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Thomas Sakala 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I grew up in Sikalongo, a rural missionary station located south-east of Choma, not far from the Zambezi escarpment north-west of Lake Kariba in Southern Province, Zambia. As a teen, I often haunted the nearby foothills like a second home. In WE’RE ALL POTENTIAL PRISONERS, I explore how personal experiences, mostly negative, are valuable crucibles of business development and communication lessons. I obtained a Bachelor of Mass Communication and a Master of Mass Communication from the University of Zambia and I have worked in the business development, public relations and communication space for over a decade. When not writing, I enjoy exploring the outdoors and travelling. WE’RE ALL POTENTIAL PRISONERS is my first memoir, and book.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
WE’RE ALL POTENTIAL PRISONERS. I was inspired by a personal experience that I underwent, the support that I received from family and friends, and the lessons I learned post-restoration. I see a lot of people finding comfort and learning from my ordeal.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
If opening a laptop in the middle of the city or on the bedside in a hospital to write a thought is unusual, then yes.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Andrew Sotiris Sardanis (13 March 1931 – 28 February 2021) a Zambian Journalist and businessman, and Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts

What are you working on now?
Currently working on my second memoir detailing life after a series of sad and joyful events – my wife breaks her leg in the ninth month of our pregnancy, our son is born through caesarian section, and in a space of one week, she undergoes Open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) surgery to repair a broken bone. What follows is a period of learning, loving pain management and appreciation of life. The joy of having a healthy son, second child, is the “spirit cooler”.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I am yet to find one and hope Awesome Gang is the elixir!

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Being a new author myself, I would just encourage you to do it.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Everyone has a story, but not everyone can tell it.

What are you reading now?
The River Between, for the third time.

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

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Anything from Kenyan writer, Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o, and my own, WE’RE ALL POTENTIAL PRISONERS. I like to read through to see other ways I could improve.

Author Websites and Profiles
Thomas Sakala Amazon Profile

Nora Murray 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I worked as a television news producer for about seven years before switching over to public relations. I now work as a freelance writer/marketer, and just published my first novel.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I wrote the first scene of “Kingdom Come” after covering two different news stories about missing children and their parents. While the stories were terrifying, I couldn’t help but hope the kids were at least safe somewhere. I brought the scene to a workshop,thinking it was the start of a short story, when I was told kindly, but in no uncertain terms, that it was a novel by my fellow workshoppers. I’m glad I listened.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t know if they are unsual habits, but I usually have some type of snack/coffee next to me, which my aging metabolism is beginning to take issue with. I also like to use post-its to help me keep certain details/timelines straight. It can be embarrassing when your in-laws visit and you have post-its on the desk about how to end the world.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I love to read anything and everything. I guess my biggest inspiration are actually the authors I workshop with. They keep me motivated, and convince me to keep going when I’m convinced I’ve just written the worst scene ever committed to a page.

What are you working on now?
I think I’m close to finishing the first draft of my next novel, currently titled, “All Angles.” It’s very different from “Kingdom Come,” but since I read different genres I’m hoping it’s ok to write in different genres as well.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m still learning when it comes to promoting the book. So far, I’m on social media and Goodreads.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t give up. It is so very easy to give up. There are times when you’re convinced your book is no good, or you’ve finished the first/second draft and you’re just bored with your own story because you’ve read it and worked on it for so long, but don’t give up. I found workshops and the support of other writers invaluable. Knowing I wasn’t the only one feeling that way, and knowing people who I considered better writers than myself telling me they felt the same way made all the difference.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Even if you think what you’re writing is bad, write it and keep moving forward. You can always go back and fix whatever was wrong with it, but once you stop writing it can be hard to pick it up again.

What are you reading now?
Currently, I just started reading “The Indigo Girl” with my bookclub, and I’ve got “Once and Future Witches” on my bedside table waiting for me to pick it up. “Caste: The Origins of Our Discontent” is right after that.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m working on my next novel, and I continue to work as a freelance writer to support my book reading habit.

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 question is just mean. I guess I’d have to go with the classics: “Little Women,” “Pride and Prejudice,” and … I can’t choose!

Author Websites and Profiles
Nora Murray Website
Nora Murray Amazon Profile

Nora Murray’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

Larry Gotterer 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I asked Google to answer this one. Apparently, I’ve written and produced hit television shows and won awards as a creative director/senior copywriter in advertising and digital marketing. The search results also revealed that I hosted the final episode of one of the craziest shows in television history, wrote comic book stories featuring famous ducks, received awards for writing short films, play ice hockey, and most recently, became the author of my first book. If this is what Google knows, imagine what the FBI has on me.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
It’s called Find Happiness through Negative Thinking. The half-star review on the front cover speaks volumes: “I should have put him up for adoption.” — Author’s mom. I discovered the joys of negativity after experiencing countless letdowns, disappointments, false hopes, and unfulfilled expectations resulting from the positive-driven views of optimists. Everything we’ve been taught about positive thinking is a barrage of hopeful, wishful, unmerciful BS. This self-help book looks at the world from a negative perspective with a sense of humor.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t consider what I do writing. It’s more like creative dictation. I listen to the voices in my head, type what they say, and organize it. It’s not considered plagiarism when the voices involved are technically all yours. Some of the voices like to stay up all night writing. When I get up in the morning there are sticky notes all over the nightstand. I call them Post-it Hypnotic Suggestions. I don’t remember getting up to write them, so I’m not sure how they got there. Either way, there’s some great material waiting for me when I wake up.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I like to read poorly written books with lots of bad reviews. I find it powerfully motivating. It makes me think, “if they can write a book, so can I!” Nothing is more inspirational than a book full of plot holes, disastrous dialog, typos, and put-you-to-sleep chapters. When I read a book by an amazing author I’m less inspired. Then I’m like, “Who’s going to read my book when there are unbelievable, brilliantly written books like this out there?”

What are you working on now?
I’ve written a children’s book. What child wouldn’t want to read a picture book from the author of a book on negativity? I’m also getting ready to start writing my next self-help humor book. I’m not sure if it’ll help anyone or screw them up even more than they were in the first place, but I personally find writing them very therapeutic.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m experimenting with Amazon Advertising sponsored ads. The thrill of getting potential sales from 22,347 impressions and 8 clicks is exhilarating. I also look for people on freeway off-ramps holding signs that say, “Will read for food.” I’ll happily give them a book and a sandwich. There are always websites like Awesome Gang. I believe that any kind of exposure is good unless it’s to radiation.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
1) Nothing writes itself. If you think it did, rewrite it anyway. Would you go to a surgeon who claims she can do your surgery in her sleep and then schedules you for a 3:00 am operation?
2) Writing humor is particularly challenging. If you attempt it, be certain that people other than yourself and your pet find you funny.
3) If you do book signings outside of the U.S. in countries where they drive on the opposite side of the road, remember to look both ways before you cross the street. I’ve almost had multiple head-on collisions in London, and I wasn’t in a car.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
It was from a managing editor who told me the sign of a great writer is a full trash basket. Writing is hard work, although I find it much less strenuous than manual labor. Rewriting is even harder. From there, rewriting the rewriting of the rewriting can turn into a rewriting nightmare. I have full trash cans all over my house. It feels more satisfying if they’re overflowing — it’s proof I’m being productive and working at improving as a writer.

What are you reading now?
After such a long stretch of intense writing with my book, my brain needs a breather. I’m doing some light reading, which consists mostly of tea leaves. Next, I’m going to relisten to an audiobook called “How Come That Idiot’s Rich and I’m Not?” by Robert Shemin.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Write. Dream. Write. Create. Write. Contemplate. Write. Lose sleep. Write. Feel cranky. Write. Repeat.

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?
Assuming there isn’t a book called “Ditch the Deserted Island” for sale, I’d look for English translations of:
1) Venmurasu by Bahuleyan Jeyamohan — 22,400 pages, 3,680,000 estimated words
2) Devta by Muhiyyu-d-Deen Nawaab — 4,723 pages, 2,206,310 words
3) Les Hommes de bonne volonté by Jules Romains — 7,892 pages, 2,070,000 words
These entries from Wikipedia’s list of longest novels should cover all the reading for the length of my visit.

Author Websites and Profiles
Larry Gotterer Amazon Profile

Lakeidra Smith 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Lakeidra Smith is a young millennial author and cybersecurity consultant. Lakeidra’s work was first published at the age of 18 by the renowned publishing company W.W. Norton & Co. and the University of Alabama. She would then go on to publish her first full-length non-fiction book, Cyber Curiosity: A Beginner’s Guide to Cybersecurity – How to Protect Yourself in the Modern World at the age of 22 with the publisher New Degree Press.

On a mission to create a safer Internet, she is focused on improving society’s awareness about the definition of cybersecurity and creating a positive culture around personal cybersecurity.

She has contributed to a number of different industry nonprofit organizations, including STEAM Alabama Initiative, Cyberweek.org, and Women in Cybersecurity.

In her free time, you can find her baking a tasty treat or tackling a new DIY project.Lakeidra Smith studied management information systems and cyber criminology at the University of Alabama. She focuses on eliminating the barrier of technical lingo and concepts to make cybersecurity accessible to everyone. Her passion for technology drives her mission, which is to connect with her readers on a practical level, while allowing her personality and excitement to radiate! She believes in the power and value of technology, and her ultimate goal is to keep our society safe as we navigate cyberspace.

Lakeidra spent the last 4 years learning everything there is to know about the cybersecurity industry — from advanced cyber criminology theories to human behavioral cyber security. It is her mission to create awareness about the importance of personal cybersecurity and share her passion for the subject. To further this mission, she decided to compile her extensive knowledge on cybersecurity into a book for beginners and those wanting to learn how to protect themselves in the modern, hyperconnected world. Lakeidra Smith is setting a new standard for how to protect your digital assets, think about cybersecurity, and make STEM concepts more accessible to underserved populations.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The name of my latest book is Cyber Curiosity: A Beginner’s Guide to Cybersecurity – How to Protect Yourself in the Modern World. It was inspired by my mentor. The initial name of the book was The Privacy Paradox, however I shifted my focus from cyberprivacy to cybersecurity while I was writing. When we were discussing the direction of my book, he said that I was asking people to be more “cyber curious.” I agreed with him completely. My goal for the book is to open people’s eyes to the importance of cybersecurity. The name stuck from there.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I can only write when I feel inspired. Whether the inspiration is a blog post, a research article, or just waking up on the right side of the bed, I can’t write (well) if I’m uninspired. I also love listening to music while I write. It gives me a boost of energy, and I feel like I’m typing in the rhythm of the beats.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I would say that my two biggest influences in the cyber world are Bruce Schneider and Dr. Eric Cole. I really admire their work as cybersecurity professionals and writers. Outside of non-fiction, I love Stephen King. While writing Cyber Curiosity, I read On Writing and it served as a bit of inspiration to never stop writing.

What are you working on now?
Currently, I am taking a book writing hiatus. This summer I will be officially launching my own cybersecurity consulting firm, “The Cyber Consultant.” I’m very excited to get to help people who need it through the power of technology and cybersecurity. I am also writing a 10-part article series that is posted to my blog, lakeidrasmith.com, weekly.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
This is my first book launch, and I have been exploring different avenues. However, I always tell people to never underestimate the power of word-of-mouth. Once someone has read your book and thinks highly of it, you are likely to get referrals from them. I also find it helpful to use my social networks and organizations to spread awareness about my book.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t give up. Don’t feel like you have to be perfect. Just be yourself and write the best first draft you can, it won’t be perfect but it will be finished. You can always go back and revise later.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Focus on progression not perfection.

What are you reading now?
Right now, I plan on finishing Data and Goliath by Bruce Schneider.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Right now, I am focusing on my blog and my business. In the next year or so, however, I do see myself writing another book. I’m not sure if it will be a continuation of Cyber Curiosity or a memoir.

Author Websites and Profiles
Lakeidra Smith Website
Lakeidra Smith Amazon Profile

Lakeidra Smith’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

Louisa Vincenza 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have been an avid reader from day one – ever since I learned how to read as a child. Reading and writing are my two major hobbies. I love romance and paranormal romance. I’ve written two romance novellas, one contemporary romance novel, and one paranormal romance novel.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Some of my favourite authors are,
Marie Force
Lauren Blakely
Kresley Cole
And Brenda Novak

What are you working on now?
I am working on a paranormal romance, one that involves a romance developing between a human and an alien.

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

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

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Find out what works for you, and do that.

What are you reading now?
Til There Was You by Marie Force

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?
Nora Robert’s trilogy, The Dance of the Gods
And
Niall William’s, As It Is In Heaven

Author Websites and Profiles
Louisa Vincenza Website

Louisa Vincenza’s Social Media Links
Twitter Account

Kenneth L Powell 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m just coming into my prime in this world. My mind is constantly split between the world I created with Dragonkind as well as Software Engineering, oh…and my day job if I’m being honest. I’m a family man, three kids, one about to head into the Navy the other two about to enter middle school, and a girlfriend without whom none of this would have been possible. I am currently working on a single series of books, the first of which is available now and I’m in the middle of writing the second. So far on chapter 7 and page 110.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The book is Dragonkind Dawn of Prophecy and this story has rolled through my head for the better part of two decades. It had many different iterations throughout the years and at one point I completely gave up on it. When I finally sat down to write the story it took five drafts/edits to get to the point where it is now.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t feel that I do. While I’m writing I’m trying to visualize the scene I’m writing. If I can’t do that I erase what I wrote and approach it from another angle. The fun part of everything that I’ve done with this first book is that I discovered I like to make good people suffer in the story. My favorite story from this process has been that I wanted my teenager to tell me she hated me for what I’d done with a few characters in the book and I got my wish. She was screaming all the way from her room on the third floor about how much she hated my choices and why I felt they needed to happen. That was a good night.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I love Lev Grossman and The Magician’s trilogy, I read those for research during the writing process just to see how he wrote the use of magic. Stephen King definitely influenced me, no specific book rings to mind, but I love the way he writes. I’ve read too many books to really notice where all of the influences came from, but I definitely started reading more when I actually sat down and started writing the book.

What are you working on now?
I’m currently working on the sequel to Dragonkind Dawn of Prophecy. The title of the sequel is currently Dragonkind Dawn of Heresy. It’s a bit darker than the first, which is saying a lot if you read the book. Currently, I’m on Chapter 7 and on page 110.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Still working on that, hoping this one knocks the socks off of the two Fiverr promotions I’ve done, but we’ll see.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Be Dory from Finding Nemo and just KEEP WRITING. What I experienced was tremendous growth in content after I finished one draft and took the notes I received into consideration. Your first draft WILL NOT be perfect. When you get to the point where you’re nitpicking all of the grammatical errors and no longer adding new content, then you’re done with the story and need to move on to line editing, which is the step before release.

ALSO don’t hire someone for the cover TOO soon. I wound up needing to add more and the artist charged me to do so, which was her right. I’m just saying, wait until you know what it needs and make sure it’s ALL displayed on the cover. It’ll cost you in the long run.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
To read while you write. That’s the best thing an author can do. If you’re wondering if a word you use is going to be okay and you find it in a published author’s book then you’ll be okay using it. That comes from Stephen King as well, not the last part, but the first. Don’t let Imposter Syndrome take control of your actions. You are what you say you are and don’t let anyone, not even yourself, ruin it for you.

What are you reading now?
Currently in the midst of the final Magician’s book, The Magician’s Land. I took a bit of a break to really finish up the book and focus on school for a minute.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m going to keep writing. I have at least 10 books to write before I die, hoping that spins off into 100.

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 need to bring the Lord of the Rings (the copy with all three novels in it), The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy (again, with the whole story), and probably something Stephen King, anything I could lay my hands on before I was stranded.

Author Websites and Profiles
Kenneth L Powell Website
Kenneth L Powell Amazon Profile

Kenneth L Powell’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

Tak Maeda 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My name is Tak Maeda, and I’m a Japanese-Canadian author and founder of Rocketship Publishing (rocketshippublishing.com). I create self-improvement books and coaching programs centered on helping people create a social life they love full of friends and romantic partners that bring them joy on a daily basis!

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I’ve written one book called Outside the Box to Box: Experience the Joys of Connection by Creating a Rewarding Social Life.

When I struggled with feelings of loneliness, I couldn’t find a good book to help me create a social life. There were lots of books on social skills, social anxiety, and dating but that wasn’t my main problem.

Seeing how I clearly wasn’t the only one who was going through something similar, I created a very simple yet highly effective guide after I was able to overcome this problem, and a year or two later, Outside the Box to Box was born!

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I wish I had a cool answer here like I chug 6 cups of coffee and take psychedelics to inspire my creativity but sadly I don’t. I’m highly logical and my writing is no different, so my “unusual” writing habit is being as healthy and happy as possible so I get the highest quality logic.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Oh man, wayyy too many to count. Here are a list of authors and YouTubers that have influenced me greatly. If any of these people are reading this, thank you!

In no particular order:
Mark Manson—Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck, Models: Thank you for your real, honest, but hilarious self-improvement advice. Mark’s work has made me a very emotionally healthy, happy person.

Alex Becker—YouTuber: Alex is easily the funniest but smartest business advice guy on YouTube who gives extremely unique, simple, and highly effective advice without any of the BS. His work inspired me to write this book and start my business.

Patrick Bet-David—YouTuber of Valuetainment: PBD has the most depth of knowledge of anyone I’ve ever seen on the topics of business, life, and critical thinking and has shaped the way I write, think, and act.

Tucker Max: Tucker is easily the most socially intelligent person I’ve ever consumed information from. He also founded the company, Scribe, which gave me all the knowledge I could’ve ever hoped for to write my book. I am forever grateful for all the information Tucker has decided to make available for all of us.

What are you working on now?
I am working on building my coaching business that helps people develop the skill of meeting new people. The skill of meeting new people is the most important aspect of creating a social life you love whether that’s friendship, dating, or both because the people you are able to meet will determine how happy you are with your social life—and life in general.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
My book Outside the Box to Box is absolutely free at https://rocketshippublishing.com/outside-the-box-to-box-book/

Do you have any advice for new authors?
*For self-improvement/business authors*

The only thing that matters with your book is how the reader will benefit from it. You as the author are secondary. Your job as an author is to put your ego and need for attention aside and help the person you are writing for.

Be honest with your writing, and tell the whole truth! The more painful it is to write, the better. People don’t relate and learn from perfection. They learn from the truth. . . and the truth usually sucks to write about.

Explain things clearly and thoroughly in as basic language as possible. If a 13-year-old can’t understand what you’ve written, you aren’t maximizing your effectiveness as an author.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Chase your dreams because what the hell else are you going to do?

What are you reading now?
A lot of business books that solve specific business problems.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I probably won’t write another book for a while. I’m working on getting my coaching business up and running. But things can change at any point so who knows!

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 Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck
The Hunger Games
Rich Dad Poor Dad

And a book that teaches me how to make a boat, ideally

Author Websites and Profiles
Tak Maeda Website
Tak Maeda Amazon Profile

Molly Jebber 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a best-selling and award-winning author, and it has come as quite a fun ride and surprise! Some of my Amish Historical Romance books have made Publisher’s Weekly Best Ten List, USA Today, live and print interviews on newspaper sites, and popular magazines across the U.S. Also a nice surprise and came from meeting wonderful editors. I’m a national speaker for Women’s Christian Connection, and I have served as a keynote speaker for writing conferences, and I’ve been a guest lecturer at libraries & events across the U.S. on writing, publishing, & marketing. I did this on Zoom during COVID, but now hope to resume “in person”! I’ve also participated in a program at the request of Ohio State University to help writing students. I love God, her family, and friends. Also sea life, reading, swimming, golf, and traveling. She says yes to cupcakes, and no to coconut! I will have written 12 books by Jan., 2023 which are all under contract.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
MARYANN’S HOPE (Book 4 in my Amish Charm Bakery Series) released in Jan. 2021. MAGDELENA’S CHOICE releases Jan., 2022. Maryann left Amish life to marry an Englischer who became a gambler and dishonest husband. She’s returned to Amish life with her baby, Betsy. Her parents are thrilled she’s back, and so is her brother, Andrew and his wife, Ellie. It’s difficult to face the gossips and others who are not so happy to have her back. Amish men won’t consider her until Andrew. They fall in love, but he must move a far distance to take care of his uncle’s business when his uncle becomes ill. Maryann must stay in Charm and take care of her seriously ill mother. She’d vowed never to leave her again, and her mother has begged her to stay. Andrew has a brother he’s kept secret. Maryann finds out, and she’s upset Andrew didn’t tell her about him. What does the future hold for this couple?

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I have to have quiet. No music or television. I take walks to create new characters and parts to stories. What can I do to make the story more interesting? How can I make their problem worse?

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Beverly Lewis
Kathleen Fuller
Jennifer Beckstrand
Rachael Good
Marie Coutu
Patty Campbell

What are you working on now?
BOOK FIVE OF THE AMISH CHARM BAKERY SERIES. The main character is Magdelena where you’ll recognize her from the previous Amish Charm Bakery Series books, or you can read it as a standalone and learn all about her and her troublesome way to finding love and dodging gossips, a difficult father, and more.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I like this website for promoting my books!

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t give up. Getting an agent and/or publisher of your dreams takes time.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t get discouraged. Be patient and keep trying for what you want. I wanted an agent and big publisher, and I have them. But it takes time. I love both my agent and editor.

What are you reading now?
All kinds of books – mysteries mostly.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I like writing articles for magazines also. Guideposts just accepted an article coming out this summer. I don’t have the date yet.

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

Author Websites and Profiles
Molly Jebber Website
Molly Jebber Amazon Profile

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

Nancy Carlisle 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
In my career, I wrote many technical reports and publications on topics related to renewable energy and sustainable design. I have written 2 books for kids on environmental topics, first a book about plastic in the ocean called Saving the Purple and Green and currently Mia and the Hummingbird.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is Mia and the Hummingbird. The main character is a young girl, an immigrant, who is learning to speak english. She is resilient and perseveres. I have been a volunteer teacher for immigrants in and English as a Second Language (ESL) and I mentor first generation students in college, many whose families immigrated to the US when they were young. All these students inspire me every day. They are passionate and resilient.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Nothing too unusual. I like to illustrate a bit more than write.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Authors who write about the environment for kids such as Lynn Cherry, specifically her book, the Mangrove Tangle. Also I love the colorful illustrations of Eric Carle and strive to someday be that colorful.

What are you working on now?
I am in the process of re-writing my first book to republish it. The story is about a young girl who found plastic in her favorite tide pool and learned to become an advocate against plastic waste. I want to add more stories about other young people who have really made a difference and what they did and what they studied in college in order to inspire other young people. There are many very positive examples.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I haven’t discovered the best yet, I’m still trying many options. I think Amazon reviews help so I’m working on encouraging them.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
You will never know if you can succeed until you try.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Sometimes a person just has a story to tell and if so, just give it a try.

What are you reading now?
The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’d like to do more reading to kids in classrooms.

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?
4 books that I haven’t read yet, all historical fiction plus I’d bring my field sketch notebook because I’d like to draw all the plants on the island.

Author Websites and Profiles
Nancy Carlisle Website
Nancy Carlisle Amazon Profile

Randall Ritter 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a late arrival to the literary gang, after several decades in the work-place; happily married to my college sweetheart, raising two beautiful kids, who’ve now made us grandparents, multiple time.

In truth, I’m now living a dream; one which began in my late teens, and hung with me through all the decades of living in our great Republic. In my thirties and forties I replaced other hobbies with creative writing; just for fun, though I did shop around a couple of manuscripts. Got the obligatory, “atta boy’s” but not quite what we need, rejections. (Don’t even get those anymore).
At that point, switched gears in careers and left the writing, tabled, for a dozen years.

Finally retired from the rat-race at sixty, and voila, WINGS OF THE WIND came to be. Actually, it’s the second manuscript since my retirement; still shopping the first around. Looking forward to living the rest of this dream. To God be the Glory!

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
WINGS OF THE WIND is my first published novel. After writing several secular manuscripts(still hoping to publish those down the road) I was reading my Bible one day shortly after retiring, and felt a stirring inside, to create a story that would both, glorify God, and give hope to the hopeless. WOTW is the end result of my prayer and soul-searching.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I always think of the fact that we’re all unique, just like everybody else. Pretty much says we’re all alike and all different. I do a lot of praying during my writing, asking for guidance on the best way to convey they message within the storyline.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
All of Louis L’ amour’s work. Ray Bradbury, Zane Grey, Mark Twain, Frank E. Peretti, Kurt Isles, Agatha Christie and Tom Clancy are some of my favorite authors. I’ve read hundreds, if not thousands of books and those folks are all top-notch in my book.

What are you working on now?
The sequel to WINGS OF THE WIND. Tentatively title, PSALM OF THE PRODIGAL, the story will continue the saga of Rance Jobe and his family, carrying on through the Vietnam era.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Amazon has exclusive rights to my marketing, currently.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Search your heart for evidence you truly wish to embark on this road. Once you validate that, work hard, rest much, and never write with anger in your heart. Create an environment of peace, in whatever way suits your individual needs. Never forget, your education, including development of literary skills, is a never-ending process.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“The road to hell is paved with adverbs.” Sometimes, the fewer words deliver your message in a more understandable fashion.

What are you reading now?
Rereading, FARENHEIT 451 by Ray Bradbury. And of course, I love reading my Bible, often.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Finishing PSALM OF THE PRODIGAL and seeking publication. Beyond that, dusting off three other manuscripts I’ve written, do a little rewriting and hopefully uncover some interest in them as well. This leg of my journey is just beginning.

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?
Farenheit 451, Hondo, The Wayfaring Stranger, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer; some of my favorites, out of 100’s.

Author Websites and Profiles
Randall Ritter Amazon Profile

Randall Ritter’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Vinod Bathula 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Visual Effects Supervisor as well as Trainer over 15 years. My experience as a trainer and VFX Supervisor in may broadcast units gives me new skills to develop as best trainer I have worked as a trainer in reputation academies and VFX Supervisor for many filming units.
In this book I kept all my deep experience in the industry, I believe if you take my book you will have a worth full which you can put up for your feature. Thank you.

Till Now I have written One Book

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Nuke Compositing Volume-1

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I Influenced my self

What are you working on now?
want to write Volume-2 book

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Till now I Didn’t Experience the best method or website

Do you have any advice for new authors?
no

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
nothing

What are you reading now?
i am a poor reader

What’s next for you as a writer?
want to write more book on Visual Effects

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 will take Motivational Book which gives me more strength to survive on a desert

Author Websites and Profiles
Vinod Bathula Amazon Profile

Vinod Bathula’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

Jack Hickey 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am currently a renowned dating guru, personal life coach, and brand marketing
specialist . I have a burning passion for helping other people become the best possible
version of themselves. I currently live in Leicester in the UK.

I have had a diverse career background working as a nightclub promoter, primary school teacher, politician, and now I work as a
marketing and public relation specialist for large corporate clients.

For all of my career, the focus of my working life has been to help develop people. I wrote the book to help men out there in the modern age with a modern dating book.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is called – Getting The Girl – Moving Beyond the Pick Up Artist, Changing Your Life and Attracting More Women .

I wanted to combine my vast experience and teaching abilities with
up-to-date research of the dating world. So I can set out to help other men navigate the (a little bit) harsh climate of today’s dating world
To improve their dating life and find what they are looking for with ease.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I love to write in the day when the sun is shining through the windows. I find it important to treat writing like a proper job . To dedicate hours at a time to working through a section then coming back to edit it.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I am influenced by The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene, Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill , Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss and many others. I like books that begin by changing your mindset. This is what I am to do in my books.

What are you working on now?
I am now working on a supplementary training book to help men improve their physique and get into shape. A training log to keep track of their progress

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I like to use blogs and work alongside websites that already have established fan bases.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Keep going until you get that first draft. That is the hardest part. Once you’ve gotten that bit done it is easy to go back and edit. I think most people try and make it perfect too soon. Just outline the basic idea and structure then come back

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Things are never as bad as they first seem. It will all be ok in the end. If it isn’t alright it isn’t the end.

What are you reading now?
How to Win Friends and Influence 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?
I would take Harry Potter and The Order of The Phoenix. A survival guide by Bear Grylls. One on Chemistry to help with the water problem and probably one on carpentry to build a shelter !

Author Websites and Profiles
Jack Hickey Amazon Profile

Stuart Newby 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I currently have 2 books published on Amazon and a 3rd on the way.
I am a semi-retired engineer looking to ease myself away from my day job and into a full time writing role. I love to bring my life experiences into my writing and as an expat veteran of over 10 different countries I tend to bring in those experiences by varying the settings of my stories as much as I can. I also like to share my experiences of living abroad and my experiences of travelling and visiting countless other countries.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is Kingpin, the first novella in the Dan Shaw Collection.
I love crime novels/tv shows and films and I noticed a while ago that services such as Interpol and Europol are under-represented and often when they are included they take a huge amount of stick. I wanted to create a storyline that showcases how important their services are throughout the world.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not particularly! I do tend to work in short, highly productive bursts and then take a long sometimes underserved break!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I love Bernard Cornwell and the epic storytelling of George RR Martin. I am also a fan of older authors such as Lewis and Forester.

What are you working on now?
I am in the middle of writing the second instalment of the Dan Shaw Collection ‘Web Of Crime’.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Awesome Gang!
I also love interacting with other authors and fans on Twitter.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there. Everyone will get criticism these days but don’t let the idea of that scare you.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Hard work is worth 10 times natural ability.

What are you reading now?
Children of Time

What’s next for you as a writer?
I am open! I love Fiction but I know that I want to impart more wisdom before I am done so I am sure another Non-fiction book will be on the cards at some point.

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 Inheritance Cycle. I have read the entire series at least 4/5 times now and it still doesn’t bore me.

Author Websites and Profiles
Stuart Newby Amazon Profile

Stuart Newby’s Social Media Links
Twitter Account

Frieda J. Downing 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Nice to meet you. I write romantic adventure here in the mountains of Colorado. My hubby and I were buddies in high school but didn’t date until ten years later, mainly because I told him I was never getting married. (Yet look who became a romance writer. Life can be weird.) He was strategic enough not to say anything and just started doing things here and there, and showing up, enough that I got hooked on him. Devious one, that guy. Here we are, married 20+ years later, with kids, pets, and a family of bears living in the canyon below us. I love to mountain bike, I lose something daily, and you will always find a pile of laundry at my house. Always. Outside of that, I write light hearted romantic adventure because I’m a sap, but also because life I surprising, love is complicated, and romance can be entertainingly awkward. I’ve got one short novelette up on Amazon, with a full novel in the series coming out May 22.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Matchmaker’s Catch. I was inspired by Noah, my enigmatic quarterback. He’s completely misread and misunderstood. If we’re being raw here, my husband inspired the character somewhat. He played football, but he was not a typical jock. He’s very much a romantic and was never the serial ladies man. Noah, however, took a number of fun turns, so he’s 100% fictional. From there, the heroine showed up, and the shenanigans began! One of said shenanigans was skijøring. One person straps on a set of skis, grabs a rope attached to a horse, then the rider on the horse takes off, essentially dragging the skier through an obstacle course. It looks like outrageous fun to me, if only I could ski adeptly, at all. (I know. Shame on me. People from Colorado are supposed to be awesome skiers, right out of the womb.) Honestly, I just found out about the sport two years ago. I suppose I’ve been living under a rock, because most years they hold a skijøring event in Silverton, Colorado, not too far from me. I can’t wait to see it in person! Aside from that, crepes play a fun part in the story, and I’m a die hard crepe fan. I even have a recipe up on my website. Bon appetit!

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Oh heavens yes. Most of my writer friends break out in a cold sweat when we start comparing habits. Most of them have software to keep them organized, on track, and plotting merrily away. Me? Tried that. Hard pass. My house appears normal on the surface, but if you look under, in, or behind any given surface, you’re bound to find sticky notes, note cards, articles, pictures, advertisements, notes on history, screenshots of computer games, and who knows what. They’re in the couch cushions, under the coffeepot, and stuck in a pattern that only makes sense to me behind our bedroom door. And I know where to find every one of them and how I’m going to use them in my story. Needless to say, I’m a tactile person and I thrive in the midst of writing chaos. When I plot it take up an entire room. I actually have the string, tape, pins, cards and everything in a cobweb around the room. Did I mention my husband is a tidy, former military sort? Yet somehow we’re still married. I think it has something to do with me promising him a trip to Bora Bora.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Oh, boy. Get comfy. Daphne Du Maurier’s Rebecca made me fall in love with fiction in 8th grade. I know that’s an odd first-loved-book, but there you go. From there, I took another strange turn and dove into Stephen King. Yep, nothing at all like du Maurier, but the excitement, dread, and horror in his pages made me want to create emotion like he could. From there, I pulled another hairpin turn and dove into Terry Brooks’ writings, particularly the Shannara series, which showed me what it was like to disappear into a fictitious world. I’m a fan of Jennifer Cruisie’s fun romance, Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum, the complexity of a David Baldacci, Tessa Bailey’s flirtatious writings, the rawness from Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games series, and so many more.

What are you working on now?
I’m finishing up edits for the first full novel in the First Three Dates Matchmaking series due out May 22. I’ve had a surprising amount of fun writing this book. I hope the readers do, too! I’m also halfway through edits on a second, edgier series about the most unqualified, uniquely talented team never to be officially a part of the FBI. They’re my H.O.T.T.I.E.S., the Highly Outrageous Tactical Team for Infiltration, Extraction, and Sabotage, and I can’t wait for you to meet them.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’ll let you know when I figure that out! lol. I’m on Facebook and Instagram and very much enjoy the interaction I’ve had there with readers and fellow writers. Word of mouth is Queen, so most of my sales up to now have come from friends telling friends. (Thank you!!)

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Yes. Don’t be afraid to be odd. Write your story, and have a blast with it. If you’re not having a blast, step back. Stop there. Your reader will know. Sure, there’s the “grind” in everything we do, but the act of creation should involve your heart. Turn it loose and believe in yourself. There’s only one of you in the universe, and that makes your story invaluable. Hone your craft and tell it well.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
You aren’t meant to be like everyone else. Embrace that and use it to affect the world around you (hopefully for good and not for evil).

What are you reading now?
Stealing Mr. Right by Tamara Morgan, Turning the Page by Jean Marie, and the Royal We by Heather Cock and Jessica Morgan. Yeah. I’m always reading three things at once. Let’s not psychoanalyze. Let’s move onto the next question, shall we? And we’re walking…

What’s next for you as a writer?
Why, taking over the world, of course. Wait. Sorry. That’s for my Megalomaniac Facebook group goal session later. They’re helping me break down world domination using the S.M.A.R.T. goal system and a kanban board. Lovely people. Definitely helping.
Ahem. Back to writing. Yes. Well, I’m focused on two series at the moment that should keep me busy for the next few years. I have some booths at comic cons lined up next year that I’m super pumped about. I adore dressing up and meeting people. (Not so much the typical introverted writer here.) Aside from that, I’ll be plotting and scheming future endeavors. Mwahahaha

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?
Heeheee. Will I get in trouble for naming Omnibus editions? Also, I’m going to be feisty and reserve a deserted island instead of a desert island. I was born in the desert. I’ve had my fill; don’t plan on going back. So, running with that massive change, I believe I’ll pack my SAS survival Handbook by John “Lofty” Wiseman (yep, I own it), a huge blank book so I can keep writing, and Moby Dick because there’s no way I’m ever going to finish it unless I’m on a deserted island and that’s all I’ve got. #confessionisgoodforthesoul

Author Websites and Profiles
Frieda J. Downing Website

Frieda J. Downing’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Pinterest Account

Kelsey K. Sather 

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

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is Birth of the Anima: Ancient Language of the Earth Book One.

The idea for the Ancient Language of the Earth trilogy began as a question. I was pursuing a Master’s in Environmental Humanities, and my course work involved a lot of depressing research about the ecological crisis we find ourselves in. I often wondered how, and why, humans became disconnected from the natural world that sustains us. One night, I wrote in my journal, what would it feel like to live fully, truly, as a human animal? The concept of the Anima grew from there.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m not sure how unusual this may be, but I do light a candle at the beginning of each writing session.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The most influential books I’ve read thus far include Linda Hogan’s Dwellings, Terry Tempest William’s When Women Were Birds, N.K. Jemisin’s The Fifth Season, all of Tolkien’s work, and Marie Kondo’s The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up.

What are you working on now?
Book two in the Ancient Language of the Earth trilogy!

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Focus on honing your craft and establishing a consistent writing habit. Stay playful and curious and take risks.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Chapter nine in the Tao Te Ching: “Fill your bowl to the brim and it will spill. Keep sharpening your knife and it will blunt. Chase after money and security and your heart will never unclench. Care about people’s approval and you will be their prisoner. Do your work, then step back. The only path to serenity.” (According to the Stephen Mitchell translation.)

What are you reading now?
I’m reading The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller, as well as Thinking Body, Dancing Mind by Chungliang Al Huang and Jerry Lynch.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Book two in the Ancient Language of the Earth trilogy!

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
I’d bring a guide to the island’s flora and fauna, a first aid instructional manual, a book containing survival tips and techniques, and Life of Pi.

Author Websites and Profiles
Kelsey K. Sather Website
Kelsey K. Sather Amazon Profile

Stephen Smails 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Barney Mole is the car owned by Rufus and can’t under the Vehicle code reveal details about himself. As for me, I am a retired solicitor aged 80, living in the London suburbs with my wife. I have one daughter recently married. This is my first book.
I do amateur dramatics and I love sport, but mostly I love to have days out in the surrounding countryside or by the sea with my wife.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
A Calendar of Rufus. I was inspired to write it when I wondered what my car would think of me as I drove my car (not Barney) and shouted at other drivers, cursed road works, long red traffic lights and so on. Could my car understand what I was saying and doing, and could it discuss me with other cars?

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not really, although my handwriting is so bad that, as I have difficulty reading it, I typed the whole book on my computer

What authors, or books have influenced you?
P G Wodehouse and his books on Bertie Wooster and Jeeves, similar in a way to the relationship between Rufus and his car, Barney. I love the dry humour of a Bill Bryson travel book.

What are you working on now?
Nothing, but could start another Rufus book if there was sufficient interest in me doing so.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
For me, word of mouth amongst friends and acquaintances, but PublishNation are organising promotions

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I found writing a great therapy as I could shrug off real life problems and lose myself in the book.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Tomorrow is another day.

What are you reading now?
The Man in the High Castle

What’s next for you as a writer?
Maybe a follow-up to A Calendar of Rufus

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 book of cryptic crosswords
A book on how to survive on a desert island
An empty notebook to write a book about being stranded on a desert island

 

Elizabeth Knight 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hello, I’m Elizabeth Knight and I am extremely dyslexic believe it or not. I couldn’t read and comprehend a book until I was in fifth grade after a few years of specialized help. The fact that I can sit here today and tell you that I have written ten books with more coming is crazy!

I never thought I would be an author or that it would be my full-time job. I went to school for cosmetology and it was a great fit for me over the years. then I lost my job and was stuck at home for months as I tried to find a new one. This led me to find some way to keep from going insane without a purpose. So I started to write this story that was playing like a movie in my brain and wouldn’t leave me alone. Low and behold I wrote a YA series and shared it to Wattpad and found that people actually like it!

I didn’t pursue anything with it until a few years later and a lot of people asking when they could buy my book. So I tried and failed to launch this series but I didn’t let it stop me, I learned a lot of what to do and what not to do. All valuable lessons like in any new endevor.

Fast forward to this last year once again I was trapped in my house unable to work. I had kept writing but didn’t really share with anyone other than my best friend and family. I will forever thank my bestie for giving me the kick out of the nest I needed to try and publish again. I chose a new genre- reverse harem – instead of YA and this time something magical happened… it worked! So from there I just went for it letting my ideas flow and now I have five series I’m writing, new amazing friends and a full time job!

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is title Defending Hope. It is the third book in my Hope series with one more to go before it’s finished.

This series is actually a lot of fun to talk about because it about werewolves, protective alpha men, and a strong alpha female who doesn’t take crap from anyone. Somewere along my journey I had written the first two chapters of this story and left it to chill in my work in progress folder. I was cleaning things up looking for something else and I re-read the chapters and remembered how much I loved the idea.

Now I was taking myself on a writing retreat just to clear my head and get out of my own space for a bit. As I drove that evening to my destination a gorgeous harvest moon sat in the sky and I watched it the whole two-hour drive. What could be more perfect to get you set up to write a shifter book?! So once I got to where I was going for the weekend I pretty much wrote the whole story those four days.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t think it’s that unusual but others tell me I’m crazy. I write more than one book at a time. It keeps me from getting writer’s block, if I get stuck or frustrated on one book then I switch to another. It clears the brain and puts me working with a whole new set of characters and places.

Another thing is that I hardly plot things out. I have a beginning, middle, and end…the only thing that stays the same is the beginning. People always ask how many books will be in a series and I never know what to tell them because I don’t have a clue!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Oh man, this is going to be a list! alright, I will stick with the authors that I don’t even read what the books about I just buy it…in paperback so I can have it forever.

Robin McKinley- Hero and the Crown, Blue Sword same world duet is one that I could read forever.

Ann McCaffery – Dragon Rider’s of Pern series both adult and YA are just amazing and the world she created is something I want to do someday.

Patricia Briggs – Just read her stuff you will never regret it!

What are you working on now?
That is a trick question I am always working on something. I typically give myself two months to have a book written and ready to go for sale. I know I’m crazy and have way too many stories in my head that demand to come out.

At this very moment, I am working on two books: Stroke of Luck – the third book in a series that I am writing with three of my best author friends. It’s a story about best friends that go to downtown Chicago for St. Patrick’s day and the chaos and shenanigans that happen.

The other is the second book in my Mercenary Queen series – Dragon Queen. This is a series about a woman who has been forced to live her life according to other people’s demands. When she gets the chance to break free from that she finds out her destiny is much more than she could have imagined…

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I am very active on social media. Facebook is by far the best place I have found to keep in touch with my readers. Instagram is also another place I find that’s helpful to share snippets of what I’m working on and share teasers and trailers of upcoming books.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Yes I do! I love to take new authors under my wing because the thing you need most is to find your tribe!

I know not what you were thinking but when you have a group of people in the same boat you are or even further along it will change everything. When you need to bounce ideas off someone, talk you off the ledge of deleting everything you’ve written that day, or just to make you laugh. Family and friends are wonderful but as authors, our brains work differently and the problems we face they won’t really understand the same way another author would.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
You are not a pizza you can’t make everyone happy so don’t try. Stick with what you love and those that love it too will find you.

What are you reading now?
I am working through Phoenix Rising series by Harper Wylde & Quinn Arthurs

What’s next for you as a writer?
My goal is once I get a few complete series under my belt and I don’t need to release so quickly I would love to set up a new author coaching business. To help guild people through the twists and turn of editors, covers, advertising, those things that are so overwhelming when you first start

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 just mean!
Okay, I would bring:
The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley
Lola and the Millionaires 1 & 2 by Kathine Moon
Hawksong by Amelia Atwater-Roades

Author Websites and Profiles
Elizabeth Knight Amazon Profile

Elizabeth Knight’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

Laura Kiesel 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a freelance writer and editor who has been writing since I was a child. I have actually completed several books, including a young adult novella, a full-length literary novel, a collection of linked personal essays (a sort of “memoir-in-essays”), and a collection of poetry. So far, I have only published one book–my poetry collection, though I came very close with my essay collection and novella. I have yet to shop around my novel as I am still working on revisions and rewrites.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is a collection of poems, Swallowing the Stem of Adam’s Apple.

It includes poems I’ve written spanning over a 20-year period, from my early twenties to my early forties. Mostly, the poems are a record of my childhood experiences and how the trauma of familial dysfunction impacted my adult relationships, especially my romantic relationships with men.

As I was also raised Roman Catholic and attended Catholic school for twelve years, my writing is heavily influenced by and often includes Biblical references. Hence, the title of the book, referring to my poem “Stem,” which is a sort of re-telling of the Garden of Eden allegory.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
My most unusual writing habit is that I don’t really have any specific habit. Often when I read about successful writers, there is this layout of a stringent schedule: waking up early to work X amount of hours every single day, or maintaining a certain evening schedule after other daytime commitments have been met. But I don’t have a set schedule. I’ve written in mornings, afternoons and in the evenings. I have gone through periods, usually when working on a specific project, where I write loyally on a daily or near-daily basis for however many weeks or months until it is completed. But otherwise, I also have periods where I don’t write much and take a break. I write in many different genres, and different topics draw me to different forms of writing, so sometimes I am pulled in different directions.

Depending on the genre or format, I will keep different kinds of schedules and maintain different habits. For my fiction, I tend to like quiet. For poetry or journalism, I sometimes prefer music or even sometimes the white noise of talk radio or television news in the backdrop.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
For my poetry, there can be no doubt that I was heavily influenced by the Confessionals, especially Sylvia Plath and Anne Sexton. Additionally, Audre Lorde became a staple of my reading and her tone and style definitely also have affected my own. Early on, as a young teenager, I was a fan of the Romantics, especially Percy Bysshe Shelley and I still adore his flair and attraction to macabre themes. For essays, I think James Baldwin is the master and I am ashamed to say I barely read him until a few years ago and now I am hooked.

What are you working on now?
I completed my novel last year, so I am slowly working through revisions. I continue to write poems, articles, and essays on an array of topics and themes as inspiration strikes.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I mostly boost my book on Twitter and Facebook.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Read as much as possibly can. Expand your horizons to encompass authors of different races, ethnic backgrounds, cultures, and religions than your own. Constantly challenge your perspective. Then find your voice/style and hone it.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
To read a lot.

What are you reading now?
I am between books. I just finished reading The House of Erzulie by Kirsten Imani Kasai, which was fabulous.

What’s next for you as a writer?
To finish up revisions of my novel and begin submitting to agents and indie publishers. To keep chipping away on my collection of essays. To continue writing articles and essays on pertinent social issues.

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 Black Unicorn by Audre Lorde
Notes of a Native Son by James Baldwin
Written on the Body by Jeannette Winterson
Probably a book of poems by Pablo Neruda and/or Mary Oliver

Author Websites and Profiles
Laura Kiesel Website
Laura Kiesel Amazon Profile
Laura Kiesel Author Profile on Smashwords

Laura Kiesel’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Haze DiTillio 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have started 4 books, recently publishing Ink Stains on the Wall: Volume One. Currently, I am more than halfway done with Volume 2 as well as a separate compilation of other short poetry called Cursory. I am also finishing a writing guide to help aspiring writers.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Ink Stains on the Wall: Volume One originally began as an Ela writing exercise. It began evolving as I continued to write more and more and suddenly I had 30+ poems. The real idea for a book was started when I wrote the poem The Traitor, a poem about anti-Semitism and the halocaust, for my Earth science teacher. She read the poem and told me it was good, so I decided to try my hand at writing.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t really edit, I know that most people say you should but the majority of my poems come out exactly as I intended and when shown to others, they claim it is pretty well done. Also, I prefer to write early in the morning around 3 am, what is referred to as the witching hour. I go to bed at 8 pm then I wake up from my sleep and start to write, after about an hour or two I go back to bed till around 7:00 am on the weekdays and 9 am on the weekends. I prefer to write during that time because it is when my house is the quietest and also when I get my best ideas. Plus, I always end up transported to the magical world of my consciousness.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I love reading anything I can get my hands on. My most favorite authors include Danielle Steel, Stephen King, and J.k Rowling. One of the most influential author/poets that inspired me was Laurie Halse Anderson. I have read many of her books my favorite being Shout and Wintergirls. I also really liked the full and uncut edition of The Stand..

What are you working on now?
My latest book I have almost finished with is called Writes & Wrongs: A Writer’s writing guide to writing. Recently, as a teenage self-published author, I have been doing a lot of research on the dos and don’ts of writing different forms of work. Plus, as an advanced placement English 10 student, I often analyze how books are written. I have a great understanding of the common mistakes newer writers often make. I decided to compile it in a short guide to help other readers and writers understand the art of writing.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Awesomegang.com has been my go-to for promoting but, I, as a low income jobless (due to covid) teen, have found it difficult to find cheaper ways to promote my book.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Anyone can become a self-published author if they have enough drive and want. Writing is an art, it varies so don’t worry if your writing doesn’t fit an exact style or genre, just write.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass- Anton Checkhov

What are you reading now?
Read me like a book by liz kessler

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m going to try to save as much money as possible and keep my grades high so I can attend a prestigious college for a degree in psychology and philosophy, to better understand the human mind and apply it to my writing. I will also continue publishing books and as a side job I might become a teacher for grade school students, so I can share how writing changed my life.

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 love books, that is probably the toughest question I’ve ever answered but I feel like these are the winners
The Stand by Stephen King
They went left by Monica Hesse
Devils within by S.F Henson
ordinary hazards by Nikki Grimes

Author Websites and Profiles
Haze DiTillio Website

Alexis Gerst 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My name is Alexis Gerst. I’m a millennial leader with a passion for remote work culture. I am currently an Acquisition Program Manager for the United States Air Force on Active Duty, where I lead technical teams toward the procurement and sustainment of weapon systems critical to our national defense.
On the side, I love to write. I recently released my first book, “Leading Remote Teams: Embrace the Future of Remote Work Culture.” This book champions the future potential of remote work, explores the advantages of a workplace paradigm shift, and delivers tactical tips for remote leaders to enable team success.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is titled, “Leading Remote Teams: Embrace the Future of Remote Work Culture.”
At the start of the pandemic, I embraced my digital comfort as a millennial and quickly transitioned all of my team’s activities to suit the virtual environment. We continued to execute our organization’s mission without so much as a slow-down. After a couple months, I became aware that not all team leads were able to successfully transition their activities to accommodate the remote work environment, so I volunteered to start putting together training materials and conducting presentations on how to effectively engage teams and continue to accomplish tasks while working remotely.
When I shared what I was doing with my passion project on LinkedIn, a few people in my network picked up the idea and encouraged me to run with it by asking that I speak at their national symposium. The inspiration from these two people that the topic of remote leadership was a needed discussion gave me the energy I needed to put the training content into a book.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m not sure if it’s all that unusual, but I get up a 4am every morning to make time for writing. Since I have both a full-time job as a program manager and I prioritize fitness in my daily schedule, waking up early to write for a couple hours in the morning is the only way I can ensure I actually get time to write and make progress on my book.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Simon Sinek, Cal Newport, Tim Ferris, and Nassim Nicholas Taleb are a few of the authors that stand out in my mind as far as thought leadership goes. I read mostly non-fiction books, with the occasional science fiction or romance novel as an indulgence. As far as topics, I love reading books about technology, national defense dynamics, personal finance and retirement planning, health and fitness, mindfulness, leadership, and work/life balance.

What are you working on now?
Right now, I’m working on promoting “Leading Remote Teams” and getting the book in front of as many people in my target audience as possible. In a world where the shift to remote work is accelerating, this book has the tools many people need right now to lead their teams more effectively and relieve some of the mounting stress resulting from unplanned remote work. I’m also planning my next big career transition for when I leave active duty in the coming year. As I navigate the transition and look at where my career is headed, I will also be brainstorming ideas for my next book.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I used several free promotion websites for my book during the first week of launch, in addition to pumping social media and personally messaging every connection in my network I could think of who would be interested in the book. Since the free launch promo was short lived and several were stacked on the same 2 days, it is hard to say which ones were most effective. I had over 900 free downloads in the first 2 days of launch! Kindle Book Review, Free Discounted Books, and eReaderIQ are a few that I can connect directly to results in downloads and sales.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Set a launch date and make a timeline for yourself to get it done and publish your first book. One book I read that really helped me lay out a plan and start executing that plan was “Published!” by Chandler Bolt. It was practical and easy to follow. Compress your goal into 90 days so you can make measurable progress and see results. It won’t go perfect—but you’ll gain experience, learn from your mistakes, and be able to do it better on your next book.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Some of the best advice I’ve heard was a recommendation from my commanding officer before I commissioned. He told me that many people will try to influence my leadership style, but I should always stay true to myself. Time and time again, I’ve heard his words echoing in my mind as I haven’t always fit the “Type-A, Storm-the-Hill” type that is so common and desired in military leaders. I have come to learn that my leadership style is more analytical and collaborative, which fits my chosen career field much better than trying to impose my ideas from the top down.

What are you reading now?
I just finished “Overcoming the Impostor: Silence Your Inner Critic and Lead with Confidence” by Kris Kelso, which resonated with me on several levels. Currently, I’m reading “Likewar: The Weaponization of Social Media” by P.W. Singer. This one is an interesting take on how social media influences our perception of the world—and many of us don’t realize it.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Up next for me, I’m learning about all things book marketing after publishing. I’m brainstorming a few ideas for my next book, which I’ll probably start writing before the end of this year. I love learning and writing about leadership, so I’m sure my next book will be within the overall topic of leadership and team culture.

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?
First, I would bring Scott O’Dell’s “Island of the Blue Dolphins.” It was a book I fell in love with as a young girl and seems like it would jive well with being stranded on an island. Second, I would bring “The Tao of Seneca” because I would have plenty of time to work on my inner peace while stranded. With my other 1 or 2 books, I would probably want some type of “How-To” books that explain some of the skills necessary to survive on a remote island.

Author Websites and Profiles
Alexis Gerst Website
Alexis Gerst Amazon Profile

Alexis Gerst’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile