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Dani J. Caile 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am an English teacher and proofreader living and working in Hungary and love to write. I’ve written 10 novels and many novellas and short stories with an extensive list of publications.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is ‘Reif’s Return’, the fourth (and final) book in my sci-fi ‘Humanity H2O’ series. I was inspired by the genius (and craziness) of my students at the High school I work at to continue on and write after over 10 years of being in the ‘wanna-be’ writer desert of obscurity, and now I’m finally getting some recognition and success.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Due to lack of time and too much life, I write where and when I can. An idea can come at any time, and one usually creates another or more. Once the ‘scene’ is set in my mind, it flows onto the ‘paper’, so to speak.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
While doing my BA and MA, I studied British and American literature, as well as the classics, way back to the Greeks and the Bible. I have a soft spot for anything Aldous Huxley, Douglas Adams and John Milton. However, both TV and film have their influence on me, too, as any of my readers can tell you.

What are you working on now?
At the moment, I’ve just finished working on an anthology of short stories called ‘Worth 1,000 Words’, the fourth collaboration of 100+ authors, and I am thinking about writing a spin-off of my new successful sci-fi book series.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
The best method would be an email list, if I had one, though with the help of some acquaintances’ email lists, I was able to use this method to gain some success. I also have a blog which has a regular readership, and I use both Facebook and Twitter to announce any news.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write. then write some more. I read the beginning of a new ‘wanna-be’ author’s manuscript the other day, and it was awful: POV was everywhere, tenses, thought, dialogue, imagery all bad, but saying that, there was a story. Once you have a story, everything else can be learnt and worked out.
Also, create a readership before you finish your first book… yes, it sounds crazy, but get an email list as soon as possible, collect those who wish to read your books.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
As I said above, “Write, then write some more.”

What are you reading now?
I’m reading ‘Studies in Shakespeare’ (Oxford Paperbacks 1964). I love to get into the nitty gritty of 17th/18th century literature.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Promoting my ‘Humanity H2O’ sci-fi series and trying to increase its readership, on all four books. And writing that spin-off.

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?
Complete Works of John Milton, Shakespeare, Oscar Wilde, and Aldous Huxley’s ‘Crome Yellow’.

Author Websites and Profiles
Dani J. Caile Website
Dani J. Caile Amazon Profile
Dani J. Caile Author Profile on Smashwords

Dani J. Caile’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Lynn Wallace 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I actually graduated from Baylor University with a bachelor of science in nursing. I currently work part-time as a registered nurse in surgery. Between working and watching my son, I don’t have as much time to write as I would prefer, but it’s still my passion and one of my absolute favorite things to do! I’ve published two books so far, with a third that is written and in the editing stage, and a fourth that needs to be both typed and edited.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
In order to talk about the most recent book, I’ll have to start from the beginning! I write what I call “YA paranormal romance with a Christian twist.” My first book, “The Heart of Everything,” took almost ten years from initial idea to publication to create – it’s a YA paranormal romance where an ordinary young woman, Emer, discovers her own magical past and must choose between her two former lovers – a vampire (Alex) and a half-devil (Jesse)– one of whom is convinced she is the key to the salvation of his soul. And my latest book, “The Supernatural Reasons Why I Love You,” is a collection of paranormal romance short stories, with almost half the collection being “origin stories” that go into the background of characters you meet in the first book (mostly it follows Jesse and Alex, but it also sheds light on the “priestess” that Emer is reincarnated from). The only “inspiration” that I have for my books is my overactive imagination: these stories are literally daydreams that I’ve written down and strung together to make a cohesive plotline!

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t know that my writing habits are particularly “unusual,” but a large part of my writing process involves sticky notes. Whenever I have an idea for a scene or snippet of dialogue, I jot it down on a sticky note. Then, when I actually start putting the novel together, I take the gigantic pile of sticky notes that I’ve accumulated, put them in order, and voila! The book practically writes itself!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I don’t know that there are specific authors that inspire my writings… the intimate first-person perspective of “Twilight” and Rick Riordan’s books are similar to my style though, and I admit to using vampires in my books because of “Twilight!” But I would definitely say my faith is one of the many places where I find inspiration for what I write.

What are you working on now?
I’m currently typing up a handwritten manuscript that has literally lain dormant for the past decade! (I’ve had subconscious fears of my house catching fire and the *only* draft of this book going up in flames, so I’m finally doing something about it!) It’s the first book of what will be my Elven Trilogy, and it connects to both of my previously published books. I’m also in the beta reading stage of my third novel (which is actually the sequel to the first book).

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I don’t have a “best” method or website for book promotion, because I’m honestly still not very good at promoting my books at all! I do think social media platforms (FB, Twitter, Instagram, etc.) are great for book promotion, because you can reach a lot of people and it’s all free. I also think Goodreads is a great place to connect with readers, because it’s a community designed around the love of reading!

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write. Then write some more. Then go back, and keep writing! Practice makes perfect and never give up, because that’s how books are created: one page at a time.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
One of my author friends in the Coast Writers group told me, “You can’t edit a blank page” and it’s absolutely true! You can’t make improvements to your writing until you actually have something written!

What are you reading now?
I’m almost finished with C.S. Lewis’ space trilogy (“Out of the Silent Planet,” “Perelandra,” and “That Hideous Strength”), and after that I’m planning to dive into Lauren Kate’s “Fallen” series!

What’s next for you as a writer?
I really think I want to take the step from using a self-publishing service to doing it all myself. I know it will take a lot of work to learn how to format books correctly and design covers, but between the tools and programs available today (plus a lot of help from my tech-savvy husband!), I think I can do it!

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Probably the “Twilight” series or the “Lunar Chronicles”… either one of those would keep me distracted enough not to care about being stranded on a desert island! XD

Author Websites and Profiles
Lynn Wallace Website
Lynn Wallace Amazon Profile

Lynn Wallace’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Trey Jones 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I currently live and write in Brooklyn, NY. So far I have three books that cover education and nature through children’s picture books (more to come!). The rest of my time is spent cooking in my apartment and adventuring anywhere on the East Coast that has dirt.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest title is “What Professor Kib Wants You To Know About Germs”. Unfortunately, the inspiration was Covid-19. I wanted to create a book that would help — and not scare — kids learn about germs. I’m into honest education for young ones and it felt important to help include them in our current world.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I like to handwrite everything before I type. I’m not sure how unusual that is but it certainly feels unnecessary at times.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Oh gosh — the list is long. This year I was influenced by Neil Gaiman’s books for young readers. I’m working on some middle-grade fiction and his writing has really helped me.

What are you working on now?
I’m wrapping up the second draft of a middle-grade horror chapter book. I’m cautiously excited about how it is going.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I don’t know that I’ve found an answer to what website is best for promoting books. Social media does tend to work well, but promoting is an ongoing exploration.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
As a new author myself, I don’t claim to have any advice yet!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
As soon as you finish one book, start the next one.

What are you reading now?
Elena Ferrante’s Neapolitan Novels.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I have the middle-grade chapter book that I am excited to get out into the world. I’m also beginning the next Professor Kib books and I have another picture book that is totally done and just waiting in the wings.

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?
One Hundred Years of Solitude, The Lord of The Rings (single volume), and Mary Oliver’s Devotions.

Author Websites and Profiles
Trey Jones Website
Trey Jones Amazon Profil

Lawrence Mclendon 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve written about six books all about the use and missus of the power of thought

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The power from beyond is my latest book I wanted to emphasize what would happen if you instantly get what you thought about good or bad

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I focus on just writing an hour a day one hour a day equals to 5 hours of writing then I edit as I write

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Napoleon Hill is my greatest influence

What are you working on now?
I’m working on two feature films for Amazon right now

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I would say social media

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Whatever you thinking about write it down

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
You quit at what you’re trying to get you have a zero percent chance at reaching your goals

What are you reading now?
A script lol

What’s next for you as a writer?
So after the films come out I am going to write a book on the films

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?
Napoleon Hill success through a positive mental attitude outwitting the devil and a book about everything survival

Author Websites and Profiles
Lawrence Mclendon Website
Lawrence Mclendon Amazon Profile

Nico Pengin 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Up and coming author, currently I have two books under my belt, but short stories nonetheless.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Batey Ascending. Heavily inspired by my heritage, the Taino people of the Caribbean. After the massive protests, I learned the history of what transpired in my country, Dominican Republic and put my creative juices to work. I liked the sport they had and thought a spin to it, mixing it up with some of my favorite pieces of work and creating a unique story never heard of before would be kind of cool.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Yeah, I just stare at the screen until words appear. Is what I wish I could say. I simply wait until I get inspiration sitting in front of my keyboard. Once inspiration comes I do not stop.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Brian Jacques. His series of Redwall has been instrumental in my life.

What are you working on now?
I am currently working on the sequel to Batey Ascending, titled, Batey Descending.

 

Author Websites and Profiles
Nico Pengin Website
Nico Pengin Amazon Profile
Nico Pengin Author Profile on Smashwords

Nico Pengin’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

sai phani 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My name is sai phani and I am from India. I recently started writing books. I love writing a good story that has all kinds of emotions and like Happiness and sadness and relations like love, friendship and parent’s love.

All my stories going to the science fantasy genre but I believe a good book can send a good message after all a good book can be your friend.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Title: Powers of the universe
Inspiration:
When I was studying in a school. My class teacher told us something that always played
important role in my mind. I don’t know whether it is part of the class or not but it is with me till now.

“Question everything” When people say something to you. No matter who they are, you don’t need to believe it. You need to question it. That is how I started questioning myself “How this universe created”.

Trust me, I asked everyone and searched everywhere but I was not satisfied. So I decided to create my own universe. That is how my baby book was born.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
The core of the story will be always something related to science and fantasy but I always include one or more strong subplot In other genres like romance, horror….etc

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I love George R. R. Martin “game of thrones”. I want to write stories that people want to live in.

What are you working on now?
I already have an idea for my next book. It is going to be a great science-fantasy concept with an epic life-changing love story.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I use kindle unlimited and I also have a list of websites I use for all my books.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Keep trying

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

What are you reading now?
My own book again and again

What’s next for you as a writer?
I want to tell some good stories that people want to live in.

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)Survival – It is an importing since we are going to live on a desert island
2)Engineering – It is very important to build stuff.
3)Morals – Morals are very important
4)Fantasy – To improve imagination skills

Author Websites and Profiles
sai phani Website
sai phani Amazon Profile

sai phani’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Clint Lowe 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My name is Clint Lowe, and I live by the beach in Byron Bay, Australia. I have released a Sci-Fi Thriller novella trilogy, and have four or five novels I am still holding back. my stories tend to be about characters facing great odds to meet some goal, and tend to have a touch of fantasy or sci-fi.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Final Fight, the conclusion to my novella series.

I wanted to write a tale about a young girl with a harsh upbringing, but who was willing to fight to change her life.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
It’s all unusual.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Victor Hugo and Les Misreables. The boss, Stephen King. George Martin and Brandon Sanderson. Many others.

What are you working on now?
A tale in Sigtuna, Sweden, mid 1800s.

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

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Listen to Stephen King: read and write.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
In writing: write from the depths of your soul.

In life: most things from the Rocky movies.

What are you reading now?
Musashi.

What’s next for you as a writer?
The next novel. Contemplating an epic.

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 unreleased epic trilogy. I could keep working it.

Author Websites and Profiles
Clint Lowe Website
Clint Lowe Amazon Profile

 

Waldo Rodriguez 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m an American author from Puerto Rico with a love of fiction books, video games, and action-packed stories. Particularly, I’m a big fan of military sci-fi and cyberpunk, more so if they manage to work in a magic system that can go toe to toe with the sci-fi tech!

As for my writing career, I’ve been writing for years, since I was in middle school. Loved telling stories but I never thought anything serious about it. My goal out of high school was to go for Game Design in the hopes of getting to create worlds and bring them to life. My first job in the indie dev part of the industry ended up with me doing a lot of world crafting, writing short stories, and the overall narrative of the game so I decided to take writing seriously!

Twenty drafts later, learning what I was doing, and I’ve finally got my first book coming out on January 31st, 2021! Got a short story to go with it too but as of writing this, I’m waiting on the cover to release it. They’re great, action-packed stories and I can’t wait to get them in people’s hands.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Reclaimer: The Crucible

Funny story as to how I ended up writing this. You see, I originally set off to write a book after an apocalypse with characters from the prior world exploring the ruins of the old. But I wanted to explain how we ended up where we were. So! What was supposed to be a quick flashback blew up in scope to, originally, its own book, that after feedback has become the initial arc of the series.

Current events and future trends were the big things that inspired this story, along with my love for all things tech and militar. So I cranked up everything to eleven, broke off the knob, and set about writing the Legacy of a Dying World series.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m not entirely sure how unusual this is but I layout timelines of my story with a small mountain of sticky notes on the wall. Recently though, I’ve been switching to software to do this because it looks just a tiny bit crazy and people can mess with the outline. It has definitely started saving me time in writing and clean up!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Robert Heinlein, George R.R. Martin, Frank Herbert, Tolkein, and a lot of different books in the Halo and Warhammer 40k universe. There are just too many different authors and titles to list there.

What are you working on now?
Currently working on the sequel to The Crucible. The working title is Vanguard and things get worse for Gabriel and the rest of the 42nd Company.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m actively in the process of figuring that out! I’m hoping the Awesome Gang is in my top ten.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Embrace the suck.

Starting to write, making it to the end of the story, then editing? All of it’s hard and many authors feel like they’re not good enough. But keep going, keep polishing, find out where you have made missteps, measure what’s measurable, and keep improving your work.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Well, I just laid it out with embracing the suck but here’s another one!

Get your work in the hands of strangers as soon as it’s done. Even if it’s the roughest first draft in the world, they’ll be able to tell you where your story is working and where it isn’t. I don’t recommend family or friends because, in my experience, they tend to sugarcoat or avoid the truth.

What are you reading now?
Currently working my way through the Galaxy’s Edge series. I’m on Galactic Outlaws right now. Definitely, an easy recommendation if you like action-packed stories.

What’s next for you as a writer?
My plan is to finish the first arc of the Legacy of a Dying World series by years end and get started on the second one ASAP. You know, what I originally set off to write. Of course, I’ll be taking in the feedback of my readers and might start up some spin-offs ahead of schedule if they ask for them!

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Starship Troopers, Dune, Shadow of The Conqueror, and Cain’s Last Stand

Author Websites and Profiles
Waldo Rodriguez Website

Waldo Rodriguez’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Millie Stansell 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am Millie. I grew up in Colorado and lived as a free spirit and was creative as I could have been as a child. I have 2 children and a loving husband. We have written and illustrated one book together.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Our newest book is “If Animals Could Pray… What Would They Say?” It is a simple story about a few animals praying in fun and exciting ways. We were inspired by our two boys and we desired to be able to work from home and also to help them and other children understand how easy it is to pray and how those prayers are answered. Sometimes with peace, sometimes with a twist, sometimes with no, and sometimes with an exciting yes!!!

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write with a candle on hand.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The Bible, different black businesses in general, God, and our children.

What are you working on now?
We are trying to decide one a couple of ideas at the moment, we have thrown around the idea of doing a superhero type children’s book to be vague and also thought of a humorous story about a father.

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

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I say keep going no matter what obstacles come your way because they will and you need the courage to keep moving forward no matter what it looks like.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Never stop believing … “Polar Express”

What are you reading now?
The Bible

What’s next for you as a writer?
We are working hard to promote our newest book so we can hopefully work from home!

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
Jungle Book
Harry Potter
Lord of the Rings

Author Websites and Profiles
Millie Stansell Website
Millie Stansell Amazon Profile

Millie Stansell’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

Calvin Mitchell 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m an Author, Musician, Composer and IT Consultant with 25 years of experience in Information Technology, 26 years of experience in Music and 35 years of experience with Jesus Christ.
Investing 35 years in the research, study, teaching and preaching of the Holy Scriptures, my wife Sondra and I exposit Divine Truth to audiences crossing both denominational and nondenominational boundaries. I seek to bring fresh light to the foundational doctrines of the Christian Faith and I have a testimony that exalts the Person and Divinity of Jesus Christ.
I live with my wife in Gaston County, NC.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book, Immunity to the Lake of Fire: A No-Nonsense Guide, was written as a part of a continuous historical effort since the time of the apostles to both define The Gospel of Jesus Christ for modern minds as well as ensure that its priceless message stands true and pristine against the ongoing tide of misunderstanding that every generation in the last two thousand years has faced when dealing with God and the Holy Bible.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Because of the topic I write on (Biblical Faith) a lot of the work has been done for me; that is to say that Eternal Truth doesn’t change, but is continually being discovered (and assaulted) by each successive generation. When I decide to write a book, I’m inspired by a need to address misunderstanding and misinformation about a particular Biblical Truth. Once the Biblical Truth is identified, an outline of the book is drafted and filled in. Like so many before me I’ve had a personal encounter with The Lord Jesus Christ that drives me to tell others about Him.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Ah…what a wonderful question! There are many post-Biblical writers that have fueled my appetite for truth and knowledge…Augustine of Hippo, Catherine of Sienna, Paul Bunyan, George MacDonald and, of course, C.S. Lewis.
Secular authors that have had a profound influence on me include Trevanian, Asimov, Herbert and Robert A. Johnson (a brilliant Jungian analyst who wrote an illuminating book about feminine psychology).

What are you working on now?
Most of my time is occupied with promoting my current release (Immunity). I believe the next step, however, is to go back to a book I wrote on predestination (Once Saved, Always Saved: The Assurance of Our Father’s LOVE), make a few revisions and re-release the book. Over time as a writer you learn things you didn’t know before as well as learn how to communicate ideas in a better way.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I must confess that, after writing eight books, that I am a complete novice when it comes to book promotion and marketing. My shift in mindset came when Amazon Kindle offered to make paperbacks of my Kindle eBooks for customers on demand. I decided that if Amazon was willing to save me a ton of money in producing paperbacks, I was willing to to begin actively marketing my work. Awesome Gang was the first site I came across with a process that made sense…and I’m glad to be a part of what you’re doing both for readers and authors.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Be more social. Join some kind of author’s guild or forum, both online and in person. Learn how to speak to people and join one of the many speakers organizations. Every author is a creation of God and, either directly or indirectly, has something to say about Him Who is the Fountain, Destination. and Purpose of all things.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“Hear, oh Israel: The Lord our GOD, the Lord is One; and you shall love The Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul and all your strength!”

What are you reading now?
Anything I can grab that will teach me how to better market my faith, my books and my self.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m still working a secular job, and will probably do so for the next 10 years or more. During that time, as I get closer to retirement, I’m seeking to lay the foundation for a public speaking career to coincide with my writing. As well as continuing to write on the Christian Faith as I see the need, I’ll probably go back over my seven previous works to make them better; modern technology makes this very easy to do.

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 Holy Bible in Young’s Literal Translation, the works of Paul Bunyan (a prolific writer) and George MacDonald. I would also include the complete Destroyer novel series by Warren Murphy and Richard Saphir as well as the Hitchhiker’s Guide series by Doug Adams…both of these masterpieces are HILARIOUS and full of wisdom!

Author Websites and Profiles
Calvin Mitchell Website
Calvin Mitchell Amazon Profile
Calvin Mitchell Author Profile on Smashwords

Calvin Mitchell’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Gideon E. Wood 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I write what I call “gay fantasy epics” because I consider them to be, first and foremost, gay fiction. The settings, the magic, the fantasy, are all backdrops for queer stories. My first book, the opener of a trilogy, is set to release in a month or so. The second of three is drafted and in editing. The third is outlined, as are my next few standalones.

I’m a person in long-term addiction recovery, so you can always expect to see that represented somewhere in my work, even if it’s camouflaged. I’m not a cat person, but I have a cat. I’d throw myself in front of a train for him.

I don’t have a ton of spare time because when I’m not working, I’m writing, but I do try to make time to get a woodsy hike in.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
THE STAGSBLOOD PRINCE has its roots in my own personal addiction story–and in insomnia. Over the years, I’ve found some tricks to nudge me toward sleep. Different forms of self-storytelling are among my favorites.

Spoiled, alcoholic, oversexed Prince Tel, the main character, kept showing up in those bedtime stories. My subconscious showed me what trouble he might find himself in–and how he might be changed by that trouble. In that gauzy boundary between wakefulness and sleep, magic can happen, especially when you have magical characters.

Those trippy borderlands have yielded tons of ideas for future stories, too.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
We’re all weirdos, aren’t we? So, probably nothing that would blow your mind. My writing space might be a little different than most.

I write from the couch. I run a cheap little nettop mini-computer through my giant television. I plop a wireless keyboard and mouse on this nifty foldaway tray table and sit comfortably behind that and type.

I’m not a wordcount guy. When I’m composing a piece, large or small, I work daily (minimum of one hour on a crunched day, but usually several hours) until I have a draft. I don’t allow myself days off when I’m first getting something out of my system.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
This is a whole can of worms. I’ll just name the first few that pop into my head.

I always enjoyed reading as a kid, but when I discovered Douglas Adams and the HITCHHIKER’S GUIDE books, my brain split open. Just the crisp, cockeyed wit, you know? I was like, “Ohhh. We can be funny. Not just amusing, but howlingly funny.” I got to Oscar Wilde through Adams.

John Gardiner’s GRENDEL scrambled my brain, too. I think I’ve filched some of the technique that makes that book such a treat.

My Mom gave me Piers Paul Read’s ALIVE when I was a teenager because I did not know the story. It’s mostly a just-the-facts-ma’am retelling, but he manages to give some truly soulful, bittersweet passages, too. There’s plenty of useful stuff in survivalist lit for a fantasy writer.

THE GRAPES OF WRATH is my favorite novel. It is perfect. It caused in me, the first time I read it, a shift in personality.

The queer kid in me felt seen by Mercedes Lackey’s fantasies. No hyperbole: a lifesaver.

I said a few, didn’t I? A more recent one to close:

Kai Ashante Wilson’s THE SORCERER OF THE WILDEEPS melted my damn brain. So good that it made me angry. It made me want to give up writing…until it made me want to keep writing.

What are you working on now?
The bulk of these next few weeks will be spent trying (begging, pleading, threatening?) to try to get eyeballs on my debut, THE STAGSBLOOD PRINCE.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
As this is my first go, I’m experimenting. I’m trying small investments of time, energy, and money in a lot of different places and trying to track results. I’ll get back to you?

I’m fairly happy with my efforts on Twitter, as far as just beginning to build a tiny audience and a mailing list. (Free prequel story, 12,000 words, with sign-up. *Ahem*.)

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I am a new author. I’d better not offer any advice. I’d look like a jerk.

Okay, okay. Fine. One little thing: Put an aspiration in one hand. Put nothing in the other. Now, take a look at your hands. Compare. Contrast.

One is either writing or not writing.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Hands down: “What other people think of you is none of your business.” I even follow it sometimes!

What are you reading now?
I’ve just started Simon Mawer’s THE GLASS ROOM. It’s historical fiction (Europe, 1920s-WWII). I don’t read a ton like it, but it comes highly recommended and seems like it might get a bit heavy, which I love.

I’ve a little bit left to go in THE WATER DANCER by Ta-Nehisi Coates. It’s gorgeous, and I’m dragging it out because I don’t want it to end.

I’m halfway through LESSER KNOWN MONSTERS, an indie dark fantasy with queer characters by Rory Michaelson. It’s spooky and cute so far.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Once I’ve gotten THE STAGSBLOOD PRINCE out, I’ll move to revisions for the sequel, THE STAGSBLOOD KING, which I’ll have out in October 2021. I’ll draft the third, THE STAGSBLOOD BROTHER, on and off during that period. It’s due for June 2022.

When the trilogy’s in the bag, I’ve got a very dark standalone fantasy planned. After that, I’ll be on to a queer fairy tale.

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?
Sheesh. Sophie’s Choice much?

THE MORE THAN COMPLETE HITCHHIKER’S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY
THE LAST HERALD-MAGE TRILOGY (I’ll duct tape them into one volume!)
FEAR AND LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS
THE GRAPES OF WRATH

Author Websites and Profiles
Gideon E. Wood Website
Gideon E. Wood Amazon Profile

Gideon E. Wood’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Twitter Account

Anita Mishra 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
In short: I’m an author, an engineer, a teacher, a baker, and a homeschooling mom of two amazing children.
Long Answer: I’m Anita: a middle-grade write.
I grew up reading books, loving books, and mostly living in the books, and whenever I came out of them, I spent my time daydreaming, making up stories, and sharing them with my family and friends. As a young girl, I loved mysteries, and especially the Nancy Drew series. I read Nancy Drew books to bed and often slept reading them.
I still enjoy a great mystery book in which you could connect with the story’s characters and solve the mysteries with them. I love riddles and poems too. Many a time, I make up funny rhymes and poems for my children and make them laugh.
I worked for a software company for four years and then moved on to teach in a school as I enjoy spending time with the children.
I love to bake and also earned the Blue-Ribbon-Baker Award in the year 2019.
Currently, I’m living with my husband and two children in El Paso, Texas. El Paso is beautiful, hot, hot, and mostly hot. What best can you do on a hot summer day in a place like El Paso, other than writing a great story and escaping into a different world altogether? Well, the days at El Paso remain warm most of the year, so it’s always a great time to escape into the world of stories.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book that’s recently published is Ethan Murphy and the Quest for the Minal.
It is the first book of the ETHAN MURPHY series.
I started writing this book when my children wanted me to write a story with riddles and codes. They wanted to share the journey with the characters and solve the mystery themselves. They loved the story and wanted more. So, I went on to write the next book.
Basically, this series is a fun-filled story that my family love, and I hope your little adventurer will enjoy it too.
Well, that’s the story of my debut novel.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t think I’ve any unusual writing habits, but just one funny thing I would like to share is that I have got a writer’s brain. And that brain keeps writing scenes, even when I’m not at my desk. It has happened a few times that I’ve to stop in the middle of the shopping and take down notes on my mobile. So that I can write them down when I reach home.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I enjoy reading mystery books, and when I was in grade school, I was very much hooked on Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys. Even now, I enjoy a great mystery.
Currently, I also love books written by Trenton Lee Stewart and Jessica Renwick.

What are you working on now?
Right now, I’m editing the second book of the Ethan Murphy series. At the same time, I’m writing the third one. I know how the middle-graders love to read the next book of the series they enjoy. So I don’t want to disappoint them, and I plan to release the second book in the summer of 2021 and the third soon after.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m very new to marketing and promoting books. However, I’ve created an Author’s Facebook page to connect with my readers. I’m so glad to share with you that I’ve received a great response from friends and family. And I plan to share posts related to my upcoming books and release on Facebook. I’m pretty new to Twitter and Instagram, but I plan to share updates there as well.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I’m pretty new to the book publishing industry, but not new to writing.
I’ve only one piece of advice for the new author: write, write, write, and for a change, write some more.
Writing every day can help you improve your writing and storytelling skills.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
In my life, I’ve received the advice is to never give up. I’ve taken it pretty much seriously.
Anything you put your heart into, you can achieve that, and all you have to do is never give up and keep trying. If you aspire to become an author, write a lot, and never give up.
Well, it holds true for every field of life.

What are you reading now?
I love mysteries or anything mysterious. No wonder my favorite middle-grade book is Mysterious Benedict Society.
But currently, I’m reading an adult fiction by Sandra Brown: Envy.
And also, a middle-grade fiction by Jessica Renwick: The Haunting of Lavender Raine.
I sometimes read more than two books at a time, but right now, it’s just two.
Did I tell you I also love to read anything written by Julie Klassen? Her books are sweet and engaging. I have one of her books on the shelf to read next.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Soon after the release of the Ethan Murphy series, you can expect to read a middle-grade sci-fi fiction with time-travel since I’ve completed the first draft of the book already.
Even though I enjoy writing middle-grade, I plan to write a series for elementary children.
And as much as I love to write adventure, I plan to write contemporary fiction for middle-graders.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
I think by now you must know the answer to that question: any mystery book, middle-grade fiction, or books written by Julie Klassen.
But I’m going to throw in a surprise here. I’ve read Nightingale by Kristin Hannah more than once, and I would love to take that book with me to the desert island.
Well, can I pack some food as well? I love sandwiches and nuts.

Author Websites and Profiles
Anita Mishra Website
Anita Mishra Amazon Profile

Anita Mishra’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

John & Judy OLeary 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
John is a business owner and Judy is into health and fitness. Both of us love Jesus and we are on a mission to equip the body of Christ for the great end time wealth transfer. This is our second book.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Our book is called Financial Success God’s Way, Millionaire Secrets to Overflowing Wealth. We believe we have a message that is right on time for the people of God.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
We started writing this book on December 1, and on December 24 it was written, edited, formatted, and published on Amazon.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Donna Partow The Special Blessings Prayer,
Dave Williams Radical Riches
Cheryl Salem, Distractions From Destiny
Leroy Thompson, Money Cometh

What are you working on now?
An Upward Sowing Success Journal.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
We are kind of new at this…

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t procrastinate! Writing does not have to take long if the Lord is in it. Commit to your process. Get a mentor; we hired Donna Partow and it was life changing for us. She took the guesswork out of the process.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
When you have a need, sow a seed.

What are you reading now?
The Bible, every day.
God Confidence by Donna Partow

What’s next for you as a writer?
Two more books; one on health and one on relationships.

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

100 Deadly Skills: Survival Edition: The SEAL Operative’s Guide to Surviving in the Wild and Being Pr Bradford Angier
How to Stay Alive in the Woods: A Complete Guide to Food, Shelter and Self-Preservation Anywhere Bradford Angier

How to Stay Alive in the Woods: A Complete Guide to Food, Shelter and Self-Preservation Anywhere or Any Disaster

Author Websites and Profiles
John & Judy OLeary Website
John & Judy OLeary Amazon Profile

John & Judy OLeary’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Pinterest Account

Daniel Boyd 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve spent most of my life trying to do good works and make a living at it. I spent a long time as a police officer, back when we were supposed to risk our own lives instead of shooting first. Or as my training officer put it, “You could be replaced by a speed bump, and outside of the improvement, nobody’d know the difference.”

I must have been good at it, because they kept promoting me, but after 25 years I got out and changed course radically; I got a job with the Red Cross, taking elderly and disabled persons to medical appointments. I learned a lot about cancer, diabetes, stroke, and other nasty things, and I’ve always felt lucky to learn it second-hand.

I was also lucky to meet a wonderful woman and be with her when she passed, after 40 years of marriage. Good marriages don’t make good stories, so I don’t write about her, but I could fill volumes….

Somewhere along the line I managed to sell three books and write two others that were rejected by every publisher and agent in the Free World.

‘NADA (Casperian, 2010) is a tale of high adventure, with Shotguns, buried treasure, Nazis and a Mexican posse. It was a finalist for the Spur award even though it isn’t a Western.
EASY DEATH (Hard Case Crime, 2014) is a heist story set in the 1950s, with a likeable pair of armed robbers up against a blizzard and a sharp Forest Ranger.
And….

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
THE DEVIL & STREAK WILSON is the tale of a cowboy in his teens who makes a deal with the Devil and has to grow up with the consequences. It’s based on an old folk story that was re-told by Hoffmann and Poe, but once I started writing about Satan he refused to act like any other Devil in literature. If you know a young person who seems confused, in need of guidance, and you think Devil Worship might be the answer, get them a copy of this book. Their parents will never forget you for it.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
That’s between me and my Shrink.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Oh Lord, where to start? As a child I read above my age level, so in recent years I’ve had to go back to books like TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, CRIME AND PUNISHMENT, and LORD JIM to get the deeper meaning behind the stories I enjoyed back then. I also seem to spend a lot of time reading cheap paperbacks and books about HAMLET.

What are you working on now?
Just finished another Streak Wilson story, and working on a mystery that unravels over the course of a single night.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Mostly I stand on freeway ramps with copies of my books and a cardboard sign.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Well my first thought is “Do something else. I don’t need the competition.” But then I recall Somerset Maugham wrote something that I mis-remember as,
“When you’re thrown in the water you swim. You don’t ask yourself if you’re a good swimmer or a bad swimmer. You swim because you have to.”
Writing is like that.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“It’s easier to fool someone than to convince someone he has been fooled.”
Mark Twain’s comment seems especially fitting right now.

What are you reading now?
MY OWN MURDERER a British mystery from 1940 by Richard Hull

What’s next for you as a writer?
These days it doesn’t pay to look too far into the future.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
There’s a big volume of English & American Poetry I forget the name of, the letters of Raymond Chandler… and hey, on a related topic, I can’t figure out why anyone on his deathbed would read the Bible. Seems to me you’ll get plenty of that stuff in Heaven. Lots of Christians up there, they tell me, and most of them fairly religious. No, I want to be reading something a bit more iconoclastic when I head off to wherever.

Author Websites and Profiles
Daniel Boyd Amazon Profile

 

Eric (E.E.) Theissen 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Former geologist and software engineer. This is my first book, initially written many years ago. Finally prepared it for publishing and listed it in Amazon in 2020.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
“The Log of the Desert Lake” It chronicles a ten day sojourn on Lake Powell in a kayak. It was something I was inspired to do in my youth, and finally got around to doing it in my late thirties, when time and budget and other considerations allowed.

Really three tomes in one: a chronicling of the experience, a memoir of personal events and experiences, and a somehat scholastic treatise on the lake itself, delving into the historical, geological, ecological, and political circumstances of its genesis.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I like hanging out in a back table in restaurants with a laptop. I’ve closed down my local Denny’s more than once, typing away furiously.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
When I was young, I read a *lot* of scifi. Tops on the list were Heinlein and Asimov. But, I think Heinlein was the most influential in terms of writing style.

Later, the classic American authors – notably Steinbeck, Hemingway, Conrad. I embarked on a program of reading all the things I was supposed to read in school.

I really like stories where people discover something about themselves, or grow from an experience. One of my favorite movies in that regard is “The Razor’s Edge”.

What are you working on now?
Mainly getting my website and blog together. I have plans for at least a couple more books. Not sure beyond that.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m still working on that, since this is my first book.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Again, I’m a first author, so, I’m still working out the details.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Write about something you know, but write.

What are you reading now?
A collection of H.G. Wells stories. We know his popular works, “The Time Machine”, “The Island of Dr. Moreau”, and “The Invisible Man”, but he was a very prolific author and wrote many short stories and essays on just about everything and anything.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I spent three months in India (Delhi), initially for some medical procedures but also renting an apartment and immersing in the culture. From there I explored Srinigar and Rajastan. It will yield two books: one on the “medical tourism” experience, and the other a photographic and prose treatise on those regions.

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, gosh. Probably first would be Heinlein’s “Beyond This Horizon”, which I’ve read several times. Other than that, some classics that I want to catch up on. Conrad is an interesting writer – anything by him that I haven’t yet read.

Author Websites and Profiles
Eric (E.E.) Theissen Website

Eric (E.E.) Theissen’s Social Media Links
Twitter Account

Bryan Peterson 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a construction science Nerd. This is my first book.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
GROUND ZERO
Abandoned Homes: A Legacy of Equity & Wealth Degradation

This book was created from my thesis for my master degree. It is real estate theory.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write non stop. Deep work.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
CS LEWIS

What are you working on now?
Revisions to the first book with added content.

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

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Nope. I an new too.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Hit it fast Hit it hard Give yourself time to think

What are you reading now?
The Bible

What’s next for you as a writer?
A deeper dive into abandonment of homes and its effect on neighborhood economics

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
First edition Alice in Wonderland through the looking glass
First edition Wizard of Oz
The old Man and the Sea
Pilgrim’s Progress

 

Sarah W. Sparx 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m fascinated by how things long past can still impinge on the living. Old places, lost secrets, family history: these elements infuse my writing. I sense it’s due to my being adopted and not meeting a blood relative till my mid-twenties.

My love of writing stories emerged in primary school, and when I eventually learned that my by-blood uncle and great grandfather had been the storytellers in their village up in the mountains of norther Greece, it made perfect sense.

I grew up in the Far East, UK and southern France but now live in a very young country – New Zealand – with my husband and two adult children.

I’ve published two books so far, and have another 2.5 ‘practice’ ones sitting on my hard drive.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is “The Lascote Legacy”. It’s set in the deep south of France and is the second in my series “Echoes of the Cathars”. I describe the series as modern romantic suspense with strong Gothic overtones. That means a lonely heroine, a hard-to-trust hero, a spooky house, wild scenery, and secrets – loads of secrets! – dating back hundreds of years.

The trigger for the series was a trip to an almost perfectly preserved medieval hilltop town in southern France, called Cordes-sur-Ciel. It was the most romantic place I’d ever seen, with fine views and warm sun on old stones. I thought it would be the ideal setting for a romance novel…and then I started noticing the many strange carvings and peculiar street names. Intrigued, I read up on its history and discovered it had been built as a refuge in the thirteenth century for a persecuted group of Christians called the Cathars. My first book, “The House on Rue Obscure” is set in Cordes, with the long-lost Cathar treasure (mythical? who knows) woven into its plot.

“The Lascote Legacy” continues the theme but is set further south in the wild landscape of the Montagne Noire, the Black Mountain. Think of Jane Eyre set in Wuthering Heights country, and brought up to date.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
None at all, but I wish I had better habits of output and diligence!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I adore Mary Stewart. Wikipedia describes her as ‘a British novelist who developed the romantic mystery genre, featuring smart, adventurous heroines who could hold their own in dangerous situations.’ What really distiguishes her, for me, are her evocative descriptions of foreign countries. I dragged my new husband on a trip to the island of Crete, entirely on the basis of Mary Stewart’s lyrical descriptions of lemon groves, white mountainsides, deep ravines and egrets.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on the third book in my “Echoes of the Cathars” series. It’s set in 2017, even deeper into the south of France than the other two, and features the daughter of the hero of the first book. I’m also drafting a prequel novella to explore one of the main characters in the first book more deeply.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I take a portfolio approach – a mix of paid and free sites – and I have never tested them separately. I’m always reading up on what other people say has worked for them, and adjusting my mix accordingly. As I gain a little experience, I’m adding more paid sites.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write, Publish, Repeat (hat tip to Self Publishing Podcast trio)
You can’t expect lightning to strike, alas, so your best bet is to focus on what you can control. And the key things you control are your output and your cover.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Be like William Faulkner who only wrote when inspiration struck. He added, “Fortunately it strikes at nine every morning.”

What are you reading now?
Genealogical mysteries! I’ve been getting through series offered by Wendy Percival, MJ Lee, Nathaniel Dylan Goodwin, Steve Robinson, and Peter Hey.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m pondering a new series starring a genealogist who gets caught up in unusual cases for difficult clients.

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 one I’d take to a desert island is “Monsignor Quixote’ by Graham Greene. It was his final book, and is full of wisdom, gentle wit, friendship, and roadside picnics of bread and Manchega cheese, washed down with red wine.

Author Websites and Profiles
Sarah W. Sparx Website
Sarah W. Sparx Amazon Profile

Sarah W. Sparx’s Social Media Links
Twitter Account

Martin Hilyard 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a first time author living in Liverpool, England. I have written three books of historical fiction set in the Age of Sail in an imagined world in which the Catholic Church continues to dominate Europe. It is a world of war, treachery and intrigue where England, France & Spain struggle for dominance. The central character is a young naval officer ‘on the make’ who gets drawn into the ruthless world of spying and intelligence. Pretenders War in set in the Caribbean and the Americas in 1782 where Randall Chastain endures siege, naval encounters, murder and betrayal. Succession is set partly in Germany where Randall must save the life of a pretender to the English throne and also in the Mediterranean where he must survive mutiny and enslavement by Barbary corsairs.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The third and latest book, The Sardinian Prince, will soon be out on Kindle. In our world, the Stuart pretenders (descendants of James II, overthrown as King of England in 1688) gradually died out but left behind a claimant to the throne, Charles Emmanuel of Savoy. What plots and intrigues might arise to put him on the throne for real, fundamentally altering the balance of power in a world at war?

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not really, I write quickly and fluidly and let my imagination and writer’s instincts direct the words and plotlines. After that comes the long slog refining and reordering the work

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Patrick O’Brian, the author of the ‘Master & Commander’ series but also Gore Vidal, his ‘American Chronicles’ (Burr, Lincoln, 1876 and Empire). But I also like a lot of fantasy and science fiction (I am a huge Philip K Dick admirer), especially where history has been skewed somehow

What are you working on now?
I’m just finalising The Sardinian Prince but thinking of a series of books set in the American Civil War on the Mississippi and Tennesse Rivers, all plantations river wars and smuggling across the lines

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

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Believe in your characters, discuss your writing styles with other writers and practice, practice, practice. Hone your skills and take and use criticism to develop your art

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
There’s nowt as queer as folk, as they say around where I was born

What are you reading now?
A David Donachie novel, also set in the Age of Sail and perhaps something I subconsciously tried either to copy or to improve upon in my own way

What’s next for you as a writer?
Southern plantations, civil war monitors, heat and betrayal where war and the struggle for survival destroys an imagined civilisation fatally infected by blood and arrogance

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?
Gore Vidal’s Lincoln, Battle Cry of Freedom by James McPherson and the Curse of Chalion by Lois McMaster Bujold, simply because of the fluid writing, historical aspects and great command of prose

 

Martin Hilyard’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

Peter Kos 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hi!
I’m Peter Kos, coming from Ljubljana, Slovenia. I’m a corporate sales leader and a lifelong learner.
As an avid reader, I also love writing. For the past decade, I’ve been writing almost everything in English, despite it being my third language. But I adopted it as my language of learning and it became my thinking language as well.
I’ve written my first book in 2020 and am getting ready to launch the next one for pre-orders – it’s planned to be released by November 2021. I’m writing non-fiction lifestyle and business topics. During the 2020 pandemic, I decided to share more of my writing, so I also started a blog and a weekly newsletter at peterkos.org

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Elements of Lifestyle: Find Your Enough.

This is a story on living a joyous life by:
– applying intentional life design
– following the path of kaizen — small, incremental improvements
– and finding your enough.

Many popular turnaround stories start with hitting bottom — addiction, heart attack, a health scare, loss of something. But The Elements of Lifestyle is a story of taking control without — or before — a complete derailment. It’s a story of personal compound interest, about small things adding up.

Life isn’t made of the significant milestones; it’s made of all the days and weeks in between.
I believe that the secret to experiencing a joyous life is in finding your enough — that middle path between excess and scarcity. You have to journey through your personal walkabout to pursue your enough. The path might be challenging, but it’s worth it — and it’s going to be fun.

Because one day you wake up and you’re forty, sixty, or whatever, and you look in the mirror, and you have to look yourself in the eyes. And then you’ll gaze in the rearview mirror and wonder. —It is up to you if you’ll wonder of joy or wonder what the fuck happened to me. It all starts today.

The backstory: I was an overweight corporate roller in my early thirties, who smoked, ate, and partied too much; I was riding towards the heart-attack-land.
But then I read Nigel Marsh’s book titled Fat, Forty, and Fired – and I decided to change my trajectory.
This book is one of my dreams come true: publishing a creative work while turning forty without being fat (or fired).
I’ve written this for my children, Diana and Peter Jr.

It’s a book that my teenage self would love to find among the shelves of that public library back in Maribor, Slovenia.

I found joy in my life, and I wish for my children – and anyone else reading this book – to find it as well. The secret is in finding your “enough.” –That middle between excess and scarcity.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
My most creative writing time is early in the morning. I start the day with a short yoga practice out on the balcony, and then sit with a cup of Turkish coffee by my laptop, with a scented candle lighting my desk. I start by journaling, then take a break and transition to writing articles or book manuscript.
I love to take a so-called “monk week” annual getaway. That’s my version of Bill Gates’s Think Week. I take a vacation, go away, and get offline. I spend the entire days only reading and writing, with long daily walks to stretch. That’s when I write most of my stuff, north of five thousand words per day.
I write raw drafts and let them simmer until a month before the book launch — that’s when I’ll rewrite, run them through grammar checker and add the final polish.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I’m most influenced by Seth Godin, as I love his voice and the message of change, practice, and of shipping creative work. But The Elements of Lifestyle, and the personal transformation path that started it was inspired by a book titled Fat, Forty, and Fired by Nigel Marsh.
I also find inspiration in Tim Ferriss, James Altucher, Derek Sivers, Malcolm Gladwell, and others.

What are you working on now?
When I’m not running the channel sales teams, I’m outlining my second book, getting ready to announce it, and put it up for pre-orders. It’s going to be a handbook for the first-time (sales) managers. I was inspired by the path that I went through and the challenges I’ve seen every first-time manager facing. I’ve got a few working titles, but it’s going to be something along the lines of Manager to Leader.
There’s a third book in my pipeline inspired by the subtitle from the first one — Find Your Enough. I’ve got some more things to say on the subject.
Otherwise, I’m also working on my site — it’s become a blog with weekly posts about productivity, leadership, and personal growth. I’ve also committed to publishing at least twenty weekly newsletters.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Awesome gang? My personal site — peterkos.org — that’s my platform. I’m also using Facebook and Twitter for promotion, but the best results I got from LinkedIn. That’s where I have the most developed network, and it’s where my target audience hangs out. I’m also using Goodreads and trying all kinds of things. Fortunately, the goal of my writing is to write and build my personal brand, not to live off of book sales. That’s more like allowance right now.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write. Just write. For yourself, and then gather the courage to publish your first work. I’ve used Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) — it’s completely free and easy to use. Don’t buy any courses about how to publish on KDP. Everything you need is available on the site, including the software to design your manuscript and the cover. I went that way, and I’m super happy with how my kindle and paperback versions look.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Discipline equals freedom. Accepting responsibility means you are in control.

What are you reading now?
The Quest of the Simple Life by William James Dawson. It’s a beautiful gem from the early 1900s.

What’s next for you as a writer?
As mentioned above — the second and the third book. In the meantime, I’d like to do some promotions, do a live author meet at a local library, and my dream is to one day have a book promotion tour in the United States. I’d love to start in New York City.

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?
Seth Godin’s The Practice. The Daily Stoic by Ryan Holiday, Bushcraft 101: A Field Guide to the Art of Wilderness Survival, and some first aid handbook.

Author Websites and Profiles
Peter Kos Website
Peter Kos Amazon Profile

Peter Kos’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Twitter Account

Ronit Tal Shaltiel 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a self published Author. I have started to publish on 2016. I have 12 children’s book from a series The Adventures of the Numbers. and I have made 19 Coloring books.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I just published a box set of My series The Adventures of the Numbers. This book series was inspired by my son and his love of numbers.

What are you working on now?
I am making a series of coloring book that is based on the books of The Adventures of the Numbers.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I have a free book from my series, I post on pinterest, Instegram, Facebook.
And paid ad on Amazon ads.

What are you reading now?
I am part of a book club. I read Circe- Madeline Miller.
It is a book about gods in the Greece Methodology.

Author Websites and Profiles
Ronit Tal Shaltiel Website
Ronit Tal Shaltiel Amazon Profile

Ronit Tal Shaltiel’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Pinterest Account

Pragati Ojha 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am an Author of the book “Financial Freedom for Immigrants”. This is my first book.
I love sharing my knowledge and experience because I know there is someone who will benefit from that. Besides being an Author, I am also a coach. I have over a decade of experience in management, and have wide international exposure.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
“Financial Freedom for Immigrants”
UK in also called island of immigrants. Most of the UK residents at some point in the past came from the different part of the work making them immigrants. I am an Immigrant as well. In the book I have shared how any immigrant can come to the UK empty handed and build their property portfolio for financial freedom.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Great question.
I make notes of anything interesting that I hear, see, read in the cloud so it’s accessible from anywhere. Less than an hour does not allow me the conditioning time to be creative.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
To name some…
Rich dad Poor dad, Life leverage, property investing hacking, The rules of people, what they don’t teach you in harvard business school

What are you working on now?
Now I am working at the exposure of my first book “Financial Freedom for Immigrants”

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Amazon
Social Media Marketing
#financialfreedomforimmigrants
www.financialfreedomforimmigrants.com
www.investomind.co.uk/financial-freedom/

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Do little by little every day, Have weekly targets, Don’t give up! When you book is published you will be very proud of your achievement.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Not taking any risk is the biggest risk

What are you reading now?
Originals

What’s next for you as a writer?
I am planning to target “property investment for generation Z”

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?
Rich dad Poor Dad
What they did not teach you in the Harvard Business School
Rules of people

Author Websites and Profiles
Pragati Ojha Website
Pragati Ojha Amazon Profile

Pragati Ojha’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

Michael Sean 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have written about twenty-three books, but have one novella that has been published. I have a sequel that will be live any day as a part of a ten book novella series. The series is moving quickly and readers can expect all ten over the course of 2021.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My first book, Echoes Before Dawn, is my only published work, and the soon to be, Memories at Daybreak, is its sequel. The series is a science fiction thriller story that was inspired by all the gaps in current sci fi. Echoes Before Dawn was specifically inspired by my desire to see more survival oriented scenarios in sci fi.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
As symbolized in my logo, I am completely nocturnal. My real job requires me to sleep during the day and usually allows about fourteen nights off per month. I spend six to sixteen hours on each of those nights writing while everyone else sleeps.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Perhaps the most influential author on my writing style is Patrick Rothfuss. Reading the name The Name of the Wind taught me to slow down and paint the story with my words.

What are you working on now?
I have two works at once. Iterum is the novella series I’ve mentioned a few times and is the first in my two primary works. The second is a fantasy novel I plan to send to an agent for traditional publishing by June. I do so much writing that I take breaks by writing something else. Having two primary works allows me to bounce back and forth as necessary.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Admittedly, I have a lot to learn about book promotion. My current strategies need improvement but include social media and my website.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Just make a story. Then find beta readers to read it. After you start getting questions and feedback about your story the inspiration will flow. My author method is outlined on my website.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Embrace failures. Never stop moving. If you want to be a writer, don’t sleep, don’t eat, don’t play, just write.

What are you reading now?
My writing goals are too big for me to justify reading. I do have an untouched copy of To Sleep in a Sea of Stars by Christopher Paolini awaiting a spot in my schedule.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I am currently writing book 4 of the Iterum series, next comes books 5-10. I have submitted a short story for publication in a major literary magazine and plan to send at least four more this year. Hopefully the next thing for me as a writer is learning how to make writing my real job.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
That’s a curious question because my first book, Echoes Before Dawn, is set on a similar premise. It’s fun. Name of the Wind (therapy), A Song of Ice and Fire History (entertainment), SAS survival guide (practicality), and a blank book (writing).
The real question is if you run out of fuel and your fire is flickering through its last dance, which book’s pages would you burn first?

Author Websites and Profiles
Michael Sean Website
Michael Sean Amazon Profile

Michael Sean’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

Claire O’Sullivan 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hi – I’m Claire O’Sullivan (my pen name), a mom, grandmother from rural Oregon. I’m a retired nurse practitioner and author. I’ve been a backpacking guide, canoe guide (long time ago), horse enthusiast, and professional student. I had to opportunity to study forensics locally associated with the National Forensic Science Training Center and the sheriff’s office for property crime. My formal university training has been in psychology, Biblical studies where I have a bachelor’s degree, and in nursing, with bachelor’s and master’s degree.

I was encouraged to write since the 8th grade but as it often does, life interferes, and I didn’t start writing seriously until 2012.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My first book is called, “Romance Under Wraps,” a romantic suspense, which came out on Octo29th, 2020, and it was inspired partly by desire to write and partly by adversity. Growth only comes through adversity, and more often than not, we fail to recognize that. I certainly ignored it as much as I could, but it began to shape my very snarky main character. Apparently, I was cynical, snarky, and very, very sarcastic.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I tend to write late at night when the world around me is quiet. I journal first thing in the morning, and recently took that up along with a leather, antiqued journal, and quill pen, kid you not. That stirs the creativity pot.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
CS Lewis, JR Tolkien, Dostoevsky, Christy Barrett, Linda Rodante, Lolo Paige, Ted Dekker, Brad Taylor, Anita Rodgers, Dale Amidei, Sue Colletta, Robert Whitlow, and the late Sue Grafton.

What are you working on now?
“Rules of Engagement,” a military/political thriller, quite the departure from my normal character-driven plot. I am simultaneously working on “Alex and the Very Dead Doxy,” a cozy mystery. Also, “Glass Slipper,” an over-the-top noir comedy/mystery sequel to “Romance Under Wraps.”

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Twitter and Facebook seem to be the best at this time. I do use others, including LinkedIn.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Yes, in fact I do! Don’t send your first draft to an agent, because the first draft always needs rewriting (and rewriting. And rewriting). Get a fantastic and harsh review or critique group (such as Scribophile), learn the craft, and when you can no longer stand the book, get a great editor.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“Blessed be the comma and blessed be the comma that knows its place.” – my editor (this by the way I have yet to learn).

What are you reading now?
“Blood follows Jane Austen,” by Judith Cranswick, and a departure from my usual fare, “A Dread So Deep,” by Anita Rodgers.

What’s next for you as a writer?
More marketing, more writing, and hopefully, a vacation.

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 Chronicles of Narnia (all of them equal one book, ‘k?), a Bible (being stranded on a desert island could certainly bring about theological questions!), anything by Christy Barritt, Garry Rodgers (another departure from my usual fare), and “Under the Ground,” (and Sue Colletta, “Hacked”.

Author Websites and Profiles
Claire O’Sullivan Website
Claire O’Sullivan Amazon Profile

Claire O’Sullivan’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Peter Scottsdale 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
First off, I am a huge cat lover, and I have written nine books about our furry felines – both fiction and nonfiction. I am living my dream as a full time author. I love the craft and creating. Also, I believe in lifelong learning with my ABL motto – Always Be Learning. Especially about cats.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is “The Cat Behind The Curtain: A Cozy Cat Crime Caper (Cozy Cat Thriller Book 1).” My real life cats inspired much of the book, especially the feline characters which are named after three of my kitties: Scottie, Tanzy and Alley. Although the crime in the book is not based on real events, how my cats would likely respond to it (I hope) would be real.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
While I wouldn’t call these writing habits unusual, I need my iPod shuffling my Favourites playlist, double/double coffee, my recliner, pen, looseleaf paper and a clipboard to get to work. I write two drafts by hand and a third gets punched into Word. After that comes editing, proofreading and polishing. Then it’s time to publish.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I’ve read and been influenced by the many books on cats I have – both nonfiction and fiction. When I first started writing as a teen, Hardy Boys Mysteries, Stephen King, Frank Miller and various Marvel comics, including the Claremont/Byrne run on “The Uncanny X-Men” all impacted my writing. Today, my influences range from Lilian Jackson Braun and Kathi Daley to John Grisham.

What are you working on now?
Currently, I have one book and one major project that I am working on simultaneously.

1. Firstly, I am researching and writing another cat facts book that combines the short “Bizarre Cat Facts” with much more cat info. I’m calling it “Fascinating and Bizarre Cat Facts.”
2. Secondly, I am working on three sequels to “The Cat Behind The Curtain.” Each will be it’s own cozy cat crime caper. One will a free bonus for my Readers Group, and the other two will be for sale this year.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
My favorite marketing methods are my Readers Group (email list) and promotion websites, like Awesome Gang.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Get it done.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
My late uncle, Wallace, gave his children a list of advice before he died and that included the best advice I’ve found. He wrote, “Always have a cat in the house.” I took this to heart and I have six cats in my home.

What are you reading now?
A couple of things I am interested in besides cats, I am currently reading about.
I have a weight problem – too much of it – that I am trying to lose. My workout routine is problematic – I don’t do enough of it – so I am getting into “Fitness and Exercise Motivation” by James Atkinson. I hope it helps.
For pure entertainment, I love zombie novels and movies so I am reading Jonathan Maberry’s “Dead of Night.”

What’s next for you as a writer?
My writing plans for the next few years includes another Christmas series featuring my daughter’s cat, Capone, and a new cozy cat mystery series where my old cat, Rusty, solves crimes.

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 take these four books that would include much reading and thinking:
1. The Holy Bible
2. The Complete Works of William Shakespeare
3. The Cat Fancy Cat Bible
4. The Stand (unabridged) by Stephen King

Author Websites and Profiles
Peter Scottsdale Website

Lee Maguire 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have two books published in my Broken Minds Thriller series. Book three is in process.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Rumspringa is the second book in the Broken Minds Thriller series. I lived for a time in an area near an Amish community. They are known as plain people because their homes don’t have electricity and they don’t drive cars. Unlike most of the rest of us, they’re not attached to things. They keep things simple. The idea of having an Amish killer in one of my books rolled around in my mind for a long time. Someone who wouldn’t leap out as a suspect, and wouldn’t show up in any fingerprinting systems. It makes for an ideal “bad guy!”

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I use both computer and pen and paper. I jot down ideas on paper, including possible plot details, some general story outlining, etc. I write mostly on weekends, outside of a full-time job. As books near completion, I steal time from wherever I can–late hours, early hours, waiting for appointments, etc. I almost always have a journal with me for working on things when I have small pockets of time.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
From the Hardy Boys to Stephen King. I love to read. I found The Exorcist to be an amazing book. The same with Silence of the Lambs. I developed an interest in mysteries and thrillers, and later I found Jonathan Kellerman and Stephen White, both of whom are psychologists whose books include psychologist protagonists. Kellerman continues to write. As a psychologist, it was natural for me to include my professional experience in my characters, with psychologist Dr. Bryce Davison in the lead role.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on Reparation, book three in the series. Some of the same main characters show up in each book, so they become familiar to readers. Not just Dr. Davison, but people in his world, like his mother, a detective friend, some of his patients, and his basset hound, Max. Book three finds Bryce working with the local police to solve some vicious murders.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
My website is www.leemaguirebooks.com . At some point in January I will be moving from one website host to another, so there’s a chance it might be down for a short time, but it shouldn’t be long. Following me on my Amazon author page would also work as far being contacted when something new comes out.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Study the craft. Read books, watch videos, attend writing conferences. Continue reading books for enjoyment, too, because the continued exposure to writing styles is helpful. Start writing and keep writing. Find ways to get feedback, such as from a writing group or even through submission to writing contests. Find your voice and let that guide your writing. That is like putting your fingerprint on your work.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best way to write is by putting your butt in the chair. It is easy to get distracted by email, web-surfing, tidying up the writing area, and waiting for the muse to plunk down beside you. Put in focused writing time and the muse will engage. Just, perhaps, not at the moment you expected. And if writing is difficult during a particular stretch, do something physical. Go for a walk, exercise, mow the lawn, or vacuum. Let the ideas percolate while you’re away for a short time. Then get back into it.

What are you reading now?
I’ve been reading Sheldon Siegel’s Mike Daley/Rosie Fernandez legal thriller series, because I find the characters so engaging.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Finish book three and start book four in the Broken Minds Thriller series!

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
I could cheat and grab a Kindle, but that would violate the desert island terms of service, I’m sure! So…something lengthy, like The Stand by Stephen King. The Principles of Psychology, by William James (a two-volume set) for stimulating thought and hopefully generating some ideas that might help me survive. Lastly, something to bring a smile to my face: Celebrating Peanuts: 65 Years, by Charles M. Schulz.

Author Websites and Profiles
Lee Maguire Website
Lee Maguire Amazon Profile

Lee Maguire’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

Gina Bradley 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a mother of two grown children who previously owned and operating in-home child care for 22 years. I’ve written 8 stories in my children’s book series called The Cartlin Carts, about a family of shopping carts, and published the first book, Jack’s Race Day Lesson, in the series in 2020. Also in 2020, I produced two additional learning books and one activity book based around the characters in The Cartlin Carts.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest (and first book published) in The Cartlin Carts book series is Jack’s Race Day Lesson. Grocery shopping with my children, seeing their joy in all the amazing objects displayed before them, was the inspiration for this crazy family of shopping carts.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I like to write standing up!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I am a huge fan of C.S. Lewis. The Chronicles of Narnia was a childhood favorite read of mine, but rediscovering it as an adult has garnered a deeper appreciation for Mr. Lewis, his talent, and vivid imagination.

What are you working on now?
My illustrator, Morgan Smith, and I are working on the second book in the series entitled Jack and the Bread Monster, as well as an accompanying coloring book and beginning math activity book.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Right now we are utilizing our own website, www.thecartlincarts.com and social media.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
WRITE! Don’t be afraid to put down your ideas. Any ideas. Get it out of your head and on paper to make room for all those new ideas that come flooding in!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Write every day.

What are you reading now?
Right now I am reading my bible. When I come up for air, I’ll be ordering A Court of Silver Flames, the fourth book in the A Court of Thorns and Roses series.

What’s next for you as a writer?
To finish the 10 story ideas that I have started and to continue to grow The Cartlin Carts into a thriving book series.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
I’d bring The Chronicles of Naria series.

Author Websites and Profiles
Gina Bradley Website
Gina Bradley Amazon Profile

Gina Bradley’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

Lee Maguire 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have two books published in my Broken Minds Thriller series. Book three is in process.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Rumspringa is the second book in the Broken Minds Thriller series. I lived for a time in an area near an Amish community. They are known as plain people because their homes don’t have electricity and they don’t drive cars. Unlike most of the rest of us, they’re not attached to things. They keep things simple. The idea of having an Amish killer in one of my books rolled around in my mind for a long time. Someone who wouldn’t leap out as a suspect, and wouldn’t show up in any fingerprinting systems. It makes for an ideal “bad guy!”

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I use both computer and pen and paper. I jot down ideas on paper, including possible plot details, some general story outlining, etc. I write mostly on weekends, outside of a full-time job. As books near completion, I steal time from wherever I can–late hours, early hours, waiting for appointments, etc. I almost always have a journal with me for working on things when I have small pockets of time.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
From the Hardy Boys to Stephen King. I love to read. I found The Exorcist to be an amazing book. The same with Silence of the Lambs. I developed an interest in mysteries and thrillers, and later I found Jonathan Kellerman and Stephen White, both of whom are psychologists whose books include psychologist protagonists. Kellerman continues to write. As a psychologist, it was natural for me to include my professional experience in my characters, with psychologist Dr. Bryce Davison in the lead role.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on Reparation, book three in the series. Some of the same main characters show up in each book, so they become familiar to readers. Not just Dr. Davison, but people in his world, like his mother, a detective friend, some of his patients, and his basset hound, Max. Book three finds Bryce working with the local police to solve some vicious murders.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
My website is www.leemaguirebooks.com . At some point in January I will be moving from one website host to another, so there’s a chance it might be down for a short time, but it shouldn’t be long. Following me on my Amazon author page would also work as far being contacted when something new comes out.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Study the craft. Read books, watch videos, attend writing conferences. Continue reading books for enjoyment, too, because the continued exposure to writing styles is helpful. Start writing and keep writing. Find ways to get feedback, such as from a writing group or even through submission to writing contests. Find your voice and let that guide your writing. That is like putting your fingerprint on your work.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best way to write is by putting your butt in the chair. It is easy to get distracted by email, web-surfing, tidying up the writing area, and waiting for the muse to plunk down beside you. Put in focused writing time and the muse will engage. Just, perhaps, not at the moment you expected. And if writing is difficult during a particular stretch, do something physical. Go for a walk, exercise, mow the lawn, or vacuum. Let the ideas percolate while you’re away for a short time. Then get back into it.

What are you reading now?
I’ve been reading Sheldon Siegel’s Mike Daley/Rosie Fernandez legal thriller series, because I find the characters so engaging.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Finish book three and start book four in the Broken Minds Thriller series!

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
I could cheat and grab a Kindle, but that would violate the desert island terms of service, I’m sure! So…something lengthy, like The Stand by Stephen King. The Principles of Psychology, by William James (a two-volume set) for stimulating thought and hopefully generating some ideas that might help me survive. Lastly, something to bring a smile to my face: Celebrating Peanuts: 65 Years, by Charles M. Schulz.

Author Websites and Profiles
Lee Maguire Website
Lee Maguire Amazon Profile

Lee Maguire’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

Jessica Marie Baumgartner 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a word addict. I’ve written various books, stories, and articles in nonfiction, speculative fiction, and children’s.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Magic of Nature: Meditations & Spells to Find Your Inner Voice.
The modern world often leaves us feeling lost. People always say, “trust your gut,” but that is difficult when we are so disconnected from nature. This book is about finding those hidden instincts and achieving balance between society and our nature.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t believe in writer’s block.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Sybil Leek and Joy Adamson are my biggest nonfiction influences

What are you working on now?
I am currently working on a fun middle grade adventure about a toad.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
https://jessicamariebaumgartner.com/

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write, and find a mentor

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t worry about word counts. Let the book decide how long it should be.

What are you reading now?
Reincarnation: The Second Chance, by Sybil Leek

What’s next for you as a writer?
More writing and hopefully a new book tour

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 have no idea! haha

Author Websites and Profiles
Jessica Marie Baumgartner Website
Jessica Marie Baumgartner Amazon Profile

Jessica Marie Baumgartner’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Pinterest Account

Ryder Phoenix 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m Ryder Phoenix, a trans/nonbinary author and artist (they/them pronouns). I’ve been writing and doing art my whole life. I’ve published many books, though the previous ones were under a different pen name. I decided to write with my real name, once I got the legal name change. My new series is Rainbow Reflections, with the first book being recently published. There will be anywhere from 5-7 books in the series.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Rainbow Reflections Book 1: A Kind of Magic is my newest book. It was inspired by everything that I’m interested in and that makes me ME! I’ve always been into fantasy and wanted to attend a magic school when I was little. I’ve also been on a search for a transgender character that I could actually relate to; after finding none, I decided to write one in as the main character myself. The LGBTQ+-accepting world is also something I’d love to see, and the world itself is very abundant in plant life and rainforests due to my love of trees. There’s also elemental magic, as I’ve always been drawn to the four elements, and this magic is controlled by wands and martial arts (another hobby of mine)! The title, “A Kind of Magic”, was inspired by the band Queen, which is my favorite band.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I always loved to read Harry Potter growing up, and though I don’t think I can enjoy the series any longer, I still appreciate the inspiration it gave to me. I also love Avatar: The Last Airbender and She-Ra (yes, I know they’re not books), which are a main source of inspiration for my newest story. Avatar inspires me like nothing else; it’s truly my favorite story ever. She-Ra made me realize that writing a LGBTQ+ world was possible, and allowed me to accept myself even more.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on Rainbow Reflections, a fantasy LGBTQ+ series. Zyn, Ren, and Sarala are about to start magic school–but will it be as they hoped for? After all, Zyn doesn’t have magic, Ren is collapsing to strange visions, and Sarala is haunted by her past. This series starts in a magic school, but will branch out to exploring a magical and LGBTQ+-accepting world. It will contain anywhere from 5-7 books.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
If you’re self-publishing, PLEASE get an editor (and a book cover designer). I’ve unfortunately read so many indie books that were terribly edited (if at all), or with wonky formatting because the author didn’t know what they were doing. I 100% understand that, as I’ve been there myself. My first books looked terrible, until I learned more about formatting, editing, and cover design, and was able to make the books worthy for publication. You can’t just write a book–you have to present it well too!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Write what YOU want to write, and your audience will find you.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m currently working on marketing my book, which has always been a weak spot of mine. I’m doing tons more promotions than I’ve ever done for my previous books. I also plan to start writing the second book of my series soon, once I get a bulk of the marketing done with (though I still plan on marketing at least ten minutes each day after).

Author Websites and Profiles
Ryder Phoenix Website
Ryder Phoenix Amazon Profile

Ryder Phoenix’s Social Media Links
Twitter Account

Maxwell Adekoje 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have written three books.
Motivational Speaker, coach, and best-selling author Maxwell Adekoje works with individuals and businesses to grow their communication, connection, and leadership to make a substantial change in the world.
His unrelenting drive for empowering people has fueled maxwell’s journey to success with several awards and achievements.
Maxwell is known for his passion, rocking the platform with over twelve years of training experience, making connections with audiences, and an unquenchable hunger for helping others attain their highest potential.
After his success in the corporate and business world, he is on a mission to inspire and motivate people globally.
When not writing, speaking, or training, Maxwell loves to create exquisite meals with his beautiful wife, Guzal Adekoje. They both have a passion for helping hungry young children around the globe. Max is proud to be a member of the John C Maxwell Team, Brain Tracy, and Les Bown’s power voice.
Maxwell Adekoje was born and raised in war-torn Nigeria. Through perseverance, Mr. Adekoje found his true calling through the daunting adversities and challenges he faced throughout his life. One thing has remained constant in his life: his gratitude.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Just Eat the Worm and Higher Is Calling.
Every setback is a stage for a comeback in adversity. I started writing because I was concerned about the fourth wave of covid 19- Mental Illness. The suicide rate has gone up even with children, but rather than complaining and worrying. I decided to add value to people with my GIFT instead of heading to the cemetery to be just another number of untapped potential.
“This was a wake-up call to die empty for me.”

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Success is writing daily for an hour.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Think and grow rich
The power of positive thinking
The power of habits & MY BOOKS

What are you working on now?
A new book and APP- Just Eat the worm

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

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Your time is now, decide and act with massive action.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Never stop

What are you reading now?
The power of now

What’s next for you as a writer?
keep adding value to people.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
All my 3 books- It’s a wisdom of books

Author Websites and Profiles
Maxwell Adekoje Website

Toni Verticelli 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
So far I have written 3 books, and am currently working on a 5th.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
It is called “Chaos Calls” and will hopefully be the 1st in a series.
I’ve always wanted to write fantasy (not erotic, though I have written an erotic fiction before) fiction and I have always had a deep love of fairy tales, theology and “what would happen…” scenarios.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I like to much on nuts, popcorn or something crunchy when I write. It’s a weird habit, but I tend to forget to eat meals when I’m in the zone. Munching keeps me from crashing.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Harper Lee, Anne McCaffrey, Neil Gaiman, Jane Austen, Stephen King, Mark Twain, Maya Angelou, Haffiz… we could be here all day. I’ve always had an intense love for the written word since around the 7th grade. I had an amazing English teacher.

What are you working on now?
I’ve been working on “Chaos Calls” for some time now. I’ve had (much like the rest of the world this past year) a several upheavals that kept me from writing consistently. Recently though, I’ve gotten most of my ducks in order and can pick up my work again.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I don’t suppose I really have one as of yet. I think interviews are important, and social media. Having a webpage is also beneficial.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
You are going to get rejected. That doesn’t necessary mean your work is bad, just unfinished. I’ve been writing for years and used to get so upset when I’d get rejected. It took taking some English classes, hard work and realizing that I just wasn’t ready at the time.
Keep writing, polish your style and don’t give up.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
All knowledge is worth having. I have some pretty annoying insomnia and have learned that on those nights when I can’t sleep, I can just learn something new. I’ve learned how to make soap, bath bombs, use just about everything in my tool box in the garage, watched a bunch of gardening videos and learned new recipes for people with food allergies. There is a ton of free education out there for those that really want to learn.

What are you reading now?
Master Harper of Pern by Anne McCaffrey for about the 100th time. Last week I was pouring through graphic novels and after this book I will be reading cookbooks I just acquired recently. I like a variety.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Continuing the series for “Chaos Calls” hopefully.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
To Kill a Mockingbird, An unadapted version of Grimm’s Fairytales, nearly any of the “Pern” series, and Hero and the Crown.

Author Websites and Profiles
Toni Verticelli Website
Toni Verticelli Amazon Profile
Toni Verticelli Author Profile on Smashwords

Toni Verticelli’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tom Fargnoli 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a retired engineer, teacher, magician, and ex-deacon in the Catholic Church. I’ve
written two books. The first was more of an esoteric book for systems engineering that
detailed visual techniques for understanding complex systems. The book was named, A
Bridge to Simplicity through Diagrams. I never marketed this book outside the engineering
community but the book could certainly be useful for anyone who wants to simplify
the material for learning, teaching, or presenting.

My second book, The Deacon – An Unexpected Life, represents my life over the last five
years. I was happily married for 40 years and, studied to become a deacon for over 5 years,
and enjoyed serving as a deacon for 5 years. It was my dream to be a deacon in my
retirement. Life was good – wife, home, children, grandchildren, health, retirement, and an
amazing ministry. But then, unimaginable tragedy and horror came to my family.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is entitled, The Deacon – An Unexpected Life. It was inspired by a series of
unexpected and unfortunate events. First and foremost, my wife, suddenly and tragically,
took her own life. Grieving the loss of a spouse, or any loved one, is devastating but as I
quickly learned, grieving is much more complex when it involves losing your loved one to
suicide. Secondly, when a deacon loses his wife, he cannot pursue another loving
relationship that could lead to marriage. I had to commit to a life of celibacy and,
essentially, to a life alone. I actually made this commitment before I was ordained, but now,
the reality of the rule was like cutting my arm off. I simply could not make a decision and it
drove me crazy. – I knew about this rule! This battle went on for almost 2 years – I
couldn’t decide. It drove me crazy –in fact, it landed me in the hospital for open-heart
surgery.

My faith was truly being tested, but I managed to hold onto it. But with that decision, came
something I never expected. Something worse than loneliness – Rejection – rejection from
the church, from some priests, even from some of my brother deacons.

Through all of this, my psychologist kept telling me to write things down, so I did! I wrote
about my grieving, about suicide, about the decision, about the rejection, about all of these
unexpected events. So what began as a cathartic exercise, thanks to the Holy Spirit, has
turned into my book!

I was amazed to see how many people were touched by my story and wrote letters to me.
 People who related to grieving and isolation
 People who lost loved ones from suicide

 People who knew about surgery and recovery
 People who have faced tough decisions
 People who have experienced rejection

All proceeds of this book go to Suicide Awareness.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I like to let the reader feel a part of the story. I explain things as I go to allow the reader to,
some extent, think the way I am thinking.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The Alchemist—Paulo Coelho
The Shack—William P. Young
The Razor’s Edge—Somerset Maugham
Illusions—Richard Bach
Seeds of Contemplation and The Seven Story Mountain—Thomas Merton
Joshua—Joseph Girzone

What are you working on now?
Because of the letters, I’ve received from readers of The Deacon – An Unexpected Life, I am
starting to create notes related to the beginning where that book left off. The next book might be called, The Deacon – The Road Forward. The interaction between me and Richard, my guardian angel, will be focused on reaching out to those who are yearning to be heard and loved, showing them how they can obtain glimpses of hope, faith, peace, and love.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
We all want to be moved, heard, and loved. There is so much information at our fingertips
today but very few sincere stories that touch us and move us. My advice would be for them
to strive to move their readers in a loving and sincere direction.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
With me, my faith is paramount, so the best advice I ever received is to pray first, write
second. I find this provides me with an insight outside of me and combines my creativity
with God’s creativity. It was good advice for me when I heard it and it still rings true for me.

What are you reading now?
I am currently reading a small book by Henri Nouwen, entitled, Turn my Mourning into
Dancing. It was recommended to me by someone who read my book. It’s about finding
hope in hard times.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Unexpected events occur to all of us and our loved ones. You lose love, you lose friends, and
you lose pieces of yourself that you never imagined would be gone. And then, without your
realizing it, these pieces come back in one form or another. New love enters, different
friends come along, and a stronger, wiser you is staring back in the mirror. In my writing, I
want to inspire people to show more compassion in their life – compassion to those who
are grieving, those who are broken, and those who have lost hope. That’s what is next for
me – to write in such a way as to show the importance of a relationship with God and that
through that relationship, knowing that they will never be alone and will never face
unexpected and unfortunate events by themselves.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
I’ve actually thought about this one a few times. Certainly. I would take the Bible. Since I
would be alone on that island, and have time for meditation and contemplation, assuming I
had time after catching enough fish to eat, I would take a few copies of Thomas Merton’s
books (The Seeds of Contemplation and The Seven Story Mountain). Finally, I would take
plenty of paper to write about my experiences and convey them in such a way as to let my
future readers share my experiences as if they are their experiences.

Author Websites and Profiles
Tom Fargnoli Website
Tom Fargnoli Amazon Profile
Tom Fargnoli Author Profile on Smashwords

Tom Fargnoli’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Pinterest Account

Daniel Oram 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My name is Daniel Oram and I’m an author from the UK.
Recalling Simon is my debut novel although I have written a multitude of short stories which I have as yet, not published.
I am currently enrolled to get my BSc in forensic pathology. I have an interest in psychology and neuropsychology.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Recalling Simon is the name of my first novel.
I had been working on an idea for a year or two and Recalling Simon is the culmination of that idea. I love writing books and stories which leave people guessing right up until the last moment, as a consequence I wanted to write sonething whose ending couldn’t be predicted.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not that I know of. I suppose one person’s unusual is another’s usual.
I can’t write without music. Although the music chosen depends on the mood I’m in and the content of the material.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Bizarrely, most of my inspirations come from non-fiction. This is despite the fact that my first book is a novel and entirely fiction.
The work of neurologists like Sacks and Ramachadran influence me and I find inspiration in them daily.

What are you working on now?
I am currently working on a number of projects.
I’m working on a group of short stories whose focus is on strange symptoms arising from damage or disease in specific areas of the brain. This blurs the line between fiction and non-fiction.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I throw everything at the wall and see what sticks. Right now Twitter and Facebook are my primary resources. I also blog on these as well as run a YouTube channel devoted to memory aids and mnemonics.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write primarily for yourself.
Enjoy the crafting of ideas into elegant sentences and seek out metaphors.
Go for walks which stimulate new ideas and gets rid of that ole devil – writer’s block.
Read voraciously and devour anything and everything. By doing so you add bricks to the house of ideas upon which, you can build and develop our own ideas.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Certainly much advice that I respect comes from the ‘Meditations’ by Marcus Aurelius. I would encourage seeking out other works such as this to find some great advice.

What are you reading now?
The works of the sociologist Erving Goffman.
‘Asylums’
‘The presentation of self in every day life’
‘Stigma’

What’s next for you as a writer?
More self-promotion and continuing to write and add to the growing number of short stories in my collection.

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 suppose a book on survival might be useful.
A list though would include:
‘The complete Sherlock Holmes collection’ By Arthir Conan Doyle
‘Hallucinations’ By Oliver Sacks
‘The Phantom Brain’ By Ramachandran
‘The Better Angels of our Nature’ By Steven Pinker

Author Websites and Profiles
Daniel Oram Website
Daniel Oram Amazon Profile

Daniel Oram’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Paul Amess 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My name is Paul and I live in one of the most beautiful parts of the world – the north of England. I have so far written four books about my wanderings around my beautiful home county of Yorkshire, and am already onto my fifth!

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is called Hadrians Wall Walk, and was of course inspired by a bloke called Hadrian who built a massive wall across my country a couple of thousand years ago! And thank goodness he did, because this is now one of the most beautiful walks across our merry land!

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not really, although I do sometimes use dictation software which can result in some unusual results, which is probably down to my ‘Hull’ accent – which is quite a distinct English accent different to all others, and which I am very proud of.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I read a lot of Douglas Adams when I was younger, and I think I have definitely developed a dry sense of humour purely because of this. Other than this, I read almost anything, and have a very wide tase in books.

What are you working on now?
Lockdown has made it challenging to get out, and that is something that is kind of essential if you wish to write about travel or walking, so I have turned my attention to a national trail that is on my own doorstep – The Wolds Way.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Well, it has to be the Awesome Gang, doesn’t it?

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Persevere, in the face of every difficulty you may encounter, never give up, ever. Have faith in yourself and never give in. I cannot be more clear than that.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
See the previous answer. In the past, I had perhaps started to write, then life got in the way. I wish I had carried on with my own advice long before I actually did. If I had, I would be sat by a pool somewhere drinking a trquila, not freezing my **** off writing this in the frozen north.

What are you reading now?
I am currently enjoying some incredibly fun Indiana Jones stories written by the great Max McCoy.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I want to turn to some kind of fiction, possibly time travel related. I have a few ideas bouncing around in my head and they are slowly coming together. Watch this space.

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 definitely take something by Bill Bryson, probaby The body. It is full of interesting facts about us, and there is no way I could possibly remember them all. I imagine that every time I read it, I would learn, or re-learn, something new.
I would also take the Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy, as it is such a fun book. It is a long time since I read it, and never seem to find the time to read it now, though if I truly was on a desert island, i imagine this would not be a problem.
I think the last one would have to be Andrew Marr’s History of Modern Britain, because it is just so interesting.

Author Websites and Profiles
Paul Amess Website
Paul Amess Amazon Profile

Cheryl St.John 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
After being under contract with Harlequin for 25 years, I took a hiatus of a year and a half, during which I cared for a new grandbaby and made a decision. From then on I would only write books that I love. I’m on my fourth book since that transformation and am enjoying writing again.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I’m having a ball being wrapped up in a multi-author series with my critique group. Like us, you’ve probably seen a lot of authors who read a book and said, “I can do better!” only to learn writing a book wasn’t as easy as they thought. Well, once upon a time a group of writer friends—helping a member with a particularly difficult thread in a continuity series contrived by her editors—got the grandiose idea to create a continuity series of their own.

Yes, this was us, and we threw ourselves wholeheartedly into developing characters, fashioning families, family dynamics, and a setting, which evolved from one member’s love of all things Colorado. We created family trees, character profiles, detailed maps, brainstormed titles and themes. We collected photos and researched and even started the stories. We proposed our idea to a few publishers and got no traction. So, after a time the contracted books came first, two members dropped out of the group, a couple new ones came and went. But the core group remained.

In a tragic turn of events we lost a beloved friend and co-writer. Grief took the remaining wind from our sails. We recovered slowly, welcomed a new friend to our critique group. Then came a day when we got together and said, “We’re going to get serious and do this!” Energy built, and the series took on new life. A previous co-creator joined us again. Now, here we are, years after the initial idea, publishing the finished stories and hoping readers will feel the same intensity and appreciation for this project as we do. We have many more stories to share, and the ideas keep coming.
Aspen Gold Newsletter: https://www.subscribepage.com/n9n7p3
Series link on amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B081YPJ5V8?
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/AspenGoldSeries

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m a unicorn because I’m not one of those writers that layers and rewrites. I start at the beginning, edit as I go and write all the way through to the end. When the book is finished I polish and send it for beta readers who thankfully catch my typos.’

At the beginning of each year I set goals and use a planner for the words counts I need each day to reach the goals. Might sound silly, but for every day I make my word goal, I give myself a sticker. Seeing those lined up on a week’s page is satisfying and tells me I’m on target. If I take a day off or don’t make the count, I have to make it up the next day.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I’ve read since I was a kid, so a lot of books and authors have influenced me. In my twenties I read true crime, horror, mysteries and Louis L’Amour. After that I broadened out to gothics and a lot more westerns, and eventually one day I picked up A LaVyrle Spencer and a Lisa Gregory book. I devoured them both and had a revelation about historical romance. I was in love and read everything I could get my hands on, while I still went down the lists of Dean Koonts, Stephen King, Jean Auel, V.C. Andrews and all the popular fiction. I would have to say Louis L’Amour and LaVyrle Spencer were my biggest influences.

What are you working on now?
I’m writing another Aspen Gold book titled Maybe I’m the One, about a hometown girl who made it big in country music and comes home to her roots.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I have an awesome street team, and a loyal following on Facebook.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Put words on the page. Period. You can’t learn or grow or even know if you have a publishable idea until you have it written. Books are great, classes are awesome, and certainly do all the learning you can, but then sit your behind in the chair and string words together.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
You’re only as good as your next book. This seem like a sad declaration, but it’s true. This business moves fast. Readers are voracious and searching for books all the time. Even if you manage to write a wildly popular book, it’s there and then it’s been read by most of your readers. They turn the last page and are already waiting for your next book.

I’ve seen writers who publish a book and then spend all their time handselling, promoting, doing all the marketing and not moving on. For indie authors, all the marketing is up to us, but it can’t eclipse the next book. You have to balance marketing with new material to stay current.

What are you reading now?
Decluttering at the Speed of Life by Dana K. White. I’m being challenged and changing my thinking about the stuff I keep.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I have several more Aspen Gold books planned, and I ‘ve been thinking about another how-to book. I’ve done a couple of books for Writers Digest and they’re really rewarding. I love to help other writers.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Well, I would need the declutter book. I’d take my Bible, The Stand by Stephen King, Hummingbird and Twice Loved by LaVyrle Spencer.

Author Websites and Profiles
Cheryl St.John Website
Cheryl St.John Amazon Profile

Cheryl St.John’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

umar khan 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am an author who loves to shape and craft the crime scenes for crime thriller novels. I have completed about 5 stories of which only one is available for offline also. And tree are at wattpad and the one with horror inside it is remain unreleased.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is named as ‘Oliver Is Dead’. I actually wanted to write a story in which it should be impossible for readers to guess the the assassin. And for this I kick started my brain, woke up that talent in me again and just started imagining with my pen.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
No, I don’t think I have so.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
For thrilling novels I am very much inspired by Stephen King.

What are you working on now?
Actually I have plenty of plots revolving around my mind, the one which comes first in my mind is my next script being written by me is ‘The One Among Us’.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Its my weakest point when it comes to promotions.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
No, because I am also one among them!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
That we should never drop our pens after we left it. Anything that has started should end.

What are you reading now?
Not got anything in the shelf yet.

What’s next for you as a writer?
To have maximum number of eyeballs towards my masterpieces (novels) for obvious.

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. It
2. The complete novel of Sherlock Holmes
3. The Silent Patient
4. The Woman in the Window

Author Websites and Profiles
umar khan Website
umar khan Amazon Profile

umar khan’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Olga McArrow 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have written ten books but only four of them are currently available in English:
Gifts of wandering ice (science fiction)
Cold Obsidian (fantasy)
Ice gift (science fiction)
Tales from the Afterworld (collection of short stories)

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is “Gifts of wandering ice” a science fiction story about ancient things people find in melting icebergs. It was inspired by climate change and ideas of immortality.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
My biggest influence is old Soviet sci-fi where all people are brothers and sisters that care for each other and explore the Universe together as friends and comrades. Most of my own books follow the same tradition.

What are you working on now?
“Gifts of wandering ice” and various translations of my old stories.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Most of my new readers come from ads on ComicAd and TopWebcomics, some come from Twitter and Reddit.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t show your very first books to the public, keep them private. If you are young and inexperienced yet, the first feedback can be crushing.

What are you reading now?
Some textbooks on geology, for my worlbuilding purposes.

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 survival guide, an encyclopedia of medicinal herbs, a book on chemistry, and a book on physics.

Author Websites and Profiles
Olga McArrow Website

Sam Whittaker 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve written lots of books, and have no plans of stopping.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
“The Black Whisper.” It’s the first book in a series I was inspired by the recent passing of my favorite Fantasy author, Terry Goodkind. In fact, it’s dedicated to him.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not really, though I’m starting to use voice dictation a lot more.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Terry Goodkind, Robert Jordan, Tolkien, and lots of others.

What are you working on now?
I’m editing book 3 of the new Fantasy series and starting writing book 4.

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

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

What are you reading now?
Light of the Jedi.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Keep writing my Fantasy series.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Lord of the Rings, Wizard’s First Rule, The Gunslinger, Star Wars: Traitor

Author Websites and Profiles
Sam Whittaker Website
Sam Whittaker Amazon Profile

Sam Whittaker’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

Gaurav Kumar Nigam 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am Gaurav Kumar Nigam. I am a brand and business manager by profession. After doing Master of Business Management in Marketing and Financial Management (MBA), I worked as Sales Manager in Reliance Industry, India.
Later, I worked as a faculty of advertising and brand management at the famous Management College in Lucknow for many years.
I am a writer of three books… ‘The Brand Sutras’, a topselling book on the subject of brand management and ‘The Scandal in Lucknow’ (available on Amazon)
My third book, a story collection, ‘kahaniyo Ke Dastkhat’ will be published soon from Hindi’s most popular publication.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
‘The Scandal in Lucknow’ is my latest book. It is a thriller novel. It was inspired by a true crime published in a local newspaper few years back.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t type a single word until I have the complete story in my head. I know every twist and turn which will occur in my book.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Arthur Conan Doyle, Agatha Christie, Edgar Allen Poe, Surender Mohan Pathak

What are you working on now?
I am working on my next book which will discuss complete strategy about social media marketing.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Along with awesomegang.com, websites like goodreads and facebook helped me to grow my reader base. I promote my book through email marketing.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Oh yes!
1- Write once, edit thrice. Nobody will like your book, if it has grammatical or factual error.
2- Know your reader.
3- Value your readers’ opinion.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
If you believe your book is really good, never offer it for free.

What are you reading now?
Shrimad Bhagwat Geeta

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?
Shrimad Bhagwat Geeta, Ramcharit Manas, Sherlock Holmes complete series, Byomkesh Bakshi complete series, Dial 100

Author Websites and Profiles
Gaurav Kumar Nigam Amazon Profile

Gaurav Kumar Nigam’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile