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Kirk Westwood 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
This is my first book, but I have been a professional storyteller my whole life. Film and television / Communications and PR / Branding and messaging, telling stories has been my passion my entire life. I love to take messages and shape them.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Very Best Bad Idea: Innovation, Creativity, and Making friends with the Mouse was a product of years of watching brilliant people hide their best ideas because they were afraid of looking stupid.

I wanted to know why we care. So, I spent years researching, interviewing, and collecting stories about it. This book is about the history of thinking, society, communication, and the difference between innovations and inventions.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m not sure I’d call them unusual. I write best/most late at night to early morning. 11pm-5am, I’m somewhat fueled by caffeine and exhaustion.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Its a relatively long list. Scott Galloway, Adam Grant, and Chris Voss were loud voices in my head during this endeavor. On the fiction side, Neil Gaiman and John Green are big inspirations and styles I love.

What are you working on now?
As a lifelong filmmaker, I’m crafting this book into a series of shorts/documentary to make the content more easily accessible

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I find I really like my audience and engagement on Linkedin.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I am a new author. I don’t know that anything I could offer would be valuable. I am already outlining my next book and just want to use what I learned to apply it… don’t even know myself if it’ll work better on round 2.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Stop trying to write “your book.” Just write a story 500 words at a time. Don’t worry about connecting them, or structuring them, or writing “your book”. Just write 500 words.

What are you reading now?
A history of Video Games in 64 Objects.

What’s next for you as a writer?
While writing “The Very Best Bad Idea” I stumbled upon a theory and concept that has inspired me greatly. I’ve been collecting tidbits and background, and soon will turn it into my next book.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Neil Gaiman – The Graveyard Book
Scott Galloway – The Four
Tony Mendez – The Master of Disguise

Author Websites and Profiles
Kirk Westwood Website
Kirk Westwood Amazon Profile

Kirk Westwood’s Social Media Links
Twitter Account

Kirk Westwood 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
This is my first book, but I have been a professional storyteller my whole life. Film and television / Communications and PR / Branding and messaging, telling stories has been my passion my entire life. I love to take messages and shape them.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Very Best Bad Idea: Innovation, Creativity, and Making friends with the Mouse was a product of years of watching brilliant people hide their best ideas because they were afraid of looking stupid.

I wanted to know why we care. So, I spent years researching, interviewing, and collecting stories about it. This book is about the history of thinking, society, communication, and the difference between innovations and inventions.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m not sure I’d call them unusual. I write best/most late at night to early morning. 11pm-5am, I’m somewhat fueled by caffeine and exhaustion.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Its a relatively long list. Scott Galloway, Adam Grant, and Chris Voss were loud voices in my head during this endeavor. On the fiction side, Neil Gaiman and John Green are big inspirations and styles I love.

What are you working on now?
As a lifelong filmmaker, I’m crafting this book into a series of shorts/documentary to make the content more easily accessible

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I find I really like my audience and engagement on Linkedin.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I am a new author. I don’t know that anything I could offer would be valuable. I am already outlining my next book and just want to use what I learned to apply it… don’t even know myself if it’ll work better on round 2.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Stop trying to write “your book.” Just write a story 500 words at a time. Don’t worry about connecting them, or structuring them, or writing “your book”. Just write 500 words.

What are you reading now?
A history of Video Games in 64 Objects.

What’s next for you as a writer?
While writing “The Very Best Bad Idea” I stumbled upon a theory and concept that has inspired me greatly. I’ve been collecting tidbits and background, and soon will turn it into my next book.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Neil Gaiman – The Graveyard Book
Scott Galloway – The Four
Tony Mendez – The Master of Disguise

Author Websites and Profiles
Kirk Westwood Website
Kirk Westwood Amazon Profile

Kirk Westwood’s Social Media Links
Twitter Account

Kevin D. Miller 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m an Air Force veteran and a retired Web Developer/Technical Writer. Born in Canton, Ohio I grew up in Tempe, Arizona. I currently live with my wife and two teenage daughters in SoCal where our daughters pursue an acting career. Heart Of Steel: Based on a True Story is my debut novel. It has appeared on television, talk radio, blogs and podcast across the country and is now being made into a Hollywood movie. I am currently working on my second novel due to be released in June, 2020.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Heart of Steel: Based on a True Story
It is the incredible true story of my grandfather’s life. He changed our family name in 1920 to hide a dark and tragic family secret. A secret he took to the grave. Only recently did I learn the truth and write his story to inspire the world of his courage and love for his family. I discovered old newspaper articles several years ago that revealed the painful truth. My real family name is Puchalski.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I use music to inspire scenes I write. Emotional music for emotional scenes. Dramatic music for dramatic scenes. I do not outline. I write inspired. I’m a storyteller.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Nicholas Sparks – The Notebook.
Fannie Flagg – Fried Green Tomatoes.
Richard Matheson – Bid Time Return
Randall Wallace – Braveheart

What are you working on now?
A Historical Fiction story of my great, great grandmother who was Native American and my great, great grandfather who was Irish and a Civil War soldier and vet. It is a coming of age story that begins with a young 12 year old Native American girl forced to leave her home prior to the Civil War. It is also a love story with high adventure and lots of drama. Heartwarming and heartbreaking.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Using a PR firm. Allen Media Strategies of Washington, DC.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t be timid. Writing will leave you vulnerable. The most important thing to remember is to write a great story. One you want to read. Good story is more important than structure. Don’t put it off. Start writing, keep writing. Learn as much about writing as you can. Be bold.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
To write like nobody is watching. Because nobody is watching.

What are you reading now?
Story Trumps Structure by Steven James

What’s next for you as a writer?
Heart of Steel: Based on a True Story is currently in the works to become a motion picture in Hollywood. The screenplay is being written by a renown screenwriter.
Other than that, I’m just going to continue to write great stories that inspire and move my readers.

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

Author Websites and Profiles
Kevin D. Miller Website
Kevin D. Miller Amazon Profile

Kevin D. Miller’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Julius Eks 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
‘Le Berceau’ is my first novella, but not my first foray into publishing. By day, I’m a musician and my music is published (albeit under a different name!) and performed around the world.
My decision to start writing gay romance books was a very spontaneous one. I travel a lot for my work, and along the way, I read a lot of books and meet a lot of interesting people. I wanted these people to express their stories, even if they didn’t want to themselves. And so, after meeting someone particularly interesting – and having just finished reading a particularly inspiring book – I thought, Okay! I’m going to write this. I’m going to write a book. I wrote it in one summer. A year later, after lots of editing, I started to pass it around and almost immediately, Bold Strokes Books got in touch and wanted to contract it. Fast forward another year, and here we are. My book is now making its way around the world! It’s so surreal!

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
‘Le Berceau’ is an erotic, gay romance novella. I had just finished reading ‘Call Me By Your Name’ at that time (and like many others, it stayed with me for a long time after!), so I was already feeling the heat of that beautiful, Italian sun in my mind. And then, I met someone shortly after near my home in France and, without wishing to reveal too much about this connection, ‘Le Berceau’ was born – set on the French Riviera, near the border with Italy!

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Yes! I write in complete and total secrecy! I use a pen-name and nobody knows I’m a published author…even my long suffering partner, who lives with me has no idea! It is my naughty, little secret.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Well, Andre Aciman’s ‘Call Me By Your Name’ was the single greatest influencer of ‘Le Berceau’. But, as someone who is fascinated by queer history, I love to read books by gay authors from before my time, who were writing in a different world to what we now know. Writers such as Oscar Wilde, Gore Vidal, William S. Bourroughs, Thomas Mann. Their writing is beautiful and their lived experiences, in a less progressive time, are insightful and inspiring.

What are you working on now?
I am intensely editing a novel right now, and I also have another first draft and a research project on the go. The novel tells the story of a fifteen-year-old boy from rural North Yorkshire in the early-1990s, who runs away to London and is “adopted” by a small, queer community. It explores our own sense of what family is, the path to acceptance, and the diversity of the queer community. The boy’s newfound family is led by a fierce, but nurturing, drag queen, and includes a transgender, Irish, former-Catholic woman; a flamboyant – but closeted – black, teenage boy from a homophobic Senegalese family; and an octogenarian, straight woman who runs a charity shop and used to be a wardrobe assistant at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. It is quite a cast!

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
My publishers, Bold Strokes Books, have been wonderful, so far. They have really pushed this book far and wide, to favorable reviews. It has touched me, so deeply, to read how ‘Le Berceau’ has moved people. As for myself, I’m a total Twitter addict! You can find me on @EksJulius

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Be brave in your writing. Be daring and honest. You may cause controversy, but remember that a book isn’t necessarily a reflection of the author, but a reflection of the characters. To compare, Sir Anthony Hopkins isn’t really a cannibal…but the character he was playing (Hannibal) sure was! So let your characters have their voice, even if it is a little bit shocking to read.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
As a composer, my teacher always told me that I don’t have to always try to produce something groundbreaking. But, with each piece I write, I should always try to push myself beyond my comfort zone and create something fresh and groundbreaking for me. Eventually, the freshness will come out in everything you do. I carry that advice forward into my literary writing.

What are you reading now?
I am just about to start ‘Lie With Me’ by Philippe Besson, at the suggestion of a friend.

What’s next for you as a writer?
My plans for this year are to finish editing my new novel, start editing my second work in progress, conclude research for my third and begin writing the darn thing by summer.

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?
You saved the difficult question for last! I think I’d rather take 3 or 4 books that I have hated. I won’t name them here. I’d re-read them with a fresh perspective. I may even learn to love them. And if I don’t, they’ll make a great fire starter!

Author Websites and Profiles
Julius Eks Website
Julius Eks Amazon Profile

Julius Eks’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Twitter Account

Laura McCarthy 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
First-time author

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Mess to Majestic, a true story of recovery and healing from trauma, shame, and addictions with Biblical and clinical insights. Inspiration was seeing the rise in deaths among the hurting, addicted, and recovering community when they don’t heal their shame or trauma, case in point Anthony Bourdain, Prince, many many others. I wanted to share my testimony of recovery and healing, also educate to inform, inspire and ignite others into their own journey of recovery and healing! Stop the stigma, restore hope to the hopeless, and witness to the power of a living, loving God and healthy community.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
True transparent memoir style with Biblical and clinical insights. I write as one who suffered from trauma, shame, and addictions, and one who is healed, recovered and redeemed as well as a clinical professional and addictions expert and biblical teacher.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Billy Graham, Mother Theresa, John Eldridge, Dr. Mark R. Laaser, Leanne Payne, Max Lucado, Joyce Meyer, Brennan Manning, Sheila Walsh

What are you working on now?
Getting the word out

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
New at this. Looking for other mentors, authors to guide me.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Stick with it. When you have a passion to share a life-saving message to your audience, don’t quit. Someone needs to hear what you have to say! Keep at it! You can do it!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
One day at a time! Set small writing goals, sit down and do it! That simple! God will guide the rest of the steps.

What are you reading now?
In the Middle of the Mess by Sheila Walsh

What’s next for you as a writer?
More Overcomer type books

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, Emotionally Healthy Relationships Day by Day, Mother Theresa’s Her essential Wisdom, and Alcoholics Anonymous

Author Websites and Profiles
Laura McCarthy Website
Laura McCarthy Amazon Profile

Laura McCarthy’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

Jill Richardson 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve written 6 books and been a contributor to 3 others. I’m a writer, speaker, and pastor in the Midwest.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is How Not To Be Noticed: My High School Anti-Plan for Success. I am a volunteer for World Relief and an advocate for immigration reform and refugees. So that passion is what birthed this books idea. I wanted kids to see this kind of friendship and its possibilities.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not really. I tend to write in chunks, for a few hours at a time and then not for a few days.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I love Sharon Creech as a YA writer. Of course, since I also wrote a book on Tolkien characters, I have to say his books are first in influencing me. I love anything Malcolm Gladwell writes because I want to learn his ways of investigation.

What are you working on now?
Nonfiction books on preaching with the next generation and on the value of immigrants and refugees to our country.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I mostly do facebook ads and word of mouth

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Know your strengths and weaknesses, and delegate the weaknesses.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Boil the point of your writing to three words. If you can’t do it, the piece isn’t clear enough.

What are you reading now?
Unafraid by Benjamin Correy and Tolkien: Maker of Middle Earth.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Working on the books mentioned above and keeping afloat in my job and life in the new normal. Becoming more of an online speaker.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
My Bible, Lord of the Rings, Pride and Prejudice, Boat Building 101.

Author Websites and Profiles
Jill Richardson Website
Jill Richardson Amazon Profile

Jill Richardson’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Jeffrey Slater 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Originally a fifth generation American, I live in Melbourne, Australia with my wife where I have lived for 35 years. I have spent many years building our family tree. Over this time I had discovered many family members that I had never been formerly aware of. During my research I received a parcel from a distant relative in Nova Scotia who came across my Great Grandfather’s Biographical manuscript that he had written in 1952.

What I read was a most amazing series of tales from stories of his Grandfather, the Baron of Lithuania’s personal tailor, his father a Lithuanian Peddler and their arduous life in The Old Country. Through a series of misadventures, Harry has to escape The Russian Empire and onto the streets of 1890’s New York and later to the Indian Reservations near Pocatello, Idaho. It was a gripping manuscript and I was dedicated to sharing Harry’s tales before they vanish in the sands of time.

Over the next 3 years I researched each of Harry’s tales to ensure dates and facts were accurate. Newspaper clippings, interviews and family history helped to discover more about Harry than his book revealed. As the book evolved, more stories came to us, allowing me to add additional stories Harry forgot or left out of the original manuscript.

Now with the book published, I am looking forward to the next book.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
A Peddler’s Journey is my first book. This was a project of passion, to share the story of a 15-year-old boy coming to America in 1890 from The Old Country and the struggles, success, failures, love and family obligations that is the story of so many that never had the chance to record their story. Once I read Harry’s manuscript, I was determined to research, write and publish Harry’s stories as he would have wished back in 1952 when he wrote his tales. Only today, with self publishing, can stories be shared with the greater population. Harry’s story is your grandparents, great grandparents stories that had been lost in the sands of time.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
When crafting Harry’s manuscript I found it imperative to get into Harry’s mind, to understand him, to feel his spirit. Fortunately, my 90-year-old father was still around. We sat down for days as he told me about harry’s, his good points and bad points. Did he have an accent? Was he caring? Questions kept flowing from my mouth. When I added more stories recently discovered they were written from Harry’s lips.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I love Non-Fiction, historical events and biographies. I am so happy to now be a published Author of one of the very books I like reading. I worked on the twists and turns that make the book an easy read but very compelling.

What are you working on now?
I m now working on the sequel to A Peddler’s Journey, The Peddler’s Wife; Ida Jacob’s Story. A feminist viewpoint parallel to Harry’s Tales. Will be a more intimate and empathetic view.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Facebook has been amazing, with over 150 website visits originating from my page. It allows me to share photos and stories promoting the book. Also I have set up a professional web page to promote the book in the manner I wanted it shown. Our publisher has been fantastic in setting up the format or the artwork, pagination, proofing, setting up the printers for on demand print to client. They did all the legals, trademark, copyright and Library of Congress submission and of course, Amazon, Booktopia, Barnes and Noble and Book Depository submissions and management.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Find a story….Develop the story into a summary, then a brief, finally start writing. Write as much as you can, then edit, edit, edit and then edit some more. Giver it to someone to read and get honest feedback, then edit six more times!! Use imagery, pictures speak tomes! Find a trustworthy publisher. I have my favorite and can share in an email.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
There were many who read Harry’s manuscript and said what a great book this would make. What a great movie this would make. Only one took action! Take action, commit and do it!!!

What are you reading now?
A Peddler’s Journey! Unfreedom of the Press and a host of Biographies.

What’s next for you as a writer?
The Peddler’s Wife; Ida’s Story. It will be a 2 year journey of deep research to bring to life the diaries of Harry’s Wife.

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 Biggest Novels I can find! Clouds of Glory, The Robert E Lee Story; Benjamin Franklin Bio by Walter Issacson and Columbiano by Australian writer, Rusty Young and A Peddler’s Journey.

Author Websites and Profiles
Jeffrey Slater Website
Jeffrey Slater Amazon Profile
Jeffrey Slater Author Profile on Smashwords

Jeffrey Slater’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

Ali Sheikhaleslami (known as Thymournia) 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am 35 yo from Iran and I have written 5 books, counting my poetry also.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is called “The Cell”, it is a short story of a life, inspired by reality, what actually happend and I just documented it.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I wouldn’t call it an usual writing habit but I simply start writing, wherever I am, mostly on paper by hand, sometimes on my phone, if I feel right about it. I just write whenever it hits

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I started writing at the age of 12, 13, so I can say no one fluenced me. As time passed I discovered other writers that I could rely on.. Two of them are Albert Camus and Edgar Allan Poe. But not as an influence, I just read them more.

What are you working on now?
For now I’m working on staying alive, surviving what comes from litteraly every side: this pandemic, life itself.. People in suffering… I am mostly working on myself, as I can call it that way, not any other work or something special but I do have some ideas on my mind.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I would never consider myself as an author, never. A photographer maybe writer. Even for photographers I just say “ be honest, just create yourself, you don’t need to please anyone, you don’t need to”

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I can say nothing, I do everything on my own, especially my writing

What are you reading now?
I’m not reading anything at the moment

What’s next for you as a writer?
I just want to write

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?
People go off to those places to be themselves, with themselves: I don’t think I would bring anything with me except maybe my smokes. No book. I don’t think I ever

Author Websites and Profiles
Ali Sheikhaleslami (known as Thymournia) Website

Tom Marlowe 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve been writing for many years now, across a range of genres – everything from children’s poetry to science fiction. However, I now focus on one genre – erotica. Whilst not everyone’s cup-of-tea, it is a (privately) popular and ever-growing genre.

To date, I have one novella and two shorts published, although I also have a number of other projects in the pipeline.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is Kat Amongst the Pigeons.

Katherine Quinn arose from a sparring session with a fellow writer. We agreed to attempt a genre that was new for us – namely, erotica. She went on to finish her novella, become very successful and has now got 25+ books under her belt. I quit after 12,500 words as it was travelling int a humorous and more graphic direction than regular romance/erotica.

Several years later, I ‘found’ my style and the book fell into place. I wrote 30K words in a month and ‘Kat’ was born.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Haha – If people could only see me when I write.
I nearly always wear a fedora (my work clothes) and usually listen to ambient sounds like rainfall, forest, cats purring – things like that.
One of my cats likes to sit on the low shelf at my desk and watch me write.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
A range of sci-fi and fantasy books, but in my specific genre – I have to say I am only here because of Emmanuelle de Maupassant – both her words of encouragement and her writing.

What are you working on now?
I am currently working on Kat Amongst the Pigeons (Book 2). It’s (obviously) the continuation of the first Katherine Quinn novella.

I owe it to Kat to complete her first adventure.

I am also finishing off the third in my BBW ‘Dawn and Dirty’ short stories series and adapting an older, part-written novel.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
as a relatively new author, I’m still working out the best options for me. however, I find Twitter and Facebook to be the best to date.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I always give the same advice and it upsets other writers:

The most important skill you need to learn is to be able to honestly assess your text for what it is. If it is good, then it is good. If it is dire, you need to understand that as soon as possible.

Just because you spent five years on your own personal ‘magnum opus’, and poured your heart and soul into it doesn’t make it any good.

The sooner you can see that, the better you will become.

Writers write – publishers reject manuscripts for a reason. You expect them to trust your ability in your craft, you should do likewise for them.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
It’s not what you know. It’s not WHO you know… It’s what YOU know about who you know – haha!

What are you reading now?
Reaper Man by Terry Pratchett (yet again)

What’s next for you as a writer?
Change the beds, grab a cup of coffee and feed the cats.

But in the literary world – I have a TV series that I need to get finished…

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
The Complete Sherlock Holmes
The Annotated Alice (a wonderful reference book about the Wonderland/Looking-glass books)
Healer – F. Paul Wilson

Author Websites and Profiles
Tom Marlowe Website
Tom Marlowe Amazon Profile

Tom Marlowe’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Brandon Wood 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Well, while my wife was pregnant, it was like I got a surge of creativity. I was talking with her and she suggested I write down my ideas. So, I started writing down book ideas, songs and fun things I wanted to share with my son. I have self published one book, and plan on publishing many more.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My book is called Handsome, Handsome Gentleman. It was inspired by a LATE night bottle feeding of my son, he was wearing a bib with a British style bowler hat that said ‘Perfect Gentleman’, and I was talking to him telling him how handsome he was, I began singing “Handsome, Handsome Gentleman” to him in a British accent and the story came to life holding him.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
One thing I do frequently is start singing my words as I write them down. I am constantly singing and humming while I type.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I love Dr. Seuss books, my favorite is How the Grinch Stole Christmas. I also really like the Good Night Books series of books by Adam Gamble and Mark Jasper.

What are you working on now?
I am currently working on my second picture book, which I hope will be available very soon!

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I would say to just follow through and do it. I know many friends who when they found out I had written my first book were excited for me, but also said that they had thought of doing the same but never followed through with it. There are so many new ways you can get your ideas out there now. So, I would say, you can do it!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The things you love most in life are the things that you work the hardest at.

What’s next for you as a writer?
more books!

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 really like reading about Ancient Greece. The Iliad and The Odyssey by Homer, The History of the Peloponnesian War by Thucydides and books about Alexander the Great.

 

Brandon Wood’s Social Media Links
Twitter Account

Sean Rainwater 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I began writing in 2003. I have written one novel and two screenplays, with more ideas in development all the time. I also write a blog on my website SeanRainwater.com.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is titled Hades Proper. I was inspired to write it after doing some research years ago and finding out that the Bible actually speaks of Hell as having a physical location, the center of the Earth. That sparked the question of what we would find if we could actually get down there and walk into it. What would we see? Who would we see?

What would they say if you could talk to them? How would that affect us as human beings if we could venture into the afterlife and experience it before we die?

As the story evolved I added my vision of the horrors of Hell, internal conflict in the characters, major tension between two of the main members of the team, and some cool technology and I felt I had a pretty incredible story.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I haven’t developed any yet I don’t think. I’m pretty busy and try to squeeze in writing whenever I can, so a lot of my writing is on the fly. For now, I just hurry to my laptop and get in as much as I can, as often as I can. Side note: Finding out I was COVID-19 positive and having to isolate in a room for a few weeks helped me get a good amount of writing in. Guess we have to find the good in everything!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
My favorite writers are Dean Koontz and C.S. Lewis. I’ve also been inspired by Stephen King and Tolkien.

What are you working on now?
I’m writing a screenplay for a psychological thriller that is yet untitled. The story follows a psychiatrist that has a history of mental illness in his family. When a disabled man moves in next door, horrific things start to happen. Soon the main character is put through incredible trauma, and starts to lose his grip on reality. The story questions whether this man is following in the tragic footsteps of his family’s mental illness, or if there is something more to the man next door.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I have an author website and I promote on Amazon. I’ve found that the best way to get the most exposure is through free promotions. Even doing discounted promotions has never gotten me even close to the numbers I get when I give it away free. So it comes down to a balance. As a writer, of course we want to make a return for our work. But if getting it out to the masses is the most important thing, and it is for me, then the free promos are the best way I’ve found to get it into readers’ hands.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t give up! Just stick with it and hone your craft. Every re-write makes your book better. Watch films and notice what it is about the writing specifically that touches you. Read a lot and do the same with novels.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t give up! This is a highly subjective business. Keep going and one day it will succeed!

What are you reading now?
I just finished The Taking by Dean Koontz. Great book. Just started The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena. A few pages in, so far so good!

What’s next for you as a writer?
I would love to finish the screenplay I’m working on in the next 3 months or so. In the mean time I am continuing to promote Hades Proper. I have received some interest in Hollywood for the story and actually have a producer attached. So we will see what happens!

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
The Bible, a desert island survival guide, and anything by C.S. Lewis.

Author Websites and Profiles
Sean Rainwater Website

Sean Rainwater’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Denise Carlton 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My passion to work with and help people motivated me, to attended Cuyahoga Community College, where I obtained an Associates of Arts Degree in Community Mental Health. Desiring to further my knowledge in helping others become mentally and emotionally whole, I , attended Capital University where I obtained a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Social Work. On what I call my road to Damascus. The Lord instructed me to attend Seminary for Christian Education. Following the Lord’s guidance, I attended Ashland Theological Seminary where I obtained a Master of Arts Degree in Christian Ministries with a focus on Christian Education.
My knowledge base and spiritual gifts has allowed me in various positions within the Christian community. I have served in Children’s Ministry, Administration and Leadership roles. However, I have spent most of my time serving as a Christian Education Director.
I have been a mentor to many. With the Lord’s guidance I began a private Ministry, “The Butterfly Effect,” where I mentor women who are willing to do the hard work to heal and mature. This is a Private Ministry because I only mentors those who are led to me by God. My moto is, “healthy and whole mothers produce healthy and whole children.”
I am a lifetime learner who loves knowledge. I am a lover of books, so it not surprising that I would write a book. With the Lord’s leading I have written “The Master Plan, Preparing for Eternity.” A book that speaks of God’s plan for our lives here and now, with eternity as the final destination. As Denise puts it, “life is just a dress rehearsal, God has a master plan and we play a unique part in His plan.”

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The name of my book I The Master Plan: Preparing for Eternity. The Master Plan was inspired by the Lord’s leading.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I would say the unusual writing habit that I have is I only write based on the Lord leading me to do so.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Rick Warren’s the Purpose Driven life and Randy Alcorn’s Heaven were my biggest influence.

What are you working on now?
I a working on a book about Wisdom and life in the womb

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
This is the first book that I have written and I am new to promoting.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
It may not seem like your book would ever reach completion, but stick with it.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Stick to the process, don’t focus on the accomplishment get the word out.

What are you reading now?
I am reading The Wiersbe Bible Study Series: Psalms by Warren Wiersbe and In my Fathers House Women Relating to God as Father by Mary A. Kassian

What’s next for you as a writer?
Getting the Master Plan into the hands of as many people as possible

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
My Bible, C S Lewis signature selection and the Madame Guyon Collection.

Author Websites and Profiles
Denise Carlton Amazon Profile

Denise Carlton’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile