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Whitney Gale 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Writing has always been an escape. A safe place. Where I can be anything and anyone that I want to be. Where I can create the perfect ending and right my wrongs. It allows me to explore depths I would not be able to. Sharing these places with those who might be in need is an honour and a pleasure. I have written several books, many of which lie unpolished in hard drives and pen drives, and I have published two with a third on the way. You Always was published in 2020. No House Without A Mouse is available for pre-order with October 7th 2021 being the official release date. Something New will be the third book published in November 2021.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
No House Without A Mouse. It was written over fifteen years ago.
I wrote it to see how resilient a heart can be when put through the ringer. I gave the main character one of the toughest complications out there to see how she would come out of it in the end.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I do. I let my characters tell me how they want me to tell their story. I can go for months with no inspiration then one day the words will not stop flowing.
Weird habits. I work best around 2 a.m. when all is still.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Jilly Cooper when I was a teenager. Jane Austen when I was a young adult. Karen Marie Moning right now.

What are you working on now?
Something New. My third novel. It has taken me to Madrid, Johannesburg, Pretoria and Gaborone.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write.

What are you reading now?
On Beauty by Zadie Smithe

What’s next for you as a writer?
The world.

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?
Pride and Prejudice
Score
Runaway Jury
Fever series-it counts as one book, right?

Author Websites and Profiles
Whitney Gale Website
Whitney Gale Amazon Profile
Whitney Gale Author Profile on Smashwords

Whitney Gale’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

David Levine 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I was an award-winning hairstylist and educator for 18 years. After several college professors told me I should be a writer, I took their advice and wrote my first book, Aurelia and the Enemies of Pity. I spent over three years working on it and enjoyed every moment of it. The journey is never-ending and that is what I love about writing. When I am not writing, I am usually sword-fighting with my local HEMA group.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Aurelia And The Enemies Of Pity is the culmination of so many different things that inspired me. It doesn’t take long to realize how much of the book is inspired by Historical European Martial Arts. The biggest inspiration is my wife and watching the journey that veterans go through. Without being overbearing, I really tried to make Aurelia’s character arc, trials, and tribulation an homage to the reality of modern warfare.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I have to play drums before I write. It gets the creativity flowing.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
George Orwell, R.F. Kuang, and the Harvard classics.

What are you working on now?
I am working on the second book in what I hope to be Aurelia’s trilogy. Everyone wants three books, right?

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Hopefully, this one. So far, fine-tuning my Amazon ad targets is doing the heavy lifting. However, I’m autistic with a small circle of friends, so I need all the help I can get when promoting.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t be afraid to rewrite your book a hundred times.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Everything is subjective. Do what you believe in.

What are you reading now?
“Best Served Cold” by: Joe Abercrombie. His characters and dialogue are on another level.

What’s next for you as a writer?
What all new writer want, an awesome book deal and a comfortable lifestyle as a working author.

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 Harvard Classics 12 Literary And Philosophical Essays, Sword Fighters Of The British Empire and The Flower Of Battle

Author Websites and Profiles
David Levine Amazon Profile

David Levine’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

Bill Lockwood 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Now a retired State social worker for both the States of Maryland and Vermont. By night I have always been active in community theater and writing. I moved to Southern Vermont in 1992. I became active in the Bellows Falls community and was the Greater Falls Regional Chamber of Commerce Person of the Year in 2006 in recognition of my work as Chairman of the Bellows Falls Opera House Restoration Committee. I wrote articles covering the arts, and interesting people in the “Bellows Falls (VT ) Town Crier” from 1998 through 2006. I also wrote articles for other local publications as well as Vermont tourist magazines. Currently I freelance with the weekly “The Shopper/Vermont Journal” and daily “Eagle Times”. I have had four historical fiction novels published by The Wild Rose Press, “Buried Gold, 2016, “Megan of the Mists” 2017, “Ms. Anna” 2018, “The Monsignor’s Agents” 2020, and “Gare de Lyon” 2021. His short story “The Kids Won’t Leave” will appear in the Fall 2020 issue of “Two Hawks Quarterly”, and “Pizza, Pizza” appeared in “The Raven’s Perch” April 28, 2021.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
“Gare de Lyon”. I’ve read a lot about WWII and the Resistance in France. I am involved in community theater, and just before the pandemic lock down I was stage managing a production of the musical “Cabaret” which is set in pre-war Berlin. All the Nazi references, etc., and the era got me thinking more on an idea I’d had for a novel set a little later in time in occupied France. With everything closed down, I was stuck at home and had plenty of time to write.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I jot down ideas on sticky notes and in steno pads any time I get an idea. I end up with piles of notes to work through. But it works well for me.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
John Irving, Tom Robins, John Steinbeck as novelists. And the writers of the Theater of the Absurd movement in the theater world. as well as Tennessee Williams.

What are you working on now?
A sequel to “Gare de Lyon” set in Vichy controlled French Colonial Casablanca.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Word of mouth and local book signing events.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Stick with it. Write your heart out, and never give up.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Persevere.

What are you reading now?
“For All the Tea in China – How England Stole the World’s Favorite Drink and Changed History” by Sarah Rose

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m retired. I plan to go on the same.

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 Irving’s “Hotel New Hampshire” and “The Cider House Rules”
Tom Robins “Another Roadside Attraction”
John Steinbeck “Cannery Row”

Author Websites and Profiles
Bill Lockwood Amazon Profile

Moira Katson 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a transplant to Minnesota from rural Massachusetts, and I live at the edge of a
(sadly non-enchanted) forest with my husband, toddler, and two rescue
German Shepherd mixes. From childhood through college and some tough
times in early adulthood, I’ve been remarkably lucky in the communities I
found, and in the friends and family who encouraged me to shoot for the stars.
Now I have my writing, ScribeCount, and too many side hustles to name!
Between my pen names and my ghostwriting, I’ve written about 50 books. I’ve
actually lost count (plus, it depends if you think novellas count).

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
A Sundered Throne is the manuscript I’ve most recently worked on, about a fantasy world
trying desperately to end the various wars and spats between human factions
before an otherworldly invasion gets underway. I don’t think there was any
specific inspiration – it was actually the combination of two different story
ideas, both of which I had played with in different configurations on their own.
It really took on a life of its own, and it has been pushing my writing skill to the
limit. One of my favorite things about it, I think, is that it’s serious and has a
very epic scope, but I really leaned into some of the ridiculous humor of people
being people, having imposter syndrome and wondering if they’re doing the
right thing, all of that.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I tend to write my blurbs before
even the outline. One of my most frustrating author moments was struggling
mightily with the blurb for my first book and realizing, after all of the writing,
that the blurb was so difficult because the book itself was fundamentally flawed
in the arc. Not only do I not want that to happen again, it’s actually way easier,

for me, to write the blurb first and then build up the backstory than it is to
distill an entire book into a blurb.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I would say the big ones are Madeleine L’Engle, Tamora Pierce, Patricia C. Wrede, Robin McKinley, Cyteen by CJ Cherryh, The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell, and the Tiexcalaan series by Arkady Martine

What are you working on now?
Actively, I’m working on 3 series – Sundering
and Light & Shadow under Moira Katson, and the Dragon Corps under Natalie
Grey. I’ll be finishing up Natalie’s Shadows of Magic series next year as well. I
also do ghostwriting, and I’m on the founding team at ScribeCount, which
helps authors see their daily sales without going to a bunch of sites
individually. I continually try to work on just one thing at a time, but—as you
can tell—I’ve never quite gotten the hang of that.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I wish I knew! Marketing really flusters me. I’m trying to get better at it, so that’s probably a major project on deck. So far, I’m just getting more comfortable being myself when interacting with readers (like a lot of writers, I’m quite the introvert).

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Try lots of things, then take stock frequently and be honest and courageous with yourself about figuring out what success looks like to you. Maybe you adore your day job and want to keep it, maybe you crave the challenge of writing to market, maybe you want to push the boundaries of writing voice – there are so many definitions and all of them are good! The most miserable time for me in writing was when I was trying to attain a version of success I didn’t actually want. I burned myself out hard. Still, that experience gave me practice writing and helped steer me toward my own idea of success, so it’s not all bad!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
After we put in an offer on our first house, I called my parents in a panic (it was more money than I had ever spent on anything before) and asked, “What if I’ve made a terrible mistake?” My father thought about it for a moment and then said, “Well, if it’s a mistake, you’ll fix it.” That perspective shift has helped me through an awful lot of situations since.

What are you reading now?
Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir for fiction (unexpectedly, delightfully, and wickedly funny), and Memory and Mediterranean by Fernand Braudel for non-fiction.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I have no idea! And by that I mean, I have enough books on deck to last me through the end of 2024 in writing and sometime in 2026 in publishing, and that’s if I only work on my own things. But I know that other ideas or projects might come up, and I’m trying to be open to that.

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 Devil in Music, Kate Ross; A Short History of Nearly Everything, Bill Bryson, A Desolation Called Peace, Arkady Martine; Beauty, Robin McKinley

Author Websites and Profiles
Moira Katson Website
Moira Katson Amazon Profile

Moira Katson’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Matt Deboer 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Currently reside in Charlotte, NC with my wife, Tammy, and our kids Olivia (16)
and Chandler (15). My wife is an executive in the grocery industry, which means when I
am not writing, I am a trophy husband or the arm candy. It’s a burden I have to bear,
but I try to give it my all. It’s hard sometimes, but I usually find a way to make it work
without being too much of a distraction.

When I’m not tanning for my night job, I write a lot. However, I’ve only published
one book – Until Tomorrow…Little People – I felt one was about all the public could
take right now. I am working on a follow-up book and have a general outline for a third,
but all in good time.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Until Tomorrow…Little People is the name of my debut book, and it was therapy
that inspired it. We all decided to go to California for three months after our kids signed
with a talent agency in Hollywood. We rented a small 2-bedroom apartment after living
in a 5,000 square foot home and paid more in rent than we did for in mortgage back
home.

I hated every second of LA life and I realized either my attitude needed to do a
180* turn or I was going to end up the subject of a Dateline episode. That is when I
started writing about everyday life in LA from the perspective of someone from North
Carolina. That is why the book is referred to as Beverly Hillbillies meets Modern Family.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Absolutely. I only write in the nude, which is how I keep everyone away from me
so I can concentrate. Honestly, not really. I have some quirks v. habit – like writing at
different times of the day v. a set tie. I am more of a write-when-it-hits kid of author v.
sitting down and forcing something on the page. Nothing is more intimidating,
humbling, or frightening than a blank screen or piece of paper. However, nothing is more
exhilarating with your clothes off than filling that page.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Stephen King was the first influential author I read – he wasn’t my first author,
but he was the one that made me take notice of the art of storytelling. The way he
crafted characters, cut out the fluff, and got right to the story was what made him stand
out to me. I’ve also devoured his book, On Writing, multiple times – so much great
information and I highly recommend it to anyone interested in writing.

Vince Flynn, Harlan Coben, and recently Simon Sinek & Kristin Hannah have all
been influences. I just love a good story and I like it when it moves and doesn’t get
weighed down in unnecessary detail. I also have to say that Dave Berry was the first
author I discovered that could make me laugh, and then I read Sh*t My Dad Says by
Justin Halpern and literally laughed out loud in every chapter. That’s when I discovered
the whole humor genre of books and I’m extremely excited to have added my book to
the category.

What are you working on now?
Humility really. When you are recognized at a coffee shop in Crosby, MN, you
know your life is about to change. I think I am up to a ridiculous number of reviews of
the book – like 3 – so you can see where it would be hard to go out in public, so I stay in
confinement and write. Currently working on a book covering the 3 months I spent in
Toronto with my son as he filmed a movie for Warner Brothers called 8-Bit Christmas,
starring Neil Patrick Harris, Steve Zan, and June Diane Raphael. We were stuck in a
beautiful city we couldn’t experience because of the lockdown and ended up visiting a
dog park every day for our social interaction. Looking back, I wouldn’t have it any other
way because it led to some really funny experiences I am looking forward to sharing.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
You can visit my website.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Yes – don’t try to be me or anyone else, find your true voice and the words will
flow. I wanted Stephen King, so I wrote fiction and was absolutely horrible at it. I
wrote short stories, poetry, and non-fiction, but it wasn’t until I introduced humor that I
found my way. I found that by being me on the page, it was easier to put words on the
page which is the ultimate goal.

If you haven’t caught on yet, my inflated sense of self-worth and self-deprecating
humor is the path that opens up the most stories for me personally. I am able to become
the people I loathe the most in life (egomaniacs) and use it for humor.

The other point I would make, whether writing fiction, non-fiction, or whatever
genre you choose, is, to be honest, and genuine on the page. Readers don’t have patience
for BS and can read it a mile away, which ultimately kills the trust you have to build with
the reader. If I were to force stories to be funny, the reader would pick up on that in a
heartbeat, but if I can be genuine, relatable, and humorous, they know that every time
they pick up my book, chances are high they will laugh.

Once you gain the reader’s trust, you have to deliver, and once you deliver, you are
usually worshipped like a pagan god. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been stopped
on the street or in a grocery store, but once it happens, you will be the first person I tell.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I grew up in a small town – Monticello, MN, and my father drove me past the
funeral home one day and said that is where your life will be defined. I had no clue what
he was talking about, so I pressed him on it, and he told me that if I can fill that building
up when I pass, I will have lived a good life. If people take time out of their day to say
good-bye, then somehow you impacted their life. It was a powerful message and
depressing all at the same time. The way my mind works, I instantly thought, “how will I
know?”.

The other thing I could never get over about that moment was it was the first time
I noticed the funeral director’s name was Doug Pitt. How fitting. Of course, our librarian
was Sharon Peters, the wrestling coach was Dick Pullen, and so I was surrounded by
subtle humor my entire life, it just took a while to sink in.

What are you reading now?
I am reading Starts with Why by Simon Sinek for about the 4th time, found Ethan
Cross and Blake Crouch recently and have been knocking their books out. Kristen
Hannah, who I mentioned earlier, is a fantastic author and storyteller and would highly
recommend her books as well.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Well, I received some devastating news the other day. I found out I didn’t make
the AARP Chippendales Summer Team, so that was sort of a blow to the ego, but now that my dream of collecting “dolla bills” is over, I can concentrate on writing. I have the
follow-up book in the works and am hopeful to satisfy the public demands for more of
me by the end of the 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?
Well, being stranded, I would need the Cheryl Tiegs Sports Illustrated Swimsuit
edition since it pretty much transformed my teenage years. I would have to have the
Bible, a picture book of my family, and “How to survive being stranded on a desert island
with only pictures of Cheryl Tiegs, your family, and God.”

Author Websites and Profiles
Matt Deboer Website
Matt Deboer Amazon Profile
Matt Deboer Author Profile on Smashwords

Matt Deboer’s Social Media Links
Pinterest Account

Ramona Vargas Castillo 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a woman, who like many other out there, never felt worthy enough to put myself in the spotlight to accomplish a dream. I always dreamt of writing, children’s books, non-fiction and screenplays, but my memories weighed heavily on me. My memoir Sain’t Ramona: Life and Other Injuries is my first published e-book. I am throwing my story out to the world to free myself and hopefully empower those who need it too.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The name of my memoir is Sain’t Ramona: Life and Other Injuries. My grandfather’s life story inspired me to write.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
My writing habits are invoke wonderful spirits and memories listening to the Mexican, regional nortena and folk, music I grew up with, shed a few tears of longing, pride, and write.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
No offense to book authors, but movies inspired me. Fiddler on the Roof in the 1970’s allowed me to see the village of Anatevka and realize how much it had in common with my own hometown in Mexico. The 1995 movie Mi Familia by director Gregory Nava allowed me to hear how the folk music and events in the lives of a Mexican family mingled to reach my heart, memories and imagination.

What are you working on now?
I am currently looking into publishing a fun and educational children’s story I wrote many years ago.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
As an introvert I am actually struggling to promote my book. I have never been a social media type and am now facing a hard time just getting started.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t self-publish unless you are a social media expert and have many followers you can easily influence to buy.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
When I expressed hesitation to publish my memoir to a server when she saw me writing, she replied: Just write, some of us just like to read what others write.

What are you reading now?
A lot of information on the Internet on how to promote my book.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Continue to pick my brain to write and publish 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?
Sain’t Ramona: Life and Other Injuries so that I never forget who I am.
The Jungle, by Upton Sinclair because I like to read about people’s lives and how they overcome life’s struggles.
Up in the Old Hotel by Joseph Mitchell because I like to visit places and imagine what it was like in a particular time. I also like to know the characters that walked the sidewalks and their contributions to their time.

Author Websites and Profiles
Ramona Vargas Castillo Amazon Profile

Ramona Vargas Castillo’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Jesse Busdegan 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Born and raised in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Lived a very hard life, I am a single father of 3 children, 2 boys and a little girl, manager of many restaurants and bars for over 20 years, took myself back to college, obtained a graphic design degree, fluent in Web Design, typography and proficient in all Adobe software. I enjoy being artistic and leaving an impression on the art culture of today, excited to be in the field of expertise that I have learned.​
I was in a Narcissistic relationship for 7 years with a Sociopathic Covert Narcissist, we had two children together and I was abused physically, mentally and emotionally until I was beaten down to nothing. I had my children taken by this person and kept away from them for no reason other than to hurt and manipulate me.
I used this to find my place in life, I became a Life coach because of this travesty, so I made it my calling to help people in abuse/depression/anxiety and trauma, I am happy to hold spaces for people to hold their truth.
I have written one book.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The book i wrote is called “The Demon Staring Back at Me”, What inspired me to write this, was the 7 year relationship with a Sociopathic Covert Narcissist, The Up’s and Down’s of trauma and emotional, psychological and physical abuse I endured during this time. This book is to bring awareness on female narcissism as well as narcissism in general, so those in these toxic relationships and dont know it, may see some relatability or signs to be able to leave the relationship before they go farther down the rabbit hole that these situations put us in.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I always like to drink Coca-Cola while writing it seems to boost my thought process.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Growing up I really loved Jim Butcher who wrote The Dresden Files, the way he wrote about the feelings and description of a situation really resonated with me, it made my thoughts go to an emotional aspect.

What are you working on now?
I am getting ready to start the audio version of the book , i would like as many people read it so it may help them one day.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
couple methods: https://www.thedemonstaringbackatme.org/

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21687318.Jesse_Lee_Busdegan

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Speak your truth, your thoughts and opinions matter, and you are worth every syllable you write down, follow your dream because who knows who’s life it will change.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been given a no. Only to find that a better, brighter, bigger yes was right around the corner.” — Arlan Hamilton

What are you reading now?
Out of the Fog: Moving from Confusion to Clarity after Narcissistic Abuse

What’s next for you as a writer?
I haven’t decided yet what I will do next, I know I want to do it as an audiobook as well. so that will be my next step.

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?
Dresden Files: Storm Front-Jim Butcher
Dark Tower series: The Gunslinger-Stephen King
D&D Player Manual and Monster manual (Have something to do on the island)

Author Websites and Profiles
Jesse Busdegan Website
Jesse Busdegan Amazon Profile

Jesse Busdegan’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tricia Humphrey 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
How many books? I’ve lost count. How many published? Three, working on number four. Katie’s Journey series is six books and two companion novels. But there are plenty of others in the mix.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Katie’s Journey series. Oh, my, what inspired it? I don’t even know. The very first chapter of Katie’s Kottage reads as a short story. That is what it was originally. I had a friend read my book and she insisted there was more to the story. I denied it at first, but then I got to thinking about it. What if there was more to her story?

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m not sure it’s unusual, but I do like to have music playing while I write.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Everyone I have read is an influence. I’ve got them listed on Goodreads and I don’t think I’ve even scratched the surface.

What are you working on now?
I’m finishing up edits on the Katie’s Journey books and I have three others I’ve been on and off working on and then two more on top of those and I started one more book for the three series and one book to continue on with the Katie’s Journey series and another one will be following shortly.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m still learning. There are so many great sites, like this one here at Awesome Gang!

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Keep writing. If you have a story rolling around in your brain, write it. You’re the only one who knows it.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Keep writing. Create a file specifically for the things you’ve written, but don’t have a place for. Don’t delete what you’ve written. Save it and then re-edit, or rewrite.

What are you reading now?
Currently, I am not reading anything, but I do have a list…

What’s next for you as a writer?
To keep publishing. I enjoy the whole process, so getting out fun stories is high on my list of things to do.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Oooh, I have to choose?

 

Tricia Humphrey’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Author KYG 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am an Engineer-Entrepreneur living In India. Have worked for many reputed organizations but my passion for writing made me quit the jobs and pursue my dream.
I finally realized my dream with my first book-“The Goal Getter”

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The name of the book is The Goal Getter: 3 Secrets To Achieve Massive Success In Your Life.
It’s a parable that explains the DEAL framework which is a 3 step framework to achieve goals. The book will resonate with anyone who dreams of achieving something in life.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write to express..if that’s unusual then YES.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The Present By Spencer Johnson
Fountain Head by Ayn Rand
How To win friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie

What are you working on now?
I am working on my next book which is about finding clarity in life.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I promote on amazon through ads . Also trying my hand with Facebook ads

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Take the leap and you will find your way.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
If you quit now you might achieve temporary success but you will regret it for the rest of your life.

What are you reading now?
Ready,Fire,Aim By Michael Masterson

What’s next for you as a writer?
There are a couple of ideas I am working on right now. One is a creative non fiction book and the other is a parable. Also trying to master the business side of things.

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?
Fountainhead By Ayn Rand
Autobiography of Steve Jobs by Walter Issacson
The One Thing by Jay Papason and Keller

Author Websites and Profiles
Author KYG Website
Author KYG Amazon Profile

Author KYG’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

Bruce Calhoun 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
The highlights of my life include working passage on a tramp freighter, fending off sharks on the Great Barrier Reef, filming lowland gorillas in Africa, capsizing a sailboat in the Bermuda Triangle, mushing sled dogs in Alaska, exploring the Amazon, writing an award winning play, an autobiography and Ardennia. I am also the founder and president of Save the Rainforest. https://savetherainforestnow.org/

Brought to you by t

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Ardennia / The Unlikely Story of Cinderella’s Prince, a YA fantasy. It was inspired by DIAMOND GIRL – a play I wrote and produced about a modern day Cinderella who could not remove a fabulous diamond necklace until she found her Prince Charming. It got me thinking about retelling the Cinderella fairy tale in a historical context.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Waking up in the middle of the night to write, working out plots etc. while I bicycle for hours on country roads. Going years without writing, then cranking out literary works like there is no tomorrow, and the way climate change is accererating there may not be too many more tomorrows for a lot of us.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Jack London and Ernest Hemingway at first because I was young and wanted to read about adventure. I actually ended up going to college in Alaska because I loved CALL OF THE WILD so much. As I matured and majored in literature at UW Madison I took more interest in authors like Victor Hugo, Tolstoy, H.G. Wells and Oscar Wilde. I don’t read much contemporary fiction, mostly non/fiction and the classics.

What are you working on now?
Ardennia – Volume 2 – Sir Guy Goes on Crusade., a YA fantasy. Also working on CARLOTTA OF SAN JAVIER
This literary novel set on the Central Plateau of Mexico, has just about everything; romance, heroic rescues, an eccentric sculptor, colorful campesinos, sadistic nuns, breathtaking scenery that includes a volcano and endless fields of agave azul (tequila) plants, an unforgettable fiesta, a haunting prologue and a truly tragic ending.

I am qualified to write on this subject because I lived in Mexico for 12 years and cultivated agave. If you ever drank Jose Cuervo tequila, it might have come from my plants.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
So far, the Chick Lit bloggers have been of the most help https://chicklitcafe.com/ . They put me on to you guys.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
You cannot please everybody so you’ve got to please yourself. And forget print. Write ebooks and target your niche readership with marketing. Draft2digital.com is doing a great job for me with no upfront costs and a 10 percent piece of the pie, if there is a pie.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
You got to pay your dues if you want to sing the blues. Ringo Starr.

What are you reading now?
A book about Custer. Just finished a very good book about Kit Carson and the Indians that I am going to post a review about on my new blog. Check out my blog at https://thebooksandadventuresofbrucecalhoun.blogspot.com/

What’s next for you as a writer?
Maybe Hollywood. The CEO of Broadway Across America told me he thought DIAMOND GIRL would make a great movie, so I converted it to a screenplay. ARDENNIA would translate to the big screen too.

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?
Iliad, War and Peace, Paradise Lost, Zorba the Greek, Lolita, Catcher in the Rye, Les Miserables

Author Websites and Profiles
Bruce Calhoun Website

Bruce Calhoun’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

J.S. Michael 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Thinking outside the box and looking at things in new ways have always become second nature. Taking the lessons I’ve learned in life and putting them into compelling stories with captivating characters has always a passion.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
‘Wolf Harvest’

A short documentary about animals breed to adapt the the world we created. Plus, I’ve never seen an animal fantasy and a Teen Romance novel combined into a singular narrative. Thought could be interesting, if not original.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Yes, I try not to describe a room’s design so much as let the reader know what’s happening inside of it. I want to keep the action going, make the experience feel more like a movie than a homework assignment.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Tolkien, Rowling, King, all the big names, plus a few small ones I think deserve more recognition.

What are you working on now?
A sequel to ‘Wolf Harvest’

Animal fantasy adventure amid the U.S. Syrian conflict. Like ‘Kingdom of Heaven’ meets ‘The Kite Runner’’

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
My publishing company sends me a recommended list I use.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
It’s important to understand and study the craft, but put down what lights you up.

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

What are you reading now?
The Alchemist

What’s next for you as a writer?
Turn ‘Wolf Harvest’ into a 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?
Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, To Kill a Mockingbird, Fight Club, Fault in our Stars

 

James Rosone 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have twenty-three books published with another five more currently in the editing process.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I have two series I’m currently writing in. One is my thriller series titled the Monroe Doctrine and the other is called Into the Fire. That latter one is book five of what will become an eighteen book series.
What inspired me to write the Monroe Doctrine was looking over the last ten years and seeing how China has risen to great power on the global stage. I fear they are an unstoppable juggernaut and not in a good way. In this series, we look at two key things the Chinese are doing that is going to cripple the world. The first is their one belt, one road initiative and then second is AI and machine learning.
With regards to my military SciFi series, for me, that’s just a fun book and series to write. I have no constraints on what my military equipment or starships can do unless I create them. I love exploring space, new planets, new aliens, new animals on strange planets. For me, it’s a break from my very heavy and technically written thrillers. That said, I am by far more known for my thrillers than SF.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I suppose that depends on what you define as strange. I like to play a red bull in the freezer and let it get super cold, then I put my headphones on and I rock out to extremely loud music ranging from piano and symphony music to techno or heavy metal. For me, the music is a background noise I use to drown out everything happening around me so I can immerse myself in the world I am currently creating for the book.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Before getting into writing, I was an avid reader. I would read one to two books a week, sometimes more. What got me into writing was seeing these other indie authors on Amazon and I thought to myself I could this or I could write this better because I know some of these military topics and tactics better than the author so I decided to get into it. Authors that inspired me would be AG Riddle, Andrew Watts, Ira Tabakin, Harry Turtledove, and many others.

What are you working on now?
Right now I’m trying to wrap up book five of my SF series, then I’ll transition back to the thriller world and look to finish writing books four and five of that series before I return back to the space series again.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
For me, its AMS, Amazons internal marketing services. I run my own AMS ads and I also leverage amazons white glove service for my ads. I spent very heavy on ads, typically between $9k and $18k depending on what’s going on that month but very rarely does my ad spend go below $9k a month.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t listen to any critics, bury your head in your work and just work. Realize the first three to four years of this is going to be a grind. Prepare yourself mentally to work seven days a week, at least 5 to 6 hours a day but ideally 10 hours a day until you have built a portfolio of books and can support yourself with your book income. The biggest thing you are going to have to manage is your time. You have to ask yourself how badly do you want to be an author? If you want to succeed at this business then you have to be willing to cut other things out of your life that are eating up your time like social media, Netflix, watching TV, things that suck your time up and provide no real value towards what you are trying to achieve. When you do use social media, try to keep it very focused on your work and your brand.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best advice I received was write more content. If you want to make this a living, then you have to write more content and write what people want to read. It can’t just be what you want to write, you should want to write what readers want to read and what you find enjoyable, in most cases they can be the same, but at the end of the day this is a business, if you don’t treat it like one you’ll be hard press to succeed in this career field.

What are you reading now?
Right now I’m finishing up the Ugly Truth, it’s a book that just came out last week about Facebook. I found it really interesting. It’s given me a good insight into Mark Zuckerberg and the struggles he has gone through as the head of Facebook. I have a lot of respect for what he’s achieved and done even if I disagree with many of his decisions about the company, I still respect and admire what he’s achieved. I’m hoping he continues to be successful and does more to help humanity both with his platform and with his money.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Right now I’ve been working with a film producer on turning one of our books into a featured film but also a tv mini-series. We’ve finished the feature film script, we’re now looking at creating the episode clips for the series. Mind you, this is on top of writing two different series at the same time while managing all the marketing for the company and growing the brand.

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 book, the Bible. If I’m stranded on an island I’m going to want the word of God with me to get me through it. Second, Harry Turtledoves box set If the South won. I found that an interesting what-if scenario of the civil war. Third book, AG Riddles Pandemic series. It was truly amazing how he crafted that book with so many intricate layers to the onion that was his mystery and book. I think those would suffice but I’d pick many others if I could, heck I’d hope I had my kindle with my 400+ titles on my library, of course I’d cry when the battery finally died.

Author Websites and Profiles
James Rosone Website
James Rosone Amazon Profile

James Rosone’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

Victoria M. Steinsøy 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a Norwegian vagabond, “wellness-coach” (a title I’m still looking to re-define) and newly self-published author.

I’ve spent my twenty-five years of life visiting a great many countries and work fields. Career wise, I started at my local book store in Norway when I was fifteen and continued on to freelancing for the local newspaper the same year (because working two jobs next to school is what good girls do). Since then, I’ve been working at pharmacies, a clothing store, a hostel in Thailand and a Bangladeshi start-up (virtually and still going strong).

I wrote (or should I say finished) my first novel the summer I turned twenty. It was in my native tongue and quite a cringy read. I’m not sure how but I had the self-awareness that it was pretty bad, yet it gave me the confidence to keep clinging to my author dreamt – I had finished a book after all.

Before it could be realised I decided to visit the world of academia, where rather than indulging in my history studies I spent my time in introspection and travelling whenever I had the chance. Backpacking through Europe and doing free-historical tours is very educational.

I’ve lived in four different countries thus far(Norway, Mexico, Austria and Egypt) and visited around thirty, but the one thing that always remained consistent was my passion (read: obsession) with story telling. Two years back, during my last and busiest semester at the University, I got a really great idea. Despite of what seemed like terrible timing, I started writing the book I was meant to write – “Truthful Roots”.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The name of my debut novel is “Truthful Roots” and it’s the first book in the “The Seeds of Ascension” series. The short answer would be that inspiration came from everywhere and nowhere at all. I believe it was inspired by a combination of my own self discovery, world exploration and the many subjects I’d been absorbing during my university days.

At the time I received the first crumbs of it, I’d been studying history for two years and a half. I wasn’t a particularly good student and probably spent more time diving deep into subjects like psychology and spirituality than my actual curriculum. I was also spending my free credits in subjects on philosophy in Vienna during my last semester – making me reflect on ideas of free will, morality, art and so forth.

Initially, the plot-line started as a simple idea about a boy and his codependency to his grandfather and how he’d then be forced to leave home and wake up to the truth of his reality. My main intention was to bring subjects like mental health and spirituality into a fictional plot and though I didn’t really have the time, I decided it’d be a simple enough narrative. I’d mostly focus on the character’s inner world and emotions and it wouldn’t take too much of my time. “Seeds of Ascencion” was never meant to be a fantasy tale and certainly not a series, but with all my fresh knowledge and reflections, I guess my mind had the perfect environment for world building.

Shortly after I started writing things got a bit out of hand. All of a sudden I was crafting a fantasy series rather than just a simple, single standing book and I was amazed by the waves of narratives, characters and magic that came through. You could say the story took on a life of its own from there and it became a much bigger project than I could’ve ever imagined. I’m very grateful that it did.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m not sure what might be seen as unusual or not (we artist are peculiar creatures), but what I’ve come to discover is that writing, when combined with world-building, isn’t a linear process. The narratives and characters tend to visit me as they please, providing everything from phrases, opinion, plot-twists and details I haven’t added to the storylines yet.

Of course, I also sit down and write page by page, but I’ll always keep various word-documents open and add notes as I go. It’s a bit of a scattered way of working, which resulted in the publishing process of “Truthful Roots” taking a bit longer, but it allows me to foreshadow really well and to always have the bigger picture in mind.

Adding to that, I do something I call “Method writing”, where I basically dive so deep into my character’s psyche’s that I know them like the back of my hand. It’s a very intriguing, messy, overwhelming and fascinating way of working and it makes it easier to flesh them out.

Due to these little artistic quirks, you could say I’ve been writing four books at once. It’s not been a conscious choice per se, that’s just how my brain has decided we’ll do things. Art is chaos sometimes and I’m doing my very best to add more structure to it.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
It is hard to say exactly. I read so many books growing up, but I was always a Charles Dickens fan (my dad used to read all the classics for me when I was younger). Otherwise, I’ve read my fair share of Paulo Coelho and I really love Stephen King – the way he writes characters baffles me. The recent years I’ve come to enjoy V.A Schwab’s and Robin Hobb’s writing.

What are you working on now?
Right now I’m working on various books in “The Seeds of Ascension” series. Mostly the sequel (I’m currently on the second draft), but as mentioned, the narratives tend to come in different orders.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I won’t lie, promotion for me has been challenging and it’s something I should’ve made a greater effort with before actually publishing. Thus far I’ve gotten the most feedback and support from local communities, so I’ll be old-school and say Facebook.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Absolutely! I’ve dedicated my blog to writing and creativity, but I’ll share a few from the top of my head here (my advice are mostly self-reminders, as I’m a new author myself.)

1. Your first book won’t be perfect – do your best, allow the book to sit for a while, but if you know yourself to be a perfectionist, don’t wait too long before sharing it with people. It’s inevitable that we always evolve and refine ourselves as artists, so we’ll often look back at the work we started 1-2 years ago with overly critical eyes. It can be a great thing of course, but then again, if we take too much time rewriting and revising it’s easy to end up in a lupe and a lot of unnecessary self doubt and criticism can creep in.

2. Allow people to help you and dare asking for it. Writing can be a very solitary activity, but it’s so important to have others reading your work and allowing them to do so long before it’s perfect. Feedback is precious – both for motivation and for pointing out flaws. I waited way too long before I asked people to actually read it and it would’ve saved me a lot of what-if-it’s-not-that-good moments, if I’d done so earlier.

3. Don’t sell yourself short. I was close to doing so with a few publishing houses, but seeing the regular contracts I had a real wake-up call discovering the way artists are given crumbles and pennies for their work. Self-publishing became a bit of a protest for my part. It’s a bit early for me to say it’s “the better way”, but whatever you do: know your worth and do not settle for less.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
It’s hard to choose one, but I’ll be very simple here: pursue what you love.

What are you reading now?
Just like with my writing, I’m always reading multiple books at once;
“Shantaram” by David Gregory Roberts
“Norwegian wood” by Haruki Murakami
“The Zodiac Trials” by Michele Khalil
“The four hour work week” by TIm Ferris

What’s next for you as a writer?
For now it’s mostly about getting my physical paperback copies of “Truthful Roots” in place (Amazon has been a pain if I’m being honest) and finishing the sequel. I’m currently on draft two and very excited about how it’s coming together!

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?
Tough question but I’d definitely go for the 4 option.

“War and Peace” by Lev Tolstoj (I haven’t read it yet, but for the sake of culture and page-count).

“Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” by Lewis Carroll

“The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy” by Douglas Adams (it’s hilarious).

“The Name of the Wind” by Patrick Rothfus. The beauty of his prose makes you not even care he’s taking decades to finish book three.

I would also ask for a typewriter if possible. A stranded island would be perfect for writing.

Author Websites and Profiles
Victoria M. Steinsøy Website
Victoria M. Steinsøy Amazon Profile

Victoria M. Steinsøy’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Ravi Ranjan Goswami 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a native of Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, India. I studied B.Sc from Bipin Bihari Degree College of the Bundelkhand University Jhansi and earned my degree of M.Sc(Physics) from Agra college of the Agra University. I am a retired IRS officer, a former Assistant Commissioner of Customs at cochin. I am living in Cochin

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is The Aasht Yogis. I had the idea of writing a fictional novel based on Yoga after the declaration of International Yoga Day.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
No.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I like Goswami Tulasidas, Premchand, Amish Graham Green, and Coehlo, Their writings inspire me.

What are you working on now?
I am writing short stories for websites/web magazines and looking for a story/plot for a novel.[{

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I take the help of Goodreads, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write regularly.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I don’t remember.

What are you reading now?
Presently I am not reading anything significant I am busy converting my ebooks and paper =backs into audiobooks. Some of them are already available on the internet

What’s next for you as a writer?
To write a few international best sellers.

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?
Ramacharitmanas and four Vedas. I like Ramacharitmanas and I have not read Vedas.

Author Websites and Profiles
Ravi Ranjan Goswami Website
Ravi Ranjan Goswami Amazon Profile
Ravi Ranjan Goswami Author Profile on Smashwords

Ravi Ranjan Goswami’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Daria Migounova 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hey there! I’m a Toronto-based début author, originally from Moscow. I work in finance but I write on the side and the St. Isidore series is my first ever duology, with The Hell’s Half Acre Chase being the first.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Hell’s Half Acre Trade, and its prequel The Hell’s Half Acre Chase, is inspired by the hell’s half acre of Niagara Falls. It’s a short stretch of incredibly dangerous river rapids on the American side of the river, and that area is very central to the novel’s storyline. I won’t say why that spot exactly, because of spoilers, but Niagara at the very least is significant as the main antagonist is called the Niagara Company.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Who doesn’t? I sit in all sorts of weird positions on the floor, couch, and dining room table, because I refuse to sit at my work desk. That desk is associated too much with my day job. I also love writing outside by the lake.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Gosh, so many. If I had to limit myself to three, I would have to say Neil Gaiman, Dan Brown, and Anthony Horowitz. But as a Canadian I have to shout out Margaret Atwood and Daniel Kalla.

What are you working on now?
Book 3, of course! But I am taking a little break. Not to worry – book 2 doesn’t end on a cliff hanger.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Recently I’ve been engaging with the “BookTok” community on TikTok. Instagram is great too.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Not really, because I don’t think I’m doing anything particularly right. Just make sure you loving writing! It should always be for yourself and the love of the story, first and foremost.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“Fight for your characters.”

What are you reading now?
The Martian by Andy Weir

What’s next for you as a writer?
I would love to reach a wider audience and get more eyes on my novels. But I also want to get more on the page for my next book!

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 tough. I’m not big on re-reading. Good Omens, because I can actually read that again. House of Leaves because that’s a behemoth of mysteries. Don Quixote because I haven’t gotten through it yet and would like to. And for my fourth, some kind of desert island survival guide, please.

Author Websites and Profiles
Daria Migounova Website

Rosalind James 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve written 35 books to date: sports romance, romantic comedy, romantic suspense, and blends of all three, set in New Zealand, Australia, various spots in the western US, and New York City. Basically, everyplace I’ve lived and/or know anything about. I’m probably best known for my New Zealand series, though, especially the rugby romance. I love writing romance and how much real life you can include in there, how big a tent the romance genre covers.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My new release (September 1) is JUST ONE LOOK, Escape to New Zealand Book 14. Yes, it’s a standalone! I’ve written retired athletes, coaches, and, of course, athletes who are playing, but I’d never written the gut-wrenching feeling of a top professional sportsman whose time in the game is running out. So there was that, and also that I thought a brain surgeon and a rugby player would be a funny combination. Which, it turns out, they are.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
The most unusual thing about my writing is that unlike every other author I know, I don’t have ideas. I’ve had 35 book ideas, and I’ve written all 35. I finish one book, then wait for the new book to start its tentative arrival. On the other hand, I’ve also finished every book I’ve ever started.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I always think that romance can be either of the Charlotte Bronte, Heathcliff running despairingly over the moors variety, or Jane Austen, with Elizabeth being witty in the drawing room. I’m a Jane Austen gal all the way. I like humor and realism and wit and emotion that feels genuine. I also love Georgette Heyer and, among contemporary romance writers, Susan Elizabeth Phillips. I was probably most inspired as a writer, though, by reading Beverly Cleary’s autobiographies (which are awesome). That’s the kind of writer I try to be, too: funny, but real. Dear Mr. Henshaw—what a good book.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on a new story in the New Zealand Ever After series—I think. The idea is just starting to percolate.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I actually haven’t ever promoted much, other than putting a Book 1 up for free for a few days every month. I was lucky enough not to need to do much for a long time, but the market is definitely more competitive now. I’ve recently started working with Aurora Publicity, though. I guess my method is, “Find somebody else to do it for you.”

Do you have any advice for new authors?
To go ahead and write. What’s the worst that could happen if you give it a shot? And to try not to compare. We all have our unique gifts, and as Theodore Roosevelt said, “Comparison is the thief of joy.”

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Something my son wrote in half an hour in fifth grade for a competition. It’s called, “I Can Succeed in Sixth Grade.” Part of it goes like this: “Most people succeed because they try. If you don’t try, you will never get anywhere in life. It’s not only trying, it’s seeing if you are capable of the things you must do. You must believe in yourself and have courage. Most people succeed not because they are destined to, it’s because they are determined to. They are devoted to their work.” I still have that on my office wall

What are you reading now?
I read a lot of nonfiction and some thrillers. I just finished reading a book about newborn photography! Research for the new book. It was fascinating.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I honestly don’t know. I write all kinds of settings and all kinds of tones and moods, from real-deal romantic suspense to romantic comedy to more of a romance/popular fiction mashup. I have to go with the idea that shows up, whatever series that’s in! I lead a very unplanned writing 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?
Nancy Mitford, The Pursuit of Love and Love in a Cold Climate. Jane Austen, Persuasion or Pride and Prejudice, can’t decide. Eva Ibbotson, A Countess Below Stairs.

Author Websites and Profiles
Rosalind James Website
Rosalind James Amazon Profile

Rosalind James’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

Melissa Bourbon 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I write as both Melissa Bourbon and Winnie Archer. As Melissa Bourbon, I have 3 different mystery series published, as well as a few mystery/romantic suspense.

As Winnie Archer, I write a cozy mystery series.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Murder at Sea Captain’s Inn released on July 20, 2021. It is book 2 in my Book Magic mystery series. It features Pippin Lane Hawthorne, her twin brother, Grey (both named after Tolkien characters) and is set on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Pippin is a bibliomancer (a divination by which a book is opened to a random page or passage, and then interpreted). There is a 2000 year old curse, and so much more!

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I try for routine. I do everything else that I may need to do in the mornings, and try to write all afternoon nearly everyday. Sometimes this doesn’t work, but usually it does.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Agatha Christie started my true love of mysteries (after Nancy Drew and the Bobbsey Twins).

What are you working on now?
I’m currently finishing up the 8th Bread Shop Mystery (Bread Over Troubled Water), which I write under the name Winnie Archer.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I co-run a private FB group called the Book Warriors. This group, as well as my own Facebook author page help me get the word out about my books. I love that there are places like this to help reach new readers.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t give up! I am a former teacher, mother of 5, lover of books, and generally busy person. I have a passion for writing and kept at it, even in the face of rejection. There were many times I wanted to throw in the towel. My best advice is to simply keep at it.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I remember seasoned authors telling me to give myself permission to write badly. Some days, the words don’t come easily, but as long as I get them down, I can go back and edit.

What are you reading now?
I’m in the middle of listening to The Rose Code, by Kate Quinn, and I’m reading Malibu Rising, by Taylor Jenkins Reid.

What’s next for you as a writer?
After Bread Over Troubled Water is wrapped up, it’s on to Murder Through an Open Door, the 3rd Book Magic Mystery.

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 wow. Tough question. I honestly have no idea. East of Eden comes to mind. It’s one of my all time favorites. Not sure what else!

Author Websites and Profiles
Melissa Bourbon Website
Melissa Bourbon Amazon Profile
Melissa Bourbon Author Profile on Smashwords

Melissa Bourbon’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Julie Carrick Dalton 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m an organic farmer and mom of four humans and two dogs. I also manage a gorgeous 100-acre forest, home to bear and moose and all sorts of amazing creatures. Waiting for the Night Song is my first novel. It took me thirteen years to write, because, well farm, forest, and four kiddos. But I finally did it!

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I wrote Waiting for the Night Song during the same years I was building my farm from scratch and raising my kids. My farm, located in rural New Hampshire inspired the setting of Waiting for the Night Song which is steeped in the forests, lakes, and mountains where my heart lives. Elements of climate change that are affecting my growing region inspired much of the plot.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I can write anywhere. I don’t need a routine. But I do my best work when I have the taste of peppermint in my mouth. I think I should try to get Tic Tac to sponsor my books. I go through so many packages of peppermint Tic Tacs when I’m writing.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Barbara Kingsolver, Sandra Dallas, Charlotte McConaghy, Delia Owens, and Laura Pritchett.

What are you working on now?
My next novel, THE LAST BEEKEEPER, will be released from Forge Books in early 2023. It’s about a father, who is a famous beekeeper, and his daughter, and how their relationship deteriorates as their bees die off. It’s a hopeful story about redemption and our responsibility to this planet we have the privilege of sharing.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Instagram, Facebook, connecting with other authors, and direct email with readers. I love boosting other books and authors, and I find the organic relationships I’ve built have also been my greatest support system.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
If you feel inspired by an author’s work, let them know. I don’t know a single author who doesn’t like to hear that their work influenced someone else. You often build real friendships this way. But on the flip side, if an author doesn’t respond to you, don’t take it personally. I promise, they appreciate your words of praise but might be too busy to respond. Just trust that your words matter to them.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Get inside the head of your antagonist and understand why they believe they are the hero of the story.

What are you reading now?
Weather Woman by Cai Emmons

What’s next for you as a writer?
I have a third book I’m hoping to start pitching soon. I’m ridiculously excited about the concept. If this book existed right now, I would be reading it this very minute. Fingers crossed!

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?
Jane Eyre, Swiss Family Robinson, Mexican Gothic, and Migrations.

Author Websites and Profiles
Julie Carrick Dalton Website
Julie Carrick Dalton Amazon Profile

Julie Carrick Dalton’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Regina Felty 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hello from Southwest Arizona! My name is Regina Felty and I am a state-certified American Sign Language Interpreter by day and an author and blogger by night. I recently published my second contemporary fiction book and like to spend my extra time (like I have tons of it to go around!) reading and reviewing other’s books–especially new indie authors.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My newest novel is “Mazie.” My novel-writing style is very character-driven in that I want to take my characters on a journey of healing, self-discovery, or whatever it is they need to get through to come out better for it in the end. “Mazie” was inspired by an older woman that suffered from Alzheimer’s many years ago and how traumatic it was for her husband. The second main character in the book–Brian–was brought into the book to inspire Mazie and learn some things himself.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Nothing unusual, just detrimental to my health. I prefer to write when the rest of the world is sleeping (and I’m supposed to be) and I feel compelled to have a snack to eat for inspiration. Yeah, I need new writing habits…

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I read a plethora of genres although I’m not much into romance or heavy sci-fi. I want to walk away from a story feeling inspired and moved. I enjoy authors like Charles Martin, Fredrik Backman, and Kristina McMorris.

What are you working on now?
Oh, I have to pick just ONE? Ok…I am currently plugging away at a YA Christian trilogy about a teenage girl’s struggle between her faith and fitting in with her peers and the norm. She isn’t handling things too well, which is the point.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I seek out reviews from bloggers and other reviewers but also promote on my website (www.rlfelty.com) I try to stay active on social media–Instagram being my favorite. It’s tough for indie authors out there. We have to always continue learning new ways to promote ourselves.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Please don’t wait for inspiration. Most of the time, you ain’t feelin’ in, honey. Honestly. If you want it bad, dream about it, drool at other’s successes, then just sit your butt in the chair (in the grass, on the roof…doesn’t matter) and start writing. It really is that simple.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
What I wrote above.

What are you reading now?
I am into Linda Castillo’s Amish books right now (Kate Burkholder series). These aren’t your sweet Amish everyone-loves-everyone books. We are talking gruesome murders and all that nail-biting stuff. I’m also reading a few books from indie authors that I will be leaving reviews for. They are pretty good too!

What’s next for you as a writer?
Getting through my trilogy. Attending a big-time writer’s conference in Las Vegas in November. Trying to make my website more “cool.”

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?
Awww, no, don’t do this. (1) The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo (I’m also a kid at heart, this book is inspiring, and I’m going to have to believe in miracles on that island…), (2) Redwall by Brian Jacques (Never get tired of reading about talking animals on adventures), and (3) The Bible (there is a lot of good reading in there).

Author Websites and Profiles
Regina Felty Website
Regina Felty Amazon Profile

Regina Felty’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Michael Tusa 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I practiced law for 34 years and retired in 2017. At the end of 2016 I published my first novel: Advancing on Chaos. Thereafter between volunteer activities and travel I continued to write. My second book was a memoir of sorts: A Second Chance At Dancing, followed shortly thereafter by Chasing Charles Bukowski. Recently I started hosting a monthly radio show called Writers’ Forum on ERBH, 88.3 FM New Orleans.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is entitled And Trouble Followed. In all my books I try to present storylines or factoids that a reader might not know about and might be interested in. Sometimes, like in Advancing on Chaos, this is done with some humor. In Trouble I focused on the Reconstruction period and in particular the use of Black Codes in the South, which replaced the Slave Codes and which were the predecessors to Jim Crow.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not really. I write or revise most every day for 30-45 minutes. It’s a lesson I learned from reading about Charles Bukowski’s writing habits.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Too many books to mention. When I was younger The Catcher in The Rye was one, indeed my first book cover is modeled on the original Rye cover. Richard Brautigan’s In Watermelon Sugar is another. My memoir cover is modeled on it. Favorite authors also include James Baldwin as well as Cormac McCarthy.

What are you working on now?
I have 3 novellas that I am in the process of continuing to edit as well as a novel that focuses on 3 military veterans from 3 different wars and their adjustments. Tentatively titled Coming Home Again it was a finalist for the 2019 Faulkner/William Wisdom Creative Writing Contest for first Chapters.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I have used several. Awesome Gang, Freebooksy and Fussy Librarian.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write what interests you.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Make your own mistakes.

What are you reading now?
Just finished reading a book by Chris Thomas King, The Blues, to prepare for my interview with him on my radio show. I also started Sub Rosa and other Stories by Jim Lambert for another interview coming up.

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

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?
Tough question. One of Brautigan’s novels, probably In Watermelon Sugar, one of Salinger’s novels, probably Catcher in the Rye, and a novel by Gary Gautier, called Hippies.

Author Websites and Profiles
Michael Tusa Website

Shereen Thor 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hi there Awesome Gang! My name is Shereen Thor and I’m an Egyptian-American based in Los Angeles, Ca. I’ve written two books. One was ages ago, and it was a cute little quote book (I just wanted to call myself an author, but I didn’t have the lady balls to actually write a real book). But I finally wrote a real one which was just released, and that’s what brings me to you today!

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The name of my latest book is Revolutionary Woman: Break the Rules, Live Your Purpose and Find Your Happy. I was inspired to write it eight years ago when I failed at entrepreneurship and had to take a sales job. It was my first week of training, and I had an entire night of insomnia where I was haunted with the thought, “What if I live a mundane life, and never write a book?” That thought just kept repeating itself over and over and over again, and I was riddled with anxiety at the thought that I’d never fulfill this dream. So after that horrible night, I knew I needed to write a book lol. It was a very disturbing way to find out, but hey…sometimes the soul ain’t subtle.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
My best writing happens at the buttcrack of dawn. It’s almost like I can’t sit down and focus with the hustle and bustle of the day. So I go to sleep at 7 or 8 pm and wake up at 3 am to get my best writing done. I also seem to like to talk it out too. So I’ll record audio ideas while I’m out on walks, and then use those ideas as the beginning of a chapter.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*CK by Mark Manson. You Are a Badass by Jen Sincero. The 4-Hour Work Week by Timothy Ferris. I tend to like people who cuss and tell it like it is lol.

What are you working on now?
Lol, nothing. I am working on making sure this book is not a flop. We just hit bestseller last night on Amazon so – so far so good.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’ve mostly been promoting it to my own email list, and I’ve been using text marketing as well which has been really helpful. I am not on social media anymore (because I’m a huge weirdo lol), so I wasn’t sure if launching a book without it would work. But luckily it’s working. It started as a summer sabbatical, and am feeling like I may never go back to social media again. So I’m happy that the book launch is successful without it. That gives me confidence that I can eliminate it from my life completely (which is what I want). There’s too much noise in my brain as it is, social media just sends me sideways. I’ve also signed up for a few book promos, but still have yet to see how those are working.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Just do it. Just write. Don’t overthink it. The longer you think and don’t do when it comes to writing the more it becomes a mega-beast in your mind. The feeling of finishing a book is so insanely good that you gotta just get going. It’s worth the payoff. Your life will never be the same, and YOU will never be the same.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I used to do stand-up comedy. The first time I was going to go on stage I was terrified. My comedian friend Brian Moote told me this, “The first time isn’t about being funny, it’s just about getting up.” That was the best advice ever. It took the pressure off, and it helped me get the first time out of the way so that I could get funny on the second, third, fourth, and five hundredth time I did comedy. But I never would have had that chance if I was too scared to do it for the first time. He gave me that advice over 15 years ago, and I think about that advice often. I actually put it in chapter seven of my book. So there you go, a little tidbit from the book without even having to buy or read it, you’re welcome.

What are you reading now?
Digital Minimalism, and The Whole Brained Child.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Just promoting the hell out of this one. It’s been out for less than a week so that’s the focus right now. Hitting bestseller was a lovely boost, but I know that I’ll need to consistently market this little baby for the rest of my life. I also want to figure out how to change up my work so that I can have ultimate time freedom (an ongoing pursuit of mine that never ends), maybe I’ll finally figure it out this time. Wish me luck.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Oh damn, that’s a great question. Well assuming I’d have internet access and still be able to run my empire I would take the 4-hour Workweek by Tim Ferris. I’m not sure I’d take the Subtle Art Of Not Giving a F*ck since there isn’t much to give an eff about on an island. I’d take A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle and Unverified. A novel that was written by my friend Kristin Geise because it’s fun, entertaining, and has a delicious love affair. I’d also probably take another entertaining or steamy romance novel because I’ll be bored as crap on the island.

Author Websites and Profiles
Shereen Thor Website
Shereen Thor Amazon Profile