Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
It all started way back in 77 when my dad took me to see the original Star Wars. I may have only been 4 at the time but I will always be part of a group who KNOWS Han was the only one to shoot. After that came Ralph Bakshi’s animated Lord of the Rings and I was hooked. I started writing goofy comic books, won an award in 10th grade for a very bad (I mean like I try to find it every time I visit home so I can burn it bad) horror novel. After joining the Army I found little time to write, but managed to crank a few out before the War on Terror began. Most people don’t know this but war is very boring when you’re not getting shot at, so I wrote Armies of the Silver Mage in Afghanistan and then The Dragon Hunters when I was in Baghdad 2 years later. I retired from the Army in 11 and have since written over 20 military fantasy and sci fi novels. I have an award around here from the L Ron Hubbard Writers of the Future contest (4th place for one quarter, but still!), and my Hammers in the Wind has been the overall #1 free Kindle book 4 times since publishing it back in 2013. Throw in a ton of short stories, a children’s book, my combat memoirs from the beginning of the war, and a how to book, and that sums me up. Which ones have you read?

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is called Coward’s Truth: A Novel of the Heart Eternal. I got the idea from my time in Afghanistan with the tribes and the Syrian civil war where many countries are involved. Throw in a marooned platoon of space marines to a world with gunpowder tech, a city ruled by a god-king who lives for 10,000 years, and an ancient evil from the dawn of time and there you go.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Define unusual?

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I started with the classics: Dune, LoTR, Asimov. Since growing up I have been heavily influenced by Steven Erickson’s Malazan Book of the Fallen, David Weber’s Safehold series, and LE Modesitt Jr’s Recluse Saga.

What are you working on now?
I am finishing up the 2nd half of Repercussions, a follow up to my earlier Lazarus Men. Think Maltese Falcon meets Total Recall with a little James Bondesque action in space.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I devour Writer’s Digest and have been a part of the IBPA and NCWN for a few years now.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Listen to the experts and understand that if you are writing a book to be published you are a business, not a hobby. Treat it like such. You are the CEO making business decisions that affect your profitability and name brand.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Who Dare Wins? Not only is this the motto of the New Zealand Special Forces, but they are great words to live by. Never be afraid to take a chance.

What are you reading now?
A few books. I am trying to slog through God’s Demon but man is it tough. Little dialogue and dense prose. Then there is my guilty pleasure of the Black Library’s Horus Heresy series. A little mindless space marine combat to get the heart pumping. I don’t know why, but they always get my attention.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Where do I begin? I am finishing Repercussions, doing my thesis for Chapel Hill- a follow up to my So, You Want to Write a Book? called So, You Wrote a Book, Now What? Then I begin book 5 of my Forgotten Gods series- think Star Wars, Dune, and the Malazan world all colliding.

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 like asking if I would take my kids or dogs. I mean obviously I’m taking the dogs, but I can’t narrow down books to that few. How about if I take about 5000 sheets of paper and a few pens instead?

Author Websites and Profiles
Christian Warren Freed Website
Christian Warren Freed Amazon Profile

Christian Warren Freed’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hi, I’m Christian Brancati and this is my first fantasy book “Il Domatore di Demoni”, set in the city of Rome. I am Italian, it will be a pleasure for me to show you the beauties of my country.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Demon Tamer. Damian is the protagonist of my book, its name comes from the Greek verb Damao which means Domare, in English to Tame. Dante’s Hell inspired me for the theme of the Demons, Satan and the Hell Gate.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I like write with phone on bed.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Harry Potter – J. K. Rowling
A Song of Ice and Fire – George R. R. Martin
The Lord of Rings – J. R. R. Tolkien

What are you working on now?
The second book of the trilogy

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

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Use social networks to promote yourselves

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Use Microsoft Word to write.

What are you reading now?
The truth about the Harry Quebert affair

What’s next for you as a writer?
Only the Goddess of Time knows. Read my book to know it.

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

Author Websites and Profiles
Christian Brancati Website

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have five books in my cozy mystery series, Goose Pimple Junction Mysteries. I’m a mom to two grown sons. I like baking, photography, traveling, needlepointing, Netflixing, and reading.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Liars & Lunatics in Goose Pimple Junction is book 5 in the series. A liar who taught me (the hard way) a lot about lying and narcissism is what inspired this story.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
None that I can think of. I’m a pretty simple person.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I think every book an author reads influences them to some degree. My favorites are Robert B. Parker, David Rosenfelt, Michael Connelly, and Michael Lee West.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on a thriller set in Alabama. The killer disguises himself as an old, infirm man to lure his victims to his traps. The working title is Wax Man.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Gosh, that’s a hard question. I don’t know that there’s a best. I try to use as many as will have me to reach as many people as possible.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write a rough draft, and then leave it alone for a month or two. Your editing and rewriting will be so much better if you go back with fresh eyes. And yes, you do need a professional editor.

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

What are you reading now?
I’m reading Bark of Night by David Rosenfelt. I love his Andy Carpenter series.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Good question. Besides the thriller, I may work on some things I’ve started about real life. If I ever finish them, I’ll publish under a pen name.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
I’d probably take my WIPs so I could work on them. That would keep me busy for a while.

Author Websites and Profiles
Amy Metz Website
Amy Metz Amazon Profile

Amy Metz’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
A. Russell is a fantasy adventure writer, who lives in rural Pennsylvania, with her husband. An alumnus of Allegany College of Maryland, she enjoys spending time at the lake, cooking and amateur photography, as well as playoff hockey and NFL football. She has published three books in A Guardian Chronicle series.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
A Guardian Chronicle: Journal Three is my newest book, which is a completion of the initial trilogy. Enthralled by fantasy, the series was meant to be an easy, fun read and developed a life of it’s own. One novel quickly became three.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m sure I do.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
C.S. Lewis, Paulo Coelho, Neil Bauman & Quinn Loftis. The Screwtape Letters is my favorite read & I revisit it often. I haven’t read the same book twice.

What are you working on now?
Journals Four & Five in AGC series, as well as a few standalone novels.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
For websites, I’m active on Instagram, have a blog and bookbub profile. My work is available on Amazon. I utilize these sites resources.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Take a break, before reviewing your work. Be willing to tweak & evolve the words.

Most importantly – Keep Going. (And, keep calm!) You’ve got this!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Writing isn’t a competition, because no one is you. Other people don’t have your unique voice, experiences, view & outlook.

What are you reading now?
Beautiful Exiles by Mag Waite Clayton, The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis and Franny & Zooey by J.D. Salinger

What’s next for you as a writer?
Continue writing AGC series, while discovering where this adventure 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?
Bible. The Screwtape Letters (I’ve never read the same book twice). A book about plants indigenous to the island. And one from my tbr list that keeps getting passed over, The Master & Margarita.

Author Websites and Profiles
A. Russell Website
A. Russell Amazon Profile

A. Russell’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Ikenna Ngene is a storyteller who revels in using various fables and real-life stories to teach and inspire. Considering that there are stories all around us, for inspiration, all he has to do is open his eyes in the morning (or even close the eyes and dream).
He is the author of The Storyteller’s Student and currently working on a number of new books.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest (first) book is The Storyteller’s Student.
This was inspired by reading other business fables – specifically The one minute manager. Having enjoyed being taught in a story inspired him to use stories to help others become better storytellers.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
My best writing habit is snuggling up on the bed with my laptop.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Patrick Lencioni and Kenneth Blanchard. Fell in love with their use of stories to inform and teach.

What are you working on now?
Another business fable on company strategy and change

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
That’s a good one – I am constantly changing and trying to find an effective method of reaching out to readers. Ultimately though, I make use of social media.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Keep on writing – those stories must be told.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Steve Jobs says this of storytellers – “The most powerful person in the world is the storyteller. The storyteller sets the vision, values, and agenda of an entire generation that is to come.”

What are you reading now?
Presence by Amy Cuddy

What’s next for you as a writer?
The Visionary

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?
(Again) – Getting Naked by Patrick Lencioni
Presence by Amy Cuddy
Soar by TD Jakes
Influence by Robert B. Cialdini

Author Websites and Profiles
Ikenna Ngene Website
Ikenna Ngene Amazon Profile

Ikenna Ngene’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a new writer. I started writing in 2016 and finished the first book of my trilogy entitled, The Breedite Invasion, Book One Origins in 2018. I just completed the 2nd book of the aforementioned trilogy and it is called, End of Innocence, Book Two of The Breedite Invasion. It will release on October 2, 2019.

I’m a veteran of the US Army. I served for 12 years and part of my service was during the Gulf War. I completed a BA in communications at Wichita State University then left the Army to marry my beautiful wife of twenty years. I am a father of two sons, and two dogs (Boxer and Mini Doxie).

I love to go to the movies. I love to read science fiction, horror, and anything that teaches me about the universe. I have read more Marvel and DC comics than most people have read regular books.

I’ve lived in Germany, and completed Army assignments in Italy, Turkey, and France.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The name of my latest book is, End of Innocence, Book Two of The Breedite Invasion. The entire trilogy series was inspired by many things like my teenage years, time spent in the Army, my family, and what I remember of the glorious 1980’s.

I mixed all of these experiences up with one major underlying question. What would it take to make, black, white, red, brown, yellow, gay, straight, lesbian, Muslims, Jews, Christians, Democrats, Republicans, and everyone else in the world join together as human beings?

Invade this planet with Flesh Eating Aliens so horrific that no one would care if you’re a little different than they are. It would turn into a US against THEM thing.

I’ve always been fascinated at how humanity comes together after a major tragedy. For example, look at how people banded together after 09/11, or even the Las Vegas shootings. I’ve seen in my own family, two siblings that refused to talk to each other for years until there was a funeral. Death and tragedy are powerful game changers.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t use highlighters, notebooks, filing, or any real organization. I’ve heard that in the realm of writing there are architects (they plan everything) and there are gardeners (weed and landscape as they go). I am definitely a gardener.

I write in silence and closed away from my family most of the time. I edit with loud music, family in my face, and sometimes with a shot or two (or three) of bourbon.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Marvel and DC comics are the largest influences in my life. I always love how comics have the ability to allow the reader to see and hear entirely new worlds draped over human emotion. I love reading Brian Micheal Bendis, Octavia Butler, J Micheal Straczynski, Stephen King, Ray Bradbury, Issac Asimov, and J K Rowling.

What are you working on now?
Book Three of The Breedite Invasion has the tentative title of “Retribution”. I hope to have it finished, by summer of 2020.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m very new to this, but so far, I’ve had pretty good success by telling people I meet (I work for a very prestigious bank) at my job. I see people come in with books, or see them with Nooks or Kindle reading devices and I simply ask them, “What are you reading?” The conversation continues and before you know it, they are downloading my book or bringing the paperback in for me to sign. It’s absolutely amazing!

I also use FaceBook, Instagram, Twitter, and Goodreads. I sponsor book giveaways and I drop off copies of my books to a couple of local libraries.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write till you’re tired. When you’re tired sleep. When you’re hungry eat. As soon as you finish spending time with your family, friends, or job, you repeat the cycle until you finish your book.

Get on a routine. Write when you wake up for at least 30 minutes to an hour then go do something and come back to it. Before you go to bed, write until you feel a wave of exhaustion flow over you.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
There are 24 hours in a day. Don’t sleep for 8-12 hours. Dedicate time to exercise, eat healthy, feed your brain with reading, write what you know about, love your wife, husband, or partner. Save some love your kids and pets. Love yourself. If you dedicate a regimented time for these things. You will fall asleep faster and 4-6 hours of sleep will feel like 10 hours of sleep.

What are you reading now?
X-men: Battle of the Atom.

What’s next for you as a writer?
The trilogy I’m writing is a dark, alien invasion, sci-fi, superhero, death, destruction, apocalyptic story. The next thing I’ll write about will problem be a book of lovely poetry, or a children’s 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?
Stephen King’s-The Stand, Max Brooks’-The Zombie Survival Guide, Daniel Defoe’s-Robinson Crusoe, and Dave Canterbury’s-Advanced Bush Craft.

Author Websites and Profiles
Phillip Wright Website
Phillip Wright Amazon Profile

Phillip Wright’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hi,

you can call me Evelin or just Eve I’m the youngest of three girls, the unexpected, and a month early benjamin of the family. Yeah, I have been born exactly a month before the theoretical birthdate. I guess I just couldn’t wait to read all the awesome books.

Since I was little, I proved to be somehow a weirdo XD Like creating hoist (a tackle) without seeing it before (My mom said there was nothing like that on TV during that time, so she wondered where that came from.), underlining all As in an English-Czech vocabulary on ten or so pages (My oldest sister knows the best – she had to erase all the lines after all XD Not a single A was missed.), or setting laser-rope-labyrinth ala Fort Boyard in my room (After my mom walked into my Boyard-room for the first time, she always checked if there weren’t strings in the door.).

Did I mention I tied my oldest sister’s feet when she was sleeping, waiting for her waking up? Even as five or so years old I knew I couldn’t tie her too tight as she would notice too soon. And guess what, she woke up and sprawled across the floor like a frog. And me? I watched the result of my experiment with a poker face. Do I need to mention my oldest sister then checked if her legs were free?

And that’s not all. My other favorite story is from when I was an older baby (I could sit well). My older sister (yes, my other sibling) is the main “antagonist” here. Mom had those wooden mushrooms tools for sewing or knitting (I’m not sure now, but the older generations may remember them), and I loved to play with them. I just held them and waved my hands.

And my older sister wanted one and tried to take it from me. I was sitting in my bed with my limbs hanging out. And of course, I didn’t want to share my most favorite toys, so I smacked my sister with one mushroom across her forehead. She yelled, but after this, she never tried to take them from me ^_^;

After all the time, I share a good bond with both of my sisters (and no, they didn’t forget about any of this XD).

My present-self, hmm… I consider myself to be quite a positive gal, trying to think about the better things. I do my best to encourage others as well. I know well I suck in many things, but I try to get better even if bit by bit.

Apart from writing, I enjoy reading and sewing. When the weather is nice, I go outside and take a few photos here and there from my town. I do like traveling, but I get very nervous, as I sort of need to know that place a bit first before going on bigger explorations.

In a way, I have written many stories and some ended up as books… sort of. However, NinRai is the first official eBook, I have published, but I hope to see more of my creations reaching readers across the whole world.

Well, have a great time

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest and the first eBook is NinRai – MissAdventures For Two

This is a bit of funny story; I was writing in my mother language since middle school and had a bit of following. One day, a fellow member asked me if I could write a short fantasy story for their Writing Summer Camp. I can’t describe how happy I was.

I started brainwashing immediately. It took me two days to figure out the basic premise – two trouble-magnets and bounty hunters on a quest to fill their noisy stomachs. Both Kairo and Arubi are inspired by Anime and Manga from Japan. So you can expect some wacky behavior or reactions. Everything about them has a hidden meaning – from white hair and red eyes to Kairo’s kimono.

Kairo is mostly inspired by Kai Hiwatari from Beyblade visuals-wise, but his personality is your average 14-year-old kid who thinks long after he causes problems XD

Arubi is an average-looking, white rabbit with a bag full of wonders and ninja tools. He smokes a long pipe kiseru and is the level-headed one of the duo. Say a magic word, and he will turn into a war-machine. So yeah, a totally normal rabbit.

And a year ago, I decided to rewrite the story into an eBook format in English to present it to even wider audience. The story is twice as long as the original but retained many scenes. The biggest obstacle proved to be a specific joke that I couldn’t directly translate, so I rewrote the scene. But otherwise, the rewriting was smooth sailing.

I especially enjoyed putting all sort of Easter Eggs and puns inside.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t suppose writing down all sort of notes is weird? Like for a whole chapter… perhaps the book? Okay, just me…

Well, it’s not unusual for me to have at least two and more versions of certain scenes and to write them differently on the spot. So I guess no weird habits for me ^_^;

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I have read a lot of books as a kid, but before I could read on my own, I forced my oldest sister to read me Jules Verne’s Mysterious Island. I’m sure it was because of the beautiful illustrations inside of the book that told me to read it. But the story sucked me in and since then I loved adventure stories.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on a direct sequel to NinRai: MissAdventures For Two titled Face Stealer. There Kairo comes face to face with his greatest enemy he has faced till that day, and it may cost him his face… literally.

Puns may or may not be intentional…

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m new to this whole promotion business, so I try whatever method I find.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t be afraid to fail or publish an edited draft with mistakes. We all learn from our mistakes after all. Just because your book doesn’t have millions of reads, doesn’t mean it’s bad. And the opposite is true too. Be patience, keep writing and getting better, and I’m sure you will find your reader-base and style

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Keep going. Yeah, general but true.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I suppose finishing the next book and then the whole series. After that? Writing some more. Popularity? Perhaps. If my book can make somebody happy, that’s good enough.

Author Websites and Profiles
Evelin A. Hope Website
Evelin A. Hope Author Profile on Smashwords

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve worked for celebrity magazines for many, many years. I’m currently the Editor of The National Examiner in NYC, where I try to come up with stories that will help, inspire and entertain our audience of seniors. This is my first book.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My book is called “Rebel Without A Clue.” During a time I was laid off, I trained to become an EMT and went to work for a company that serves nursing homes. The people I met in the back of that ambulance were so brave in spite of all they were facing, which was sometimes so sad I had to step outside and cry, they would actually ask me about my problems and give me advice! I was so inspired by them and their stories! I couldn’t forget them later so I decided I would honor them — and my poor partner who put up with a lot of my bumbling — with a book about two women and their patients that would entertain others while getting the message of what it’s like to be old in today’s society. Those people humbled me in ways I never expected.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I started writing this book on this tiny dressing table that’s nailed to a wall in my bedroom with a folding chair. It’s really uncomfortable but when I try to do it someplace else, the words don’t come.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
For a long time now I’ve loved Janet Evanovich and her series of books with the funny and candid Stephanie Plum so to a certain extent I imagined my EMT Jenny Price and her cast of characters was somewhat like that with the same audience who like something light and fun, but of course I could never imitate the master, and I have my own writing style. Jenny and her partner Vivian are certainly bumblers though!

What are you working on now?
The second Rebel in which one of the senior citizens gets kidnapped!

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I always thought if you were meant to be a book author that it would come on you so easily and a book would be written before you know it! But now that I’ve been in contact with other authors I found that it’s not that way at all. E. L. Doctorow says, “Writing is like driving at night in the fog. You can only see as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way.” So my advice would be to just keep on driving a little every single day.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t ever give up no matter how many years it takes. I started writing books 30 years ago and this is the first one that’s been published!

What are you reading now?
“A Gentleman in Moscow” by Amor Towles

What’s next for you as a writer?
More Jenny and Vivian goofiness

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
War & Peace
Anna Karenina
The Fountainhead
The Bible

Jeanne Erickson’s Social Media Links
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I began devouring books in the third grade, when I read every book in the elementary school library on dinosaurs, followed by every book on cavemen, followed by every book featuring horses or dogs. By the time I retired to pursue my own writing career, I must have read over 300 mystery, thriller, and action-adventure books, including every book written by Robert B. Parker and Lee Child. I still read at least two books a month, even while I’m writing.
My Carlos McCrary series combines the Private Investigator and Mystery/Thriller genres—think Spenser meets Jack Reacher. I keep pace rapid, the action exciting, and the plot full of surprises. I write to hit hard, have a good time, and leave as few grammar errors as possible (or is it “grammatical errors”? Hmm.)
In my previous life, I worked as a shoe salesman, grocery store sacker, florist deliverer, auditor, management consultant, association executive, accountant, radio announcer, and a paid assassin for the Florida Board of Cosmetology. (I am lying about one of those jobs.) If you ask me about it, I will deny ever having worked as an auditor.
I have written eight novels and am working on a ninth.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Four Years Gone. I set this book up with a mention of Carlos McCrary’s missing cousin in McCrary’s Justice, my sixth book. Four Years Gone was inspired by my love for the Texas Hill Country and the almost daily new stories about sex trafficking and forced prostitution.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
8 a.m. to 5:55 p.m. with time off for lunch, a nap, and couple of breaks for iced coffee.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Robert B. Parker’s Spenser series and Lee Child’s Jack Reacher series. A close third is Robert Crais and his Elvis Cole, but I didn’t learn of Robert Crais until I had written six books.

What are you working on now?
Echoes of War. McCrary revisits his relationships with sever of his brothers in arms from The Triple Seven, his Special Forces unit in the army, when one of them is murdered in Port City, Florida, his home town.

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

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Every good book started out as a lousy first draft. Finish you first draft. Then work to improve it. I often do eight or nine drafts, each one focused on a specific area of the craft of writing.

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

What are you reading now?
Even the Wicked, by Lawrence Block.

What’s next for you as a writer?
finish Echoes of War.

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?
Fundamentals of Thought by L. Ron Hubbard. The Killing Field by Lee Child. Early Autumn by Robert B. Parker

Author Websites and Profiles
Dallas Gorham Website
Dallas Gorham Amazon Profile

Dallas Gorham’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Well my name is Scott Warren. In my day job I’m a world-traveling civilian instructor for the US military. In my spare time I write, and to date I’ve finished six novels and an assortment of short stories and novelettes.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is called The Dragon’s Banker, and it’s a mix of high fantasy and finance. I wanted to create a story about a hero in a fantasy world that could not and would not employ violence against his enemies. I also wanted to craft a narrative that focused on characters who are traditionally secondary or background characters in more mainstream fantasy work.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not so much unusual habits, but definitely unusual circumstances. I do a lot of writing in airports, on airplanes, in tents, sitting on top of luggage, and on long drives. Some times my cargo space is so limited that I wrote an entire book on an Amazon Kindle Fire once.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
My two biggest influences for fantasy are definitely Terry Pratchett and Steven Erikson. Their abilities to make huge, interconnected worlds that span disparate books with characters that might never meet but feel the effects of each other’s decisions really intrigues me.

What are you working on now?
Right now I’m switching gears a bit and doing some illustration while I debate my next project. I have a few ideas rattling around for book #7.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
The majority of my focus is through Amazon and Kindle ads. Honestly promotion has always been my weakest aspect of writing.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Read and write! Don’t make excuses or blame your environment when everything isn’t perfect. If I can knock out three pages in the back of a Blackhawk mid-flight then you can write on a train or a bus on the way to work, or during your lunch break.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
To finish the whole first draft before editing. The prospect of getting through a first-draft, especially for a new author, has a daunting psychological affect. And people tend to retreat from it, it feels easy and safe to retreat back to earlier chapters to rewrite and improve, but continually retreading ground is the death of the finished project.

What are you reading now?
I’m between books! I finished Holy Sister last week, and next I’m going to be tackling The Thief who Went to War.

What’s next for you as a writer?
The future is unclear! I just finished up a three-book deal with the publisher of my Science-Fiction novels so I’m bouncing between ideas until I lock something down and get back into writing mode.

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 books about how to survive when stranded on desert islands. Maybe a set of encyclopedias to build a physical shelter.

Author Websites and Profiles
Scott Warren Website
Scott Warren Amazon Profile

Scott Warren’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I grew up in a small town in Florida called Dade City, and from the moment I could talk I started telling stories. Once I knew what an author was, that was what I knew I’d be. Now, I’ve written more than 25 books in the young adult, romance, contemporary fiction, and nonfiction genres. My coming-of-age series, The Growing Roots, is fairly popular, as is my nonfiction title, The Southern Dictionary.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The name of my latest book is ‘Poor Florida Cracker.’ The book is inspired by elements of my own upbringing, along with stories I’ve heard from family members or friends. I worked on the title for years and never published it. This is VERY unlike me. I can knock out a novel in two weeks and have it ready to publish within three months. My stepmom wisely told me that the reason this book was so hard for me to put out into the world is because it contained more of “me” than my other books.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
It might be weird that I can’t write only one book at once. After suffering a *long* period of writer’s block, I started jumping from one title to the next when I’d get stuck. I found that my writer’s block goes away like that, so I can go back to the original title and start working on it again. Right now, I have two books in the editing stage (a romance and the fourth volume of The Growing Roots Series), three in the writing stage (another romance, a sci-fi thriller, and the fifth Growing Roots), *and* I have another romance already outlined, ready to write. If I slow down, I can’t write.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
So many. For me, it was a lot of young adult authors who really inspired me to write. My favorite books as a child were Dicey’s Song (by Cynthia Voight) and Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry (by Mildred D. Taylor). I also loved Panther Girl (Maity Schrecengost) and Catfish and Spaghetti (Marcia S. Freeman). Schrecengost and Freeman did book signings at my elementary school and I told them I wanted to be an author when I grew up. They both told me to follow my dream and that I would do great things. That really stuck with me!

What are you working on now?
Right now I’m on a romance kick, mostly. I’m working on both the fourth and fifth volumes of The Growing Roots Series. The fourth volume is in the series’ biggest fans hands… my ten-year-old daughter! ha! I have a sweet romance and a spicy romance in the works, both set in my hometown. I also have a sci-fi thriller setting on the back burner, but in progress.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
The fans. I’ve found that connecting with my fans on a person level helps promote my books better than anything else. I have a few who are amazingly dedicated, and they push my stuff more than I ever could! I also make use of giveaways, blog tours, Twitter, and Facebook.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Yes. Just keep writing. That first draft might look like crap, but that is what editing is for. My rough drafts are ROUGH! But eventually it’ll become a polished piece worthy of reading, and you can’t get down on yourself in the meantime. Also, learn everything you can – about your genre, marketing, writing, editing, everything! You can never learn too much.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“Don’t think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it’s good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art.” – Andy Warhol

What are you reading now?
The Heritage of Power Series, by Lindsay Buroker. I fell in love with her after reading The Agents of the Crown series.

What’s next for you as a writer?
More writing, and *maybe* bigger things. I have something in the works right now that could launch my career a bit further, but I’m not allowed to talk about it. *shhh*

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 man, that is *SO* hard. How about the last three volumes of The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan? I keep meaning to finish the series (one of my absolute favorites) but never seem to find the time. A desert island would totally give me enough time.

Author Websites and Profiles
Chelsea Falin Amazon Profile

Chelsea Falin’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
In 1996 my sister died in a car accident. Suddenly, I was an only child. I realized I was a college drop out drifting through life without direction or a plan. It was a major turning point in my life. I went back to school and got a degree in Business with a minor in Psychology, graduating Summa Cum Laude. I became a stockbroker. I’d always enjoyed reading science fiction and fantasy books, so I tried to write my first book. Over the years, I met other authors and read every book I could get my hands on about the craft of writing. I had been working and reworking the same novel for ten years: Cat’s Tale. I couldn’t get it quite right. It continues to be a work in progress. Frustrated, I pushed it aside and began a new project. I wanted something that felt like the action adventures of Clive Cussler married with a Star Wars like space opera. That grew into The Burning Son. I published it in 2016. At present, there are three books in the series, and I’m busy writing the fourth Twin Sons.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My wife and I were out with some friends when the subject came up about what it takes to be financially secure. You may think this is an odd topic, but my wife and I get it a lot. She’s a tenured financial advisor, and I was a stockbroker for twenty years before I became a writer. The topic comes up more than you’d imagine.
My wife and I launch into some easy rules for getting your finances in order. We answer this question a lot and we rattle it off like the practiced pros we are. We wind down quickly, and our friend stares at us and blinks a couple of times. Finally, she says, “It sounds so easy, why isn’t everyone doing it.”
My wife shrugs, “It is easy, but it takes discipline. People have lives, jobs, and kids. Thinking about making the most of their money isn’t a priority. They’d much rather be thinking about fun things like hobbies, quality time with family, and vacations.”
“They get to the end of the month, “I continued, “and start thinking about bills. It’s only then that they wonder where it all went.”
She thought about it for a minute, and said, “It would be great if someone wrote this all down. You should write a book about it.”
I laughed. I write mostly science fiction and fantasy. I never considered writing a financial self-help book.
The next day my wife asked me about the book idea.
“Hypothetically,” she started, “what would it take write a book like that?”
I went into a few of the thousand and one details about what it takes to get a book published, but she stopped me. “Not the publishing part. What would it take to write it?”
That turned into Ten Steps to Reach Financial Success. It’s written and in editing right now. With a little luck, it’ll be out next year.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I use music to get me in the mood to write. When I’m writing a funny scene, I listen to One Little Spark by the Sherman Brothers. When writing pirate adventure scenes I listen to the soundtrack from Event Horizon. When I’m writing fantasy pieces, I listen to music from The Lord of the Rings.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Wow, that’s quite the list. Um, I guess I’ll start with the Martian Tales of Edgar Rice Burroughs. My godmother gave me the first three books when I was nine. They sat on a shelf until I was twelve, then I read them all in a week. I was hooked. Being Sci-fi and Fantasy, I started grabbing every book I could get my hands on in those genres. Terry Brooks was another favorite. More recently, my work is influenced by the adventure books by Clive Cussler and his cabal of co-writers. I also have friends who also write space opera. Nathan Lowell, Terry Mixon, and Jamie McFarlane are some names you might recognize in that group.

What are you working on now?
Mostly Twin Sons, book four in the Burning Son series. I’m also editing Ten Steps to Reach Financial Success, collating the puns I post every day into 1001 Puns, Dad Jokes, and One Liners, and working on a completely tongue in cheek fantasy novel which doesn’t have a name yet.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Awesome Gang of course! Amazon ads, Facebook ads, and as always, the best way to sell your book is to write the next one.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write! It doesn’t matter if it’s good or not, keep writing. Join a critique group, go to writing conferences, build your writing tribe, read everything you can get your hands on about the craft of writing. Do all that, and you’ll be a writer.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Nothing will get you further in life than a positive attitude. This is especially true for writers. We put ourselves out there for the world to see, and there are a lot of people who take great pleasure in tearing other people down. Ignore them. They aren’t worth your time. Yes men, may not improve your writing, but they will keep you going when you’re struggling to put one word in front of the other.

What are you reading now?
Singularity Witness by Dan Grant and Fairmist by Todd Fahnstock. They’re both good friends of mine and their books have been on my nightstand for too long. I’m a little ahead on my book reviews right now. I post two every month.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Expanding my markets. I have a successful space opera series. Moving into Humor, Fantasy, Financial Self-help, and a little technical writing on the side will expand my writing wings and give me more sources of writing income.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
3 or 4 books? That’s not enough by far! Omnibus editions of the latest sci-fi and fantasy novels. That way I’ll get seven books for every 1. Twenty-eight books should get me through a month or so.

Author Websites and Profiles
TH Leatherman Website
TH Leatherman Amazon Profile

TH Leatherman’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
One novel, many plays.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Rosetta Man. A couple of spiky little aliens turn up in Wellington and all they want to do is climb the nearest tree. A man who is constantly followed by squirrels get stuck being translator for first contact. It was inspired by a mortgage down payment. I realized that there would be a year with less money for directing/producing plays (ie. more time) and new space to write. It was possibly also inspired by my trip to New Zealand for a nanotechnology conference and holiday.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m a scientist/writer/musician. I write wherever and whenever I can. This is not at all unusual in modern writing life. (Whenever includes all the hours on the clock face. Wherever includes ferry docks.)

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Roger Zelazny (Doorways in the Sand), Spider Robinson (Stardancer)

What are you working on now?
The Rosetta Mind. (The sequel to Book#1)
A grant proposal (seeking funds to train more people with the complete set of skills and knowledge needed to transform global energy systems).
A new tune, inspired by a particular smile, and the fresh air following rain fall.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I have a website (https://clairemccague.weebly.com/)…but I don’t think it is my “best method”. My handwritten “The Saxophone Player Wrote a Book” sign was fairly effective at the dance hall.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Avoid sleeping with uncapped pens (I assume everyone edits drafts in the soft light of bedside lamps, yes?)

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
You should have a nap.

What are you reading now?
“The Fire Starters” by Jan Carson. I bought it in Belfast during by travels after Worldcon. It’s set in Belfast and published by Doubleday Ireland. Insightful & challenging — the main characters and city are resonating at such a high stress frequency.

What’s next for you as a writer?
250 words.

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?
“Doorways in the Sand” by Roger Zelazny. “Stardancer” by Spider Robinson. “The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August” by Claire North. “The Future” poetry by Neil Hilborn, because it has lines like “…the scotch was like drinking a campfire next to a tire fire, and then it was two days later…” And then I’ll regret not bringing a play by Bond or Beckett or Stoppard.

Author Websites and Profiles
Claire McCague Website
Claire McCague Amazon Profile

Claire McCague’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
1

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Know your food Series 1.
What inspired me is the misconceptions and illiterate notions and beliefs of the society towards food and inspired me to write a book on understanding food and further using food towards curing diseases.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
i always think of writing even if I am physically not writing.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The go getter.

What are you working on now?
Know your food series 2 and Live life entrepreneur size Series 1 and Series 2.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I believe in personal inmail promotions.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
No as I myself am a new author. But wait! Just wanted to say that complete that book which you always wanted to write.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Do it now.

What are you reading now?
What were they thinking? By Jeffrey Pfeffer

What’s next for you as a writer?
A famous writer.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
1. The go getter.
2. Karma yoga by Swami Vivekananda.
3. The Killer in the room.

RA RA’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hi, my name is Lisa Fleming, and I am the author behind the Fantasy Romance series Olympian Hearts.

I have a longing for a fat, fluffy cat or a wee Chipin puppy to replace my lost love Ouija, may he rest in peace. But I would settle for a stuffed Tribble – one of the rumbly ones that purr.

My greatest aspiration is to buy an RV and use it to spend a summer moving my family cross-country to Washington State, preferably Whidbey Island, but I’m not picky. Anywhere near the Olympic National Park would do.

Wife to one husband, mother to four humans (or so they claim, one can never be sure), I enjoy Disney movies, happy endings, romance and fantasy novels, magick, mythology and Marvel comics.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The name of my latest book is Feathers In Her Hands, Olympian Hearts: Volume I

I decided I wanted to give writing one more try before growing up and getting a real job that I’d probably hate but would help pay the bills. The problem was I didn’t have any ideas. None. Zip.

I knew I needed to write something or I would regret it for the rest of my life, so I told myself, “Fine, just pick a story, a myth a fairy tale, something and write a retelling set in modern times.”

I asked myself what I loved the most as a kid, but fairy tale retellings are a dime a dozen. I needed something other people weren’t doing. Then I reread Ovid’s Metamorphoses and was struck by the story of Cupid and Psyche.

I realized as I read it, that the idea of one beautiful woman being worshipped by her community wasn’t all that outlandish, not in this age of viral videos and mega movie stars, but I decided I didn’t want to just do a retelling, I wanted something unique.

So, I wrote Feathers In Her Hands, not just as a modern retelling of a classic story, but as a complete reimagining of what the couple might go through in modern times. I followed the basic story to a point but omitted some things, then added in others which were completely original and had nothing to do with Ovid’s classic. I switched from the Roman pantheon of Ovid’s Cupid and Psyche to the Greek pantheon because I like and know those gods better and went for it.

The story you’ll read in Feathers In Her Hands isn’t even the story I started out writing. To be completely honest, my first Eros was a complete putz and Zephyr was so ashamed of his friend he tried to take over the story and save the girl.

I had to promise Zephyr his own leading role in a subsequent novel to get him to calm down and then completely rewrite the story to turn Eros into a man worth fighting for.

I didn’t set out to write a twelve-book series, but as the idea for Feathers In Her Hands grew, so too did Olympian Hearts. So what started as one small idea for a last-ditch effort to write a novel turned into something unique that amazed even me.

Feathers In Her Hands is the first novel in my 12-book Fantasy Romance Series Olympian Hearts where:

The gods are alive and well, living in the Olympic National Park. Humans, magickal creatures and immortal Olympians live side by side in a tiny town at the base of Mount Storm King, where curses hamper true love and no one is what they seem.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Unusual. Who really defines unusual? Is it unusual that I spend several hours creating digital artwork representing my characters and settings, most of which the public will never see, just to have a basis for my descriptions? Is it unusual that I pick out theme songs for each book and create playlists to listen to while I’m writing to ensure I’m setting an appropriate mood? Is it unusual that I tend to write in 18 – 30 hour bursts and then sleep for 12 hours? Yeah, that last one’s probably unusual.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The one author who has had the biggest influence on me as a writer is Diane Setterfield, and her novel The Thirteenth Tale. The story was excellent and kept me constantly guessing, but the plot wasn’t what drew me in. No, what grabbed me by the throat and said, “Listen to this, I got something to say!” was the way she wrote. Diane Setterfield is a wordsmith. The way she links words together to form images is beautiful. Every word in a sentence has meaning and purpose and importance and no other word would suffice to carry the same message, to create the same image in your mind. At one point I actually had a copy of her book that was so full of highlighter and margin notes commenting on her uses of imagery it was barely legible. To me reading The Thirteenth Tale was like reading poetry.

Just read the back blurb on her book, The Thirteenth Tale. It is a quote from her character Vida Winter: “My gripe is not with lovers of the truth but with truth herself. What succor, what consolation is there in truth, compared to a story? What good is truth at midnight, in the dark, when the wind is roaring like a bear in the chimney? What you need are the plump comforts of a story. The soothing, rocking safety of a lie.”

It just gives me chills. Her words resonate with you, they stay with you, long after you’ve put down her book. That’s the kind of author I strive to be. I want my words to resonate with the reader, long after they’ve read the words The End and set my book aside.

What are you working on now?
I am excited to be in the planning stages of the second book in my 12-book fantasy romance series Olympian Hearts. It is the, as yet untitled, love story of Triton & Delphine. Here’s the teaser blurb:

An attempted murder, a rescued victim, a grieving widower and a chance at love. Can the leagues of grief, trauma and heartbreak separating Triton and Delphine be overcome by a love deeper than the ocean is wide?

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Currently I’m using my personal website https://olympianhearts.wordpress.com as well as Facebook, and Twitter. I’m new at book promotion, so I’m not in a position to say yet which is best.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t give up. When it’s hard, when you cry, when you feel like a failure and think you’ll never get it done, keep going. Keep trying. Most of all, keep writing or start writing if you haven’t yet. You can’t be a writer if you don’t put words to paper, so pick up your pen and start. Even if you don’t think you have an idea worthy of a novel, write it down. Just write!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I don’t know if you’d call it advice, it’s more of a mantra. It’s a Greek phrase: Ḕ tā̀n ḕ epì tâs.

It means: Either with it (your shield) or on it. Meaning you either win the battle, or you die trying and are carried home on your shield.

In ancient times, the Hoplites carried huge shields and the only way to escape the battlefield was to toss it aside. So “losing one’s shield” meant you had deserted the battle, you’d given up and ran away. It’s a phrase Spartan mothers told their sons before they left for battle. It was supposed to remind them of their capacity for bravery, as well as their duty to Greece, to Sparta.

It reminds me to never give up, to keep going, because even if you die trying…at least you tried. The only way to fail is to stop trying or never try at all.

What are you reading now?
I just finished A Harvest of Bones by Yasmine Galenorn, and I’d like to go back and read the whole series from the beginning, the story was really entertaining.

In my Kindle right now, waiting to be read are Midnight Magic by Jo-Ann Carson, The Fireproof Girl by Loretta Lost and An Uncollected Death (The Charlotte Anthony Mysteries Book 1) by Meg Wolfe, among others. I haven’t started any of them yet, I’ve been so busy finishing up my book and getting it published, but as soon as I can take a breather, the ones I mentioned by name will be first on my list.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m currently working on the second novel in my Olympian Hearts series. I’m continuing to develop the characters of the magickal town of Elysium and have plans for two companion series set in the same world once I’ve completed the twelve books of Olympian Hearts.

In the next series I’ll be delving deeper into the Elysium Wildwoods. I also have plans for a Young Adult series based in Elysium revolving around the adventures of students attending Elysium Academy, as well as two standalone novels set in the world of Olympian Hearts, but those are a highly classified secret for now.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
1. The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
2. Anthem by Ayn Rand
3. Possessing The Secret of Joy by Alice Walker
4. The Collected Works of Langston Hughes

You probably won’t find the last three on a list of my favorite books, but you didn’t ask what my favorite books were. You asked what I would take if I was stranded on a desert island. A favorite book is something you love to read, it’s fun, it’s relaxing. But a book you’d chose to take to a desert island should be something you couldn’t live without, something you couldn’t imagine yourself never reading again.

Author Websites and Profiles
Lisa Fleming Website
Lisa Fleming Amazon Profile

Lisa Fleming’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have written one other ebook (non-fiction), it was an online resource guide. I am currently working on a children’s book (chapter book), and a motivational/self-help book.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest completed book is Truth Lies Within Grace, and it was inspired partially because of my past and it kind of developed from there. Reforming it into a story was a great experience for me, as it was the first novel I have written.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I would say that I am pretty normal with my writing habits.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I have read a lot of different books, by a lot of authors, but some of my favorites are John Grisham and Dean Koontz. I try to expand my reading with new and different authors, so there are a lot of authors that I will pick one of two of their books and read them. I know that I like certain authors, but I like to give new authors a try, because you never know!

What are you working on now?
I am currently working on a children’s chapter book, that has a great moral about what can happen when loneliness develops into anger, and how love/acceptance/friendship can overcome the bad behaviors that come with it (spoiler, it involves a dragon). My oldest son helped to inspire it. I am also working on a motivational book that will provide deep daily reflections to help inspire.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I am new to self-publishing, so I am learning this now, and as of yet, I do not have a best method or website.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t let anyone tell you, you cannot do it! Research, research, research, and network. There are a lot of people out there who want to help you succeed, and are willing to read your book, review it, buy it, market it, if you just ask.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I’ve had a lot of advice, but the best I would have to say is that if I believe it on the inside, it will manifest on the outside. I wasn’t raised that way, and so I have been told and am teaching myself to rewire my thinking. And it’s worked with everything else, that I know it will work with this as well. It’s hard changing myself, changing my thinking, but it’s been an amazing journey thus far.

What are you reading now?
I am reading mostly non-fiction right now, dealing with nutrition, herbs, diet, and things relating to cancer, as my mom was just diagnosed with Stage IV GIST cancer.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I will continue to work on my books, and write something until I find my perfect niche. That perfect spot where I connect with my readers, and they connect with me. Where my writing reaches them on a deeper level. Once I find that spot, once I find that niche I will stay there and build up from there. Whether it’s suspense, children’s, romance, self-help, I enjoy them all. My goal is to give the readers something they can enjoy!

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
The Bible, a medicinal encyclopedia, A Time to Kill by John Grisham, and The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas.

Author Websites and Profiles
Nicole Valle Website

Nicole Valle’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a romance/erotica writer. I generally write contemporary romantic fiction but I’m also working on some fantasy and paranormal romance as well. Currently I’ve published three books (all available on Amazon in both E-Book and paperback formats).
I believe in love at first sight and the man I married is the leading man in all my books in one way or another. I believe you can live happily ever after if you find the right person.
I have amazing friends. So amazing, in fact, that I’ll actually share my chocolate with them. So you know I really like them!

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The name of my latest book is “Marked Hearts: Book One”.
It’s the second in the J’s Place Series. This series is set in a bar called, not surprisingly, J’s Place. It’s a quirky little place with wonderful people. It seems to inspire love and the relationships that form there are the basis for this series of books. It started with “Crashing In” and Book Two of “Marked Hearts” will be published in a few weeks so you can keep reading about the life and loves of these characters.
It was inspired by events in my own life, as is all my writing. Some details of my life are in every character I write and in every place I’ve created.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write the most very late at night. Until dawn some nights. I tend to write in long jags and then quit for a week or two. I barely notice the passage of time when I’m writing. I crunch on Cheerios while I write unless I’m really going crazy and then I reach for the chocolate.
I also write a whole series before I’ll publish any of them. As a reader, I hate getting hooked into characters and then finding out the author quit writing about them. I want to know before I get started that I’ll be able to read right through to the end.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Every author has influenced me in one way or another. I love how disciplined Steven King is. I loved the Sue Grafton alphabet series because she created a group of characters I could keep reading about with each book. But I’m inspired every day with every new book I read.

What are you working on now?
I’ve finished Book Two of “Marked Hearts” but it’s not released yet because Book One just came out yesterday. After that, I’m going to release something outside the J’s Place Series. I’ve got a contemporary fiction romance I’m editing and a fantasy romance that still needs a little work. Either one of those will come next.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I don’t think I know how to properly promote my books. I’m active on Twitter and the #WritingCommunity there is very supportive. I post on Instagram and blog on WordPress. But marketing, especially for someone who self-publishes as I do, is the hardest part of this journey.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I have two pieces of advice.
First – write. Write a lot. Write again and again and again. Don’t be in a hurry to publish because you’ll change your mind and work and ideas a hundred times as you go along. Then write some more.
Secondly – Be reliable and authentic. This was the best piece of advice I was ever given. Basically it means be yourself and don’t leave the reader hanging. Which takes you back to the first piece of advice about writing and then writing some more. You need more than one little story if you’re going to make a go of it.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
This is the same as the advice I’d give new authors. Be reliable and authentic. Be yourself. Write a lot. Then write some more. Use what you know. Write what you know.

What are you reading now?
Right now I’m reading a bunch of old Clive Cussler novels my father had. He shoved a big box of them at me and told me to “take care of them”. So I’m reading them. I mean, what else was I going to do?

What’s next for you as a writer?
What’s next is releasing Book Two of “Marked Hearts”. It starts up right after Book One ends and gives the reader what I hope is a fun and romantic and sexy ride to a Happy Ending. After that, more writing. More reading. More writing.
Oh, and chocolate. Lots and lots of chocolate!

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 bring a dictionary. Other than that, I’m not sure I could pick just 3 or 4. I’d probably choose blank journals so I could write my own stories. (Is that cheating?)

Author Websites and Profiles
Laina Ruff Website
Laina Ruff Amazon Profile

Laina Ruff’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My Amish Historical Romance books have been featured on Publisher’s Weekly’s Best Ten Recommended Reads, USA Today’s HEA, Romantic Times and in the media throughout the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada. I’ve written eight books and I’m writing number nine which is under contract.
I just signed another contract for three more books in her Amish Charm Bakery series which will total six for this series when she’s finished.
My next release will be HANNAH’S COURAGE releasing in stores and online January 28, 2020.
I tour and speak about Amish history/traditions, writing, marketing, publishing, and about her books throughout the US. Check my website for future classes. I love God, her family, friends. I enjoy swimming, golf, reading, and say I yes to butterscotch pie and parasailing, but no to coconut and skydiving!

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
“Hannah’s Courage” which releases January 29, 2020. Hannah’s dependable and wise. She’s there for her friends. But she’s taking her love interest, Timothy, for granted. She thinks he’ll always be there when she’s ready to tell him she’d like to be more than friends. She’s too late, and she has to overcome her mistake or fight for him. Opportunities arise, and there are some hard choices she must make. What does the future hold for her?
I like writing about the Amish and show they have problems and flaws like we all do. We can relate to some of their struggles.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
When I’m struggling with the story, I go to the beach or pool, find a quiet spot, pray to God for help, and write on a tablet my ideas. It’s worked every time so far! And what a relief and then writing is fun again!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Too many to name!

What are you working on now?
Maryann’s Hope releasing in January, 2021. She’s a widow with a child. She left Amish life to marry her late husband who brought danger and disappointment to her life. She’s back and reasons why she left come rushing back. She wants to find love again, but when she does, many obstacles stand in her and Andrew’s way. Can they conquer them all and have a future together?

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I try so many things. I’m anxious to see how this website works! I’m excited to find this one.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Be open to constructive criticism. Step back and really look at the advice you are given to change or enhance your story. It may not be easy, but it will make your book better. We need fresh eyes on our book. We are too close to it. And when you submit your book, and you receive rejections, don’t be discouraged. Keep writing and submitting. It only takes one agent or publisher to say yes!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
That the written pieces I did in my past jobs for marketing, advertising, etc. didn’t matter. Fiction writing is different. I went to classes, conferences, and listened to successful authors to learn fiction. They were right. I had to start from scratch. And that you must have thick skin. Criticism of your writing when asking for critiques and edits isn’t easy, but you learn from it and your books are better if you incorporate it in your work.

What are you reading now?
I love to read my Bible, women’s inspirational stories, mysteries, romance, cozy mysteries, women’s fiction.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I love to tour and speak. It’s wonderful to help new writers by passing on to them what I’ve learned and what I wish someone would have told me when I started. I love to teach the marketing, agent or no agent, self and traditional publishing. I speak about the Amish and their lifestyles and traditions, my books, and I’m a National speaker for Women’s Christian Connection. I’ve been a guest speaker for large women’s organizations, author events, etc. I’m under contract for more books with my agent and publisher, and I’ll keep writing!

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Bible, Thesaurus, and my first book, “Change of Heart”.

Author Websites and Profiles
Molly Jebber Website
Molly Jebber Amazon Profile

Molly Jebber’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hey Everyone, I’m Veronica. I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. So If you are searching for safe clean books. That don’t swear, Don’t talk about sex, and won’t make you want to cover your kids eyes. Than you have come to the right place. I started writing back in 3rd grade, but it wasn’t until recently that I even considered publishing them because I was afraid they would turn out horribly. I currently have 2 books published on amazon, but hope to have more up soon.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is actually one I have been trying to write since middle school but it never turned out quite right. It wasn’t until recently I decided to turn it into a series. Its called Flowers From A Killer: Jealousy Destroys Love Book 1. It’s a mystery/romance book that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Well I tend to write more at night and once I start a book it can take me up to a year to 2 years just to finish it.

What are you working on now?
I am actually working on revising an old fantasy book I wrote called the outlawed rose. It’s a romeo and Juliet story that is between a princess and a goblin. Once I am done with that one I will work on the 2nd book to the Jealousy Destroys Love series.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and really anywhere I can promote it. Though I tend to focus more on Facebook.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Do not pay for reviews. Yes reviews are important but paying for reviews does not work. For one thing you never know if they are giving you 5 stars because your book truly earned it or if they only gave your book 5 stars because they want you to spend more money on them. It’s not worth it. There are plenty of people out there who will gladly review your book for free, and their reviews you can be sure is truthful because hey they aren’t getting anything out of it. Besides why pay someone just to tell you whether or not they liked the book.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Write for you not them. Don’t worry about what others think. Just write for you. As a writer we often forget that we have to like our books too. We get so absorbed with what others think that we write something we regret. So just write for you first. Make sure you like it and the rest of the world will follow.

What are you reading now?
Hunger Games

What’s next for you as a writer?
Not sure. I would love for one of my books to win a best seller award but I will just have to wait to see what the future holds.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
The Book of Mormon, The Bible, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

Author Websites and Profiles
Veronica Lawson Amazon Profile

Veronica Lawson’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a very ordinary lady who has always enjoyed underground comics, written erotica, and old-school exploitation flicks with a sense of humor such as Barbarella and Flesh Gordon. I am the main author of sixteen books in the Kindle Erotica series, Carnal Invasion.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Naughty Netherworld Press’ latest book is Castle Necros. It is part of Carnal Invasion’s Dark Mysteries series. It was inspired by watching old Hammer Horror films and thinking: “what if this moment of peril for the protagonist turned into an orgy of lust rather than an orgy of blood?”

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I think it’s more like I have unusual sleeping habits. I can write any time day or night. I usually write sitting on the couch rather than at a desk.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I was inspired by old horror comics, so whoever the authors and artists on those are, they are among my inspirations. As far as erotic writing, the late Anaïs Nin was probably my greatest influence.

What are you working on now?
Team Netherworld is currently working to complete Castle Necros in time for Halloween.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
http://www.naughtynetherworldpress.com is the official Naughty Netherworld Press promotion blog. Each new ebook has a few free promotional days, and we are now doing re-release promotions for the older books in the series.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write about what you like and don’t worry about what anyone else thinks about what you like. That being said, when you decide to publish your work, please make sure to utilize the services of beta readers at the least to help you check for blatant spelling, grammatical, and punctuation errors. Not checking for these errors can make a book look amateurish.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Write what you want to write and don’t give a damn about what anyone else says about that.

What are you reading now?
A non-erotic, young adult fantasy story about mermaids.

What’s next for you as a writer?
More in the Carnal Invasion series. I don’t foresee myself switching gears anytime soon.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Perhaps the Earthsea Trilogy by Ursula K. LeGuin. Does that count as three books, or one book in three parts?

Author Websites and Profiles
Lil Deville Website

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a new fantasy and literary fiction writer, basically. So this would be like a test-run for me, writing in the horror category, that is.
I’ve written like 6 children books, lietrary fiction, actually, that the whole family can read and enjoy. I wrote those books for a specific audience, targeting school children, basically. So they’re not big books. ‘Shadow’ is my first full length novel. It’s a story I’m quite passionate about and I’m hoping to get positive feedbacks from readers about the book.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
It’s called SHADOW! Yayyyy!. I’m actually excited about the book. Really excited. In writing this story, I wanted to push myself, to try out a new and challenging genre that I haven’t ventured into before. I’ve always loved writers like Stephen King and Dean Koontz, so I wanted to say if I could spin an exciting story in that specific genre. So I wrote ‘Shadow,’ which is horror-thriller. And working on another novel right now, still in the same genre. It’s called ‘Devil’s Kiss’. Watch out for it, guys

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Oh, wow…typically, I like to write when I’m relaxed, not stressed or pressured. So mostly, I write at night when everyone has gone to bed and everything has settled down. And yes, I always write with a snack in hand, maybe not always but most times, anyway. Like having a soda drink or munching on some treats as I punch on the keypad.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Oh, yes, definitely authors like Stephen King, Dean Koontz, Michael Crighton and JK Rowling has had some influence on my writing. That’s because, like I said before, I’m drawn towards the fantasy/horror genre. There are loads of great African writers I admire, of course (since I’m Nigerian), like Wole Soyinka, Chimamanda Ngozi-Adichie, Toni Kan, and the many Pan-African writers. But I don’t think I’ll ever write like them or in their category.. Oh, yes, there’s Nnadi Okoroafor, who’s a remarkable writer blending fantasy and contemporary African themes.

What are you working on now?
And working on a number of projects, including another full-length novel in the same genre. It’s called ‘Devil’s Kiss’.
Hopefully, I’ll be releasing it on Amazon before the end of the first quarter of 2020. Watch out for it, guys.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I think online/digital book promotion is great, and I prefer to run my promotions on Amazon and Facebook mostly.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
As I’m still in the same boat, the best advice would be to keep at it. Be tenacious at writing, even if you get rejected by lit agents loads of times (like me!). And also, try to find what works, both for you and for the audience you’re striving to build.

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

What are you reading now?
Dean Koontz, ‘Midnight’.

What’s next for you as a writer?
It’s a long way to go, but for now I just wanna concentrate on building a fanbase of loyal readers, sell a lot of books and just keep writing.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
I would look for something from JK Rowling, Daniele Steele, Wole Soyinka and maybe John Grisham. So that would be any of the Harry Potter books, The Ring, You Must Set Forth at Dawn and The Testament. I wouldn’t take my regular horror books because, well, I’m on a lonely, desert island and I don’t want to increase the fright around me!

Joe Addison’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have been a true book worm since I was young and read a variety of genres. I just wrote my very first book, and self-published in July 2019. I am a part-time webcam girl, but work full time as a criminal defense investigator. I am also a retired Air Force veteran, so I’m not your average 21 year old cam girl. I got into the webcamming industry to supplement my income and to pay off my debt. It is an easy job you can do from the comfort of your own home. It is also nice that I can make my own hours and I am my own boss.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My book is called Shock Value: A Cam Girl’s Sexy and Hilarious Stories of Capitalizing on Sexual Desire. A friend of mine kept encouraging me to write a book based on my webcamming experiences. I would often tell her some of my webcamming sessions, some that were so strange and offbeat, I couldn’t even make them up. I bounced the idea off of a few other friends who, in turn, agreed with my friend that I have a very intriguing topic to write about. I wanted to let people into this world of webcamming, to show that everyday, normal people have strange fetishes, but that there is nothing wrong with them. Webcam sites offer a safe and discrete outlet for people embarrassed of their weird fetish to go to. We all have a little weirdness in us and we should embrace it!

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not really. Since I am new to the writing industry, I basically do a brain dump and jot down anything that comes to my mind while I am deep in thought. After my brain dump of paragraphs, I go back to re-read, add and edit.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I love scary books, books that get you to think outside the box a bit. My favorite authors are Stephen King and Dean Koontz. I can’t say that one particular book or author influenced me

What are you working on now?
Nothing at the moment as I just released my book in July. I do blog though, and will be adding some new blogs to my website.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I have my own website that I refer people to, but I also promote on Instagram. A lot of my friends promote my book to their friends and family, so a lot of word of mouth.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Research! Especially if you plan on self-publishing like I did. I stumbled across a website; www.reedsy.com, which is an amazing website for indie authors which saved me from having a meltdown. They have vetted freelancers on their site promoting their work for hire. Editors, book designers, marketing, public relations etc. You can view their bios and their previous work. If you like their profile, you can contact them and submit requests. That is what I did when looking for an editor and book designer. Pay the money for professionals! It is worth the money, trust me. You don’t want to put out a book with sub-par editing or a crappy book design layout. Avid readers and people in the industry can spot a hack job!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I watched Brene Brown’s special on Netflix. She said something that really resonated with me. She said “Vulnerability is not winning or losing; it’s having the courage to show up and be seen when we have no control over the outcome. Vulnerability is not weakness; it’s our greatest measure of courage.” This right here, gave me the courage to take my book seriously, and to be proud of it, despite what others will say or think. Even though this advice wasn’t directed to me per se, I just loved it!

What are you reading now?
I am re-reading Rose Madder by Stephen King. It is one of my favorite books! The story-line is along the lines of the movie Sleeping With the Enemy. Very intense book! At the same time, I am also reading a book by comedian Matt Bellassai called Everything is Awful. If you want a book to laugh so hard tears will stream from your face, then read this book! The way he tells the stories of his childhood, college and life are so wickedly funny! I also just pre-ordered Laura Clery’s first book called Idiot. She is a hilarious comedian I love to follow on social media and I am looking forward to reading it!

What’s next for you as a writer?
I have no idea! Some people have asked when my next book is coming out. Truthfully, I will not write another book on webcamming. I think my readers will gain a good sense of the subject once they have finished reading it. I did have someone suggest I write a thriller book based on my webcamming and experience as an investigator, fiction of course. Who knows, maybe I will have the courage to write a fiction thriller some day!

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 hell, this is tough. Well first, I would find a book on long term survival. There is one written by an ex Army Special Forces called Hawke’s Green Beret Survival Manual: Essential Strategies by Mykel Hawke that I would buy. I’m not trying to die within the first week. Then, if I needed a laugh, I would bring Everything is Awful by Matt Bellassai. I would also bring Stephen King’s “IT” mainly because I have never had the patience to read all 1138 pages, but being stranded on an island will do the trick!

Author Websites and Profiles
Eliza Wilde Website
Eliza Wilde Amazon Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My 11-year-old daughter died of cancer.

Months after that event I started seeking help and discovered five therapies to overcome my sadness and help me be myself again. I wrote a workbook for me, and now I want to share it with everyone. If I can follow it and feel better, so can you.

I have compiled a book of knowledge, courage, inspiration and revelations so that anyone can experience the power of Neuroscience, Mindfulness, Positive Psychology, Dialectical Behavior Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in quick and easy ways.

The treatments described in the book are tried and tested methods of improving the mental and emotional health and by following the exercises, anyone can take the first step on the path to mental and emotional wellbeing.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The depression and anxiety workbook. Five ways to raise the spirit and experience joy!

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write anywhere. Sometimes in napkins.

What are you working on now?
I’m working in a book titled “Why my baby? A guide to be strong in the emotional challenges of caring for a sick child”

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

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Just do it!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
One step at a time.

What are you reading now?
Julio Verne

What’s next for you as a writer?
A new book to share my feelings.

Author Websites and Profiles
Leibny Hope Amazon Profile

Leibny Hope’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am the middle child in a family of three girls. I started making up my own stories at age four. Because I couldn’t yet write, my mom wrote the stories down for me while I painted the pictures. My first story was called Wagland and featured an island community with sea creatures that ate tuna fish sandwiches.

I have a B.S. in Written Communication with a minor in Language, Literature, and Writing from Eastern Michigan University and an MLIS with a specialization in children’s librarianship from Wayne State University. My poetry has been published in literary magazines. I am also an artist and a performance poet. In my free time, I enjoy finding and hiding painted rocks in my neighborhood and going on adventures with my family and friends.

I live with my husband and daughter in a suburb of Detroit, MI. The Healing Star is my debut novel. I often wishes on stars but haven’t caught one yet.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Healing Star. It was inspired by the following:
-a trip to Montreal and Quebec City
-a falling star that I did not see
-two songs by Sara Bareilles from her album, The Blessed Unrest, “Satellite Call” and “Cassiopeia”
-my grandmother
-Jack and the Beanstalk

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Hmm, I like to come up with ideas or solve story problems while jogging. I often jot down thoughts on scraps of paper and napkins, anything I can find. I often stop writing in the middle of a sentence to avoid fear of the blank page the next time I write. I also reward myself after 45 minutes of solid writing with a 15 minute break or treat.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Toni Morrison for her use of symbolism, which is really quite genius. Sharon Creech is also one of my favorites, particularly the book Heartbeat. That’s when I became a fan of novels in verse. I admire her use of poetic language. To that end, I’m also a fan of Jandy Nelson’s I’ll Give You the Sun and Francesca Lia Block’s Weetzie Bat series. My One Hundred Adventures by Polly Horvath was one of those books I just wanted to carry around in my arms for days after reading it. And Cartwheeling in Thunderstorms by Katherine Rundell is just so clever.

What are you working on now?
I just finished writing a dual perspective environmental dystopian YA.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
https://www.facebook.com/A.Kiddwrites/

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Keep going. Don’t stop until you finish the book. Then edit.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
On writing: “The most important thing about art is to work. Nothing else matters except sitting down every day and trying.”
― Steven Pressfield, The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks & Win Your Inner Creative Battles

On promotion: “Our job in this life is not to shape ourselves into some ideal we imagine we ought to be, but to find out who we already are and become it.”
― Steven Pressfield, The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles

What are you reading now?
Stay With Me by Ayobami Adebayo (for a book club)

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m currently promoting The Healing Star and have a book launch planned as well as several author visits. But soon it will be time to start editing that YA novel I just talked about.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Does everyone say the Harry Potter series? Which by the way, it would be 1, 2, 5, and 6 for me.
Otherwise, hmm maybe Anne of Green Gables, Little Women, and the Edge Chronicles: Beyond the Deep Woods by Paul Stewart.
OR The Mortal Engines Quartet by Philip Reeves OR his Larklight series OR his Fever Crumb series

Author Websites and Profiles
A. Kidd Amazon Profile

A. Kidd’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m writing creative & innovative eco-fiction that tackles the issues of how to survive on the planet at this time. I aim to create stories that reflect the magnitude of the times we’re living in as modern humans. My narratives grapple with the complex juxtaposition of living in the world we have been given and creating the world where we want to live, simultaneously.
My debut novel, “Wildfire Weeds,” explores the themes of wildfire ecology, sustainability, and climate change within the setting of a pot farm in Northern California. Future novels will further explore cli-fi (climate fiction) themes, while delivering whimsical delights, hopeful solutions, and optimistic resolutions. I’m birthing a unique style of creative prose which tempers the intensity of current environmental upheaval by offering thoughtful, playful, and magical word-craft to uplift, enlighten, and enchant!

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My debut novel, “Wildfire Weeds” was released September 1st, 2019; in this book my characters discuss the reasons why we’re having unprecedented wildfires along the West Coast of the United States. I wrote this book after my own neighborhood in Northern California was destroyed by a firestorm in October 2017. I combined non-fiction elements of my own story and the stories of people I have known to create the fiction novel “Wildfire Weeds.”

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I tend to have creative inspiration when I am exercising. In the middle of a yoga series, or on a jog, I will stop everything and jot down a prompt that will help me remember what I wanted to convey in my novel after I’ve finished my exercises.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I remember the first time that I read “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” by Maya Angelou. I was only twelve years old; my English teacher gave me extra books to read during my free time including that important book, and I have never been the same. Growing up I adored Michael Crichton fiction because of the worlds that he can create that so completely immerse one into a new reality. In the recent past I have loved reading Barbara Kingsolver and Ruth Ozeki for their literary fiction prose.

What are you working on now?
I’m currently working on a cli-fi/eco-fiction trilogy that will explore the environmental issues our day with effective strategies for having a collective planet paradigm shift towards human sustainability. It’s a story within a story with the main story being set in the modern day and the story within the story being set in the future after severe climate change has forced humans to adapt.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
My website https://morinatura.com has information about my upcoming events, my books, and my platform as an author. I would love for people to join my email list to stay in touch as I release my books over the many years to come!

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I’m actually a new author, and I’m looking for advice!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Keep writing!

What are you reading now?
I’m reading “The Mysterious Benedict Society” to my tween-age son, and we’re both loving it!

What’s next for you as a writer?
I would love to be published so that I can take my message to a larger crowd. I believe that there is a distinct need in literature for climate fiction that not only speaks to the environmental issues at hand, but also sows seeds of hope in readers that we can thrive on this planet.

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) Something by Pema Chodron, probably “When Things Fall Apart.”
2) A dictionary to play word games
3) Stardust by Neil Gaiman
4) Permaculture by Bill Mollison

Author Websites and Profiles
Mori Natura Website
Mori Natura Amazon Profile

Mori Natura’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am the middle child in a family of three girls. I started making up my own stories at age four. Because I couldn’t yet write, my mom wrote the stories down for me while I painted the pictures. My first story was called Wagland and featured an island community with sea creatures that ate tuna fish sandwiches.

I have a B.S. in Written Communication with a minor in Language, Literature, and Writing from Eastern Michigan University and an MLIS with a specialization in children’s librarianship from Wayne State University. My poetry has been published in literary magazines. I am also an artist and a performance poet. In my free time, I enjoy finding and hiding painted rocks in my neighborhood and going on adventures with my family and friends.

I live with my husband and daughter in a suburb of Detroit, MI. The Healing Star is my debut novel. I often wishes on stars but haven’t caught one yet.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Healing Star. It was inspired by the following:
-a trip to Montreal and Quebec City
-a falling star that I did not see
-two songs by Sara Bareilles from her album, The Blessed Unrest, “Satellite Call” and “Cassiopeia”
-my grandmother
-Jack and the Beanstalk

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Hmm, I like to come up with ideas or solve story problems while jogging. I often jot down thoughts on scraps of paper and napkins, anything I can find. I often stop writing in the middle of a sentence to avoid fear of the blank page the next time I write. I also reward myself after 45 minutes of solid writing with a 15 minute break or treat.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Toni Morrison for her use of symbolism, which is really quite genius. Sharon Creech is also one of my favorites, particularly the book Heartbeat. That’s when I became a fan of novels in verse. I admire her use of poetic language. To that end, I’m also a fan of Jandy Nelson’s I’ll Give You the Sun and Francesca Lia Block’s Weetzie Bat series. My One Hundred Adventures by Polly Horvath was one of those books I just wanted to carry around in my arms for days after reading it. And Cartwheeling in Thunderstorms by Katherine Rundell is just so clever.

What are you working on now?
I just finished writing a dual perspective environmental dystopian YA.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
https://www.facebook.com/A.Kiddwrites/

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Keep going. Don’t stop until you finish the book. Then edit.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
On writing: “The most important thing about art is to work. Nothing else matters except sitting down every day and trying.”
― Steven Pressfield, The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks & Win Your Inner Creative Battles

On promotion: “Our job in this life is not to shape ourselves into some ideal we imagine we ought to be, but to find out who we already are and become it.”
― Steven Pressfield, The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles

What are you reading now?
Stay With Me by Ayobami Adebayo (for a book club)

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m currently promoting The Healing Star and have a book launch planned as well as several author visits. But soon it will be time to start editing that YA novel I just talked about.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Does everyone say the Harry Potter series? Which by the way, it would be 1, 2, 5, and 6 for me.
Otherwise, hmm maybe Anne of Green Gables, Little Women, and the Edge Chronicles: Beyond the Deep Woods by Paul Stewart.
OR The Mortal Engines Quartet by Philip Reeves OR his Larklight series OR his Fever Crumb series

Author Websites and Profiles
A. Kidd Amazon Profile

A. Kidd’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have an MBA in International Marketing and many years of marketing, branding and global communications experiences with companies such as FedEx, AT&T Wireless, McDonald’s and Thomas&Betts. Currently, I am a strategic marketing consultant working with small businesses; an Adjunct Marketing Professor at a Memphis-based university, a writer/curator of 2 college-level marketing textbooks and a marketing technology platform to help the special needs community.

I have written 3 books

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
ST. CHRISTOPHER. It is the second book in the series with the first being IN JUST TEN DAYS. My other book is TAYLOR’S WAY, A FATHER’S VERY SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS SON. It is about my unique relationship with my autistic son, Taylor, told through the Dad’s “lens”.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t know if my habits are unusual, but most of the time I write late at night when the house is calm and quiet or first thing in the morning.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I have always been a huge James Bond fan, so initially it was reading all of those books. Later, it was Robert Ludlum, John Le Carre, Tom Clancy and Jonathan Kellerman, to name a few. They are all so very talented!

What are you working on now?
Having just completed ST. CHRISTOPHER and looking to market it, I am working on 2 college-level textbooks on marketing, one focused on traditional brand issues and the other one on global marketing challenges. I also plan to complete the outline this year for my 4th book, THE FALL OF ICARUS, the 3rd book in the series.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Honestly, as a marketer, I am leveraging every available channel that I can – social media, alumni networks, traditional media – if it is FREE, then it is for ME!

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Sure. BE PATIENT and as we have all heard, write about what you know and are passionate about. If you are looking to make a lot of money doing this, you are probably in it for the wrong reasons.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Love what you are doing and everything else will take care of itself.

What are you reading now?
Candidly, I am writing on the 2 college textbooks, consulting, working on a marketing technology platform and teaching marketing, so I am not really reading anything new right now. I am sure that will change soon!

What’s next for you as a writer?
As noted, completing the 2 college textbooks with a number of great contributors and working on my 4th book in earnest as 2020 begins.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Any of John Grisham’s books. I actually have a personal note from him years ago before THE FIRM was in the movie theatres, providing me with nice words of encouragement.

Author Websites and Profiles
Christopher Myers Amazon Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have written 19 books , with a goL of twenty ! The last book will be a true story, a novel of epic Drama & crimes. I’m a poet / short story writer !

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is called , ” Mom and Dad ! You Knew Me First! I was inspired by my own children and grandchildren ! They love and adoration. Of watching them become new parents. The book is a vision of what babies would say ! If they could talk lol!

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I dont know if its unusual? I love to type barefooted, and I have to be sipping a Pepsi or my favorite coffee.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Ms. Maya Angelou ! Was my idol! For poetry and meaningful projects! And for my Adult book series( 18 and over) I was inspired by Zane’s Chronicles ! Actually , Ms. Maya and I also shared a special childhood trauma. That drew me to her work and heart!

What are you working on now?
I’m on hiatus right now! Recovering from having a spinal implanted device put in , and left knee replacement . My last book as I mentioned will be a jaw dropper novel! About family secrets and how they have affected the mere safety and spirit of the youngest that are preyed upon! Until 1 generation member gets tired of the fear. Gets the courage to tell the truth ! She finds out that her favorite family members, are capable of horrible things! The title is called: ” A Family SweetTooth. ( It ain’t candy ! )

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Let’s see! I’m 5 years self promoting now! I truly believe for a while, Facebook and Twitter were my venues ! But now I feel I’ve exhausted these ! Im ready to get on with better PR!

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Dont be afraid to dream! Never give into the doubts, believe in yourself and your craft! I use my own experiences or those things around me. It can be a little thing that sets off this story about to burst out of your mind! Get a few note composition books and start writing. Invest in yourself. Look for free tools that can help you get started! My first book I didnt like too well because its Eclectic! A huge book of everything I wanted to write about as a preview to what was to come from my Bookline! Then I separated kids/teens/adults! Family units had to be represented in the home! Age appropiated books with subjects they could relate too! Be the type of writer that you wouldnt mind reading! Be you! Have fun and patience!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I was told! ” Dont be afraid to pour out your heart on the pages! Write what you feel and never let guilt stop me!

What are you reading now?
The bible. Taking a break.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m going to be entering writing contest and re writing some scripts , formatting so I can present them for stage plays and send to television producers! I was once refused from a reputable guy who’s done famous Audible books! Yes I have those too. But he encouraged me, with the reason why he turned it down! He said, ” This book is not getting justice on audible! It needs to be on stage or film! It was my bully prevention book entitled,” What Did I Do ? Bullying at School !

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

2.I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings

3. My Autobiography : ” Pain To Joy ! Silent Tearz

4. My Book about Surviving Aids called ,” In or Out? My Secret!
( Hubby and I wrote this together)

Author Websites and Profiles
Mrs. Felicia C Nelson-Davis Website
Mrs. Felicia C Nelson-Davis Amazon Profile

Mrs. Felicia C Nelson-Davis’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am originally from Bedford in England. When I was four years old, in the mid 1950s, my parents took me to Jamaica to live which must have planted in me the seed to travel, as I have been travelling ever since. I have lived in eight different countries and worked in
five star hotels and restaurants around the world as a chef. I have also worked on cruise ships, Antarctic supply ships, a gold mine in Papua New Guinea and the Falkland Islands after the war with Argentina.
I have written four books in total, three of them are travel books aimed at retirees and baby boomers and I have also written a biography.
I have now retired to Thailand where I live on the beautiful island of Koh Samui and travel extensively throughout South East Asia doing research for my travel books.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is actually the first book that I ever wrote; a biography called “You will never amount to anything” I originally wrote the book after my marriage broke up in 2017. I wrote it as a kind of therapy, a way to try to make sense of my life and to try to work out where it all went wrong. I also wrote it for my children and grandchildren so that they could perhaps understand me and my life a little better now that I was no longer going to be around them and in their lives as much. The book was never meant for publication, it was a memoir for my family. When my first book “The Retire in Thailand Handbook, The First Six Months”, was accepted for publication, my publisher asked if I had any other books that I had written that I may consider suitable for publication and I told them about the biography I had written for my family. They asked me to send them a copy, which I did and then thought no more about it, as I didn’t think that an biography by an ordinary person like me would be of interest to them or their customers, so I was pleasantly surprised when they got back to me and told me that they loved the book and wanted to publish it.
The book tells the story of my life from those heady days living like a young prince in Jamaica, to living in poverty when we returned to England a year later and moved to my dad’s home town of Middlesbrough.
When I finally walked out of Brackenhoe Technical School for the very last time in April of 1966, I had no qualifications and very little education after four wasted years in the British high school system. I knew then that if I wanted to make something of my life and achieve my ambition of travelling the world and to be successful not poor like my parents, I would have to do it by hard work, determination, using my initiative and gaining any skills that I could pick up along the way and any other means necessary legal or not to reach my goals. From that day onwards my life was a constant battle with employers, authorities and government departments to achieve my ambition to travel work and live in some of the most beautiful countries around the world and make something of my life. The day I left school was the day the school broke up for the Easter Holidays and the headmaster decided for some obscure reason that the few pupils who were not staying on to do their CSE or GCSE exam and leaving school for good on that day should leave before lunchtime. There were only six of us and as we were escorted from the school grounds by one of the teachers, I heard a voice from behind shouting “You lot will never amount to anything, you’ll all end up as drunks, unemployed or in prison”. I recognised the voice straight away, it was Mr Bagley my science teacher, who had bullied, tormented and beaten me at every opportunity over the past four years. Those unnecessary and vindictive words just made me more determined to get away from England and start a new life in the tropics to prove him wrong. His words have stayed with me to this day, and they have given me the strength and inspiration to make something of my life without having any qualifications and very little education. I have had to cheat, lie and live by my wits to achieve my goals, but since that day I have never looked back. I am not the only person that has been told those or similar words on leaving school. Some more notable people that have been told that they will never amount to anything include Albert Einstein, Mark Zuckerberg, Ludwig van Beethoven, Winston Churchill and John Lennon
I believe that everyone has a story inside of them to tell; many people think that they have led uneventful lives, but it’s only when you sit down and think back on your life and put pen to paper that you realise that even though you may not be a famous actor, sports star, or musician your life story is just as important as theirs and probably more so in many cases and deserves to be told even if it’s only for yourself and your family.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Being of a certain age I didn’t grow up with computers but I have certainly adapted to them since I started writing books. I do most of my writing thanks to the wonders of WiFi sitting on a beach or around a swimming pool in Thailand or some other South East Asian country. Quite often when the sun is going down my inspiration is helped along with a cocktail or two.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The first books I remember reading were the Just William books by Richmal Crompton. As I matured I read everything Charles Dickens wrote and all of The Hobbit series of books by J. R. R. Tolkien, I also loved Catch 22 by Joseph Heller. When my daughter was born in 1974, when she was a little older I would read to her Watership Down currently working on by Richard Adams and I think I enjoyed more than she did. Being at sea for much of my life, books were an important source of entertainment in the few leisure hours that you get working at sea. I would read everything that I could get my hands on, from Agatha Christie to Ernest Hemingway, from Nevil Shute to Lelie Thomas. My favourite authors of today are James Lee Burke, Elmore Leonard, Dennis Lehane, Kate Atkinson and Khaled Hosseini

What are you working on now?
I am currently working on book four in the retiree travel series: The Retirees Guide to Myanmar, Malaysia, Singapore and Bali. This book is a work in progress, as I still have to re-visit Singapore and Bali to do more research.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Being a retiree and of that certain age I am not very au fait with computers and the social media, so I rely on word of mouth and hopefully my publisher getting my name out there. I know I must be missing out on many selling opportunities, but what makes me happy is writing the books and helping other retirees travel and live their lives to the fullest.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
As I am a new author myself at 67 years of age so there is not much advice that I can offer. Just keep doing what you’re doing. My brother John who was a much better writer than I will ever be tried most of his life to get his books published and never succeeded. I wrote my second book in 2018 (the first book I wrote was never meant for publication) and I was offered a publishing contract for it within a few months of releasing it on Amazon. From what I have read and discovered since starting out as an author it’s quite often about luck, being in the right place at the right time and of course writing a great book.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Travel whenever you can,The greatest experiences are seeing other cultures and getting new perspective on life and the lives that other people lead.
When I was in Cambodia recently doing research for my book I spoke with a lady who was just forty two years old the same age as my daughter. Her father was arrested and killed by Pol Pot’s henchmen because he was a teacher. When she was one year old with her mother they were forced marched 330 kilometres from Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville. Her mother died along the way of malnutrition and she was taken in and raised by another family. Being born in Cambodia during those murderous days she had not had the opportunities in her life that I, my children or grandchildren had and she had been working as a prostitute since she was fourteen years old. It certainly put everything in perspective for me. You dont see the real world by watching it on TV.

What are you reading now?
The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I am currently writing my fourth book in the retirees travel guide series on Myanmar, Malaysia, Singapore and Bali. When I have completed that I am looking at writing the fifth book in the series about Australia. A place I know well as I lived much of my life there and where all of my family still live.

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 Blah Story by Nigel Tomm. It’s the longest book ever written. I am not sure if I would enjoy it but it has 7312 pages so it would last a while when waiting to be rescued. It’s probably cheating but I would take the boxed set of The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings. For a little light entertainment Adolf Hitler: My Part in His Downfall by Spike Milligan.

Gerald Hogg’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I spent my childhood on a farm in the highlands of Kenya which my mother ran while my father worked in Nairobi. With the nearest neighbor being over half a mile away, as an only child I spent a lot of time with my own imagination. Days outside either in the orchards, the tea plantation or climbing trees and imagining adventures. But, as with any farm, first came chores, yes, even from an early age and today these memories and the knowledge I learned help in my world creation for my stories.
In the evenings with no television, as a family, we read or created stories verbally from a sentence given. An interesting time.
Holidays in those early years were either occasional days going out into the bush, wildlife spotting or rock collecting. Occasional trips as a family to exotic places where my father, as an engineer was sent, or for his yearly holiday. So most of Africa, Middle East, Singapore, Mauritius, Japan, and the Mediterranean come to mind as particularly memorable even to this day.
Later when I married I moved to England, and it was here that I first started writing short stories for magazines, and, did have some accepted but at the time didn’t have the confidence to attempt to do anything longer. In those days there was no self – publishing.
Three decades ago, tired of living in an urban setting I, with my family moved to Spain, to a small piece of land with a two-roomed ‘house’ totally off-grid. We built our present home ourselves and have almonds, olives, and a few fruit trees as well as growing our own food.
I started writing again in early 2018. Now on my own, kids grown-up and lives of their own, and being self-employed it helped fill a space in my life. For me, writing is the easy part. I now have 5 books and some short stories out in the world. I am writing a fantasy series, well two. When I first published I had aimed the first book to cover All Ages, but then found this was not so easy to place. So I have created two series from the same characters, different adventures for each after the opening book, one for teens & y/a and the other general fantasy/fiction. Now, I am learning how to get them seen. The marketing, which for me is taking me into a totally new learning curve.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Feeling the Power is the name of my latest book. Book 2 in the Teen & Y/A series (Mission to Zor) being the second book in the general/fiction series.
What inspired it? This is where I may lose many readers, but, in truth, it is inspired by a personal spiritual journey.
I have always been a believer there is more to life and this world than we know. Most of my life I have been ‘gifted’ and once I opened myself to writing, then the floodgates opened. Quite simply the stories flow and there are times when I have to literally re-read simply to know what I have written and what the characters are up to. Some may label it automatic writing.
I know many authors use tarot decks to help guide them when they are stuck, I seem to simply have to ‘get out of my own way’ and let the characters free. The fight against evil is universal and timeless. The difference between Aisha and her story is that there is no blood and gore. Yes, there are battles, magic, dragons and for that matter etheric beings, but foes are stunned, frozen and encased in crystal cubes and sent back to Source to be given the chance to think on their deeds, if they refuse to change then they are simply re-absorbed, then their next incarnation, if they get one is started with a clean slate.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not really. I have a whiteboard, and always have a pen and paper my favorite means of taking notes. Depending on if I have work for a client, or something specific that must be done on the land (as I am trying to set up my land for a small regenerative farming project) I go for a walk around my land, to clear my head and ground myself. Make a good strong black coffee and settle down to write. Usually put on some meditation music as a background. I don’t type fast, so try to set myself at least four hours a day to write. Sometimes it is considerably more, but seldom less. When I start a new book – Like most, I make a rough outline, but, because of the way this particular series is working, I have found it pays to only do a couple of sentences per chapter to just give me a line to follow. Any more than that and I find the book I have written is not the same as the outline I expected. Lastly, at the end of the day, I meditated and ask for guidance, then I know the pictures of the next part of the journey will flow all night. My notebook is always by me day and night and as I get an idea, a phrase, a new character, then I immediately note them for use later. I also spend time creating, sketching and words places, scenes, and ideas to help make the worlds I write about more realistic for the reader.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Having had a traditional English education, Dickens, Shakespeare, Milton, Tennyson, and other classical writers and poets molded my early reading.
Aleister Maclean, Desmond Bagley, Wilbur Smith, Dan Brown, Andy McNab, Dan Brown, Jeffery Deaver, David Baldacci, Tolkien are all favorites of mine to chill and relax. For me, descriptive writing that allows a reader to picture the scene, what is happening, has always been important to me and all of these have a beautiful balance of description, action and in many cases an understory below the main story that makes one think. The book (s) however that changed my life, are A Woman of substance and it’s sequel Hold the Dream by Barbara Taylor Bradford

What are you working on now?
At present, I am completing a short story to put forward to magazines, of failing that publish as a novella. I have also finished all my outline notes for Dragon Force Book 3 in the general Fiction Tales from Dragondom & Beyond Series. I hope to have this out around December 2019.
I am also working on the outlines and places for a children’s series – 12+ Three short novellas introducing the main characters for a new trilogy. Middleholm Academy of Magic & Cosmic Studies. The first of these is already published and is about twins from urban Croydon, outside London who go to stay with the strange aunts who live in an ancient cottage on the edge of the forest of Dean in the west country. This visit leads them to understand there is more to life than the internet, television and video games. They find the family has a secret…and The Magic Begins was born.
Having personally spent seven years in boarding school in the west country in England I have much to draw on for vivid memories. The hope is to find out from the novellas which of the characters is going to be the lead character, a girl or a boy. A dash of reality, a sprinkle of cosmic dust, a spoonful of magic and a dash of the paranormal all carrying a message…anything is possible if you believe in yourself.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
This is part of the journey as an author that I am just beginning. I wanted to have a couple of books in the series in print before I tried to bring in readers, giving them more than one, in my mind so there was a second available to read while the next was being written.
Over the last few months, I have built up a small but regular following on my FB page for the series and am still struggling to create a website that looks somewhere near good enough for people to look at.
Awesome Gang comes highly recommended and for someone who panics at coming out of my comfort zone and out of my cave, so to speak, it is friendly and easy to use. It has taken me several months to pick up the courage even to add an author page to Goodreads. I am afraid, as an Introvert, and basically a long-term hermit, I am having to take one small step at a time.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Yes, but it is probably the same advice as any author gives. It doesn’t matter how young or old you are if you enjoy writing or storytelling then you can write a book. Everyone has a story to tell. In writing, and writing, and writing you will get better. You do not need to be perfect to start, or you never will do it and also always remember you can not please everyone. Write for yourself and for those who enjoy what you write, that believe me is a beautiful feeling, even if its only a handful. The very first recommendations and star ratings I received for my first book did not come from family nor friends (they didn’t know I had published my book) they came from people who followed the excerpts I put up on my FB page, then bought the book. They have gone on to buy all the books I have published, both series. It is a good feeling.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
My late father used to say, “ You will never know what you can do unless you try.”
And an old mentor Roger Haywood – author. He told me that you have to believe in yourself for others to believe in you. Not always the easiest thing, but by adding these two sayings together Anything is possible, but, you also have to be open to learning from others. No matter how old you are, you can always learn from others.

What are you reading now?
Hold the Dream – Barbara Taylor Bradford.
Having just finished the first book A Woman of Substance for maybe the fourth time. They are books I can read again and again, every time I find new, hidden pearls of wisdom that give me courage.

What’s next for you as a writer?
The present Series I already have started Tales from Dragondom & Beyond and the Teen & Y/A Series Aishas’ Tales from Dragondom & Beyond each have 8 books in the first series. So these are the first priority, however, I have already signed up with a translation company to slowly translate them into other languages and thus expand the market. One is already available in Italian and a Spanish version will be out in 2020. I also wish to bring these all out in audio and hardback.
The Middleholm trilogy is also already on the list and again in a similar way. Various languages, audio, and hardback.
Then depending on the public response to Aisha, the Multiverse is a very large place, with many worlds to save… and of course at some point, once she has honed her gifts she can always return with the New Generation of Light warriors, to save humanity from evil, on Earth.

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 Woman of Substance – Barbara Taylor Bradford.
Blue Horizon – Wilbur Smith
Shakespeare – Complete works.
A Time to Die – Wilbur Smith

Author Websites and Profiles
Lesley Laws Website
Lesley Laws Amazon Profile

Lesley Laws’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a new writer. It is my second book. My first book is a collection of fairy tales.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The name is “Ghost My Buddy”. I wanted to break the stereotypes of ghosts

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I think while sleeping. Believe it or not all my thoughts come in my dream.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
William Shakespeare, Jane Austen, Emily Bronte, J. K. Rowling.

What are you working on now?
I am working on my next book “Not A Lovestory”

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

Do you have any advice for new authors?
If you are passionate about writing just forget everything and write.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“Never stop writing”
– Jenkins

What are you reading now?
Book 4 of After series by Anna Todd

What’s next for you as a writer?
Nothing just to keep on 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?
Midsummer Night’s Dream, Wuthering Heights, Pride and Prejudice, Always You

Author Websites and Profiles
Moumita Koley Website

Moumita Koley’s Social Media Links
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a practicing chiropractor and indie author residing in the Upstate of South Carolina. I have been writing articles and books since 2001. My earlier publications dealt primarily with the subject of chiropractic as I have written several books for chiropractic practitioners and laypeople.

Over the past several years, I have been writing nonfiction books that address various subjects rarely, if ever, discussed by the mainstream media outlets. Many of these topics can be accessed by visiting my blog, www.nofakenews.net.

More recently, I have been writing fiction that attempts to entertain and educate readers about extremely important issues affecting many people worldwide.

My latest novel, The Target List, was published in June, 2019. Additional information can be found at my author’s website, www.johnreizer.com.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My most recent novel, The Target List was written with the dual intention to entertain its readers while teaching them about the many machinations currently taking place within organized medicine and through its handler, the pharmaceutical industry.

This book delves into a subject that most authors would probably steer away from. But one of the great things about being an indie author is that you have the creative freedom to do what you want.

The Target List is an important book, in my opinion, because it exposes readers to certain truths embedded within a fictional construct that they wouldn’t otherwise be exposed to.

The idea for the book was borne out of my deep desire to educate healthcare consumers about these concepts and to do so through a fictional plot so that readers would actually absorb the material and not be concerned that it was too far removed from the conventional paradigms that have been etched into our collective psyche.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t really have any unusual writing habits, but I try to write something everyday. It’s a part of my life, just like eating breakfast or the ritual of walking 12,000 steps each day that I have committed to for the past ten years.

The act of writing something each day keeps me inspired to write articles as well as larger projects. It also fuels my creative side and provides me with a lot of fresh ideas.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I love reading James Patterson and I really enjoyed reading Brad Parks novel, Say Nothing.

What are you working on now?
I am constantly working on my blog, NoFakeNews.net. It’s been an ongoing project for me since 2012 that provides informative content for readers worldwide.

The posts that are published on NoFakeNews have to do with a plethora of controversial subjects that are never mentioned on the mainstream news networks.

I am also currently involved with marketing my latest novel, The Target List, which was published on the Amazon Kindle Platform in June, 2019.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I promote my books and articles on my blog at nofakenews.net, and on my Podcast: The Dr. John Reizer Podcast Series on Anchor, Spotify and other platforms.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
My advice for new authors is to keep writing as often as possible. I have been writing for many years and I continue to learn new things everyday. I keep trying to get better at what l do.

Read other authors and pay close attention to their different writing styles. Understand what has made them successful from a technical standpoint, and apply those tools to your own writing style.

Don’t give up and be able to take constructive criticism from editors and readers. And most important, have fun perfecting your craft.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“You never fail at something unless you decide to stop trying to become successful at it.”

What are you reading now?
A Nearly Normal Family by M.T. Edvardsson

What’s next for you as a writer?
I am working on an outline for a new novel that I will be writing in the fall of 2019.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
The Lord of the Rings, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo trilogy, and one or two James Patterson novels.

Author Websites and Profiles
John Reizer Website
John Reizer Amazon Profile

John Reizer’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am an HR nerd. I love finding out what makes people and organizations tick. It has been something I have been doing for a long time and really enjoy. I live in South Carolina where I enjoy the warm weather year-round to do things like stand-up paddleboarding and coaching my kids’ sports teams.

This is my first book. I have enjoyed writing for years and saw a lot of companies that really struggled to create the type of place people actually enjoy working. I wanted to share what I found at the “best-in-class” companies with the rest of the world.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Ping-Pong is Not a Strategy: How to Create an Awesome Organizational Culture

We had an employee come to work for us once and she told me that they had a ping-pong table at their office and would get in trouble if they ever used it!

This is not an uncommon theme. Many organizations pretend to have a great culture when it is really about the bottom line and not about the people. I wanted to share what a truly great culture looks like. I have had the good fortune of working with thousands of companies over the years and getting a unique view of what works and what doesn’t.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I actually enjoy writing at my office desk. Most people talk about how they need to go to some special place where they can focus. I enjoy writing first thing in the morning at my office desk.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
So many! I love non-fiction so books like Zero to One, The Magic of Thinking Big, The Four Hour Work Week, and many more. I read about two books a month on average and tend to read the same books multiple times.