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Sammy Stein 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have written 5 books mostly on jazz and jazz music. Women In Jazz is one of the major areas I cover and interviewing female musicians and learning about and sharing their journeys. I am International editor for the Jazz Journalist Association and a columnist as well. I review concerts and recordings and curate the Jazz repository – 59,000 old and vintage recordings. I host radio shows and basically do a lot of things involving music.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Pause, Play, Repeat was inspired because musicians were not being heard during the pandemic. Many saw their incomes fall off a cliff so I wanted to give them a platform. 18 stellar musicians were interviewed. Before that Women In Jazz was inspired by women’s journeys in jazz and the book won several awards and recommendations. All That’s Jazz was inspired by a love of jazz and the desire to investigate and share the inner workings of the jazz industry so I interviewed musicians, PR people, managers, writers and a host of others and put the book together. It has been popular.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write best when I have an impending deadline.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
An author called Finklestein but also the usual – Enid Blyton as a kid.

What are you working on now?
A book which will blow jazz open – inside the industry – women, bullies, all kinds of things. All good things about jazz too of course.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
None really – mostly publishers have managed that in the past but this last book I self published and used FB and Twitter.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Find your niche, remain passionate and ignore anyone who says ‘ you can’t do it’. You can but you need to work and learn – all the time. Many people out here are willing to help.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Never give up.

What are you reading now?
Finklestein and Goioia.

What’s next for you as a writer?
A few ideas but mostly jazz.

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 is an impossible ask.

Author Websites and Profiles
Sammy Stein Website

Sammy Stein’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Susan Stephens 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
USA Today Bestselling author with 65 plus books for Harlequin Presents/Mills & Boon Modern, 20 more books with other publishers, as well as my red-hot passion romance Indie books.

I started out writing non-fiction, and then my husband bought an auction lot ‘Be An Author For A Day’ which happened to be a writing day of bliss with the FABULOUS late Penny Jordan, who persuaded me to write romance. Penny became not just my mentor, but my closest friend. We shared a love of dogs, and all animals, and I owe her everything I am in the writing sense.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Warrior Witch is the first book in my new HOT HEX series. I’m so excited about this series, as it is my first scream ride into hot fantasy romance.

I would describe my books thus: Romance with heart, heat and red hot men, written by author addicted to all of the above!

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write a lot!!! I get up at five o’clock in the morning to make a start – that’s when I don’t stay up all night writing. And I can never make write without my faithful dog muse Betty lying on my feet, snoring contentedly.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith. I could so identify with this book when I was a pre-teen. Wind in the Willows taught me a lot about the power of friendship. Judy Bloom taught me a lot about life. Grimm’s Fairytales opened my eyes to the impossible being possible – and scared the living daylights out of me into the bargain – but then I was just a kid when I discovered that thick book propping up the broken leg of my favourite chair!

What are you working on now?
Christmas Witch – a celebration of all things Christmas: warmth, friendship, good food, loyalty, magic, and scorching hot men.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
www.susanstephens.net is where the soul of my writing resides. My readers pass the word, knowing I love and appreciate them all, and absolutely write for them. They share my news unstintingly.
I also have a newsletter so that everyone can tune in and find out what I’m up to, and take part in my contests and giveaways.
NEWSLETTER http://www.subscribepage.com/f9n2j5

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Never EVER give up.
I had pretty much given up, when an icon of the romance genre, Penny Jordan, asked, “What do you have to lose by giving it one more shot?”
Penny was right. I got the call, and the rest is history.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Bum glue: advice from the inimitable Nora Roberts.

What are you reading now?
A Gentleman in Moscow, and Captured by a Gentleman by the amazing Carole Mortimer.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Fire Witch, followed by book eleven in my hot as hell Acosta brothers Polo series for Harlequin Mills & Boon.

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 need a trunk! All Georgette Heyer’s novels – the same for Jean Plaidy. I’d re-read so many books from my childhood – A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Black Beauty, War Horse, Wind in the Willows, Heidi, Heidi Grows up, and Heidi’s Children – these books instilled in me a lifelong love of reading, for which I can never thank their authors enough.

Author Websites and Profiles
Susan Stephens Website
Susan Stephens Amazon Profile
Susan Stephens Author Profile on Smashwords

Susan Stephens’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Edward M. Lerner 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a physicist and computer engineer (among other things) by training. After thirty years in industry, working at every level from individual technical contributor to senior vice president, I was ready for a change. I now write full-time, and my latest book, just out, is my twenty-second.

Mostly I write science fiction and techno-thrillers, from time to time throwing in some popular science. Along the way, I’ve flown (mainly crashed) the space-shuttle training simulator, toured the space-station training simulator, gone behind the scenes at a satellite factory and a radio-astronomy observatory, and seen a space-shuttle launch from up close.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
That’d be Déjà Doomed, published on May 25th. It’s a near-future adventure set mostly on the Moon. Our intrepid explorers find artifacts left behind by ancient alien visitors — and you just know nothing good can come of their poking around. Even if the title didn’t mention doom.

What inspired the book? Well, First Contact is not only among the most popular SF themes, but it’s also among my favorites. I wanted to do something new with it. Most First Contact stories involve either face-to-whatever encounters or some type of signal detection — and I’d already done such novels myself. An archeological discovery of alien visitors would be different — but by itself not (ahem) as novel as I’d like. So, rather than hide the traces of long-ago visitors on Earth, I chose the Moon. Setting my book on the Moon allowed the alien relics to be far older, and far better preserved, than if they’d been left on Earth. Which then led to other wrinkles that are best left for readers to discover.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Drawing a blank here. I doubtless have my quirks, they just seem normal to me.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Too many writers are friends to wish to single out living favorites. And yet, I *will* name the SF of Larry Niven. His SF, especially his “Known Space” future history, appealed to me enough that I approached him about collaborating — and, in the end, we did the five-book Fleet of Worlds series together. That makes Larry both a favorite author and a significant influence on my writing career.

Among the sadly departed, I’m a big fan of Joseph Heller’s Catch-22 and pretty much anything by Kurt Vonnegut.

What are you working on now?
A story arc about aliens on an interstellar cruise ship who get stranded on the fringes of our solar system. (Have I mentioned an interest in First Contact?)

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Some combination of a personal website, blog, and Facebook.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Rejection is inevitable on the road to being published. PERSONAL rejection (as opposed to form letters and emails) is actually good news: editors are too busy to spend time on authors whose submissions haven’t already shown promise.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Editorial comments are SUGGESTIONS. Don’t take suggestions with which you disagree. This, by the way, was advice from an editor.

What are you reading now?
I *just* finished Andy Weir’s latest novel, Project Hail Mary — it’s the kind of tech-centric SF I write. From which I dove into two books at once. The first is 1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus, by Charles C. Mann. The second is Pity the Reader: On Writing with Style, by Kurt Vonnegut and Suzanne McConnell. (Have I mentioned an appreciation for Vonnegut?)

What’s next for you as a writer?
As my last few novels have mainly been set on the Moon and asteroids, it’s time for me to do something set on Mars.

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, they’d have to be long. Am I allowed omnibus editions? Oh, and a download of Wikipedia?

Author Websites and Profiles
Edward M. Lerner Website
Edward M. Lerner Amazon Profile
Edward M. Lerner Author Profile on Smashwords

Edward M. Lerner’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

Ling Zhang 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hello, everyone, welcome to Grow to Your Fullest channel. I’m Ling Zhang, the author of Grow to Your Fullest. Today I will tell you why I wrote the book.
Let me start with my background. I grew up in a small village China, where poverty was around, no milk, no bread and no meat – I even ate wild vegetables and tree leaves. However, I was rich in dreams. The beauty of the nature – twinkling stars, silvery moon light, radiant sun rise, flowers in seasons brought me many beautiful dreams.
As a little girl, every year I dreamed to have a shirt with flowers, especially at New Year. I did not dare to ask because I knew my parents had no money. But that could not stop me dreaming, sometimes I closed my eyes – picturing I put on a fine made silk flowery shirt. One summer, my father brought a piece of silk fabric home. My mother turned it magically into a beautiful shirt. I was so excited when I put it on.
One day, I was told there is a country called America, a beautiful country. I dreamed to come to America then I arrived here in 1996. Now I have been here for over 25 years. During these years, many things happened. One of the things happened was revolutionary because it turned my view on life upside down. I went from being a person who did not believe in anything to becoming a person of faith. I believed there is a God who started everything: my life and my dreams. Though I had many dreams in childhood, I did not dream to have chocolate because I did not know I did not have chocolate. This means my dreams were limited by my limitation. Believing in God removed my limitation. Now I can dream much nobler dreams.
In life, I have gone through so many. The journey was not smooth but was full of great and sensational moments – bad and good. But they all played a significant role in shaping my character. At one point, I came to realize how each moment was intertwined so tightly into a bigger picture and these are moments of enrichment – they instill meaning, transform lives, bloom beauties, and sow the seeds of eternity. God has made everything beautiful in its own time and infused each moment with eternity. I also realized that all those things worked together to bring me to the truth, gain the essence of life, and understand the will of the Lord. As It’s said in the Bible that “ In all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28).
Most importantly, I came to know, through all of life’s struggles and turns, God helped me become an author I dreamed in youth. I wrote the book because my dear LORD, Jesus Christ, His tender, faithful love moves my heart; His gentle and powerful hands hold me, and His words empower me to move forward in life regardless of any kind of adversaries and obstacles, and His calling to live a life of fullness inspires me. In Him, I found the secret of living a life to the fullest.
I also realized the biggest problem is that most people are disconnected from their deepest inner longings, and from their purpose of living; people are disconnected from their calling for a great cause. All these because they are disconnected from the spring of life, God. People pursue paper thin temporary happiness. They want to become famous and be recognized by the world; they pursue success in material possession. At the end, they are consumed by their success instead of consuming the success with true inner joy and peace. They lose the harmony of life.

I value the harmony of life, truth, love and beauty and want to help people to live out their best lives, to reach their fullest selves, no matter whom you are or where you are in life. My mission is to help you to grow to your fullest. Grow to your fullest is my first book. You can find the book on Amazon or on my web site https://www.growtoyourfullest.com/

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Grow to Your Fullest – 4 steps to rise above the crowd, bloom and bear fruit

Through all of life’s struggles and turns, I came to know that God helped me become an author I dreamed in youth. I wrote the book because my dear LORD, Jesus Christ, His tender, faithful love moves my heart; His gentle and powerful hands hold me, and His words empower me to move forward in life regardless of any kind of adversaries and obstacles, and His calling to live a life of fullness inspires me. In Him, I found the secret of living a life to the fullest.
I also realized the biggest problem is that most people are disconnected from their deepest inner longings, and from their purpose of living; people are disconnected from their calling for a great cause. All these because they are disconnected from the spring of life, God. People pursue paper thin temporary happiness. They want to become famous and be recognized by the world; they pursue success in material possession. At the end, they are consumed by their success instead of consuming the success with true inner joy and peace. They lose the harmony of life.

I value the harmony of life, truth, love and beauty and want to help people to live out their best lives, to reach their fullest selves, no matter whom you are or where you are in life. My mission is to help you to grow to your fullest. Grow to your fullest is my first book. You can find the book on Amazon or on my web site https://www.growtoyourfullest.com/

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I like to capture my random ideas or thought then organize them together

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Don’t Throw Away Tomorrow, Wild Goose Chase
The Winning Attitude, Loving God
Dream Big Act Big, and How to Become the Person You Want to Be.

What are you working on now?
I am a director of data science team and manage a team of data scientists at different levels. I support non-profit companies to mentor young people who will be data scientists. I am also volunteering to be coach and mentor for others for spiritual and career growth

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

Grow to Your Fullest web site:
https://www.growtoyourfullest.com/shop

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Being creative in writing

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Do not let your limitation limits GOD’s WORK on you.
This is not what I heard but I learned from my life

What are you reading now?
Ted Talks

What’s next for you as a writer?
I am working on the second book that is series of the book, Grow to Your Fullest

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) Holy Bible – I need God’s words empower me and Him being with me
2) My book – Grow to Your Fullest
3) My book – in the writing
4) Loving God

Author Websites and Profiles
Ling Zhang Website
Ling Zhang Amazon Profile

Ling Zhang’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

Wendy Hawkin 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I grew up in rural Ontario but drove West twenty years ago seeking a milder climate. I now live in an ecovillage in a small rural community east of Vancouver, B.C. with my beautiful yellow lab and write under the name W. L. Hawkin which stands for Wendy Louise. Over the years, I’ve written eight novels. I started Indie publishing the Hollystone Mysteries in 2010 and there are now four in the series.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I just released To Kill a King—book four in the Hollystone Mysteries series—on March 21, 2021. Since it’s the fourth book, I need to tell you a little bit about the first three. The books are standalones but follow in sequence so it’s a richer experience to know something about what went before.

The series revolves around a Vancouver Wicca coven who solve murders using ritual magic and a little help from the gods. The main protagonist, Estrada, is a free-spirited polyamorous magician and also high priest of the coven. I realized after writing the fourth book that in each tale, Estrada grows as a person and travels somewhere to save someone he cares about.

In To Charm a Killer, a serial killer is abducting witches and the coven spins a charm to catch him before he can do anymore harm. But spells create ripples. A teenage girl gets caught up in the charm and everyone starts misbehaving. Estrada travels to Ireland to save the girl and makes a startling discovery.

In To Sleep with Stones, Dylan McBride, another coven member is arrested for murder while working on an archaeological dig in Scotland with Sorcha O’Hallorhan. Dylan calls on Estrada to find the real killer and get him out of prison. But, while Estrada’s in Scotland helping Dylan, his lover, Michael Stryker, gets targeted by a vampire and makes a mistake that propels us into book three, To Render a Raven. When the vampire steals Estrada’s baby on the eve of her first birthday, the coven travel up the BC coast by yacht to rescue her.

To Kill a King spins off To Sleep with Stones. Sorcha, who headed the archaeological dig in Scotland is given a gift by a god—she can go anywhere to any time and place she desires. Well, when she was fourteen, Sorcha saw Old Croghan Man’s remains in the National Museum in Ireland. His torso had been dug from a bog in the Irish Midlands. Sorcha has the gift of psychometry and when she touched the metal on his leather armband she saw his face, fell in love, and decided to become an archaeologist. So, the god takes her to Iron Age Ireland to meet the man she once envisioned. Knowing he will be ritually murdered and thrown in the bog to cure for two thousand years, Sorcha determines to save the bog man from his fate. When Estrada discovers that Sorcha is stranded in Iron Age Ireland with Celtic Druids, he and Dylan demand that the god send them there so they can rescue her. It’s a romantic, prehistoric, time-travel thriller.

I saw photographs of Old Croghan Man in a National Geographic and was immediately struck by the artifact—he was 6’6″, in his mid-twenties, had manicured nails, and was perfectly preserved, except only his torso, arms, and fists were unearthed. The rest of him has yet to be discovered. Since he’d been ritually murdered, I wanted to make his life and death meaningful. I traveled alone to Ireland in 2017, stayed in Trinity College, and spent days sitting with his remains in the National Museum in Ireland. I also spent time researching Iron Age Ireland at a downtown Dublin Library, then went to sacred prehistoric sites, and eventually climbed Croghan Hill which is the hill where he would have been inaugurated as king and then ritually murdered and cast in the bog.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
It’s not really a habit. It’s my process. I don’t outline. I just draft the whole story by connecting with my muses—spirits and characters. I meditate and ask questions. The answers come in conversations, visual scenes, and dreams which I then write on the computer. Characters surprise me. I never know what’s going to happen.

I work with archetypes as well, and there is a journey in each book. I’ve travelled to research all the locations in this series. I love to soak up the energy of the landscape, get inspired, and add sensory details that I uncover along the way. Ireland is one of my favourite places and I’d love to live there! I’m always surprised when I read the whole book at the end!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Joseph Campbell who wrote The Power of Myth is like a mentor. I’m also inspired by Diana Gabaldon who wrote the Outlander series now so popular on TV. Diana is brave, intelligent, generous, and doesn’t hold anything back. I like that.

What are you working on now?
I’ve just completed a contemporary small town romance and I’ve almost finished drafting a romantic suspense novel set at a lighthouse where I once worked. Since it’s a romance, there are two protagonists. Gracelyn and Caleb were best friends as children at the lighthouse where her parents were the keepers. When her mother jumped off a cliff, she and her father left. Seven years later on the anniversary of her mother’s suicide, Gracelyn’s father burns to death in his sailboat and leaves her a note: “Your mother didn’t jump. I pushed her.” He asks Gracelyn to go back to the lighthouse and read her mother’s hidden journal so she’ll understand why he did it. The trauma triggers a latent ability in Gracelyn to see ghosts. Apparently her mother and grandmother were mediums too.

Gracelyn returns to her childhood home reluctantly and reunites with Caleb. But her new ability spawns a series of misadventures as they attempt to solve the mystery of her mother’s death.

If you’re curious about lighthouse keeping, I chronicled my adventures on http://lifeonthebclights.blogspot.com

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I signed with Creative Edge in March and now do all kinds of publicity. I don’t know what media form works better. I do TV, radio, podcasts, blog tours and anything that’s offered. They’re all opportunities to connect with readers and other writers.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write what you love so you pour your passion into your piece. Finish it and then get other eyes on it. Send it to beta readers or work with a critique group. Hire an editor if financially possible. Listen to what people say and don’t get defensive. This is how you learn.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Focus on bringing joy into your life—let everything else go.

What are you reading now?
I have been writing reviews for The Ottawa Review of Books for the past three years. Right now I’m reading Cathy Ace’s latest Cait Morgan cozy mystery. So far, I love it and it’s set locally which is even more fun for me.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Either Book Five in the Hollystone Mysteries or another romance. We’ll see what my muses say.

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?
Joseph Campbell, The Power of Myth—it changed my life.
Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings.
The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley, 1982
The Lord of the Flies by William Golding. Why not?

Author Websites and Profiles
Wendy Hawkin Website
Wendy Hawkin Amazon Profile

Wendy Hawkin’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Gareth Southwell 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a writer and illustrator from Wales, UK. I’ve written 11 non-fiction books (of popular philosophy), two sci-fi books, and I’m a professional book cover designer and illustrator. I’m relatively new to self-publishing (the last 3 years), but what drew me to it was the freedom to write whatever I wanted – which is currently sci-fi. I’ve had an agent, and I’ve worked with traditional publishers, and it’s always frustrated me how commercial and narrow their tastes were.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is “Pale Kings”, a little novella (about 50 pages) set in the same time and place as my full-length sci-fi novel “MUNKi”. What inspired it was actually an idea that I’d cut from the main novel, and which grew into its own story. I come from a place in the UK called Port Talbot, an industrial town where the graffiti artist Banksy recently created a work on an old garage wall. To make money from it, the garage owner actually dismantled the wall and sold it. All of which got me thinking about the craziness of the contemporary art world, and inspired me to do my own little satirical take on it all, with a smart-drugs fuelled crook and a neurotic robot guard dog thrown in for some sci-fi flavoured spicing.

Both books are set a few years in the near future, just far enough ahead that virtual reality, robots and artificial intelligence have moved along enough to make things a bit more interesting for a fledgling sci-fi writer! Near-future fiction is really tricky to write, I’ve found out to my cost. The pandemic arrived just when I was about to self-publish, and I had to delay and go back and rework bits of the main novel – not hugely, but just enough so that it was plausible that the events take place in a future affected by our present (if you get me…). So, it’s swords and sorcery or far-future space opera for me from now on, I think!

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not especially – at least, I don’t think I do! I have found that I work best in the mornings, when my energies are fresh, so I’m quite often up before everyone else in the house, when it’s nice and quiet.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
In terms of sci-fi, it has to be William Gibson, Iain Banks and M. John Harrison. More broadly, I find David Mitchell’s work to be diverse, innovative and fresh, while at the same time an engaging read (quite a tricky thing to pull off). I’m also a big fan of John le Carré, who dispels the myth (along with Mitchell and Harrison) that you can’t write genre fiction and literary fiction at the same time.

What are you working on now?
I currently have three novel ideas that are still at the seedling stage, and I’m waiting to see which one takes off – hopefully one of them will! One is far future, another is a weird mystery thingy, and another is struggling to decide whether it’s sci-fi or fantasy. So, it’s early days!

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Well, as I said, I’m still relatively new to the self-publishing game, and I’m finding promotion and marketing to be the hardest part of it, because – like many writers, I suspect – I’m not an extrovert or a natural businessman! Hopefully, I’ll be able to answer this question more positively in 6 months or so. However, so far…

Free books have worked a little bit – having short stories or novellas on Amazon, especially, and the other major retailers – and this will certainly ensure that people discover you. However, it remains to be seen whether this translates into people who actually read your books (I’m beginning to suspect not…).

Taking part in newsletter promos/giveaways certainly works, and even if the majority of these sign-ups are simply freebie hunters, it does land you at least some genuine readers and potential fans – Bookfunnel.com is good in this regard, and MyBookCave.com. And obviously Booksweeps.com, but that’s a paid service.

Social media isn’t the best method for promotion, though I find Twitter good for networking with other writers and creatives.

Book review blogs are a waste of time, in my experience, as are Goodreads and LibraryThing giveaways (best just to ask for reviews at the back of your book and be patient – they will come). Reviewers are inundated, and everyone reads less than they’d like to.

Other than that, work on your newsletter, link to that in the back of your books too, and try to build a readership (at least, that is the current plan…).

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Judging by Twitter, it seems that everyone is fed up of the advice to “just write”! I can understand that, but it’s also good advice. In his book “The War of Art”, writer Steven Pressfield argues that it is “resistance” which is the main enemy of the creative person, and the only solution is to sit down and overcome it. We just put the work in. The results are out of our hands, but there is virtue and self-fulfilment in the trying.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I think something new writers also struggle with is self-esteem. Are you good enough? Somehow, especially if you’re a self-publisher, you have to find a way to convince yourself that you are – whilst leaving the door open a crack to allow in those insightful criticisms that will enable to you improve as a writer. To my mind (and here is my inner introvert speaking), the worst thing you can do is throw open the door and invite in everyone’s opinion. Firstly, even if well-meant (and not all of it will be…), everyone will differ in what they have to say, taste is subjective, and the advice taken as a whole will often be contradictory. Secondly, it’s much easier to be a critic than a creator; to create is to be both brave and vulnerable. Somehow, you must keep your little fragile frame of self-belief from being blown out – whether by your own inner doubts, or by the external forces of ignorance, malice and indifference – and that’s just your family and friends!

Julia Cameron, author of “The Artist’s Way”, has some good advice on this: you must create a mental inner circle of trust, and banish from it all and every internalised critical or negative voice that does not help you to create. Be brutal. No one is entitled to be in there by virtue of who they are – spouses, best friends, parents. Once you’ve done that, remember those people who have encouraged you – that teacher who said you could write, the friend who encouraged you, the compliment from that random stranger – it doesn’t need to be just about your writing, but can be any positive experience relating to qualities you can draw on for your writing. Then make those snippets, memories, and people the guardians of that inner flame of your creative self-esteem. Once that’s done, once the wall is built, then only let in those actual people whom you trust to be honest and insightful, but that also honestly want you to succeed.

I’ve waxed quite lyrical, there, but it is also good practical advice, I think. Build your mental inner circle of trust!

What are you reading now?
I am currently reading M. R. Carey’s “The Girl with All the Gifts”, which is extraordinary. I’m not a zombie fan, but I just can’t stop reading it. I’m also reading John le Carré’s “The Perfect Spy”, which fictionalises aspects of the author’s own life and his relationship with his father – it’s wonderfully subtle psychological writing.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Next for me is to decide which of my seedlings to develop! I know I should really write a series (as all the advice has it), but life’s too short to pander to the market. So I’ll see where my interests lead me. I also need to find means to support my writing – which I’m trying to do through my book cover design and illustration work. Wish me luck!

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
This is tough! I have an enormous amount of book guilt – that is, regarding those I own that I haven’t yet read. However, as I get older, I’m also discovering the joy of re-reading. So, I would probably take the complete works of Shakespeare (because there’s just so much wonderful stuff in there), Thomas Pynchon’s “Gravity’s Rainbow” (because then maybe I could actually finish the bloody thing), Edward Gibbon’s “Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire” (because Rome fascinates me, and there are so many lessons and stories in there), and the complete writings of the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche – if I’m allowed (because as well as a philosopher, he was a wonderful writer, and while I disagree with him on many things, every time I read him I find something different and thought provoking).

Author Websites and Profiles
Gareth Southwell Website
Gareth Southwell Amazon Profile

Gareth Southwell’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Aggie Unda 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have a career in theatre, as a performer, director and producer. I always enjoyed writing scripts for my own productions and for my students.
I have a wonderful husband who is a singer ( that’s how me met…. in a production of the Rocky Horror Picture Show) and two incredibly unique and amazing children.
I enjoy skiing and love to dance! I am usually at home with a cup of coffee daydreaming of my next story….

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My book series name Risho & Kaia, The Seed of Imagination, was inspired when my son was diagnosed at an early age with autism, I was able to see so many difficulties for him, but also so many amazing qualities has. Seeing the interaction between him and my daughter, and the lack of information his school peers had on what autism is, inspired me to write the script. It was performed on stage, but I wanted to reach more people and spread the word. Not only it raises autism awareness, but also the importance of imagination and creativity.
I am currently working on book 2 in the series.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I love to write very early in the morning! I’m up at 4:30am,I get a cup of coffee and then write until my children are up getting ready for school.
I usually light a candle and do a short meditation before writing. The only one that accompanies me at that time is our cat, Mississippi, which she either curls up to sleep or decides she has some creative input in my work and steps on the keyboard….

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I like to read fantasy, and read from a wide variety of authors, but I also tend to binge on a certain author or genre and then switch. I’ve noticed also that depending on what stage I am in my life at the moment is what I would gravitate towards. I usually have a fiction and non-fiction book that I would be currently reading

What are you working on now?
Book 2 the of the trilogy Risho & Kaia is being currently edited and I am working on my first romance book under a different pen name

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
That’s what I’m trying to figure out! I’ll get back to you on that one.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Just do it! We all have fears and doubts with great excuses, but we also have a story to tell.
There is great information on how to start writing, and resources for new writers. It is easy to feel overwhelmed with information, but just start writing!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I think I’ve just gathered information from different sources and adapted it to what works for me, rather to sticking with one specific method. So probably my answer would be don’t be afraid to take what you need and throw away what simply doesn’t work for you.
I have learned from many authors through newsletters, youtube, even a workbook I really like that I found on etsy!

What are you reading now?
Nevermooor by Jessica Townsend
The Kiss Thief by L J Shen
Romancing the Beat by Gwen Hayes

What’s next for you as a writer?
promote my series Risho & Kaia to help raise autism awareness and encouraging children to embrace their uniqueness!
Build my new brand as a romance writer under a pen name.
Of course continue writing Middle Grade and YA in the near 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?
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
something light and funny maybe by Sophia Kinsella
and something motivational to be able to leave that island ( well maybe I’d enjoy some peace and quiet for a few days, then I would leave) any book by Tony Robbins

Author Websites and Profiles
Aggie Unda Website
Aggie Unda Amazon Profile

Aggie Unda’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

James Norwood 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a middle school English teacher. I’ve been teaching for 17 years now and I love my job. I have written one book, “A Trio of Worlds.” It is part of a planned series and so I have started work on Book Two (so far it is unnamed). I also wrote a book of school plays called “Act I: A Middle School Drama Anthology.”

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is called “A Trio of Worlds.” I was inspired by my love of Science Fiction and an idea I had that I’ve never seen in any of the books I’ve read about cloaking an entire planet.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t know if my writing habits are unusual. I like to write 2,000 words per day when I’m working on a project. I tend to get lost in my own writing and I find it amusing that my characters behave the way they do. I know this is my own imagination but they do tend to surprise me!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Isaac Asimov was a major influence in my late teen years. I also love the work of Stephen King and Dean Koontz. I’m a bit of a bibliophile so other authors that inspire me are Ken Follett and James Rollins.

What are you working on now?
I am working on book two in my Three Worlds Chronicles series. I’ve only just started so I’ve only put down about 2,000 words so far. I’m letting things germinate in my brain.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’ve been doing a lot of posting on Twitter, my own blog, and working to get my work on other book blogs.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Yes, keep writing! Even if you think your work is not going well, most of the battle is getting the words written.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
It may sound silly, but “just keep swimming” from Finding Nemo!

What are you reading now?
The Hollow Crown by Dan Jones.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m working on book two as well as promoting my first novel.

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 Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
Foundation by Isaac Asimov
Dreamcatcher by Stephen King

Author Websites and Profiles
James Norwood Website
James Norwood Amazon Profile

James Norwood’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Abby Burrus 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hello, I’m Abby and I’m a Christian. My favorite genre is Christian Fantasy, but I’ve also written contemporary fiction, non-fiction, and equestrian themed stories. The stories I’ve written include The Sword Maiden, A Challenge, several flash fiction pieces, and A Medallion, all of which are available on Wattpad.

Beneath the Willow Tree is my first actually published story. I’m currently working on the first draft of my Christian fantasy novel, Heir and Traitor.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The name of my latest, well, my first published book, is Beneath the Willow Tree. What actually inspired it was a blog I was reading on publishing through KDP, the author of the blog suggested publishing first with a short story. As soon as I decided to write a short story, I knew what I wanted to write about. I wanted to write fear, trust, and pain.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Well, I’m a pantser, but I don’t think that’s unusual. Maybe it’s the amount of projects I work on at one time that unusual, I currently have four going.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Oh so many… So so many. Jaye L. Knight, C. S. Lewis, Hannah Heath, Wayne Thomas Batson, Patrick Carr, Tricia Mingerink, and Chuck Black all encouraged my passion for good Christian Fantasy. I’m sure there’s more that I’m forgetting. And of course, the greatest Author of all, my good God.

What are you working on now?
I’m currently working on several, the main one being A Medallion right now. It’s an equestrian story, and the main equine, or horse, is named Medallion. The name is actually inspired from the children’s fantasy book Medallion. It’s an old book that I really enjoyed reading, full of honor and integrity that is lacking these days. So, my main project right now, it will be available on Wattpad on June 1st.

Of course, I am always working on my first novel, Heir and Traitor.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I don’t know yet, I’m still trying to figure that out.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Just start writing what’s important to you. Just write. You need practice right now, so please just write! Read lots of blogs about writing, take in information, but don’t worry too much about everything, otherwise you’ll get overwhelmed. Have a thick skin that’s willing to take constructive feedback.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I’ve heard too much good advice to pick out the best of it. Maybe ‘just write’ is the best.

What are you reading now?
Currently the third book in The Zion Covenant, Munich Signature, by Bodie and Brock Thoene. It’s so good, I cannot recommend these two authors enough.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Advertising for my short story Beneath the Willow Tree, continuing work on Wattpad, and finishing up the first draft of my novel.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
My Bible first. A huge volume that has all seven of the Chronicles of Narnia, and my mind is going blank right now, so I don’t know about the rest.

Author Websites and Profiles
Abby Burrus Amazon Profile

Abby Burrus’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile

Robert Coraci 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Since the pandemic really limited my ability to work, I decided to re-evaluate my life and my goals. The result was the completion and publication of my first novel. I spent my entire professional career in the IT field over the last thirty-three years and I realized that it wasn’t satisfying to me anymore. I have decided to retire and enjoy the rest of my life at a slower pace. Writing will definitely be part of my future.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I always assumed that my first novel would be science fiction because that is the genre that I most often read. “Friends of the Zek” was inspired by my habit of making up plausible stories during conversations with my family and friends. I decided to try to incorporate historically accurate events and places alongside fictional characters inside a science fiction story. At my wife’s suggestion, the name of the alien race was derived from the names of our three kids (Zachary, Elizabeth, and Kenneth).

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t know if my habits are unusual since I haven’t really spoken to other writers about the process. I don’t outline my stories beforehand – I just sit at the computer and type away as ideas flow into my head. One thing that I do is probably spend way too much time researching real places and events so that I can make them as realistic as possible in my writing.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
As a child, I read all the classic science fiction by Isaac Asimov, Arthur C. Clarke, and Ray Bradbury. As a young adult, I read some works by Jerry Pournelle. Eventually I read everything that David Weber has ever written.

What are you working on now?
I have an idea about a forbidden romance during the pandemic. There will be joy, heartache, and enough plot twists to play on the readers’ emotions. The characters will all be human this time.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I tried Facebook advertising – the results were disappointing. Advertising directly on Amazon is absolutely a requirement – I am still spending much more than I earn in sales so far. My friends and family have promoted my book on their social media with limited success. Awesome Gang seemed like a good opportunity for me.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Follow your dream! Don’t be discouraged when your book doesn’t sell as quickly as you would like. You are an author and nobody can take that away from you.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“Never give up. Never surrender.” – Galaxy Quest

What are you reading now?
Ryk Brown has a nice science fiction series called the Frontier Saga. I am currently reading Part 2, Episode 13, “Return of the Corinari.”

What’s next for you as a writer?
I am going to finish my romance novel, then write the second book of my “Zek Transformations” 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?
“Great Expectations” by Charles Dickens, “2001, A Space Odyssey” by Arthur C. Clarke, and “A Simple Plan” by Scott Smith.

Author Websites and Profiles
Robert Coraci Website
Robert Coraci Amazon Profile

Robert Coraci’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

Penny Garrity 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
To be perfectly honest, most people wouldn’t consider my life interesting at all. While I’ve had some pretty interesting (weird) jobs such as a feather cooker, I’ve spent most of my life working and taking care of my family…my youngest brother was HIV positive when Aids was at its height, my mother had Parkinson’s and my stepdad suffered a stroke. I have a beautiful daughter and three fabulous grandkids and fantastic friends. I have eclectic interests from camping and horsebacking riding to shopping at flea markets and yard sales to making jewelry and a lot of things in between. Truly Blessed is the first book I’ve published but I have several others that I’ve written and shoved aside but am currently re-writing or editing and plan on publishing them as well, now that I’ve worked up the courage to do it once. My very first book and one I’m redoing now is called My Angel My Heart. I wrote it years ago and my mother and daughter nagged me to send it to publishers even though I kept telling them it wasn’t ready. Of course it was rejected and even though I expected it I didn’t write again for a long time. Then I met my own private angel named Glenda who re-ignited the desire to write.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Truly Blessed is the first book I’ve published and it took years to work up the courage to put it out in the universe. I wanted my grandkids to have the courage to follow their dreams and I couldn’t preach that if I didn’t do it myself. As for what inspired it I’m really not sure. God maybe. I woke up one morning with an inkling of an idea and couldn’t get it out of my head until I started putting it on paper (actually the computer). Once I started writing it just flowed until I finished.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t know that I have any particular writing habits. I start with a general idea, the main protagonist and maybe a few minor (or they’re supposed to be minor) characters and actually let the characters build the story.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I’m not sure any particular books or authors really influenced me because I’ve always been an avid reader of different genres. Whatever happens to catch my attention at the moment. I love Janet Evanovich, John Grisham, Al Franken, John Meecham, Louis L’Amour and Fannie Flagg just to name a few but I don’t think I write like any of them. To this day, two of my favorite books I read as a kid are The Secret Garden and A Wrinkle in Time.

What are you working on now?
I’m currently working on a story about two boys building a better life for themselves after being homeless. I’m also editing and rewriting the first book I ever wrote about a young woman who (because of a unusual ability) was raised in a mountain cabin seeing the modern world for the first time.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Since Truly Blessed is the first book I’ve ever published I’m still figuring out how to promote it BUT I would definitely recommend Awesome Gang. I’m looking at different sites and this appears to be at the top of the list.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Listen to your characters! My daughter laughs about the people living in my head (when I’m writing. I’m not Sybil lol) but I’ve found that no matter how hard I try to follow MY idea, if I don’t listen to the characters (my daughter’s right and they are alive in my head) and follow their lead the story doesn’t work. So I guess my advice (for what it’s worth) would be…let the characters develop the story and follow their lead.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I know it sounds silly but one of the best things I’ve ever heard was from the movie Sister Act 2. Whoopie Goldberg tells one of the students about a young man who asked a famous author to read his stories and give him his opinion. The author told him “If you wake up in the morning and all you can think about is writing, than you’re a writer.” For most of my life I’ve written, whether it’s fanfiction, stories for my friends, my grandchildren or just for myself but I never really considered myself a writer because I’d never been published (except for my fanfiction on the web) until I heard that quote in Sister Act 2. That’s when I realized that even if no one ever read a thing I wrote, I was a writer. I found my joy in writing. I hope anyone who spends their life putting words to paper realizes the same thing.

What are you reading now?
I’m not at the moment. As much as I love to read, I don’t read when I’m working on a project because I don’t want to take a chance on even accidentally stealing someone’s idea or even part of that idea. If I have the uncontrollable urge to read while working on a project I usually read fanfiction because those stories are based on established characters and tv shows.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I honestly don’t know. I’m just concentrating on my current books and enjoying my grandchildren. Of course I think like any writer (if they’re going to be honest) I would like to see Truly Blessed turned into a movie. That would be cool. Of course I would have to insist on casting approval lol. I know the characters. I see them in my head. I know what they look like and how they act and the right casting can make or break a movie…at least that’s what I’ve heard.

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 really hard question but I’m not totally stupid so I would definitely take The Dummies Guide to Survival lol. If I could only take three others I think it might be The Secret Garden, A Time to Kill and whatever Janet Evanovich book had just hit the shelves.

Author Websites and Profiles
Penny Garrity Amazon Profile
Penny Garrity Author Profile on Smashwords

Penny Garrity’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

Lyndsey Hall 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a UK fantasy author from a village near Sherwood Forest. I published my debut novel, The Fair Queen, in August 2020, the first of a planned trilogy for fans of Holly Black. I’m currently working on book two, as well as a collection of short stories set in the same world.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I’ve written a short story, Daughter of the Selkie King, which is being published in an anthology called Enchanted Waters in July 2021. The story is a prequel to my debut novel, featuring a whole new cast of characters, as well as cameos from some familiar faces. One of my biggest inspirations is local folklore and legends, selkies are a well-known mythical creature from the Scottish Highlands and I wanted to weave as much British folklore into the world-building for The Fair Chronicles as I could, to celebrate our history and culture.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I think I’m pretty vanilla when it comes to writing habits! First of all, I have to find time in between my job, my toddler and the mounting pile of washing. Then, I make a cup of Yorkshire Tea, grab a bowl of snacks (anything chocolate or sweet), light a scented candle and put Taylor Swift’s folklore album on, and write.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Some of my biggest influences came from reading as a teen, when emotions were high and books were my escape from the sometimes painful realities of life and school. Harry Potter and Artemis Fowl were my favourite series, and I think the elements of magic and fairies and British folklore and legends have stayed with me and inspired and influenced my stories.

What are you working on now?
I’m currently working on the sequel to The Fair Queen, The Solitary King, which will be released in early 2022. It follows the events of book one, a few months after Aria escapes the clutches of the Celeste King and discovers the truth about herself and her heritage. In book two, King Auberon takes his bid to sacrifice Aria and revive his beloved sister from death one step further, and brings the Five Kingdoms to the brink of all out war. It’s the middle book of the trilogy and forms a bridge between Aria’s discovery of the Fair Realm and her ultimate destiny in the series finale, but it’s really action-packed and hopefully contains a few shocking twists that will keep readers gripped from start to finish.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I recently discovered Story Origin, a tool that allows authors to build up their email subscriber list with newsletter swaps and group promos, and it’s been a godsend when it comes to promoting my books and building relationships with fellow indie authors.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Join the writing community on whichever platform you prefer, Instagram and Twitter are fantastic as you can follow top hashtags and discover people and accounts that will become your tribe. Everyone is so supportive of each other, there’s no competition whatsoever, we’re all in this together, so the most important thing you can do to promote your books is to help others promote theirs. Facebook groups are also amazing, as the members are really keen, engaged readers, so getting involved in takeovers, hops and supporting your fellow indies is a great way to get the word out about your books and build a following of your own.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best advice I’ve heard is just to focus on your own path, your own journey, because we’re all at different stages of our careers and we all have different goals, there’s absolutely no comparison. Don’t look at what someone else has achieved and wish you could do it too, or let the jealousy sour the incredible things you have achieved. Just keep working towards your own goal, and celebrate every little milestone. Cheer for your fellow authors, shout about their books, support them, and pay it forward.

What are you reading now?
I’m reading a collection of short stories called Realms of Fae and Shadow, every story is a prequel to a series of full-length novels and it’s been such a good way to discover new authors and new series. I’ve loved every story and can’t wait to read the actual series! Next, I’m going to be reading an ARC of another anthology, Girls of Might and Magic, which is a collection of diverse fantasy stories by own voices and diverse authors. I’m so excited to dive in!

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m really excited to finish my first series, The Fair Chronicles, which will be a complete series in 2023! I’m also really looking forward to the release of Enchanted Waters, the anthology my story Daughter of the Selkie King is being published in this July. The anthology is aiming to raise money for Oceana, a non-profit working to protect the world’s oceans, promote biodiversity and sustainable fishing. And we’ve all had so much fun working on this collection that we’re planning to do another one next year, Enchanted Forests!

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 have to take a full series so I could restart it every time I finished the final book! I’d go for A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas. It’s got everything I’d need, fantasy escapism, strong, complex characters, a gorgeous (and steamy!) romance, and a vast world with a really rich history. It’s one of my favourite series, I could reread it over and over forever and always find something new in it.

Author Websites and Profiles
Lyndsey Hall Website
Lyndsey Hall Amazon Profile

Lyndsey Hall’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Skylar Colon 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hi, I am just a girl from a small town who always dreamed about sharing her experiences with other people.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Self-help 101: A Motivational Guide to Help You Pick Yourself up, Dust Yourself off, and Unlock the Gate to Greatness. It was inspired by a string of events that happened in my life and motivated me to share my story with other people.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Oh, not really. I am getting my feet around writing and still have a lot to learn.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Mostly it’s old movies and favorite childhood books like The Wizard of Oz. I do really believe that every person has their own path paved with yellow bricks. They just need to find it and follow along the way!

What are you working on now?
I am working on a few projects at the moment: another book in the self-help genre and a story for kids. I hope to pour my childhood memories into this book.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I am relatively new in promoting my book but I believe letting more people know about your work is the best way to reach your target audience.

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

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

What are you reading now?
It’s a sci-fi book called Caves of Steel.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I have no idea, ahaha!

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, I hate this question! I have so many favorite books, I can’t really choose one. Okay, if I really have to choose I’d definitely bring The Wizard of Oz, Gone With the Wind, Martin Eden, and my own book to remind me to never give up, even on a desert island!

 

Skylar Colon’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile