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Mark Holloway 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hi, I’m Mark Holloway, a debut indie fantasy author based in the UK.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My current book, The Soul’s Aspect, is my first ever book and is the first in a planned series.

I started writing The Soul’s Aspect early 2020 because I had been in a reading drought, really struggling to find a book that scratched the itch I had been feeling. At some point I just decided that if I couldn’t read the book I wanted to, I would write it instead.

More than anything, I was craving a coming of age story where things can actually go wrong. I was bored of reading stories where plot armour is so thick around the characters that there’s just no tension anymore, and this seemed to be a particular issue around coming of age stories. Not to mention that these types of stories are usually reserved for the YA audience, and I wanted something that felt a bit more mature.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
To a fault, I’m not an over-planner. I like discovery writing, where I just noodle around with words on paper first, writing scenes that come to me, before I figure out the key plot points. Usually, I have a start and an end goal, but much of the route on the way is open for me to work around.
This often means I have to stop and rework large pieces of text, but I find it’s made the writing process feel more organic like my story is growing up a trellis of my own creation.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Robin Hobb, Patrick Rothfuss and Jeff Vandermeer are huge influences for me, each for different reasons.

Hobb’s character work in fantasy is second to none, and I’ve still yet to experience anything else like it. All her characters feel real, and even the stupid mistakes that they make, the ones that have you screaming at the page, feel justified, and right for that character.

Likewise, Rothfuss’ prose is a delight in the genre, and particularly here, I’m referring to the Easter eggs hidden throughout his work, be that the seven words spoken in dialogue, or my personal favourite, the sneaky use of iambic pentametre used in certain, symbolic scenes.

Lastly, Vandermeer inspires me to be creative with my prose. Reading the Southern Reach trilogy was like a bucket of water thrown over me, with so much rich, beautiful, densely packed with terrifying language.

What are you working on now?
Right now I’m working on the sequel to The Soul’s Aspect, as well as working with a producer on an Audiobook version of The Soul’s Aspect.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I mostly stick to Instagram as I like to have a closer connection with readers, and it feels like more of a community. I’m also pretty active on Reddit, helping to moderate a writing group focused on the fantasy genre. Mostly, I think the important thing in marketing and promotion is honesty and symbiosis.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Take your time. Debut indie authors are unlikely to make a huge splash with their first book, and those that do have often paid through the nose to do so. Don’t fret if the numbers seem small, just focus on writing, and build yourself a small community that can be genuinely interested in your work.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t let your first foray into writing be The Great Novel. Write small, short stories first so that you can hone in on the mechanics and get feedback.

What are you reading now?
I don’t read while I’m actively writing, for fear of accidentally absorbing other people’s ideas into my own work and being overly influenced. That being said, next up on by TBR is Kirstoff’s Empire of the Vampire.

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

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
How to Survive on a Desert Island
How to Build and Sail Small Boats – Canoes – Punts and Rafts
Cursed Child (makes good tinder)

Author Websites and Profiles
Mark Holloway Website
Mark Holloway Amazon Profile

Mark Holloway’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile

Jessica Tietjen 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a spouse, mother, leader, lawyer, talent management professional, technology enthusiast, Gallup Certified Strengths Coach, and now both a writer and consultant. After law school, I pivoted into a leader of Talent Management, Information Technology, Customer Service, Project Coordination, and Order Management. For over ten years, I shaped Experitec’s Talent Management program by creating strategies for peak performance to become an exceptional workplace recognized as a three-time Gallup Exceptional Workplace and four-time St. Louis Post Dispatch Top Workplace.

My purpose is to help people live exceptional lives and I believe workplaces can and should contribute. I just wrote my first book The Exceptional Life R-Evolution to share key insights, learning, and practices to help individuals in any role, location, and place evolve to peak performance.

I am now the owner of Evolving to Exceptional (launched in October of 2021) which provides training, resources and tools for individuals, and partners closely with workplaces to evolve them from good to exceptional! I am very excited about this new business and its potential to positively impact the world.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I felt a nudge to write this book after all the challenges we experienced in 2020. I had three small children (twin 9 month old girls and a 4 year old boy) when the pandemic started and struggled my way through the year being a VP in business and a mom at home. As I moved into 2021, I felt a strong pull that something in this world needed to change. I believe there is a better way to live – a way that allows us to live an exceptional life. And I wanted to help more people do so.

An exceptional life is not a perfect life – no such thing exists. Nor is it a life without challenge, struggle or pain. Rather an exceptional life is one that brings us more peace, joy, happiness and success as a result of the challenges, struggles, and pain we experience. By evolving our performance we can truly live our best possible lives. I truly hope every person on earthy will do so!

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I love writing – I have always loved writing. I tend to jump around in my writing a lot and not write linearly.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
All of them! I love reading and read at least four books at once. I have truly been moved by authors like Marcus Buckingham (Frist Break all the Rules), Brene Brown (all of her books!), Cy Wakeman (Reality Based Leadership), Shawn Achor (Happiness Advantage), and hundreds of other books I’ve loved and enjoyed!

On the fun side of reading I also love sci-fi and fantasy books – Harry Potter was a favorite growing up!

What are you working on now?
I am also currently working on two additional books – Learning to Cherish Myself and a series for children Uniting the Universe! The first, is a book about a journey to learn not how to love but to truly cherish myself in a new a different way – a way I had never learned before and I hope to help others learn as well. The second, is a book about children tasked with uniting the universe that is breaking a part – it will be very science based but also have spiritual and life principles that will help children better understand themselves and the world. This will be a series of books!

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
My website www.evolvingtoexceptional.com will have everything I do related to business. I also have my personal site www.jessicatietjen.com for some of my more personal views and writings.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Just do it! Make the time, dive in, and let the book come through!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
If it doesn’t hurt, you aren’t growing.

What are you reading now?
The One Minute Millionaire and The Power of Now

What’s next for you as a writer?
I will be writing the next few books. I will also be growing my consulting business to help give me more perspectives on the challenges facing business and to help more businesses become exceptional.

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?
Gone with the Wind, The Untethered Soul, How to do the Work, Harry Potter

Author Websites and Profiles
Jessica Tietjen Website
Jessica Tietjen Amazon Profile

Jessica Tietjen’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

A.M. Pierre 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hello! My name is A.M. Pierre, and I’ve loved story-telling my whole life. As a child, my favorite toys were story-related. Even when I was playing with Legos, my favorite part wasn’t building the models but acting out stories with them afterwards. I have published two novels and am publishing one ongoing serial story.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest novel is My Future Lies. It’s a Sci-Fi Time Travel re-imagining of The Man in the Iron Mask. Honestly, the very first spark for this story came while I was listening to The Beetles. I started thinking about the line “the girl with kaleidoscope eyes” – what would that look like? Maybe like swirling rainbows? What would cause that? Contacts? Why would she have rainbow contacts? And those questions led to the creation of Isabeau, a time-traveling rainbow-eyed warrior, and the rest of the story evolved from there.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not really. There’s plenty of unusual things in my life, but my writing habits are disappointingly pedestrian.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I’ve always loved James Herriot. Even though he’s a nonfiction writer, his pacing and voice definitely helped mold my own writing style.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on Time Stopped on a Tuesday, which is an ongoing serial story on Kindle Vella, and I’m also working on Typhoon, which is the second novel in the Shard Trilogy.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m new to this game, so I’m still learning that. If you have any suggestions, I’m all ears

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Read as much as you can from as many different authors as you can. Then write, write, and write some more. Take criticism in stride and don’t defend yourself – even if the critic is 100% wrong (for example, they say “I didn’t like that the writer never mentioned X after page 100” and you’re screaming internally “I mentioned X on page 132 and 144 AND 186! Are you blind?!”). Just because a sentence is beautifully written doesn’t necessarily mean it belongs in your book.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“If you’re beta readers tell you something isn’t working, they’re probably right. If they tell you exactly how you should fix it, they’re probably wrong.”

Also, from an agent: “Most books I read start too slow, end too fast, and have a boring middle. Don’t be like that.”

What are you reading now?
I’ve been reading a mishmash of things. I’m re-reading The Scarlet Pimpernel for the first time in years. I’m almost finished with a detailed behind-the scenes book about the making of the BBC series Sherlock. I’ve just started a history of Queen Victoria’s reign. And I recently bought an anthology of a couple dozen classic adventure stories and novellas that I’m working my way through.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Hopefully more novels, more readers, and more opportunities to grow as an 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?
Only 3 or 4? Yikes. I think I’d cheat and bring a few of those big hard cover multi-novel collections – you know, the ones in the discount section of Barnes & Noble that contain things like “the complete works of William Shakespeare”, “the best sci-fi novels”, or “all the novels of James Herriot.” Or I could go the more practical Dwight Schrute route – Physician’s Desk reference, only not hollowed out

Author Websites and Profiles
A.M. Pierre Website
A.M. Pierre Amazon Profile

A.M. Pierre’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile

WILLIAM DORSEY 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
William James Dorsey better known as Dorsey (Born November 8, 1984) in Delaware is currently a Network Security Video Systems Specialist and has experience in Data Security, Photography, Modeling, Protective Services, Design and Information Technology. Ordained by United Life Church with a Graduate Certificate in Information Security and a Bachelor’s Degree in Technical Management he is both a member and avid supporter of Equal Rights for People of Color and the LGBTQ+ Community.

Dorsey; after being placed in foster care and group homes, was eventually raised by his grandmother. His father left his mother who had been abusing Dorsey for years. On his own at 15, he had lived and traveled many places, dealt with homelessness, depression and learned that family is not just biological or blood, it can be composed of those around you who support you.

Notably Dorsey has also worked with several creative artists such as poet and author of &BlackIssues M. James Cooper, Bryan Mell of StanleyCooperWebb Photography, vocal Artist Verse Mega, Designer Janelle of Janelle’s Printz and Kodi Seaton of idockrocks

So far I have written Three (3) children’s books and One (1) Self Help Book.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
So my latest book that I have written is called Unapologetically Gay: Volume 1 Relationships by William James Dorsey. So this book was inspired by a change in my life, well being and psyche I would have to say. I came to terms, accepted and then celebrated being a disabled, gay, black and educated man. Epiphany strikes at the most oddest of times really and once I accepted my self and got to know myself I decided to write these stories based on my life experiences as well as the experiences of those around me that I was either directly or indirectly a part of.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
One of my most unusual writing habits is when I tend to write notes on several different notepads and post its. Then later like puzzle pieces I have to go back, organize and combine them to create a final document.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Authors well let me see ok I have always liked James Baldwin, an up and coming author M. James Cooper, Sun Tzu and Lewis Carol.

What are you working on now?
Well right now I am working on revisions to my Volume 1 book so that I can get it published with an ISN outside of Amazon.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I like my website Http://StanleyCooperWebb.Com

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t rush it and just let it flow. I find that when I have writers block if I do a hobby or whatever I think of during that time of writers block it normally helps a lot.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Everyone’s story is worth hearing and telling.

What are you reading now?
Currently I am not reading anything as I try to complete my revisions on Volume 1 and prep Volume 2 in the same mannor.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I would like to be on a major book tour and see if I could possibly write a stage play.

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 by name I do not know but by subject definitely a survivalist guide, an medicinal medicines guide and a handymans book.

Author Websites and Profiles
WILLIAM DORSEY Website
WILLIAM DORSEY Amazon Profile

WILLIAM DORSEY’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Mark Spivak 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve been writing since I was 11 years old. In addition to books, I do journalism and copywriting to keep the lights on. I’m the author of two non-fiction books (Iconic Spirits: An Intoxicating History, and Moonshine Nation: The Art of Creating Cornbread in a Bottle) and three novels (Friend of the Devil, The American Crusade and Impeachment). I live in Florida with my wife and my imaginary friends.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The book I’m promoting now is Friend of the Devil, my first novel. It’s the dramatic and arresting store of America’s greatest chef, who has cut a deal with Satan for fame and fortune.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write very day and think about my current projects 24/7. I’m up very early, around 4 or 4:30, which is when I get the best work done.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I have a degree in literature, so I lean toward the classics: Melville, Twain, Joyce, Hemingway, etc.

What are you working on now?
My new novel is called Forger. It concerns the world’s foremost art forger, who is suffering from Dissociative Identity Disorder (commonly known as multiple personality).

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I wish I knew, honestly. I constantly experiment to see what might work. I’m not sure that anyone really knows what causes a book to go viral.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t give up: this is a long and tough road, at best.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“If you meet the Buddha on the road, kill him.”
(The Zen expression meaning that your understanding of things must be your own, and no one else’s).

What are you reading now?
I try not to read contemporary fiction, because I don’t want to be influenced by it, so most of my reading occurs in the non-fiction realms I specialize in (food, wine, spirits, restaurants and culinary travel).

What’s next for you as a writer?
To get up every day and do my best, ignoring the roadblocks, the jealousy of enemies and the indifference of friends.

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?
Moby-Dick (Herman Melville); Pale Fire (Vladimir Nabokov); Huckleberry Finn (Twain).

Author Websites and Profiles
Mark Spivak Website
Mark Spivak Amazon Profile

Mark Spivak’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account