don’t Like Haters by Jordan Belcher; Sick Puppy by Carl Hiaasen; and The Broker by John Grisham.

Author Websites and Profiles
Cat Ellington Website
Cat Ellington Amazon Profile
Cat Ellington Author Profile on Smashwords

Cat Ellington’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am mainly an interracial romance writer being a huge fan of the interracial space long before it was ‘a thing’. I am also in an interracial relationship, married (BWWM) to my hubby for 8 years and we have the cutest, curly-haired three-year-old daughter hoping for another one soon!

When I’m not writing I enjoy watching interracial family vlogs, caring for my zoo of animals (hermit crabs, cats, dogs, etc.), traveling and spending copious amounts of time with my daughter and hubby.

I’m not a big TV watcher but my favorite movies are ‘Guess Who’ (the one with Bernie Mac) and Avatar. Can you guess who my favorite actress is? Hint: She’s in both of these movies! Haha!

If you like steamy stories that always have a happy ending, my books are for you and don’t forget to leave a review so I know how much you enjoyed them!

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is ‘In My Crosshairs’. It was inspired one day when I was reading an article about snipers. I realized how much they sacrifice their own peace of mind and lives to go through the rigorous training. I am thankful for each sniper who sacrifices themselves to keep us safe and this is a wish that all find true love and happiness.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
lol, well I’m not sure what normal writing habits are so I’m not sure if I have any unusual writing habits. I get inspiration from almost everything around me even things not related to romance and love like a fish tank or my cats. I guess I’m weird in that sense. My inspirations can be quite abstract and far out yet my stories are quite normal.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I read a book by Zane that sparked my creativity. I never even finished the book but it just lit something in me and made me want to write books like it.

What are you working on now?
Right now I’m working on my next book where a cruise sinks and two people who hated each other have to work together to survive and end up becoming more than friends. wink wink.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m not sure. I’m pretty new to this. I’m more familiar with SEO type of stuff.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t be money blind. Whether your book sells one or a million copies, you’re gaining so much more than money can buy you and you will be respected by your peers by just having publications.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
If you believe you can you will. If you believe you can’t you won’t.

What are you reading now?
Paying Daddy’s Debt by Alexa Riley & Seoul Food Korean Cookbook by Naomi Imatome

What’s next for you as a writer?
Increasing the number of books I have 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?
The Help, You Are A Badass and probably a book about pickles (not the kind you eat either, lol!) or something kinky like that.

Author Websites and Profiles
Dashuri Watson Website
Dashuri Watson Amazon Profile

Dashuri Watson’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am homeschool graduate, earning her high school diploma from Penn Foster High School. I also have an Associates in Business Administration from the University of Phoenix. I am an independent consultant, instructional designer/videographer, artist, musician and music producer. Just recently, I produce a cd album for my brother John Hopkins called Forever Christmas and currently working on a new album with him as well as my own.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The name of my latest book is Run Cassie Run. It’s about a young woman who’s kidnapped and forced into sex trafficking and her struggles on getting away from the man who abducted her. The concept for this story came maybe in 2013 or 2014. What inspired it was Law and Order Special Victims Unit. I am a huge fan of the show and Mariska Hargitay. The writing is outstanding the actors are superb and is just all around a great show.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Well, not really. But I have to take that back I used to write the endings to all my stories. I didn’t have the middle or beginning it was always the endings first. (LOL)

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The authors that influenced me was Stephanie Meyer, James Patterson, Danielle Steel, J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis.

What are you working on now?
Currently, I am working on updating Eden’s Secrets which is the first book I published, The House of Murder and Demon Hunter Lost Memories. Each of these books are going to be part of a series so I am updating them and adding new scenes. The names will be different also with new book covers. The stories will remain the same but be different.

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

Indie author news

Pretty hot books

Do you have any advice for new authors?
My advice to new authors is find out what inspires you. Read a lot of books to expand your imagination. And most importantly never give up, keep trying and keep writing. Stay encouraged.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best advice I’ve ever heard was from my mother and father, they told me to never give up, keep going. They also said for the race is not given to the swift nor the battle to the strong, but he that endures to the end shall receive a crown.

What are you reading now?
Currently searching for new books to read.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Well, I plan on releasing two more books this year along with the ones that I am updating.

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 Twilight Saga

Author Websites and Profiles
Hope Hopkins Website
Hope Hopkins Amazon Profile
Hope Hopkins Author Profile on Smashwords

Hope Hopkins’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I was born, raised, and live in California. The Blue Barricade is the first part of a planned series, and I have another one planned after that. When I’m not writing, I’m cycling in 100-degree heat (Fahrenheit), or gaming.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Blue Barricade came to me about four or five years ago when I thought about the word “AI,” and how interesting it’d be if it meant something besides Artificial Intelligence. I decided on Aggressive Intellectuals and wrote the rest of the story from there.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Thanks to something about my brain, whether it be my OCD or ADHD, I tend to write one sentence, and then open a new tab on my laptop and look up stuff that has nothing to do with writing. It’s very annoying, but I’ve finished about 4 first drafts in a year or two, so I guess it could be worse.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Are you ready? This one’s a shocker. You’ve never heard this before…HARRY POTTER. That’s right, I’m the first and only person to like Harry Potter. Seriously though, when I was in a bad spot, those books were there for me. They fanned my flame, and I’m grateful for that. Percy Jackson is fantastic too. The humor in my writing is directly inspired by those books.

What are you working on now?
The Blue Barricade’s sequel, and soon, the sequel to that sequel. I’m also planning the series I’ll write after The Explorer is done (the name of The Blue Barricade’s series).

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Telling my parents that I’m selling a book so they can immediately brag to all their friends. I also really like Twitter.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write as much as you can, because it only gets easier with time. If you get stuck, tell yourself that you’ll fix it in editing, and move on.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Write every day. It’s pretty good considering that it’s the only way to finish a book before you die. Have you ever tried finishing one of those things? It’s impossible I tell ya.

What are you reading now?
Obsidio, which is part of The Illuminae Files, and Hunt (Freya Snow Book 1).

What’s next for you as a writer?
Writing more books, and promoting The Blue Barricade.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, The Lightning Thief, and Illuminae. Plus my own book, The Blue Barricade, so that I may be buried with it.

Author Websites and Profiles
Kesten Harris Website
Kesten Harris Amazon Profile

Kesten Harris’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
After spending most of my life as a scholar and a performer, I finally decided to record my ideas and experiences in books. I have written 5 books in different genres, to date.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is Walker: or, What Happened to the Tail of an American Indian in Tucson. It was inspired by bumping into an old friend from “back in the day” and all the unbelievable things that we managed to survive. The only way I could write them down was as a satire. Sometimes life is so unbelievable it has to be true, because you just couldn’t make this stuff up.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I bounce back and forth between “person” and tend to write the way people tell stories in person instead of as a narrator. I don’t follow standard punctuation, I still spell in British English, and I write in dialect.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Tanith Lee, Neil Gaiman, Edgar Allen Poe, Emily Dickenson, Truman Capote and Norman Mailer.

What are you working on now?
I am finishing the first volume of an ongoing series with my publisher called “Mojo Rising: The Saga of Trio De Dio,” which is another satire about a zombie apocalypse from an indigenous perspective.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Friesen Press and twitter

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Yes, don’t worry about starting or ending just jump in that canoe and start paddling. The story will take you where it wants to go.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“Just do it,” from Dennis Maguire, the first AD on Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark.

What are you reading now?
“They Asked Me to Come Alone,” about a journalist covering ISIS.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m going to finish three more books and act as an editor for the second book of the Mojo Rising series, “Lost Lenores.”

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 Bhagavad-Gita, The Tao te Ching, and Pippi Long-stocking.

Author Websites and Profiles
Lourdes Curacao Website
Lourdes Curacao Amazon Profile

Lourdes Curacao’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am the author of Infinite Possibilities – Unlock your real potential with the secret recipes of superachievers and a lead author of Breakthrough – Secrets of growth, happiness and bouncebacks from women around the world. I have also published an ebook titled 77 Thoughts to Kickstart Your Day When You are Feeling Down (you can download that at www.asmanyminds.com/kickstart-your-day).

I am passionate about innovation and growth mindset. I am the CEO of As Many Minds, Chairperson of International Youth Leadership and Innovation Forum (IYLIF) and the Co-founder of Her Own Voice. I provide consulting service on Design Thinking, helping organisations find the next wave in innovation. I speak internationally on innovation, mindset and education. Also, I coach people to develop their innovative mindset to reach out for their dreams, goals and next big things in their lives. I hold a degree in Computer Science and Engineering and MBAs from NUS Business School and UCLA Anderson School of Management.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is Infinite Possibilities: Unlock your real potential with the secret recipes of superachievers.

Throughout my professional life, I have been helping organisations (corporates and educational institutions) to innovate themselves with technology, processes and solutions.
In some organisations innovations work exceptionally well, in some it does not at all. The fundamental reason for failures in innovation has less to do with budget. And, it had everything to do with people’s mindset. The ability to take risk, learn from failures, ability to find the process behind success, motivating people for the right reason and so on. If people knows about, it would make huge difference in their professional and personal lives.

What prompted me to study, practice, speak, coach and write about mindset and its impact on our performance was my strong desire to help myself and the people around me with the formula to unleash our innate potential.

What prompted me to write this book was a desire to present you with real-life examples as proof and inspiration so that you too can achieve massive success in your pursuits. Moreover, I wanted to provide you with the “how-to” to help you develop a growth mindset in your life. For this book, I focused on writing in simple language so that even a child can read it with the same excitement as an adult reader.

Innovation does not start with an invention, it starts with a mindset. It is impossible to cultivate an innovative mindset without a growth mindset. My involvement in education reform, I have learned that having the right mindset is something that every adult and child should focus on in the present business climate of change being the only constant.

Whether you are a professional, educator, student or a parent, I am sure you will find something for you in this book. I hope this book will help you to discover your infinite possibilities and leap towards your dreams and goals.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Until I come across something really passionate to write about, my hands refuse to write anything. I go through my share of imposter syndrome from time to time. But, I have accepted it as part of the process. During those times of self-doubt, I tell myself that “You are not writing to get the label of a ‘writer’. You are writing to share your message. That message could make a difference in some people’s lives.”

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Malcom Gladwell has inspired me tremendously. His ability to tell stories to make any dry subject entertaining and easy to follow is something that draws me to his books.

What are you working on now?
International Youth Leadership and Innovation Forum (IYLIF 2018), which is on 23rd and 24th Sep 2018. We will have students, educators and experts from all over the world coming over to Singapore to attend that conference. As the Chairperson of IYLIF, I am busy preparing for that.
I am also working on two other book projects now.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I am active on LinkedIn and Facebook, where I share topics related to my books.
I also reach out to my followers through emails.
I have found www.awesomegang.com to be a great platform to promote books.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
1. If you have learned something new about a topic, it is possible that there are people yet to learn about it. Never doubt yourself, have confidence to write about it.
2. Your ultimate aim for writing should be to share your message, not to become a writer.
3. Writing is a skill. Like every other skill, you can learn it. The more you do it, the better you get at it.
4. Speak about the topic of your book. If needed, learn pubic speaking to speak effectively.
5. Just start writing. Don’t wait for the perfect time, perfect language or the perfect opening lines.
You will do great.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I never had an ambition to become a writer. One day, someone told me, you have got many books lying inside your speeches, case studies, consulting life, coaching life and blogs. That helped me to look at my life with a different set of glasses.

What are you reading now?
Mastering Leadership The Mousetrap Way by Manoj Vasudevan

What’s next for you as a writer?
I started working on a book on innovation four years back. I worked on it for two years. Along the way, other books, Breakthrough and Infinite Possibilities, took precedence. Now, it is the time to restart it.

I am also in discussion with another author about another book on innovation.

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 Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
A brief history of time by Stephen Hawking
The greatest salesman by Og Mandino
Mastering Leadership The Mousetrap Way by Manoj Vasudevan

Author Websites and Profiles
Sindu Sreebhavan Website
Sindu Sreebhavan Amazon Profile

Sindu Sreebhavan’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
It’s funny, being an author dictates the ability to converse using the written word. However, ask an author to tell you about themselves and the words seem to vanish. To date, I have written and self-published ten novels. With at least that many again swimming around in my head waiting for their allotted time slot to surface and be written. I am a weird little Australian writer with characters in her head that won’t be quiet. I have a heart that loves all things paranormal. Mix that with my natural ability to make people laugh and you have my books in essence.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Depth – This is the second installment of the Apalala Clan series. This series is about five handsome dragon shifters. They are the sons of the king and in being part of the royal family, they are entrusted with the safety and security of the entire clan. Depth centers around Attor, the second oldest son. The clan got relocated when their home was destroyed in an epic battle. (see bk 1 Immersion) Attor’s concerns with the clan’s safety threaten to put a wedge between the brothers. Can love bring them together? Or will it drive them further apart?

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I like my music very loud. I always have ear buds in and so loud they drown out the world and let the voices bubble to the surface. I rarely know what I have written until I go back and reread it. I have no plans, or plotting involved. The story plays out like a movie in my head, and I simply write what they show me.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
All authors inspire me for doing what they do. Writing a book and putting it out for public judgement is very difficult. Self-doubt is a shadow that haunts every writers mind. Authors like Nina Bangs, Lynsey Sands, Dakota Cassidy, J.R.Ward and P.C.Cast are some of the few that have inspired me to do what I do.

What are you working on now?
F#CKED IF I KNOW – This title and cover was made a joke in my street team one day. That night the story entered my dreams and hijacked my thoughts. It’s the way it happens for me most times. This is a story about a young woman born in to an extremely wealthy family. On the announcement of her arranged marriage she decides to run away rather than spend another day under the weighty thumb of her powerful father. When she finds a circus flyer on her way to the train station, she realizes it would be the perfect place to hide out. her family would never think to look for her amongst the circus freaks.
This story is full of lies, deception and a belly full of laughs. Nothing is as it seems, especially when a handsome reporter starts to dig too deep for her comfort.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Right now I’m using www.iflowcreative.net – we’ll see how it works out.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
This is a hard business. Ask for help, listen to others, and do what’s right for your books. If you want to be taken seriously, create a professional look. After all, no one knows your books better then you.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Stay true to the words in your soul.

What are you reading now?
I am currently reading ‘Cowsex’ by the talented Lesley Jones. Don’t let the name fool you, it’s a fantastic romantic comedy.

What’s next for you as a writer?
More writing hopefully. I have the last in the Halfway House Series being released shortly. ‘Rumor’ will be a book that will break my fans in the best way possible. I have so many tales to tell yet, including a fantastic series about the Reaper.

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?
Twilight by Stephanie Meyers, what can I say? #TeamEdward all the way.

Sookie Stackhouse Series by Charlaine Harris. Oh Eric Northman, you can bite me anytime.

The BlackDagger Brotherhood by J.R.Ward. Zsadist is mine, you hear it? Hands off, that sexy vamp is all mine.

Author Websites and Profiles
Dzintra Sullivan Website
Dzintra Sullivan Amazon Profile

Dzintra Sullivan’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a total nerd. Obsessed with Marvel, Harry Potter, Doctor Who, Star Wars, D.C, the list goes on. However, I also play soccer. I like to bake brownies and attempt to make the perfect chocolate chip cookie (still searching). Sometimes I play the trombone, other times I act in plays. I am interested in a lot of things. Like, a lot. But writing holds a special place in my heart. Through it I can propagate my love of reading and, hopefully, spread some great stories along the way. So far I have written one book, Two Lies and a Diamond.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Two Lies and a Diamond is a contemporary YA novel with a twist of the fantastical in it. Reading this book involves suspending your disbelief to some extent because the characters perform amazing feats of bravery, intelligence, and foolishness all within the first chapter. I was inspired to write it by the blog post I read a few years ago that said “what would your eight-year-old self be sad that you weren’t doing today?” for me, that was writing.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I like to write one chapter at a time. When I’m making the first draft of a book, I read the previous chapter I wrote, correct small mistakes, and then write the next one. This takes HOURS. I am not exaggerating at all when I say I have stayed up till two in the morning just writing.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
J.K. Rowling is a big one (nerd, remember), but I also quite like the style of Margaret Atwood and Lewis Carol.

What are you working on now?
I am currently working on a fantasy book with reversed gender roles. I took a more organized approach to planning the plot for this book than I did the last, and have every I could possibly need to know laid out in this huge white binder. I have a feeling the appendix will be more than several pages long. For more updates on my current projects, see my website.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I quite like having my own website. It gives me the space to express myself and promote my work (which I struggle with at the best of times).

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Find a mentor. This can be an English teacher, author, or friend but find somebody who is able to look over your work with a critical eye without breaking your heart. For me, this has always been my Grandmother who is an excellent poet full of sage advise.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Use less adverbs.

What are you reading now?
I just finished Woman at the Edge of Time, a truly amazing novel. The flow of narration was simply gorgeous.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Just, continue writing. Authors tend to get swept up in all the extra things – design a book cover, submit to a competition, etc. Me, I want to fill an entire bookshelf with my work someday.

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?
True Meaning of Smeck Day, Mysterious Benedict Society, HUSH (Batman Graphic Novel and best comic book of all time), and the completed works of J.K. Rowling. I know the last one was kind of a wish-for-more-wishes situation, but I’m totally not remorseful.

Author Websites and Profiles
Hazel Kevlihan Website

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a global nomad who works as a business professional and spiritualist in one. My mission is to improve the lives of people by helping them actualize their worth in the boardroom, on the playground and life. I’ve produced shows focusing on self-development and business, including setting up platforms where people can showcase their talents through integrating storytelling and education. As an author of two books, the latest “Departures: Smart Packing, of Life’s Essentials, for On-Time Arrivals” focuses on a few realities of life that we carry with us as we navigate through the journey of life. The first book, “Kashing Karma” focused on reaping what one sows in life. The energy of giving and receiving allows new opportunities to prosper in our paths. The theme of the book offers individuals and businesses tips on seeking jobs, including investments, in their path. The genre of the first book was business, economics and professional development.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
“Departures: Smart Packing, of Life’s Essentials, for On-Time Arrivals” touches upon the sensitivities of balancing the awkward moments in the realm of communication, relationships, career, death and more. The concept of Departures challenges man to know when to reinvent himself, deviate from societal norms and when to truly walk away from a cause. This reality challenges people to engage in introspection to extract answers that many expect society to deliver but can’t because society is mirroring the tenets of globalization leading to higher expectation among the populous. We’re encouraged to take a step back, reflect and dig deep into few variables that create the confusion, per se ‘noise’ in the world, which prevents people from having meaning relationships and individual success (e.g.). I was inspired to write this book from personal experiences because my lifestyle exemplifies the idea of ‘departures’ on many levels derived from how I’ve navigated through my relationships, career opportunities and standing up for myself in scenarios where the easier choice was to shut up & quietly walk away. My mama didn’t raise no fool.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I need to have at least one cup of hot black tea or a non-fat cappuccino running through my system to get ideas flowing. I have an affinity for conceptualizing my writings by engaging in journaling, or drawing out concepts in those engineering blueprint pads. I’m weird, I know. I love using black and blue pilot pens for the process, having the right pen makes a huge difference. Many people rely on the computer to start typing their material right away, yet I derive more satisfaction using the mindful energy to write freehand before I type up an outline. One the outline is done, I adhere to a projected timeline to write (via typing) a little every couple days. I’ve learned not to waste time if I’m sitting at my desk for fifteen minutes without any desire to write. I move on to my next task or walk out for fresh air to clear the writer’s block.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
While growing up I was always in awe of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s ‘Great Gatsby’. As a practicing artist in my earlier years, his vivid writings always crafted wonderful illusions in my mind that allowed me to produce work for art shows in North America that exhibited a fine balance of words & one’s imagination coming together for storytelling. The ‘Great Gatsby’ resonates with readers for different reasons. To this day, I can recall the metaphor of the green light that embodies a dynamic mold of ideologies in the voyeur’s mind.
As for other authors who have influenced me, there are a handful that I cross paths with due to some of my work on global platforms. Every author and writer is unique in their technique for communicating their story. Each of them have taught me a little about life as well how to become a better writer in the process. I use to be a great writer but like riding a bike, one needs to practice everyday to maintain their craft. I’ve decided to get back on the bike and continue riding so I’m able to embrace destinations that I can report on from different part of the world. The best advice I’ve received is, “there are no great writers, there are great re-writers.” Regardless of how many drafts we produce, most writers know they can always go back and tune up their work a bit. Writing is a humbling process because an idea can be interpreted in so many ways allowing people to approach topics from their personal experiences, observation and other works.

What are you working on now?
I’m participating in a limited edition launch of “Departures”, before it makes a grand appearances on a broader platform in the next two months. There will be a third book out in due time which is already in the words for 2019. I’ve noticed while writing one book, the inner child in me is already conceptualizing the next piece of work. Between balancing my portfolio of business commitments, travel, speaking engagements and introducing “Departures” to the world, I’m busy for a bit.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m learning as I go from other authors. Some of my promoting is done through my platform and personal website, speaking engagements and leads that I’ve come across such as your site (thanks Awesome Gang). There are platforms from B&N, Books a Million and online retailers that also offer opportunities to connect with other authors. I’m a student of life, publishing is an arena that I’m learning day by day. My sources come through publishing houses, literary agents, online sites and everyday people sharing their experiences. Ask me this question in the next two years, I’ll have better insights to share the do’s and don’ts of promoting one’s work.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Everyone has to start from somewhere. It doesn’t matter if one’s writing an essay, a poem or a book. Find your message, be passionate about it and be comfortable refining it in the process as you grow. You’ll find inspiration and techniques that boosts your creativity; as well you’ll find things that distract you from conveying your message. Be positive, leave flexibility for all types of feedback (if you request it) and don’t change your message because you think others know you better than yourself. Make time your ally, it’s your strength in creating work that can remain timeless. Focus on the message and less on the glory that it can garner. Remember you’re not a one hit wonder, you’re planning to stay a while so get comfortable and dirty with your writing process.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Writing can be inspired from any everyday matter in life. The best writers are re-writers. I derive immense satisfaction from re-writing my drafts to the point I’m intrigued by the amount of patience I’ve exercised from conceptualization to launch. And no, I’m never satisfied with the final copy that makes it to the masses. I feel a writer needs to leave a little room for entertaining an open discussion with how audiences perceive your work. Thoughts and feelings go hand in hand, it’s all subject to interpretation. I’m not selling the idea of perfection to society.

Another piece of advice that I must share was given to me by a well known global speaker, “Make sure to know whether you’re a speaker that writers, or a writer that speaks”. I’ve learned through my journey in the past few years that I’m a speaker that writes (I’m pretty sure my answer will remain the same years from now.)

What are you reading now?
The Disease Delusion by Dr. Jeffrey S. Bland & Dr. Mark Hyman

What’s next for you as a writer?
More speaking engagements, writing and working. I’m excited because the idea of staying in one’s comfort zone for too long starts to make me uneasy.

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?
Great Gatsby, Brave New World, Four Hour Work Week & Departures (I need to be reminded to apply my own wisdom sometimes)

Author Websites and Profiles
Sasha Laghonh Website

Sasha Laghonh’s Social Media Links
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I live in Milwaukee Wisconsin and have been writing since I was thirteen years old. I have published two previous titles, Sloan’s Quest and Sloan’s Return. Angel of Man is my third book.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My new release is titled Angel of Man. I got the idea for this book several years ago during a trip to Hilton Head Island. I was walking on the beach, trying to come up with a concept for a new book. Since my previous two books were detective stories I was looking for something different. The idea of writing about the Angel of Death just came to me. The story developed from there.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
For a long time I wrote the first draft of whatever I was writing in longhand. Angel of Man is my first book that was written entirely on a computer. It is the way I intend to do it from now on.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I knew I wanted to be a writer at the age of thirteen when I read The Shining by Stephen King. Since then I have read virtually everything he has written, with The Stand being my favorite (It’s a masterpiece!) I love the way he grabs you right from the first chapter and never lets you go, taking you along on the ride with him. I can only hope to be half as good at that as he is someday.

What are you working on now?
My next project is called Silver Falls. It is about genetically created werewolves that take over a small town, trapping it’s residents withing it’s borders.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
This is my first attempt at promoting a book myself so I am still learning how all of this will come together.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Keep writing. I can’t tell you how many times I have started and stopped projects over the years. Also, write for yourself first! If you like what you write that should be enough. Everything else is icing on the cake.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Grammar and punctuation matter. It won’t matter how good the idea is if it is covered up with errors.

What are you reading now?
White Knight by Jim Butcher. It is book 9 in the Harry Dresden series.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I hope to complete and release a book a year. I want to build my catalog on Amazon. Having Angel of Man made into a movie wouldn’t be bad either!

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 Stand by Stephen King
2. The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
3. Game of Thrones by George R.R Martin
4. The Goblet of Fire by JK Rowling

Author Websites and Profiles
Britt Jewell Website

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m an Agatha, Anthony, and Lefty-nominated author best known for my critically-acclaimed Mira James mysteries, which have earned multiple starred reviews from Library Journal and Booklist, the latter calling my writing “a splendid mix of humor and suspense.” I also write sword and sorcery fantasy, edge-of-your-seat YA adventure, magical realism, and feminist thrillers. I’m a tenured professor of creative writing and sociology, a recipient of The Loft’s Excellence in Teaching fellowship, a regular Psychology Today blogger, and a TEDx presenter. When not teaching, reading, or dorking out with my family in Minneapolis, you can find me dreaming of my next story.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is Mercy’s Chase, a feminist thriller that Lee Child calls, “An immersive voice, an intriguing story, a wonderful character – highly recommended!” The desire to see more strong, complex female characters in thrillers inspired to write the Salem’s Cipher series, of which Mercy’s Chase is the second installment.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I keep See’s chocolate lollipops in my office within easy reach. If I get stumped for a scene, sucking on one of these seems to pull the ideas loose.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I love the books of Isabel Allende, Margaret Atwood, Brene Brown, Sarah Addison Allen, William Kent Krueger, Tony Hillerman, Sue Grafton, Annika Martin, Barbara Kingsolver, and Cheryl Strayed.

What are you working on now?
I am currently between books. I’m relaunching my Mira James mysteries, I have a dark, psychological thriller out on submission, and I’m getting my fall classes ready to go.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I haven’t had any particular success with anything, to be frank, but I’d be thrilled if Awesome Gang changes that!

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write the best book you can, the one you’re scared to write. I go into more detail in my Tedx Talk as well as my book Rewrite Your Life: Discover Your Truth Through the Healing Power of Fiction.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Do what you can, and then let it go. It’ll work out like it’s supposed to.

What are you reading now?
Annika Martin’s Savage Mafia Prince and Jen Sincero’s You Are a Badass.

What’s next for you as a writer?
July is a month of promotion for me.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
The Handmaid’s Tale, Eva Luna, and How to Survive on a Desert Island.

Author Websites and Profiles
Jessica Lourey Website
Jessica Lourey Amazon Profile

Jessica Lourey’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
The entire book takes place in a magical forest realm, where everyone understands each other, no matter their species. This realm exists within our own but only very few can see it and feel it. It shelters the homeless, the hunted, the broken… so long as their hearts are still full of love. Each chapter is a separate story about the characters, whether it be a black Labrador and a colony of rabbits, or a couple of lonely orphaned brothers; some stories explain how a character was ‘rescued’ by the Forest Realm, some tell stories about the various characters who already live there. A couple of chapters are merely fun anecdotes.
All easy to read and lighthearted enough for all age groups.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Forest Realm became my safe place when I was a child, though I didn’t know it as that back then. A few years ago a close friend of mine was suffering from severe depression. She had helped me so much in the past when I was dealing with my own depression that I started writing short stories based on my old childhood safe haven to try and help her. One of the main characters, Anita the Forest Witch, is based on this lady and they even share the same name. She enjoyed the few that I’d sent to her, and she suggested that I put them together in a children’s book and try to get them published. My husband had been making the same noises for a while by that point, so I carried on writing about the Forest Realm… and two years later, here we are!

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Some days, I will just sit down with a cup of Ristretto, stare out into my garden and start typing whatever comes into my head. Sometimes it will be the groundwork for a story, sometimes it’s a short poem, or Songspell as one of my main Forest Realm characters calls it.
My garden has become a bit like a very small piece of the forest in my head; early morning, when the birds are singing and the sun is rising, it provides a certain, essential kind of peace and calm.
It’s also fun to watch the magpies and the pigeons squabbling over the bird table!
On top of this, I also do a lot of reading, and I watch a lot of fantasy and science fiction. I consider this essential for a sort of ‘writer’s meditation’. It allows me to focus my creative ‘intentions’ nicely, with the added bonus of all the inspiration it provides; for example, I might have found that I’ve written a character into an almost impossible situation, so watching or reading other people’s work can suggest solutions for that character.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The Lord of the Rings, Watership Down, The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, all of the Discworld series and any book based on Supernatural.

Tolkien, Richard Adams, C.S. Lewis, Sir Terry Pratchett, Enid Blyton, Wilbur Smith, Stephen King, John Connelly, Harlan Coben.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Time management and marketing! I am a full time Biomedical Scientist as part of the emergency services team in Jersey General Hospital in the Channel Islands, just off the north coast of France. Trying to juggle that, along with all the Continuing Professional Development that is a requirement of the job and being a Chartered Biologist, writing my book, writing poetry (known in my book as Songspells), and studying various on line diplomas such as Dog Training, Canine Communication, etc. is pretty challenging.
But worth it. I love dogs and they are my main reason for doing all this.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Keep editing and proofreading your own work. Keep on doing it until you’re sick of it, then do it again. Break the rules good and hard and don’t let anyone hold you back. It’s your story, so write for an audience of you.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I hope to use the proceeds from the sale of my book to fund a forever home sanctuary for stray, elderly and abandoned dogs. A second book in the series is already in the beginning stages, with the possibility of releasing Anita the Forest Witch’s book of Songspells and even a recipe book… for food, that is! No cruel ‘eye of newt’ practices in MY forest!

Author Websites and Profiles
Johanna Aldridge Amazon Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hi folks! I’m a former middle school special education teacher who splits my time between Enterprise, Oregon, and Portland, Oregon. I love living in the Wallowas, especially with the strong writer and artist community here. I enjoy riding my horse, quilting, skiing, hiking, fishing, hunting, and of course writing!

My particular love is speculative fiction. I have completed a multigenerational cyberpunk family saga, The Netwalk Sequence, which focuses on mother-daughter relationship dynamics as four generations of women deal with the challenges brought on by the development of a new wireless digital implant which not only allows telepathic-type communication…but can allow digital personality uploads that survive after death. Add a particularly complex, unexplainable artifact that looks like a war machine…but is not created by any known human technology, with unknown motivations, and, welp…life gets interesting. The Netwalk Sequence includes four major books (NETWALK, NETWALKER UPRISING, NETWALK’S CHILDREN, and NETWALKING SPACE) as well as two collections (LIFE IN THE SHADOWS: DIANA AND WILL and LEARNING IN SPACE: BESS AND ALEX), a novella (SHADOW HARVEST) and assorted short stories, most of which are in the two collections. A third collection, THE DISRUPTION CHRONICLES, will eventually be published.

My second series, Goddess’s Honor, a non-European high fantasy, is two-thirds complete. It is abut two cousins. Both born of adversity. Both touched by the Seven Crowned Gods. Both descendants of the great Miteal family that once ruled the mighty Daran Empire. Both belonging to the exile nations that sheltered the remnants of the Miteal.
The Ralsem family leaders who now control Daran fear these two women. They dread what Katerin and Rekaré may do to the Ralsem should they decide to seek vengeance for the wrongs done to their ancestors. For the Gods have spoken…and at some point, the Ralsem will pay…
For now, the Gods are silent as to when and if Rekaré and Katerin will turn their attention to Daran. But the Gods also have their own agenda…which may not be what Katerin and Rekaré intend to do. Together, these two cousins could threaten the Gods themselves….

PLEDGES OF HONOR and CHALLENGES OF HONOR are now out. CHOICES OF HONOR will be released in early 2019. There are also assorted short stories and a novella connected to the series which are currently available. After I finish CHOICES, I’ll pull together collections of the Goddess’s Honor short stories.

Overall, I have twelve books of my own out and stories in several anthologies. I also am planning a Weird West/alt-West series, as well as at least one contemporary fantasy series. I’m always coming up with new ideas. My current joke is that I used to write a short story, then look at it, shake my head, and realize it was the first chapter of a novel. Now, I say that I write a supposedly standalone book, look at it, and realize it is the first book of a series. Writing evolves….

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book, KLONE’S STRONGHOLD, has two basic inspirations. About a decade ago, while driving a backroad on my way to our hunting area, I noticed a road sign that read KLONE’S LANE. As I do when driving for a long period, I started thinking about what might be down that rutted dirt road. Images of a high-tech lab, bizarre cloning experiments, and other things spun through my thoughts, but I couldn’t get them to coalesce.

Then we went to a String Cheese Incident multi-day performance in a rural Portland venue. For some reason, it kept resonating with me, until one day Reeni spoke up and started talking in her inimitably Reeni manner. I don’t usually write first person but Reeni demanded to speak for herself. Things expanded from there, especially when I discovered that there is an active group of Sasquatch sightings in the vicinity of Klone Lane.

The story mutated along the way, as stories can do even when rigidly scripted. But it developed in a fun way. I’m still finding out things about the story and the subcharacters, including the fact that many people (including Reeni herself) mangle her full name, reversing the first and middle names. So in one circumstance she is Irene Marie, in another, Marie Irene. If Reeni has to be formal, she goes by Marie–but she often chooses not to. The reasoning for that will show up in the next book.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I really am boring about my writing habits. I have devised strategies to cope with the frequent trips we make between Portland and Enterprise (350 miles, at least a 6 hour drive most of the time). They include keeping a reference binder, detailed outlining so that I can pick up the writing at any moment without digging and backtracking, and use of backup technology as well as versioning.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I have many influences. Early influences include Mary O’Hara–not so much MY FRIEND FLICKA but the two sequels to FLICKA, THUNDERHEAD and GREEN GRASS OF WYOMING. O’Hara probes into the depths of human relationships under the cover of the horse story in a deft and skilled manner not often seen in horse books.

John Steinbeck was another early influence. One of my high school teachers used TRAVELS WITH CHARLEY as a text for a creative writing class. I started reading Steinbeck then, but was especially taken by his writing journal for EAST OF EDEN, JOURNAL OF A NOVEL.

Within the speculative fiction genre, Zenna Henderson and her People stories are a direct influence on KLONE’S STRONGHOLD. Reeni is very much like the teachers who encountered the People in Henderson’s books. Other influences include Lois McMaster Bujold, Jay Lake, Elizabeth Bear, C.J. Cherryh, and my mentor, Phyllis Irene Radford.

The challenge is that I read a lot of things across many genres. Right now I’ve discovered ranch romances because there’s a lot of them available locally. But I am also reading Luis Alberto Urrea, Jamie Ford, and a lot of other folks. I am a wide and voracious reader. These days, however, if the language plods and the plot doesn’t engage, I don’t read it. Period.

And oh yes. Other influences also include Hunter S. Thompson, Ed Abbey, Ken Kesey, Thomas McGuane, and others of that ilk.

What are you working on now?
I am rewriting a short novel that I got the rights back from my publisher. It was called SEEKING SHELTER AT THE END OF THE WORLD but is now loosely titled BEATING THE APOCALYPSE. It is a cli-fi apocalypse that verges on the edge of thrillerdom. I’ve reversed the death of one character, added the antagonist’s point of view, and plan to extend the story by another 20,000-30,000 words. It’s the first time that I have so significantly changed out one of my works, but I was not completely happy with the first version of the story.

Here’s the tagline and blurb:
Sometimes simple shelter is not enough.
When it looks like the toxic Clouds will bring about the end of unprotected life in North America, Rianna O’Conner, one of the Canaries bioengineered to monitor Cloud impact on humans, falls into despair. Her boyfriend and working partner Bobby Jones has disappeared in Portland and is presumed dead. She wants to know his fate before she dies.

Then she discovers that she doesn’t know the truth—about Bobby’s fate, about the Clouds, about the Canaries’ original purpose. Can Rianna lead what remains of the Canaries to a safe haven and try to survive if not stop the pending apocalypse…or is it already too late?

I’m looking at a fall release, perhaps even November.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I am still figuring out promotion! Things change so quickly in the publishing business these days that what may work for one book does not necessarily work for another.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
My advice for new authors is to keep writing, keep trying, and keep an open mind. Develop more than one project and be aware that you really, really do have more than one book in you. Write your stories–and then be ready to move on to the next book. One thing that really makes me sad is to see someone who is so married to one idea that they never write anything else. Love your darlings while you are writing them–then set them free and move on to the next book. It’s the best thing you can do for them.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best advice I have ever heard doesn’t come from a writing book.

“Trust yourself. You know more than you think you do.” Dr. Benjamin Spock, BABY AND CHILD CARE. It works for writers as well as new parents!

What are you reading now?
I have just finished a biography of an early Navajo trading post operator–DESERT WIFE.

What’s next for you as a writer?
My next project is going to be taking a month or so off from writing books to draft short stories. I’m developing a new alt-West/Weird West series, and writing short stories is one way that I explore that world. I also have a number of short story ideas that have been demanding to get written, so it’s time. After that, I do have a two-year publishing schedule. I plan to start work on the final book in the Goddess’s Honor series, CHOICES OF HONOR, and will need to decide what else happens in that world, if anything. There will be more short stories tied to that world as I figure out the details of CHOICES–that is one way I worldbuild. I also have a pile of old, half-developed projects that need to be fleshed out and written. It will be a while before I run out of writing 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?
Oh, that’s a tough one. Can I say that I’d bring a Kindle stuffed with ebooks and some means of charging it instead?

Author Websites and Profiles
Joyce Reynolds-Ward Website
Joyce Reynolds-Ward Amazon Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
In four separate divisions of the Arts and Entertainment industry do I contribute creatively: music, movies, art, and literature. In the music industry, I serve as a multi-genre songwriter; in the motion picture industry, I contribute as a casting director and film production assistant; in the art world, I moonlight as a professional art model; and in the field of literature, I produce the written word by way of professional book reviews and through works of nonfiction. Reviews by Cat Ellington: The Complete Anthology, Vol. 1 is my very first release.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Reviews by Cat Ellington: The Complete Anthology, Vol. 1. In the context of its main title, Reviews by Cat Ellington was inspired by the original WordPress weblog of the same name. Now defunct, the online journal had been home to the hundreds of literary examinations that will now feature in the Complete Anthology series.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Yes, I tend to write in title case, a habit of mine that most people would consider to be quite unusual. Such a style of writing has been all I’ve known for over thirty years, what considering that I’m a songwriter. Because of that craft, I have, for far too long, been in the habit of writing in titles. However, I strive to control the “supposedly annoying” habit in the literary branch of my career—composing only in sentence case.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Roger Ebert, Stephen King (my Maine man), Iceberg Slim, John Grisham, Carl Hiaasen, and Jackie Collins. Ebert inspires me in the review writing process, King inspires me in the classic suspense process, Slim inspires me in the unfiltered process, Hiaasen inspires me in the humor process, and Collins inspires me in the contemporary layout process.

What are you working on now?
Reviews by Cat Ellington: The Complete Anthology, Vol. 2, and The Making of Dual Mania: Filmmaking Chicago Style, which I am co-authoring with Joseph Strickland and B.J. Patterson.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
The Boutique Domain (my award-winning official website), and The Review Period with Cat Ellington, a new blog that I established in the wake of the old weblog’s departure. My literary works have been graced with their very own pages at each location. And my public is made aware of their availability via said locations. Those external sites through which members of the general public can be made privy to my written works of literature include Goodreads, LibraryThing, BookLikes, etc.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Oh, absolutely. First, there is no such thing as “writer’s block,” that’s just a code term for anxiety. Sit down, brew a pot of coffee or a cup of tea, relax, clear your mind, meditate for a minute or two, and the words will come. Writers write. That’s why they’re called writers. The gift is already in them. They just need to guard their minds against all forms of anxiety. Second, don’t withdraw your true nature, let it run free. Sometimes, we as writers are so busy trying to be perfect, to get the words just right, that we trip ourselves up. There is absolutely no need for that. Let the Spirit guide you and before you know it, your tale—regardless of its genre—will be told. Let the Spirit guide you, always, in the creative process. And you’ll do fine.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
(Laughs) Oh, Lord, where do I start? Well, over the span of my creative life, I have been the grateful recipient of some very wise advice from any number of people, including relatives, educators, friends, strangers, and fellow creatives alike. But perhaps the best advice that I’ve been blessed to receive was that pertaining to maintaining creative control. No one creative artist wants someone else controlling his or her vision—at least not where I come from, which is the creative avenue of independence. Men and women in the creative arts should be free to express themselves, creatively, without interference from those who are without honor where having talent is concerned. An artist should be allowed to create his or her art without any fear of offending someone else—especially not someone else devoid of talent and creativity. It is not my intention to sound like an Arts and Entertainment industry elitist here, but the truth must be spoken.

What are you reading now?
A lot of thrillers, horror, urban fiction, erotica, and some cozy mysteries—but not all at the same time, of course. The singular novel that I am currently reading is J159 by Renee Logan.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Reviews by Cat Ellington: The Complete Anthology, Vol. 3.

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?
Uncollected Stories by Stephen King; God Don’t Like Haters by Jordan Belcher; Sick Puppy by Carl Hiaasen; and The Broker by John Grisham.

Author Websites and Profiles
Cat Ellington Website
Cat Ellington Amazon Profile
Cat Ellington Author Profile on Smashwords

Cat Ellington’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a pet lover and gentle soul who was born a writer. When I couldn’t write novels, I wrote technical books, study guides, training manuals, edited corporate newsletters and dabbled in copy writing as well. I now have three full length novels, two novellas, and a work in progress, a screenplay.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Jeopardy: A Tripartite Peril

This is the third in a series that sees the main character’s arc come to fruition when his mortality is on the line. I love to set people in my own worlds, share those worlds, and let the characters tell the story of their lives.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Nothing extraordinary, although I do tend to have a beverage on hand at all time. I also have to work around my cats’ desires to sit on the keyboard and be fed on demand.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Asimov and Crichton are my favorite science fiction authors. They were both prolific and the fiction was as genuine as possible. When I can’t put a book down, that’s my kind of story!

What are you working on now?
I have a screenplay in progress, which I go to when I need a different genre to think about, and a third novella that helps define the main character and provide more dimension to his personality.
The screenplay is based on a true story, of my father-in-law’s teenage years from 1940 to 1945. Stalin’s regime abducted his family at gunpoint and herded them onto a cattle train. He escaped but never saw his father and uncle again. Shortly after that, he was rounded up by the Nazis as a “guest worker” for Hitler, filling bomb craters among other unpleasant tasks until the Allies came to Germany.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I let my Twitter and Facebook followers know when it’s time, but also I use Amazon ads to reach people who are interested in science fiction.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Editing and patience. Write your story. It should be engaging, interesting, have a little tension and mystery, and don’t rob the reader of a good ending. Resolve that problem honestly and with a surprise or two. After a few weeks or a month, go back and edit.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Brush your teeth every day.

What are you reading now?
I am on hiatus from reading while I put the finishing touches on Jeopardy.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’d like to bundle the novels and novellas, and eventually pitch the screenplay.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
What a depressing thought! I’d bring short story collections, a biography of someone, perhaps an epic that will take me years to read.

Author Websites and Profiles
H. S. Rivney Amazon Profile

H. S. Rivney’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve been writing since I was a young child, but I recently quit my day job to write full-time. I’ve completed three novellas (which I plan to revisit soon) and five of a seven-book YA series. The first of this series, A Girl with a Bow, was just published with the others to follow soon!

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My first published work, A Girl with a Bow, started out as a joke. My husband and I came up with a character for a Dungeons and Dragons campaign that he was running. We created a teenage ranger who accidentally became a folk hero by killing a baby dragon. We fell in love with the character-Petunia-and decided to create a series about her.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
It’s not unusual for a writer…but I drink a ton of coffee and tea.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
For children’s and young adult works, which is currently my focus, I’ve mostly been influenced by Lloyd Alexander, C.S. Lewis, Madeline L’Engle, and Brian Jacques.

What are you working on now?
Book 2 of A Girl with a Bow series. A Girl Becomes Legend will be coming out in September, so I’m hard at work on it.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m very lucky to have a husband who owns a marketing and advertising company. I rely on his expertise. I also am very much a hands-on person, so I’m focusing a good deal on participating in regional events like book festivals and conventions. I love interacting with other people.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
It’s easy to forget about taking care of ourselves when we’re putting out a new work-skipping meals, not sleeping-because there is so much to do. Remember that you’ll do your best work if you take care of yourself first.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Write the book that wants to be told. Don’t try to force it to be something it’s not.

What are you reading now?
A draft of a friend’s manuscript and A Stolen Kiss by Kelsey Keating.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Getting out this current series. Then I’ll revisit some old projects.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Price & Prejudice – It never fails to amuse
Little Women – My comfort book
Man vs. Wild: Survival Techniques from the Most Dangerous Places on Earth – Because I’m practical

Author Websites and Profiles
Kimberly Moore Website
Kimberly Moore Amazon Profile

Kimberly Moore’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hi, thanks Awesome Gang for giving me this opportunity. I am an indie author. I write romance with a slight difference. I combine social issues with hot romances. Nothing like spice that makes a person sit up and notice As a reader, I have always loved romances – so how could I not write them. I have written 3 novels, 3 anthologies, 1 short story

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is called Lolita. I had seen an interview of an actress, who had a scandalous background of course and got inspired by her story. Lolita is the first book of a series, the bad girl series. They are NOT erotica. But I am fighting against a thought process that says a girl is defined by her profession or by her clothes. We are always much more than that.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Very erratic. As and when the mood takes me. I try to discipline by doing a 9 am to 2pm job, but I have still not mastered the art of discipline.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Nora Roberts, Sidney Sheldon, Harrold Robbins, Penny Jordon

What are you working on now?
I am working on two novellas. Homecoming, a romance (hot romance) and on the love story of Cupid and Psyche. Both are July release.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I do a lot of social media promotion. My website is www.rubinaramesh.com

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t wait for your muse to knock on your door. That is escapism. You are just afraid to face your readers. Criticism is good. Make it your room for learning and growing.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Tootsie on the chair – hands on Keyboard – Nora Roberts

What are you reading now?
The Trouble with Being Wicked (The Naughty Girls Book 1)
Emma Locke

What’s next for you as a writer?
A mythological fiction saga

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?
Sidney Sheldon.. we have a special relationship. Only he never knew about it

Author Websites and Profiles
Rubina Ramesh Website
Rubina Ramesh Amazon Profile

Rubina Ramesh’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m an author who has worked as an editor, researcher and proof-reader. I read English and American Literature at the University of Kent at Canterbury, and gained a Masters in The Modern Movement. Finding Verity is my debut novel.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Finding Verity was inspired by the experiences of my friends. We had all raised families together and as our children grew and flew the nest, we were left wondering – about where the past twenty years had gone and what we were going to do next – and about our marriages…

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
In some respects, I am a very organised writer! I plan out my novel and keep a folder of notes beside me as I write. But I also find that ideas come to me in the middle of the night or as I am driving my car, and I know that I have to note them down before I lose them! ( I keep a notebook by the bed and have been known to park my car mid-journey.) My second novel ‘came to me’ complete – I knew the heroine, what she did, what she was like and what she faced. I knew everything about her, and my job at the moment, is simply to tell her story the best way I can.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Thousands of books have influenced me – I think we take a little something from everything we read! My favourite authors include Jane Austen, Barbara Kingsolver, Anita Shreve, Mary Wesley… I could go on, there are so many! I read a lot of poetry too and adore the work of Mary Oliver and WB Yeats.

What are you working on now?
I am working on my second novel which is a story about a bright and brilliant young woman who faces the ultimate tragedy. It is a tale of loss, courage and survival and is set in Oxford, England and in Sweden, both places I know well. I love this brave person’s story, and just want to spend all my time on it!

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
To be honest, I’m not great at promoting my book. I use the KDP free promotion opportunities – where can you offer your novel free for a period of five days in every three months – and approach two or three websites like Awesome Gang with each promotion to see whether I can get featured. It’s a bit hit-and-miss but I was very fortunate recently as Finding Verity was featured on a few sites and made the UK Amazon bestseller list!

Do you have any advice for new authors?
When you have completed a decent draft of your novel, find a good editor. You really can’t go it alone – no matter how good you are.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
That if you don’t fall in love with your story, how can you expect anybody else to! I can’t remember where I read that but it’s so true. We have to engage one hundred percent with our stories. I often cry when my characters are going through a hard time – I know it sounds mad, but it’s true!

What are you reading now?
I am currently reading a volume of Hafiz’s poetry called The Gift. I am a big fan of the Sufi poets – including the better known Rumi. Hafiz always makes me laugh!

What’s next for you as a writer?
To publish my second novel, hopefully in 2019. And then to begin the third… Finding Verity has done so much better than I ever dreamed and has really encouraged me!

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
The Complete Works of Shakespeare
Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman
An Imaginative Experience by Mary Wesley
The Subject Tonight is Love: 60 Wild and Sweet Poems by Hafiz

Author Websites and Profiles
Jenny Loudon Amazon Profile

Jenny Loudon’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I think I’m an ethereal substance living in a material form that humans have termed flesh. Words are my tools and use them in creating characters, situations and universe’s either in prose, poetry or play form. I’ve written over ten books.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Warning. Well, a cluster…string of things and happenings are the inspiration.

Warning is a prequel to Wednesday which I published in 2013. I had wanted to go back in time, which is the year before 2013, and show how my protagonist brought to book a lovely human turned maniac. Inasmuch as most mystery books I’ve read portray the villain as a psychopath, much was invested in the villain of Warning that at the end of the book, you’d have no choice than feel pity for this person and wish the character had gone scot-free.

Also, the Roman Catholic Church ‘s stance on a number of issues – as well as her dealings. How the doctrines and policies of a body that’s supposed to nurture our souls would do the opposite, turning humans into monsters.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
My social life suffers. It irks me that I can’t go to that birthday party or start a relationship because of writing. I usually say to myself: “this will be my last book, and I’m done writing so I can be ‘normal'”. But the moment I depress the final full stop to a manuscript, a new journey begins and I’m wondering if I’m under a spell. LOL. I don’t believe in spells, however.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I’m a sucker for Shakespeare, such that sometimes I think I’m the reincarnated bard of Avon.

What are you working on now?
Wormwood (Book 3 in the Wolé Robert Series) and the fourth instalment in the Sex and Lagos City Series.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Laughs … I plead the fifth.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Be creative and original. And keep writing. Above all, read good books…good writing I mean because bad writing will corrupt you.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
My mother said to me one time, “Do what makes you happy, not minding what the world says because whatever you do, whether you go up, down, left or right, you’d always have those who hate your guts.”

What are you reading now?
Richard Templar’s ‘The Rules of Work’.

What’s next for you as a writer?
See my works come alive on the silver screen.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Sky High Flames by Unoma Azuah, The Relic Hunters by David Leadbeater, Tempest by William Shakespeare, and How Stupidity Saved My Life by Okechukwu Ofili

Author Websites and Profiles
Success Akpojotor Website
Success Akpojotor Amazon Profile
Success Akpojotor Author Profile on Smashwords

Success Akpojotor’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Tammy Campbell Brooks is a native of San Antonio, Texas where she resides with her husband and two children.
She enjoys reading, writing, and studying American history as hobbies.
The Ghetto Blues is her debut book written about true events that occurred in her life.
The successor of The Ghetto Blues novel, “Daddy Issues” is set to be released in 2019.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Ghetto Blues- It was inspired by my children.
I would like for my story to be told by me and not anyone else.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The autobiography of Malcolm X

What are you working on now?
A Young Adult book with my daughter, Tahirah Brooks and it’s called, “Tar Baby, Tar Baby”

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

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I’m a new author so I’m still learning and growing.
My advice is to keep writing.

Author Websites and Profiles
Tammy Campbell Brooks Amazon Profile

Tammy Campbell Brooks’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My name is General Williams, I am a sixteen year old comic book writer/illustrator. I have published four comic books so far with a fifth one on the way. I love skateboarding, painting, play video games, and of course read/write comic books.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
It’s called BUCKO:ISSUE#4 and what inspired me to write this book is the old Max Fleischer superman cartoons. especially the villain in this issue, He’s basically an arrogant and narcissistic version of the DC superhero.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t know if this would be strange or not but, I don’t write scripts for my comics I usual just go with the flow if you would call it that. I also just write my comics with pencil and paper. I can’t use technology it has to pencil and paper.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Authors that inspired me are Stan lee, R.L Stein, Jeff Smith, Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird, Walt Disney, Max Fleischer, Bob Kane, Kevin Smith, and Joe Shuster.

What are you working on now?
I am currently working on BUCKO:ISSUE#5 I am really excited about this one because Bucko’s girlfriend Cindy is not the damsel in distress this time it’s Bucko. That’s all I am saying about Issue 5 I don’t want to spoil to much of it.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I usually just promote it on my Instagram or just tell my friends and family about it. I also use book promoting websites.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Make sure you have good communication skills and you know how to write a good story, oh and don’t ever give up on your dreams, if I can publish four books and sell them then you can do it too.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t let nobody tell you “you can’t”.

What are you reading now?
I’ve been reading some of Judge dread, Uncle Scrooge, Bone, Spider man, Archie, Spawn, some Sonic the hedgehog, and Astro Boy.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I want to make an 80 paged graphic novel that has that feeling of a cheesy, Slasher movie, like Friday the 13th Jason takes manhattan. At Issue 10 of Bucko I’ll take a small break and work on this 80 paged graphic novel.

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 Bone, Judge dread, and Archie vs. Predator because, they are very long books and I really enjoy them.

Author Websites and Profiles
General Williams Website
General Williams Amazon Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
How many I’ve written or how many I’ve stuffed away in my desk drawer, never to see the light of day again? On the former, just the one. On the latter…well, too many to count.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is Perception, Book 1 of Apparition Investigations. My roommate actually gave me the idea when she insisted our apartment was haunted. We got to goofing off, coming up with a story idea, and then it just kind of snowballed from there. I don’t think she expected me to actually run with it. I didn’t expect me to actually run with it. But it just stuck and wouldn’t let go.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Oddly enough, I seem to do my best writing when I’m supposed to be doing something else. Listening to a lecture? In a lab? During a conference call? Yeah…I’m terribly at focusing on what I’m actually supposed to be focused on. It’s more fun to daydream anyway.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Meg Cabot, for sure. I love her writing and her stories. But really anything fantastical and mysterious. I love the allure of things outside the norm.

What are you working on now?
Still working on Apparition Investigations. I’ve got to finish the series–and spoilers, but it’s going to go out with a bang!

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Up until now, I’ve been strictly on Facebook. But I’m hoping to branch that out!

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Just keep with it! None of us know what we’re doing. But part of the process is stumbling, falling, figuring out what works. It’s like riding a bike: you’ve got to fall a few times first.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Carpe diem. As cliche as it sounds, it works for everything. Writing, life, relationships. Just seize the day.

What are you reading now?
V. E. Schwab. I found her recently and I am hooked on her writing!

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

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Oh dear…I always hate this question. The Name of the Wind, for sure. Vicious by Victoria Schwab. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. And…that last one changes depending on my mood.

Author Websites and Profiles
Eliza Lainn Website

Eliza Lainn’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve been writing contemporary romance (including sport, military and new adult) for six years. 24 books – damn! I’ve been busy. Oh, and a play about a solider with PTSD entitled LATER, AFTER.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
MODEL BOYFRIEND
It’s a collaboration with STUART REARDON who was a professional athlete for 16 years and has been on the cover of over 100 romance novels. This book is based on aspects of his life, although it’s not an autobiography. We had a great time working together!

It’s out on July 10 2018

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I read sections out to my little dog. She’s my greatest fan (and critic – sometimes she falls asleep).

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Jane Austen – always!
EL James – she got me hooked on romance

What are you working on now?
Just starting another military romance about a bomb disposal officer, entitled TICK TOCK. It’ll have an explosive story line

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I wish I had the answer. I’m a huge fan of Instagram. BookBub is very influential on sales.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
You might be lucky and hit it big with one book, I hope you do! But if you’re in it for the long haul, your backlist is your friend.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Teachers say, “write what you know”. I say, “write what you can imagine”.

What are you reading now?
I’m actually proof reading one of my own books. Does that count? Okay, I’m re-reading TENDER IS THE NIGHT by F. Scott Fitzgerald.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’ve recently had some books in translation: French, Italian, German, Portuguese, Polish – and one in Hebrew. That’s an exciting development.

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 Jane Austen
The Bible (because I’ve never read it all the way through)
The complete Charles Dickens
My Japanese text book because I’ve been trying to learn Japanese for years!

Author Websites and Profiles
Jane Harvey-Berrick Website
Jane Harvey-Berrick Amazon Profile

Jane Harvey-Berrick’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I grew up anchoring a two time national award winning kids tv show called Kids TV Express, for over 10 years. I live in Houston and I love working with children! I have a movie-making studio for kids called Joy Kids! I have developed programs for kids the last 25 years, and I’m very passionate about it. I have two rescue dogs I’m madly in love with, Tinkerbell and Peter Pan! They are my big pals! I’m madly in love with my husband, Bruce. I love to chill at night with Netflix series and my dogs! Although I do try to get out and make new friends and share about my book. I love to travel.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Joy and the Far Away Land. I was one of 15 Americans chosen to perform in a play about Peace during the Cold War when I was a child. I was not able to go with my parents, but had to travel alone, and it was a little scary at first. Mostly because we had heard such scary stories about the Russian people. But the experience changed my life, and I made friends with a little boy named Sergey and through his eyes, I saw the world differently. I believe if we teach children to love one another when they are young and to take care of the planet, when they grow up they will make the world a better place. I want to build a trust and understanding among children of all nations. I know it’s a big goal… but what do I have to loose!

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I like to drink COFFEE and I like to draw with markers, don’t think most illustrators do that.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The Tipping Point, The Alchemist, Rich Dad Poor Dad, Dr. Seuss, Phillipa Gregory

What are you working on now?
The next book! A surprise! I’m planning to travel to Africa and will draw inspiration from the children there. I will be going to orphanages and sharing my story and book with them.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Get out there and share with everyone! Just start talking about what I’m up to… and listen to what they are up to! Look to inspire others, and I’ve gotten most of my book signings and events just doing that. I’ve traveled to a lot of schools just word of mouth. I also do things online and trying to get better on social media as well. I’m a people person!

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Go for it! Don’t listen to your head. Write a little most everyday. Even if it’s 15 minutes. Be a little careful who you share it with at first, so you don’t get any hurt feelings. Sometimes people closest may not see us as the Authors we are destined to be! Believe in yourself, and what do you have to loose. Life is short, and only good things can come of it. Be smart about it.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Believe in my dreams! Reach for the Stars!

What are you reading now?
Rich Dad Poor Dad. I’m trying to get better at managing my money.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Create the 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?
The Alchemist, The Bible, Joy and the Far Away Land!

Author Websites and Profiles
Joy Saxton Website
Joy Saxton Amazon Profile

Joy Saxton’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a yoga teacher who specializes in the practical application of traditional yoga philosophy to life in the modern world. I’ve been practicing yoga as a spiritual science for the better part of 40 years. I’ve lived in yoga ashrams and intentional spiritual communities. I’ve also had a professional career that’s included positions at both Fortune 500 companies and small, privately held firms. I’ve written one book so far and am working on two more.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is called ‘In Search of the Highest Truth: Adventures in Yoga Philosophy’. As a frequent guest instructor at yoga teacher trainings, I was often asked to recommend a book that provides a general overview of the fundamentals of yoga philosophy. This proved to be surprisingly challenging: although I have my favorite translations biographies, and highfalutin scholarly tomes, I had yet to find a concise and accessible overview of traditional yoga philosophy that I felt confident in recommending. What I felt was needed was a book that combined theory with practice for both personal and social applications and written in a style that was both conversational and reflective. I hope this book fills that need.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Almost everything I write is based on recordings of my lectures, which are themselves more like dialogues, or correspondence with my students. I have a synthetic rather than an original imagination; the energy of real-time engagement with questions and challenges is what inspires my best ideas about how to make seemingly esoteric philosophical concepts accessible, real, and relevant to my audience. So, I save all of my correspondence and I record all of my talks. When a talk goes particularly well I have transcribed. The finished product is the result of editing and augmenting the talk with additional material.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The author that’s had the biggest influence on me by far is A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Everything I write about can be traced back to his translations and commentaries on the principle texts of the Vedic yoga tradition, particularly the Bhagavad-gita and the Srimad Bhagavatam (also known as the Bhagavat Purana). All of my teachers are Bhaktivedanta Swami’s disciples. George Orwell, Susan Sontag, Thomas Merton, Karen Armstrong, Wassily Kandinsky, Hannah Arendt, and Thomas Jefferson are other authors whose influence can be found in my writing.

What are you working on now?
I have two books in progress right now – we’ll see which one gets to the finish line first. One is called ‘Sex, Death, and Yoga’. It’s a collection of related essays that connect yoga philosophy to sex and death, which are themselves intimately connected to one another. Yoga philosophy illuminates the nature of their connection in some very unconventional ways.

The other book is called ‘Awaken Your Spiritual Senses’. It’s composed of two parts: a guide to the inner practice of yoga that includes forms of meditation and contemplation that facilitate the awakening the title suggests and a guide to connecting the values of yoga to how we engage with the world. Essentially, the book is about preparing for and engaging in spiritual activism.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’ve been using Kindlepreneur’s KDP Rocket as a tool for developing my ad campaigns on Amazon. Other than that, my newsletter and my own website in combination with a steady schedule of teaching and speaking engagements has been the way that’s worked so far.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
DIY! Unless you have a real publisher, do it yourself. In fact, even if you DO have a real publisher, you may want to do it yourself just for the sake of maintaining ownership and control of your product. I outsourced everything – from editing to formatting – to handpicked freelancers and went to CreateSpace for my distribution and fulfillment. I was able to manage every part of the process directly and get the results I wanted. And now I have part-time virtual and not-so-virtual assistants through whom I can exercise complete control over my marketing and promotion.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“Just chant ‘Hare Krishna’ and your life will be successful.”

What are you reading now?
I’m always re-reading the Bhagavad-gita. I’m also reading ‘Falling Upward’ by Richard Rohr and ‘American Nations’ by Colin Woodward.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Webinars, online courses, and speaking engagements. I expect to be busy over the next three years with two more books and building online learning opportunities for my readers.

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?
Bhagavad-gita, the Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Krsna – The Supreme Personality of Godhead, and How To Live Forever – so that I would still be alive when someone finally came to rescue me.

Author Websites and Profiles
Hari-kirtana das Website
Hari-kirtana das Amazon Profile

Hari-kirtana das’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I love fitness and teaching what I know. The best way to do that seemed to be writing. I have been involved with fitness for over 15 years, and I’ve tried numerous diet and exercise techniques. I live in Louisiana, United States and work as a veterinarian.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Max Body Weight Training. What inspired me to write it is my own experience with exercises.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write laying down.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
My biggest inspiration is Michael Matthews who wrote “Bigger Leaner Stronger”.

What are you working on now?
Another Kindle book about strength training and progressing. I hope to publish a book once a month.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I am still figuring that out.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I am new myself, but I would say enjoy the process and be patient!

What are you reading now?
The Bible. I’m to busy writing to read any other books right now.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Keep publishing books and promoting them so people will learn about me and my work.

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, Jurrasic Park, and that’s all I can think of.

Author Websites and Profiles
Rhett Burch Amazon Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My name is Matt Kozar, and Angels on the Bridge is my debut novel. I’m an Emmy-award winning journalist, who spent more than a decade working in local television, most recently at WCBS-TV and CBS News in New York City. Following graduate school, I worked in TV markets across the country, including Delaware, Mississippi, Nevada, and Connecticut. I love great storytelling and feel excited to venture into the world of fiction.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Angels on the Bridge is an inspirational story about a young man who is killed by a drunk driver, and subsequently, is catapulted in the afterlife where he meets God. He’s given three choice that will dictate his eternal fate, and seeking a new adventure, he chooses God’s most challenging offer – act as a spirit guide for the man who killed him. The fictional story is inspired by my brother, Doug, who died in 2010 after he was hit by a drunk driver. I wanted to create a positive story following his death, and I let me brother guide my imagination with this book.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write best in the morning. Following a quick meditation, I’ll pound away on the laptop at my desktop for a few hours before jumping on the commuter train (laptop in my bag) heading to Central Terminal in New York City.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
My favorite book is The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. His storytelling is simple and beautiful. In broadcast television, news scripts are short and succinct, so this style of writing influences me when I tackle fiction. I find myself most gravitating toward Coelho’s literary toolbox when I sit write every morning.

What are you working on now?
I’ve written an outline for a second book that involves a minor character from Angels on the Bridge. I’m hoping to begin writing that story (title TBD) later this summer.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I have a great connection with friends, colleagues, book enthusiasts, and fellow writers on social media, so I find myself gravitating toward Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to share book quotes and ideas.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
The true magic of writing happens during the rewriting process. Knock out a draft and write it over and over until you feel happy with the final version. I find that I’m most creative when I’m editing my own work.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Failure is an important stop on the road to success. Most successful people, regardless of industry or trade, experience great failures. What separates them from the pack is that they learn from their mistakes and persist.

What are you reading now?
I just finished The Angel of Darkness by Caleb Carr, which is a sequel to The Alienist. It’s a great page turner. Carr has kept me hooked throughout the 700+ page novel. All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Before I begin writing my second novel, I’m working on an essay about finding happiness in life. It does not yet have a home, but I’ll be submitting it to several newspapers and journals soon.

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 Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
The Art of War by Sun Tzu
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling

Author Websites and Profiles
Matt Kozar Website

Matt Kozar’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have written 7 books; three are available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc. I was born in New York City, and raised on Long Island, and later South Florida, where I graduated from N. Miami Senior High. I soloed in a Cessna 150 on Halloween, 1968, and have had a lifelong interest in aviation and space. My three books are the Face on Mars inspired book THE HEALER; the alternative history/time travel/romance novel CHERRIES IN WINTER; and the eerie urban fantasy IN THE SHADOW OF THE HOUSE OF GOD. I live in Tucson, Arizona, land of breathtaking vistas and brain-boiling summers.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is IN THE SHADOW OF THE HOUSE OF GOD. It is an eerie urban fantasy about a bet the devil makes with God, and all of creation hangs in the balance. I wrote it because I saw that the world is awash in hatreds, mutual animosities, terrorism in the name of religion, and a world on the brink of Armageddon. And I wondered if I could write a book showing the unity of all faiths, then perhaps, if even a tiny bit, I might be able to pull us back from the brink and wake some people up. I truly hope so.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
No, not that I can think of; except I write first in longhand on a legal pad. Then I “bleed” all over it until I’m satisfied, then I transfer my work to the computer.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Ray Bradbury, Douglas Adams, Thornton Wilder, T. Lobsang Rampa, H.G. wells, and so many others!

What are you working on now?
Nothing at the moment, while I help to promote and market IN THE SHADOW OF THE HOUSE OF GOD. Eventually, time permitting, I will return to an unfinished manuscript – THE HORROR ON BOARD THE HMS COTTINGLY.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Facebook probably, because it has thousands of book group pages that I can post my ad to.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Persistence, and a thick skin. A quote I heard once when I get angry is the following: “A writer is someone who has to continually prove his talent – to those that have none.”

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Follow your dreams, even if it means you must march to the beat of a different drummer to achieve them.

What are you reading now?
Nothing specific at the moment.

What’s next for you as a writer?
The ongoing process of trying to sell my approximately 30 short stories.

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?
Douglas Adam’s books to laugh, the Bible to sustain my faith, and a survivalist book.

Author Websites and Profiles
Jeffrey Roberts Website
Jeffrey Roberts Amazon Profile

Jeffrey Roberts’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Chenoa Franz has been writing and publishing under a pseudonym until recently, when her daughter asked her to write a book for young adults and to publish it under her own name. Together, they began discussing possible storylines. Struck by inspiration and her daughter’s persistence, the story of Visualized Reality began to take form.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
In the vein of Bradbury and others, Chenoa initially wanted to address the growing concern of a nation of non-readers. As a child, one of the greatest gifts of reading was the power of her own imagination. No movies ever measured up to the stories that she visualized while reading the authors’ words. And it is now a real tragedy that we have failed to fully teach the joy of reading—the gift of reading—to today’s youth.
Undeniably, reading fuels creativity and critical thought. But it also can provide an escape from boredom, stress, and reality. Now more than ever, our children need healthy tools and resources to help them endure the challenges that our world presents them day after day.
Equally important, we need to teach them to evaluate the world and think critically. But with the emphasis on standardized tests, we have seen a gradual depletion in these more crucial skills. Critical thought and creativity have fallen by the wayside. And this creative thought drives the film industry, the publishing industry, and education. So when we, as a society, fail to value creativity and the arts, what is left? This question was a central focus while developing Visualized Reality.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I feel like my creativity functions best when I am removed from all technology distractions. So the shower and my car tend to be common locations for me to develop ideas, characters, and scenes. Is this totally bizarre?

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I love the entire dystopian genre. I am also a ridiculously big fan of Dean Koontz. I own nearly all of his books and have an entire bookcase devoted to his books.

What are you working on now?
I’m in the very early stages of a new novel that cannot exactly be termed dystopian. It will take place in a tiny community that has been developed outside of their corrupt and disintegrating society. Like Visualized Reality, it will also be a young adult book.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I have had a variety of success from a number of promotional websites, including Awesome Gang.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t lose focus and remain persistent. It’s so easy to become discouraged and to shove projects onto the back burner when they don’t produce the reader-base for which you’d been hoping. Push through and keep plodding.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I recently read Anne LaMott’s Bird by Bird. It is full of “best advice.”

What are you reading now?
Dean Koontz (always a safe bet for me) – The Whispering Room

What’s next for you as a writer?
Lots of marketing and promotion (ick) and some further development of my next project. I’m a ridiculously analytical person, and I am no less ridiculous or analytical as a writer. I do extensive character sketches and plot development. I draw maps for my settings. I work up detailed outlines and occasionally will have an entire scene written within my outline long before it is time to actually incorporate that scene in the book. I even will often work with my graphic designer to put together a cover prior to 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?
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz, and Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. (I’d take the Koontz and Gabaldon series in their entirety if permitted.)

Author Websites and Profiles
Chenoa Franz Website

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have written only 1 book, but this book has inspired me and others(apparently) to see the world in a different perspective. I wrote this book when i lost a good friend,as a way of sipping my pain away. And it’s working,kind of Amazon reviewers(70+) have liked the book, to my utter surprise. My followers too on Instagram(over 11k) https://www.instagram.com/_kihali/ have been inspirational to me

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Whispers of Death is my latest book. I lost a good friend i really liked, and it was the most painful thing i ever experienced. So I wrote this piece to help drain the pain away, and it did, while also inspiring others.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Yes, like wanting to write in a coffin? I’ve always craved that, I tried it once and got caught. So I’ve never done it again.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Robert Frost is my best poet, followed by William Shakespeare, Emily Dickinson, JK Rowling and the latest Being Rupi Kaur.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on my second book now, and i hope this new piece delivers my message to my fans. Im also working on a script that will cover a variety of issues such as the LGBTQ, women rights and depression.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Well, i love Instagram and twitter, ive got a huge following on these platforms, so i take advantage of this.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Whatever it is, just write it. Ignore all the sounds and just write!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
An advice from Robert Frost’s poem ” The Road Not Taken”. Where he says he took the road less traveled by, and that made all the difference.

What are you reading now?
Currently Im reading so many books at once so many books by so many talented authors.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Well, lets wait shall we? I have so many big dreams, but i hope to start a publishing company and a magazine for Writers, especially Kenyan Writers who find it difficult to publish their works. I would like Kenyans to embrace readership.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Well i would start with JK Rowling’s Harry Potter, then Rupi kaur’s Milk and Honey, then Kiyosaki’s Rich Dad Poor Dad and finally Robert Frost’s ‘A boy’s will’.

Author Websites and Profiles
Ronald Kihali Website
Ronald Kihali Amazon Profile

Ronald Kihali’s Social Media Links
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My name is Chidi Duru, also known as C S Duru.
I’m a writer and author of Secrets of Agent 13; a contemporary erotic romance about a young real estate agent with eyes on the money and a huge ambition. That was until he met the petite Mrs Oryana Yelzinski and then discovered that chance may have placed him in a situation he never asked for.

I have currently written:
1. Just ASK; a self-motivational book with practical living theme.
2. God’s Time – a simplified practical analysis and
3. How not to quit -when the going gets tough.
Children’s books include:
4. When I grow up and
5. Do birds go to the bathroom?

I’m currently writing two other children’s books and would soon begin work on book #2 of Secrets of Agent 13.

I’m a keen Photoshop enthusiast and managing director at Samanthajane Limited, a real estate company in London.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Secrets of Agent 13 is my latest book.
I guess in my role as an agent, I get to hear everyday stories from various people I get to meet. Whether their stories are real or imagined is a different matter. Putting them all together with a bit of imagination has brought it to life. I do hope that readers will enjoy it.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t think so. Like most people with a full-time job, I write mostly at night on my smart phone before my eyes get too weary. Other than that, I write whenever I have a minute or so to spare.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I believe my earliest recollection was a collection of children’s stories titled Careful hands. Can’t remember by who, but they were so lovely written. It kind of switched on my writing switch. I’ve since dreamed of telling a good story when I grow up. I’m still growing up.

What are you working on now?
I’m currently writing two other children’s books and would soon begin work on book #2 of Secrets of Agent 13.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m still new to twitter, but I seem to enjoy growing my followers organically.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Just keep writing. No one can read the book that’s only written in your head.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
When you write, write the best story that you can.

What are you reading now?
Gillespie and I by Jane Harris

What’s next for you as a writer?
To try and finish all my unfinished work

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?
Secrets of Agent 13
Gillespie and I
The Lemon Grove
Behind Closed Doors

Author Websites and Profiles
C S Duru Amazon Profile

C S Duru’s Social Media Links
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I started writing when i was eight to escape my rough childhood. I experimented with different genres like adventure, fantasy, sci-fi, romance, crime and erotica.
Several of my stories have been published both in English and Arabic (I’m half Egyptian) in anthologies such as The Monkey Collection. I also have stories on short-story.me
My first full-length paranormal romance The Goddess and the Golden Sunflower can be found on wattpad and ficfun. It got more than 95000 reads in one month and was on the top of HOT charts for weeks.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Her Majesty’s Harem.
It’s a reverse harem erotica and the first of a series.
I’ve always been fascinated by the idea of sexual liberation for women, the idea of us having sex whenever, wherever, and the fact that the notion isn’t exclusive to men. Women, too, can experience that kind of liberation. That’s the main concept behind Her Majesty’s Harem.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I never drink coffee, if you can believe that, and I prefer to write my story on paper first, with blue pens, and then transfer it on my computer. Also, I only write at night. I’m definitely not a morning person.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Hundreds. It’ll be hard to list them.
In YA, I’m a huge fan of Twilight and The Hunger Games. In Romance, I love my mentor Deanna Birch. In Erotica, I love dark things, so Sansa Rayne. My favorite book of all times is Anna Karenina.

What are you working on now?
Book 2 in the Royal Harem series.
A YA contemporary with romantic elements and diverse characters.
A dark erotica (bloody one!)

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
The best method is word of mouth. I ask my beta readers to list my stuff on Goodreads or rate and review either there or on amazon.
Social networking help, too. I’m only active on Twitter, though.
Interviews such as these are awesome

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I’m not in a place to give advice, but I’d tell them to enjoy themselves, read a lot, never stop writing, and don’t expect too much and remember to enjoy the other aspects of their lives.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Read People and treat them for who they really are.

What are you reading now?
All the Bright Places, a YA

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?
Anna Karenina and any Surviving on a desert island for Dummies books

Author Websites and Profiles
N.J. Adel Website
N.J. Adel Amazon Profile

N.J. Adel’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My name is Matthew Chau, currently a student at California State University, Fullerton studying English. I currently have two self-published books under my belt under Amazon.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My newest book release was a poetry collection called Get Well Soon. Written, formatted and released in 21 days, after being released from my day job. It is an ode to my current dating partner, in which I have known for three years but only started dating just recently.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I only write during the night! No exceptions! I will gather thoughts and anything as a simple word that is on my mind or I find a connection with in my notes and write. As an avid Hip-Hop fanatic, I will usually have a vinyl record spinning in the background as I write. I also usually never capitalize in my poems to a stylistic preference.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I try not to be influenced by other writers as I like all my thoughts and ideas to be genuine. I draw inspirations and ideas from anything I read, however; a concept or line, large or small. I am greatly inspired however by musical artists such as Frank Ocean, Tupac Shakur, Nas, Jay-Z, Drake, Lil Wayne, Earl Sweatshirt, Joey badass, and Danny Brown to name a few.

What are you working on now?
Off of my new release Get Well Soon, I am going to take some time off from writing as I always like to do. I will pick it up again soon; even in the off-season, i’m always taking notes.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Still a niche I need to advance in, to be honest. Currently, it’s mostly Amazon advertising and word of mouth and social media. I am trying out smaller newsletter and promotions to test the waters.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
It’s a daunting process, to create and publish a book. As cliche as it sounds, just keep pushing and don’t stop for anything!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
think of your five closest friends – your skill cap is the median of those five.

What are you reading now?
my own books – fine-tuning my own work

What’s next for you as a writer?
possibly one more full poetry book, and then transition slowly to fiction work.

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?
48 Laws of Power
Decoded – Biography of Jay-Z
The Law of Attraction
1984

Author Websites and Profiles
Matthew Chau Website
Matthew Chau Amazon Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I was born in Cuba and came to the United States while still in my teens. After finishing high school I attended school at Concord College, West Virginia University and the University of Maryland. All my studies focused on literature.

I have written a total of fifteen books, both in English and Spanish. A lot more information can be found in my official website.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Faded Dreams is a memoir of my early years in Cuba. Although I never intended to write this book, my children convinced me to do so.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
None. I like to work in the morning, if possible.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The work of Albert Camus, Jose Lezama Lima and Alejo Carpentier. In English I enjoy very much the work of Aldous Huxley.

What are you working on now?
I am about to start working on a book of short stories

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I have my own personal website.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Believe in yourself and be patient.

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

What are you reading now?
Tokio Blues.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I will be happy if I can complete the project I am about to undertake. I also have two unpublished Spanish-language novels that I am trying to place with a publishing house.

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- Basic survival
2-How to build a boat

Author Websites and Profiles
Carlos Rubio Website
Carlos Rubio Amazon Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a survivor of many things, including child abuse and sexual abuse (not from my family). I have decided to use my writing skills to make other survivors feel less alone and more empowered.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest and first published book is Just Breathe: Miracles Do Happen, a lesbian romance that touches on child sexual abuse and what it is to endure and survive it. The next book I’m working on is a book of poetry for survivors as well.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
When I write it has to be then and there. I carry my phone everywhere because when the mood hits me, I write. I cant just write at any time. I have to be inspired. Otherwise, my work comes out forced and unnatural.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
There’s a book by Julie Ann Peters called Keeping You A Secret. This book has strengthened me as a person and kept me going with the strength i found through it. I have a couple of her books.

What are you working on now?
I am working on a book of poems for survivors like me who have been through many things. It will be called “Poems From A Survivor’s Heart”.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Books
www.iflowcreative.net – as far as promoting I’m getting help from iFlow Creative. Jonathan is very good at his work and very very patient.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Go for it. Don’t be afraid of failure because then you’ll never know. Don’t give up. If it’s your passion, do it. Nothing will be wasted on it if it’s your passion. No matter what happens in life, keep going. It will get better.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The only one you have to keep up with is yourself.

What are you reading now?
The most recent book I read was Keeping You A Secret by Julie Ann Peters, and I have read that one before.

What’s next for you as a writer?
My mission in writing is to help others like me – inspire them not only to keep living, keep going, but to show them that there’s more to life and they can do this too. They can fight for what’s theirs, find their passion and do 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?
Keeping You A Secret, Anne On My Mind by Nancy Garden, and my own – Just Breathe (for the memories)

Author Websites and Profiles
Naomi Galvan Website

Naomi Galvan’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m from Ft. Worth, Texas. I’m 56 years old and am serving a life sentence on parole right now for robbery. I’ve been out since 2006. The details of why and how I went to prison are in one of the two books I’ve written called An Outlaw’s Redemption.
I’m married and have been for 8 years now. This is the first time in my life that I’ve ever been stable. Part of that redemption thing. It’s in my book.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I was an Uber driver for over a year and I thought it would be cool to have a character who had things happen to him while he was driving for Uber. So now I’m working on my second Dylan Coletrain novel. The second one is untitled as yet but the first one is called Fast As You Can Pull The Trigger

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Coffee, cigarettes and late at night while the world sleeps.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Without a doubt Larry McMurtry and Stephen King

What are you working on now?
This question has already been asked and answered.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I don’t have one. Still trying to figure that out.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Keep your day job and keep writing.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
In the inside cover of a Stephen KIng book I once read that people tell him at parties that they always wanted to be a writer. He wants to reply that he always wanted to be a brain surgeon. At least, it think that was King but don’t quote me.
He said if you want to write then write. It’s not complicated. Just sit down and do it.

What are you reading now?
Hunt for Red October

What’s next for you as a writer?
Selling more copies.

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 Stand, O Brother Where Art Thou and the Rift War Saga

Author Websites and Profiles
Danny Walls Amazon Profile

Danny Walls’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Sheri-Lynn lives in farm country in Western Canada, with an inspiring view out each window. She grew up riding and working with horses/racehorse, drawing and selling animal artwork, and of course reading. Sheri-Lynn fell in love with reading at age twelve while reading The Black Stallion series by Walter Farley. One day in 2008, after an unsatisfying book, she decided to write her own. Inspired by her favorite authors who write paranormal romance, Jax, Sami and Tierney came to life in Sheri-Lynn’s mind. The Dracones were born, and she never looked back. With seven books out since 2016, Sheri-Lynn is about to release her 8th on August 30th.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Casstiel, Born of Lightning. This is the 2nd book in my Dracones Spinoff series called Dragonkind ~ 52 Realms. As I write, more characters pop up, demanding they have their stories told as well.

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

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The authors and books that influence how and what I write are Sherrilyn Kenyon and JR Ward, along with a few others. I love large casts of characters, where they all grow to become like one big family. I also enjoy multiple POV’s, and a darker story, with twisted humor.

What are you working on now?
Way to many to count, lol. I have about 10 different stories in the works.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
That seems to be ever changing.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Yes, make sure you get beta readers in your genre, give them a deadline and a questionnaire to fill out. If you don’t know where to find any, FB has a massive reader/writer communtiy, you can find them in groups there. Get a good editor that is recommended by another author who has been around a while and knows what they are doing.
I love and highly recommend doing up a GMC chart (Goal, Motivation, Conflict) Debra Dixon has a great book on Amazon called GMC. If you do no other plotting, at least do that. Also, K.M. Weiland has some great resources and I love her Structuring your novel book. Had a few lightblub moments there as she has great tidbits.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Was told to learn to do my own formatting. I did, and am glad.

What are you reading now?
between books, and trying to write.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Get more books written and released and learn how to do my own FB adds.

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?
Acheron & Born of Silence by Sherrilyn Kenyon, and 2 of JR Wards Black Dagger Brotherhood.

Author Websites and Profiles
Sheri-Lynn Marean Website
Sheri-Lynn Marean Amazon Profile

Sheri-Lynn Marean’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Currently, I am co-writing a second book with a great friend, Mark Rodger. We have published one book titled ‘History’s Greatest Deceptions And Confidence Scams.’

Currently, we are working on 5 books simultaneously including a historical collection of stories of failed battles throughout human history and a Historical Fiction involving time travel in the Ancien Regime era of France.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
‘Where Are They?’ was born of our fascination with the Fermi Paradox.

The subject matter explores several different reasons why scientists think we have not yet made contact with extraterrestrial intelligent alien life. From the Rare Earth hypothesis, where scientists believe we are unique in the entire universe to the Trancension Hypothesis, where it is believed intelligent life Transcended the existing reality to break through into another dimension, we discuss several different ideas as to why we still have not found intelligent alien life.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
STEVEN: I like to write in the dark, with the TV on to distract me. I also like to work on several projects at the same time. Its a slower process, however, it gives me a chance to think about the story I’m trying to tell and get back to it after a proper break, while at the same time moving another project ahead.

MARK: To echo Steven, writer’s block is the common enemy of writers. This strategy allows us to shelve a project and reflect on it, while we move ahead on another one. It’s a process that works. Couple this with the fact that there are two of us in the creative process, we can bounce ideas off each other. It really is a collaborative process.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
There are too many to list here, but a typical cornucopia of writers include, Asimov, Hebert, Anthony, C.S. Lewis, Huxley, Hunter S. Thomson, PJ O’Rourke and many others.

Piers Anthony’s ‘Incarnations of Immortality’ inspired us both in our young adult years.

What are you working on now?
We are working on a collection of short stories of great failures during key battles in human history, and a Historical Fiction involving time travel back to the Ancien Regime period of France.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Without a doubt, all manners of social media. It’s the new town square of the modern times.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Start young and early. Don’t give up. Share your work with people you trust and get their feedback. If you can strike gold, find a friend that shares your passion and bounce ideas off each other often. Communicate frequently and openly with each other without rancor or bias.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Get a great cover artist, pay for a proper editing job and learn the nuts and bolts of Marketing. Books don’t sell themselves.

What are you reading now?
STEVEN: Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow

MARK: I am in the final stretch of my ‘Battle’s’ book and don’t have any time to read at the moment.

What’s next for you as a writer?
We want to keep writing, well into our golden years.

We have several ideas involving ancient history and a mixture of Historical Fiction/Science Fiction stories on the backburner.

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 survive on a Deserted Island by Tim O’Shei, The Fisherman’s Ocean: How Marine Science Can Help You Find and Catch More Fish by Ross David, Shelters, Shacks, and Shanties: The Classic Guide to Building Wilderness Shelters by D.C. Beard.

We are nothing, if not practical guys.

Author Websites and Profiles
Steven Lazaroff Website
Steven Lazaroff Amazon Profile
Steven Lazaroff Author Profile on Smashwords

Steven Lazaroff’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hey I am Triveni Sidha from J&K (city of temples and heaven of earth). Not working yet, still student at shri mata vaishno Devi college of nursing Katra J&K. It is true that best friends are many but it’s more interesting when you have the beautiful pen and paper as your support system. “My pen is still under construction ” I am a budding writer and want to make this world not only to read my words but to imagine and listen to them. I want to make those story covers like a rising sun where a deep colours of my words paints every reader with a moral. I have not write any book yet but I am working on a title called “koshur” and hopefully one day will complete it and make my readers swim into the ocean full of words.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Aah! Talking about unusual writing habits, I always laugh on my crazy mind because it’s full of freaking thoughts. For this I just want to say that I love to play with my thoughts. People may write after working on any topic but my skills have manufactured a brain where thought process never stops and hands never said to put a full stop.
My dark nights defines my “Unusual writings habits” well because for me darkness is one that brings change
in you whereas brightness only preserves you in you. Dark times are best to reestablish you. Thanks to my habit it made me “a person who can live peaceably even in her loneliness”

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I have read few books only, in “ingnited minds” is one of my favorite because author is soo close to me and my country India. A.P.J Abdul Kalam, the man who was mastermind at not writing his feelings only but making every youth a daring person who can change the nation with their skills and knowledge. His words always inspired me and “one of his statement that I follow on every
step is ” Don’t stop to dream.
Keep loving them as much as possible,
the one who dream achieve the greater heights” .
He in himself is an inspiration and his words just take me into world where I feel strong and daring enough to achieve my goals.

What are you working on now?
As said above I am working on a title “koshur” It’s a story full of sacrifices.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best advise I have ever heard is don’t blame the rejections, just be thankful to your rejections because they are only there to design you more beautifully ,without them you can’t climb on the ladder of success.
“And this advise is from the people whose genes are helping me to achieve the greater heights today”.

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My profession is: I am a human resources manager, an entrepreneur, a life coach and a writer. I have been writing for a very long time, but this is the first book I was committed to following through with this book until the end. Hopeless Cries,

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The name of the book is… Hopeless Cries, it was inspired by the #MeToo movement. When the culture changed around rape and sexual assault, I decided to use this moment to unleash my own fear and shame from suffering a rape when I was a child.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
No

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Authors: Les Brown, Eckhart Tulle, Dr. Wayne Dyer,

What are you working on now?
I am working on a motivational book, it will help people who feel stuck in a dead-end job to give themselves permission to pursue their goals. And to stop using the job they hat as a crutch.

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

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I myself is very new to publishing and promoting my book…

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Make the commitment to yourself, and commit to your commitment.

What are you reading now?
I am presently reading… Think and Grow Rich

What’s next for you as a writer?
I would like to use writing as a tool to help and inspire people to make a commitment to work on their goals.

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?
Spiritual and motivational books of course… I would also take my own book Hopeless Cries to remind me that when you commit to something, it can happen. whatever the mind can conceive and believe it can achieve.

Author Websites and Profiles
Cj Thomas Amazon Profile

Cj Thomas’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My name is Cachline Etienne and I’m an university student. I am a huge fan of book and poetry and this year my friends convinced me to start writing. So far I’ve published one poetry book entitled stories untold, however I’m working on another poetry book called set me free.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest project is entitled Ammora and I was inspired to write it after an online friend to me her story.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I usually write during the night time.
I also can’t write if I’m not completely relaxed.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best advice I’ve heard was ‘Just write’. Trust me you can always fix the mistakes.

What are you reading now?
I’m currently reading one of my favorite books “Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry”

Author Websites and Profiles
Cachline Etienne Website
Cachline Etienne Amazon Profile

Cachline Etienne’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a new writer. I currently am finishing a series of action, adventure pulp short stories about a secret agent duo – Martin & James. Think Dick Tracy meets Batman and Robin (like the 60’s TV show but not as much corniness). I have plans for several series after this, including a superhero group.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Martin & James series had a couple inspirations. My first book idea, I wanted to release it as a series of short stories. I modeled this after the Conan stories by Robert E. Howard. He wrote them and they were printed in magazines like Amazing Stories, but they weren’t one story and they weren’t released in chronological order. That’s what I wanted, but I realized that the story idea I had needed a novel, not short stories.
Then my stepson told me about a dream he had and I turned it into a short story with a couple agents, one being modeled after him. This turned into another story based on another of his dreams – and the rest just happened. Now I am finishing the fifth story and have several more planned.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t think so. I like to get up and write early in the morning, so my wife would say that’s unusual.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Michael Crichton, Stephen King, the Dragonlance series, Spider-man comics, and obviously Conan stories.

What are you working on now?
I am finishing the Martin & James series, at least a collection for book 1. Then I will be working on a superhero book – The Vindicators. I have their origin stories and an idea for the main story. I have an outline for a couple books with Melvin the redneck trucker and his paranormal adventures. Then there is the Liza Jane books. These I have been working on and want to make as perfect as I can. I have a three book series outlined for this and most of book 1 done.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I am still working on that. I’m testing some and seeing how things work out.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write and keep writing. If you want to market and haven’t written that day, write. If you want to read a new book and haven’t written that day, write. Forget the evening TV show. Just write.

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

What are you reading now?
I just finished a Jeff Strand book. Not in the middle of anything big. Reading some short stories in the magazine Deep Magic.

What’s next for you as a writer?
To keep writing and catch up to all the stories in my head.

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?
Dragonlance, Jurassic Park, The Shining

Author Websites and Profiles
S.A. Schneider Website
S.A. Schneider Amazon Profile
S.A. Schneider Author Profile on Smashwords

S.A. Schneider’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have always loved storytelling. Since before I could read I was always making up some elaborate scheme to tell my parents (most of the time it was to get out of trouble). This love of telling stories lead to my career in filmmaking which I enjoy to this day. The book writing began when my kids were little and I ran out of books that kept their interest. We would start these “choose your own adventure” ideas and unique stories would splinter off from those ideas.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book Shhh! I’m asleep came from searching online the unique ways animals sleep thinking this would inspire my kids to sleep. 150 animals later it worked :). My kids inspire me quite a bit, it’s good to have your own little test audience.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I tend to write in the wee hours of the night. As a filmmaker, I have spent quite a bit of time filming nights and this has ruined my sleep patterns. My brain seems to be most active from midnight till about 3 am. I can thank the film Rosewood for that.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I love the creativity of Dav Pilkey and the characters in S. E. Hinton’s novels. Fred B Phleger As the Whales go by was a story that fascinated me as a child. This book captured my love of books and animals. I love listening to kids tell stories, there is an honesty and clumsiness to them that is hard to find in stories you read today.

What are you working on now?
I have three books in the queue right now. The Special Flower, Ordinary Harry, and The Brave Boy.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I try to use https://www.goodreads.com as much as possible. I will have to say though nothing beats good, ole’ fashioned word of mouth. I love going into libraries with a stack of my books and just handing them out. I did this in Baltimore and I had a steady stream of sales for three or four weeks after that.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I go to writing events all over the world and one of the most common phrases I hear is “I have been working on “said project” for years now but I just can’t seem to finish.” This is what plagues most authors. My advice is to stop working on it and “DO IT!” Do be afraid of what people will think. Find a good editor that will be honest with you (Not your Mom or Aunt Betty) and find your ending!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“You can be the ripest, juiciest peach in the world, but there will always be someone who hates peaches.” Dita von Teese

What are you reading now?
Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy

What’s next for you as a writer?
To find that perfect story inside the vast chasms of my soul and never let it out!

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?
Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy, George Orwell’s 1984, and Animal Farm

Author Websites and Profiles
Brian Sofsky Website
Brian Sofsky Amazon Profile

Brian Sofsky’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I wrote my first song at age seven and started writing poetry at age eleven. But, I didn’t write my first children’s story until the mid-90s. It took a long time (I was in my 50s) to publish my first children’s book, “Mort the Fly.” Since then, I’ve published nearly 20 books with many more in production.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I’m publishing a series of “greeting books” based on a poem I wrote for my first grandson titled “In Nana’s Arms.” It’s a 6×9 picture book (the size of a large greeting card) with activity pages that the family fills in to create a unique gift for Grandma. The series is called “Book of Love.” There are two versions available now. Just search Amazon.com for “Aviva Gittle” to find them.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I tend to write in streaks. In 2013 I wrote seven stories over a period of about 2 months that were inspired by an illustration of a kitten and butterfly I saw in an artist’s portfolio. it’s been over 5 years and I’m still publishing the stories. The series is called “Kitten and Friends” and can be found by searching for “Aviva Gittle” on Amazon.com. (The stories were translated into Spanish. That series is titled “Gatito y amigos.”)

What authors, or books have influenced you?
My “Kitten and Friends” picture book series was greatly influenced by the tone and pace of Winnie the Pooh books. I love the calmness of the setting, the subtlety of the words, and the interaction between the very different personalities. I tried to capture that in the Kitten books.

What are you working on now?
I am backlogged with books that I need to publish. Most are edited and illustrated, but need to be uploaded. This publishing thing is harder than most folks think it is. I also have a few partially-completed projects. Recently, I had an epiphany about writing a story based on a friend’s daughter, who passed nearly 10 years ago.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
There is no one way, in my experience. Using sites like Awesome Gang, Facebook ads, social media posts, etc. I think you have to do a little marketing every day. (I don’t follow my own advice, but I’m working on that.)

Do you have any advice for new authors?
HIRE AN EDITOR. Notice I used annoying ALL CAPS. I used to run a contest called “The Gittle List.” I have read hundreds of self-published children’s picture books. In 5 years, I found a total of 59 books that I felt proud to recommend. That represents a small percentage of all the books I have reviewed. I can’t tell you how many books (well, hundreds) that needed to be edited. The greatest authors in the world have professional editors.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Watch the pennies and the dollars will take care of themselves.

What are you reading now?
“Stuff Matters: Exploring the Marvelous Materials That Shaped Our Man-Made World” by Mark Miodownik. It was a free download with Amazon Prime and it’s fascinating.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I never know. I have many ideas, a backlog of books as I mentioned above, and great difficulty focusing.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
“To Kill A Mockingbird” which I’ve yet to read. One of Barak Obama’s books, an unabridged dictionary, and some sort of survival on a desert island primer.

Author Websites and Profiles
Aviva Gittle Website
Aviva Gittle Amazon Profile

Aviva Gittle’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve always loved reading and writing, and from an early age I dreamed of becoming a writer one day. As I got older, exams, boys, art college and finally a career all got in the way, and I only started writing again when my ten year old daughter complained that she couldn’t find enough adventure stories to read. Then I remembered my ambition and decided it might be a good time to make it happen.
Over the next few years I wrote two children’s novels and a self-help book, as well as lots of articles about healthy eating and family history. I found a publisher for the self-help book, but it wasn’t until 2014 that I finally decided to self-publish the two novels. Eye Spy and Eye Spy II – Haunted are contemporary mystery stories for middle grade readers, set in a seaside town, about two teen sleuths and their detective service, Eye Spy Investigations. They were great fun to write, and Haunted was a finalist in the Wishing Shelf Book Awards in 2017.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Eye Spy series was partly inspired by the seaside town where I live, Southend-on-Sea, which is on the Thames estuary and very popular with holidaymakers. It has a pier, a funfair, a promenade, and an old Medieval priory, all of which appear in the books. I particularly wanted to write books that might encourage boys to read, so the stories are narrated by Alex, my boy protagonist. So far, they seem to appeal to both boys and girls.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m very lucky – I have my own study. I need absolute quiet and no disturbances to write, or I lose concentration and give up.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I am a great admirer of Jacqueline Wilson’s children’s books and also Sue Townsend’s Diary of Adrian Mole, which have both influenced my Eye Spy books. I also loved the Harry Potter books, which taught me that kids love a mystery story with scenes that take place at both home and school, nd which also feature pets.

What are you working on now?
I’m now working on the third Eye Spy book, which sees the twins searching for a missing pre-Raphaelite painting, and coming up against a ruthless property developer. I know all about ruthless property developers – I’ve had the misfortune to work for several in my time!

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
With children’s books, the best way to reach your target audience is to get into schools, by offering to help with literacy programmes or offering creative writing sessions. I also do a lot of face to face promotion at book fairs. I am a member of a local writer’s network and we get together regularly to arrange literary events and promote each other’s books. Online, you can really only sell to the parents/grandparents rather than the children themselves

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Restraint! DON’T publish until you have worked out a marketing plan and started to implement it. You have to work out how to help people discover your book, and this takes time. Join ALLIA (Alliance of Independent Authors) to get advice from successful Indie authors. I wish someone had told me this before I published my first novel!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Read as much as possible in the genre you write in. Work out how the best authors do it, and learn from them.

What are you reading now?
I’ve just spent eight months reading (or rereading) many classic children’s novels as part of a degree course, so now I’m relaxing by reading adult detective novels and thrillers such as The Dry by Jane Harper, and The Woman in the Window by AJ Finn

What’s next for you as a writer?
I am working on an idea for a time-slip novel (MG or YA) set partly during the time of the English Civil war, which is a period of history which fascinates me. I am also continuing the research for a biography of my husband’s grandfather, a fascinating Welshman who seems to have been mysteriously linked to some of the most famous men of the early twentieth century.

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?
On a desert island escapism would be the order of the day, so maybe two novels by my favourite author, Georgette Heyer: Venetia and These Old Shades; plus one of the Outlander novels by Diana Gabaldon – I’ve reached number 5 now, The Fiery Cross.

Author Websites and Profiles
Tessa Buckley Website

Tessa Buckley’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a children’s picture book author from Suffolk in England, and I’ve just started out on my self-publishing journey. I released my first book this month, but hope to release many more in the future!

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My book is called ‘My Nan is a Ninja’ and was inspired by my 4-year-old son. He absolutely loves ninjas, so I wanted to create a book that features a ninja, but is more accessible and appropriate to a younger audience

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not that I’ve noticed, but it’s only early days – some may develop as yet!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I love Sue Hendra’s books – especially the ‘Supertato’ series, and I really enjoy reading Oliver Jeffers books such as ‘Lost and Found’ and ‘The Incredible Book Eating Boy’.

What are you working on now?
My next book will be about a boy and his robot. I’ve almost finished writing it and will start illustrating soon.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’ve not got much experience with promoting books yet, but I’ve heard good things about Awesome Gang!

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Keep at it! Even if it’s half an hour a day – keep at it and eventually, it will all come together!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
To stop looking for your passion. Instead, work at something until it becomes your passion.

What are you reading now?
I’m not reading anything personally at the moment, but I read a different book with my boys every night. The most recent was ‘Oi Dog’ by Kes Gray.

What’s next for you as a writer?
To keep developing my skills and understanding and to aim for book number two!

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 three ‘His Dark Materials’ books by Philip Pullman and ‘The Power of Now’ by Eckhart Tolle.

Author Websites and Profiles
Tom Plum Website
Tom Plum Amazon Profile

Tom Plum’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve written two young adult novels which are currently available on Amazon. I’ve almost finished a children’s chapter book which will be available soon. I’m currently working on a YA novella (or possibly novel depending on how long it gets) and a sci-fi book which I hope to have finished by the end of the year. The sci-fi book will be the first book I’ve written which isn’t aimed at a youth audience.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is called ‘The Girl at the Well.’ The main inspiration came from reading about the wealth gap in the United States. The top 1 percent own the same amount of wealth as the bottom 90 percent. That’s a bad thing because it stifles long term economic growth. If you’re rich it’s likely because you’re selling products and/or services. The more your potential consumers struggle financially, the less you can sell. Yet in the United States it’s the rich, often through the buying off of politicians, who are pushing wealth upwards and leaving the majority with less. They are actually hurting their own customers and in the process hurting themselves because people can’t afford to buy as many things.

In ‘The Girl at the Well’ I created the Kingdom of the Nine Regions as a kind of microcosm that’s representative of what’s happening in much of the world. King Cameron and Queen Stella represent a kind of callous capitalism where only the rich do well and the rest of the population exists to be exploited by them. But as the majority (mainly represented by the seven lesser regions) struggles, less wealth is flowing upwards. As a result, the King and Queen aren’t able to carry out many of the ambitious projects they have planned. They resort to cruel punishments to increase the productivity of their subjects, but it’s their own greed and selfishness that’s limiting what they can accomplish. Their daughter Liralexa represents a kinder capitalism that wants to give everyone opportunities to do well.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Nothing unusual, but I like to use text-to-speech apps to help with editing. I like to hear how the book sounds. It helps to catch errors and clumsily written sentences.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The BBC show Merlin provided a lot of inspiration for ‘The Girl at the Well’ because the book is set in a Middle Ages-like setting where magic is a big part of life. I think anyone who has seen Merlin will pick up on the inspiration. For my sci-fi book, I’m being influenced by The Hunger Games, Pines by Blake Crouch and Alien by Alan Dean Foster.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on a sci-fi novel which will be my first book not aimed at a youth audience.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I read a lot of reviews before choosing where to promote because I don’t want to waste money on sites that won’t work. But I also want to diversify and not target the same group of readers again and again. bknights on Fiverr helped me move a lot of free books recently.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I am still new, so I’m still learning the ropes myself.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I can’t think of anything at the moment.

What are you reading now?
I’m reading a lot of books by indie authors, but also re-reading the Hunger Games series, Pines and Alien to serve as inspiration for my new book.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I want to finish up the sci-fi book I’m working on and then start a prequel to ‘The Girl at the Well.”

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
It would be too hard to choose. There are so many books I could easily re-read again and again.

Author Websites and Profiles
J.C. Ahmed Website
J.C. Ahmed Amazon Profile

J.C. Ahmed’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a fiction and Christian fiction writer. I currently have two books written, The Saint with Trin, and Omega Station and Noah’s Ark. I am currently working on a couple more projects, one fantasy novel and a collection of short stories based on Biblical accounts.

I love to dance almost any style of dance. My favorite style, mostly because it is so easy, is two-step. I first fell in love with dancing when I took salsa classes in Cocoa Beach Florida. I have dabbled in swing dancing, blues dancing, and even ballet dancing.
I enjoy hiking and camping and have recently decided (now that I have taken to full-time writing) to start doing this more. I can sit for hours and appreciate nature while I sit and write. If I want to take a break from writing, I can take a nice hike or read.
Reading fiction is another of my favorite things to do, though I don’t read near as much as I would like to. Some of this is because I spend the majority of my time writing, being involved in church, or just hanging out with friends.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I will talk about my unpublished work just because it is the work I am most passionate about right now. My current project in progress is a collection of short stories based on Biblical accounts. I get my inspiration for these through sermons and songs during worship. The preacher will say a phrase, and God just starts downloading to me. I keep a tiny flip notebook with my Bible to write these ideas down when I get them.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I feel like I am an unconventional author because I do have a lot of unusual writing habits. For one, I need to write in a public place otherwise I won’t get near as much done. I joke that it is because of my ADHD. The distraction keeps me distracted just enough to keep focused. Another thing I do that I don’t follow the normal rules is that I write several stories at the same time. I am currently working on a novel, a short story, a collection of Bible stories, a monthly sci-fi serial novel, and a bi-monthly fantasy serial novel. I have a lot of projects I do simultaneously, which interview after interview strongly suggest not to do that as an author. I also don’t count word count for my goals, but page counts. I set goals of pages per story to write a week, and I write them the traditional way with ink and paper, then go back and type them. It may take a little longer because of an added step, but I feel that I think and flow better when I write by hand. I have also been teaching myself to write with both hands so when my strong hand gets tired I can just switch hands and power through.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Specific books and authors that have influenced me would be the Icewind Dale series by R. A. Salvatore and the Sword of Shannara series By Terry Brooks. I have discovered through conversations with one of my editors that as a child (I read a lot as a child) I have been significantly influenced by books that have British origins because I tend (even to this day) spell color “colour” and leaped “lept” (among other words) which is how the Brittish spell these words.

What are you working on now?
I am constantly working on my serial novels that I post monthly or bi-monthly, short story collections and a couple of novels.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I haven’t figured that one out yet, but I use Facebook and Instagram the most.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Just keep writing and don’t get discouraged when your writing doesn’t seem to get the traction that you are hoping it does.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
It takes time to get notices as a n author. It isn’t an overnight success. Even the “overnight successes” began years before they were “suddenly discovered.”

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m hoping to eventually make enough writing that I can quit my part-time job and write full time.

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. A survivalists guide. A dictionary of all the known edible and poisonous plants. A dictionary of what all the natural geological elements look like and their properties. You know like flint, or phosphorus just in case there are any of these elements on the island that I can use.

Author Websites and Profiles
C. J. KORRYN Website

C. J. KORRYN’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a free spirited person who is full of life, giggles, and love. My everyday life, from past to present, inspires the out of the box imagination driven creative stories. Every plot twist and turn has a meaning and a message behind it. I am the most outgoing introvert that I know, which tends to make me sociably awkward. A lot of the time, my goofiness saves me a lot of face haha. So far, I have three stories that are published, and one that is unpublished and finished. My stories range from Urban Street Lit, Romance Drama, Paranormal, Christian Fiction, etc.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest complete book is called Changing Faces: No Limit To Her Hustle. My own battles with insecurities and my knowledge of the love of money is what inspired the story.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Yes, haha. My mind is so abstract with thoughts that you never know the direction that my stories will take. Since I am so new to the writing industry, I feel, you have to keep an open mind when it comes to me. Sometimes my book my be categorized as one thing, but include something completely different twisted inside of the storyline.
Also, sometimes I write from ending to beginning, or middle to top, then middle to bottom. As crazy as it sounds, it works for me.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
A lot of the authors that influenced me were from Wattpad.

What are you working on now?
I am currently working on three stories at once. An Urban Paranormal and two Urban Christian Fiction. Which I am not exactly sure the genre of the Christian Fiction because of the views that I fear to receive. The storyline is realistic to the urban life, and it goes to show you that you can always return to Christ no matter how far from the path that you stray.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Promotion and marketing is actually my weak points at the moment. So far, I have tried with social media.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Keep writing! Don’t give up. It’s not going to always be easy, and sometimes you are going to feel stupid or like you’re doing it all wrong. Write anyways! You always have time to go back and revisit your work to edit it. Someone out there needs YOUR STORY! Regardless of if it’s what’s popular, or popping. Don’t write a story that you think someone wants to read, write a story that you would love to read that you don’t see. Stay encouraged! You can do it, but you can’t expect anyone to believe in you more than you believe in yourself.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t worry about the editing process, the readers, the small this and thats, just WRITE THE DAMN BOOK. Stop overthinking. Also, writing and trying to edit at the same time is the same as trying to drive a car with your foot on the gas and brake pedal.

What are you reading now?
When It’s Too Late to Tell by J. Evan Johnson
Identity by T.D. Jakes

What’s next for you as a writer?
To find a comfortable balance of writing as a love, promoting my stories, succeeding and becoming a more polished author. What’s more important to me, though, is the people that I am eager to meet on the way. To be a light in someone’s life, and to gain a bond with my readers means more to me than the sales.

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
Something Worth Fighting For by Heaven J. Fox
Broken Crayons Still Color 1&2 by David Weaver

Author Websites and Profiles
Courtney Monya Amazon Profile
Courtney Monya Author Profile on Smashwords

Courtney Monya’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
A former publishing executive, I now work the other side of the equation in retirement. I’ve published five books, including three mysteries, a nonfiction book on leadership, and a memoir on Christmas called Santa Takes a Tumble. When not writing, I live a very simple life in the mountains of West Virginia with my wife, Ruth, our two dogs, Shadow and Cinder, and all the critters that West Virginia offers.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is a comic mystery called A Grave Misunderstanding, the first of what I hope will be a long and successful series of Simon Grave Mysteries. It was actually inspired by an experience I had at a book fair long ago. I was walking through a nightclub, when I realized that all the women in the place were eyeing me with longing eyes. This had never happened to me before because, well, I’m not that handsome. And then it hit me. I was walking through the place accompanied by one of my staff, who was a tall, Hollywood handsome guy. The women weren’t looking at me; they were looking at him. To them, I was nearly invisible. That gave me an idea for a character who was so nondescript that he was nearly invisible to the rest of the world. That character became Sergeant Barry Blunt, the nearly invisible assistant to our hero, Detective Simon Grave.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t think so. I think every writer settles in to the formula that works for him or her. For me, the routine is rising at 4:00 am, making coffee, and then setting in to work for however long it takes to create a thousand words. Then, 60-90 days later, I have a book.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I would say Douglas Adams and Terry Pratchett. Reviewers see a resemblance to the writings of Kurt Vonnegut, Janet Evanovich, Rich Leder, Carl Hiaasen, and others.

What are you working on now?
I’m just wrapping up the editing on the second Simon Grave Mystery: Graven Images, or, The Curious Incident of the Cat in the Daytime.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
That’s a great question, and I wish I had the answer. While I’m trying to work that out, I post a lot on Facebook and Twitter.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Be persistent. In many ways, publishing is a game of rejection, by agents and publishers looking for just the right gem from among thousands of submissions. Keep at it, learn how to write a good query letter, and keep driving toward YES.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
A line from a novel by John Barth. “The key to the treasure IS the treasure.” Yes, having a book published is a treasure, but it’s the writing itself that’s the real treasure.

What are you reading now?
Nothing. Perhaps this is my unusual writing habit. When I’m writing, I don’t read. I know this seems odd, but I’ve found that whenever I read something–anything–I take on the writing style of that author, which plays havoc with my own voice. So all my reading takes place between projects.

What’s next for you as a writer?
An agent has expressed interest in a five-book urban fantasy I’m developing. The first manuscript is done, and I’ve outlined the remaining four. This could keep me busy for a while, but I also plan to continue the Simon Grave Mystery series. There’s also a high fantasy struggling to break free in the back of my mind.

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’ve come late in life to the works of Charles Dickens, so I’d grab a few of his books and be content.

Author Websites and Profiles
Len Boswell Amazon Profile

Len Boswell’s Social Media Links
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My name is Tressa Graves and I have been knocked out of writing for over two years. I recently just relaunched my career. I have worked with Bud Light and other well name companies when I was on my Bohemian book tour. I have been stalked for over two years in which the police and FBI will be making an arrest soon. Due to my Stalking I have made a crossover in writing. I use to be a horror novelist but now I write true crime and Psychological Thrillers as well. My newest story ‘The Stalking Monster’ is based off actual events. It is an eight part series in which I was asked to do a screenplay.
Below is a list of my current titles as well as my other projects.
The Sawgrass Footpath

The Stalking Monster an eight part series (inspire by actual events)

Lady in the Backyard

Dream Friend

Blackwater of Cassadaga

AhSatan

additional projects

Tressa Graves Productions

Huggies from my Juggies, t-shirts

The Dark Hours Podcast

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Stalking Monster-Hidden part 2
My inspiration unfortunately came from my real Stalking case. My case is so severe police encouraged me to write about it. Once my case is closed I will be writing my first non-fiction novel based on the case called,
the Stalking of Tressa Graves The MONSTER of Melbourne

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
A few most are just needing to be alone so I can talk to my character’s alone….

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Stephen King, Poe and a lot of inspiration has come From Dolly Parton as most of her music is extremely dark.

What are you working on now?
Screenplays and my 8 part series of The Stalking Monster

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Amazon, Goodreads and every social media sites I can find. I am everywhere!

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t give up, if you follow your dreams they will come true. In the words of Disney’s Dory ‘Keep Swimming’

What is the best advice you have ever heard?

What are you reading now?
I am currently reading two books
Dolly on Dolly and Stephen King’s Rivival

What’s next for you as a writer?
Hopefully bigger projects which I can’t really mention 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?
Dolly on Dolly ( for hope and inspiration)
Flowers in the Attic
Stephen King’s Desperation and The Regulators.

Author Websites and Profiles
Tressa Graves Website
Tressa Graves Amazon Profile

Tressa Graves’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Stenetta Anthony is a native Chicagoan. Who an educator for primary school age children before delving into the world of children’s publishing; causing her to bring her dramatic story-telling style from the classroom into the world of writing. She loves watching cartoons because she considers herself to be a child at heart. Stenetta resides in Chicago with her husband, children, and grandchildren. I have written and published three books, two of which are children’s book and one is a journal for adults. I am also a contributed of the book about who share writings about the influence Former First Lady Michelle Obama had on their life.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book in production, scheduled for release at the end of summer if, A Home for Sally. I was inspired to write this book after watching multiple television shows that featured healthy canines, and the requests for adoption. However, on most of whom I never observed them showing a dog with a disability. This is what caused me to write, A Home for Sally; which shares her struggle of having a handicap, and how she is often overlooked for adoption because of her disability.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I wouldn’t consider myself to have any unusual habits; however, I do not write on a daily basis. The inspiration for my writings can come when I’m washing the dishes, driving in the car or sometimes when I’m playing with my grandchildren. This is why I often have a resource available to put my thoughts down on paper.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Since I categorize myself as a children’s author, two books have influenced my life. One is, Little Engines Can Do Big Things, by Britt Allcroft. It is a reflection of although you consider yourself small compared to others, you can perform big tasks. The second is Brave New World by Aldous Huxley an adventure of entering into a foreign place. Which I considered myself to be when writing my first children’s book; publishing was a very unfamiliar world to me. I also enjoy reading anything written by John C. Maxwell. His books are ones I reread and take notes from.

What are you working on now?
Currently, I am in production with the release of my book A Home for Sally; while also working on a moral lesson children’s series.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Several methods are used for promoting my books: social media, my website, face-to-face sales and requests for interviews; such as this one.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
The best advice I would offer a new author is to establish an Author’s Business Plan. We as authors’ can become so engrossed in the process of “only writing” that you sometimes forget that there are other components to writing. One of which is marketing, which is a necessity. So before, during and after establish your plan and make changes whenever necessary.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Best, the advice I’ve received is to be patient with myself. I am sometimes in a hurry to complete a something that I become overwhelmed and frustrated. Therefore, stressed out unnecessarily.

What are you reading now?
For the past month, I have been reading with a book study group. The book when have been reading and studying from is The Call: Finding and Fulfilling the Central Purpose of Your Life by Os Guinness. This is been an interesting process because each group member is required to do homework and share their findings during the next session. It is an eye opener for not only myself but others in the reading group, because past mistakes are shared and how to learn from each of them.

What’s next for you as a writer?
As a former educator, I enjoyed teaching. So currently I am reaching out to; elementary schools and other community organizations regarding teaching a class on the publishing process. As a former educator, I enjoyed teaching. So currently I am reaching out to; elementary schools and other community organizations regarding teaching a class on the publishing process. Sharing with them my journey, as well as, instructing them on how to not only write a literature work but also how to publish.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Well, any romance novel would be is necessary, because I am a romantic at heart. Others would include anything by John C. Maxwell and The White House Years, A Mandate for Change which has been on my bookshelf for years and me yet to complete reading.

Author Websites and Profiles
Stenetta Anthony Website
Stenetta Anthony Amazon Profile

Stenetta Anthony’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I started writing novels back in 2011, I traditionally published four books in The Embrace Series. After various events within my family, I stopped writing for a few years. I then became ill and needed to find focus in my life again. I turned back to writing.

In 2018 I acquired the rights to my books back. I have begun to revise and re-release these four books. I have also began to continue the series as well as other books. I will be releasing books at least monthly for the remainder of 2018. Writing again has been helping me heal and fight my newly diagnosed disease, Lupus.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is called The Climb and will be released in August 2018. The idea from it came from my sister in laws travels to Africa. A love story that takes us on the roller coaster ride called life.

Sometimes fate brings two people together to create a perfect love, but then life has different plans, so we must decide to trust that fate will prevail and our lives could be better than ever imagined.
Trista Smith is from San Francisco, she struggles with her self-worth. Deciding it’s time to take her life back, she makes the trek up Mount Kilimanjaro, hoping that climbing Africa’s tallest mountain will give her a new outlook on life and the courage to live it to the fullest.
Wealthy New Yorker, Phil McKay lost his wife to brain cancer. He’s finally fulfilling her dream of climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. With her ashes in his pack, he is ready to close this painful chapter and move on with his life.
Both Trista and Phil hoped to ‘find themselves’ on the mountain; they never expected their lives to change forever. Unfortunately, they live on opposite ends of the country. It’s hard to be drawn together and then torn apart in such a short time. However, life throws even more curve balls at them and the risk of tragedy brings them together again.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I need background noise when I write. Recently I have began listening to various writer training videos as I write. In the past it was music, but had to be new to me music so that I wouldn’t start (badly) singing the songs.

I also get distracted easily, so coffee shop writing doesn’t work for me. A room by myself, background noise and a pack of cue cards to write notes on is what works best for me.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I love Nicholas Sparks books, his love stories inspire me to write a realistic love. Kathi Barton is another huge influence for me. Her determination to heal through writing blows me away. I hope to one day be as amazing as both of these authors.

What are you working on now?
Currently I’m working on the revisions for The Embrace Series. Tightening the writing and adding simple but necessary elements to the story. I believe in this story and hope that it gets the chance it deserves.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
This is still something I’m trying to figure out. The market and avenues for promotion have changed so much in the past few years. I feel like a new author all over again.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t get discouraged and most of all keep writing. I stopped writing for several reasons, but feel like I have my life back again. I wish I would have never took a hiatus. We need to push though, believe in yourself and in your dreams.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Always try to better your craft.

What are you reading now?
Phoenixcry by KT Strange. It’s a reverse harem, the first I’ve ever read. I like to challenge myself with new to me genres.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I have at several more books planned for The Embrace Series, I’m excited to continue this story. This is my career, my job. I need to focus on making my business and learning the ropes of marketing and being an Indie author.

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 take The Harry Potter books. I have never read them before, but obviously have heard amazing things. My daughter has read them several times over and from what I understand, takes something new from them with each read. I think I need to jump on the bandwagon.

Author Websites and Profiles
Charlotte Blackwell Website
Charlotte Blackwell Amazon Profile

Charlotte Blackwell’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I started my work life as a journalist (newspaper reporter) so it seemed natural to write nonfiction books. I’ve written eight nonfiction books. My latest nonfiction book is Voices of New China. My first fiction book is Desert Jade: A Letty Valdez Mystery. I will publish the second Letty Valdez Mystery, Dragon’s Revenge, in November 2018. I’m a native Texan, now an Arizona desert rat.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Desert Jade: A Letty Valdez Mystery was inspired by the culture and people of the U.S.- Mexico Borderlands, and also the people of China.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
When I get bogged down, I find that if I take the dog for a long walk, ideas come to me. When I go home, I write them down.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Too many to list! I want to thank the elementary school librarian who gave me Nancy Drew mystery books to read when I was in the third grade.

What are you working on now?
I’m finishing Dragon’s Revenge, the second Letty Valdez Mystery. A murder in the library leads Letty to a box of documents with a memoir that is over 100 years old. The memoir has a clue that helps Letty solve the present-day mystery.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m still experimenting and I can’t say yet what is best.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Read a lot. Read outside your genre. Read non-fiction, too.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Start where you are.

What are you reading now?
The Babylon Eye by Masha du Toit

What’s next for you as a writer?
More Letty Valdez mysteries are coming plus a nonfiction book on a specific arts topic (not ready to talk about it yet), and maybe a romantic sci-fi?

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?
Arthur Conan Doyle’s collection of Sherlock Holmes stories
Ursula Le Guin’s The Left Hand of Darkness.
Anything by Pema Chodron.

Author Websites and Profiles
C.J. Shane Website
C.J. Shane Amazon Profile
C.J. Shane Author Profile on Smashwords

C.J. Shane’s Social Media Links
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Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My name is H. J. Chammas. I am a regular man … an employee who was trying his best to make ends meet in a tough world. Like many others, I was stuck in the rat race. The financial crisis of 2008 pushed me to find alternative ways to escape the rat race and achieve financial freedom. In 2017, when my wife and I received the news that we will be welcoming a new baby to this world, an invisible power made me open my laptop on the very same evening to transfer all the learning that made me achieve success to a word document. My intention was quite simple – i wanted by son or daughter read those lessons when they grow old, so that they can know they have many choices and options in life … other than the standard set programming of studying hard so that they end up working even harder for money.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Employee Millionaire: How to Use Your Day Job to Become a Millionaire with Rental Properties

I have always been worried that the majority of people throughout the world fall into the trap of working hard for money just to make ends meet. When I graduated and started my career in the corporate world, I found myself trapped in the rat race, running from one pay cheque to the next. I came to the realization that almost all of my work colleagues, irrespective of where they fall on the corporate ladder, had accepted their fate and were trying to make the most out of the life program that their parents handed over to them. This programming is so powerful! To an extent, I have observed exactly the same trend with many fellow colleagues I have worked with in different parts of the world, from East Asia, to Europe, to South Africa, to the Middle East, to the US.

When the world was suffering from the financial crisis of 2008, I witnessed and heard of many people being kicked out of their jobs. I couldn’t imagine how millions of people could no longer sustain their standards of living when they were put out of their jobs … the same secure, high-paying jobs they planned to count on for their rest of their lives. It was a wakeup call for me. I wanted to finally break out of this life program and write my own program. I studied many books, attended many seminars, and sought the help of coaches and mentors who have already achieved what I want to achieve in my life. I wanted to be in control of my life and refused to be like a lab rat following a set program.

The first reason I wrote this book is responsibility. I felt a strongly rooted feeling of responsibility to share those things that produced great results in my life. In writing this book, I hope to share with you the lessons I have learned, both the successes and the mistakes.

The second reason I wrote this book is purpose. My experience in life, business, and relations has helped to identify my purpose in life, which is adding value to people’s lives. I was fortunate enough to learn from many others, so I wanted to pass it forward, hoping it will help you achieve financial freedom and a better quality of life. I have coached many of my colleagues on the principles taught in this program. I experience a strong sense of purpose every time someone of the people I coached contacts me to share how the learning found in this book is producing positive financial results in their lives without the need for them to leave their jobs.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’ve always found it difficult to follow most books about personal finances, financial freedom, and investments. But I was destined to meet great mentors and coaches who taught me those subjects in a simple way, like talking to a five-year-old. In this book, I have attempted to convey the same methods to make it easy for anyone to grasp those subjects.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill
Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki
The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman
Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap … and Others Don’t by James C. Collins

What are you working on now?
Developing a video coaching programme to help convey the learning in this book in video format, which can help the learning process by seeing and hearing.
All this information will be available soon on my website www.theemployeemillionaire.com, which is still under construction.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I am a new author … I just wrote this book with the genuine intention to have my new born baby boy reading it in the future. Now that the book is written and published, I am learning the ropes of how to best promote it. I have made my research and learned that great websites such as www.awesomegang.com can help new authors like me to reaching out to readers.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Be genuine. Write from your heart and with passion … without any prejudice. We are often the greatest enemies of our own selves.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Follow your passion. Be insistent, persistent, and consistent.
This advice made me overcome many obstacles in my life … and I had many of them … from financial ruin to live threatening events.

What are you reading now?
Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Duckworth
Expert Secrets by Russell Brunson

What’s next for you as a writer?
I would like to connect with all my future readers via my website or email, so that I engage with them and ask them on the topics they would like to learn more about as related to this book and my experience. My next project will be definitely about what my readers would like me to write about.

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 Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World
The Five Love Languages

Author Websites and Profiles
H. J. Chammas Amazon Profile

H. J. Chammas’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve written one novel as an adult, and seven feature-length screenplays as a high school student. Clearly parties and football games (and homework) weren’t high on my list of priorities in high school. I like writing about ugly things in the most beautiful way possible. Creating poetry or writing delicate prose about vile things to me is more shocking than any gorefest because, strangely enough, there is beauty in vile things. There is beauty in everything. You just need to find the right words.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest published novel, ‘Four o’Clock Alice’, was inspired by personal tragedy and has a nuanced relationship with Lewis Carroll’s ‘Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland’. I wanted to create a character with the same kind of curiosity and wonder as Carroll’s Alice, so I peppered my book with allusions to his story. I also wanted to use it to establish exposition and setting (Edwardian England) to show that the book was contemporary (though Carroll published his work 50 years earlier). As it turns out, those superficial allusions opened a Pandora’s box of hidden connections between mine and Carroll’s story that, thanks to your great question, I just noticed. For example, both stories can be considered coming-of-age stories. In each story, each girl learns things about herself and the world around her. Experiences fabulous and frightening things. Physically grows (and shrinks!). For better or worse, she goes on the adventure of a lifetime. Of course, it’s all subjective—some may see Alice in Wonderland as a political allegory and my book as a paperweight, but that’s what’s fun about literature analysis, isn’t it? The meaning is in the eye of the beholder.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I get most of my ideas while driving. Since I don’t drive often, that means I get my ideas when I’m being driven around by my chauffeur (read: boyfriend). That’s convenient, since all I have to do when an idea arrives is pull out my pad and pencil and jot it down. No pull-over necessary. I tried using a tape-recorder (because, after all, that’s what makes you look like an official important person with important ideas), but was too shy to speak any words to it, even when I was the only one in the room. Go figure.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I’m a big fan of Stephen King. I actually love how boring his books are. It sounds strange, but I think the true King fans will know what I’m talking about—at least I hope so… for all I know, they’ll want to burn me at the stake for calling their idol boring. In any case, what I mean is that for me, the best parts of his work—short stories and novels alike—are the exposition, where basically nothing happens. Gives you a chance to fall in love with the characters before you even get to the story. Anybody can write a good story, but for the characters to click, for there to be the right chemistry between characters–between the characters and the reader, even–that is not an easy feat.

What are you working on now?
I’m in the editing phase of my upcoming release, ‘Demon Dance’. This gritty short horror story collection is a big departure from Alice, and came from somewhere completely other within me. I think the strangeness of Alice is still there, though, and if you dig deep enough, so is the heart, but it’s surrounded by a lot of barbed wire.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I have a Facebook author page, and when I’m not sharing pictures of my dogs, I’m busy promoting my books or sharing writing memes there. Otherwise I have my insidious ways… such as word of mouth via Facebook. I’ll happily admit that when people read my book, they shout from the Facebook rooftops how much they love it. Now if only I could get more of them to write a review. They should make a PSA: Don’t let your favorite author go hungry tonight. Leave a review!

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write what you like, and those who like what you like will read it. Those who don’t like it will read your fans tweets, and say, “hmm, maybe I should read that.”

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t take anyone’s writing advice too seriously. – Lev Grossman

What are you reading now?
‘The Seventh Lane: A Mythpunk Noir’ by Camilla Ochlan

What’s next for you as a writer?
The sky’s the limit! I don’t believe you can peak as a writer. You have to be growing. Constantly evolving. Otherwise you bore yourself.

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 Silence of the Lambs’
‘Four o’Clock Alice’
‘The Stand’ – because I’m stranded… on a desert island. I’ll need reading material.

Author Websites and Profiles
Vanessa Ravel Website
Vanessa Ravel Amazon Profile

Vanessa Ravel’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a young woman who has been an aspiring author since I was twelve-years-old. I have written one novelette, Barren Sea, and a novel, Animus Vox.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest novel is Animus Vox. I originally wrote Animus Vox as a novelette when I was fifteen. My father loved the concept and encouraged me for years afterwards to make it a full length novel, which I finally did. Animus Vox is also a product of my deep interest in psychology.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
As far as I am aware, I do not have any unusual writing habits; however, I do like to draw my own covers.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I have been a fantasy fan since childhood, starting with The Chronicles of Narnia then on to The Lord of the Rings. I’ve read many fantasy books, such as The Harry Potter Series, and I greatly enjoyed H. G. Wells’s science fiction novels.

What are you working on now?
Currently, I am working on the second book of The Aporia Series, which follows after my recently released Animus Vox.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I use a variety of platforms, including Facebook and Amazon, both of which have excellent tools for book promotions.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I genuinely believe self-authoring is the way of the future, so don’t feel as if you absolutely have to please a publisher in order to get your works out there!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best advice I ever received was from my father and it’s quite simple: good, better, best, never let it rest until your good is better and your better is your best.

What are you reading now?
My friend recommended I read The Glass Throne series, so I am reading it currently.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I want to continue on The Aporia Series until it is finished. I have several book concepts which are outlined right now and I want to get working on them as soon as I am done with The Aporia 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?
If I was stranded on a desert island and only allowed to take three or four books with me, I would bring The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings Trilogy.

Author Websites and Profiles
K. L. Sullivan Amazon Profile

K. L. Sullivan’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I was born and brought up in England, and ever since I can remember all I wanted was to read, write and travel, so I count myself pretty lucky! I live in Sydney, Australia now, but I find I’m still drawn to British history for ideas for books. I’ve been writing all my life (I started out mostly with pony stories), and I now have two published novels, with a third one to come out at the end of this year.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
It’s called The Officer’s Affair. I’ve always been intrigued by all things relating to World War II, and everything I write seems to centre on conflicted relationships.

There was no one moment of inspiration – just an evolving story about the often untold aftermath of the suffering of the war years.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write best in the morning after a long walk. A quiet house is optimal, and frequent cups of tea are essential.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I spent my teenage years on a diet of Victorian novels and Romantic poetry – Thomas Hardy, the Brontes, John Keats, William Blake. Then I discovered American literature and fell in love with F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, William Faulkner, Tennessee Williams. I guess the thing they all have in common is their focus on the complexities of relationships, and the things we do for love.

What are you working on now?
A novel set in 17th Century London. It’s still in the early stages, and I’m not quite sure where it’s going yet.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
The million dollar question! I think it’s a case of a little bit of this and a little bit of that, and tweaking as you go. And things are ever-changing, so there’s no one answer – I really wish there was.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Read everything you can. Write as much and as often as you can. Hone your craft. And learn to take criticism on the chin – it’s something you’re going to have to get used to.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
A professional writer is an amateur who didn’t give up. I think it was by Richard Bach.

What are you reading now?
The books next to my bed at the moment include the Poetic Edda, Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller, and Story by Robert Mckee.

What’s next for you as a writer?
My current work-in-progress is taking a while, and after I conquer the first draft I’m planning put it aside for a while and resurrect an old manuscript I’ve been wanting to rework for some time. Maybe.

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?
Tricky. Am I allowed to take collected works? If so, definitely the collected works of both Shakespeare and T.S. Eliot. Novels are harder to choose – most of my favourite novels are pretty sad (A Farewell to Arms, The English Patient, The Great Gatsby, Tess of the D’Urbervilles) so I’m not sure they’d be great choices for solitude on an island. Perhaps Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter would be good. Oh, and Wolf Hall.

Author Websites and Profiles
Samantha Grosser Website
Samantha Grosser Amazon Profile

Samantha Grosser’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I live in Florida, originally from New Jersey. I have 1 daughter in college. During the day I am an IT executive. To date I have 2 books published that are listed on this site. Cyber Crossed Lovers and Bucky The Pink Frog. I am writing follow ups to both. I am also putting together a book for poems, mainly for kids.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Cyber Crossed Lovers and Bucky The Pink Frog got published at the same time. I was inspired by Cyber from all my online dating adventures and those of friends. The Bucky book, I was inspired by something my daughter said when she was 4.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
No unusual writing habits that I know of.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I’m a huge Stephen King fan. I also like James Patterson.

What are you working on now?
I am working an Cyber Crossed Lovers part II, along with a book of poems for kids, and a follow up to Bucky.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Right now I am only on Amazon. But I constantly post on Facebook as well.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Just write what you feel.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
My dad told me to go pro as a writer.

What are you reading now?
Right now I am writing, not reading.

What’s next for you as a writer?
As mentioned above, follow ups to Cyber and Bucky and a new book of Poems.

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?
Anything Stephen King.

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve been married for over 15 years and have the pleasure of being able to get up every day and spend it with the love of my life. I have had several careers throughout my life which have included real estate, and I really enjoy writing about it. Other things I like to do include cooking, movies (I love eating at places that serve food during the movie), travelling, reading and of course writing.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest published book is Realty Romance: The Road Trip. This is the only book that I have published from a male first person perspective and it was fun writing. I got the idea after my spouse and I took a road trip across middle America which included Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas. When you’re doing nothing but sitting in your car riding and/or driving you’ll be amazed at what runs through your mind.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Sometimes I like to write in bed, which is a terrible writing habit.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
My favorite author is Nelson Demille but the style of books he writes are quite different than mine. Most of my influence comes from reading a wide variety of self published authors like myself.

What are you working on now?
The latest project I am working on is called Realty Romance: I’m The Bride? This will be my sixth book and I decided to do another body swap book after the popularity of my second book Realty Romance: Mirror, Mirror and Realty Romance: Barefoot, Pregnant & Loving It!

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Start writing and don’t stop after a book or two, as everything takes time. I write for the love it and not the money, and hope that you do too.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Stay consistent. I think we all know in our heart of hearts that’s the best advice ever given

What are you reading now?
Brett Arquette’s Hail Warning and Rachel Caine’s Killman Creek

What’s next for you as a writer?
For now I’m planning on keeping doing exactly what I’ve been doing, because I’m still having fun doing it.

Author Websites and Profiles
Madison McCall Website
Madison McCall Amazon Profile

Madison McCall’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have written two novels, 3 short stories, poems & articles. I am 24 years old and am very imaginative.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Captivated. It is inspired from wanting to pen down my numerous thoughts into something concrete.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I start typing without anything in my mind, except for maybe a general idea regarding the topic and it transforms into a story, which at times surprises even me.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
L.M. Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables series, Jane Austen.

What are you working on now?
A fantasy novel

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Still looking for one, hoping awesomegang.com to become the best for me.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t think, don’t delay, just write & finish it.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Do what suits your inherent nature & personality.

What are you reading now?
The world’s greatest short stories published by Jaico.

What’s next for you as a writer?
To get the voice of my stories heard among the crowd. It will act as a stimulus for me to keep writing.

Gauri Mittal’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a Brit, living in Yorkshire, England with my husband and two grown up children. I love listening to music and am a rock chick at heart.
Gardening is my latest hobby, it is full of surprises, and you can never out-do mother nature!
I love travelling with my husband to new destinations where we soak up the culture and it often inspires my to write it into my books.
I’m just finished my third book, a giveaway novella, which will be emailed to my newsletter subscribers at the end of this month.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My last release, Loving his ANGEL, was a follow up in a Rock Star Romance duology about a London rock guitarist growing up in the eighties and I was inspired by my love of the rock music of that era.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I try to let the characters speak out in my writing and often just go with their take on life and actions that they want to describe.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I have been influenced by a lot of authors and read a wide range of genres from Stephen King’s horror, through Douglas Adams’ sci-fi comedy, to Phillipa Gregory’s historic romances and Colleen Hoover’s angsty contemporary romance stories.

What are you working on now?
A standalone contemporary romance about a woman whose life falls apart when her husband cheats on her and how she picks herself up with the help of her sister and a sexy man.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I like to give away some of my books to allow readers to take a chance on my stories. So any site that promotes free books and my stories are available in Kindle unlimited.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Publish. Don’t worry that no-one will like or even buy your book. If you don’t publish they certainly won’t.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Always remember the reader. That’s the whole point of writing a story, for it to be read.

What are you reading now?
Naxetus, by an author local to me, Victoria L James.

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

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Lord of the Rings trilogy by Tolkien and So Long and Thanks for all the Fish by Douglas Adams.

Author Websites and Profiles
Megan Hetherington Website
Megan Hetherington Amazon Profile

Megan Hetherington’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have always loved telling stories. Being a mom has given me a lot of time to practice storytelling. I have self-published one book to date, and have a handful of books in the makings right now. My children are some of my biggest inspirations and fans.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Emotionally Abstract is my latest book. I got the idea for it after my therapist suggested I use art as a method of dealing with my depression and anxiety.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I guess the most unusual habit I have is writing late at night.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I have a very eclectic taste in reading. Though J.K. Rowling holds a special place in my heart.

What are you working on now?
I am currently working on a companion book for Emotionally Abstract, titled 52 Weeks of Inspiration, an inspirational cookbook, Little Things Like Mustard Seeds, as well as a juvenile fiction book titled Whispers in the Woods.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Talk to as many people as you can about your book. You never know who might be interested.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
If you have an idea for a book, go for it! It is easy to be scared of rejection or failure, but you cannot let that hold you back. Never give up!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
You may fail if you try but if you don’t try you have already failed.

What are you reading now?
I am currently reading Hunting Prince Dracula by Kerri Maniscalco. She is a talented young writer that has a promising future.

What’s next for you as a writer?
As soon as I finish 52 Weeks of Inspiration and Little Things Like Mustard Seeds I plan on focusing on my juvenile fiction series featuring a brother and sister pair and their dog.

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?
Stalking Jake the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco, The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa, Number the Stars by Lois Lowry, and The Blemished by Sarah Dalton

Author Websites and Profiles
K. H. Burkett Amazon Profile

K. H. Burkett’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a Life Coach, a wife and an author of two books.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is Wake Up Humanity Poems About You and Me. My inspiration is humanity and life itself.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not that I know of. Is zoning out while writing something unusual? Ha ha

What authors, or books have influenced you?
There are several influences. The inspirational books and people that made an impact on me are: Dr. Wayne Dyer, Eckhart Tolle, Abraham Hicks, Neale Donald Walsch to name a few.

What are you working on now?
The funny thing is that I would always finish a new manuscript that is not included with what I’ve been working on. I just allow myself to be strongly led by the inspiration.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
My social media accounts, Amazon Marketing Services (AMS ads), and other book promotional sites like yours.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Just keep on writing and be led by the inspiration to do something for the benefit of humanity not just by making money.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
From my mother: That “everything can be learned”. (This is the best applied when I feel hopeless)
From my father: “A straight line is always the best line” (Sometimes I get what he said, sometimes I couldn’t)

What are you reading now?
Mindset by Carol S. Dweck and Out of This World by Neville Goddard

What’s next for you as a writer?
Life Coaching

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?
Conversations with God by Neale Donald Walsch
The Power of Now by Echart Tolle
My books

Author Websites and Profiles
Elsa Mendoza Website
Elsa Mendoza Amazon Profile

Elsa Mendoza’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 father of 2 beautiful girls and husband to a fantastic wife. I am an entrepreneur and businessman. I also have a podcast show on iTunes and SoundCloud called, Table Talks with Joshua Kangley on The Success Show.

This new book, The 7 Concepts of Customer Service, is my second book that I have self-published. My first book, The 7 Principles of Success, became a #1 Amazon Best Seller. I am hoping to generate just as much buzz with this new book because I feel it can really help companies and organizations focus on Customer Service and increase their bottom lines,

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book, is called, The 7 Concepts of Customer Service, and I wrote it because I am passionate, maybe a bit oddly, about excellent customer service. The reason being is that I have seen what it can do for the customer, the company, and also me.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I have many. What is unusual I guess depends on the person! I do all my writing in bed, not sure why.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Tony Robbins is a huge influence of course. Also, Gary V., Grant Cardone, Dale Carnegie. Long list but I recommend anyone reading anything from these guys.

What are you working on now?
I am working on my Podcast show. I have a new series in which I am going get personal and talk about my adoption as a baby, and through that a lot of self discovery.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Word of mouth has helped me a lot.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write, write, write. Then edit, edit, edit.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The ego is in the work, not you. Let go of ego.

What are you reading now?
Grant Cardone 10x

What’s next for you as a writer?
I plan on writing more books and delivering the best content that I can and helping as many people as I possibly can.

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?
3 collections of poetry by all the greats.

Author Websites and Profiles
Joshua Kangley Website
Joshua Kangley Amazon Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am 30 years old, married, and expecting our first child. I served 4 years in the US Army and 6 years in the US Army Reserves. I currently go to school full time where I’m seeking a Bachelor’s Degree in Physical Education.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My most recent book is called Justice Strike. It was inspired by my love for comic books a d seeing various characters team up.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I often times like to write at night and consume tons of energy drinks when writing.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I’ve been influenced by writers such as Chris Claremont, Stephen King, and Geoff Johns. I’ve been inspired by a lot of comic characters novels such as: Batman Knightfall, the Death and Life of Superman, the Flash junior series, and various others.

What are you working on now?
I’m fine tuning Justice Strike.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Facebook and Twitter have given me the most audience reached when it comes to my work.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
For new authors, I say keep writing and don’t ever stop.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Best advice? I think it was Neil Gaiman who said, “If you only write when you’re inspired, you will write very little.” Not the quote 100%, but that’s the gist.

What are you reading now?
Lately I’ve been reading Five Nights at Freddy’s the Silver Eyes.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Next, I’d like to give superheroes a break and try my hand at horror. Been wanting to stretch my legs a bit.

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?
3 books on a desert island. IT, the Lord of the Rings (Hobbit included), and American Gods.

Author Websites and Profiles
Joseph Schweichler Website
Joseph Schweichler Amazon Profile

Joseph Schweichler’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
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Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
This is my first book that I have written but it is part of a series still in the works. I’m a life long sci-fi nut since 1977 when I was introduced to the world of Dr. Who.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Trax War: It’s only the Beginning
It was inspired by a dream. I love to write and wanted to write sci fi different than anything that is put there and I went to bed one night had a dream about an alien invasion and the rest came from that.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I need to have visual stimulus to help me write. That is why I do my best writing while around many people and being pulled in a thousand directions at one time.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Harlen Ellison was a big influence. Also L. Ron Hubbard’s sci fi series was a big influence. But you got to have Steven Kings where the hell did that come from to make it all work.

What are you working on now?
Trax War Volume 3. Each volume will have 3-4 books in each so I’m that far ahead.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Still looking to find that out hopefully this one!

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Never ever lose focus of your dreams and try to be surrounded by positive people. Also make sure you have that one person who can read your work and say to you well that chapter was crap.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
It’s not going to be easy, but it will be worth it!

What are you reading now?
I’m not I’m writing!

What’s next for you as a writer?
Once I get all my space writings out of me I really want to work on a middle ages sci fi 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?
How to Survive on a Desert Island
IT
The Bible

Author Websites and Profiles
S.A. Anthony Website
S.A. Anthony Amazon Profile

S.A. Anthony’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m 39, married and have two amazing little daughters. I’ve always enjoyed reading and science fiction in particular has forever been a favorite of mine. In the fall of 2015 I was on a walk with the older of the two girls when an idea hit me like a bolt of lightening. I raced home and we jumped in the car and drove to the nearest store where I could buy a small notebook. For the next few weeks I could not stop jotting little notes into it. I was even waking up in the middle of the night with things I had to add. After that I didn’t know what to do so I just started writing. I fell madly in love with it and know that I will never stop.

I have written and published three books now. All three are in a series titled: Star Marshals. It is the series from the initial bolt of lightening that struck on that walk nearly three years ago now.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The latest book is titled:

Star Marshals: Retribution

It is the third and final (I think) book in the Star Marshals series.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I hand write full manuscripts first and then type them out. Not sure that is technically “unusual” but from what I have found reading advice from other authors it does seem at least slightly uncommon.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I’d prefer to list a personal top 5 favorite authors list so, in no particular order:

Ray Bradbury
Philip K Dick
J.K. Rowling
Isaac Asimov
Douglas Adams

What are you working on now?
I have kept an idea journal from the moment I realized this new hobby of mine would be a lifelong one. Now that I have completed the Star Marshals series I am finally digging into that idea journal. The first thing I have started is a short story collection and it has been a very fun change from writing a three novel series.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Up to this point I have been nearly entirely focused on writing the three Star Marshals books and getting them published. I am just now finally dabbling in promoting them. The first attempt I made at it was last winter doing the free kindle promotion with the first book in the series and I did an announcement on Awesome Gang to go with it. I was extremely pleased with the exposure it generated as an initial little test run. I am running a free kindle promo again for the first book from 7/20/18 through 7/24/18. I will be adding some more announcement sites to go with it this time and hope for similar success.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Have fun with it.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Can I do two quotes? Doing it. They’re both by Ray Bradbury:

“Your intuition knows what to write, so get out of the way.”

“You fail only if you stop writing.”

What are you reading now?
A couple weeks ago I read:

Binti by Nnedi Okorafor

Absolutely fantastic book. Still deciding what to read next but good chance I just buy the rest of that trilogy.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I am currently working on a short story collection but may start another novel to work on concurrently with the short stories.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
This is a brutally hard list to make. Does anyone actually stop at 3? I’m going to go with:

Fahrenheit 451
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince(since picking the whole series would be cheating)
Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

Author Websites and Profiles
Dave Lemel Amazon Profile

Dave Lemel’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile