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Kesha Delacroix Dent 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hello! My name is Kesha Delacroix Dent, and I am a Certified Consulting Hypnotist, Tarot Consultant and the founder of New World Mind & Spirit. I like to describe myself as a “self-identity makeover artist”, and I help people to change their lives by changing themselves first. I am the author of one book (so far!) – “Life Change Now: A 3-Step Guide to Manifesting What You Want Through the Magic of Being Who You Are.”

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
This book came together as sort of an alchemy of a few things. First and foremost, it came from my work as a hypnotic coach and Tarot consultant, which has healed my life as well as given healing and guidance to many of my clients as well. It is inspired by the Magician card in Tarot, which talks about describes the transformational, mental magic that we ALL have access to and are actually using everyday. But the question becomes: Are you using it to create what you want, or more of what you DON’T want?

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I sometimes will pull a Tarot card and ask for the energy of that card to help me to write. I think for anyone with a spiritual practice, that’s not so unusual, as we often tap into our energy when doing work. But for a lot of people that would be unusual LOL

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I’ve been a HUGE reader by entire life, and physical books have kind of taken over my house LOL So many! The old early 20th-century stuff for sure have been important to me, like “The Kybalion” by the Three Initiates, “The Master Key System” by Charles F. Haanel, “Three Magic Words” by U.S. Anderson and more. More recently, the books of Deepak Chopra, Mike Dooley, Sasha Graham, Benebell Wen, Dr. Wayne Dyer, and sooo many more have changed my life as well.

What are you working on now?
I’ve just finished my first book as of this date. I have definitely been kicking around an idea for a four-part series that will combine physical, mundane self-help with esoteric, spiritual work.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
www.newworldcoaching.org/lifechangenow

Do you have any advice for new authors?
WRITE IT! LOL Seriously, I can’t tell you how long I’ve been “writing” this book, simply because I never got up “early enough”, or put aside “enough” time, or was “in the mood.” I always was waiting for this perfect hour-plus of writing time that rarely materialized, and when it didn’t materialize, I would just throw up my hands and say, “Guess I’m not writing today cuz I screwed up again!” But I finally realized I just had to do it, and my writing time was never going to be perfect or ideal. Just write. In 5 minutes. In 3 minutes. Whatever you got. So much of this book was written in “disappointing” 9-minute increments because I slept in…again LOL

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Life is a game. You’re not here to play small and stay safe.

What are you reading now?
I’m hoping to return to reading fiction, which I haven’t had time to do a lot of recently…But I LOVE horror and scary stuff. One novel I’ve been waiting to find time to dive into one weekend is “Experimental Film” by Gemma Files.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Just working on getting my new book out there!

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 soo tough to answer! I would probably bring one short story anthology based around a landscape that I never see…so if I was on a tropical island, something themed around winter or forests…One short story anthology that was funny…I’d bring one epic adventure novel, and one self-help/inspirational book, probably “A Course in Miracles”, as clearly I will be in need of one if I’m stranded on an island!

Author Websites and Profiles
Kesha Delacroix Dent Website
Kesha Delacroix Dent Amazon Profile

Jennifer Lieberman 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hi! I’m Jennifer Lieberman, from Maple, Ontario, Canada. I’m a multi-hyphenate writer-actor-producer and have appeared in over thirty stage productions in Toronto, New York City, Los Angeles, Europe and Australia; including my Award-Winning Solo Show Year of the Slut, which my novel was adapted from. In addition to my performance career I’ve penned a number of screen and stage plays including the wacky web-series “Dumpwater Divas” and the short films “Leash” and “Details” which both screened at the Festival De Cannes’ Court Métrage among other international film festivals. I also have a weekly vlog “I Never Thought I Would…” where I interview fellow authors about doing things they never thought they would and the amazing places it led them.

I’ve written one checklist novel “Year of the What?” adapted from my solo show “Year of the Slut”, one erotic poetry book “Aural Sex: Naughty Notes for Lovers” and two ‘how to’ books “Make Your Own Break: How To Master Your Virtual Meeting in Seven Simple Steps” and “Make Your Own Break: How To Record & Publish Your Audiobook In Seven Simple Steps.”

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book and first novel is called “Year of the What?” and was adapted from my award-winning solo show “Year of the Slut”, it a racy coming of age comedy. When I first moved to LA a friend suggested a write a showcase piece to let people know I exist, so I created a funny, sexy and heartfelt show to showcase both my writing and acting ability and range. I played 10 characters. Like in the movie “La La Land” no one really came, but I stuck with developing the show and went on to win an award for it in New York, then I was encouraged to adapt it into a book…and it took on a life of its own.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I guess I do have some unusual writing habits, I like to embody my characters physically and vocally in order to really get under their skin, I’ll even go out into the world as the character and try to experience life from their perspective.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
So many different authors have influences me: Angela Carter, Herman Hess, Tom Robbins, Pauline Reage, Emily Bronte to name a few. I’ve also been influenced by many playwrights Tennessee Williams, Arthur Miller, Judith Thompson, since I also write theatrically.

What are you working on now?
I’m currently gearing up to direct my first feature film “Longing” about four couples whose lives become entangled as their relationships are unraveling. I’m also working on book two of the “Year Of The What?” series – “Year of the Bitch.”

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I believe the best method to promote books is by word of mouth, after that a newsletter that fans can share with friends and third would be Facebook.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Advice I would give to other aspiring writers is to be gentle with yourself and your process. Some people may tell you to write a certain amount every day even if you don’t feel like it, that doesn’t work for me and may not work for every writer. I let the story tell me when it’s ready to be written. One week of ‘inspired writing’ can yield a greater product than six months of forced writing. However, if you are not writing daily, you can still be in process daily by reading great books, researching topics for your piece and doing things that feed your creative spirit like listening to music, watching movies, connecting with nature, or whatever else energizes your soul.

Also, sometimes the feedback you are most resistant to; is exactly where you are supposed to go to find the gold.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best advice I’ve ever heard is a quote from Henry Ford “whether you believe you can or you can’t, you’re probably right.” It’s so easy to tell ourselves ‘we can’t’, but all the magic happens when we tell ourselves ‘we can!’

What are you reading now?
I’m always reading many things at once, at the moment it’s Sean O’Casey’s play “Red Roses for Me”, and Brianne Davis’ “Secret Life of a Hollywood Love and Sex Addict.” I’ve also been chipping away at all the manuscripts from the “Seinfeld” sitcom series (I’m on season 8).

What’s next for you as a writer?
I have a half hour comedic TV series and another dramatic feature film in the works…but that’s all I can say for now!

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?
If I were stranded on a dessert island these would be my 4 books: Herman Hess’ “Steppenwolf”, Emily Bronte’s “Withering Heights”, Paulo Coelho’s “Eleven Minutes” and Tom Robbins’ “Still Life With Woodpecker.”

Author Websites and Profiles
Jennifer Lieberman Website
Jennifer Lieberman Amazon Profile

Jennifer Lieberman’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

John Ireland 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I was born into the movie business. My father was an academy award-nominated actor. I became a television writer and producer. When I turned to writing fiction, the crime movies of the forties and fifties became my muse…with a touch of Italian and French films from the sixties and seventies. I have two new books just out. “About Her Dead Husband,” and “Two Timing.”

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Book number three is “The Sentimental Killer.” I’ve always been fascinated in people who dance around the edges of our civilized world. This is the story of a “retired” assassin, looking for peace and quiet, and a corner of paradise to call his own. But a savage gang, a greedy millionaire, and another man’s wife turn his corner of paradise into a war zone.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Writing is an unusual habit.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
John Steinbeck, Jorge Borges, John Le Carre, Gertrude Stein, Shakespeare, Ernest Thompson Seton’s Wahb: “The Biography of a Grizzly”, Sarte’s “The Words”…it goes on and on.

What are you working on now?
Book five. “Oscar Moon” about a cop’s last week on the job.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Can’t say yet, I’m still learning that part of the business.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Just write.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Always respect your audience.

What are you reading now?
Several books.

What’s next for you as a writer?
More books and travel to Italy with my wife.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
A collected works of Shakespeare, another of Jorge Borges, Robert Pirsig’s “Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, and something by John Le Carre.

Author Websites and Profiles
John Ireland Amazon Profile

JP McLean 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My author name is JP McLean. The “J” is for Jo-Anne, which I quickly realized was going to be a problem for internet search engines because of the pesky hyphen and the numerous ways Jo-Anne can be spelled. So, I adopted JP.

I write novels and short stories and all of them have a supernatural or paranormal twist to them, and a thriller or mystery vibe. Secret Sky is the first book I wrote, and the first in the Gift Legacy series, which is complete at seven books.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Secret Sky was inspired by a recurring dream I’ve had since childhood. In the dream, I can fly. I used to feel foolish saying that, but I’ve come to learn that most people readily relate to flying dreams. The Gift Legacy books are about a secret society of people who can fly, and the soviet-style Tribunal who are judge, jury, and executioner for their kind.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t write at a desk, never have. For some reason, I don’t feel creative when I sit at a desk – feels too much like work. I’ve written all of my books on a laptop in my lap. When I’m writing creatively, I tend to sit in a bright spot in my dining room that overlooks the ocean. When I’m doing the business end of writing, I sit in the living room.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Diana Gabaldon was an early influence, as were Charlaine Harris and Deborah Harkness. Neil Gaiman’s character descriptions are a huge inspiration, and I also find writing gold in books by Kelley Armstrong, JR Ward, Lee Child, KJ Howe, Jim Butcher, among others.

What are you working on now?
My next book is Blood Mark. It’s the first in a brand new series that will be out in the fall of 2021. In Blood Mark, a young woman who bears disfiguring birthmarks is thrilled when, one-by-one, they begin to disappear—until she learns that her marks protect her from becoming a killer’s next victim.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Word of mouth is still the best method of promoting books. This is why book reviews continue to be so important to authors. Reviews are the social proof that your work is worth a reader’s time. Genre-specific blog reviewers are also good places to promote books because those bloggers have an audience who are tuned in to the genre.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write in a genre that you love because you’ll be spending a long time with the manuscript. If you don’t love it, it’ll come through in your writing, and you’ll probably lose interest in the project before it’s done.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Write something every day. It keeps your head in the game. I don’t always follow that advice because life gets in the way, but I do write something most days.

What are you reading now?
A new-to-me author, MJ Arlidge’s All Fall Down.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Blood Mark is the first book in a new series. It comes out in October of 2021. In Blood Mark, a young woman who bears disfiguring birthmarks is thrilled when, one-by-one, they begin to disappear—until she learns that her marks protect her from becoming a killer’s next victim.

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?
John Wyndham’s The Crysalids (the first paranormal book I ever read), Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander (because it’s one of the few books I’ve read twice), Terry Hayes’ I am Pilgram because I loved the action, and Douglas Adams’ A Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy because I’d like to have something I haven’t yet read.

Author Websites and Profiles
JP McLean Website
JP McLean Amazon Profile

JP McLean’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Todd Albert 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
This is the first book I’ve ever written! I’m originally from New York but currently reside in the Portland, Oregon area with my family. We call moving out west our “quality of life upgrade”.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Rose the cat-dog was inspired by the first dog my wife and I ever adopted together, and the first dog either one of us ever adopted as adults. If you googled what to look for in a rescue dog, Rose was the exact opposite! She came from a puppy mill and was very emotionally unavailable as a result. She just never learned to do dog-like things. We called her a cat-dog instead because of her quirky, feline behavior. The idea for the book came about when I began to wonder how Rose would react to the birth of our first (human) baby. I kept imagining Rose trying to do all of these “real” dog things to be a good dog for her new little human sister and failing miserably along the way. It just made me laugh out loud and I started writing. Of course, Rose does get to be the hero at the end.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Like taking 12 years to finish? I would write down ideas whenever they came to me on my phone, on scraps of paper, in emails. Eventually I bought an old black and white notebook and wrote everything down, sketching ideas for drawings along the way.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I’ve always loved books that were very self-aware. The characters know they are living through bizarre events and, althoug they may be earnest in their efforts, realize that reality is something they make up along the way.

What are you working on now?
Rose the cat-dog is just the first book in an extended series where all of our family members get starring roles. So you will see Rose again – and again and again – but it will be sometime before she takes center stage again.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Instagram. Don’t forget to follow @rosethecatdog!

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Stay true to yourself, find an artist that supports your vision if you are doing an illustrated children’s book like I did, and hustle, hustle, hustle.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Control yourself, tolerate frustration and be kind to others.

What are you reading now?
Not much time to do that between my full-time day job, taking care of two young kids, and trying to get the book out into the world.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Making sure Rose’s story gets into as many little hands as possible.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
That’s such a tough question! If I had to pick, I would say (in no particular order) (1) Farthest North by Fridtjof Nansen, (2) Walden by Henry David Thoreau, (3) A People’s History of the United States by Howard Zinn, and (4) the complete Walking Dead collection.

 

Lewis Crow 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a life-long naval enthusiast and researcher who has been interested since childhood in stories true and fictional about ships and their crews.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
“The Lone Captain” is my sequel to “The Nautilus Legacy.” It continues the adventures of Captain Nemo’s son, who made a difficult life choice to follow in his father’s deep-sea footsteps. I was clearly inspired by Jules Verne, but as I have been reflecting on the story as I revised it for publication, I realized that there’s a lot of influence from “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” which was still running when I wrote the first draft nearly 30 years ago. I think the main thing that influenced me was the episodic nature of the show’s adventures, along with the notion of having an identifiable crew with distinctive personalities. In Verne’s “Twenty Thousand Leagues,” the crew were quite anonymous, but there is an episodic quality to the various adventures of the novel.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
In the background, I’ve started playing a video of 10 hours of soft, white noise to filter out distracting sounds from elsewhere in the house.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Jules Verne, Clive Cussler

What are you working on now?
Volume 3 of “The Nemo Chronicles” is in various stages of progress. I also have a scifi-ish novella that I hope to return to this year or next.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
So far, Facebook and niche discussion groups.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
1) Don’t give up. 2) If you believe in what you have written, if there’s a character or a story you want people to encounter, find some way to get your work published.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I don’t know. Knowing me, it was probably something I completely ignored and have forgotten.

What are you reading now?
Nothing, at present. I’ve been too busy writing, editing and revising.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Finish “The Nemo Chronicles” trilogy, then think about what I want to do afterward.

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?
Seven Days In May, Raise the Titanic, and the Bible

Author Websites and Profiles
Lewis Crow Website

Lewis Crow’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

J.A. Devereaux 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I grew up in Michigan and have remained here all my life, attending Western Michigan University for a BA in English. I love the Great Lakes and all of Michigan’s phenomenal vacation locations. The third book in my second series – the Thief à la Femme Series – takes place on Mackinac Island–a place I am very familiar with.

I am married to the most fabulous man in the world, Mark Devereaux. We met because we were/are both distance runners, running Cross Country and Track throughout our high school and college years and then moving on to road races (anywhere from 5Ks to Marathons).
We have two adult children. 1). Daughter, 36, who has given us two wonderful grandsons…and a pretty great son-in-law. 2). Son, 33, who married our lovely daughter-in-law. Their one child is our only granddaughter.

As my author picture suggests, I did a lot of research for my two “thief-oriented” book series. As such, I learned to pick locks, pick out of handcuffs (even behind my back), and have some basic skills in pickpocketing. All of the new learned skills were to help me better write the narratives for my books, but I have helped more than a couple friends get back into their houses when they locked themselves out. Fun stuff, that!

I have 15 books published in two series: Requisition For: A Thief (9 books and two prequels) and Thief à la Femme (4 books). I am in the middle of writing a three-book Crossover Event where the thieves in the two series come together.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I was originally inspired as a preteen by a TV show that ran in the late 60s–It Takes a Thief–starring Robert Wagner as an international jewel thief who is taken out of prison by a CIA type of organization to steal for them. Neither before nor since have I seen a plotline like this–until I started publishing Requisition For: A Thief. My REQThief series is what I consider a contemporary upgrade to the It Takes a Thief television series.

I just released Book 4 in my Thief à la Femme Series: To Have And To Heist (Thief à la Femme Book 4), what is actually the first book in a three-book Crossover Event between my two series (REQThief and Femme). With nine books in the Requisition For: A Thief Series (plus two Prequels for a total of eleven books in that series) and now four books in the Femme series, I am excited to have reached a total of fifteen books published in both series–and I’m already well into what will be the second part of the Crossover Event and my sixteenth novel with my current WIP (Work In Progress): Requisition For: A Thief <10> Stealing the Stolen.

But you want to know about my latest published book, so let me tell you a little bit about the Femme Series. Taking my inspiration for a male thief out for a female counterpart–but with a little different twist, the Thief à la Femme Series came about because of a fan who wanted to read about female thieves. I don’t think I have a better description for the series than the back cover synopsis on Book 1:

BEAUTIFUL. INTELLIGENT.
CONSUMMATE PROFESSIONAL.
SHE’S A THIEF …
WITH A HEART FOR JUSTICE.

A recent college graduate, Rayla Rousseau has been leading a double life, the secret one a double scoop of phenomenal that’s given her life extraordinary meaning.

Trained from the time she was seven by her grandmother to become the irrepressible thief she is, Rayla has worked for a secret sisterhood since her thirteenth birthday. In addition, Rayla’s maintained a solo thieving career since she turned eighteen. Now, at twenty-two, she’s a full-fledged high-end thief who steals from the vile, contemptible, and unentitled wealthy, taking down real bad guys and keeping a fair amount of the spoils for her trouble.

Until …

Enter drop-dead gorgeous FBI Special Agent Luke Keltry. One hot member of the High-End Theft Unit out of DC—according to Rayla’s refined eye—Luke is also hot on Rayla and the sisterhood’s trails.

Attraction erupting between them, Luke is unaware Rayla is the thief he’s attempting to capture, and he is dangerously close to finding out the truth about her and her secret life. Meanwhile, Rayla could risk everything she’s ever lived for if she breaks high-end theft’s rule number ten: Never let your guard down.

Genre: Crime-Heist/Action-Adventure

If you like books, movies, and TV shows where thieves are the heroes, and not really the bad guys, you’ll love the Thief à la Femme Series and Requisition For: A Thief Series.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I tend to write and edit at the same time.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Honestly, I am much more influenced by television shows and movies than authors or books. It Takes a Thief, Leverage, White Collar… and movies The Italian Job, Ocean’s Eleven, Twelve, and Thirteen, Now You See Me, Focus…to name a few.

What are you working on now?
Requisition For: A Thief <10> Stealing the Stolen – what will be the second book in the three-book Crossover Event between my two series.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Wish I had one! I generally do a boosted post on Facebook/Instagram and offer lowered prices for the first book in the series when I release a new book and run Amazon ads.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Spend the money. Get professional editing!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Spend the money! Get professional editing!!

What are you reading now?
A little embarrassing, but to get myself back into the REQThief series I’m currently writing after coming out of the Femme series, I’m rereading all of my books in the Requisition For: A Thief Series…and really enjoying them! I’m on Book 7 now (possibly my favorite).

What’s next for you as a writer?
I plan to continue kicking out books in both series–shooting for one book in each series every year for a total of two published books per year.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Wow. That’s a tough one. For sure The Bible. Other than that…

Author Websites and Profiles
J.A. Devereaux Website
J.A. Devereaux Amazon Profile

J.A. Devereaux’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Pinterest Account

S.C. Mae 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I live in Auckland, New Zealand. I’m a big baseball fan. Rugby league, too, and cricket. I’m a foodie, though I’m more about flavor than presentation. A steak and cheese pie on a cold day is just the best. If you don’t know what that is, it’s basically pieces of roast beef along with melted cheese and thick gravy, all encased in fluffy pastry and served nice and hot. Meat pies are an art form here in New Zealand.

I’ve loved reading since I was a little kid. Curling up in bed on a rainy night, book in hand, well, nothing much beats that, down to this day. Writing followed on naturally from that love of reading. I’ve been writing stories for so long I don’t remember *not* writing!

While I’ve written a lot of stories – and had some short fiction published here and there – I’ve only recently started publishing my novel-length work. The series I’ve just finished – the first two books of which are out and available to read – is four books long.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The book I’m featuring here at Awesome Gang is the first book in my Jazz Healy, Reunion Series. It’s entitled Miltan Epsilon.

I got the inspiration for this book, and in turn the entire series, from a single word short story prompt. The word was ‘cracked’ and from that I wrote a story about a certain Jazz Healy and her efforts to steal a valuable artifact from a planet. I enjoyed writing the story, and liked the character, and got to thinking more about her and her background, and suddenly found myself with a four-book series on my hands!

Recently I reread that short story and was amused to see how similar yet different the Jazz Healy of the short story is to the Jazz Healy of the series. There was also a nemesis in the short story that I planned on her clashing pistols with through the series but in fact he never gets a mention and I’d completely forgotten about him until I read the short again!

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
None that I can think of offhand. I do have trouble focusing, so need to turn the internet off if I want to get any writing done.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The first scifi book I read was by Arthur C. Clarke. It blew my mind, and set me up for a lifelong love of science fiction.

I also really enjoy a lot of C.J. Cherryh’s work. Her worldbuilding and character creation is just amazing.

Timothy Zahn is another author that comes to mind. I love the way he constructs his stories.

And while he didn’t write scifi, I just love Louis L’Amour’s style. Reading his books is like high-octane fuel for my creative tank. They just make me want to write.

Oh, and Carl Barks and Don Rosa, the greatest comic writers of all time!

What are you working on now?
I’m currently writing the first book in a new series featuring an ex-spy, sometimes private eye/bounty hunter by the name of Lincoln Reilly. The working title of the book is Spider’s Hub, the nickname of a space-station that used to be the glittering jewel in humanity’s galactic crown. However, advances in technology have pushed Spider’s Hub into the background so its powers-that-be have turned to a lot of morally and ethically dubious activities to remain relevant. Lincoln goes there in search of a potentially missing heiress but soon finds himself tangled up in all sorts of other trouble!

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I like Twitter. Buy Me a Coffee (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/scmae) has a ton of potential, too. I’m still learning the whole promo shebang, though.

I have heard time and time again that the best promotion is a good book, so trying to do that is my biggest marketing focus, I guess.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Read. Read lots. And not only fiction (history is a must), and definitely not only fiction in the genre you want to write. Reading is the best way to learn how to tell stories, in my opinion.

Then write. And write. And write some more. Writing is a skill, learned over time. The more you write the better you will get.

Critique the work of others. Personally, I’ve found this to be the best way to up-skill my writing. When looking at the writing of others I have objectivity I don’t have when examining my own work. In turn, I can then apply the advice I give to my own writing.

Finally, don’t give up. There are many writers out there with the potential to be great who gave up because things weren’t happening as fast as they wanted, or they didn’t like feedback they received, or they just got overwhelmed. If you need a break, take a break. But don’t give up. Don’t ever give up!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Good writers are great readers.

What are you reading now?
I’ve got a pile of Louis L’Amour books on my shelf. I’ve read them all before but I keep on reading them again!

Also working my way through Ancestral Machines in the Humanity’s Fire series by Michael Cobley.

What’s next for you as a writer?
More writing?

There are too many ideas and not enough time!

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?
Maybe Swiss Family Robinson & Robinson Crusoe – I might find some survival tips in there!
And just about anything from my Louis L’Amour collection and my Don Rosa and Carl Barks’ collections.
Oh, and Treasure Island. That’s still my all-time favorite book!

Author Websites and Profiles
S.C. Mae Website
S.C. Mae Amazon Profile

S.C. Mae’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Twitter Account

Mula Migz 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Im ” Mula Migz ” Independent Rapstar now ” Author ” from Brooklyn, New York City. This is a very exciting moment for me since this is my 1st book i have written.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The name of my latest book is called ” Learners Guide For Rising Musicians/Creators. ” The inspiration behind my book is the passion i have to teach and help upcoming artist/creators gain more attention to their social media platforms.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Some unusual writing habits is i tend to write for hours and come back to it maybe a day later. My goal is to finish a book a day.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Some authors who influenced me while growing us is ” R.L.Stine ” and as for now i read some books wrtitten by ” Rob Level ” which he teaches artist tips and sttategies on the music business.

What are you working on now?
I actually just lauched my new book where you can get it on ” Awesomegang.com ” and soon will be realeasing some more books in the near future.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
So far my best website that comes to promoting my book is ” Awesomegang ” since they help upcoming authors as myself with their amazing services.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
To any new author out there, Just create and publish ! There is never the right time so just release your work. Its better to have your stories out to readers then to hold for months.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best advice i ever heard was just to dont listen to what people think just continue to do what you want to do.

What are you reading now?
Im actually just focus on my own books for now.

What’s next for you as a writer?
My next move as a writer is to come up with some more amazing ideas/ stories for my next book & as well my make a name in this industry as well.

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 dont have any specific books that i will bring to a desert island but i will bring different books to help me while im stranded. I will get books to help me learn how to survive, nature, travel and things of that sort.

Author Websites and Profiles
Mula Migz Website

Mula Migz’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Obinna Ofor 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
So far I have written four books, three are part of the sageland series, and one is a critic of the Nigerian sociocultural and sociopolitical system. So far book one of the sageland series (the sky sage) has been published. You can find it on Amazon and bookstores worldwide

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The sky sage. It was inspired by multiple events, namely South African aparhied, the Biafran war, and the Nigerian algamation. All these events were rolled up and tossed into a fantasy world, relying heavily on igbo mythology for its world building

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Lol… I start a lot sentences with “and”.
I read about 10 books before writing one.

I love Quinton Tarantino movies, and I try to use conversation to drive intensity.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Game of thrones
Dune
Book of negroes
Achebe
Avatar, the last Airbender
Batman
Tales by moonlight and other African folklore stories

What are you working on now?
The osu confluence: book two of the sageland series

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
@sagelandbooks. Instagram

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write professionally. Meaning, write as though you were paid to write. Set deadlines, outlines, etc. Forget how you feel. Forget about your inspiration. Follow the outline and meet the deadline. And yes the first draft might be terrible, that’s OK. When all chapters are completed, edit professionally, again and again and again and again. Great books are a process of writing and re-writing

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Discipline is more important than skill

What are you reading now?
The four agreements

What’s next for you as a writer?
The moth king, book three of the sageland 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?
Dune
1984
Loosing my virginity
The bible

Author Websites and Profiles
Obinna Ofor Amazon Profile

Obinna Ofor’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile

Srijit Chakraborty 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a school student. My hobbies are writing travelling and reading. Apart from being a writer I am also a martial artist. Till date I have published one book named the evergreen emotion but I am looking to publish the next one.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The name of my first and latest book is the evergreen emotion. The untold emotion and feelings people inspired me to write this.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
One of my unusual habits while writing is that I drink a lot of water while writing and another habit I have which is quite common is I talk to my characters and myself while writing.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Authors like Khalli Gibran, Chetan bhagat, Ruskin Bond and Ranvinder Sinngh have inspired me.

What are you working on now?
Currently I am writing few short stories and poems.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Some of the ways I prefer is offering free give ways of your books to few people. Ask people who read your books to give review of your book. Last but not the least have a good blurb of the book.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
The only thing I would like to say new authors is focus on your content instead of focusing on the ways of publishing it Once your content is good you can easily publish it.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
One advice which always my parents tell me is we never fail until we give up. This is a very common and simple advice but it is very true and meaningful at the same time.

What are you reading now?
Currently I am reading the book The subtle art of not giving a f**k by Mark Manson.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Next I am planning to write another book and I am currently working on that but I will prefer to give no spoiler about the topic.

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 first one would be the prophet and the second one would be the adventures of Sherlock Holmes. Apart from this two I would like to take any one more book which I haven’t read but want to read.

 

Srijit Chakraborty 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a school student. My hobbies are writing travelling and reading. Apart from being a writer I am also a martial artist. Till date I have published one book named the evergreen emotion but I am looking to publish the next one.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The name of my first and latest book is the evergreen emotion. The untold emotion and feelings people inspired me to write this.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
One of my unusual habits while writing is that I drink a lot of water while writing and another habit I have which is quite common is I talk to my characters and myself while writing.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Authors like Khalli Gibran, Chetan bhagat, Ruskin Bond and Ranvinder Sinngh have inspired me.

What are you working on now?
Currently I am writing few short stories and poems.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Some of the ways I prefer is offering free give ways of your books to few people. Ask people who read your books to give review of your book. Last but not the least have a good blurb of the book.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
The only thing I would like to say new authors is focus on your content instead of focusing on the ways of publishing it Once your content is good you can easily publish it.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
One advice which always my parents tell me is we never fail until we give up. This is a very common and simple advice but it is very true and meaningful at the same time.

What are you reading now?
Currently I am reading the book The subtle art of not giving a f**k by Mark Manson.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Next I am planning to write another book and I am currently working on that but I will prefer to give no spoiler about the topic.

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 first one would be the prophet and the second one would be the adventures of Sherlock Holmes. Apart from this two I would like to take any one more book which I haven’t read but want to read.

 

Elizabeth Dixon 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I recently published my first solo book on Amazon based on my 10+ years’ experience in prayer ministry as a trained Prayer Chaplain and also as a certified, practicing Hypnotist.
I have been a collaborative writer and editor of spiritual and personal development non-fiction for about 8 years with others.

A life-long inquirer and student of Metaphysics and Mysticism, I served the Prayer Ministry of Unity Church of Jacksonville, Florida, generating prayer letters and creating Prayer Chaplain training curricula. For four of those years, I served as a trained, active Prayer Chaplain, praying with Congregants and leading Prayer Services and classes.

With backgrounds in diverse roles such as college instructor, military spouse, Realtor associate, church admin, small business owner, and international traveler, I believe I bring a wealth of life experiences to my writing and offer a practical, positive, and empowered approach to spirituality.

I am also a practicing Hypnotist, trained and certified by the International Medical and Dental Hypnotherapy Association. I am mother of two adult daughters and grandmother of six grandangels. I live with her husband Charlie and our big chocolate Labrador Retriever on the shore of the Intracoastal Waterway in Jacksonville, Florida.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Little Book of Prayers for New Thought Christians is a compilation of meditations and prayers I crafted as a Prayer Chaplain. The meditations that prepare one ahead of the prayer experience draw from my training as a Hypnotist as well.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I actually apply the principles of mysticism to my writing activity. The best content comes through me, not from me. As I intentionally shift into an altered state through kinesthetic relaxation techniques and meditation (from Beta brainwave pattern to either Alpha or Theta), inspired ideas, images, and word forms are generated within me. You might also say I apply self-hypnosis to the creative process.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
For this book, Little Book of Prayers for New Thought Christians, I drew influence and inspiration from Transcendentalist Ralph Waldo Emerson; Earnest Holmes, founder of Science of Mind, particularly his book “Prayer, How to Pray Effectively;” and Charles Fillmore, co-founder of Unity.

What are you working on now?
I have several projects in the works that I have been collecting data and content for and loosely organizing/outlining: techniques for better sleep; how to fall back in love; and a manuscript/memoir of an old sea captain (now deceased) that I plan to translate and edit for publication.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
So far I have been promoting my recently published book via email blast (mailchimp), Facebook Page and ads, and Amazon Kindle Select promotion(s).

Do you have any advice for new authors?
The self-publishing learning curve on Kindle Direct Publishing is steep–begin your online kdp university education long before you actually upload, publish, and launch.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Thoughts create your reality. Change your thoughts, change your life.

What are you reading now?
One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

What’s next for you as a writer?
After I wrap up some non-fiction projects, I plan to venture into fiction. I am exploring magical realism, perhaps with Old Florida as the place and time.

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?
Please don’t ask me to choose between my children! Here, instead I will list 4 of my favorites that I have but on my Favorites Shelf on Goodreads:
A Gentleman in Moscow, Towles; Pillars of the Earth, Follet; All the Light We Cannot See, Doer; The Prince of Tides, Conroy.

Author Websites and Profiles
Elizabeth Dixon Website
Elizabeth Dixon Amazon Profile

Elizabeth Dixon’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

Nonhlanhla Thusi 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a born again Christian living in South Africa. I have written two books, but it is only one title which is available at Amazon. The second tittle “Before we organize we must Agonize”, will be released soon.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
“You are God’s masterpiece”. It was inspired by a search for purpose. I was one of the people searching for a career and I came across my purpose.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Yes, my friends on social networks complain that I write long texts. They compare them with essays.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Paulo Coelho, Alchemist.

What are you working on now?
My second title, “Before we organize we must Agonize.”

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Facebook, am used to Facebook than other sites.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Oh yes, Don’t let others objectives discourage you, remember we differ from one person to another. The challenges might be the same but the ways of tackling them will always differ.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Success begins with a fellow’s will.

What are you reading now?
Mitch Albom, The next person you meet in heaven.

What’s next for you as a writer?
After releasing second title I’ll be focusing on marketing both books.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Bloodline by Sidney Sheldon
Trust me by Lersly Pearse
Time keeper by Mitch Albom
Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

Author Websites and Profiles
Nonhlanhla Thusi Amazon Profile

Nonhlanhla Thusi’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Trudey Martin 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Trudey Martin lives, works and writes in Lincoln, England. She has worked in social care for many years and likes to incorporate this experience into her writing. Trudey has previously written and directed plays and several academic articles but hadn’t until recently published a novel. Her first, No Deadly Medicine, introduces Verity Spencer as the protagonist. It is set in Lincoln, England and London and delves into the world of child trafficking. Trudey has always enjoyed reading suspense, crime and mystery thrillers and wanted to create a resourceful heroine, who she says contains elements of herself, but is “much more confident and resilient than I would ever be!”

There are now three full length books, and a short story, in the exciting, action-packed Verity Spencer series, in each Verity’s character develops, there is a hint of romance and there is some high-adrenaline adventure.

A fourth book will be released in early 2022.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The latest in the series is called Unring the Bell. In this book, Verity is asked to look into the cold case of a murder that happened ten years previously, when 11 year old Margaret-Elizabeth was abducted from her bed and strangled. All my books have some inspiration from the years that I worked in children’s social care, and this is no exception. I also wanted to explore how well people could cover up what they had done!

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not really, I set out my plot and I’m a bit haphazard to start making notes in lots of different places – notebooks, work books, my phone, post-it notes!! Then I bring it all together into one place.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I loved the Matthew Scudder books by Lawrence Block – I really enjoyed the conversational style, as if the narrator was just talking to you, telling you the story of what happened. I also have enjoyed a host of action thrillers and mystery books from Agatha Christie to Steigg Larsson, and really admire female authors with strong female characters, like Val McDermid and Kathy Reichs. If I can emulate the suspense, the high-adrenaline page turning elements of these sort of crime thrillers, then I will be very happy.

What are you working on now?
I’m completing a short story, where Verity goes on holiday to Spain and gets embroiled in a mystery. Then I am starting book 4 in the series, which hopefully will be released in early 2022.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I have an awesome group of followers on Twitter, a great set of people who have joined my list, and I also use promotional sites every now and then to get a little extra publicity. Local radio is another interesting avenue for promoting books.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Keep at it!!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
My Mum used to say, ‘we can’t all like the same thing, otherwise there would only be one book’. This is a great thing to fall back on when someone doesn’t think your book is the most amazing thing they’ve ever read, ha ha!

What are you reading now?
I’ve just started reading The Shadow Hour by Kate Riordan

What’s next for you as a writer?
I am going to keep on with the Verity Spencer series. I am also thinking of some spin-off series, featuring some of the main characters in the books, such as Sam Charlton and Mike Nash.

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?
Ooh that’s hard…I think I would definitely take at least one of the Matthew Scudder series by Lawrence Block. I’d take The Catcher in the Rye, that is my favourite ever book and it really captured me as a teenager. Then I’d take the latest Orphan X book, which is on my to read pile as I haven’t read it yet and I’d have to take The Shadow Hour to find out how that ends!

Author Websites and Profiles
Trudey Martin Website
Trudey Martin Amazon Profile

Trudey Martin’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Twitter Account

Avik Chakraborty 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I love connecting with people. Helping Founders, CEO & businesses – leverage LinkedIn to drive growth & personal branding. Individuals – Professional Resume Writing, personal branding, Social Media Presence.
HOW I’M DIFFERENT: I’m an accomplished social media and HR Professional and an incredible influencer flourishing with intense difficulties. In the event that you need to become familiar with ongoing HR and Social Media patterns, points & tools, continue to peruse my posts.
WHAT I DO: My HR-Social Media example of overcoming adversity started in 2014 utilizing systems to track down another profession. Presently, I’m always open to helping other individuals open up the force of techniques as a Human Resources and LinkedIn personal branding. I am an Author as well and I write about business, growth, work life balance, mental wellness etc.
I help individuals & organizations with LinkedIn growth, personal branding & awareness with reach. I offer individuals Resume writing, HR topics, the chat shows on my page, and profile enhancement administrations. I compose articles on ongoing HR and LinkedIn patterns and points to keep individuals mindful of things and sort out surveys/polls on LinkedIn to have better crowd thoughts. Organized talk shows with top industry pioneers on torment zones to get his/her perspectives, suppositions, and take on them with an intention to contact a more extensive crowd and giving them a superior comprehension of them.
Optimize Your Time and Presence on LinkedIn and set yourself up for new employee screenings. Join my LinkedIn Talk shows/podcast on LinkedIn patterns for definite agreement. Optimize your web-based media stages for better reach (especially LinkedIn)
FORTES: LinkedIn Strategy, Personal Branding, Resume Writer, LinkedIn Branding, Keyword Analyst
INDIVIDUAL GOALS: Opportunity to speak at TED/TEDx, want to go to live meetings with JOSH BERSIN, and have the option to associate with him. Be that sort of individual and fulfill my folks consistently. Distribute my first book by 2021 and Travel to LA once in a blue moon.

Just published my first book – LinkedIn Growth & Personal Branding.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Just published my first book – LinkedIn Growth & Personal Branding. The inspiration was, I faced a lot of challenges to grow my LinkedIn network and connect with more like-minded people. So the trick I used and succeeded, I wanted to share with others like me to get benefited.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Yes

What are you working on now?
Now I am working on 5 more topics related to business, work-life balance, mental wellness.

Author Websites and Profiles
Avik Chakraborty Amazon Profile

Avik Chakraborty’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

Sarah Connell 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve written countless short stories and flash fiction pieces but have only completed three novels, the trilogy of Project Awakening.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Awakening was inspired by a sleepless night I spent wrapped in an old quilt, huddled in a closet with my cat and my partner during a particularly scary storm and probable tornado watch. We don’t get that many tornados where we live and it was harrowing, life changing.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I love to start stories – just writing a paragraph and then leaving it there. It feels like shaking hands with a stranger on the street and not knowing if you’re going to bump into them at the coffee shop tomorrow or next year or never.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I read anything I can get my hands on and love every story, even the ones that make me cringe. But just sitting down and diving into the minds of Alice Hoffman or Frank Herbert or Rosamund Pilcher always has me coming back for more.

What are you working on now?
I’ve picked up my long-time apocalypse series that I started over a decade ago. I’m thinking about making it into a Vella series and posting it chapter by chapter. But I think this story will be one that’s always in the back of my mind and never out in front.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Word of mouth!

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Everyone is unique. Write what speaks to you.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“What would you do if you knew you could not fail?”

What are you reading now?
Malazan: Book of the Fallen, Steven Erikson
Stonefather, Orson Scott Card
The End of the Story, Clark Ashton Smith
The Phoenix and the Carpet, E. Nesbit
Hidden Valley Road, Robert Kolker
The Spellmonger’s Honeymoon, Terry Mancour

What’s next for you as a writer?
Keep writing stories I’d want to read.

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?
Second Nature, Alice Hoffman
Dune, Frank Herbert
Cutting for Stone, Abraham Verghese

Author Websites and Profiles
Sarah Connell Amazon Profile

Shirley Bear Fedorak 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a Canadian author originally from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan where I taught anthropology and archaeology at the University of Saskatchewan. In 2006 my husband and I moved to Cairo, Egypt where we taught at Cairo American College. We have also lived in Mexico and Beirut, Lebanon before settling in Penang, Malaysia. For the past twenty years I have been writing academic books for college anthropology, culture studies, and global studies courses. I’ve now decided to focus on genre fiction. I’ve written several series that I am now publishing, beginning with the post-apocalyptic/indigenous dystopian series, Rainbow Warriors.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Rainbow Warriors, book 1. “What if” scenarios have always fascinated me and as a reader I loved to read about how people would survive and reestablish society after civilization collapsed. With this series, I wanted to focus on First Peoples around the world. The irony in me wanted to see them survive and flourish.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I like to write on the corner of my sofa while watching television, especially at night. I also love to write in cafes and restaurants but that’s been curtailed since covid.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Arthur C. Clarke’s science fiction books were the first that I ever read and I fell in love with the genre. I’ve read so many books over the years that it’s hard to pick any one author or book out that did more than others.

What are you working on now?
I am writing the fifth book in the Rainbow Warriors series, and doing the final edits on the third book. The second book, The Golden Mast, is all ready to be published but I want to spread launches two months apart.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I think Bookfunnel helped me a lot. My mailing list has increased tenfold. For that to work thought, I had to have a reader magnet giveaway. So I scrambled to write a novella that is a prequel to the Rainbow Warriors series. It’s called The Caretaker’s Quest and features Matwau Meewatin, who is in books 1-4 and book 7 of the series. I love Matwau. He’s sardonic, caustic, troubled, and tries to hide a heart of gold.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Learn your craft. Too many books are being published on Amazon that are amateurish to say the least. Practice, read books on writing, read, read, and read some more. If the writer is serious about becoming a legitimate author, then they have to consider their writing and books a professional business. That means spending some money to get established. Professionally designed book covers, formatting, and editing are vital to a successful career, despite what some might say.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Not so much advice, but encouragement. My husband took on the tech side of publishing. He considers my writing to be like his golf–something we spend money on because it’s our passion. If I sell books and make money, that’s great. He knows he’ll never make any money playing golf.

What are you reading now?
I’m reading a plethora of giveaways from bookfunnel. I feel strongly that if I’m signed up for promos, then I owe it to the authors to read their books. As a professional editor, though, I’m cringing a bit.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I plan to have the seven books in the Rainbow Warriors series published by next February. I have a steamy historical romance waiting on deck. It was almost picked up by a traditional publisher but they want a bit more romance. I’ll see what I can do and resubmit. There are two more books in that series half written. I have a paranormal thriller/romance series that is written but needs editing, and a series of time travel anthropological adventures that need tweaking. I think that’s about two years of work. Then I’m returning to my grandmothers fictionalized biography and some middle-grade books that need a final edit.

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?
Is there a book on how to survive on a desert island? I’d bring Rainbow Warriors, book. I honestly can’t say what else I would take with me. Nothing I’ve already read. I have a stack of books on my nightstand. I suppose I’d pick a few of those, although I do love some of the old classics, like Journey to the Center of the Earth. I might take that one, which is another childhood favorite.

Author Websites and Profiles
Shirley Bear Fedorak Website
Shirley Bear Fedorak Amazon Profile

Shirley Bear Fedorak’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

C.J.T. Wilkins 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have written two novels in the Mark Vardy series and am currently writing the third. Previously, I have written non-fiction, including writing about Near Death Experiences and Bereavement.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I am currently writing “Mark Vardy and the Staff of Light”. It is the third in the Mark Vardy series. The first book introduced the characters and saw Mark Vardy go through a selection course for a martial arts boarding school called The Academy. In the second book, Mark and his friends learn about bodyguarding and are tasked with protecting the daughter of a politician who is under fire because he wants to introduce a Free Speech bill.

In the latest book, the evil Shadowlands organisation set out to steal the Staff of Light that is wielded by the White Ninja of the Academy. Shadowlands believe it to be the Spear of Destiny and will go to any lengths to acquire it because they believe it will give them ultimate power. The lengths they go to are shocking…resulting in the blinding of a popular Sensei.

I was inspired to write this by a blind Sensei whom I know. I am fascinated by the esoterics of martial arts and the development of enhanced sensory perception. So this book was an opportunity to explore these subjects and also the theme of always getting up, no matter how many times you get knocked down.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I have a very busy life, so I take time wherever I can find it. Sometimes I take a week off work to hit a writing target. But most of my writing takes place between midnight and 3 a.m. Then I read it to my creative partner in the morning – and then we go out into the forest to train and imagine what might happen next in the book.

I am lucky to live in the beautiful New Forest, on the South Coast of England. My partner and I are both martial artists and martial arts instructors. We train daily in the forest.

When Covid lockdown happened, we had to close our martial arts school. So we turned our passion for teaching martial arts into books about a fictional martial arts Academy – a kind of martial arts equivalent of Harry Potter. The difference is that the magic of martial arts is real and can be learned by anyone!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I am told that my books remind readers of Enid Blyton, Harry Potter books, C.S. Lewis and Downton Abbey.

My own favourite authors are Fiona Walker, Freda Warrington and Jilly Cooper. I like colourful, readable books that provide a nice world to step into and relax in. I rarely remember what happens in a book or movie, but I do remember how they make me feel.

What are you working on now?
I am working on the third Mark Vardy book, “Mark Vardy and the Staff of Light”. It is due out on 1st August 2021.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I am still learning about book promotion, so it is hard to say. I have learned a lot from 20booksto50K and Amazon Ad School though.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
JUST DO IT! Really! For years I thought that writing books was only for the especially gifted. I didn’t think I had that gift. I just assumed I hadn’t. But people kept telling me that they loved my writing in blogs and social media. I began to think that maybe I could write a novel. So one day I just sat down and started. It turned out it was easy!

I don’t suffer from writer’s block. I write because I love writing. Most of my life is jam-packed with things that I have to do and things that I don’t want to do but have to do. So when I get an hour or two to write, it is pure pleasure and I just go for it.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t edit as you go – just write. You can edit later. When the flow is there, let it flow!

You can please all the people some of the time or some of the people all of the time. But you can’t please all of the people all of the time.

“I get knocked down, but I get up again.”

“Be like water, my friend.”

What are you reading now?
“A Dance in Blood Velvet” by Freda Warrington. Her first book, “A Taste of Blood Wine” was a favourite of mine when I was a teenager. Back then, we didn’t have Amazon or the internet and I had no idea she had written a sequel. So I was delighted to find that she has – and that it is available on Audible! I don’t get a lot of time to read books these days, so I use Audible to get books read to me whilst I am doing other things.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I intend to finish the Mark Vardy series, then I shall explore writing country romance (Jilly Cooper style stuff about horses and their people), perhaps a police drama screenplay, a book about my eccentric Aunt and maybe a book or series about a time traveller.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
The Bible
“The Art of Peace” by Morahei Ueshiba
A book to teach me Chinese. That can fill in any amount of time!

Author Websites and Profiles
C.J.T. Wilkins Website
C.J.T. Wilkins Amazon Profile

C.J.T. Wilkins’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

Christy Texeira 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
After 22 years of being a successful interior designer, I decided it was time to pursue another career path. Recognizing my need to remain in a creative field I turned to the literary world of writing. With a memoir brewing in my mind for years, I put pen to paper. There were several false starts as shelving design was harder than I anticipated. Once I allowed myself to commit to writing, the process consumed me. With my first self-published book I am now eager to continue sharing my stories with interested readers.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Pink Elephants, A Mother’s Story of Faith, Strength, and Perseverance, is my debut book. The memoir is about a time in my family’s life when one of our children was diagnosed with a rare life-threatening illness. Private moments of emotional overload are countered with instances of humor. My desire to share this time on our life stemmed from my want to help others facing the unthinkable. Offering examples of faith, strength, and perseverance that others might find helpful in their own lives was always at the core of documenting this personal challenge.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Writing is a very solitary activity and background noise is distraction that I have trouble ignoring. When all else fails, I grab a set of sound cancelling headphones, like the ones used at shooting ranges. Once I insulate my self in silence I can go to town.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
There are several female authors that I enjoy reading, but Jodi Picoult, Sandra Dallas, and Kristin Hannah are at the forefront. Though all are novelists I love how alive their characters become. The strong female leads are attention grabbing because of how relatable they are. I thoroughly enjoyed the memoirs of Tara Westover and Deborah Feldman. for their raw honesty and detailed accounts.

What are you working on now?
My priority currently is marketing “Pink Elephants, A Mother’s Story of Faith Strength, and Perseverance.” But next I plan to tackle an novel inspired by the true events.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
What is the best and what I enjoy the most are probably very different. Word of mouth is what I enjoy the most because I appreciate the one on one connection with people. Another bonus is that it challenges me to get out of my comfort zone by having to sell myself face-to-face. The flip side it is a slow process that doesn’t reach as many people.

Social media is the way to go but put myself out into the cyber world is incredibly daunting to me for many reasons. I can write a memoir for all to read but social media opens me up to far more vulnerability that I am uncomfortable inviting into my life.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Remind yourself that you are brave for being willing to write. Many people say they want to write a book but saying and doing are entirely different. Even if the work never sees the light of day remember that you are brave for recording your thoughts and most likely tackling some demons at the same time.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best advice I ever heard for writing is to complete a vomit draft before any revisions. This means no reviewing, editing, changes, or sharing until the story has a start, middle and ending. After that dig in and change as many times as you need to.

What are you reading now?
A memoir, titled “Hidden Valley Road,” by Robert Kolker is what currently accounts for my time spent reading.

What’s next for you as a writer?
The wheels are turning for a novel inspired by true events. Think car accident, substance abuse, familial dysfunction, in a nut shell real life drama that many can relate to.

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?
“Life of Pi,” “The Thirteenth Tale,” “The Diary of Maddie Spencer,” & “Small Great Things.” Each one reveals to me important life lessons in every reading.

Author Websites and Profiles
Christy Texeira Website
Christy Texeira Amazon Profile

Christy Texeira’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile

Norman Bacal 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a retired lawyer and have published 4 books. The first, Breakdown, was a Canadian bestseller in 2017 and is a career memoir, following the stories a a major law firm and two Canadian prime ministers. Take Charge: The Skills That Drive Professional Success (2021) is designd to teach soft-skills not other wise taught to students, youg professionals and entrepreneurs.

My tow fictions are murder mysteries inspired by SHakespeare’s greatest plays.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Ophelia was inspired by an incredibly heroic event in 1943, where Lutheran fisherman saved the Jewish population of Denmark from the Nazis. My story resumes two generations later and follows the grandson of the fisherman, heir to a pharma empire and his lover, the granddaughter of the merchant who was saved, who is secretly sworn to protect him as part of the family vow to repay the kindness of his grandfather, even at risk to her life.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Beyond rewriting my scenes hundreds of times until every word fits, nothing I can think of…. except perhaps rewriting entire scenes if later in the writing process a character does something that surprises me. If I don’t believe the character would behave that way, I’ll rewrite the character until the scene works.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Sir Jeffrey Archer, William Shakespeare, Louise Penny, Ruth Ware and Girl on a Train by Paula Hawkins, to name a few. My tastes are varied and I love elevated and suspenseful fiction.

What are you working on now?
A modernized MacBeth, where MacBeth is a woman US President.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
The non-fictions are best promoted on LinkedIn, while I seem to do best on the fiction with Facebook

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Break your writing into stories. Write the story down then figure out how it all fits together later. Unless you have a super-organized mind and can plot out an entire story, just sit down and write what comes into your head.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
You need to know what your character likes to eat for breakfast and what childhood events are lurking in their heads thirty years later.

What are you reading now?
The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach

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

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
The Sympathizer (Pulitzer prize winner); Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes set; and O Henry. All of Herman Wouk’s books

Author Websites and Profiles
Norman Bacal Website
Norman Bacal Amazon Profile
Norman Bacal Author Profile on Smashwords

Norman Bacal’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account