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Aey Nopakraw Amazon Profile

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Aey Nopakraw

Interview With Author Aey Nopakraw

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My name is Aey Nopakraw, and I have spent over twenty years in senior leadership across banking, life insurance, and organizational transformation in Thailand. I managed large loan portfolios, led complex transformation projects, and worked in environments where decisions carried real consequences. In 2022, I was recognized as Business Role Model of the Year in Thailand’s insurance sector.

Beyond the Algorithm: Human Wisdom for Leading in the Responsible AI Era is my first book. It started with a question I kept coming back to: once AI changes the way we work, what will the next generation of leaders look like in the responsible AI era? That question became the thread I followed – and this book is where it led.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is Beyond the Algorithm: Human Wisdom for Leading in the Responsible AI Era.

The inspiration came from watching AI begin to reshape the way we work and lead. I kept asking myself – when AI changes many things, what does the next generation of responsible leaders actually look like? Not the leaders who simply adopt the latest tools, but the ones who bring sound judgment, human values, and ethical clarity to the decisions that matter most.

I wrote this book because I believe that wisdom cannot be automated. Technology will keep advancing, but the human qualities that make leadership real – trust, empathy, conscience, and courage – those still have to come from us. The future I see is not humans versus AI, but humans and AI working together, with people staying at the center of important decision that truly matters.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write at night, at home, when the world has quieted down. Before I sit down to write, I usually spend some time reflecting quietly – not forcing ideas, just letting my thoughts settle. I find that the best clarity comes not from pushing harder, but from slowing down first. By the time I open my laptop, I know what I actually want to say.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I have always believed that leading yourself is the most important starting point before you can lead others. That conviction shaped everything in this book. Good Vibes, Good Life by Vex King deepened that belief for me and helped me see it from a fresh angle. When AI entered the picture, that same principle applied: the leaders who will navigate this era well are the ones who know themselves first.

What are you working on now?
Today, I focuses on helping leaders and organizations navigate complexity, strengthen decision quality, and adopt AI responsibly in real business contexts. My work combines hands-on experimentation with AI systems and a strong belief that transformation succeeds only when people understand it, trust it, and choose to move with it.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Since launching Beyond the Algorithm, I have found that a personal outreach works best for me. As a first-time author, I am still learning and experimenting – but what I believe most is that authentic connection with the right readers matters far more than reaching a large crowd of the wrong ones.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
The hardest part of writing a book is not starting – it is finishing. And for me, the most difficult moment was not self-doubt or running out of ideas. It was cutting down content I had worked hard on and genuinely loved. Every section felt important. Every story felt worth keeping. But I learned that a good book is not about how much you can put in – it is about having the discipline to leave out what doesn’t serve the reader, even when it hurts to let it go. My advice: write everything first, then be brave enough to edit.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
It is okay to not always be perfect. That sounds simple, but for someone who has spent years in senior leadership where decisions carry real consequences, it is harder to live by than it sounds. Perfectionism can quietly become the enemy of progress – in your work, in your leadership, and I discovered, in your writing too. That advice gave me permission to finish this book even when I felt it wasn’t ready. Done and honest is better than perfect and never shared.

What are you reading now?
I am currently reading materials on responsible AI published by various agencies. It connects closely to the themes I wrote about in Beyond the Algorithm – how organizations and leaders can adopt AI in ways that are ethical, trustworthy, and human-centered. I find it reassuring that the conversation around responsible AI is growing. It confirms that the questions this book raises are not just relevant, they are becoming urgent.

What’s next for you as a writer?
For now, my focus is on bringing the ideas in Beyond the Algorithm to life beyond the page – through working alongside leaders and organizations who are actively navigating AI transformation. I hope that by working together, the people I meet will find something useful they can take back to their teams and their work.

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 Power of Now – Eckhart Tolle
– Leaders Eat Last – Simon Sinek

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Said Addich

Interview With Author Said Addich

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
A teacher of English and ardent reader of English written literature.
Have written many novels, and so far published The Web, with Austin Macauley.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Web.
Inspired by mosquitoes’ bites my son Adam, woke up one morning complaining of.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Mark Twain
J.R.R.Tolkien
George MacDonald
Freidrich Nietzsche
Albert Camus

What are you working on now?
The Web 2

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

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Persistence in writing . Imagination alone is not enough.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
If you think you’re too small to make a difference, you have never spent a night with a mosquito.

What are you reading now?
Thus spoke Zarathustra By Friedrich Nietzsche

What’s next for you as a writer?
Publish other novels and short stories.

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?
Thus spoke Zarathustra
The adventures of Tom Sawyer
The Republic by Plato

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Frank Pasquine Amazon Profile

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Frank Pasquine

Interview With Author Frank Pasquine

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m an award-winning writer and professional marketer who lives in Brooklyn, NY with my wife and two cats. The Prince of New York is my debut novel, so that now puts me at one book under my belt, though I have a few ideas for the next one — including a potential sequel to this.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Prince of New York was an idea I’ve had for over 15 years. It began after I wrote a TV pilot at NYU, which was essentially Gossip Girl before Gossip Girl came out. Unfortunately, an agent soon shared the pilot script for Gossip Girl with me after I had been circulating my own pilot around town, and told me how I was a little late to the show.

About a year later, I remember thinking that I wanted to keep some of the idea in tact, but shape it around a classic story. And so, I chose to base my book around Shakespeare’s Hamlet. That idea and story remained on the back burner for years. Then, last year I brought it back. I wrote for hours after work and weekends until March 2026 when I decided it was time to share the book with the world.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I tend to write with jazz music playing and/or Turner Classic Movies on it the background. I write best during my coffee kick or late nights when I have an idea that I need get down on paper.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
George Orwell’s 1984 is one of my favorite books, and you can see some of his influence in The Prince of New York.

I also really enjoy Richard Price’s loose writing style, as I’ve also written many screenplays. I think you’ll see some of that in my book, which I purposely want to feel cinematic and fast-moving at times.

What are you working on now?
I have a gritty, dramatic New York-centric screenplay that I’ve just finished. And I’m beginning to think of a conspiracy theory, thriller idea for my next book. Something like a modern Indiana Jones or American Treasure.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Honestly, I’m trying every method right now. I’ve created a TikTok and Instagram page, specifically for The Prince of New York. Please follow me.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Never give up. Never stop writing. It never gets any easier, but you really need to enjoy it.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
A successful writer is someone who never stopped writing.

What are you reading now?
I have no idea why, but I’ve never read Animal Farm. So that’s what’s next.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Right now the focus is promoting my debut novel, The Prince of New York.

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?
1984. The Godfather. A Wrinkle In Time.

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Frank Pasquine Website

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Emily Vale Amazon Profile

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Emily Vale

Interview With Author Emily Vale

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I write supernatural speculative fiction and have written 2 full books with a lot in progress, but so far published one, which came out in Feb 2026.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
“She Feeds on Misery,” is my first published book. It is a darkly comedic paranormal thriller about two best friends who go on a girl’s trip to New Orleans which changes everything after they find a Ouija board in the attic of their Airbnb and accidentally summon a demon, who goes by the name Sasha.

A few things inspired this story. I went to New Orleans with my husband in 2024 and I fell in love with the city where the book is set. I was already writing a book with the New Orleans as the setting and I just became so much more inspired. We stayed at a mansion there and I probably shouldn’t say this, but I snuck into the attic and I wanted so bad to do a recording to see if I could catch something paranormal, especially because the place was rumored to be haunted. Anyways, my husband wasn’t into it and I left with so much regret.
I started planning a girl’s trip immediately after this and thought: what would a book look like where some friends went on a girl’s trip and DID find something in the attic? I wanted characters in their 30s, I wanted self-discovery to be a main theme and I so started writing this book, while planing my own girl’s trip. I returned in 2025 nearly done with the first draft, with my sister and longtime best friend. Some of the places we visited made their own unique way onto the pages and SFOM is the result of all that. Then there’s other inspirations I drew from like Jennifer’s Body, the movie which the main character Jennifer Check inspired Sasha’s personality and form.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I do sometimes get what I call a “download,” a random line which triggers a scene sequence in the shower or randomly when I’m disconnected and will rush to put it in my notes app. This results in a bunch of of random lines that I have to Frankenstein together later.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I get most of my influence from films, but authors that carry influence for me are the ones who are writing interring things and are little unapologetic with their writing. Maybe the clear antagonist is grey so it’s a little murky, or the main character is not all that likable or aren’t making the best decisions and we want to ring their neck because of it.
I feel like Johanna Van Veen, Rachel Harrison, Saratoga Shaefer, and Alexis Henderson all do great jobs of this.
I’m working on reading more indie books this year. I wish I had more indie to add, but I’ve been writing more than reading recently.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on a few things, but I’m planning on releasing a collection of short stories next. It’s a curated collection of dark speculative stories that center women in strange situations.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I do a lot of promoting on social media. TikTok and Instagram. I have a substack where I host a newsletter as well. I publish flash fiction on there which my free subscribers receive and announce any developments with my books.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Explore. Let your writing take you places and teach you lessons. Try different genres and don’t be afraid to make it “weird.”

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
To just keep writing. The perfectionist in me always wants to edit whilst writing and I still do, but I’ve released it more than I did when I started. You lose your momentum if you stare at the same paragraph for too long.

What are you reading now?
I’m currently reading “Heart Taker,” by A.M Wiley.

What’s next for you as a writer?
To just keep going. I write campy supernatural speculative fiction and

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
A thick one. Definitely an anthology series and short story collection I haven’t read yet. The knight and the moth was a 2025 5 star for me. So probably that one. One Jane Eyre because I’ve never read it but it keeps circling for me.

Author Websites and Profiles

Emily Vale Website

Emily Vale’s Social Media Links

Mark Dickson Amazon Profile

Pinterest Account

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Mark Dickson

Interview With Author Mark Dickson

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Mark Dickson has lived a few lives most thriller writers only research: surgeon, farmer, global traveler, and student of the fighting arts. His debut geopolitical thriller, Enemy at the Helm, is a PenCraft Best Book Award winner and a top 5 Amazon Bestseller, praised for turning the world’s fragile shipping lanes into a high-seas chessboard of drones, warships, and very bad decisions. Readers Favorite calls it “absolutely rip-roaring” and “fast-paced,” lauding Dickson’s sharp, intelligent writing, heartbreaking characters, and his knack for making radar screens and storm-tossed decks feel like live fire. AuthorsReading.com hails the novel as a “high-stakes geopolitical thriller” and a sobering reminder of how one overlooked thread can unravel the entire global tapestry. TheBeardedBlackCowboy says “Enemy at The Helm, is a forecasted blueprint for what we see happening around the world. The author and his creative genius does an excellent job bringing us in.” And Literary Titan confesses, “. . .hit me harder than I thought it would”.

When he’s not sinking ships on the page, Dickson draws on his surgical precision and real-world experience to craft mayhem for readers who like their thrillers global, gritty, and just a little too plausible.

When he’s not working. . .Oh wait, he’s always working. . .And training for SWAT team qualification.

His upcoming novel, Pursuit And Pain, will be released soon.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Enemy At The Helm came about after I noticed a Defender-class US Coast Guard vessel mirroring our heading and speed while leaving port for a Caribbean cruise. When I mentioned to my wife that I knew why he was there, and how to defeat it, she looked at me like I had two heads. After quickly describing a likely scenario, I finished with, “Wouldn’t that make a great story?” She replied with, “Yes, and you should write it.” So, she was the real inspiration!

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I get the most writing done when I am traveling, when I don’t have the voluminous needs of the farm pounding at my brain. As a side effect of that, I get great ideas from my travels that I incorporate into my novels. I always learn something fascinating from the people I meet abroad.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Clive Cussler, Brad Thor, Vince Flynn, Daniel DaSilva, and recently, Gregg Hurwitz are fun to read. I aspire to cause people to think in a way they haven’t considered before, similar to those giants in “thrillerdom.”

What are you working on now?
Pursuit and Pain is the next novel in the series, continuing the story of the favorite characters in Enemy At The Helm and introducing new favorites.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I confess that marketing is not my strong suit. I am trying everything from social media to pitching local media and podcasts.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Just start writing. Then go back to it later to see how you can improve it.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“It’s not how tough you are, it’s how willing you are.” A Vietnam-era US Army Ranger told me that, and I recall it whenever I think my life is hard.

What are you reading now?
I just finished Orphan X by Gregg Hurwitz, but I’m now studying THE STUPID-LOOKING PART – Why every breakthrough feels embarrassing before it works — and how to stay in the game long enough to win, by The Awesome Gang.

What’s next for you as a writer?
The next novel in my series is Pursuit and Pain, probably followed by a finale. After that, I’m planning a historical fiction account of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, told from the point of view of my ancestor, who was a member.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
I’m always intrigued by that question. If I knew I was going to be stranded, I wouldn’t take any books. I would take as much food, containers to store water, fire-starting materials, and weapons or traps or hooks to catch as much food, as possible. If I didn’t know I was going to be stranded, I would have to make do with what I had with me, which likely would not include any books.

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Mark Dickson Website

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Joel Roy

Interview With Author Joel Roy

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
This is my first book.
I am a pilot, now actively passing my knowledge to the next generation. After 30 years in the Royal Canadian Air Force, as a fighter pilot as well as a helicopter pilot, I felt I needed to give back to aviation.
I am also now a hobby farmer. Over the last few years I learned to do my own hay for our two horses.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Book Title: Magzi – and the Mars Academy
What inspired me: curiosity.
Curiosity about the world, about ancient myths, about scientific discovery—and about the questions we are only beginning to ask. I’ve long been fascinated by the idea that
our understanding of history and civilization is still incomplete.
What if our story is older and more complex than we assume?
And as humanity moves closer to sending people to Mars, I find myself wondering: are we exploring something entirely new, or rediscovering something long forgotten? Science tells us that Mars was once far more Earth-like than it is today.
That possibility alone opens the imagination.
Those questions helped shape MAGZI — AND THE MARS ACADEMY, which is set 66 million years in the past. Not to provide answers, but to invite readers to explore possibilities
in an engaging, hopeful way.
The concept lived with me for years. It finally took form during a quiet winter stretch—when it was -30°C outside, the aircraft I instruct on were grounded for maintenance, and my wife challenged me to stop talking about the story and actually
write it.
But beyond curiosity, what truly energized me were the events unfolding around the world. Division, tension, inherited conflicts. It felt like the right moment to tell a story about young people from radically different civilizations who must learn to work together.
A quiet sentence runs beneath the entire novel:
“If only they could see what we can accomplish together.”
I firmly believe that the next generation, if given the opportunity, can overcome the biases and struggles they inherit. This book is my way of imagining what that could look like—on Mars, and here at home.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
As this is my first book, I don’t really know what would be unusual.
I guess I would describe myself as the “adventurer” type of writer, where I discover the details of the story as it unfolds.
Perhaps how I developed the characters is a bit unusual. From the beginning, I resisted building the characters from a formula. I outlined them broadly at first, but they truly
became themselves through multiple revisions. As the story evolved, so did they. Their strengths, flaws, humor, and doubts emerged naturally, often surprising me in the process.
Some of the secondary characters, however, are drawn more directly from life. Readers will meet Misty, a three-legged dire wolf in the story. She is inspired by our real dog, Misty, whom we fostered through a rescue organization on the very day she underwent the amputation of a back leg and part of her tail. We cared for her through recovery and ultimately adopted her. Her resilience, dignity, and quiet strength deeply moved us—and she became an emotional thread in the novel. Her portrayal in the book reflects her spirit quite faithfully.
A few other characters were also inspired by residents of our small ranch. Life around us quietly found its way into the story.
At its heart, the character development in MAGZI comes from observing real beings—young people and animals alike—who adapt, persevere, and grow in unfamiliar environments. That, ultimately, is what the academy on Mars represents.
Is this unusual? You tell me…

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Two books come immediately to mind: Skyward and The enders game.
Over my military career I tried to always have 3 books on the reading table: one related to work, one about leadership and a fiction book, mostly science fiction. Books like Star Trek – Destiny, or next generation – Imzadi. I must say that I also truly enjoy stories like The lost symbol, and Da Vinci Code (Dan Brown) where fiction and reality are intertwined.

What are you working on now?
As French is my first language, I am currently translating my book.
I am also working on the follow on to the first book. The title will be MAGZI – the beginning.
This will be an opportunity for readers to understand what happened before the Academy, and see what follows.
The end of the first book gives a glimpse of the story before the Academy. The next book will take it from a very different angle.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I wish someone could tell me!
My book just got published. It took a few weeks for Amazon to adjust (my book showed up under someone else’s profile).
I am not in a hurry. I will see what best advice I can get and then maybe later I will be able to answer this question 🙂

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I am a new author… on the listening mode.

So, from my limited experience I will simply offer this:
– doubt is normal. Is it ever. Just keep going, keep writing you story. You can always decide later what you’ll do with it.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I am going to limit this to my short writing career, otherwise this may be a book in itself.

I believe the best adive was to post a writer’s creed on my door, and to live by it (just like the Mandalorian – This is the way). Mine was inspired by Alyssa Matesic, a person I find inspiring in the advice she provides.

What are you reading now?
I wish I was reading more. The same book has been on my table for a few months: The long way to a small angry planet, by Becky Chambers.
I have accepted to assist a company to start an air transport service. So as their interim (hopefully short time) chief pilot, a lot of time is devoted to develop documentation and courses for aircrew.

What’s next for you as a writer?
My next steps are to market my first book, finish the translation and publish it in French.
On the side, I will also complete the follow-on 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?
I assume the island is off grid (otherwise, Facebook), and an encyclopedia is not allowed… 🙂
So,
Logic first: a book about the island’s vegetation and wildlife so I know what to eat, what to avoid, and what to be prepared to face. One can retire from the military, but it’s hard to retire the military from the person.
Second: to be practical, a really good survival book.
Then, please allow me to bring Becky Chambers book so I can finish it!

Author Websites and Profiles

Joel Roy Website

Joel Roy Amazon Profile

Joel Roy’s Social Media Links

Thomas Gloom Amazon Profile

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Thomas Gloom

Interview With Author Thomas Gloom

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a horror and history junkie.

I’ve written two novels, two novellas, four story collections (the 4th releases on April 8th, 2026), and have, most recently, had a short story published in PUNK goes HORROR II: Hardcore for the Encore (from Truborn Press).

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Potted Plant was based on a dream I had after seeing Little Shop of Horrors.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Lights off, John Carpenter soundtracks playing, and a candle lit.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Stephen King, Clive Barker, and Grady Hendrix.

What are you working on now?

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Instagram & TikTok can’t get beat when it comes to free promotion.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Perspective is immensely important. Focus on building a firm, strong foundation. The growth will be small at the start, but you’re building those roots to hold strong against the growth that will come later.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
During the editing process, read your work OUT LOUD.

What are you reading now?
User Not Found by Jules Giraci

What’s next for you as a writer?
Find an agent.

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?
Pet Sematary
The Hellbound Heart
The Exorcist

Author Websites and Profiles

Thomas Gloom Website

Thomas Gloom’s Social Media Links

Valencia Griffin-Wallace Website

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Arpan Tah

Interview With Author Arpan Tah

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Around 7

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Exorcist’s Temple: Mehandipur Balaji in the Age of Dark Travel

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Yes…when concept arises I start writing

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Akshad Gupta,Dr.Dillip Kumar Das

What are you working on now?
Indian mythology and Tourism

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

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Thik and write

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
My Professor Dr.Dillip Kumar Das said that You have the potentialty to write, use it well

What are you reading now?
The Hidden Hindu

What’s next for you as a writer?
The Hidden Hindu

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Valencia Griffin-Wallace

Interview With Author Valencia Griffin-Wallace

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a Louisiana-based author writing stories rooted in real life, the things people don’t say out loud, and the dynamics we’re told to ignore. I’ve published 6 books in nonfiction genres, and I’m currently focused on building my psychological thriller series, The Auntie Diaries.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is The Other Auntie. It was inspired by real family dynamics I’ve seen over the years, especially how one person can control the narrative while everyone else adjusts around it. I wanted to explore what happens when that version of the truth starts to crumble.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t know if it’s unusual, but I write in pieces. I’ll get a line, a scene, or a moment and build around it instead of forcing a full chapter at once. I also read everything out loud to make sure it sounds natural.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Stephen King is my influence since I was young. I read IT when I was in 8th grade and it has stuck with me. Books that change the way you operate are my favorite. Carrie also is big for me because you have a morally gray area between victim and villain.

What are you working on now?
I’m continuing The Auntie Diaries series and expanding the world around these characters. Each book focuses on a different perspective, but they all connect back to the same core themes of truth, control, and consequences.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
As an indie author in an ever changing social landscape, promotion changes often. I use social media and am working on building my email list. However, I am discovering the indie marketing landscape is friendlier and more vast than it used to be.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Finish the book. A lot of people get stuck trying to make it perfect before it’s done. You can fix something that exists. You can’t fix something you never finished.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Write the truth, even if you have to hide it in fiction.

What are you reading now?
Right now I am letting my brain rest and love short stories. The latest one was The Doll’s House by Lisa Unger.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Continuing to build out my series and reaching more readers. I’m focused on consistency and creating stories that stay with people.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
God don’t like Ugly. Dreamcatcher and The Coldest Winter Ever.

Author Websites and Profiles

Valencia Griffin-Wallace Amazon Profile

Valencia Griffin-Wallace’s Social Media Links

Darrell King Amazon Profile

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Darrell King

Interview With Author Darrell King

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a writer focused on the shadows of the city. I’ve penned several novels, including the “Hustle Harder: The Dark Web Chronicles” and “Cypress and Steel: A Novel of Unyielding Rebellion”. My work is about the weight of the streets, the cost of power, and the reality of men who have to live by their own code when the system fails them.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest is “JACK$BOI: A Tale of Urban Terror.” It was inspired by the idea of an “Angel of Death” an avenging vigilante—someone who exists in the margins. I wanted to explore a hero with deep Haitian roots who uses his heritage and a blade to protect a city that’s burning from the inside out.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
“I don’t write in a vacuum. I write to the rhythm of the city. My habit is staying grounded in the world I’m building—if I can’t feel the heat from the pavement or the tension in a dark alley, the scene isn’t done. I prioritize ‘showing’ the grit rather than just labeling it. I also tend to write in high-intensity bursts, mirroring the fast-paced street maneuvers my characters have to survive.”

What authors, or books have influenced you?
“My influences are a mix of the concrete and the cinematic. I was raised on the raw, street-level truths of Donald Goines and Iceberg Slim—they taught me how to capture the unapologetic reality of the hustle. But I’m also deeply influenced by the world-building of Edgar Rice Burroughs and the eerie, high-stakes tension of Dean Koontz.

That combination allows me to write stories that stay grounded in the streets while exploring larger themes of power and identity with a touch of foreboding. I take the grit of the underworld and blend it with a sense of scale that keeps the reader on edge.”

What are you working on now?
I’m currently finalizing the expansion of the “Hustle Harder” universe. We’re going deeper into the Dark Web Chronicles, exploring how power, identity, and technology collide in the underworld.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
“My best method is a strategic ‘blitz.’ I don’t just put a book out and pray; I coordinate high-visibility newsletter features on sites like BookDoggy, The Fussy Librarian, and Awesome Gang to hit all at once.

I’ve found that the best results come from stacking promotions. When you combine a free-book window with targeted outreach, you trigger the algorithms and get your work in front of thousands of new eyes. Beyond the sites, my ‘secret sauce’ is staying authentic to the culture—giving the readers that raw, high-stakes energy they can’t find anywhere else.”

Do you have any advice for new authors?
“Don’t wait for permission and don’t over-explain the work. Your job isn’t to label your book; it’s to show the grit, the heat, and the heart of the world you’ve built. Stay consistent, master your technical style, and keep the stakes high.

Most importantly, treat your writing like a business. Build your brand, coordinate your marketing ‘blitzes,’ and never stop leveling up. The streets are always looking for a new voice—make sure yours is the one they can’t ignore.”

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“The best advice I ever received was: ‘Write the book you want to read, but run the business like you’re the competition.’

It reminded me that while the soul of the story has to be raw and authentic, the way you present it to the world has to be professional and strategic. You can’t just be a writer; you have to be the architect of your own empire. If you don’t take your work seriously, no one else will. Own your voice, protect your brand, and always keep your foot on the gas.”

What are you reading now?
“I’m currently diving into DC and Marvel graphic novels. I’ve always been drawn to how they balance world-shaking stakes with deeply human struggles—the cinematic pacing of those stories definitely influences how I frame the action in my own work.

On a more personal level, I’m spending a lot of time with The Daufuskie Kids Magazine. It’s a project close to my heart and my culture. It’s important to me to stay connected to the roots and the history that shaped me, especially as I work to bring that same level of cultural depth and authenticity to the characters I create.”

What’s next for you as a writer?
“The mission is to keep expanding the world of the Darrell King Remastered Originals. I’m currently deep in the lab retooling the saga into a high-end, multi-book experience that balances street-level grit with intricate world-building.

My goal for 2026 is to launch a revamped, powerhouse novel every single month, starting with the evolution of Torin Adeyemi’s journey. I’m focused on creating a cinematic universe where the stakes are always rising and the culture is always front and center. The hustle never stops—it just gets harder.”

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
“If I’m stuck on an island, I need books that carry weight and high-stakes energy. My four would be:

‘Dopefiend’ by Donald Goines – It’s a masterclass in raw, unapologetic storytelling. It reminds me to never shy away from the hard truths in my own writing.

‘Tarzan of the Apes’ by Edgar Rice Burroughs – For the pure scale of the world-building. It’s the ultimate survival story, and it taught me how to make a setting feel like its own character.

‘Intensity’ by Dean Koontz – Because the pacing is relentless. It’s a reminder of how to keep a reader’s heart rate up from the first page to the last.

‘The Pimp’ by Iceberg Slim – For the psychological depth and the game. It’s a study in identity and power dynamics that still resonates today.

Those four cover the spectrum—the streets, the psyche, the world, and the hustle.”

Author Websites and Profiles

Darrell King Website

Darrell King’s Social Media Links

Dawn Feltrop Amazon Profile

Author Interview Series

If you are looking for a new book to read check out our Featured Books Page.

Dawn Feltrop

Interview With Author Dawn Feltrop

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hello, I am Dawn Feltrop. My passion for books began with my single mother reading bedtime stories to my siblings and me. This cherished tradition continued with my own four children. My mother fostered a love for reading that nurtured creativity, formed a special family bond, and created enjoyable memories. Bedtime stories were a cornerstone of my childhood and I want to share this experience with more families. I write stories that families will enjoy together and that will help children feel happy and relaxed before being tucked into bed. I have fulfilled a childhood dream with writing and self-publishing my first children’s picture book – the first in a book series, Rosemary Chick: Pip, Zip, Hooray!

As a Physical Therapy Assistant in Wichita, KS, I have dedicated my career to supporting my patients through all stages of life from young children to the elderly with my focus on providing compassionate, personalized care. After decades of practice, I am working fewer hours and making room to spend my time writing, publishing and promoting my books and spending time with my three grandchildren. Writing a children’s picture book has been a lifelong dream and I am blessed to share it with others.

I share my Kansas home with my husband, and two dogs, Mireya and Ragnar. Mireya wants my undivided attention and will nuzzle my hands off my keyboard to pet her while Ragnar is content walking around with a squeaky ball in his mouth. I have seven chickens, Camilla, Jasmine, Luna, Happy Mahina, Soliel, Sassafras, and Rosemary. All of my chickens are so unique and so loved that it makes it easy to write about them in my books.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Rosemary Chick: Pip, Zip, Hooray! Is my first self-published children’s picture book. This story was inspired by watching my two chicks, Rosemary and Sassafras, hatching in an incubator. I was inspired by Rosemary’s perseverance as she struggled to hatch, and seeing the immediate bond between the two chicks as Sassafras crossed the incubator to greet Rosemary. They have been best buddies ever since.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I like to write using paper and pencil with a drop of peppermint, lavender, or frankincense essential oil on the eraser. As I inhale the aroma promotes mental clarity and improves my concentration.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I have enjoyed reading Marc Brown’s Arthur book series, Doreen Cronin’s Click Clack book series, and Ludwig Bemelmans Madeline books.

What are you working on now?
I am writing my second children’s picture book in A Rosemary & Sassafras Story.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
www.dawnfeltrop.com

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Have fun creating, celebrate your book launch and enjoy the journey.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
My editor told me to create a plot map for my story before I start writing.

What are you reading now?
Hometown Treasure Hunt by Abbi Lee in the Geocaching Club Series by a local Kansas Indie Author.

What’s next for you as a writer?
To finish my next book, continue to promote Rosemary Chick and just have a great time on this journey.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
I would want a “SAS Survival Handbook: The Ultimate Guide to Surviving Anywhere” and a “Family Foraging” book. Then a fun read like “The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe”.

Author Websites and Profiles

Dawn Feltrop Website

Dawn Feltrop’s Social Media Links

Chris Johnson Amazon Profile

Author Interview Series

If you are looking for a new book to read check out our Featured Books Page.

Chris Johnson

Interview With Author Chris Johnson

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m an Australian indie author who writes fast-paced science fiction and supernatural thrillers. My stories usually follow ordinary people who stumble into extraordinary situations—time travel, strange mysteries, and the occasional brush with the impossible.

I’m the author of the ChronoSpace time-travel series, which currently includes four novels: Bootstrap’s Journey, The Paradox of Buck Nowlan, The Titanic Connection, and The Legacy Unwritten. I’m also working on additional stories connected to the series and another one with an occult detective named Craig Ramsey.

When I’m not writing, I enjoy running, watching films, and occasionally drawing on my past life as a professional magician and mentalist.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Before Bootstrap’s Journey.

It’s a prequel to my Bootstrap’s Journey (the first book in my ChronoSpace series of time-travel books). I wanted to show what led to Tony Nowlan’s discovery of time travel, the emotional side of it, and the dangers that came into play as he created the time machine.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Unusual to whom?

I like to listen to the same CDs whenever I write. James Bond themes, Hooked on Swing, and movie themes by John Williams. All instrumental.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Ian Fleming, John Gardner, Edgar Rice Burroughs, and Traci Harding.

What are you working on now?
I’ve just finished a prequel in my ChronoSpace series (time-travel adventures) and am preparing for the sixth book in its series. It’s in the outline stage right now.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
For me it comes down to two things: a good email newsletter and word of mouth. I like connecting directly with readers who enjoy time-travel stories, and a mailing list is the best way to do that. I also use reader discovery platforms like BookBub and Goodreads to help new readers find the series. That includes AwesomeGang of course.

On that note, readers who love time-travel can enjoy a free e-book on my website at https://larrikinbooks.com/b/beforebootstrapsjourneysample to see how the ChronoSpace time-travel series begins.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write, write, write. There is no failure, only results. Learn from them and stay focused.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Get off Facebook (and all other social media).

Among other things, it lets you concentrate on your writing and your reading by helping keep your head clear.

What are you reading now?
Kiss my Assassin – by Dave Sinclair.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m currently working on finishing my time-travel adventure series. It involves a main character who invents a time machine called the ChronoSpace. Oddly enough, he’s a bootstrap paradox in himself. Despite being unable to manipulate past events, he learns how to use history to help himself and others. I’ve finished 4 main novels and 2 novellas in it so far, and have another 2 to go before I’ll consider it complete.

Then there’s my Craig Ramsey – Occult Detective series. He’s a psychic capable of psychometry, astral travel and talks with ghosts. Based in Australia, he comes across some incredible situations in the first 4 books, and there are more to come there 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?
1. How to Build A Raft From Coconuts
2. How to Create a Laptop and Internet Connection Using Coconuts
3. How to Build A Power Grid on a Desert Island

Author Websites and Profiles

Chris Johnson Website

Chris Johnson’s Social Media Links

Steven Hauer Amazon Profile

Author Interview Series

If you are looking for a new book to read check out our Featured Books Page.

Steven Hauer

Interview With Author Steven Hauer

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am Steven A. Hauer, author of One Inch Between Life and Death. I write from lived experience, faith, and the hard lessons that come from surviving a life changing accident and rebuilding afterward. My work centers on perseverance, purpose, gratitude, and the reality that life can change in a moment. I am focused on sharing a true story that I hope encourages people who are facing hardship, uncertainty, or the need to start over. At this time, I have written one published book, and I am continuing to build from that foundation as both a writer and storyteller.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is One Inch Between Life and Death. It was inspired by a real life event that changed everything for me and forced me to look at survival, faith, suffering, healing, and purpose in a completely different way. I wrote it because I felt this story was too important to keep to myself. I wanted to tell the truth about what happened, what it cost, what it taught me, and how even in the darkest moments there can still be grace, meaning, and a reason to keep going.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I am most influenced by true stories of survival, faith, resilience, and personal transformation. I connect strongly with books that are honest, human, and grounded in real experience rather than polished theory. I appreciate writers who tell the truth plainly and are willing to share struggle, hope, and hard won wisdom in a way that can help other people. My biggest influence has been the power of testimony itself, the kind of story that reminds readers life can change in an instant, but that suffering does not have to be the end of the story.

What are you working on now?
Right now I am focused on continuing to grow the reach of One Inch Between Life and Death and connecting with more readers through author features, events, interviews, and online promotion. I am also exploring future writing projects that build on personal experience, meaningful storytelling, and lessons that can help others. My goal is not just to publish books, but to create work that leaves a lasting impact and reaches people who need encouragement, perspective, and hope.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
My strongest approach is organic promotion through authentic storytelling, direct outreach, and consistent visibility online. I do not rely on a big advertising budget, so I focus on relationship based promotion, interviews, social content, reader engagement, and making the message behind the book clear. My website and author platforms help, but I have found that the most effective method is sharing the heart behind the story in a real and personal way. People respond more to honesty and connection than to hard selling.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Yes. Finish the book first, then keep improving it until it truly says what you want it to say. Be patient with the process and do not expect instant results. Writing the book is one challenge, but learning how to present it, talk about it, and keep showing up for it is another. Stay honest, keep learning, and do not let discouragement stop you. A meaningful book can take time to find its audience, but that does not mean the work is not worth doing.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Keep going. Some of the best things in life are built one step at a time, especially when progress feels slow. I have also learned that pain can shape you, but it does not have to define you. What matters is how you respond, what you do next, and whether you are willing to keep moving forward with faith and purpose.

What are you reading now?
I am always drawn to books and material that deal with faith, resilience, personal growth, real life struggle, and meaningful transformation. I enjoy reading stories and messages that challenge me, strengthen perspective, and remind me what matters most.

What’s next for you as a writer?
What is next for me is continuing to expand my reach as an author, connect with more readers, and build on the momentum of One Inch Between Life and Death. I want to keep sharing stories and ideas that speak to faith, endurance, healing, and purpose. I am also interested in developing future books and related projects that continue helping people through honest storytelling and practical encouragement.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
I would bring the Bible first. Then I would want one powerful survival memoir, one book centered on faith and purpose, and one book that helps me think deeply about life, perseverance, and gratitude. If I were stranded somewhere, I would want books that could strengthen both my spirit and my mindset.

Author Websites and Profiles

Steven Hauer Website

Steven Hauer’s Social Media Links

Author Interview Series

If you are looking for a new book to read check out our Featured Books Page.

Tara Eldana

Interview With Author Tara Eldana

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have published 15 romance novels and novellas, all spicy. I am an award-winning (retired) newspaper reporter and enjoy writing stories with happy endings.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest release is Brace for It, a spicy contemporary novella first published in an anthology entitled Heart of Summer. An ad for the Lock bracelet by Tiffany in a fashion magazine inspired Rick and Dori’s short and spicy HEA story.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write my first, rough draft in large letters on legal pads for at least a half hour each morning, hell or high water. Then I type it up on the computer.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
So many. My favorites are Cynthia Eden, L.J. Shen, Lynda Chance, Joanna Wylde, Sandra Marton, Katy Evan, Emily Henry, Diana Gabaldon, and Jojo Moyes to name a few.

What are you working on now?
An alien romance that’s been so much fun to write. More to come.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
BookBub Featured Deals, when you can get them. They are very competitive but really move the dial. I’ve hit number 1 bestseller in Amazon from those. Awesome Gang is pretty good, too because it reaches a targeted audience.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write what you love and grab joy when you can. Publishing has its ups and downs. The downs can be tough. So savor the good things.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
That nobody is successful without help.

What are you reading now?
Just finished (rereading) Reaper’s Legacy by Joanna Wylde. She’s also a a former newspaper reporter.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’d like to start a new series about alien romance.

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?
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon, the Oxford Book of American Poetry, and The Big Book of Women Saints by Sarah Gallick (all on my bookshelves).

Author Websites and Profiles

Tara Eldana Website

Tara Eldana Amazon Profile

Tara Eldana’s Social Media Links

Jalissa Carter Amazon Profile

Author Interview Series

If you are looking for a new book to read check out our Featured Books Page.

Jalissa Carter

Interview With Author Jalissa Carter

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am Jalissa Carter — a Master Coach, Wellness Practitioner, ordained Marriage Celebrant, and author based in Fort Smith, Arkansas. My journey into writing began long before my first published book, as someone who has always believed that words have the power to heal, clarify, and transform.
To date I have written six books spanning multiple genres:

Testimonials Tales & Females (2017)
Comical Love (2018)
Poetic-Li — a poetry collection (2019)
Lipsody (2021)
Poetic Rosé: Wine Journal (2024)
Wedlope: Wine-Infused Poems for Weddings & Elopements (2025)

My writing has evolved alongside my life — from storytelling and humor to poetry, journaling, and now the WEDLOPE philosophy. Each book represents a different season of becoming. Wedlope: Wine-Infused Poems is my most personal and fully realized work to date — a collection rooted in love, identity, and the quiet but powerful act of choosing yourself. Informed by my WSET wine certification, each poem is crafted like a fine vintage — layered, intentional, and meant to be savored slowly.
Beyond my own titles I have also ghostwritten song lyrics for other artists — work that fed my love of language while I continued building my own literary voice.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is Wedlope: Wine-Infused Poems for Weddings & Elopements, published in 2025.
The inspiration behind it lives at the intersection of three deeply personal experiences: 15 years of marriage, a transformative journey earning my WSET wine certification, and over a decade of coaching women through identity shifts and life transitions.
The word “Wedlope” itself is the heart of the inspiration — it’s a philosophy before it’s a title. It means to elope from the noise of expectation, performance, and other people’s timelines. To step away from who the world says you should be and step toward who you actually are.
Wine became my central metaphor because I realized that wine and women have everything in common. Both require the right environment, patience, and time to fully become what they were always meant to be. Both are often misunderstood before they are truly appreciated. And both are infinitely more complex and beautiful than they appear on the surface.
I wrote this book for the woman standing at a crossroads — whether she is walking down the aisle, starting over, or simply trying to hear herself think again. I wanted her to pick up these pages and feel seen without explanation, understood without having to perform, and inspired to pour into herself the same devotion she gives to everyone else.
Wedlope is the book I needed to read before I knew I needed to write it.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
My most unusual writing habit is that I write best when the world is asleep.
There is something about the stillness of late night — when the obligations of the day have quieted and no one needs anything from me — that opens a creative channel I cannot access any other time. My best poems, my most honest lines, my clearest ideas have all arrived somewhere between midnight and the quiet hours that follow.
I also write with a glass of Rosé nearby. Not for inspiration exactly — more for atmosphere. Wine slows me down in the best possible way. It reminds me to be patient with the words, to let them breathe before I rush to finish them. Some of my poems took years to complete because I refused to force them before they were ready.
And I almost never write in silence. Horror movies playing softly in the background is my strange but consistent creative ritual. Something about that tension in the background actually settles my mind and allows the more vulnerable, reflective parts of me to come forward onto the page.
I realize that combination — Rosé, horror movies, and midnight — sounds more like a Halloween party than a poetry session. But for me it is the most natural creative environment I have ever found, and Wedlope was largely written inside of it.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Several authors have left lasting impressions on both my writing and my sense of self.
Kimberla Lawson Roby was one of my earliest literary influences. Her ability to write complex, flawed, and deeply human women — particularly Black women navigating faith, relationships, and identity — gave me permission to write characters and stories that didn’t shy away from the full truth of a woman’s inner life. She motivated me to pursue my own dream of becoming a published author at a time when I wasn’t sure that dream belonged to me.
Maya Angelou showed me that poetry could be a survival tool. That words arranged with intention could carry the weight of an entire life’s experience and still feel light enough for someone else to pick up and carry with them. Her fearlessness in writing about identity, womanhood, and becoming deeply shaped the voice I brought to Wedlope.
Rupi Kaur demonstrated that contemporary poetry could be accessible without being shallow — that brevity and depth are not opposites. Her work gave me confidence that short, distilled poems could carry enormous emotional weight.
And in a quieter way, my own journals have been among my greatest influences. Years of writing to myself — processing transitions, marriages, losses, reinventions — built the muscle and the honesty that eventually became my books.
I write for the same reason I read: to feel less alone in the experience of being human.

What are you working on now?
Several things are unfolding simultaneously — which feels very true to who I am as a creator.
On the literary side, I am continuing to build the WEDLOPE brand as a living, breathing extension of my writing. This includes Poetry in a Bottle workshops — intimate 60-minute experiences where women paint recycled wine bottles, write letters to their future selves, and enjoy live readings from Wedlope: Wine-Infused Poems.
I am also developing We Eloped: A Group Coaching Experience — an intimate cohort for women who are ready to do the deeper work of choosing themselves. The experience combines guided coaching sessions with a symbolic self-love ceremony complete with wedding cake and champagne 🎂🥂, and ends with every woman holding a “WE ELOPED” sign for a group photo. It is unlike anything else I have offered and I am genuinely excited about what it will create.
On the wellness side I continue to coach women 1:1 through life transitions, identity shifts, and the quiet but powerful question of who am I becoming?
And quietly — always quietly — there are more books being poured. I have learned not to rush them. Like a good wine, they will be ready when they are ready.
The next chapter of WEDLOPE is just beginning, and I have a feeling it is going to be the most meaningful one yet.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Honestly, my most effective promotion has always been rooted in community and conversation rather than algorithms and advertising.
Google Business has been one of my most underrated tools — local searches for authors, coaches, and wellness practitioners in Fort Smith lead directly to my listing, where my book is featured prominently. It is free, simple, and consistently brings in people who are actively looking for exactly what I offer.
LinkedIn has become my most powerful platform for building a professional audience around WEDLOPE. With over 700 followers and growing, I have found that authentic storytelling — sharing my journey as an author, coach, and woman in progress — resonates far more than promotional posts ever could.
Word of mouth and local presence remain irreplaceable. Having Wedlope available at Bookish, a beloved independent bookstore inside Fort Smith’s Bakery District, and available to borrow at the Fort Smith Main Library has put the book directly into the hands of readers who would never have found me online.
Podcast interviews are my newest and most exciting promotional frontier — being able to share the story behind the book in a long-form conversation reaches people in a way that a post or a graphic simply cannot.
And finally — Nextdoor, which most authors overlook entirely. As a hyper-local platform it has connected me with Fort Smith neighbors who have become genuine supporters of WEDLOPE in ways I never anticipated.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Yes — and it is advice I wish someone had given me earlier.
Write the book you needed to read. The most common mistake new authors make is writing for an imagined audience before they have written honestly for themselves. Your most authentic work will always find its readers. Wedlope exists because I finally stopped asking “will people want this?” and started asking “does this tell the truth?”
Stop waiting until you’re ready. There is no perfect moment, no perfect draft, no perfect version of yourself that will finally feel qualified enough to publish. I wrote six books by simply beginning — imperfectly, inconsistently, and sometimes terrified. The beginning is always the hardest part and it never gets easier by waiting.
Build your community before your book is finished. Your readers want to know you before they know your work. Show up on LinkedIn, in local spaces, in conversations — not to promote but to connect. By the time your book arrives, your community will be ready to receive it.
Support independent booksellers and libraries. These are the spaces that champion authors who don’t have major publishing houses behind them. Walk into your local bookstore and introduce yourself. Donate a copy to your library. Those relationships will serve you longer than any algorithm ever will.
And finally — don’t let anyone convince you that your story is too small, too specific, or too niche to matter. The more particular and honest your story is, the more universally it will resonate. Someone out there is waiting for exactly the book only you can write.
Pour yourself into it. Then pour it into the world.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best advice I have ever heard is deceptively simple:
“You cannot pour from an empty cup.”
I know it sounds like something you would see on a motivational poster. But I did not truly understand it until I lived its opposite — until I spent years pouring everything I had into everyone else and arrived at a place of profound emptiness wondering where Jalissa had gone.
That single sentence became the foundation of everything I now do. It is why I coach women. It is why I wrote Wedlope. It is why the WEDLOPE philosophy centers on eloping from the noise and returning to yourself first — not out of selfishness, but out of necessity.
You cannot be a great partner, mother, friend, or professional from a place of depletion. You cannot write your best work, show up fully for the people you love, or build the life you actually want while running on empty.
The most radical act a woman can commit in a world that rewards her self-sacrifice is to fill her own cup first — deliberately, unapologetically, and without waiting for permission.
Everything I create, every session I hold, every poem I write is an invitation for women to do exactly that.
That advice did not just inspire a book. It became a life.

What are you reading now?
Right now I am reading geography books — researching destinations I plan to travel to internationally. There is something deeply intentional about studying a place before you arrive in it. I want to understand the landscape, the culture, the history before I experience it in person. It feels like the traveler’s version of doing the inner work first.
It is actually very aligned with how I approach everything — whether I am preparing for a coaching session, writing a poem, or planning a journey. I believe in arriving prepared, present, and curious rather than simply showing up and hoping for the best.
Travel has become an important part of my wellness practice and my creative life. I have found that experiencing different cultures, different paces of living, and different relationships with food, wine, and community always finds its way back into my writing eventually.
I am also a firm believer that the best authors are voracious observers of the world — not just readers of books. Geography, history, culture, people — these are all texts worth studying deeply.
Ask me again in six months and I suspect I will be reading something inspired by wherever I have just returned from.

What’s next for you as a writer?
The honest answer is that the next chapter of my writing life feels bigger than anything I have attempted before — and I mean that in the quietest, most intentional way possible.
Wedlope: Wine-Infused Poems opened a door I did not know was there. What began as a poetry collection has grown into a full philosophy, a brand, a coaching practice, and a community of women who see themselves reflected in its pages. That response has shown me that my writing has a life beyond the page — and I intend to follow it wherever it leads.
In the near future I am focused on bringing Wedlope into physical spaces — workshops, experiences, and gatherings where the book becomes a living, breathing conversation rather than something that sits quietly on a shelf. Poetry in a Bottle workshops and We Eloped: A Group Coaching Experience are both extensions of the written work made tangible and communal.
On the writing side — there are more books being poured. I cannot say much yet because I have learned that speaking too soon about a book that is still becoming can sometimes interrupt its natural arrival. What I can say is that wine, women, and identity will remain at the center of everything I write. Those three things have given me more material than I could exhaust in a lifetime.
I am also deeply committed to supporting independent booksellers and libraries — institutions that give independently published authors like me a real home in the literary world.
What is next for me as a writer is simply this: more truth, more depth, more willingness to pour the parts of myself I once kept hidden onto the page.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
This question made me smile because my answer says everything about who I am.
First I would bring a journal — blank pages and a pen. If I am stranded on a desert island with nothing but time and stillness, that is actually the most fertile creative environment imaginable. I would write the most honest book of my life out there.
Second I would bring my own book — Wedlope: Wine-Infused Poems. Not out of vanity, but out of necessity. There have been seasons of my life where I needed to be reminded of who I was before the noise got loud. A desert island qualifies as one of those seasons. I would want my own words to anchor me back to myself when the isolation tried to convince me I was lost.
Third I would bring a survival guide — because literary elegance and practical survival are not mutually exclusive. I believe in being prepared. I would want to know how to find fresh water, build shelter, and signal for rescue. Wisdom comes in many forms and sometimes it comes in the form of knowing which leaves are edible.
And if I were allowed a fourth — I would bring a wine education book. Because if I am going to be stranded indefinitely I might as well deepen my knowledge of something I love. And honestly, studying wine on a desert island sounds like the most WEDLOPE thing I could possibly do.
Surviving beautifully. That has always been the goal.

Author Websites and Profiles

Jalissa Carter Website

Jalissa Carter’s Social Media Links

Carol Stevens Amazon Profile

Author Interview Series

If you are looking for a new book to read check out our Featured Books Page.

Dayna Lee

Interview With Author Dayna Lee

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My name is Dayna Lee. I am a visionary entrepreneur who redirected my passion for leadership into the business Earthbound Elements For Earthwork LLC®.
I am writing my first book about my personal Earthwork journey with my Spirit Guides + Earthwork Angel through Spirit. The book is titled, Trust Your Path to Be, which is scheduled for 2026 publication For Earthwork.
We offer For Earthwork services through intuitive psychic readings with accuracy, compassion and direct communication.
Earthbound Elements For Earthwork LLC® website design, content and creative direction is developed by myself and my Spirit Guides as a collaborative project through Spirit.
We own our own Community Plat-Forums For Earthwork + For Spirit People. There are features for connection and for real Earthwork.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I am currently writing a book, Trust Your Path to Be, about my Earthwork journey that will be providing more insight about the spiritual healing and experiences I went through to work for Spirit as a Psychic Medium.
During my Earthwork journey, my spirit guides came forward one by one to help me through the challenges and changes through the journey. My connection with my spirit guides has been deeply impacting and heart centered. I have a special relationship of mutual respect and loyalty with each one.
The team has a common goal to serve a greater good For Earthwork. I feel I have an ethical responsibility to share my transformative journey, my personal story For Earthwork to help others who may be beginning their own spiritual journeys or have been on a spiritual path for years.
My book, Trust Your Path to Be, is scheduled for publication in 2026 For Earthwork.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t believe I have any unusual writing habits. The top tool I am currently using to write my book is my intuition and my personal story. I have a laptop that I utilize for professional business purposes like writing my new book, Trust Your Path to Be.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I am naturally influenced by books that are authored by real entrepreneurs that lean in on leadership and motivational stories and topics.

What are you working on now?
I am fine tuning Earthbound Elements For Earthwork LLC® Community Plat-Forums For Earthwork + For Spirit People. The community is owned and operated by us where it is designed to protect a community of people For Earthwork.
Earthbound Elements For Earthwork LLC® is no longer active on Instagram or any other main stream social media platform.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
The new book is being independently published, distributed and released with a registered copyright and ISBN under the Trademark Earthbound Elements For Earthwork LLC®.
The promotion for the book is utilizing available resources for smart, strategic business and marketing.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
A few tips I can give to anyone looking to create their own business or become their own author for their personal story is to be prepared and willing to create a positive impact and value with your goods and talents.
The challenges and failures have been the ultimate guides and teachers in steering the journey through Entrepreneurship. The bumps in the road really become the building blocks in achieving your next goal and vision. Resilience and strategic thinking will always be a key ingredient to pursue this kind of pathway.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best advice I have ever heard is from my first encounter from my first Spirit Guide ‘B’ that came forward to me, which has been an important inspiration through my personal Earthwork journey and the current title of my new book. The advice is simple, “Trust Your Path to Be”.

What are you reading now?
I am not reading a book right now, but I am reading energy for intuitive psychic readings through my official website, www.earthbound-elements.com. I can also be googled under Earthbound Elements For Earthwork LLC®. I am proud of the branding of the earths elements and water color accents for Earthbound Elements For Earthwork LLC®. The creative direction and web design was a collaborative effort with my Spirit Guides + my Earthwork Angel.

What’s next for you as a writer?
My Spirit Guides + my Earthwork Angel + my partner are the motivators that help keep me driven and motivated for my next project.
I am driven to have authority and control over my life experiences that continue to tell my story. It is important to my heart and future business endeavors to maintain independence and share my story so it is accurately portrayed to individuals who are For Earthwork.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
I would bring three to four non-fiction, self help and motivational books. I appreciate being inspired by individuals who demonstrate power, resilience and strength in their stories.

Author Websites and Profiles

Dayna Lee Website

Author Interview Series

If you are looking for a new book to read check out our Featured Books Page.

Carol Stevens

Interview With Author Carol Stevens

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I started writing books after working as a journalist for publications including USA Today, the Detroit News, the Buffalo Courier-Express, and Washingtonian magazine.
Mona the Mermaid: Mona Stalks a Jackal is the first book I’ve published. It is an early chapter book for children at that magical age between four and 10, when they can follow the plot of a chapter book, whether it is read to them or they read it themselves.
Mona the Mermaid was inspired by my family’s summer visits to Crescent Bay, Ontario. It is natural, then, that my daughter Claire Brady illustrated the book.
More Mona the Mermaid books are in the works, including Mona the Mermaid: Mona Saves Niagara Falls, which will be released later this year.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Mona the Mermaid: Mona Stalks a Jackal
I was introduced to Crescent Bay, Ontario when I worked as a newspaper columnist and reporter at the Courier-Express in Buffalo, N.Y. Fellow reporter, Erik Brady, invited me to visit a small cottage on the sandy shores of Lake Erie, which has been in his family for more than 100 years.
Fast forward a few years to when Erik and I were married and we honeymooned in that very cottage. Even after our newspaper folded – and we relocated to Arlington, Va., to work for USA Today – we visited Crescent Beach each summer.
Oral versions of Mona the Mermaid stories originated as bedtime rituals when our two children were young and have been retold to cousins, nieces, nephews and grandchildren ever since. Alas, they were never preserved on paper.
A few years back, daughter Claire Brady’s family couldn’t make the annual pilgrimage to Crescent Beach. But she challenged me to create Mona the Mermaid stories and email a chapter each evening for her children to enjoy.
It only made sense, then, for Claire to illustrate the resulting Mona the Mermaid books. Who better to bring to life the creatures of Crescent than someone who had envisioned them all of her life?

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
My grandchildren are my beta readers – and they are exacting editors.
When I’m working on a new Mona the Mermaid book, they have me send them a new chapter each day.
If their chapter hasn’t arrived by 5 p.m., they call me to inform me I’ve missed my deadline.
Sometimes I get real-time feedback; sometimes it’s via audio. It’s always insightful. And they keep me out of trouble. One evening, my four-year-old granddaughter called me to inform me I had confused “predator” and “prey.” She was right! Whew!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I love reading children’s chapter books. I’m a sucker for any Beverly Cleary book. I enjoy the Piper Green and the Fairy Tree series by Ellen Potter and the Orson Eerie series by Jack Chabert.

What are you working on now?
I plan to release Mona the Mermaid: Mona Save Niagara Falls later this year. Then I will turn to the two other Mona the Mermaid books I’ve written that are in various stages of readiness.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
This is a work in progress. My extended social network has been great about writing enthusiastic reviews. I try to learn about one promotion method each month and experiment with it to see if it works for me.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
There are so many ways to promote a new book that it will make you dizzy. You can’t do everything at once. Explore one option at a time. Decide whether it works for you and then move on.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Mona the Mermaid offers some great advice that I’ve adopted as words to live by professionally: You don’t have to be brave to act brave.

What are you reading now?
Right now I’m reading, The Next Ship Home, a novel of Ellis Island, by Heather Webb.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I plan to publish my next three books in the Mona the Mermaid series. I’m also noodling ideas for a middle grade 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?
They would have to be books I hadn’t yet read….so anything new by Amor Towles, Anne Tyler, Louise Penney.

Author Websites and Profiles

Carol Stevens Website

Author Interview Series

If you are looking for a new book to read check out our Featured Books Page.

Reda Zayed

Interview With Author Reda Zayed

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Reda Zayed is an Egyptian novelist whose works explore mystery, suspense, and the depths of the human psyche. Through his novels, including The Oil Train Theft and Holivera, he crafts compelling stories that reflect the struggles, hopes, and complexities of human life.
Zayed believes that literature transcends borders and cultures, serving as a mirror of societies and a voice for human experience. Alongside his work for adult readers, he has also written meaningful children’s stories such as The Deceived King, The Paris Treasure, and Rudy the Champion, blending imagination with educational and moral values.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is Oil Train Theft, inspired by a mix of social justice and human ambition. I was interested in exploring how ordinary people can confront injustice in unexpected ways, and how technology and engineering skills can change the course of their lives. The idea began from reflecting on stories of success and failure, and from a desire to tell an exciting story that carries a deep human message

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Sometimes I find myself writing at very unexpected hours, like in the middle of the night or during short train rides. I like to let the ideas flow freely, without restrictions, even if it means jotting down pages on scattered papers or notes on my phone. This little chaos sometimes gives the text a genuine spirit and a natural momentum for the characters

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I have been influenced by several authors and books over the years, including Dostoevsky and Tolstoy, for their ability to dive deep into the human psyche, and Paulo Coelho for the simplicity of his messages and the depth of his wisdom. I have also been inspired by modern crime and thriller novels that combine action with a human message, as they allow the reader to experience a full emotional and intellectual journey

What are you working on now?
I am currently immersed in writing a new novel in the crime and thriller genre, crafting an exciting plot and complex characters that take the reader on a journey full of mystery and suspense. At the same time, I continue developing children’s stories, blending fun and education, and delivering moral lessons in an engaging, colorful way that allows young readers to learn without feeling like they are being taught

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I don’t have a dedicated website for promotion in the traditional sense, but I use social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram to connect directly with readers and literary enthusiasts. I share excerpts from my books, insights about the characters, and short thoughts that inspire readers. This approach allows me to engage directly with my audience and involve them in my literary journey

Do you have any advice for new authors?
My advice to new authors is to write consistently and not be afraid of making mistakes at the start. Writing is a long journey that requires patience and perseverance, and most importantly, belief in your story and its message. Read extensively, learn from others’ experiences, and maintain your unique voice that sets you apart. Remember, every page you write is a step toward improving your craft and achieving your dream

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best advice I’ve ever heard was: ‘Don’t wait for inspiration to start; start to create inspiration.’ These words made me realize that writing is not about waiting for a moment of genius, but a continuous practice that demands dedication and passion. Every page I write, no matter how simple, brings me closer to realizing my ideas and stories

What are you reading now?
I’m currently reading a mix of classic literature and contemporary books in the crime and thriller genre. I’m also exploring books focused on writing and creativity, to gain new storytelling techniques and innovative ideas that I can enrich my novels with

What’s next for you as a writer?
My next step as a writer is to continue exploring new worlds through literature, both in the crime and thriller novels I’m currently working on, and in the children’s stories I love developing to be both entertaining and educational. I aspire for my novels to reach a wider audience and leave a meaningful impact on readers of all ages

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 Overcoat – Nikolai Gogol
The Merchant of Venice – William Shakespeare
Crime and Punishment – Dostoevsky
Anna Karenina – Tolstoy
These books represent, for me, a blend of psychological depth, gripping plots, and a keen exploration of human nature

Author Websites and Profiles

Reda Zayed Amazon Profile

Reda Zayed’s Social Media Links

Raine Fielder Amazon Profile

Author Interview Series

If you are looking for a new book to read check out our Featured Books Page.

Raine Fielder

Interview With Author Raine Fielder

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I grew up in a very small town. There wasn’t much to do if you didn’t play sports so I was an artist. I liked to sing and dance. I loved drawing and writing. All of it was natural and personal. Then I started writing stories. Though it wasn’t until much later that self-publishing became easy. I finished a book that I wrote as a teenager and then couldn’t stop. Like turning on a faucet.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The last book is called “Skin Deep” and it started as a simple idea. Tattoos that come to life. It was supposed to just be a simple horror, but the flow stopped there. I had a couple starting pages but it went nowhere. Then one night after watching an incredible documentary on pirates, I remembered meeting a woman who had named her daughter Arabella. For some reason that named opened up a whole alternate timeline and backstory for the tattoos. I had it all mapped out almost in a few minutes. I rushed to write down the major plot points and the whole story got so much deeper.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I have so many unusual habits but with writing I’m sure most things I do to “get in the zone” are pretty common. I listen to music to set the mood. One thing I try to do is light a scented candle. I use a different scent for each story. Then if I’m blocked I can light the same scent and be right back in the world I need to get into. Scent is a powerful tool that is severely underrated.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I have been reading all my life. I wouldn’t say that most of the books or authors I’ve read have singularly influenced me in genre or style. But just overall learning from the greats. I did write a novella about Shakespeare so I guess that is the most direct thing. I grew up reading such a variety though, Stephen King, Joseph Heller’s Catch-22, Lord of the Flies. My favorite book though is one hundred percent “Wicked” by Gregory McGuire, I’ve read it fifteen times.

What are you working on now?
I have a four part Series called Invictus. I’m working on the fourth now, it’s called Vixen. The series follows four college aged girls with superpowers. Each book focuses on one of the four girls. This is the last one that I have planned, I wouldn’t say that I will never write about them again but for now, this will be the last, I’m wrapping up this particular story.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I do like posting to Vocal but mostly I’m still trying to figure out the marketing of it all. I love everything else about being an independent author. I like doing it all myself, down to font choice for book covers. I can’t imagine not having complete control of every piece. But the marketing and promoting is the one drawback of being indie.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
The candle thing is one. When you’re writing good, light a candle. Of course make sure to use one scent per story because the scent will take you back to that specific world. Other than that, just be yourself, write like you. Don’t try to sound smart or impress with big words. People want to be told a story and get carried off into a fictional word, not have to pause and get a dictionary out every few pages.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I don’t know if people find him problematic now or not but Neil Gaiman said something that stuck with me.
“Imagine you’re a bricklayer, and each word is a brick. On some days you can only lay one brick at a time, slowly. Others you are laying them faster than a machine. But when the wall is built, you step back and you can’t tell which bricks were laid on the slow days or the fast ones. That’s what writing is like, so don’t worry about the slow days, you’re still building a story. And once it’s done it won’t matter at all.”

What are you reading now?
A book of short stories called, “the end of the world as we know it.”
It’s a collection of stories from different famous Authors. They are all different stories of people set in the world of Stephen King’s “the Stand”. It’s very interesting.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I hope getting more sales and readers. I’m kind of at a place where I know the routine of writing a story and getting it all set up. Making video trailers, covers, editing. I am happy with doing it like this and don’t see changes to that. I do hope for more of an audience. Something new is that I just started a mystery series of short stories all featuring the same detective. She’s a mystery author too. Think Hercule Poirot, Sherlock, Dupin, etc. But it’s almost like if Agatha Christie was her own detective or something because my detective is a whodunit writer herself.

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 of all, the Bible.
I would take “Wicked” and the fourth book in the “Wicked” series called “out of OZ” it’s about *spoiler* Elphaba’s granddaughter named Rain (which i love for obvious reasons)
And for sure something by Charles Dickens

Author Websites and Profiles

Raine Fielder Website

Raine Fielder’s Social Media Links