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Rachel Neumeier 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I started writing about fifteen years ago, just as a hobby and to increase my typing speed. My first book, a YA fantasy called The City in the Lake, came out from a Random House imprint in 2008. Since then, I’ve worn the letters off several laptop keyboards by writing quite a few other YA and adult fantasy novels. I have ten titles out from Big Five publishers and, let me see, six or so titles that I’ve self-published. But I’m not moving toward self-publishing in a much more decisive way, so I expect to bring out five new titles in 2021 and probably three to five more in 2022. I write fast, but not that fast — although my typing speed has improved a lot in the past 15 years, I also had quite a few complete or nearly complete manuscripts stacked up!

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Tuyo is my personal favorite of all my novels. I brought it out in May 2020 because I wanted to maintain control over this book and all sequels, and this was the reason I also decided to pursue self-publishing.

Tuyo was inspired by, among many other influences, a conversation on my blog about whether it’s possible for a powerful telepath who can control the minds and memories of those around him to be a good person.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t know how unusual this is, but I often get up before five in the morning in order to have uninterrupted time for writing before my day job. I mean, uninterrupted except for letting one zillion Cavalier King Charles Spaniels out and in and out and in.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
So many I hardly know whom to list first, but: Patricia McKillip, Robin McKinley, Sharon Shinn. Guy Gavriel Kay. RA MacAvoy. I’ll stop there or I’ll list another hundred names.

What are you working on now?
So many projects!

I’m in the process of self-publishing a fantasy trilogy with a literary vibe. That’s about ready to go. The series title is Death’s Lady, with individual titles drawn from a John Donne poem.

I’m also currently revising the third book of the Tuyo series. As soon as that’s done, I’ll bring that book out.

Then I’ll immediately finish a science fiction novel — I got stuck 80,000 words into the story, and only recently figured out how to get unstuck.

After that, I need to think about the fifth book of my Black Dog series. And there’s a big, complicated fantasy novel I’ve barely started …

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m just starting to look seriously at promotion, but so far I’ve seen good results from Freebooksy.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Make absolutely sure to clarify the rights reversion clause in your contract so that “out of print” is a meaningful concept in this era of ebooks.

Also, exactly as everyone says, self-publishing is hopeless unless you learn something about marketing. Sorry.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
All proscriptive advice should be ignored.

What are you reading now?
I just finished a quite wonderful novel called The Hands of the Emperor by Victoria Goddard. It was perfect for my reading preferences right now because nothing terrible happens. The intensity comes from relationships, all of which are moving in a positive direction throughout the story. Also, Goddard is just amazing with description.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Far, far more self-publishing. Although I’m not writing traditional publication off, I do want to make a very serious try at turning self-publishing into a real alternative.

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?
Wow. That’s quite a limit. Um.

The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison
The Wheel of the Infinite by Martha Wells
The Touchstone trilogy by Andrea K Host

Author Websites and Profiles
Rachel Neumeier Website
Rachel Neumeier Amazon Profile

Rachel Neumeier’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Carl “Hero” Gumbs 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a local from the island of St. Thomas located in the United States Virgin Islands. I have written a motivational book entitled Herotations. I have used a coined phrase of hindsight wisdom. This just means that the mistakes that I have made in life no one else has to.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Herotations was inspired by my life and the many ways that I saw that could have made it more worthwhile. For years I would share a daily quote to my social media public in hopes of inspiring a wonderful day. I decided that it was far pasa time that I share these quotes with the world and give some insight on who I am and why you should step into the realm of Herotations.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I prefer to write at specific times so that my mind and body know exactly what is happening and will be intuned.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The Bible has been a major influence in my life.

What are you working on now?
I will be bringing out a children’s book series this summer.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I have been using Instagram, it gives me the ability to make some very creative commercials for my book.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
My advice for new authors is to plan your promotion strategy and keep to it.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Just do it!

What are you reading now?
I just finished “Shades of Purple” by Ingrid Hutchinson.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Children books to help inspire our youth.

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
Herotations
Shades of Purple

Author Websites and Profiles
Carl “Hero” Gumbs Amazon Profile

Michael Valletta 

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

Oh c’mon on, i spent 4 hours writing my bio. I am really not that interesting myself. Read my novel instead, at least is not about the obnoxious and boring me.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Springs of silence.

On how life can be so overwhelming that even speaking feels worhtless. Specially for those with colosal amounts of consciousness.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I honestly don’t think there’s an unusual writing habit. Each kind speaks out some sort of humanity.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Nope. Secret.

What are you working on now?
On my second novel, due December 2021.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write away the trauma—like a did.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“everything in moderation, including moderation.” Oscar Wilde.

What are you reading now?
Secret. It’s mostly philosophy.

What’s next for you as a writer?
My second novel. A middle aged man living in poor condition; alone.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
I don’t think i would be able to read dehydrated, i might ask instead for sunglasses.

Author Websites and Profiles
Michael Valletta Amazon Profile

Brooklyn Knight 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a Bermudian author who has written 13 novels and 2 novellas since August, 2018.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The latest book, La Reina, is the sequel to Reinoso – Book 1 in the El Rey Series. I am completely inspired by characters. My characters show up and I write their stories. It’s as simple as that.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I talk to my characters.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I love multicultural romance author Kenya Wright.

What are you working on now?
A quirky romcom called The Placeholder. Then, I’ll start Book 3 of the El Rey Series.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m still researching this, but Awesome Gang has been amazing so far!

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t be afraid to write from your heart.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Build a backlist.

What are you reading now?
Jennifer Sheppard – The Scottish Alliance

What’s next for you as a writer?
Screenplays

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?
Theodora Taylor and Kenya Wright books.

Author Websites and Profiles
Brooklyn Knight Amazon Profile

Brooklyn Knight’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Oksana Zinchenko 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a neuroscientist, PhD, and I worked for three years at the neurosurgical hospital. Based on my experience, I am writing this book series. At this moment I am working in two institutions: in Russia and Germany.
At this moment I published one non-fiction book on social neuroscience “Social brain: user manual” in Russian with Alpina Non-Fiction Publishing House (2021) and self-published a first short story collection “Now Repeat After Me”. It is only the first one in the series “Stories from the neurosurgical hospital”.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
“Now Repeat After Me” is the latest one of my books. It was one of the distinct features I noticed in my patients’ behaviour. When the particular brain areas are damaged, it is much easier to complete any task by following the precise instructions or even repeat the smallest movement and action right after the person who is instructing them.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I like writing when I have some white noise in the background: even if the radio or TV is on, it keeps me focused on what I am writing right now.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
“Do no harm” by Henri Marsh, “The language of kindness. A Nurse’s story” by Christie Watson and “Just one more question. Stories from a Life in Neurology” by Niall Tubridy (i.e. medical non-fiction, popular science).

What are you working on now?
Now I am working at the series “Stories from the neurosurgical hospital”. “Now Repeat After Me” was the first short collection of the stories, and I want to continue it, especially if it grabs the audience’s interest.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I could not recommend anything at this moment

Do you have any advice for new authors?
You have to be patient and not being easily disappointed when it comes to even self-publishing your book. Moreover, all kind of problems the publishing house does for you when you submit the book to them, now is your responsibility. To promote, get reviews, finding the target audience.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“It will pass”.

What are you reading now?
At this moment it is “Twas the Nightshift Before Christmas” by Adam Kay.

What’s next for you as a writer?
If the first book in the series will go well, I would definitely continue the publication of “Stories from the neurosurgical hospital”.

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 pick up the books by Arthur Hailey.

Author Websites and Profiles
Oksana Zinchenko Amazon Profile

Oksana Zinchenko’s Social Media Links
Twitter Account

Lyndon Smith 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am an engineering professor at a university in Bristol. I have written academic texts before, but this is the first ‘popular science’ type of book that I have written. I have done about 27 years of engineering research in areas relating to computer simulation and machine vision. Here is some more information about me:
Lyndon N. Smith has a strong interest in science and technology, and a particular fascination with developments in physics and engineering that can have potentially revolutionary effects on the way we live. He feels that scientific and technological developments of recent decades have been less dramatic than was expected, say, seventy years ago and that an investigation into why this is the case and what we can do about it is well overdue. His background includes degrees in physics, robotics and engineering, as well as 26 years of research experience in the UK (and USA), which has resulted in 180 technical papers, two books and the supervision of 20 PhDs. As well as being a professor at a major UK university, he is also something of a bibliophile; but has had a long-standing concern about the lack of accessibility of many science and technology related publications, in terms of the associated difficulties with public engagement with science, as well as reducing the likelihood of science having a strong and beneficial impact on society. He believes that one way to increase the accessibility of science is to employ an informal style, and to make liberal use of quotations and allusions to well-known figures from popular culture. This is what he has aimed to do with his new book. His intention is to make you wonder why we don’t hear more about how modern technologies can revolutionise our lives. He believes we need to spend more time and effort on looking to the future rather than agonising over the past. And he uses discussion of people and events from the past, as well as various predictions of the possible future, to throw light on the situation for science and technology, and what developments we might expect going forward. Lyndon lives in Central Somerset, with his wife and son.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is entitled: “Why You Can’t Catch a Rocket to Mars: Some Personal Reflections on Science and Society”. This was initially inspired by discussions with some of my MSc students, who, in 2015, told me that it was the day that Marty McFly was meant to have travelled forward from the year 1985 in the movie Back to the Future II. Apparently, in 2015 we were all supposed to have been flying around on ‘hoverboards’ – I started wondering why we were not.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write in various different places around the house and garden – it helps to have a laptop to do this!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Authors that have infludenced me: Chekhov, Arthur C. Clarke, Sir Artur Conan Doyle, Gene Roddenberry, Gerald Durrell, Hunter S. Thompson, Isaac Asimov, and many more…

Books: Chekhov’s short stories, Sherlock Holmes e.g. The Hound of the Baskervilles, Star Trek, Durrell’s travel writing, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, I, Robot, and again, many more…

What are you working on now?
An audiobook version of “Why You Can’t Catch a Rocket to Mars: Some Personal Reflections on Science and Society”.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Amazon ads seems quite good, if rather expensive and complicated.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Read Chekhov (or other good writing if you can’t read Chekhov). Write every day.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Disipline is the most important thing.

What are you reading now?
P. G. Wodehouse.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Another book – possibly on science and/or Sherlock Holmes.

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?
Turgenev fathers and sons, Travels with Charlie by Steinbeck, The Complete Sherlock Holmes Short Stories and Novels, The Bible.

Author Websites and Profiles
Lyndon Smith Website
Lyndon Smith Amazon Profile

Lyndon Smith’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Ryan Wiersma 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have written one book. Some might call it the Beethoven of book, a symphony from a pipeliner point of view.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Pipeline Diaries: Alberta Forever. I’m From the Wild world of oil and gas. It’s a good world, last frontier of men i would say. It test you, with long bouts in the wilderness, and the best part is when you see men crack under the strain. Just the other day Carl Jung would have enjoy watching the speculate of a young boys shadow coming out. Like some inner demon had taken over his body, and tried to pick a fight with me. Young boys trying to fight men? I indefinitely laughed in his face, and egged him on knowing the laws of weak vs strong. strong always wins. he backed down and apologized and then the demon back for more tried to fight again. laughing then walking towards him he coward back to submission. here or there things like this pop up and i enjoy them very much. all ways tested, always on guard. so i write about them so you can see the beauty of madness, that only can be created by harsh environments.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t know many writers or studied habits of other. so i can’t say i do or don’t. So I will lie to you because it more better, than the text book in school. I light a big fat stogy’s, Romeo and Juliet is my brand. of course this is after a good deep shag with my girl friend. With these too inspiration of sweet and smoke the creative mind explodes with the cosmos in word form. and i write and write and i write.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Charles Bukowski, Is one of my favourites. I like how he tell truth through his debauchery. He doesn’t try to be anyone but him self.
Robert Greene, the ways he does his book just sign to me. he paints these amazing picture through the greatest characters in history.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on the masculine and famine side of a brake up. Explain how both sexes go through a break up, see both sides of a conversation and what each other see. The evolution of how the sexes interact to benefit them selfs for reproduction. What is attractive in a partner to both males and females.

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

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write every day when writing a book, find a place that you are comfortable with, drink coffee or beer, something to get the juices to flow. i write about experiences, so i can get maximum emotion in my words.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
better have a beer, might not be here tomorrow, could get hit by a bus.

What are you reading now?
mythology

What’s next for you as a writer?
Ecuador to build my little piece of paradise

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
48 laws of power, Charles Bukowski potions from a wine stained notebook, Shantaram

Author Websites and Profiles
Ryan Wiersma Website
Ryan Wiersma Amazon Profile

Ryan Wiersma’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

Leo Unadike 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am the author of the new novel Oja and the Parrot’s Curse. Born in Nigeria, but moved and settled in the United Kingdom subsequently. I have a BSc (Hons) degree in Biomedical Science from Kingston University, London. I try to combine my work with writing which sometimes makes me wonder where the day went and wished it had more than 24 hours to offer. In the process, I try to maintain a healthy mind, body and soul through meditation, gym and sports. I’m a keen animal lover who has an aquarium with pet fish that do not hesitate to remind me that they see, feel, are eager to stay alive and have their unique tacit ways of showing that they are not very different from we humans after all. My tropical fishes are named: Obama, Marley, Marcus Garvey and Mandela! Oja and the parrot’s curse is my first published novel but I am presently writing a second book which I hope to conclude in the near future.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Oja and the parrot’s curse is my latest book and I was inspired by my keen observations of the human experience. I am sort of an empath, and sometimes feel emotions more vividly than the average person hence the book and the story was a good way to share and narrate a considerable part of the emotions I feel regarding pleasures, pain, hope and success with the world.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I meditate for 30 minutes before I write anything. I always listen to some sort of flute or soft instrumental music for meditation while writing and it has become a habit.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Things fall apart by Chinua Achebe, The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho and Nelson Mandela- Conversations with myself.

What are you working on now?
I am working on a second novel which I have titled, “The doomsday shepherd,” but the title might change as I write.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Social media, mainly Facebook, Instagram and Goodreads.

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

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“To find your way out, you must first find your way in for the keys that you seek are with and within you.”

What are you reading now?
Bhuddism, plain and simple by Steve Hagen.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I think the best answer for now would be- Time will tell.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
The bible, the holy Quran and Fifty shades of grey!

Author Websites and Profiles
Leo Unadike Website

Leo Unadike’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

ZZ Adams 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m the pen name of two Discord-addicted writers who embarked on a covid-fueled collaboration in 2020. During that time, in a haze of caffeine and pretzels, I have written 5 books, a novella and a novelette and am currently working on a 6th novel. There may also be a short story or two. Honestly, I can’t remember…

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is Mindstorm: A Young Adult Psychic Superhero Novel (His Storm Blows Out the Light Book 1). It was inspired by a particularly spicy vindaloo and a periodically malfunctioning hard disk. It’s the story of a team of psychic children who find each other as the world ends around them. And really, it’s up to them to save it despite some pretty evil organizations doing their best to stop them. It’s mostly inspired by Sir David Attenborough documentaries.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Since I inhabit two time zones simultaneously (by virtue of being composed of two separate writers, one formerly in Europe and one in Japan) I have the habit of writing pretty much around the clock. This makes for good progress but poor dinner party conversation.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I was once influenced by Tolstoy novel–I tripped over a copy of War and Peace and landed face-first in the fantasy and science fiction section thus starting a life-long love affair which has not dulled. I do love me some Tolkien and I am also partial to Edmund Cooper.

What are you working on now?
I am currently working on a prequel to my 10 book science fiction series, Zero-Point Awakening called Wunderkind. I am also working on completing book 5 in that series. Book 1, Splice is available at Amazon and book 2, Shadow War is available for pre-order on Amazon.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
The best method we have is our mailing list. We are able to directly communicate with our readers (which is amazing) and keep in touch and up to date with the latest from them.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write a lot. When you’ve written a lot, write more because that wasn’t really a lot. When you are finished that, write more. Then find a good critique group and be nice to them. Also, set up a mailing list.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t sweat the small stuff is a solid piece of advice. Also, don’t lick the yellow snow comes in a close second. Both are important. You cannot stack rank these.

What are you reading now?
I am currently reading Quantum by Patricia Cornwell and The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich (for a little light after-dinner reading). I am also reading Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn.

What’s next for you as a writer?
There is more writing in my future. And some editing. We are really looking forward to seeing the reader response for Mindstorm.

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?
Hollow, waterproof books that could be strung together with coconut fiber into a raft. If those were not available, I would probably be happy with a copy of Magician by Raymond Feist or a copy of Splice (my first book). That may sound a bit shallow but I really enjoy Splice and it can get quite monotonous on a desert island.

Author Websites and Profiles
ZZ Adams Website
ZZ Adams Amazon Profile

ZZ Adams’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account