Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
As a single adult I lived & worked in NYC (Manhattan) from 1963-1977 on the upper West side one block from Riverside Park and on the East side two blocks from Central Park. Prior to living Uptown I lived on Sullivan Street in Greenwich Village. I worked for National Airlines in Midtown as a reservation agent for Manhattan Travel Agencies. In 1969 I married John Early, an actor, singer, an entertainer & performer, impersonator & comedian. We had a daughter in 1974 & a son in 1980, we traveled & lived in places such as Hollywood, Hawaii, Sweden, Miami, and las Vegas all because of Jon’s work. After Jon passed in 2005 I was ready to retire and so I decided to go back to school. My second semester I took an English Creative Writing, Research, & Literature Course, this is where & how I learned I could write and loving it, never even wrote a grocery list. Imagine that? A long story, but in the Sixties Jon wrote a book of poetry & prose, which I edited & had put into a book form, which we sold independently. In 20015, after I learned Jon was blacklisted when he left the U.S. Army (1953-1955). I decided to write his, our story because no one is qualified as I and it is an achievement I promise it will serve the purpose of revealing & I will give facts so this story will self-help others. I also re-edited Jon’s book of poetry & prose, I added his artwork throughout the years. I placed photos from that time period 1950s, 1960s, & early 1970s. It is on Amazon Kindle & also paperback, I am proud of the results of the book, it is beautifull.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Blacklisted in America By Violette Early. What really inspired me is the American government never bother to inform John of his new category he is placed called blacklisted?

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Emily Bronte

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Self-publish, although; I am not doing well in the sales department. Therefore, I am not on the “Bestseller’s List”. I do not give-up and I plan to be a bestseller author.

Author Websites and Profiles
Violette Early Website
Violette Early Amazon Profile

Violette Early’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 at 14 and by 18 had 3 completed manuscripts under my belt. They’re in need of a major re-write before I ever let anyone read them though! I studied Creative writing and literature & Journalism and communication at university and have done freelance work as an editor.
I recently published my debut fantasy novel, Once I Rise, earlier this year and the second book in the series (name yet to be released) will be coming out in 2019. I am currently about half way through writing the third in the series with a few other stories waiting on the back burner until I do.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest novel is Once I Rise. I actually wrote it in response to a pet peeve I have when reading. I notice quite often a character will be described as ‘shy’ but a few chapters in any signs or characteristics associated with shyness have magically vanished. It drives me nuts! So I decided I wanted to create a character who maintained that personality trait despite growing and developing. So I guess what I’m saying is it all really started with a character, then I kind of asked myself where this character could be, what could happen to her and went from there.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I used to write all my novels entirely by hand with a 2B pencil in a university rules notebook. I was very specific. But over time, as I’ve needed to write faster, I’ve taken to writing on my computer. Other than that, I’m an evening writer with my prime time being between 6 and 9pm, which from what I’ve heard of other authors, is not the norm.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
All sorts of authors and books have influenced me, it’s impossible to really narrow it down to specifics, but I obviously love fantasy, and stories where the characters seem real, tangible, those are the ones I tend to draw from most.

What are you working on now?
I’m currently working on book 3 of my ‘Once I’ series. I can’t say too much more about that as book 2 is yet to be released and I don’t want to give away any spoilers.
Aside from that, I’m slowly creating plots and coming up with new ideas for future projects.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I tend to use my facebook page most (@OIR.Series) and would like to build a greater following on goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15307113.Tara_Ingham) but these things take time.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
My advice for new writers is never to stop chasing. If you’re willing to put in the time and effort to really go for it and write, you’ll get there eventually. It won’t happen overnight, it may take years, but that’s all part of learning and part of the process.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
That’s a fantastic question. I think the best advice I’ve ever received is to write how and what appeals to me, not what others tell me to. Authenticity makes the best stories and you can’t be authentic unless you’re writing what you want.

What are you reading now?
I’m currently rereading my entire book collection! I’ve just finished rereading the Graceling series and am now working my way through Poison study again. Once I’m done I’ll probably go and get myself some new books. There are some new releases that look incredible and I can’t wait to read them!

What’s next for you as a writer?
After I finish my current series, I’ve got a solid plan for a high fantasy novel. I’ve been working in urban fantasy for so long I think it’ll be a nice break from fact checking everything I write about every place and to be able to create my own world entirely from scratch with no rules or limitations.

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?
Only 3 or 4? I have entire series that I binge read that are longer than that! Haha.
If I could only take 3 or 4, lets see, well I might bring the dummies guide to raft building, just to be practical, but otherwise I’d probably bring along the Graceling trilogy. I love the world building and the characters, and I’ve read it dozens of times without growing bored, so I’d probably be able to handle that.

Author Websites and Profiles
Tara Ingham Amazon Profile
Tara Ingham Author Profile on Smashwords

Tara Ingham’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
First time publisher. I work in metal and finish work and love boats.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Hex Wrench-ers, INC! Part I: The Manufacturing of the Heart. The inspiration came from living in a paradox state and a conflicting love of the people and wilderness that can be found everywhere in the world. Wilderness is highly threatened, and I want to inspire a small level of activism in the same way many writers before me have influenced me on a profoundly deeper level than anything I put out there will have the power to do ha. Nonetheless, it’s worth a shot, as there is less time to protect what remains.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I live in a trailer in a desert mountain region and I like to make dirtbags when I am not writing or working.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Edward Abbey, Hemingway, Harper Lee, John O’Toole, Harper Lee.

What are you working on now?
I am finishing the Spanish translation for the Hex Wrench-ers, INC! series, Part I: The Manufacturing of the Heart. When that is finished I am going to continue writing and illustrating Part II: The Devolution of Civil Rights.

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

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Go for it. And don’t let anything stop you.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
That’s a hard one. I will say, “Tomorrow’s another day” has rung pretty true.

What are you reading now?
The March 1979 Hopi Report to the Kikmongwis with Exhibitions. It’s nearly 2,000 pages.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Working, writing, exploring and sharing.

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?
Neon Bible, Desert Solitaire, How to Chop, Stack and Dry Wood by Lars Mytting, and an empty notepad/book.

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hello! I love reading and writing in my free time. When I’m not writing, I’m working as a nurse – my other passion! I’ve written three books that I’ve self-published on Amazon.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Proposal is my latest in my series. All the romance novels I’ve read through the years helped to inspire me!

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Oh, probably not any more unusual than the next writer! I just have to have a place that feels inspiring, something to drink and music!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Oh, my… So many! Everything by Nora Roberts, Julie Garwood, Danielle Steele and many classics! Pride and Prejudice, To Kill a Mockingbird and many more!

What are you working on now?
The Engagement – it’s book three in my Marriage of Convenience Series!

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m not sure I have a best method! I simply try to find wonderful sites out there and promote on them, as well as my social media sites.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Keep writing! No matter what you feel, you can always go back and edit! Just get it on paper to start with.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Take chances. If you don’t, you’re not living!

What are you reading now?
Many, many books at once! But I am reading Owned (Billionaire Banker Series 1) by Georgia LeCarre and always Pride and Prejudice!

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m just going to keep writing! I’ll finish up this first series and start working on more.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Oh my goodness… Pride and Prejudice, To Kill a Mockingbird and Lord of the Rings!

Author Websites and Profiles
Jennifer Lewis Jennifer Lewis Website
Jennifer Lewis Jennifer Lewis Amazon Profile

Jennifer Lewis Jennifer Lewis’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hello! I love reading and writing in my free time. When I’m not writing, I’m working as a nurse – my other passion! I’ve written three books that I’ve self-published on Amazon.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Proposal is my latest in my series. All the romance novels I’ve read through the years helped to inspire me!

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Oh, probably not any more unusual than the next writer! I just have to have a place that feels inspiring, something to drink and music!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Oh, my… So many! Everything by Nora Roberts, Julie Garwood, Danielle Steele and many classics! Pride and Prejudice, To Kill a Mockingbird and many more!

What are you working on now?
The Engagement – it’s book three in my Marriage of Convenience Series!

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m not sure I have a best method! I simply try to find wonderful sites out there and promote on them, as well as my social media sites.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Keep writing! No matter what you feel, you can always go back and edit! Just get it on paper to start with.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Take chances. If you don’t, you’re not living!

What are you reading now?
Many, many books at once! But I am reading Owned (Billionaire Banker Series 1) by Georgia LeCarre and always Pride and Prejudice!

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m just going to keep writing! I’ll finish up this first series and start working on more.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Oh my goodness… Pride and Prejudice, To Kill a Mockingbird and Lord of the Rings!

Author Websites and Profiles
Jennifer Lewis Jennifer Lewis Website
Jennifer Lewis Jennifer Lewis Amazon Profile

Jennifer Lewis Jennifer Lewis’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a middle school teacher and writer. I’ve written two books of poetry and have been published in many literary journals. I was excited to be invited to share my poetry at the Austin International Poetry Festival in 2017 and was included in the anthology “When Time and Space Conspire.”

I recently published the first novel in a three part trilogy. I hope to have Part Two published in Fall 2018. In addition, I am working on a historical fiction novel based on my husband’s grandfather and his escape from Poland at the turn of the twentieth century. I also wrote a contemporary romance novel which I hope to publish some day. As you can see, I love to write!

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is Tales from Blarnach: The Chosen One. I have a large family and this work began as a story written for my children and my many nieces and nephews. Each had a part and I drew (very poor) illustrations in each chapter. We even got little stuffed animals to match each character. It was a family thing and never meant for publication.

Over the years as I took writing classes, I often thought of that story. I went back to it, eliminated most characters, and rewrote it as a darker, young adult novel. I was encouraged by teachers and editors to publish it and after almost ten years from the creation of the original story, Blarnach was born. Incidentally, the name “Blarnach” comes from letters of the last names of the four daughters in my family.

I was lucky to be able to share ARCs of my book with my students. It was well received and I got some great feedback. My sister Maureen has always been my first reader and provided excellent critiques as I wrote the story. She was the one who encouraged me to see this project through to completion.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I do! When I write, whether it’s poetry, additions to my blog, or novel writing, I put headphones on and blast music. It allows me to escape into my writing and become a part of the world I’m creating.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I have always been a huge reader and now teach Literature and Language Arts. I don’t have a particular favorite author but at one time, I had read everything Stephen King ever wrote. I’m a huge fan of historical, dystopian, and young adult fiction but also love to read adult fiction and nonfiction.

One of my favorite things to do is to attend Author Talks. I went to the AAUW Author Luncheon last April and was completely enthralled by the authors Brunonia Barry and Randy Susan Meyers. I highly recommend both.

What are you working on now?
I’ve just completed the outline for Book Two of my Blarnach series. I’m excited to work on the novel and hope to have a rough draft completed in the next two months.

I also post regularly to my blog “Writing and Reflections” (mkvecchitto.com). I started my blog to get back into the habit of writing on a regular basis and have found it to be a rewarding experience.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I am new to Book Promotion. I’ve taken some classes to learn more and have updated my Goodreads and Amazon pages. I have recently discovered sites like this and am working on engaging with them to promote my book.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Try to write every day.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“You fail only if you stop writing.” – Ray Bradbury

What are you reading now?
I’m reading several YA titles to keep up with my students. I also recently finished “The Fifth Petal” by Brunonia Barry which is set in Salem, Massachusetts and “Before We Were Yours” by Lisa Wingate.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I will continue on my writing path to see where it leads.

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?
several volumes of poetry
Salt by Mark Kurlansky
Night by Elie Wiesel
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton
The Tommyknockers by Stephen King
Johanna: A Novel of the Van Gogh Family by Claire Cooperstein

Author Websites and Profiles
Michele Vecchitto Website
Michele Vecchitto Amazon Profile

Michele Vecchitto’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a middle school teacher and writer. I’ve written two books of poetry and have been published in many literary journals. I was excited to be invited to share my poetry at the Austin International Poetry Festival in 2017 and was included in the anthology “When Time and Space Conspire.”

I recently published the first novel in a three part trilogy. I hope to have Part Two published in Fall 2018. In addition, I am working on a historical fiction novel based on my husband’s grandfather and his escape from Poland at the turn of the twentieth century. I also wrote a contemporary romance novel which I hope to publish some day. As you can see, I love to write!

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is Tales from Blarnach: The Chosen One. I have a large family and this work began as a story written for my children and my many nieces and nephews. Each had a part and I drew (very poor) illustrations in each chapter. We even got little stuffed animals to match each character. It was a family thing and never meant for publication.

Over the years as I took writing classes, I often thought of that story. I went back to it, eliminated most characters, and rewrote it as a darker, young adult novel. I was encouraged by teachers and editors to publish it and after almost ten years from the creation of the original story, Blarnach was born. Incidentally, the name “Blarnach” comes from letters of the last names of the four daughters in my family.

I was lucky to be able to share ARCs of my book with my students. It was well received and I got some great feedback. My sister Maureen has always been my first reader and provided excellent critiques as I wrote the story. She was the one who encouraged me to see this project through to completion.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I do! When I write, whether it’s poetry, additions to my blog, or novel writing, I put headphones on and blast music. It allows me to escape into my writing and become a part of the world I’m creating.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I have always been a huge reader and now teach Literature and Language Arts. I don’t have a particular favorite author but at one time, I had read everything Stephen King ever wrote. I’m a huge fan of historical, dystopian, and young adult fiction but also love to read adult fiction and nonfiction.

One of my favorite things to do is to attend Author Talks. I went to the AAUW Author Luncheon last April and was completely enthralled by the authors Brunonia Barry and Randy Susan Meyers. I highly recommend both.

What are you working on now?
I’ve just completed the outline for Book Two of my Blarnach series. I’m excited to work on the novel and hope to have a rough draft completed in the next two months.

I also post regularly to my blog “Writing and Reflections” (mkvecchitto.com). I started my blog to get back into the habit of writing on a regular basis and have found it to be a rewarding experience.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I am new to Book Promotion. I’ve taken some classes to learn more and have updated my Goodreads and Amazon pages. I have recently discovered sites like this and am working on engaging with them to promote my book.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Try to write every day.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“You fail only if you stop writing.” – Ray Bradbury

What are you reading now?
I’m reading several YA titles to keep up with my students. I also recently finished “The Fifth Petal” by Brunonia Barry which is set in Salem, Massachusetts and “Before We Were Yours” by Lisa Wingate.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I will continue on my writing path to see where it leads.

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?
several volumes of poetry
Salt by Mark Kurlansky
Night by Elie Wiesel
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton
The Tommyknockers by Stephen King
Johanna: A Novel of the Van Gogh Family by Claire Cooperstein

Author Websites and Profiles
Michele Vecchitto Website
Michele Vecchitto Amazon Profile

Michele Vecchitto’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
For over thirty years I have been an avid reader, though mostly I focused on my visual art style. Though I always considered myself an artist first, part of me itched to write a novel in a bucket list-esque desire. A few years ago, I said screw it, and started writing out the first draft of my premier novel, The Bannerman’s Blade. Once started on the process, I found I absolutely loved creating a world and exploring the relationships within it. Now, with two books published and a third on the way, I find myself shifting towards being a publisher. My background in illustration and commercial art lends well to handling all of the design and cover art for my publications. My fuel of choice is copious amounts of black coffee.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book, Wandslinger Wylie’s Merlinesque Marvels and Mayhem Show, started, like most of my works, with an image in my mind. I pictured two men, facing each other down across a dusty street, wide-brimmed hats shading their eyes from the burning Texas sun. With a sudden movement, they slap leather and draw down on one another. Only, this time, instead of a gun, they bear down with pistol-gripped magic wands to fire blasts of energy. With that image in my head, I developed a world based around cowboys and wands, Vikings and legendary beasts, mythology and the desire to tame the American frontier. Throwing together a string of short stories and a novella into an anthology, I opted for the stories to be part of a show inspired by Bill Cody and P.T. Barnum.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not so much unusual, but I use variations of my name depending on what I’m writing. When the subject is fantasy, I go by Benjamin H. Blankenship, my Weird West persona is B.H. Blankenship. Typically, I’m just Ben. I love listening to Celtic music as I write, especially while working on fantasy.

I do, however, paint my own covers and illustrations. The cover to Bannerman, I did in acrylic on canvas board. Wylie’s, with the cover and nine internal illustrations, were all done with oil on canvas.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Robert Jordan for sure, that man’s attention to world building and his characters should be stuff of legend. I’ve read Salvatore and his Drizzt books for decades now. There are so many fantastic authors I’ve absorbed through their works that it would be hard to name them all.

Though I did work a lot with Christie Golden on the editing process of the first few chapters of Bannerman. I learned many valuable lessons from her notes, and I am entirely grateful for her time and attention, which shaped me to be a much better author than I was going in.

What are you working on now?
Currently I am working on The Worldshapers’ Song, which is the sequel to my first book, The Bannerman’s Blade. It presents a new set of challenges in writing, but when I started out with Bannerman, I wrote with sequels in mind, so there is also the satisfaction of seeing elements placed in the first book come to fruition in the second.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m still figuring that much out, this is all still a new aspect to me and I’m learning as I go.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Plenty of it. Large amounts of advice that I had gotten from Christie Golden during editing. The first line is crucial. Pacing is everything. Be deliberate in your execution of action sequences. Be ready to “kill your darlings”. A lot of this advice I pass on through my new YouTube channel, you can search it under B.H. Blankenship.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
That is really hard to narrow down. I’ve received a lot of really good advice over the last couple of years. But to sum up a lot of the advice: be exceptionally mindful of story flow.

What are you reading now?
I’m between books at the moment. I just finished Brief Cases by Jim Butcher and haven’t yet selected my next read from my TBR stack.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Finish writing and editing The Worldshapers’ Song. After that, write out two or three novellas set in my world of Magewood, U.S.A. (from Wandslinger Wylie’s). From there, it’s off to work on the sequel to Worldshaper.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
That would be completely unfair. Most books I enjoy are part of a larger series. Practically speaking, I’d grab books about survival, boat building, navigation, etc. That way, I could get the hell off of that island and back to where my book choices aren’t so severely limited.

Author Websites and Profiles
Ben (Benjamin H. or B.H) Blankenship Website

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I grew up in a small town in the Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee. I’m happily married. My husband Daniel and I have two kids, Cody and Amber, and 5 furbabies we consider our little ones as well. I’ve always loved to write. It’s always been my biggest passion. In 2017, I co-authored my first release, The Guardians The Tempest Isle Series Book 1, with S.C. Storm. In 2018 I found myself co-authoring yet another, Halloween Nightmare The Dead Oaks Terrors Series Book 1, with Skylar McKinzie. I’ve also appeared in 3 anthologies so far this year; Capture Book 1, A Paranormal Easter, and A.W.O.L. A.I. I am also slated to be part of several more anthologies this year as well as release my first solo project, The Witches of Dark Hollow Ridge on July 22, 2018.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Witches of Dark Hollow Ridge is my latest. I’ve been playing around with these characters for a few years now. I was a bit nervous about bringing them to life but decided the time had come. The characters themselves are loosely based on the group of friends I had in high school.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Most of the time I write late at night. It feels as if my brain doesn’t function till then.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I adore Stephen King. He is my favorite and always will be.

What are you working on now?
Presently, I’m working on the follow-up to Witches of Dark Hollow Ridge. I’m still debating on a title but it will pick up a few months after the events of Book 1.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Normally, I’m all over Facebook. A friend told me about Awesome Gang so I’m anxious to use this new site.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write and believe in yourself. I waited till late in life to try to publish something of my own. Don’t do that. Take the chance. You’ll be glad you did.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Never give up. If one door closes, knock on another.

What are you reading now?
I am reading an anthology called Night Night Sleep Tight by Enchanted Anthologies.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I have a ton of anthologies I am part of this year and into next year. I want to finish the sequels to Halloween Nightmare and Witches of Dark Hollow Ridge before the end of the year.

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?
Stephen King’s It
Stephen King’s Cell
Stephen King’s Needful Things
Nora Roberts Sanctuary

Author Websites and Profiles
Rena Marin Amazon Profile

Rena Marin’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have written 3 Young Adult books in total – Books 1-2 of The Upperworld Series (“The Sorting Room” and “The Fall of Zephyr”) as well as a romantic comedy “Just Like a Pill”. I absolutely love to write and I pretty much always have! In addition to writing, I also have been playing guitar for a decade, and own my own custom crocheting business which I sell through Instagram (@asinger320).

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is “The Fall of Zephyr”, and it is book 2 of The Upperworld Series. Nothing specifically inspired it – it’s more just a continuation of the existing story surrounding the question of how humans get sorted into the lives they lead and what would happen if that got messed up.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I ALWAYS have to listen to music while I write. I think it has to do with how my creativity flows. Silence is far too boring to me, music fills in the gaps and keep me focused. But not just any music from anywhere – it has to be through my headphones to help me stay in my own headspace. And I’m very particular about listening to specific music to reflect what I’m writing (ie. love songs for romance scenes, alternative punk rock for fight scenes, and more ambient music for fantastical moments).

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I absolutely LOVE the writing style of Suzanne Collins (Hunger Games). That just speaks to me on so many levels and I think I definitely model my own dystopian writing after her style. For sci-fi, Tony DiTerlizzi is my guy. I got to meet him a little over a year ago, that was pretty great. Super nice guy, really! And for romance, absolutely John Green. He’s a bestseller for a reason!

What are you working on now?
I’m working on Book 3 of The Upperworld Series – “The Rise of Onyx”. This has been the hardest to write, for some reason. I’m just juggling a lot, I suppose. But I’m happy with how it’s going so far!

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I had the best promo from Robin Reads so far. I’ve heard that Bookbub is the best though, so I still keep submitting, hoping they’ll choose one of my books at some point.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Honestly, just sit down and do it. So many people are just like “I’ll get to it tomorrow.” But then with that mentality, tomorrow really never comes. And that’s just sad. It doesn’t have to be pretty, and it doesn’t have to be perfect. Just write something that makes you happy – and then over time, you’ll find readers who love it too.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Well in regards to being an author, I read something the other day that said a crappy first draft is worth more than a nonexistent one. And I guess that just really spoke to me.

What are you reading now?
Right now, I’m reading “Providence Paranormal College” Volume 2 by D.R. Perry. It’s a really well-written and funny fantasy story about extra human college students who have magical abilities and can shape-shift. It’s hard to explain but I’m just really enjoying it.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m hoping to publish “The Rise of Onyx” (Book 3 of The Upperworld Series) hopefully by the end of August 2018, but I have no idea if that’s going to happen at this point. More likely September, but we’ll see.

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 always hate this question! Ugh, okay. So first, a Bible, because I’m a Christian and I’d definitely want God’s word with me at all times. Then after that, probably The Hunger Games Trilogy, and then maybe one John Green book.

Author Websites and Profiles
Angelina Singer Website
Angelina Singer Amazon Profile

Angelina Singer’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m an Emerging Markets equities specialists. I’m told I am the first American-born stock broker licensed by the Philippine Stock Exchange in the past 40 years. I’ve amassed a small library of white papers detailing the merits of mechanical trading systems and automated trading systems for long-only fund management in Emerging Markets, most of which is not for public consumption. I have lectured however on numerous occasions on behalf of the Philippine Stock Exchange Education Department for professional and lay stock investors. I’ve also had the privilege of speaking 3 or so times at the annual Money Summit in South East Asia.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Over the years my most popular lectures have been “Technical Trading for The Intelligent Investor” and “Mechanical Trading for The Intelligent Investor”, wherein I’ve present various methods to optimize the Value Investing methodology utilizing strategies hailing from technical analysis and mechanical trading systems development. As you know, “The Intelligent Investor” is an amazing book by Benjamin Graham, the instructor and mentor of Warren Buffet. Which made my findings all the more disturbing as I realized the dependency of the Value Investing method on reported earnings is a profound Achilles heel, particularly for the investing public who for the most part has access only to publicly available earnings data. The problem is, most of this data can be easily fudged. For that reason, it doesn’t make sense to rely on methods which are totally dependent on fudge-able numbers. To paraphrase my man Michael Covel, “Every number on the earnings statement can be doctored. The actual price is the only number to believe”. And so, for years my systems have rigorously incorporated a strategic disregard for any data which relies on “trust”–earnings in particular. The New Intelligent Investor embodies my research in this regard.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Left to my own devices I tend to sound like a research scientist, so I let my 10-year old daughter scan everything to ensure it’s understandable.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Jack Schwager, Market Wizards is my fave.

What are you working on now?
Bubbles, Mania, Crashes, and Crisis: How To Profit From Popular Delusion And The Madness Of Crowds.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Best website? This one of course! Check out KMoneymastery by Stefan Pylarinos.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Check out KMoneymastery by Stefan Pylarinos.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The stock price is the only number to believe.

What are you reading now?
Autobiography of John Maynard Keynes.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Bubbles, Mania, Crashes, and Crisis: How To Profit From Popular Delusion And The Madness Of Crowds.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
My Bible, the works of Shakespeare, the works of John Milton, the works of Homer.

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Well, I am basically from a software background, computer software that is. I have always had an interest in writing. I used to write poems from my school days and off an on some articles. But I kept my writings private for a long time and for the most part they still are. Ammon is my first official book that is available for public view. So, to answer your question, Ammon is my first book; I am also working on a second book currently which is kind of a psychological thriller based in India.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Ammon is my latest book. Well, I write books which I would love to read. To be brutally honest, I write books for myself first and then anyone else. It’s quite a coincidence that almost everyone I know also seem to love what I write so that’s an added bonus. This book is a story of an Indian character who enters the world of deductions and solving crime by chance and the rest is history. I have always been a big fan of observance and how we can deduce lots of normally hidden aspects about others by just keeping our mouth shut and observing people. So, that inspired this book.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I observe and write. I try to get deep into the skin of the character, visualize as if I am in that scene and write. I don’t know whether that is what you call unusual.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Oh Boy! Charles Dickens, Satyajit Ray, Rabindranath Tagore, Mark Twain. How many to count in such less a time. If I miss out anyone, it would be a grave disrespect so I just wrote down the top ones that came to my mind but there are so many more. So many more!

What are you working on now?
Well, a psychological thriller called “One Among Us”. It would be available on Amazon Kindle by July-end of 2018 .

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Well, Awesomegang to start with. I don’t usually promote my books anywhere since i just started publishing my books. And it’s all self-published.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I don’t think I am in any way qualified. But yes, from one amateur to another, be honest to your character and enjoy reading what you write first before thinking of anyone else. At least you would have one hardcore loyal reader

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Believe in yourself. It was given by me to me, ha ha!

What are you reading now?
Old favorites. I keep reading them repeatedly. David Copperfield…kind of nostalgic about my old days.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Writing. Just writing….and writing..and 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?
Treasure Island, David Copperfield, The Comedy of Errors.

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I live in eastern Pennsylvania where I devour romance novels by the dozen along with chocolate while I wait for the zombie apocalypse. Until that day comes, I enjoy trips to the beach, designing websites, taking too many photos of sunsets and going to rock concerts. I’ve written a collection of poetry, 3 stand alone books, and 3 books in my vampire series.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is called The Fall of Diablo, and it was inspired by a dream I had. One night I dreamt about a woman riding with a man on a motorcycle. A storm blows in and they seek shelter in a pharmacy. The dream stuck with me and I knew there was a story there waiting to be told. It took me awhile but Autumn’s story finally made it to paper.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m not sure if you could consider it unusual, but I tend to write in small intervals, maybe 15-20 minutes at a time, while working on other projects.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I grew up in a small town, with a small library, and I’ve always been a voracious reader, checking out 10-20 books at a time. By the time I reached high school I had read all of the children’s, young adult and history books they had. The romance novels were by far the biggest section of the library with 4 rows of books and I was hooked. I read a lot of V.C. Andrews, Catherine Coulter, and a slew of Harlequin Romance books. Today, I read books with a paranormal twist, such as those by Christine Feehan.

What are you working on now?
I’m actually in the middle of deciding what to work on next. I’ve had multiple requests to write the next book in my vampire series, A Joyous Romance, but I also have another story outlined based on a dream I had about a year ago now. It’s been waiting patiently for me to finish other projects I’ve been working on. So it’s a toss up between something completely new or taking a visit back to my old friends Joy and Sam.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Instagram, I always get a lot of interaction and feedback when I post new book covers.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Even if you think it’s dumb, just put it on the page. You can always come back and re-write… and re-write… and maybe tweak it one more time later. But don’t let yourself get hung up on your first draft.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t be afraid of what you write.

What are you reading now?
I just finished A Fifth of Tequila: An Althea Rose Mystery by Tricia O’Malley. I think I read books 1-5 in the span of a week, they were addicting.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Finding a way to get my books into the hands of more readers, and possibly expanding into the young adult genre.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Stephen King’s Desperation
Twilight
The Giver

Author Websites and Profiles
Liza Kline Website
Liza Kline Amazon Profile

Liza Kline’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
This is my first book, although I did have a short story published in Best Women Travel Writers in 2007! I have been a successful solopreneur since 2009, when I launched K Gregg Consulting (www.kgreggconsulting.com). Going independent has given me so much flexibility to organize my day, such great joy in my work, and so many opportunities to collaborate with great people and organizations that I thought if there’s a chance others could benefit from my experience, I need to share it. This book is not to promote my business but to help others who are where I was 10 years ago! When I’m not working, I’m hiking with the dog, traveling with my daughter, or dancing!

Learn more at www.kgreggelliott.com/.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Career Reinvented: How to Build an Independent Life by Starting Your Own Business. I used to joke that I should write a book because I never really had any ambitions to run my own business, but have been doing so successfully for almost 10 years! This year I had some extra time, so I said it’s now or never!

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not really. I like the fireplace in winter and sitting outside on my patio swing in summer.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
That is really an unfair question! There are so many!! For nonfiction, I’m inspired by journalists who start writing books, such as David Grann who wrote “Killers of the Flower Moon” and Elizabeth Kolbert who wrote “The Sixth Extinction.”

What are you working on now?
I still run my business day to day, working on communications projects related to grasslands and wetland conservation in the Southeast, as well as rare and declining species in Tennessee.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I am too new at this to answer that accurately!

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Do NOT under any circumstances give up on yourself! Just expect the negative inner voice to do its thing, then ignore it and keep going! You can do it. I think everyone with the desire should write a book.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Live in the moment.

What are you reading now?
Going to begin “Educated” by Tara Westover and just began “Into the Water” by Paula Hawkins.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I am thinking of doing a version of my Career Reinvented book for young people (just starting out) and/or for parents (my daughter is 17). Beyond that I have a great idea for a novel, if I can pull it off, but it’s a top secret topic!

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
A book of Mary Oliver’s poetry, Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard, and Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry (have not read it yet, and it’s long!)

Author Websites and Profiles
K Gregg Elliott Website
K Gregg Elliott Amazon Profile

K Gregg Elliott’s Social Media Links
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My name is Brooklyn Knight. I live in the flora-full islands of Bermuda with my husband and three children. I have been writing for as long as I can remember, and although my bookshelf and laptop are full of WIPs, I’ve just recently published my first book.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is entitled ‘The Maid’s Daughter’ and the story actually evolved out of another manuscript (which is sitting on my bookshelf waiting to be edited). There he was: William Cooper, the father of the hero in my unpublished work; and there she was, Naomi Jackson, the hero’s maternal coworker who had a painful past. Suddenly, the light bulb illuminated and there was this blatant connection between each of the characters. That’s when I started to write…

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I am extremely nocturnal, perhaps from my university day, so my best work happens in the wee hours of the morning (think between the hours of 1 AM and 3 AM). Unfortunately, that doesn’t bode well when it comes time to making 8:30 AM to work…

What are you working on now?
I’m currently writing a novel entitled ‘Freedom Place’, which is a modern-day ode to the classic. It’s a slight shift on the romance genre, but I’m keeping the love theme as heavy as I can. Then, of course, there’s the prequel and the sequel to The Maid’s Daughter. Priority is being placed on The Maid’s Daughter series, but Freedom Place is very exciting.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Marketing and promotion is a work in progress. I’m learning as I go and am extremely grateful for sites like Awesome Gang who partner with indie’s to make it happen.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Make time to write. Spend money on an editor. Spend money on a book cover. Publish.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Believe in yourself. They are your dreams and your goals, so it’s up to you to make it happen.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I would love to do this full-time.

Author Websites and Profiles
Brooklyn Knight Website

Brooklyn Knight’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m J Bharathi and I live in south India. I used to be a screenwriter but now left all that behind to publish myself through independent platforms. I like all sorts of genres. I’m into books, movies, TV series and music (mostly Indian); big fan of Tom Hanks, Radiohead, Jim Jarmusch. I’ve written two books so far – Zahhak’s Wildest Dreams (crime/thriller/mystery) and The Oldest Man Alive (dark fantasy/urban).

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest work is a dark fantasy short read, The Oldest Man Alive. I’ve been reading about men who were pursuing immortality. Those stories inspired me to write this. I wasn’t expecting much but it turned out good, so went through with publishing.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
As a habit, I first write my story as a screenplay. Not in an elaborate fashion. I then go through it, narrate it to my friends, then would rewrite them as a book.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I would say Gabriel Garcia Marquez (One hundred years of solitude, The chronicles of a death foretold) and Marlon James (The brief history of seven killings). Both of them have a unique style of narration. As a writer, I feel that the most important thing is to find our own style and explore them. These two writers helped me do it.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on a spy thriller now. I’ve been working on this idea for a long time and I think it’s time to get on with it.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I haven’t had much experience in promoting my books but as of now I’m experimenting with various options. Constant online presence is a must and I participate in readers and authors program in Goodreads, BookBub and Facebook. I think Facebook Ad Manager is the best. It’s more cost effective and has a lot of targetting options with a wider reach. I sell exclusively on Amazon. If I were to go wide, I might think of using BookBub Ads too.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
If you want to reach your readers’ hearts, then write from your heart.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
If you are a writer, write.

What are you reading now?
I’m reading Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mocking Bird. And I have a lengthy reading list that includes The Norwegian Wood, Love in the time of cholera.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m trying to write a series of book. I might expand my fantasy short read, ‘The Oldest Man Alive’. I liked the premises and really looking forward to explore the idea.

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?
Ruskin Bond’s Rusty series (I read it as a teen. It’s not for my age but still would like to read it again), The Alchemist, One Hundred Years of Solitude, The fifth mountain.

Author Websites and Profiles
J Bharathi Website
J Bharathi Amazon Profile

J Bharathi’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a bipolar starving artist with anxiety and depression over existential terrors, and panic attacks that are only sated by my solipsist delusions. I write and I make music. I like cheese.

I’ve written three books to date.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
‘ME: Don’t Think About It’

In March, 2018, I had a psychological breakdown that ultimately resulted in me committing myself to a mental institution.

It was pretty crazy in there.

I kept a journal, detailing my thoughts on the events that transpired as best as I could at the time. This book is the ultimate result of those events.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
If I get stuck, I blast Mandragora Tango Orchestra to shake the words loose. It works almost without fail.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Douglas Adams. Henry Miller. Charles Bukowski.

A hundred more, in one way or another.

What are you working on now?
Too many things. I cannot focus on one project at a time.

The closest thing to completion is a play that I’ve been writing for a local theater company.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m experimenting with a lot of different things. I don’t have an answer to this yet.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Bukowski said it best. “Don’t try.”

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“Adrian, you can be happy AND write great stuff.”

I had spent a lifetime falling into art as a means of release. It hadn’t ever really occurred to me that I could do both at the same time before then.

What are you reading now?
It’s horrible to say this as a writer. But I never have time to read anymore. I’m too bust writing.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I am considering either putting together a collection of short stories, or working on a sequel to From Gods and Monsters. Both will happen. It’s just a matter of which I do first.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
I’d take a few long, pop-lit novels that I don’t like. This way I wouldn’t feel about using them for kindling and toilet paper.

Priorities, man.

Author Websites and Profiles
Adrian Bartholomew Website
Adrian Bartholomew Amazon Profile

Adrian Bartholomew’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I grew up surrounded by books. My brother gave me the ‘Brains Benton’ mystery series when I was seven, and I have never stopped reading. I’ve written for magazines and newsletters but ’26 Absurdities of Tragic Proportions’ is my first published book.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
26 Absurdities of Tragic Proportions. I was inspired by Edward Gorey’s ‘Ghastlycrumb Tinies’ illustrations. They were so unusual and compelling I always knew I would have to write about them.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t think so.. I mean I don’t just write in my underwear, or only write on full moons. LOL.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
L.E Modesitt, Stephen Donaldson and Robert Jordan are my favorites.

What are you working on now?
I am currently working on a children’s series about a group of snowmen who live on Planet Snowball, plus I’m working on a SF series.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
My own – MattWoodruffAuthor.com

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Just Write!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The advice I just gave – LOL. Just Write!

What are you reading now?
You mean what am I re-reading… proofing my own current works for the hundredth time.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Finish up my SF series and promote my ’26 Absurdities of Tragic Proportions’.

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 Book on how to build a raft. 1 Book on how to find fresh water. 1 Book on how to forage or hunt for food, and ’26 Absurdities of Tragic Proportions’!

Author Websites and Profiles
Matthew Woodruff Website

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have written one book and am in the process of writing another. I have written over 100 blog articles and half a dozen published articles over the past few years as a futurist. I have also published over 170 YouTube videos educating people about subjects such as artificial intelligence, nanotechnology, genetic engineering, energy science and anything that is new and causes concern with the population.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The book is called “Engineering Paradise: Are You Ready?”. The idea of writing a book as I work as a serial entrepreneur in the entertainment media technologies field came about when I decided to do more to educate people about how today’s technology can finally free our civilization from the concept of working for a living. People are afraid of automation, AI and robotics because they are concerned about their livelihood. As a futurist delving in technology day in and day out, I know that we can actually change our socio-economics to ensure everyone has their basic needs met, free healthcare and free education. I decided I should speak to crowds more on this very topic, and hence put myself on the path of the futurist formally. Thus, the decision to write a book to nail down my message of hope for the future to whoever wanted to listen came about. That’s what this first book is about. The book I’m currently writing is a followup to this first one, to complete the picture and address some specifics not covered at length in the first book.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t think so. I am very disciplined. I write according to a schedule. The topics I write about are very integrated within me thanks to my experience in technology and my regular reading regimen. I suppose one unusual thing I do, not as a habit, but deliberately, is to write my book chapters as blogs and recording YouTube videos and share on social media both of these. I don’t write to make money. I write and prepare to do conferences more regularly on the book topic because I believe we can change this world into one that is 100 times better than what we have today. I’m motivated.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I am not influenced so much by authors or books. I think I am more influenced by personalities, both dead and alive. Ghandi, Rael, Martin Luther King Jr, Marina Sirtis…. There are a lot of people out there that do great things for the betterment of humanity and I feel like I need to be part of that gang and facilitate positive change.

What are you working on now?
My second book on “Engineering Paradise” and multiple YouTube educational series. I’m also involved in multiple international infrastructure and entertainment media projects as a connector or project manager that leverage some of the technologies I speak of in my books.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I depend heavily on my extensive network of contacts for promotions and to help me organize promotional events. I also use social media quite a bit to share my ideas directly. Those who like my ideas follow me and they can then find my book and YouTube channel somewhere in there afterwards.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Just do it. Don’t wait. It is so easy to publish your book nowadays. You no longer need to have the approval of a publishing company to get something out there. The difficulty is to get your book under the eyes of the right people. Don’t expect you’ll make a living out of writing books either. Very few get there. Think of your book as a way to develop an expertise in the market or to become a subject authority. If you are doing fiction, do it for extra income and for fun.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Follow your heart and your dreams. They will never guide you wrong.

What are you reading now?
I’m reading the Wizard of Oz series by L. Frank Baum. There are 15 of them, plus another 18 written by others after M. Baum died. Great imagination, hundreds of characters, and a beautiful message within that we could all appreciate, even though those books were written over 100 years ago.

What’s next for you as a writer?
After my second book, I want to do a speaking tour internationally to educate people about making a “paradise” for all of this human civilization. I’m hoping many will join me and help me out so we can succeed. Are you one of them?

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Probably “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy”, “Intelligent Design: A Message from the Designers”, and a guide on how to survive on a deserted island. The first will make me laugh and dream, the second will keep me on track with my place in the universe, and the third is there for obvious practical reasons.

Author Websites and Profiles
Sylvain Rochon Website
Sylvain Rochon Amazon Profile

Sylvain Rochon’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve read and written since I could do either. It’s natural to take those stories and find a tangent to explore. I’ve lived along the east coast all my life yet traveled more of it after marrying. My husband retired from the Navy and we finally settled our gypsy wagon in Georgia.
I couldn’t take Navy out of the man so I started cruising and he’s back in love with the sea. I love traveling, that gypsy blood again. Our son is in college and I’m a rescue mom of a Pharaoh hound mix who was literally kicked to the curb and nearly run over by her previous humans.
I’m lucky to be a full time writer. Having said that, I’m rebooting the Sanctuary series with edits/revisions that the books didn’t have before their first releases. This series has 20 books and counting. It’s a big world.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Drakken Brotherhood is a trilogy at this time, but the other GIs need their stories told. I’m working on Derryck’s story. Of all the soldiers who survived the experiment, he didn’t adjust as well as the others. It’s very close to my heart because our Navy life included this exceptional man. Some things the military can’t heal.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I may be a minority. I get up every morning as if going back to my job as human resources. I dress, and put on make up and brew coffee while I make breakfast.
I’m a diabetic so there is a walk after I eat. Then work. Lunch and another walk. I bug out of my world in time to fix dinner.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I was writing in a vacuum. All writers do. Sherrilyn Kenyon advised me for several years until I published the first book. I met her at Dragon*Con in Atlanta.
I love to read about heroes who have to conquer demons and find their soulmate.

What are you working on now?
I’m always juggling it seems. I’m working a time travel anthology story of the infamous pirate Anne Bonny. Another anthology set at a popular convention of paranormals is in the works.
I’m also planning a non-fiction run of teaching books.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
That’s tough. There are a bunch out there, websites. I’m new to this as the publishing market is fluid and changes every minute it seems. I’ve used social media, finding myself on twitter and Instagram, and the old standby Facebook.
I’ve been to signings and markets to meet readers personally. Love doing that one!

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Finish. The. Book! One of my mentees just got picked by Carina Press. She wasn’t done before she met me and we worked together to polish once she was done. I’ve mentored other writers, but the first rule is…finish the book.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Find an editor that will work with you to polish your story and keep those grammar gremlins at bay.

What are you reading now?
I’m caught up in cowboys for the moment. Love erotica and dark fantasy. Who knew people wrote BDSM or explored the LGBTQ world? So I keep my tablet full and charged.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Seeing my series optioned for TV or movies would send me over the moon! It has everything we want, action heroes, daring damsels, a place to come home where love can grow.

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?
Sherrilyn Kenyon’s new Deadmen series. I haven’t cracked the covers yet, but that seems appropriate, right?
Love Christine Feehan’s Carpathian series.

Author Websites and Profiles
Carol Shaughnessy Amazon Profile

Carol Shaughnessy’s Social Media Links
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a Professor of Strategy at Durham University Business School. Also Associate Dean of Postgraduate Research and Director of the PhD Programme. I was previously a British Academy Mid-Career Fellow (2015-16), a Professor of Strategy at Warwick Business School as well as Head of the Strategy and International Business Group.
I also offer fee-based 1-1 coaching for advanced Postgraduate Students. I’ve written 5 books, one in press

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Finish Your Thesis or Dissertation! Tips and Hacks for Success – I wanted to write an ebook to focus just on students’ needs. Doing this allowed complete control over the content, so this builds in many years of tips and hacks that have proven to be effective and help people with their Postgraduate projects.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
My latest ebook has quite a few tips in on writing – on focusing and time management and so on… I try to follow my own advice

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I wrote a book on Aristotle a while ago – Organization, society and politics — An Aristotelian perspective – his work has definitely influenced how I look at the social world and organizations

What are you working on now?
A book that is debunking the various myths surrounding leadership, with my friend and colleague Mark Learmonth

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Focus on the quality of your book, win recommendations, keep going

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Protect and value the time you have with your loved ones

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
You become what you think about

What are you reading now?
Some books on mindfulness

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?
Middlemarch is my favourite novel, then maybe Marcus Aurelius’ writings to try to keep my spirits up and a book of advice on how to survive life on an island.

Author Websites and Profiles
Kevin Morrell Website

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hello! As you read this, I’m most likely on my patio–or The Outdoor Writing Office as I often refer to it–writing my current manuscript. I love being outside. There’s something about fresh air and birdsong that my Muse needs. My trusty sidekick, a 120-lb, all black German Shepherd, is no doubt monitoring my progress and growling at any distractions that may arise. He keeps me on track at all times.

I have published over 20 books so far and have a stockpile of manuscripts awaiting publication. I’m sort of a nut about having a bunch of manuscripts “on tap.” That way I never have to feel rushed in getting the next book out there. Prior planning prevents panic, I always say.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book that was released is Wolf Vow, Book Three in the Warrior Wolves Series. The entire series was inspired by my dog who looks like a wolf. Small children in my neighborhood have often tugged at their mothers’ sleeves and asked, “Mommy, why is that lady walking a wolf?” I generally respond, “Because I can.” At that point, Mommy usually pulls Junior in a little closer and gives me a wary eye.

Fine by me. We’re not walking in the ‘hood to make friends.

The Warrior Wolves Series follows five ancient Celtic warriors who have a little something extra and who find their soul mates in present-day Vermont. Wolf Kiss is Book One and Wolf Fire is Book Two. There are two more books in this series that will be released in August and December.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Just that I have a firm rule about writing at least 4 pages a day. No. Matter. What. It keeps me on track and tuned into my manuscript at all times.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Nora Roberts, Jill Shalvis, Sandra Brown, Kristan Higgins, Danielle Steele

What are you working on now?
I’m currently working on a series that revolves around good deeds. With the world the way it is right now, I think we need more feel-good stories where people are decent humans.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I like using Facebook because I get to interact with my readers there.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t make excuses for why you CAN’T write. Just go for it.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Stay in your own lane. Author Susan Wiggs said this at a conference. She was speaking about not worrying about what everyone else in the field is doing. Comparisons don’t get you anywhere. Focus moves you forward.

What are you reading now?
A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J. Maas.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Keep telling stories that make readers laugh, maybe make them sweat, and definitely make them believe in the power of love.

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?
Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt, favorite children’s book
An anthology of some kind so I’d have multiple stories to read
A dictionary/thesaurus
A blank notebook to write my own book

Author Websites and Profiles
Christine DePetrillo Website
Christine DePetrillo Amazon Profile

Christine DePetrillo’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
After graduating from the University of Oklahoma with a BA in profession writing, I went to work in the family construction business while writing novels on the side. My first book was a revenge tale/cat-and-mouse thriller titled “Killer Cain,” which was soon followed by the dark comedy “The Everyday Housewife: Murder, Drugs, and Ironing.” The latest novel, “Heaven Is a Gay Bar,” is my first semi-autobiography written in first person narrative. About eighty percent of it is true and most of the characters are based on real people. It’s by far the most challenging and rewarding book I’ve ever written, especially from an emotional standpoint.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My main inspiration for writing “Heaven Is a Gay Bar” was Barbie—the love of my life—and our bizarre on-again, off-again relationship that lasted throughout the 1990s. Those were very trying times to say the least, yet I loved her madly through it all and was deeply heartbroken when her life came to a sudden and tragic end. Her death continued to haunt me for a number of years and was seriously interfering with my creativity ‘til I finally decided to vent all my anger and frustration in a Word document. I had no idea at the time that I had a 350-page novel on my hands. I thought I was writing a short story! The time period in which we met (the early 90s) was also a source of inspiration to me. Not only was it the decade of my rebirth, but there was a lot of great music that came out during that time- plus a lot of great bands: Nirvana, Rage Against the Machine, the Cranberries, and Nine Inch Nails, just to name a few. Then there was the place where Barbie and I met—a very popular gay nightclub called Angles—and all the wonderful people there, many of which are no longer with us.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’ve always been a bit of a night owl. I feel the most alive and creative when all the world’s asleep, as they say… which means that I’m usually sitting at my desktop computer ’til the crack of dawn- working on my manuscript, mostly. But I’m also on social media a lot. You’ve gotta keep those tweets and posts comin’! I usually sleep ’til ten or eleven in the morning… feed the cats, do all my shopping, relax in front of the TV for a little bit and see what’s going on in the world…. I don’t start writing ’til three or four in the afternoon- sometimes five. Then I’m chained to the desk ’til the rooster crows.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Oh, that’s an easy one! I love the classics: Mark Twain’s “Huckleberry Finn,” Emily Brontë’s “Wuthering Heights,” Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein,” Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice,” Bram Stoker’s “Dracula,” all of Fyodor Dostoevsky and Franz Kafka… and the list goes on and on! I love gothic horror and social commentary, as you can see. Carson McCullers and Charles Bukowski are a couple more of my idols… and as far as something more contemporary is concerned, I prefer crime fiction- although I’m not very good at it, myself. Elmore Leonard and James Ellroy are two of my favorites in that genre. I also think Kazuo Ishiguro is such a brilliant, award winning writer.

What are you working on now?
My next book (still untitled) is another semi-autobiography dealing with my childhood. It’s about a twelve-year-old boy who’s at odds with his adoptive parents (his father, mostly) and sets out to find his “real” father—a brave and mighty Comanche warrior—or so he believes. I wanted to show readers what it’s like to be a half-Native American kid raised by white folks, unable to fathom why you’re so different and then suddenly being told that you were adopted. I didn’t even know what adoption was at the time!

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I prefer Facebook and Twitter. Those are the two outlets I’m using to promote my book at the moment, plus my Amazon Author Page and book promotion sites such as this one.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Always believe in yourself and never give up, especially when you’re trying to get your book published… or afterward, when you’re trying to promote it. Keep writing, no matter what—even through hardship or writer’s block. A brilliant idea will eventually come to you, often after page upon page of complete and utter gibberish (at least for me).

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

What are you reading now?
Actually, I’m not reading anything at all right now, nor am I watching much TV. I’m all about this next book. Stephen King was right when he said to leave the television off and stay away from other books while writing your first draft. You have to be completely in the zone when writing your book.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m hoping to be finished with the book I’m working on now by the end of the year. Then, I don’t know. Maybe I’ll try to write a screenplay, seeing that movies are my other passion. I’m not sure if I’ll have another book left in me, but you never know. I might have to wait a few years and then write about old age.

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?
Carson McCuller’s “The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter,” Fyodor Dostoevsky’s “Notes from Underground,” Emily Brontë’s “Wuthering Heights,” Mark Twain’s “Huckleberry Finn,” and Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird.” Oops, sorry! That was five.

Author Websites and Profiles
Bryan Foreman Website
Bryan Foreman Amazon Profile

Bryan Foreman’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
An aspiring English language trainer and a certified personal safety educator, I am a singer-songwriter who is running a campaign against child sexual abuse.
This is my first book, and it more so wrote itself out because of the heaviness of carrying the song within (as Maya Angelou would say).

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
When Anxiety Met PTSD is my personal account in the form of poems and songs of my journey knowing somebody with a mental illness. It is a tale of love, trust, healing and hope.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Daily journaling and compulsive list making are some of the writing habits I possess. Sometimes, songs emerge out of the words I write, which I find strange when it happens.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Agatha Christie, The Kite Runner, Jonathan Livingston Seagull and Christina Rosetti are some names which appeared in my mind just now. The list keeps changing.

What are you working on now?
The next book, the prequel-sequel of WAMP (When Anxiety Met PTSD) which explains a lot that you find in it.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m experimenting as of now, but I promise to write back if and when a format proves to successfully work for me!

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Your story, when combined with good intentions, deserves a telling.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Forgiveness is the fragrance that the violet sheds on the heal that crushed it. It’s helped make peace with reality.

What are you reading now?
Spiritual books to work on being a better person.

What’s next for you as a writer?
The paperback book release, book readings, speeches, and more! The story has just begun.

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 Qur’an, any Tintin copy, Jonathan Livingston Seagull and a journal to write in!

Author Websites and Profiles
Mariam Rauf Website
Mariam Rauf Amazon Profile

Mariam Rauf’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
After graduating from the University of Oklahoma with a BA in profession writing, I went to work in the family construction business while writing novels on the side. My first book was a revenge tale/cat-and-mouse thriller titled “Killer Cain,” which was soon followed by the dark comedy “The Everyday Housewife: Murder, Drugs, and Ironing.” The latest novel, “Heaven Is a Gay Bar,” is my first semi-autobiography written in first person narrative. About eighty percent of it is true and most of the characters are based on real people. It’s by far the most challenging and rewarding book I’ve ever written, especially from an emotional standpoint.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My main inspiration for writing “Heaven Is a Gay Bar” was Barbie—the love of my life—and our bizarre on-again, off-again relationship that lasted throughout the 1990s. Those were very trying times to say the least, yet I loved her madly through it all and was deeply heartbroken when her life came to a sudden and tragic end. Her death continued to haunt me for a number of years and was seriously interfering with my creativity ‘til I finally decided to vent all my anger and frustration in a Word document. I had no idea at the time that I had a 350-page novel on my hands. I thought I was writing a short story! The time period in which we met (the early 90s) was also a source of inspiration to me. Not only was it the decade of my rebirth, but there was a lot of great music that came out during that time- plus a lot of great bands: Nirvana, Rage Against the Machine, the Cranberries, and Nine Inch Nails, just to name a few. Then there was the place where Barbie and I met—a very popular gay nightclub called Angles—and all the wonderful people there, many of which are no longer with us.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’ve always been a bit of a night owl. I feel the most alive and creative when all the world’s asleep, as they say… which means that I’m usually sitting at my desktop computer ’til the crack of dawn- working on my manuscript, mostly. But I’m also on social media a lot. You’ve gotta keep those tweets and posts comin’! I usually sleep ’til ten or eleven in the morning… feed the cats, do all my shopping, relax in front of the TV for a little bit and see what’s going on in the world…. I don’t start writing ’til three or four in the afternoon- sometimes five. Then I’m chained to the desk ’til the rooster crows.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Oh, that’s an easy one! I love the classics: Mark Twain’s “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,” Emily Brontë’s “Wuthering Heights,” Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein,” Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice,” Bram Stoker’s “Dracula,” all of Fyodor Dostoevsky and Franz Kafka… and the list goes on and on! I love gothic horror and social commentary, as you can see. Carson McCullers and Charles Bukowski are a couple more of my idols… and as far as something more contemporary is concerned, I prefer crime fiction- although I’m not very good at it, myself. Elmore Leonard and James Ellroy are two of my favorites in that genre. I also think Kazuo Ishiguro is such a brilliant, award winning writer.

What are you working on now?
My next book (still untitled) is another semi-autobiography dealing with my childhood. It’s about a twelve-year-old boy who’s at odds with his adoptive parents (his father, mostly) and sets out to find his “real” father—a brave and mighty Comanche warrior—or so he believes. I wanted to show readers what it’s like to be a half-Native American kid raised by white folks, unable to fathom why you’re so different and then suddenly being told that you were adopted. I didn’t even know what adoption was at the time!

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I prefer Facebook and Twitter. Those are the two outlets I’m using to promote my book at the moment, plus my Amazon Author Page and book promotion sites such as this one.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Always believe in yourself and never give up, especially when you’re trying to get your book published… or afterward, when you’re trying to promote it. Keep writing, no matter what—even through hardship or writer’s block. A brilliant idea will eventually come to you, often after page upon page of complete and utter gibberish (at least for me).

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

What are you reading now?
Actually, I’m not reading anything at all right now, nor am I watching much TV. I’m all about this next book. Stephen King was right when he said to leave the television off and stay away from other books while writing your first draft. You have to be completely in the zone when writing your book.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m hoping to be finished with the book I’m working on now by the end of the year. Then, I don’t know. Maybe I’ll try to write a screenplay, seeing that movies are my other passion. I’m not sure if I’ll have another book left in me, but you never know. I might have to wait a few years and then write about old age.

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?
Carson McCuller’s “The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter,” Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird,” Emily Brontë’s “Wuthering Heights,” Fyodor Dostoevsky’s “Notes from Underground,” Mark Twain’s “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.” Oops, sorry! That was five.

Author Websites and Profiles
Bryan Foreman Website
Bryan Foreman Amazon Profile

Bryan Foreman’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a world traveler who currently lives in Texas with my husband and son. As of today, I have published a novel that I wrote, Gryphendale, and children’s book that I illustrated, Zip and the Golden Trombone. On July 24th, The Shadow of the Gryphon goes on sale. It is the first of a trilogy that is mostly complete.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Shadow of the Gryphon was inspired by the folklore of Scotland where I had lived for four years and by the swamps of Florida where I grew up. It is a story about moving on from one’s past, a lesson I personally had to learn.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I can write anywhere and at any time. I think it comes from having only half my sanity with a very active child.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I love classic books by Jane Austin, Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and Shakespear. My work is influenced strongly by Grim’s fairy tales, Arabian Nights, and the Blue Fairy Books. I do read tons of modern writers as well.

What are you working on now?
I am writing a fantasy fiction mystery called The Secrets of Cinnamon Cinderguard. This is currently a stand-alone novel, but we will see what happens!

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Goodreads! Enough said…

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Keep going! Every great writer has run into critics and roadblocks. Only the persistent are successful.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Write first, edit last. It freed me up to finish my books and then clean them up later.

What are you reading now?
I am reviewing some indie books for my blog.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I have notes for another fives books. I am just trying to pace myself so I don’t burn 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?
This not a fair question! The Bible, Grim’s fairy tales, and Pride and Prejudice.

Author Websites and Profiles
Lara Lee Website
Lara Lee Amazon Profile

Lara Lee’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 Midwest boy at heart, that is living currently in the Southwest. An imaginative individual that has been writing since the 6th grade, I have written a total of four or five novels, and several novellas. Though only a few of my novels have been released thus far. My Urban Fantasy Novella series has started and is available on Amazon.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The last thing that I released was entitled, Zachariah Lars and Death of a Time Traveler. It is book 3 in my Urban Fantasy novella series.
This series takes place in an alternate world, where the magical creatures that are usually hidden, have been living side-by-side with humans for over 150 years.
I started this series, because I was personally tired of Urban Fantasy series where everything is usually hidden, and it needed to stay that way for the Humans sake. I wondered what type of world would we have, it that wasn’t the case. I wanted a world where magic could be bought both legally and illegally, and dragon’s control the banks, and Fairy’s went to night clubs. I wanted a complicated mess of a world, where nearly anything was possible.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I am a sucker for a good cup of loose tea, and a video game soundtrack going while I write. If I am out in a coffee shop, an extremely large iced black coffee will do just as good as my tea. When I am not working on my computer, I will actually hand-write as much as I possibly can, and will even print out the drafts of my books to do hand-revisions. I just enjoy the feel of the ink on the paper.
I also love writing with fountain pens. There is just something classic and transports me to another time, that wasn’t so dependent on technology. It’s the greatest feeling ever.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Big influences have definitely been L. Frank Baum and his Wonderful Wizard of Oz series, he showed me that books can be magical, for no other reason than to be magical. There doesn’t need to be some long convoluted reason why something is magical, it just is. That really has shaped a lot of my feelings towards both Fantasy and Science Fiction. While it is great to have some realism thrown in, there are just times when I want something to be fantastic and out of this world, because it can be.

What are you working on now?
My latest book I am currently working on is titled, Shadow of the Queens, and is part of a fantasy series that I have been developing for almost two decades. It has gone through no less than three name changes (two of which have been while doing more revisions). This entire series was actually inspired by a quick, weekend book that I made that looked more like a nameless anime fan-fiction than anything else. Now it is a thriving world that will actually be linked to another independent series.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Currently, word of mouth, and Facebook ads have been my best friend.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
You just need to keep trucking. Keep writing. Keep figuring out your story. If something isn’t working, move on to something new for a bit, or move onto a different part of the story, work backwards. Sometimes that actually helps me figure out moving characters from Point A to B to C.
And just never give up. You are writing because you want to tell a story, your story. People may not get it, but others will.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I forgot who told me, or said it, but it is more or less, “You write for you, and no one else. Even if no one reads your work, you have created something magical, that no one else has.”

What are you reading now?
I am going old-school and reading some Gor by John Norman. A good old Counter-Earth series.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Up next, I am continuing to revise, Shadow of the Queens, as well as a few others, and I want to get them submitted to a few publishers/agents, and I am working on getting the sequel to Bound by Roses, entitled, Bound by Fairy’s, through my publisher.

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 Neverending Story
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
The Complete Amber Chronicles (which is in one book so it’s technically counts)
Stardust

Author Websites and Profiles
Jonathan M Lazar Website
Jonathan M Lazar Amazon Profile

Jonathan M Lazar’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have been a lifelong student of the Russian language and of Russian and Soviet culture, history, and politics. It all began for me when I attended an 18-month Russian Course at the Defense Language Institute (DLI) in Monterey, California where we studied only Russian 6 hours a day, five days a week. After graduating with honors from that program, I served in signals intelligence with the old Army Security Agency at a border listening post in West Germany where we monitored Soviet military radio communications.

After leaving military service, I attended Kent State University and, in 1972, completed a Bachelor of Arts Degree with a major in Russian and German. I then joined a United States Information Agency (USIA) cultural exchange exhibit and traveled throughout the Soviet Union from July through December of 1972. This experience not only polished my Russian language abilities, but also gave me a solid understanding of Soviet Communism and its lasting impact on the lives of Soviet citizens.

In 1973, I was hired to teach Russian to American military personnel at DLI — the same educational facility where I had been trained in Russian some years before, and worked in a number of duty assignments there until my retirement in 2002. While in California, I served six years as a Warrant Officer in a U.S. Army Reserve Psychological Operations (PSYOP) battalion writing leaflets and broadcast materials targeted at Soviet forces in East Germany until 1991, at which time the Soviet Union dissolved. During this period, I received a Master of Arts Degree in Teaching Foreign Languages at the Monterey Institute of International Studies (now the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey).

My over 50 years of study and work with Russian culminated with my current and, to date, only book, “In Russian Wonderland,” which focuses on my experiences serving as a Russian-speaking “guide” on the 1972 USIA exhibit “Research and Development in the USA.” In this book, I describe in detail the things I saw and learned in the USSR and attempt to link them to features of the current Russian Federation. Given the current interest in Russia and her political operations, I hope that my observations are timely and that readers will get a useful backdrop against which to interpret Russian actions about which we read in the news media these days. I believe that to properly understand Russia, one must examine the Soviet Union — the country which spawned today’s Russian society and which left an indelible imprint on life and policies in the Russian Federation.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My book is entitled “In Russian Wonderland: An American’s Odyssey in Soviet Russia.” I was inspired to write it upon seeing large numbers of Americans apparently considering whether to give Socialism a try as indicated by the rather significant support Bernie Sanders received in the Democratic Party primary in 2016. I wanted to give my fellow Americans an “up close and personal” view of life in the society which was the embodiment of that ideology — the Soviet Union. I have long regretted that more people of my generation were not able to see what I saw and experience what I did in the USSR. Also, current offerings on the Russian international news network RT lead me to believe that, indeed, Vladimir Putin and his colleagues in the Russian government are still under the influence of their Soviet upbringing and I wish to share knowledge about the society which produced them in the hope that more people will better understand Russia’s actions and intentions on the world stage.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I am a stickler for attention to detail in my writing. I was recently told by one of the reviewers of my book that he had never seen a self-published book completely error free as he found mine to be.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The research and writing of Professor Paul Kengor of Grove City College have influenced my approach to writing about subjects of mutual interest to him and me. Also, being an avid reader of history — especially Soviet and Russian history — I have been very impressed with some old books which describe in detail American policy toward the Soviet government during the Second World War. Among these are: “Roosevelt’s Road to Russia” by George N. Crocker and “The Strange Alliance” by John R. Deane, Sr.

What are you working on now?
I am doing research on another book which I plan to write within the next 12-18 months. It deals with tracing the ideological lineage of the modern left from the days of the Jacobins during the French Revolution, through the period of proletarian rebellions in Europe in the 19th Century, to the rise, rule and ultimate fall of the Soviet Union and its client states in Europe.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
My book’s website http://www.inrussianwonderland.com and also my book’s Amazon page at https://www.amazon.com/Russian-Wonderland-Americans-Odyssey-Soviet/dp/0999603205/

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Enjoy the activity of writing, but be ready for a rough ride into getting the word out as to your work and prepare to spend an inordinate amount of time promoting your book after you complete and publish it.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
To learn from history. British philosopher George Santyana put it best: “Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” Columnist Thomas Sowell updates that thought for us today: “This generation’s ignorance of history leaves them free to be frivolous — until the next catastrophe strikes, and catches them completely by surprise.”

What are you reading now?
Various books on the history of Europe from the French Revolution forward.

What’s next for you as a writer?
To complete my research on European history and to compile it in a succinct form for people unfamiliar with it to study and learn from.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
In such a scenario, I would only hope to have one book with me: “Escaping desert islands for dummies.”

Author Websites and Profiles
Charles Cole Website
Charles Cole Amazon Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I live in Abu Dhabi where I work as an investment professional by day and dreams about superheroes by night. I grew up in Calcutta and have previously lived in London and New York. I’m a passionate foodie as well as an avid reader of comic books, graphic novels and Indian mythology.

This is my first book.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The God Gene Chronicles: The Secret of the Gods.Given the number of gods and goddesses in the pantheon, Hindu mythology is vast and fascinating. The trouble is that a lot of the texts are written in Sanskrit, which is a language few people speak today, so most of my peers and I read Amar Chitra Katha – a publication focused on a simplified, graphical depiction of the mythological stories – and a few other sources to learn as much as we could. The stories in Hindu mythology are complex and nuanced, and characters are often quoted or referred to colloquially. Some characters are also held up as moral role models, such as the perfect son or honest king etc., and still find their way into society.

I grew up in a liberal Hindu family but studied in a Protestant boys school in Calcutta, where we recited the Lord’s prayer every morning, so was exposed to a blend of Eastern and Western texts and thought. My family often visited different temples across the country when traveling over school holidays, and the celebration of a major religious festival – Durga Puja (the worship of a female warrior goddess called Durga) – was a big family event where we would often be regaled with the tales of different gods and demons by older relatives. I was fascinated by the stories because there was just so much to cover. It also took me a long time to piece things together and understand the bigger picture around how the different characters all fit together. Because there isn’t necessarily a single text to use as a reference, Hinduism can be quite complicated. As such, the more I read and learned, the more I got hooked. Over time, as I grew older and my thinking developed, my appreciation for the complexities in the characters and ethical conundrums in the different stories also grew.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m not sure what usual writing habits are but suspect I have a few unusual ones. Instead of setting aside a few hours every day to work on a manuscript, I tend to set aside a few weeks or weekends at a time to try and get into my characters and the story line and push the story ahead. I then come back to it a few weeks later to see if I still like the writing and edit / rewrite the parts that I’m unhappy with. There are probably more efficient ways to write a novel.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I grew up reading a broad range of authors and I suppose some of it has stuck. My favourites include PG Wodehouse, Douglas Adams, Tagore, Julian Barnes, Jeffrey Archer, Michael Lewis, Gerald Durrell, Ruskin Bond, Satyajit Ray etc. Living in four countries (India, USA, UK, UAE) has also helped broaden my horizons and provided helpful perspective and exposure that probably filters into my writing.

What are you working on now?
I’m writing the second book in the series and hope to have it finished in another 12-15 months.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
My only experience with marketing a book has been The God Gene Chronicles. I have focussed primarily on Social Media and found Facebook to be an effective and fairly low-cost way to reach out to potential fans. I think the marketing strategy depends on the genre of the book but book trailers and comic strips have worked quite well for The God Gene Chronicles so far, which is perhaps unsurprising given the superhero theme. The concept art on the website has also been getting some traction.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
It’s a long journey with plenty of twists and turns – don’t lose hope. Enlist the help of friends and family and stay invested in your manuscript. You will be proud of the outcome.

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

What are you reading now?
Think like a Freak by Stephen Dubner and Steven Levitt and Zero to One by Blake Masters and Peter Thiel

What’s next for you as a writer?
Hopefully getting book two of the series out next year and then starting work on book three.

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?
Comic books!

Author Websites and Profiles
Projesh Banerjea Website

Projesh Banerjea’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve been writing for most of my life, but never had the courage to publish until now. I’m a very introverted person. For a long time I was terrified to share my innermost thoughts with the world. My first book “Unequally YokedStaying Committed to Jesus and Your Unbelieving Spouse” is now available in Kindle and print.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
“Unequally Yoked: Staying Committed to Jesus and Your Unbelieving Spouse” was inspired through personal journaling. I wanted to write a memoir about some aspect of my very complicated and rich life history. But I was afraid to share the more horrific stories of my life. A self-publishing leader said to write about something you know. I began to mind-map my life. That’s when I realized that between my personal life history, friendships with other women, and counseling experience, I was an expert in this topic.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I need structure and total quiet to write. When that’s not possible, I have Christian classical music playing in the background. I prefer a combination of piano and string music.
My day begins with coffee, scripture reading, prayer and checking my emails. Then I take a brief walk to wake up my brain or do a few stretches. By 11:00 a.m. I’m ready to sit at my computer. I spend about 3-4 hours in writing mode, with a short break about every two hours. Writing mode doesn’t mean I’m necessarily writing. This includes contemplation, vision planning, creative construction, research and reading. Since I suffer with physical limitations, I can’t write and read for more than a few hours a day. I need to take frequent breaks and pace myself.
I am always thinking about what I want to write next. I’m a hog for research. Books are always piled up around me. They are my comfort food.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Brock and Bodie Thoene are—in my opinion—the most incredible historical fiction authors. I read and re-read their books.
I also love reading the Bible. I want to read every translation and version. The stories are so rich and there is much to learn from the writing styles and personalities of each author.
At one time, I had a fetish for cookbooks—but I’m slowly phasing that out of my life. Food is culture. You can learn a lot about other cultures by looking at their food history.

What are you working on now?
I’m learning to write historical fiction (using elements of my family history). If I crash and burn, I’ll go back to non-fiction and continue working on my memoirs. There are enough stories in my personal life and family history to keep me busy writing forever.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I primarily focus on AMS ads and FB. I’m trying a few other sites and methods to see what works best. Self-published Christian books seem to be a bit more difficult sell unless you are a very established author with a good fan base. Hopefully, I will get there one day.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t give up. Just keep writing. Make the task of writing a daily habit. Fear of publishing is common to most authors. It’s scary to put yourself out there. Your fans will come and go. Not everyone will want to read your book and not everyone will like your book or your writing style. That’s ok. Write because you have a story to tell. Keep writing to leave a legacy.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Create a daily routine with a structured writing time. Stick to it.

What are you reading now?
I’m researching Mennonite history in Tsarist Russia, and other books on the Russian Bolshevik revolution and post revolution periods. I read heavy stuff that contains a lot of meat. For a bit lighter reading, I’m rereading some of the Thoene books about WW2. I rarely read fluff. However, I do watch middle-aged fluffy movies. They are a good way to decompress.

What’s next for you as a writer?
In terms of books—either a historical fiction series or a memoir.
I also write a blog on how to live your faith. This is aligned with my book—Unequally Yoked: Staying Committed to Jesus and Your Unbelieving Spouse. You can read my blog on my website at https://www.mirandajchivers.com or my facebook page @mirandajchivers

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. I realize it’s actually 66 books in one, so maybe that’s cheating. A good survival cookbook. A couple of romantic fiction books such as “Under the Tuscan Sun” or “Eat, Pray, Love.”
A book that contains a combination of food and romance is always a good read. If it includes some historical and unique geographical elements, then it’s perfect.

Author Websites and Profiles
Miranda J. Chivers Website
Miranda J. Chivers Amazon Profile

Miranda J. Chivers’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I live in Mississippi with my adopted Lab/beagle mix, Connor. I’ve written nine books covering a wide range of topics.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Angelic Rabble Rousers. I wanted to revisit the 70s because I feel that decade is the best ever for music.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I very seldom outline anything. I prefer to be like a bird and wing it throughout the writing process.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Actually, none. Though I am a voracious reader.

What are you working on now?
Patsy Mae: Time to Take Out the Trash. It’s a sequel to my very first published book, Trailer Trash.

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

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

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I dare you to try and write a book because I don’t think you can do it.

What are you reading now?
A series by Natalie Alder.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Finish book ten and see what happens.

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 don’t think I could narrow it down to just three or four books.

Author Websites and Profiles
Rick Johnson Amazon Profile

Rick Johnson’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hello. I go by the pen name, Ibidun. I am a writer and I wrote the following books: Qualiteria High, The Mysterious Man, and Black Cat.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book was Black Cat. What got inspired by it was the darkness of black cats and what phenomenon they can do. And, the main character was based off of my alter ego.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Maybe I do. I start my stories with a blank sheet on the computer. When I finish the story, I transfer it into another blank sheet that I can download. Then, I edit the story.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
No authors seem to influence me. And, I don’t remember the books that influenced me either. But, I do get ideas from what I see and alter them. And, I get inspired by book genres and their descriptions.

What are you working on now?
I am working on a fourth book that is longer. The genre would be a dystopia/political novel.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I once used this website, Awesome Gang, and other websites like this. And, I go to any social media account I have. I also set up a blog and promote my books there.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I think so. It is to keep writing and enhance it until it sounds good to you.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I think it was to keep writing.

What are you reading now?
I am reading writing articles on the internet.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I want to finish my fourth novel, try to get it to a literary agent, and hope that it would turn out as I wished it to.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
I would bring the books that I have at home, but I don’t really remember the names of them right now. How funny.

Author Websites and Profiles
Ibidun O. Website
Ibidun O. Amazon Profile

Ibidun O.’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
GamePress is a group of Avid gamers who have a huge passion for Video games. We Love Playing Games, and if we aren’t playing, then we are busy shopping for the latest and trendiest gaming items.

Due to the huge success from Playing Fortnite Battle Royale, we have decided to put together a guide to give other gamers, especially those who are yet to be a pro in the Fornite Battle Royale, tips and tricks on becoming a Pro in this Epic game faster.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
FORTNITE BATTLE ROYALE UPDATES: THE ULTIMATE GUIDE– SEASON 4 UNKNOWN PRO TIPS FOR SECURING YOUR SOLO WINS

And what inspired this book is simply to help inexperienced players become very good at playing the game and securing consistent wins at all time.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I love writing technical article

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The sign post to success by KW Kenyon

What are you working on now?
More tips and tricks to becoming a pro in Fortnite Battle Royale

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I love using book promoters. Some of them are good and give you great results.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
My advice for new authors is to follow their passion and dream. Never be discouraged as a thousand mile begins with just a single step.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Keep writing high quality books that help to solve problems

What are you reading now?
Book marketing tips

What’s next for you as a writer?
My next course of plan is to keep writing and publish helpful content

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?
Sign Post to the Road tkSuccess by KW Kenyon
Money can’t make you rich by Sunday Adalajia

Is this the end of the world? By Samson O. Wealth

And my Bible written by the Holy Spirit

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am working on my first novel now, the first of a sword and sorcery series. Short stories and scripts have comprised my work until now.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The novel I am working on, The Dawn of Limcat, was inspired by love for the epic fantasy/sword and sorcery genres.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I am a night owl, so I am at my best in the evenings.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The grimdark fantasy authors most influential are Steven Erikson, Glen Cook, R. Scott Bakker, and Ian C. Esslemont

What are you reading now?
The Black Company

What’s next for you as a writer?
Complete The Dawn of the Limcat and get on to book two of that series. I would like to get a couple of short story collections out there too.

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?
Deadhouse Gates
The Warrior Prophet
From Hell

Matthew Cole’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve currently written four books and am working on my fifth. Shadow Birds is the first book I’ve self-published and throughout the rest of 2018-2019 I will be working on self publishing my other novels.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I wrote Shadow Birds because I spent the last two years teaching English in Kosovo and I was inspired to write something children would like.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Hmm, not really. I do like to write very early in the morning, though. I realize most people are not morning people!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
So many, but I really enjoyed Stephen King’s book On Writing and Amy Tan’s book The Opposite of Fate.

What are you working on now?
I am working on another children’s book. This one is about a girl whose father is a scientist and keeps a monster locked in their basement.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m new to this so I don’t have any advice at this point.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I try to remind myself that the writing process is about getting words onto the page. Editing comes later.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Enjoy your life.

What are you reading now?
The Other Boleyn Sister. A friend is also reading it, so it has been fun to compare notes.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I want to finish my second children’s book and work on self-publishing all of my other novels.

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?
White Oleander by Janet Fitch
In the Woods by Tana French
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K Rowling

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Growing up in Independence, Missouri, I was first introduced to books at birth. I loved the feel, smell, and contrasts of print and pictures on the page with every book I encountered. Even before I could connect letters and sounds, I knew books were the most important part of my new world. The understanding that I could learn and take journeys and find new friends within a book made it an intoxicating past time. I read every book I could, and as I grew, I loved going to the library and finding new worlds and characters to enjoy. My reading tastes are eclectic and so are my writing habits. I love most genres, and I’m willing to try most. That’s why I started out writing my Random Poetry book. I wanted to collect and share poems which reflected my thoughts, emotions, and life. From there, I found writing contests to enter, and one of those contests wanted fairy tale retellings. Loving fairy tales, I was keen on trying my hand at it. I wrote four books which comprised of some of my favorite fairy tales: Cinderella, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, and Beauty and the Beast all came to life with a new spin. I added some twists and turns and tried not to do the expected. I hope readers will find my five books fun and original. I hope they will love my characters as much as I love my own favorite characters.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is part of a series I’m working on now. It’s not yet published, but it’s getting prepped for my beta-readers. It’s a WWII, Historical fiction book, and it all started in a college Creative Writing class. Loving to write, I took the class hoping to expand on my ideas and gain writing momentum. The Battle evolved from that class. The first draft was written several years ago and had some alpha readers. I attempted to get it traditionally published, but since it was 574 pages at the time, publishers were a bit hesitant. So, I put it aside to work as a teacher for eight years and make my way back to the writing world in 2013. Now, I have rewritten The Battle with the same characters, plot, and ending in mind. I’m excited to finish the editing process and get it into readers’ hands! It will definitely be a new twist on a popular time in history.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I do! At least, I think they’re unusual. I can’t write very well by sitting down and creating an in-depth outline. I work better by starting out with an idea and writing it down. Then, I create character profiles. Afterward, I get to writing. I plot and go with the characters as the book is created. I make notes as I go too. If the characters change things up, so do I. I always have my ideas in mind, the ending, and what I want the characters to achieve, but I write it all out as I go. It’s easier for me, and I find it a more comfortable writing experience. I also have to listen to music to inspire the mood I’m creating, and I need a gallon of coffee and chocolate to get me through the hours.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
This is the toughest question. I have SO many writers and books that I love, it makes me go cross-eyed thinking about it. In the beginning, authors like Caroline Keene (and all who wrote under her pseudonym), Boxcar Children, Mandie mysteries, Baby-Sitters Club, Trixie Belden, Sweet Valley High, Fearless, and so many others excited me about reading. I was obsessed with mysteries growing up. For a while, it led to my desire to be a private detective. I wanted to solve crimes and write about it! Enter: Angela Lansbury and Murder, She Wrote. That beginning led to my love of Agatha Christie, Mary Higgins Clark, and Iris Johansen. As I grew up, I became fans of new authors and books: Lori Wick, Janette Oke, and Francine Rivers. Young adult authors came more to my attention: Sarah Dessen, Suzanne Collins, Kelly Creagh, Elizabeth Scott, and now Stuart Gibbs. New authors (to me): Frederick Backman, Julie Klassen, Alan Gratz, Lisa Gardner, Ruta Sepetys and so many more are keeping me on my toes. Now, I enjoy reading nonfiction, bios, and more. The great thing about authors who have influenced me is that there’s always someone new showing up to blow my mind. Two other writers, also a self-published, who have inspired me are Dorian Tsukioka and J.L. Hendricks. They love what they do, and they’re a great support. Being surrounded by such great mentors makes reading and writing the best part of life.

What are you working on now?
I’m currently editing The Battle. I have the next three books in the series ready to go, and Book Two has 13 chapters already. I’m excited to finish the edits and get The Battle into my beta-readers’ hands!
I’m also waiting for the book covers for my paperbacks to be finished for my fairy tale and poetry ebooks.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I utilize my Facebook and Twitter to connect with my readers. I have my newsletter sign-up to share promotions and freebies. I also have my blog and author website. However, I’ve found Kindlepreneur helpful in learning more about marketing and advertising. I’m learning as I go, and I appreciate everyone’s input and assistance!

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I would have to say to new authors: keep going! You can do it. If this is your dream and what you love to do, you will find the time and succeed. It’s a lot of hard work, but it is all worth it. For anyone who reads your book and loves it, that is the best feeling in the world. When you finish a project, that is the best feeling in the world. When you keep going despite hardships and doubts, that is the best feeling in the world. In the end, you are doing this because you love it. That’s what matters most. Leave doubts at the door, no one is perfect. However, you need to keep going if you’re ever going to see what you’re made of, and I’m sure you’re made of some tough stuff.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I don’t recall who said it, but I knew it was something I needed to hear. I once heard that “anyone who tries never fails.” Meaning, if you at least try, you are not a failure. The only ones who fail are those who don’t even try at all because they’re too scared. I think this hit me a lot and gave me a significant amount of thought. Fear is a huge wall to bump into, and I know it holds a lot of people, including me, hostage. Hearing that saying in passing made me realize I had to make the effort. Even if not everyone enjoys my stories, at least I knew I tried and made the story I set out to make. That’s powerful. I succeeded just by trying, and I didn’t fail because I kicked fear in the tush. Believe me, when I say, nothing feels as good as stepping up, sucking it up, and moving forward when you’re shaking inside.

What are you reading now?
I am reading quite a few books at the moment. I’m in the middle of The Battle of the Bulge: Britain’s Untold Story by Charles Whiting, Biography of a Battalion by James A. Huston, Hitler’s Last Gamble by Trevor N. Dupuy, The Devil’s Diary by Robert K. Wittman and David Kinney, and Snow and Steel by Peter Caddick-Adams for my research on my next book The Battle. I found I really enjoy WWII fiction and nonfiction books. Who knew? I didn’t. However, I’m enjoying the research. I’m also in the middle of some poetry books by Poe, Keats, and Byron as well as rereading an Agatha Christie Poirot mystery. I take breaks by reading the fiction to clear my mind and help me digest the information I’m gathering. I love it all. Goodreads Goal setting for 2018 is intense, and I have to keep up somehow.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m currently editing and adding to my WWII book, The Battle. It’s book one in a four-book series. I’m writing in Book Two, and I have Book Three and Book Four planned. I’m hoping to jump back on those and write as much as possible in-between my full-time job.

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?
Yikes! I don’t know if I can answer this. There would be WAY TOO many, lol. Can I plead the Fifth?

Author Websites and Profiles
Rebecca Reddell Website
Rebecca Reddell Amazon Profile

Rebecca Reddell’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 happily married father of two wonderful daughters, and when I’m not writing I’m a high school history/Bible teacher and soccer coach. I love reading books by Tolkien and CS Lewis, and I share a lot of their wisdom in my writing. I have written one e-book called ‘(Extra)Ordinary Leadership: 10 Things Dad Taught Me Without Saying Anything’, which is mostly based on my father. I have also written one full-length book (available on both Kindle and in paperback) called ‘Inverted Leadership: Lead Others Better By Forgetting About Yourself.’

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My most recent book is ‘Inverted Leadership: Lead Others Better By Forgetting About Yourself,’ and it was inspired by my desire to make an impact for the Gospel on those around me. Much of the book recounts stories from my life, or from world history, in which leadership has been done well or poorly, and those examples serve to illustrate the various principles in the book.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
My most unusual writing habit is that much of my ‘writing’ is done in my car, using an old AA-battery powered miniature cassette recorder! The mini-cassette recorder was my father’s, and what I do now is to write an outline for a chapter or section of a book, and then I will speak my thoughts on the section as I drive to or from school (I have a 45-minute commute each way). Then when I get home, either my wife or I types up what I spoke into the recorder, and that becomes the rough draft of the book.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The main influences on my writing are CS Lewis, JRR Tolkien, and the Bible, though I also love reading (and therefore am undoubtedly influenced by) Tom Clancy, John Grisham, and GK Chesterton.

What are you working on now?
I am currently promoting my most recent book, and I am deciding on what to write next: my options are 1) a book about my high school soccer program and our *almost* perfect season (we went 24-1, only losing the state championship game), or 2) a book about various redemption stories in history, focusing on near-misses and unlikely recoveries and restorations.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I am still learning about promoting my book, so much of what I do is via social media. However I have learned a lot about book promotion the Kindelpreneur website as well as information from Self-Publishing School and Best-Seller Publishing.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write! Write, write, write, and enjoy the process. If you can fall in love with the process, then it’s not really work.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Be respectful to others, even if they are not respectful to you.

What are you reading now?
I am currently reading a Harry Potter book (year 4–Goblet of Fire) as well as a book on communication by Dr. Steve Brown called ‘How to Speak So People Will Listen.’

What’s next for you as a writer?
Deciding which writing project to pursue next!

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 Lord of the Rings, Wooden (by John Wooden), and a Sherlock Holmes book.

Author Websites and Profiles
Joel Hawbaker Website

Joel Hawbaker’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a 19 year old author from India. I have currently written and published one book on Amazon, with more to come. I want give as much value and knowledge to the reader in as little time, so that the reader can apply it without too much investment of time.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The name of my book is Clutter: Living Life And Leaving The Rest. Me and my family recently moved to a new house and we were smothered by the hordes of clutter that we discovered from under our beds, inside our closets and even inside our pillows. This inspired me to make a concise guide on decluttering, which I have now published.

What are you working on now?
I am working on a book on anxiety and panic attacks called, Anxiety: How To Get Rid Of Anxiety And Panic Attacks For Good

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a lawyer by profession and a writer by passion. I have worked in the legal industry in India and Oman for 8 years. In 2016, I started my blog – Dreamers, Passion-Seekers, Go-Getters (https://passion-goals.blogspot.com/)
I have written one book.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
An Abstract Love is my first ebook. This book is about Zoya and Rihaan, who fall in love even though they’re from different walks of lives. This story will take you through an emotional journey of love, loss, insecurities, life choices, human connections that we often tend to ignore and the regrets that we learn to live with as a result of our hidden fears.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
No

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Mitch Albom
John Grisham
Paulo Coelho
Sudha Murthy
Erich Segal

What are you working on now?
I am working on the promotion of my first ebook.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I am still exploring options but Facebook works really well.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Be yourself when you write. Write with your heart.
Believe in yourself.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Have faith and God will do the rest.

What are you reading now?
The day I stopped drinking milk by Sudha Murthy

What’s next for you as a writer?
To grow every day and write in a way that inspires people.

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?
Tuesday’s with Morrie by Mitch Albom
Bhagvad Gita
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

Author Websites and Profiles
Janki Hemani Website

Janki Hemani’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Neeraj Kumar has been working with Microsoft Products since 2005, and he still loves to.

“Striving to provide the best technical content.” – Neeraj Kumar

Neeraj Kumar always enjoys creating technical content, providing a complete understanding of modern technology, its working and advances. He specializes in writing and designing technical e-books using photographs, diagrams, sketches, or charts to illustrate technical content, which makes complex technical information to be easily understood. His e-books are a great help for individuals, companies, manufactures, and students.

Neeraj Kumar is quite interested in learning new technologies. He always conducts a thorough research, which has become his real power to test, write, and provide the best technical content. His passion and aggression for latest technologies make him learn more and deeper when it comes to any kind of technology from the computer world to Smart Products, Internet, BOT-Building, Microsoft Products etc.

Find Neeraj Kumar where technology grows well, people are well-trained on Microsoft products or any other technical stuff, Bot-building has become easier, Chat Bots are more responsive, Business is flourishing because it is keeping pace with latest technologies, trends, and new tech ideas.

Books are:-
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Microsoft Dynamics 365 (CRM) Customization and Configuration – Part 1:-

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Creating a Plug-In for Microsoft Dynamics 365 (CRM):-

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Microsoft Dynamics 365 (CRM) Solutions:-

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Microsoft BOT Framework with Microsoft Dynamics CRM: Smart Bots for Microsoft Dynamics 365 (CRM):-

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Microsoft Dynamics (365) CRM Dashboard Customization and configuration (Microsoft Dynamics 365 (CRM)):-

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Configuring Dynamics 365 to send & receive emails from Gmail: Automatic Case Creation from Incoming Emails:-

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The security model of Microsoft Dynamics CRM (365):-

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Microsoft Dynamics CRM Internet-Facing Deployment: Internet-Facing Deployment (IFD):-

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Microsoft Dynamics 365 (CRM) Customization and Configuration – Part 2:-

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Microsoft Dynamics 365 (CRM) Customization and Configuration – Part 3:-

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Keyboard Shortcuts in Microsoft Dynamics 365 (CRM):-

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Microsoft Office 365-Part 2:-

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Microsoft Office 365-Part 1:-

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Microsoft Dynamics 365 (CRM) – Site Map Customization:-

Author Websites and Profiles
Neeraj Kumar Website
Neeraj Kumar Amazon Profile

Neeraj Kumar’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I teach drama and theatre at a public arts high school in Connecticut. As a national award winning playwright I have written dozens of plays and the books for three musicals. My first novel, Fleeing Steady Habits, was published by Black Rose Writing in 2016. My second and third novels, Eris Adrift and Eris At Rest are available at Amazon. The third book in the Eris Series, Eris At Home, will be available soon. I continue to teach and write in Connecticut.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The latest book I have completed is Eris At Home, the third book in the Eris Series. It was inspired by a Post-It note.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
No. I work on my writing every day that I can, sometimes there is no time. I wrote my first short story when I was twelve and have been now for fifty-two years.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Mark Twain is a big influence. I love Faulkner and Kafka. Stephen King inspires all writers; he is a master storyteller. In Science Fiction, Ray Bradbury, Robert Heinlein and Joanna Russ are all heroes.

What are you working on now?
I finished my last book two days ago. I’m taking a breather.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I am still discovering this.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Keep writing. Don’t give up. Financial success is not a measure of talent.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Many years ago in a creative writing class the professor told me I should continue to write because I would find my voice that way. He was right.

What are you reading now?
The Peterson Paradox by Phillip P. Peterson.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Probably a novel I started twenty-five years ago, about the last remaining Native American who refuses to surrender his DNA.

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 Collected Works of Edgar Alan Poe, The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury, and The Stand by Stephen King.

Author Websites and Profiles
Bruce Post Website
Bruce Post Amazon Profile

Bruce Post’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am 26 years-old and have always loved to write. I have written one book so far, Escorting Mr. Colburn, and am currently working on a spooky mystery. It should be out just in time for fall and Halloween I also love to write poetry. I’ve actually written poetry longer than I have novels. It wasn’t until the last few years that I decided to start writing novels. One thing that held me back was myself. I didn’t think I could actually do it and was afraid of what people would think. Now, I write because it makes me happy. The people I connect with and the events I get to experience because of it are a great plus!

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I’ve had the story Escorting Mr. Colburn in my mind for a few years, I just never had the courage to actually write and publish it. What pushed me to finish it and publish it was actually an ironic experience. I read a book I was very displeased with. This book was boring, to me, and I had to force myself to read it. So I thought to myself, if they can publish a book that I didn’t like, maybe I can publish I would like. And then, maybe other people would like it too, and they do! I never expected this much support from family, friends, and people I’ve never met before. It’s such an amazing feeling.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write in the mornings. That’s when my creativity is at its best. Surprisingly, I can write well even with my kids running around, getting into everything, and making a lot of noise. So, I’ve found that it’s hard to concentrate in absolute silence. That’s probably because it’s never silent in my home.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I absolutely love Jodi Picoult and the way she can tell a story. I love the way Nicholas Sparks makes me feel. I love the imagery of W.M. Paul Young. Danielle Steele and James Patterson are other favorites. Some older influences I enjoy are Southern Gothic as told by William Faulkner, Emily Dickinson’s poems, the dark elements of Edgar Allen Poe, and Flannery O’Connor.

What are you working on now?
Nora From the Hollow. I’m going to release it around October. It will fill the mystery, spooky craving I get around this time of year with Halloween just around the corner. Nora’s husband has just been murdered and everyone in Hollow Springs is pointing their fingers at her. With the help of the Sheriff’s deputy, she will untangle the web of lies that will lead to the perpetrator.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Facebook. I love to write about my books on Facebook because that’s where I feel closest with my audience. And, I truly believe they feel close to me! I love getting feedback directly through them and definitely encourage them to leave honest reviews. I believe constructive criticism is the best way to always work on yourself and become better with each attempt!

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Go for it! If I knew back then, what I know now, I wouldn’t have waited so long to publish. I could have had multiple books out by now! But, I also believe that everything comes to you in the right time. Go with your gut and do what you love. Because if you love it, you’ll never work a day in your life<3

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
A quote I read in a magazine by Martina McBride. She was asked to give advice to her 20 something self. She replied, “Oh! There’s so much! A few off the top of my head. It’s okay to say no, and you don’t always have to explain why. If you meet 3 assholes before noon, there’s a good chance you’re the asshole. Your 20’s are for figuring out what you want to do as well as what you don’t. Don’t be afraid of having no money and feeling like you’re never going to make it. Lastly, you’re stronger than you think you are.” <3

What are you reading now?
Eve by W.M. Paul Young. The imagery is amazing. I could stay inside his books forever.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I am working on my second book and am setting up book signing opportunities. I am my own agent right now, which is quite time consuming, but I’m so humbled and excited. I like having control over what I do and what I don’t do. I also like knowing that it’s up to me to get myself where I want to go. I’m climbing the stairs to success and I don’t plan on stopping! Oh, and I’m signing up for a GoodReads account as we speak!

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Definitely something by Nicole Apelian. She has starred on two seasons of Alone and has survived very well! I definitely want to know what I can and cannot eat! Next, I would bring the Bible. I could learn a great deal from those who were stranded and alone. It would give me faith that the Lord would pull through for me too! And, I wouldn’t have to have a Wilson volleyball Lastly, I would bring an astronomy book. If I could identify the stars above, I could find out where I am and make my way back home <3

Author Websites and Profiles
Marlena Owens Website
Marlena Owens Amazon Profile

Marlena Owens’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a guy who is trying his pen and have written the second sequel to the guardian chronicles series tilted THE FOUR REASONS TO DIE and will be releasing it on Kindle stores by the first week of July. The third sequel is on the way and it is titled KIBROTH HATTAAVAH; the cravings of the grave. I wish y’all to support me cos am kinda new

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
THE FOUR REASONS TO DIE and I was inspired by my solitude.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Yeah. I kinda love to write in ciphers of jumbled words

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Dan Brown, Stephen King

What are you working on now?
Kibroth Hattaavah; the cravings of the grave

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I don’t really know

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Just keep writing like I do

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t leave your stories as manuscripts, but get it to the world

What are you reading now?
Am kinda not reading but just juggling with work and writing

What’s next for you as a writer?
Really don’t know but I think I want to write three more books this year if possible

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?
Frank E Perretti books

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a full time teacher hoping to retire and become a full time author. I’ve always wanted to write, but never was able to finish a story. Then a few years ago, I was inspired to write a pro-life women’s fiction. I since have updated it to a romance as I found they sell better. My goal with all my books is to write clean romances you wouldn’t be ashamed to read in front of your kids. Currently, I have 7 full length novels, 6 novellas, and three children’s chapter books out.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The newest book is called The Scarlet Wedding. It was inspired because I had two characters in my novella Lawfully Justified that didn’t have a wedding. The readers all told me they wanted a wedding, so I gave it to them, but of course it couldn’t just be a wedding, so I had to throw some conflicts in.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not really. As a full time teacher and mom to three children, my writing time usually only happens after nine pm at night when my kids are asleep.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Frank Peretti and Ted Dekker were two big ones.

What are you working on now?
I am working on my first clean billionaire book. It was originally a novella in the kindle worlds, but since it shut down and they are giving us the rights back, I decided to add more to it and turn it into a novel.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Faithful reads is amazing for Christian fiction. I always get good results with them.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Study the market. I started by writing what I wanted and while I gained some die-hard fans, I didn’t really break through until I began writing what the market wants.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t publish the first thing you write. Look over it several times with days or weeks in between to make sure it’s what you really want.

What are you reading now?
I’m in the middle of Lawfully Protected by Elle E Kay. She writes in the lawkeeper series I am part of.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m working on a Christian speculative fiction. It’s been a project for over a year, and I’m worried because all my readers love romance and this won’t really be one.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
The Bible, This Present Darkness by Frank Peretti, House by Dekker and Peretti, Left Behind by Lehaye and Jenkins

Author Websites and Profiles
Lorana Hoopes Website
Lorana Hoopes Amazon Profile

Lorana Hoopes’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I usually describe myself as a man of many parts because I’m an award-winning journalist, author and blogger. Actually, I was once a weekly contributor to The News Journal of Delaware. And that was in my capacity as a member of the paper’s Community Advisory Board. Also, as a social commentator, I have contributed to journals, anthologies and newspapers across the world. I am in Bear, Delaware (United States).

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My book, which I just finished editing and publishing is titled, The Temptation of Fate. It’s a tale of some naïve teenagers and ignorant young adults who tempt fate with their rebellious attitudes. These youngsters are never prepared to take responsibilities for their actions because they think the world owes them something. And they are inadvertently encouraged by parents who do not know the difference between parental love and negligence.
There is JESSICA WEATHERS, a 17 year-old that cannot wait to be free from an assumed parental control. But when fate finally presents her with “independence”, she is too overwhelmed to handle it.
LAKEERA WATSON, in her own case, is a 16 year-old teenager who thinks all that glitters is gold. Due to her ignorance and naivety, she gets easily lured into sex by her mother’s boyfriend. But the mother, in spite of her reckless indiscretion, has “been there, done that” and will not want a case of history repeating itself.
ERIC TURNER is a 23 year-old young adult who rises up through “thick and thin” in a notorious Chicago south-side neighborhood to become a health care professional. He however commits some moral and legal blunders that threaten to derail everything, for which he has worked.
MARY MILLER is Turner’s mother. She is a strong woman that struggles against all odds and stereotypes to ensure the emancipation of her kids from a ghetto existence. But when her son suddenly appears to be on a downward spiral, she springs into action not only to save him from going to jail but also to avoid his relapse into a life of doldrums.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I derive my writing inspirations from all aspects of life and based on what goes on in my immediate environments. And since these inspirations can come at any time of each day, I usually go about with pieces of paper for me to jot down stuff and this include when I go to bed.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I’m inspired by Toni Morrison, John Grisham, Wole Soyinka, Robert Ludlum and other great story writers.

What are you working on now?
A collection of stories.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
The social media, Blogs and words of mouth through family members, friends and colleagues.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
They need to balance perseverance with their enthusiasm lest one hurts the other.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
That I should never rush to give up.

What are you reading now?
The Man Died by Wole Soyinka, a Nobel Laureate in Literature.

What’s next for you as a writer?
To keep working on my current manuscript.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
My book, The Temptation of Fate.
A Time to Kill by John Grisham.
The Man Died by Wole Soyinka.

Author Websites and Profiles
Femi Olawole Website
Femi Olawole Amazon Profile

Femi Olawole’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve got dozens of manuscripts in the wings, but so far I’ve published 1 fiction novel, as well as 2 poetry journals.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
A Place to Call Home is the first in a series called The Ellises. Historical fiction has always appealed to me, and the storyline was something that came to mind over 25 years ago when I was an impressionable teenager who loved the idea of writing about family, love, and loss in a historical setting. I also wanted to challenge myself by choosing a geographical area I was a little bit familiar with to give me something to research and turn into a plausible tale, while paying tribute to my East Coast roots. The plot went on to change 3 times since then, until it became its published version. Book 2 and subsequent books will eventually complete the vision I had for the characters overall.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I tend to get my best ideas when I take a walk, or just before falling asleep/first waking. Maybe not so unusual, but that’s my process!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
LM Montgomery, Laura Ingalls Wilder, the Bronte sisters, Edgar Allan Poe, Mark Twain, Louis May Alcott, Tracey Bateman, Tracie Peterson, Colleen Coble, Melody Carlson, and all the authors at Love Inspired have shaped my style and content over the years. Books that left a huge impression on me are An American Tragedy, Wuthering Heights, the Anne of Green Gables series, Nancy Drew mysteries, Jacob Have I Loved, and Say Goodnight Gracie.

What are you working on now?
Worth Hoping For is Book 2 in The Ellises Series, and my goal is to have it wrapped up for release before August.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Facebook, because word of mouth remains the biggest way to reach people! A close second is Amazon.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write as often as you can, even when you think you don’t have anything to say! It keeps your creativity flowing. But when you still get stuck, do the things you love. It will help pave the way for new ideas, guaranteed. Don’t take for granted that you have ideas – see them through to completed manuscript, or you may never get it published.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Do what you love, and it will never feel like work.

What are you reading now?
Pelican Point by Irene Hannon.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I want to branch out to other genres of writing. Not only do I want to keep writing Historical Christian Fiction, but also Young Adult, Self-Help, and Contemporary Women’s Fiction and Christian Fiction.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
The Bible, Girls Choice, A Christmas Carol, and Rilla of Ingleside.

Author Websites and Profiles
Natasha L. Polak Website
Natasha L. Polak Amazon Profile

Natasha L. Polak’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve got dozens of manuscripts in the wings, but so far I’ve published 1 fiction novel, as well as 2 poetry journals.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
A Place to Call Home is the first in a series called The Ellises. Historical fiction has always appealed to me, and the storyline was something that came to mind over 25 years ago when I was an impressionable teenager who loved the idea of writing about family, love, and loss in a historical setting. I also wanted to challenge myself by choosing a geographical area I was a little bit familiar with to give me something to research and turn into a plausible tale, while paying tribute to my East Coast roots. The plot went on to change 3 times since then, until it became its published version. Book 2 and subsequent books will eventually complete the vision I had for the characters overall.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I tend to get my best ideas when I take a walk, or just before falling asleep/first waking. Maybe not so unusual, but that’s my process!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
LM Montgomery, Laura Ingalls Wilder, the Bronte sisters, Edgar Allan Poe, Mark Twain, Louis May Alcott, Tracey Bateman, Tracie Peterson, Colleen Coble, Melody Carlson, and all the authors at Love Inspired have shaped my style and content over the years. Books that left a huge impression on me are An American Tragedy, Wuthering Heights, the Anne of Green Gables series, Nancy Drew mysteries, Jacob Have I Loved, and Say Goodnight Gracie.

What are you working on now?
Worth Hoping For is Book 2 in The Ellises Series, and my goal is to have it wrapped up for release before August.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Facebook, because word of mouth remains the biggest way to reach people! A close second is Amazon.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write as often as you can, even when you think you don’t have anything to say! It keeps your creativity flowing. But when you still get stuck, do the things you love. It will help pave the way for new ideas, guaranteed. Don’t take for granted that you have ideas – see them through to completed manuscript, or you may never get it published.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Do what you love, and it will never feel like work.

What are you reading now?
Pelican Point by Irene Hannon.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I want to branch out to other genres of writing. Not only do I want to keep writing Historical Christian Fiction, but also Young Adult, Self-Help, and Contemporary Women’s Fiction and Christian Fiction.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
The Bible, Girls Choice, A Christmas Carol, and Rilla of Ingleside.

Author Websites and Profiles
Natasha L. Polak Website
Natasha L. Polak Amazon Profile

Natasha L. Polak’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve got dozens of manuscripts in the wings, but so far I’ve published 1 fiction novel, as well as 2 poetry journals.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
A Place to Call Home is the first in a series called The Ellises. Historical fiction has always appealed to me, and the storyline was something that came to mind over 25 years ago when I was an impressionable teenager who loved the idea of writing about family, love, and loss in a historical setting. I also wanted to challenge myself by choosing a geographical area I was a little bit familiar with to give me something to research and turn into a plausible tale, while paying tribute to my East Coast roots. The plot went on to change 3 times since then, until it became its published version. Book 2 and subsequent books will eventually complete the vision I had for the characters overall.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I tend to get my best ideas when I take a walk, or just before falling asleep/first waking. Maybe not so unusual, but that’s my process!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
LM Montgomery, Laura Ingalls Wilder, the Bronte sisters, Edgar Allan Poe, Mark Twain, Louis May Alcott, Tracey Bateman, Tracie Peterson, Colleen Coble, Melody Carlson, and all the authors at Love Inspired have shaped my style and content over the years. Books that left a huge impression on me are An American Tragedy, Wuthering Heights, the Anne of Green Gables series, Nancy Drew mysteries, Jacob Have I Loved, and Say Goodnight Gracie.

What are you working on now?
Worth Hoping For is Book 2 in The Ellises Series, and my goal is to have it wrapped up for release before August.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Facebook, because word of mouth remains the biggest way to reach people! A close second is Amazon.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write as often as you can, even when you think you don’t have anything to say! It keeps your creativity flowing. But when you still get stuck, do the things you love. It will help pave the way for new ideas, guaranteed. Don’t take for granted that you have ideas – see them through to completed manuscript, or you may never get it published.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Do what you love, and it will never feel like work.

What are you reading now?
Pelican Point by Irene Hannon.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I want to branch out to other genres of writing. Not only do I want to keep writing Historical Christian Fiction, but also Young Adult, Self-Help, and Contemporary Women’s Fiction and Christian Fiction.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
The Bible, Girls Choice, A Christmas Carol, and Rilla of Ingleside.

Author Websites and Profiles
Natasha L. Polak Website
Natasha L. Polak Amazon Profile

Natasha L. Polak’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I live in the Rustbelt with my 3 crazy sons and 1 crazy husband. I started writing romance for fun after I devoured the Outlander series and started taking my fiction more seriously about a year ago. Right now I have 2 novellas, and 2 out of the 3 Stag Brothers books complete.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The most current book is Filled Potential, Stag Brothers Book Two. I love reading brothers series and I knew I wanted the Stags to have a business executive, a star athlete, and an artist. To get ready for Ty and Juniper’s book, I watched a lot of hockey, listened in on conversations a lot of hockey fans were having at bars, and also hung out a bit by the docks to learn more about rowers. I’ve been an athlete for a long time, so I knew Ty’s lady love would be an athlete, too.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I plan most of my work in my head while I’m doing other things–walking, washing dishes, trying to fall asleep at night. When I finally sit down to write, I usually have a good idea of the main plot points.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I love the Outlander series, as I said, but my books are nothing like those. I don’t think. Lucy Score and Claire Kingsley are wonderful and Amy Daws has been a really helpful source of information and encouragement. I’ve read and loved everything by all 3 of those rockstars!

What are you working on now?
I’m deep into planning out Thatcher and Emma’s story, Stag Brothers Book Three. Still no title for it…but it’ll be a fake fiance story!

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m still pretty new to this, so I’m hoping Awesome Gang is a great resource!

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Talk to other authors. Ask them to share their best tips! Usually, they will.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
In life? Hmm…I think “Always be closing.” In my day job, I’m a freelance writer, and I am always looking to close the next contract, land the next project. As a self-published romance writer, I’m always looking to close the next book, reach the next audience group. I think that’s good advice!

What are you reading now?
The Study Abroad series by Jessica Peterson

What’s next for you as a writer?
After the Stag Brothers…I’m not sure yet! Maybe a spin-off series about Alice’s brothers from Sweet Distraction.

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 always, always, always reread Count of Monte Cristo when I’m at the beach. Then I’d probably go with a guide to edible plants, Outlander, and Cocky Roommate by Claire Kingsley. Couldn’t I just bring a loaded Kindle with a solar charger???

Author Websites and Profiles
Lainey Davis Website
Lainey Davis Amazon Profile

Lainey Davis’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I get asked a lot why I wrote my teen fantasy under a pen name. Because I wanted to be a character in my own story. Dew Pellucid, is my Echo nickname. She is the headmistress at the Orphanage of Castaway children. She’s about 100 years old and read over a million books. In the story, she spies on all that happens at the orphanage using eyes that are hidden in flying crystal balls. I’m not quite as nosy.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
“The Crystilleries of Echoland” is a teen fantasy, but the idea behind it is very serous. I know that freedom of the individual is necessary to life. But people usually think of freedom in a political context only. I wanted to take a step back and look at freedom in the realm of ideas. So I asked myself: What if there was a world that believed it was inferior to another? If this world is an echo of another world, what could happen.

That’s how Echoland began, a world where the people are called Echoes. And we are their Sounds. They are our see-through reflections. And since they are born only after we are born, they think that they must die when we do.

The Echoes have lost their freedom. They never know when their life might end. So they worship Fortune in the shape of the moon (a giant crystal ball in the sky). And they hope that their Sounds will be lucky and live long lives, so they can live long lives too.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I wake up in the middle of the night and have all sorts of story ideas that I have to write down immediately. Otherwise, I am very ordered about writing. I start in the morning and stop in the afternoon, when ordinary life claims me again.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Ayn Rand taught me how to think rationally. Victor Hugo opened my soul to the greatness of man and life. The Bronte sisters swept me to wild landscapes. Other authors have influenced me while I read their book, and then the influence was swept away by the next one.

What are you working on now?
Now that my teen fantasy is finished, I am free to be an adult. I am working on a lyrical love story, which I will publish under my pen name: E. L. Neve. My previous love story won 14 book awards, and I’m very proud of that.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I am not very good at promoting my books, but I did learn that reaching out to readers can be very rewarding, especially via Goodreads.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t be a writer unless you love it passionately. Don’t believe the silly people who say that you can write a book in a weekend. Do read books for years before you publish one of yours. And, finally, be prepared to fall flat on your face for the love of writing.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts”.–Winston Churchill.

What are you reading now?
Irving Stone’s “The Agony & the Ecstasy”

What’s next for you as a writer?
Removing myself from the world so I can write another book that will be greater than the previous.

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?
Atlas Shrugged, by Ayn Rand
Les Miserable, by Victor Hugo

Author Websites and Profiles
Dew Pellucid Website
Dew Pellucid Amazon Profile

Dew Pellucid’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a former high school teacher and now full-time writer and speaker. I taught in Christian schools for 22 years and just have a love for God and His Word. I have written three books so far, with the third one coming out in August 2018.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is a Bible study entitled Let’s Run! Running the Race with Faith and Perseverance. It’s a study of the heroes of faith in Hebrews and how their faith is an example and encouragement to us as we run our race in life. I was inspired by my students to write this study, and they were the first to go through it.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Coffee, early mornings, and lots of study and outlining beforehand!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I have been so encouraged and influenced by the Bible studies of Beth Moore, Priscilla Shirer, and Kelly Minter. I know first-hand how an in-depth study of God’s Word can change your life!

What are you working on now?
I have another Bible study releasing in August called Inside Out and Upside Down. It takes a look at the difference between religion and relationship and the difference between our culture and the Kingdom of God.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I have my greatest following on Facebook, so ads there work well. I also use AMS ads on Amazon and my email list.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Yes! The greatest decision I made in writing was to join Self-publishing School. They taught me step-by-step how to publish on Amazon, and my first book, Seek Him First, became a best-seller in eleven days.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Pray. Obey. Repeat.

What are you reading now?
I’m currently reading a Christian fiction series by Christy Barritt called the Squeaky Clean Mysteries. I write non-fiction, but I read fiction at night to relax.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I am currently working on a one-year devotional on the poetry books in the Bible. My plan is to have it ready to release in October.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
My Bible, The Narnia Chronicles, The Lord of the Rings series, and Beth Moore’s Bible study David.

Author Websites and Profiles
Jennifer Yates Website
Jennifer Yates Amazon Profile

Jennifer Yates’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 one of those rarities who has made a good living for many years as a writer, with over $1M in book sales and well over $1M of freelance writing for others. I have written 14 books under my own byline – nine through traditional royalty publishers and five self-published – and ghosted several others. Until my recent retirement, I was also a successful public speaker and a practicing psychotherapist.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book, The Million Dollar Writer, opens up my playbook on how to crack the high end of the writing market – stable, high-paying commercial writing assignments and book contracts with major publishers. It sprang from wanting to teach people that there is a real process to financial success in writing, that any good writer can learn and follow.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I am a serious night owl and do my best work very late at night. I joke that like 7-11, our household is always open! But my other main habit is writing to spec. When I sit down to write, I have specific wordcounts and section objectives in mind, often down to the paragraph level. I joke that I write with a calculator, rather than simply following my muse.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The classic self-help genre that started in the 1970s has always inspired me – many of these books have truly changed my life – and my favorite kind of writing involves high-content skills and advice for handling tough life issues. My best selling books have been about how to handle your worst situations with customers and co-workers, and I’ve also written a successful self-help book on dealing with fears and phobias.

What are you working on now?
My next project was serendipity – I recently had an article go viral on a simple technique therapists use to help people be happier, and I am now exploring turning this into a book-length project entitled “A Therapist’s Guide to Happiness.” After all, we psychotherapists are in the business of making people happy, so who better to learn from than us?

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I generally employ Kindle countdown deals in conjunction with sites promoting discount books for readers, including yours! I also am a big fan of Amazon ads and get a good return on investment from them, and use a done-for-you service from BookAds.co.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Yes I do: STUDY THE GENRES YOU WANT TO WRITE IN. Deconstruct books that already sell in your market, in terms of things like their titles, chapter structure, opening hooks, writing style, etc. I am not saying to copy other books – rather, I want you to know what bestselling books smell like in your field, and then make market-informed decisions about the style and content of your own projects.

Most budding writers never do this – instead, they focus on what they want to write, start on page 1, finish on page 247, and then hope it sells. Follow the market instead of just your muse, and you will be way ahead of the pack.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Write a strong query FIRST, and use that to pitch your book projects to agents and editors. (After you finish your submission, of course.) I learned that from Jeff Herman in his guide to agents and editors, and it’s the best tip ever for getting published.

What are you reading now?
As I transition from a royalty-published author to a self-published entrepreneur, I am reading a lot of books about the craft of self-publishing as a business, and learning a lot.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Although I am now retired and in my 60s, I still plan to create books and courseware on self-help topics for as long as I am vertical – it’s still fun!

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
The titles are always changing, but at least one psychotherapy book (I love reading about the human condition and how to improve it), one travelogue, and one book just for fun, like a comic novel.

Author Websites and Profiles
Richard Gallagher Website
Richard Gallagher Amazon Profile

Richard Gallagher’s Social Media Links
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have just published my first novel, but I have been writing since grade school when I discovered how much fun it was to create and tell new stories. Along with my one novel, I have written 10 stage plays, two of which have been produced on stage.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
PUMMELED was just published in June of this year. It is hard to pinpoint where the inspiration came from. I have always been motivated to write in the horror/thriller/murder mystery genres, but this tale is none of those. It is action-drama, and it began when I read a story about a topic that has always bothered me – domestic abuse. I also had just become a fan of MMA star Ronda Rousey. So the next thing I know, I came up with the idea of putting a female into a situation where she has experienced some personal domestic issues but has learned how to literally fight back. The more I began outlining the story, the more the story began to write itself. Eventually I had written more than 100,000 words and told the story of this strong female who had gone through hell growing up but overcame all obstacles and never gave up on the fight.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
For 25 years, I have wanted to write a novel. But something always got in the way. Usually it was me rushing the idea and not fully thinking it out. I would start on an idea, but soon I would either get bored, or I would hit a wall. When I started writing PUMMELED, I first drew out character sketches but also formed an outline of where I wanted the book to go. I would write down quotes that I wanted in the book, even if I had no idea where it would go. Many things changed over the duration of the writing process, but having that outline gave me somewhere to go with the story, and I have now formed an outline for the next novel. And sure enough, I am plugging away with an end goal in mind.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Stephen King is my all time favorite author and the inspiration to write in the horror genre. My favorite book of his is IT. Growing up, I was also a huge fan of C.S. Lewis and the Chronicles of Narnia.

What are you working on now?
I am about to the midway point of my second novel, a horror story that I am hoping turns out as well as my first novel.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I have a Facebook author page, but having it available on Amazon is a great way to promote.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write. Don’t overthink it. Just write. All the other technical stuff can wait until you are done with your manuscript. If you have a story, get it out there before you worry about anything else.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t edit as you go along. Get the first draft out there and then go back to edit.

What are you reading now?
Duma Key by Stephen King
The Butcher Bride by Vince Churchill

What’s next for you as a writer?
I will keep promoting my first novel as much as I can, but I will also continue to plug away on my second one.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Stephen King’s IT
The Natural – Bernard Malamud
Pummeled – Eric Woods

Author Websites and Profiles
Eric Woods Website

Eric Woods’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am someone who finally completed a novel after many years. I named my book “The Twilight Tsunami” before the popular book “Twilight” was ever heard of. And I named my main character “Grey” before “Shades of Grey” ever came out. I was shocked by the ensuing similarities, but I learned an important lesson: You cannot sit on your creativity and mull over your need for perfection or your need to overcome self-douts. Creativity moves like a river, always flowing, going by other places and other people. Everyone is entitled to draw from it.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
So, I told you about THE TWILIGHT TSUNAMI. But did I tell you how I came up with the title? I was looking over the ocean as the sun started to lower one evening. It was such an intimate moment for me, and I had a vision of my book. Besides, I have always loved the word “twilight.” It has a mystical, serene quality to it. Anyway, when the book TWILIGHT came out, I was shocked. Everything became twilight everywhere. And good for Stephenie Meyer for writing a blockbuster. She had no way of knowing that I felt like I had been hit over the head. But she taught me a lot about procrastination when TWILIGHT soared on the best selling lists. You have to keep moving forward with your creativity instead of sitting on it.

Now you know what inspired my title, but I didn’t tell you what inspired my book. I have worked with foster children, foster parents, and agencies referred by Child Protective Services. I have friends who worked in the Child Welfare system and I saw the enormous stress the system exerts on everyone in it. I felt it was my responsibility to write about it. But I wanted to do so in a fictional form like Charles Dickens did when he wrote about families that got put in prison after they couldn’t pay their debts. Of course, when anyone writes fiction, they need to sprinkle their writing with adventure, romance, fun, and a happy ending. I’ll admit, parts of my book are disturbing, but life is disturbing, especially when children are removed from their parents.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Oh my gosh, writing is like doing drugs without the side effects. I go to other worlds. I get to be the voice for those who cannot speak for themselves, I get to correct things that are wrong in the world, and I get to live out fantasies that begin and end in my mind. I finally get to be a hero. The only problem is, like any addiction, it is hard to come back to reality. I forget to cook dinner for my family, I let the grass grow over my head on the front lawn, and I run out of milk without caring. I might need a twelve-step program soon.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
My hero is Charles Dickens. But there are so many great writers that have inspired me. I think when anyone reads a good book, they integrate some of the writing. That is the power of good writers. I have been deeply influenced by Somerset Maugham, William Faulkner, Virginia Wolf, Scott Fitzgerald, Earnest Hemmingway, Anne Sexton, and Leo Tolstoy. I cannot forget Dostoevsky, who had a bone-chilling, terrifying effect on me as a teenager. As a result of my trauma, I see his influence in my writing. I think part of his power as a writer was reaching into the subconscious of his readers and triggering primal fears about existence. He was the Stephen King of Russia. He disturbed generations with his indomitable genius.

What are you working on now?
I have completed a book of short stories. I was going to name it THE BULLS IN HOUSTON.
However, I changed the title to ESCAPING A BLUE BLOOD MOON. The book is full of stories about hitchhiking, jumping freight trains, working in Spain, hunting down sex-traffickers, and fleeing dangers all over the world.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Reaching out to supportive places like this site helps. For me, trying to promote my book is like walking around in a maze with a blindfold on. I’m still bumping into things.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Yes, join with other writers for support. Writing can be lonely, and often, writers are not understood by mainstream society, although that is changing. Go to conferences, visit writers’ blogs, join Facebook groups and trade skills with other writers.

I have two writers’ Facebook groups: Global Writers for World Peace and The Writers Exchange Board. You are welcome to join them. Promote your book on the global peace site and ask for what you need on the exchange board. My biggest advice to you is: don’t be afraid to ask. I just saw a great saying somewhere: “The life you dream of is lying just beyond your fears.”

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t take it personally.

What are you reading now?
I have been reviewing books lately. I like to help writers when I can. I just finished DARKER DEMONS by Beth McCue and MY SUPERNATURAL ENCOUNTER WITH THE ORANGE BEING by Hayley Bi. They are both fun books. I think the greatest respect you can give writers is to read their books.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Do we ever really know what is next? Hopefully, more books. I just started a book about a young person who gets trapped by his search for a life full of money in New York. Often, such a search can lead to wrong turns, wrong deeds, and the consequences of corruption, especially in New York, where the pressure to be somebody is so strong. Finally, when this young person realizes after years of glitz and gambling that he really wants a life of simplicity, to wake up to a life of true passion, fate steps in to steer his course according to the actions of his life at that point.

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?
Heck with that. I would take a laptop and keep downloading kindle unlimited books. If no internet were available on that island, I would write my own damn book on palm fronds.

Author Websites and Profiles
Shelby Londyn-Heath Website
Shelby Londyn-Heath Amazon Profile

Shelby Londyn-Heath’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Tammy Campbell Brooks is a native of San Antonio, Texas. She is married with two children. The Ghetto Blues is her debut novel.
She loves to write non-fiction novels and inspires to be a New York Time bestseller. Her sophomore book, “Daddy Issues” is expected to debut in 2019 Tammy continues to enjoy her free time, reading, writing, and studying American history.
Her second book, “Daddy Issues” is set to be released in 2019.

What are you working on now?
A book called, Daddy Issues will be released in 2019

Author Websites and Profiles
Tammy Brooks Amazon Profile

Tammy Brooks’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a Philadelphia writer, living now in the Research Triangle, in North Carolina, four miles from Duke on the East and UNC-CH on the west. Yes, I referee street fights during basketball season. I have two grown children, a son who is a wood craftsman, and a daughter who does training at a tech giant here in the Triangle. My wife’s a two-time Emmy Award-winning editor-producer. (I wrote one of the winning shows and, of course, like any writer, I got a brief thank you note. Or did I?) Anyway, I write full time and binge on TV news, great spy books and movies (Three Days of the Condor; the Alec Guinness “George Smiley” series; A Most Wanted Man, Philip Seymour Hoffman; etc.) Books are written by le Carre (who else?), Philip Kerr, David Ignatius, you get the idea. The movies and books percolate with my writing. I actually start my day with a classic espionage thriller to tune my ear. I recommend the practice. I began writing professionally as a journalist, later turned to television (National Geographic Explorer, Animal Planet, History Channel), and most recently write the Jackson Guild Books, spy books that tread the line forced by a tear in our national fabric pitting a sodden PTSD victim of the first gulf war against a death spiral of national and international forces driving America down. My character Jackson Guild has no magical superhuman powers like Jack Reacher or Jason Bourne; although he is a scamp. He survives with the help of others, most of whom are out for themselves, but his friends are loyal, clever, and very wealthy. He’s lost many a battle but never a war. In fact, it’s become his job as an accidental spy to stop what threatens to become a new level of “practical” nuclear warfare brought about by the invention of a fourth generation weapon, and he’s stolen the plans. Please have a look at my most recent item for Jane Friedman. https://www.janefriedman.com/character-writers-and-portrait-photography/

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book, the third in the Jackson Guild series, takes place in the high mesas of New Mexico, at the super secret weapons labs at the Los Alamos National Laboratory. The story follows from a treacherous and nearly fatal effort to unmask the plotters behind a nuclear attack that decapitated the federal government. With suspicions flying, Guild discovers Russian interests are at the core of the plot. He’s gone to Los Alamos to find out why their CSI-like nuclear investigations unit has whitewashed the truth about Russia. He quickly learns why. Identifying Moscow would force the military to destroy the Russian capital in revenge, sowing the dragon’s teeth of nuclear war. Only the whitewash has held the military back. Putin’s henchman can’t be allowed to walk off with America’s crown, and Guild may have found a way to take revenge without the inevitable flights of nuclear-tipped ICBMs over the north pole.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Writing and selling have changed everything about writing. But we’re really talking about indie writing. And I like the independence. While I’m still at my desk all day, I find myself hip-hopping between spreadsheet and word processor. Keeping priorities in order is the great difficulty — writing, building an email list, promoting, advertising, testing, blogging and maintaining a website without losing track of social media is dizzying. And then there are all the terrific podcasts to follow. It’s a good thing I take long walks and long days.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Most of all le Carre, not for his matter so much as the way he solves writing problems. Philip Kerr has been an inspiration. And while I’ll never achieve the skills of these authors, it’s nice to know what to reach for.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on the fourth book in my series which will come out in the fall entitled Decline to Die. I also write occasional pieces for Jane Friedman. Here’s one I did on fantasy. https://www.janefriedman.com/a-brief-history-of-the-fantasy-genre/

I talk more about my new book but I’m the superstitious type who fears that talk steals power from writing.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
You’re part of my first, best shot, and that’s promotion. It’s the only investment in writing for which I’ve seen instant identifiable/quantifiable returns. I’m studying Facebook advertising with Andrew Dawkins and Amazon advertising with Dave Chesson at Kindlepreneur.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Beware snake oil. Start small. Think big.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
My editor at Doubleday was the best editor I’ve ever had, and the reason is that he always told me what I was doing well, which was different from years of work with other editors. By telling me what was wrong, I had to figure out what was right. But Bill Thomas told me what he liked, not only encouraging me but pointing the direction to pursue.

What are you reading now?
Philip Kerr’s Prussian Blue. Body of Lies by David Ignatius. The New Yorker.

What’s next for you as a writer?
More essays. I’m pursuing the idea that “character” is the prime stuff of fiction and that by examining how other creative disciplines evoke character, I hope to offer writers more tools to add to their work. You can see the beginnings of that project here. https://www.janefriedman.com/writers-can-learn-voice-opera/

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?
Shakespeare is said to have had only 14 books in his library. So, three should get me a third of the way there. I’d take the Library of America edition of Raymond Chandler, The Profiteers by Sally Denton, and le Carre’s Tinker, Tailor, Soldier…

Author Websites and Profiles
Jeff Shear Website
Jeff Shear Amazon Profile

Jeff Shear’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a Philadelphia writer, living now in the Research Triangle, in North Carolina, four miles from Duke on the East and UNC-CH on the west. Yes, I referee street fights during basketball season. I have two grown children, a son who is a wood craftsman, and a daughter who does training at a tech giant here in the Triangle. My wife’s a two-time Emmy Award-winning editor-producer. (I wrote one of the winning shows and, of course, like any writer, I got a brief thank you note. Or did I?) Anyway, I write full time and binge on TV news, great spy books and movies (Three Days of the Condor; the Alec Guinness “George Smiley” series; A Most Wanted Man, Philip Seymour Hoffman; etc.) Books are written by le Carre (who else?), Philip Kerr, David Ignatius, you get the idea. The movies and books percolate with my writing. I actually start my day with a classic espionage thriller to tune my ear. I recommend the practice. I began writing professionally as a journalist, later turned to television (National Geographic Explorer, Animal Planet, History Channel), and most recently write the Jackson Guild Books, spy books that tread the line forced by a tear in our national fabric pitting a sodden PTSD victim of the first gulf war against a death spiral of national and international forces driving America down. My character Jackson Guild has no magical superhuman powers like Jack Reacher or Jason Bourne; although he is a scamp. He survives with the help of others, most of whom are out for themselves, but his friends are loyal, clever, and very wealthy. He’s lost many a battle but never a war. In fact, it’s become his job as an accidental spy to stop what threatens to become a new level of “practical” nuclear warfare brought about by the invention of a fourth generation weapon, and he’s stolen the plans. Please have a look at my most recent item for Jane Friedman. https://www.janefriedman.com/character-writers-and-portrait-photography/

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book, the third in the Jackson Guild series, takes place in the high mesas of New Mexico, at the super secret weapons labs at the Los Alamos National Laboratory. The story follows from a treacherous and nearly fatal effort to unmask the plotters behind a nuclear attack that decapitated the federal government. With suspicions flying, Guild discovers Russian interests are at the core of the plot. He’s gone to Los Alamos to find out why their CSI-like nuclear investigations unit has whitewashed the truth about Russia. He quickly learns why. Identifying Moscow would force the military to destroy the Russian capital in revenge, sowing the dragon’s teeth of nuclear war. Only the whitewash has held the military back. Putin’s henchman can’t be allowed to walk off with America’s crown, and Guild may have found a way to take revenge without the inevitable flights of nuclear-tipped ICBMs over the north pole.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Writing and selling have changed everything about writing. But we’re really talking about indie writing. And I like the independence. While I’m still at my desk all day, I find myself hip-hopping between spreadsheet and word processor. Keeping priorities in order is the great difficulty — writing, building an email list, promoting, advertising, testing, blogging and maintaining a website without losing track of social media is dizzying. And then there are all the terrific podcasts to follow. It’s a good thing I take long walks and long days.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Most of all le Carre, not for his matter so much as the way he solves writing problems. Philip Kerr has been an inspiration. And while I’ll never achieve the skills of these authors, it’s nice to know what to reach for.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on the fourth book in my series which will come out in the fall entitled Decline to Die. I also write occasional pieces for Jane Friedman. Here’s one I did on fantasy. https://www.janefriedman.com/a-brief-history-of-the-fantasy-genre/

I talk more about my new book but I’m the superstitious type who fears that talk steals power from writing.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
You’re part of my first, best shot, and that’s promotion. It’s the only investment in writing for which I’ve seen instant identifiable/quantifiable returns. I’m studying Facebook advertising with Andrew Dawkins and Amazon advertising with Dave Chesson at Kindlepreneur.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Beware snake oil. Start small. Think big.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
My editor at Doubleday was the best editor I’ve ever had, and the reason is that he always told me what I was doing well, which was different from years of work with other editors. By telling me what was wrong, I had to figure out what was right. But Bill Thomas told me what he liked, not only encouraging me but pointing the direction to pursue.

What are you reading now?
Philip Kerr’s Prussian Blue. Body of Lies by David Ignatius. The New Yorker.

What’s next for you as a writer?
More essays. I’m pursuing the idea that “character” is the prime stuff of fiction and that by examining how other creative disciplines evoke character, I hope to offer writers more tools to add to their work. You can see the beginnings of that project here. https://www.janefriedman.com/writers-can-learn-voice-opera/

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?
Shakespeare is said to have had only 14 books in his library. So, three should get me a third of the way there. I’d take the Library of America edition of Raymond Chandler, The Profiteers by Sally Denton, and le Carre’s Tinker, Tailor, Soldier…

Author Websites and Profiles
Jeff Shear Website
Jeff Shear Amazon Profile

Jeff Shear’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hi Everyone!
My name is Ann Lister and I’m an MM author best known for The Rock Gods Series and the Guarding The Gods Series. My niche is Rock Star romance, heavy on the erotic side. The Rock Gods series currently has 8 books and Book 9 is releasing sometime in the Summer of 2018. The Guarding The Gods series has 4 books in print, with Book 5 releasing in late Fall of 2018. I also have another rock star themed series called Band Of Brothers which has two book in print and a third story is planned for the future. In addition to the series I have, I have 4 MF titles in print as well.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My newest release, Model Student is a short story and it’s Book One in a new series I’m working on called the Illicit Heat Series. This will be a collection of short, erotic, stand-alone stories. I will have Book Two ready for release sometime in August. These will all be fast-paced stories under 10,000 words, and there will be six or more titles to the series.
The inspiration for this whole series came about because many years ago I got my start in the book business by writing short, erotic stories and selling them to various magazines. I love writing these quick stories! They’re so much fun and it’s bringing me back to my roots, too!
The stories I have planned for this series, (so far) are as follows:
Book One: Model Student
Book Two: Climbing The Longhorn
Book Three: The Billionaire’s Toy
Book Four: Bending For Him

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I wouldn’t say unusual. Then again, what do you consider unusual? LOL.
My work day begins with a few hours of social media/promotion, and email correspondence. The afternoon I typically dedicate to writing, with the occasional author event at night, and I usually do this 7 days a week. Once in a while I will take a day off, but when I do, I am very eager to get back to my WIP’s.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Years ago, I developed my love for reading romance but quickly discovered the stories available weren’t erotic enough for my liking. I read Sandra Brown, Jackie Collins and loved how they too the intimacy a little further in their stories, but I wanted even more. Back then I was reading mainly MF stories. I found Shayla Black, and Jaci Burton and loved their writing style but I still couldn’t find the right combination of erotic elements blended with the story line and that’s what drove me to write my own stories. When I started writing, it was MF novels. It was during this time I finally discovered my first MM romance which was Damon Suede’s book, Hot Head. I was instantly in love with the genre and I devoured so many MM books by countless authors after that. The sexy dynamic between two men was the perfect blend for me with storytelling and I was hooked from that point on. Right around that time, I had a story line hit me like like a bolt of lightning. It was so beautifully visual to me inside my head, I had the first draft of the story written in a matter of a couple of weeks. This story, Fall For Me not only displayed my love for the MM genre but it launched my first series, The Rock Gods which soon gave me Bestselling Author status. So many MM books have followed that first story, and I’m still in love with the genre!

What are you working on now?
I am currently working on Book 9 in The Rock Gods series. It’s titled Reinventing Us and it is another story involving my menage triad, Alex, Chase, and Danni. Big events happen in this particular story, with all the guys from Black Ice and Ivory Tower involved, and I am very excited to share this with the readers sometime in late Summer 2018!

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
My PA uses Facebook, Twitter, and so many social media sites, some I’ve never even heard of. Thankfully, she’s very knowledgeable about it because with her doing that, it allows me more time to write.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write something every day, even if it is just one sentence and try to take away something positive even from the bad reviews – which will come. Your writing will evolve over time as you establish your “voice”, so be open to the suggestions other authors and readers offer to you. Be humble and engage with your readers.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Develop a thick skin, never give up, and know that this is a journey and a job – a job you can love with a passion, but a job nonetheless.

What are you reading now?
I am currently reading a few books. Trick Play, Book Two by Eden Finley. I loved Book One i this series which is why I am very excited to be starting Book Two. I am also reading Queer by Seth King and a couple of others, too.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I have several short stories planned for the Illicit Heat collection, Book 9 in The Rock Gods will soon be ready, Book 5 in Guarding The Gods, and I hope to get Book 3 in Band of Brothers started soon, too.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
That’s a difficult question. I’d have to see what was releasing at the time I was going to be stranded. LOL

Author Websites and Profiles
Ann Lister Website
Ann Lister Amazon Profile

Ann Lister’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve written six full-length books, two collections of poetry, two short story collections and a collection of flash fiction with a foreword by New Zealand author Chad Taylor (‘Departure Lounge’, ‘Shirker’ and ‘Electric’). I was born in North Wales (Britain) and now live in New Zealand after spending around twelve years living and working in Hamburg, Germany.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
‘Songshifting’ is a trilogy of speculative novels set in a city that may be in the future, an imagined past or an alternative present. It plays against a background of music, something that has accompanied my life. For decades now I’ve collected band names and decided it was time I did something with them.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
For the first time, while working on the second two ‘Songshifting’ novels I prepared a couple of handwritten notes of the chapters I planned to write the following day. I found this both warmed me up and removed the imaginary barrier of the blank page. I was able to flesh-out these ideas on my laptop in the daylight – a kind of jumpstart to the imagination.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Russell Hoban will always be number one. All of my favourite novels are his; in particular, ‘Pilgermann’, ‘Fremder’ (which influenced ‘Songshifting’) and the first of his I read, ‘Riddley Walker’. I’ve read and re-read his books more than those by any other writer. I also love J.P. Donleavy, Richard Brautigan, Iain Banks, Ian Rankin, Kurt Vonnegut, Martin Amis and the little-known cult author Russell H. Greenan.

What are you working on now?
This!

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

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write and don’t listen to the resistance.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“Explore your material.” Russell Hoban

What are you reading now?
Granta’s ‘Loves Ones’ issue (2006); ‘The Dylan Thomas Omnibus’; Nicolas Slonimsky’s ‘Thesaurus of Scales and Melodic Patterns’.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Who knows. I’m a writer not a soothsayer.

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?
Today I would take (because I’m not there yet) ‘Pilgermann’ by Russell Hoban, ‘Cultural Amnesia’ by Clive James, ‘Jubilee Hitchhiker’, William Hjortsberg’s beautiful biography of the writer Richard Brautigan (because it’s very long and would keep me occupied for a while) and ‘The Russell Hoban Omnibus’ (for the same reason).

Author Websites and Profiles
Chris Bell Website
Chris Bell Amazon Profile

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Goodreads Profile
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Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I live in Northern Virginia with my football-crazed husband, two beautiful daughters, and two psychotic Shih Tzus. I teach courses in international relations, peacekeeping, and human security for the American Military University. I also work as a reading tutor at my daughters’ elementary school. What can I say? I still love school.

I’m addicted to coffee, dark chocolate, reading, and writing; although not necessarily in that order. Reading will always be my first love. Writing appears to be edging out coffee for second place, unless it’s morning. In the morning, it’s coffee.

I haven’t a clue what’s going on around me when I’m writing. The house could be burning down, and I wouldn’t even notice. I’m counting on my husband to save the children and the dogs.

More than anything, I want my readers to FEEL something. I love it when you growl at my protagonist, when you hold your breath in anticipation, when your heart stumbles against your chest, and when you laugh until you cry. That’s what I strive for. I want to make you laugh so hard in the middle of the night that your husband thinks you’ve finally gone mad.

To date, I’ve written five romantic suspense novels in The Broken series, a children’s book entitled Brave Just Like Me, and a young adult fantasy novel entitled Saving Tir na nOg, which is the first book in The Chosen Ones series. You will find my children’s book and YA fantasy novel under my full name, Kimberly S. Ruff.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is Saving Tir na nOg, a young adult fantasy novel steeped in Celtic Mythology. My youngest daughter inspired the book. She has been begging for a book about fairies for years now. I had very little interest in writing about fairies. Of course I was picturing Tinkerbell inside my head. But then, I realized I could introduce her to real faeries… to the very grown up, beautiful, and sometimes terrifying faeries, better known as the Tuatha Dé Danann, the Celtic deities born in Irish Mythology. Now, that was a topic I could get excited about. I’ve always been intrigued by the Sidhe. There is Irish blood coursing through my veins after all. And so… this novel was born.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Writing requires coffee, chocolate, my dogs’ steadfast companionship, and complete silence. I don’t want to listen to music, I definitely don’t want to hear the television, I don’t want to hear my kids arguing over who ate the last peach, and I don’t want to hear the lawn service blowing leaves around the neighborhood at insanely high decibels. I want to immerse myself in the story. Completely.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
For romance, I’d say it’s an eclectic mix of Kristin Hannah, Nicholas Sparks, and Nora Roberts. For fantasy, it’s Deborah Harkness and J.K. Rowling.

What are you working on now?
Currently, I’m focused on Saving Tir na nOg. Once that book has been released, I’ll be turning my attention back to The Broken series. I plan to write a spin-off book for one of my favorite characters in that series, Shae. I hope to have that book completed by December.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
AMS ads through Amazon for day to day promotion. I stack book promotions for special book sales. Clearly, I think Awesome Gang is pretty awesome.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Writing is re-writing. Edit may be a four letter word, but multiple editing runs will help transform a decent book into a fantastic read.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Wait to release that first book. Make sure you have three books under your belt before you release the first.

What are you reading now?
I just started Natalie Wrye’s Bodyguard (Kisses and Crimes Book 1) last night.

What’s next for you as a writer?
A spin off novel for The Broken series. This will be Shae’s story. You won’t meet Shae until the end of book two (in Beautifully Broken). She is one of my favorite characters in this 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?
Deborah Harkness’s All Souls Trilogy and my Bible.

Author Websites and Profiles
K.S. Ruff Website
K.S. Ruff Amazon Profile

K.S. Ruff’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a former photographer and journalist from Egypt. I worked almost 20 years covering Asia and the Middle East. I speak four languages fluently and have lived in many countries around the world. I have numerous publications in the printed media, regularly get commissioned for pieces in literary review magazines and have published three novels, five non-fiction works, all of which were commissioned by the Royal Danish Art Foundation.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Palace of Angels is based on a true story and is the last (or first) of three novels from Palestine/Israel. The

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
As I think in Arabic and write in both Arabic, English and Danish, I often write as said in one language – in the second language. It creates very humorous conversations with my editors.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Tawfiq Al-Hakim, Naquib Mahfouz and many of the great writers in the world but in particular the Middle East and Egypt.

What are you working on now?
I am working on the fifth volume of non-fiction books in the ‘Zaki’ series. However I am also taking a breather for a month, washing my clothes, cooking dinner and yelling at my children, for I have been in bootcamp for one-and-a-half years with the latest novel

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I spend more time writing, I should promote more, so here I am.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I find the best way to write is with your heart

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
To not fear death for thus it becomes impossible to live

What are you reading now?
Shookofeh Azar, The Enlightenment of the Greengage Tree

What’s next for you as a writer?
To keep writing and to share my work and ideas with the world. Ideas of creating a new reality for ourselves and our children.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Books that have a lot of pages so I have enough paper to start a fire

Author Websites and Profiles
Mohammed Massoud Morsi Website
Mohammed Massoud Morsi Amazon Profile

Mohammed Massoud Morsi’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Greetings! Pleasure to make your acquaintance.

Thus far I’ve penned 4 novels, and several short stories in anthologies for a total of 16 and my favorite bio reads: “Nicole DragonBeck was born in California one snowy summer long ago, the illegitimate offspring of an elf and a troll. At a young age her powers exploded and she was banished to the wilderness of South Africa because her spells kept going inexplicably awry. There she was raised by a tribe of pygmy Dragons and had tremendous adventures, including defeating a terrible Fire-Demon that had been tormenting a sect of Dwarf priests. In gratitude they taught her the arcane magic of writing and the rest is horribly misinterpreted history. She reads as much as she writes, is obsessed with dragons and Italians, enjoys cooking, listening to music and can often be heard fiddling on a keyboard or guitar.”

Every word of that is true.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is “The Other World”, the fourth of a ten-part fantasy series called The Guardians of the Path. The series was inspired when I was visiting a friend at their apartment home, and heard music through the walls. And so the story of Ria meeting a mysterious guitarist and being taken to a land where music is magyc was born!

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I am very reward driven, so occasionally I will set myself targets and only when I make them, I go get my coffee or chocolate. I find this is a great cure for Writer’s Block. I also tend to write while watching movies.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
It’s important to acknowledge one’s roots: Brooks, Tolkien, Gaiman, Salvatore, King, Jaques, Paolini, Rothfuss, Rowling, Lewis, Pullmen, Goodkind, Prachet, Butcher, Lawhead, Martin, and everyone else who took me to other worlds with their words and inspired me to let mine grow – a heartfelt thank you from this writer.

What are you working on now?
I am working on book 5 of the Guardians of the Path, titled “Wasteland” (said like Ireland or Switzerland, not “waste-land”). I’m very excited about where the story is heading, and the fact that some of the minor characters are getting their chance in the spotlight as the story goes forward.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Connecting with other writers on Social Media has brought a lot of opportunities to my attention, but I’m still working out the promotion side of writing a novel!

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write. A lot. The tendency is to look for short-cuts and the easy way, but these seldom lead anywhere fantastic. Put in the work, write every day, get better, write some more, and then write some more.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I’m a big fan of Neil Gaiman’s commencement speak (I highly recommend you watch it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikAb-NYkseI)

This one from Mr. Gaiman is great too: “If you’re only going to write when you’re inspired, you may be a fairly decent poet, but you will never be a novelist — because you’re going to have to make your word count today, and those words aren’t going to wait for you, whether you’re inspired or not. So you have to write when you’re not “inspired.” … And the weird thing is that six months later, or a year later, you’re going to look back and you’re not going to remember which scenes you wrote when you were inspired and which scenes you wrote because they had to be written.”

What are you reading now?
I am rereading The Lord of the Rings – I’ve just started The Two Towers. I love to read new stories that catch my eye, but sometimes I just need a good dose of the familiar and beloved.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Fame, glory and riches. Or coffee.

On a more serious note, I am getting my toes wet in the marketing world. I have the first four books published in an epic fantasy that I like to think combines classic fantasy that I love with something new and fresh, which maybe you haven’t quite seen before. I believe readers of fantasy will enjoy it, and if I can satisfy one person’s thirst for a good story and a portal to another world, and they tell a friend, then I’ll consider that a job well done and reward myself with that cup of coffee.

I would love to go out on a book tour and connect with readers face to face and in the flesh. That would be amazing!

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?
Having a large pragmatic streak, I’d say “How to Survive on a Desert Island for Dummies”.

Or: 1) The Half-Blood Chronicles 2) The Silmarillion 3) Probably A Song of Fire and Ice (I need to reread that at some point) and 4) “On Writing” by Stephen King

Author Websites and Profiles
Nicole DragonBeck Website
Nicole DragonBeck Amazon Profile

Nicole DragonBeck’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I started writing when I was 13, and 18 years later I’m still in love with it. Creating new worlds, meeting new characters, it’s literally the best.
As of right now, I have four books published, and I’m working on a new series right now!

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
War of the Chosen was my latest publication, and it is the third book in my vampire series. The inspiration for the entire series was a dream I had where I was a vampire and I’d broken a rule so I was being punished for it. War of the Chosen specifically was inspired by my love for the Countess of Bathory.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I really don’t like noise or other distractions when I’m working, but if it’s noisy in my workspace (kids, what can I say) I have to blast my ears with music. When I was working on my last book, I listened to the new Wonder Woman theme on repeat. Sometimes a particular song can inspire me to work, but if it’s not the right song I can’t listen to it while I’m writing. I really don’t understand it lol

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Growing up, my favorite book was (and still is!) Ella Enchanted, so Gail Carson Levine is one of my favorite authors. As an adult I discovered Gena Showalter, Rachel Caine, Richelle Mead, and E.D. Baker, and I believe those women are what helped shape my work.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on a new series about a school for writers. It’s a different genre than I’ve ever written before, I don’t even read this genre, but I’m so excited how it’s turning out!

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
AMS Amazon Ads are currently working really well for me! I made a profile on Bookbub and had a free weekend without buying one of their packages, and actually had a woman approach me at a signing event I was doing and she told me she’d read my book after she found it on Bookbub!

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Being a writer is hard. You absolutely have to love writing more than anything, and never ever give up on yourself. Believe in your work, love the words you write and the worlds you create, and don’t let anyone take that from you.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I read somewhere that writers should write the stories they needed to hear when they were growing up. That quote really stuck with me.

What are you reading now?
I am actually reading a book one of my author friends wrote, book two in the “The Gay Teen’s Guide to Defeating a Siren” series. It’s really well written, and engaging!

What’s next for you as a writer?
I have some events in October this year where I’ll be selling copies of my books, and hopefully premiering my next book!

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
I’d definitely bring my set of my three vampire books (it’s an omnibus, it counts as one!). Ella Enchanted. Percy Jackson’s guide to the Greek Gods. And…. The Ugly Princess by Nancy Luenn.

Author Websites and Profiles
Elizabeth Dunlap Website
Elizabeth Dunlap Amazon Profile

Elizabeth Dunlap’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
American Duty is my first book written, I got another coming which is called Anetta and is a horror play about a mother with Alzheimer which follows the rules of the Horror-B-Unit. I really much like horror.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
American Duty. I was inspired by these short scenes that come to your mind while thinking about America.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t think so. I use to sketch then I write down.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Mostly Samuel Beckett and Harold Pinter but I am also inspired by short horror fictions and Paul Celan.

What are you working on now?
I am working on my novel Shadows which is about the kidnapping of a little girl and on Anetta which is about Anetta going crazy over Alzheimer.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I didn’t do much so I guess your site for now.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Keep trying, I also do.

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

What are you reading now?
I am reading rupi kaurs poems and the clarkeswood magazine and a biography on Ivan the terrible.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I try to focus on my two 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?
Paul Celans Poems. Snow falling on Cedars by Guterson. Kafka Der Prozeß and Fire and Fury probably, I want to read that.

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m Logan Crannell, born in Utah, and predominantly a videographer. I went through an extremely difficult period in my life, in places where cameras weren’t allowed, and felt the written word was the only way to relate the experience.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
‘Hands Down: A Story of Incarceration’ is the book. I was facing a long prison term for crimes I didn’t commit, and had to ask myself how the hell my life got to this point. In lockdown I kept a journal for therapy, and so others could learn what really happened. I vowed to publish it, and I did.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m a bit of a shut-in. I talk out loud to myself, pop my jaw, don’t eat much and listen to loud music. My dog pulls me back to reality though, and we go on adventures.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I read a lot of philosophy, middle eastern thought, and transpersonal psychology. With a little Salman Rushdie to shake things up.

What are you working on now?
Promoting, which apparently never ends.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
For the last year and a half of trial and error, and exploring avenues, I feel the most confident using book promotion sites like this to get people to my own website and boost my email subscriptions.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write for yourself. If you decide to publish it, read each page individually and ask yourself ‘What am I bringing awareness to?’

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Keep ’em laughing’

What are you reading now?
‘The Art of Arranging Flowers’, by Shozo Sato

What’s next for you as a writer?
Well, I hope it’s not a sequel. That would mean I violated my probation.

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 thickest ones, to use for tinder.

Author Websites and Profiles
Logan Crannell Website
Logan Crannell Amazon Profile