Awesome Author Interviews

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I love writing romantic suspense novels set in the US, the Caribbean, and Europe. I’ve travelled to almost all the places I write about, including the Caribbean, Europe, and Latin America. I’ve written and self published a half dozen books.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book ins “Stowaway on the Island,” inspired by sailing on the Caribbean.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
It’s not a habit, but perhaps unusual: I’ve discovered that my characters talk to me quite a bit, gifting me with great dialogue that I simply write down. They all love their work, but sometimes balk at plot twists. We think about it for a day or so, and always agree on a compromise. By the end of a book, I know my characters much better than many people I meet.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I like Dick Francis, Roald Dahl, and especially John Grisham.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on my next series of three romantic suspense novels set in the Caribbean, with romance, danger, and a touch of magic, starring the protagonist in my book, “The Jumbee’s Daughter.”

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I use the advertising on Amazon KDP.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write down those thoughts that zing into your head when you are away from actually writing. They only come once.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Tension always.

What are you reading now?
“My Uncle Oswald,” by Roald Dahl.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Being immersed in my next series. My characters are already talking and I’m writing it down.

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?
Books that are fun to read and have a happy ending.

Author Websites and Profiles
Jonathan Ross Website
Jonathan Ross Amazon Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My grandmother came from a ranching family in Montana. She was proud of her heritage and loved to travel. Mother kept many of her artifacts, including cowboy chaps, Japanese kimonos, tortoiseshell cigarette cases, photographs of stern settlers who survived Indian attacks, and others. We ate meals around a table used on the ranch to feed the cowboys. These objects, belonging to and used by real men and women, suggested to me that history was more than the simple and dry facts we were encouraged to memorize in school.
Later, I began to read history more seriously. I don’t suggest in any way that I’m a scholar, but it does strike me that many of the cruelties inflicted on people derive from rancid ideas, ideas that are popularly supported – at least for a time. The next question, of course, is what happens when people are confronted by such an idea and its consequences. When and how does the little guy take a stand?
Years ago the narrator in a Jodi Picoult book (I forget which one) mentioned in passing that a character was a candidate for involuntary sterilization in Vermont. “Vermont?!!” I thought. “Couldn’t be.” I’d assumed those laws were primarily passed and enforced in Southern states. That thought stayed with me and was the germ that resulted in “Warrensburg,” a tale of a Virginia family’s fight against the eugenics movement when it threatened one of their own.
I don’t remember the precise genesis for “Beautiful Angels,” except that blaming the Jews for the bubonic plague was a popular idea irrationally embraced and in the face of clear evidence of innocence. Yet, the embrace of this “truth” resulted in thousands of deaths by starvation and burning all across Europe. “Beautiful Angels” is the story of a small group of unlikely allies, united only by their common humanity, who take a stand against the mob in their own small village.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
“Bayview Boulevard,” not yet published, is the story of an onshore whaling community during the golden age of whaling in the early to the mid-19th century. Although whaling made investors rich and their communities prosperous, beneath the enviable veneer, these communities and their families grappled with and were roiled by the divisive issues of the day including slavery, women’s rights, and others. Part love story and part coming of age story, the book also touches on the little-known, but an important avenue of escape provided by the whaling community for fugitive slaves.
I genuinely don’t remember how I stumbled on this idea since whaling has never been of any particular interest and I’ve always thought that Herman Melville could have used an editor. An onshore whaling community, however, provides ample fodder for someone interested in how ideas affect lives and behaviors.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I doubt it. I write in the morning and usually aim for a certain number of words. Sometimes, it’s a slog, a painful and slow process. Sometimes it comes easily. I suspect I’m not alone in this approach.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
During Covid when we were all house-bound, I read or re-read all the old Ross Macdonald books, the wonderful noir detective stories set in California in the mid-50s. I stumbled on the glorious “All the Light We Cannot See” and the little-known, but beautiful “The Tilted World,” a story about the 1927 Mississippi flood. I read Neil Gaiman for the first time and loved him, and I tried reading a couple of Pulitzer Prize-winning books I will not name that produced an uncomfortable level of irritation.

What are you working on now?
A story about Philadelphia in WW1.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I am feeling my way with promotion sites. My website is fleurymillssommers.com

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Early on, I joined Romance Writers of America. Although I learned romance writing wasn’t for me, I’ll be eternally grateful for the craft I learned from that wonderful organization.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Neil Gaiman said something like “I’ve always read, but then I learned to read.”

What are you reading now?
James Lee Burke.

What’s next for you as a writer?
More of the same: reading, learning, 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?
Something light, but uplifting: a Dean Koontz “Odd Thomas” book
Something stunningly beautiful: “All the Light We Cannot See”
Something dense (in case rescue is slow): Maybe the Bible – to contemplate all my sins.

Author Websites and Profiles
Fleury Sommers Website
Fleury Sommers Amazon Profile

Fleury Sommers’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a stay-at-home dad that loves to write, watch movies. When I’m not writing or watching T.V., you can find me playing with Legos or cooking one of my favorite vegan meals.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My last published book was Legacy: A Scion Book Series and it was inspired by my wife and two kids. We all just wanted something that we could see ourselves in, so I wrote it.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t know what you mean. I’m as normal as they come… Seriously though, the only unusual habit that I have while writing is probably that I people-watch while I write. Mainly because I write on the go and I do it in coffee shops, auto dealerships while getting my car worked on, restaurants, anywhere I’m idle and not doing anything else.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I know it’s cliche to say but, I’m influenced by every book I read. The way other authors may put a phrase together or the font they chose or even the why they title their chapters influences me.

What are you working on now?
I am currently finishing three WIP (works in progress). The sequel to my first novel Legacy: A Scion Book Series, A comic adaptation of my first novel, and a more adult untitled fantasy novel about a couple that has to deal with the ramifications of one of them being bitten and turning into a vampire.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Awesome Gang, of course. Wink, wink… but seriously, I tend to use social media to promote my book a lot.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
-Just write! Seriously. Your work won’t get better until you write and get constructive feedback on it.
-Read other books, whether in or out of your genre, it will help you learn more vocabulary and you never know where you’ll pick up an idea on what to or how to write. But don’t plagiarize. Emulate but don’t copy.
-Listen to other authors advice. Use what works for you and throw away the rest.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Always do the best you can with as little harm to other living beings as possible.

What are you reading now?
Renegades By Marissa Meyer

What’s next for you as a writer?
Getting a publishing routine down where I’ll have at least one to two books releases each year.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Chop wood carry water by Joshua Medclif,
The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz
and
The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandrie Dumas

Author Websites and Profiles
Jay Reace Amazon Profile

Jay Reace’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Twitter Account

---

Author Interview Series

To discover a new author, check out our Featured Authors page. We have some of the best authors around. They are just waiting for you to discover them. If you enjoyed this writer’s interview feel free to share it using the buttons below. Sharing is caring!

If you are an author and want to be interviewed just fill out out Author Interview page. After submitting we will send it out in our newsletters and social media channels that are filled with readers looking to discover new books to read.

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

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My name is Leslie M. Jasper and I am a journeywomen electrician turned site safety manager from New York. I am currently the author of (2) books as well as (11) short stories for my Construction Tales: Told By A Woman Kindle Vella Library. Since I have many years of stories while working as a journeywoman electrician, I decided to create the #ConstructionTales series. For Volume I of the Construction Tales series, I covered my 5-1/2-year apprenticeship once I joined the union. This first book of the series is entitled, Construction Tales: Volume I: A Woman’s Journey To Become An Electrician. I was concerned about young teens reading my uncensored content. Therefore, I have a censored version that is entitled, Construction Tales: A Young Person’s Guide To Accomplish Anything In Life. My second book is a children’s book that is entitled, Not All Girls Play With Dolls. The goal of this book is to empower young girls and even boys to chase their dreams even if they are non-traditional. My two books are available in audio, e-book, and paperback on Amazon, Audible, Barnes & Noble, and iTunes.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My very first children’s book is entitled, Not All Girls Play With Dolls. This book is intended to inspire young girls and even boys to follow their passion even if it is not considered traditional. This book is loosely based upon my own childhood and teen years and my relationship with my father. My father was the person in my life who told me that, since I’m smart and strong, I’m capable of doing anything in life that I set my mind to do. I joined the military right after high school with the motivation to do exactly what I want to do. This motivation was regardless of whether or not I received push back from people who doubted my place. This book’s goal is to empower young people to push through and past life’s mishaps and hurdles. The book was beautifully illustrated by Anastasia Taranenko, from Tad_Art, who hails from Russia.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I started writing short stories for Kindle Vella since carving time to write an entire book front to back has not been feasible. My Kindle Vella Library is entitled, Construction Tales: Told By A Woman. I’m killing a few birds with one stone by writing out short stories for Kindle Vella while building the stories to morph into Construction Tales: Volume II: My Illuminated Path Continues.. and later volumes in the future. Additionally, I use my short stories and create #VerballyDisastrous podcast episodes as well. I opted to launch The Verbally Disastrous Podcast With Leslie M. Jasper and Melissa Polito back in February 2021. This podcast shares some of my stories as a chick in construction as well as discussing topics with my best friend. Perhaps this writing style is unusual since I’m sure not all people consider doing this form of writing and multi-tasking.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Sadly, I read far more books as a kid than an adult. My favorite authors who opened my mind to the imagination that stems from the wonders of a book include: V.C. Andrews, Steven King, Ann Frank, Ayn Rand, Richard Connell, and the Bible. As an adult, I finished, “Atlas Shrugged” and enjoyed it thoroughly as well as books from Malcolm Gladwell such as, “Blink: The Power Of Thinking Without Thinking” and “The Tipping Point”. I read Sheryl Sandberg’s book, “Lean In” on a whim while on vacation. I currently have a fellow Twitter connection’s book that I’m trying to read entitled, “Turning Point” by Melissa Sak. I need to just make myself read each night in sections. I absolutely love reading. My problem is that I allow the day-to-day functions to impact my capacity to read during my down time.

What are you working on now?
Now that I have just released Not All Girls Play With Dolls, it’s time to think about the concept of my next book. I’m thinking of stripping down the content and making it for a toddler to be read to in the future. I believe that I will either make it under the same title but add a subtitle that says “Toddler Version” or go with a different name. I also need to finish creating the audio version of the book for Audible.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
When I released by very first book #ConstructionTales, back in 2013, I learned that I needed every social media imaginable to promote it. I also opened up my first blog on Blogger back in 2013. As of now, I have (4) blogs that I share content with readers on a regular basis from around the globe. My WordPress www.ConstructionTales.com blog is considered my main blog. I created a book trailer for my very first book, courtesy of the Combined Book Exhibit. I have (2) YouTube channels either under my name Leslie Jasper and Verbally Disastrous where I promote book content on occasion. I even have a Tik Tok channel. My use of my hashtags #NotAllGirlsPlayWithDolls, #ConstructionTales, and #VerballyDisastrous is a handy tool when sharing my books. I remind myself in my calendar of upcoming book festivals throughout the year. Once the date arrives, I will find the book festival hashtag and put my hashtag in promo tweets on Twitter. I got some people frustrated so I had to back off with that marketing strategy. I’ve signed up for blog write-ups and even given away books as promos. I’ve reached out to fellow indie authors and have sought out cross promoting each other on each other’s blogs. Sadly, very few authors share an abundance mindset with me. It’s almost as if they put another author’s book on their blog, it’s competition and not alluring. I’m open to cross promoting if an author is interested.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I personally believe that you can’t sell a book, in a sea of much internet content, without having every social media out there, a blog, a book trailer, YouTube channel, podcast, and a book hashtag. You have to be willing to pound the pavement to promote your book or hire someone to do it for you. Promote your book on your social media each and every time you stand in line waiting for food, on the bus, finished with lunch, or waiting for any reason. Instead of consuming other people’s content, use that time to promote your content since time is money.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best advice I received was to open up every social media available and build your brand and network with people in the same situation as yourself.

What are you reading now?
As mentioned before, I’m trying to get myself to read, “Turning Point” by Melissa Sak. Melissa runs the Brook Reading podcast on Spotify and other platforms.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Now that I have finished my first children’s book, I’m thinking about the concept for another children’s book. The title of the next children’s book is, “Transcend Against All Odds”. This book will be about a little boy who lost his daddy very young. The little boy grows up with his mother and goes on to do big things with his life. I’d also like to teach myself how to craft and write out a #ConstructionTales play and see if there is a market for it in the future.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
I’d like to pack up and read pretty much any Stephen King novel or real stories about paranormal experiences. Creepy paranormal experiences in historic locations are even more fascinating.

Author Websites and Profiles
Leslie M. Jasper Website
Leslie M. Jasper Amazon Profile

Leslie M. Jasper’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

---

Author Interview Series

To discover a new author, check out our Featured Authors page. We have some of the best authors around. They are just waiting for you to discover them. If you enjoyed this writer’s interview feel free to share it using the buttons below. Sharing is caring!

If you are an author and want to be interviewed just fill out out Author Interview page. After submitting we will send it out in our newsletters and social media channels that are filled with readers looking to discover new books to read.

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

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am an Educator, Author, Poet and Owner from Philadelphia, Pa. I found my love for writing at a young age by reading Encyclopedia Brown, Magic School Bus and Goosebumps. My writing influences are W.E.B. Du Bois, Carter G. Woodson, Jean Michel Basquiat and James Baldwin. I also love the movies Finding Forrester, He Got Game, Super 8 and Inception as writing inspirations. I am the author of several books, including A Boy With a Dream, Sibling Strong, Chess Moves, The Voices You May Not Hear and The Voices You May Not Hear:The Lost Pages.

You can follow me on Instagram @ BookofMichael

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My most recent book, The Voices You May Not Hear: The Lost Pages, is a collection of poems about life and other avenues. The book is part 2 of a series that focuses on voices that you may not hear. The stories could be real and it puts the reader in the mind of the characters.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I just sit down and write. My writing process consists of Mozart, a piece of paper, and Twizzlers haha. I love just writing what comes to my mind and typing it. I have a gift of creating stories and I can’t write them out, I have to just write what comes to my mind.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I have many haha. Maya Angelou, W.E.B Du Bois, Gwendolyn Brooks, Langston Hughes, James Baldwin. I have more, but those are my core five. One of my biggest book inspirations is The Souls of Black Folk by Du Bois.

What are you working on now?
I am working on two new book. I have on finished that I am waiting to put out. I am waiting on a few publishers to get back to me. These next three project I am very excited about.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Amazon or Barnes and Nobles. I love also promoting on my Instagram.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I would tell them to write when they have an idea and thought. Do not wait to write a book or a page. If you want to write, WRITE!. A great writer loves what they do, it is the ideas that makes the writer.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Do what you love and you will never work a day in your life.

What are you reading now?
I am currently reading Barack Obama’s new book. It is a great read.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I am a few projects coming out and I am also going to be speaking at some events this summer. I have so much to look forward to as a writer. I am just getting started.

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 Souls of Black Folk by W.E.B Du Bois
A Boy With a Dream by Michael Walker-Thomas
No Name in the Street by James Baldwin
Any Encyclopedia Brown Mystery Book

Author Websites and Profiles
Michael Walker-Thomas Website
Michael Walker-Thomas Amazon Profile

Michael Walker-Thomas’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile

---

Author Interview Series

To discover a new author, check out our Featured Authors page. We have some of the best authors around. They are just waiting for you to discover them. If you enjoyed this writer’s interview feel free to share it using the buttons below. Sharing is caring!

If you are an author and want to be interviewed just fill out out Author Interview page. After submitting we will send it out in our newsletters and social media channels that are filled with readers looking to discover new books to read.

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

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Isla Ryder grew up around horses but never owned one of her own, instead settling for riding lessons and every horse book she could find. When those books stopped being enough, she began writing her own. Throughout school, she loved creative writing classes and earned a BDIC degree from UMass Amherst. She has published a series of sweet cowboy romance novellas and loves working with other authors as an alpha reader and developmental editor.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Boundary Lines is the final book in my Harris Twins Series. It follows two brothers and their family ranch. I have always loved horses and have been riding as long as I can remember. I’ve been at many farms over the years, in all different riding disciplines and situations—show barns, auction barns, family farms—and I wanted to write something that I could use all those little experiences to make feel authentic. When I started book one of the series, I wasn’t sure it would be a series at all, but as I began, I knew there was much deeper to go and I couldn’t stand to leave the ranch just yet. Soon after, books two and three followed to round out the series.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I tend to write fast. I don’t do a lot of plotting or planning. I sit down and just type with a vague outline in mind. Characters always come to me through dialog and the way they speak for before I have a physical idea of them and I don’t worry much about searching my mind for those types of descriptions until I start revising. If I pause too long to worry about it, my flow is broken. Understanding what a first draft is for (getting the story down) has really helped my writing.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I like to read many genres. I don’t have many favorites, but I admire prolific writers—the ones that can’t seem to stop producing creative work. I connect with that need to create and hope someday to be among them.

What are you working on now?
Right now I am putting the finishing touches on a short story prequel to my Harris Twins Series that features the twins’ parents meet-cute and first date. It can be a total stand-alone but gives some fun tidbits for the main series, such as how the ranch gets its name. When I hit publish on Boundary Lines (book 3) I was bereft—I wasn’t ready to leave the ranch, so that same day I started this story and I can’t wait to share it with readers.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I am still learning about marketing, and love exploring really niche groups within my genre of sweet cowboy romance. I also love stepping outside of ‘reader specific’ areas and jumping into horse groups and pages. Horse people can be leery of horse fiction, and with good reason, as many writers don’t do enough research and have never lived the life. I enjoy offering something authentic to them and seeing them come around and get back into horse fiction without being worried about being pulled from the story by inaccuracies.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Just start writing! I know that seems obvious but you can edit a draft but you can’t turn a blank page into a bestseller. Find someone who believes in you and your story and work with them or trade critiques. Be open to suggestions but know that you aren’t obligated to take 100% of someone’s advice. It is your story, after all!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best advice I’ve heard echos the advice I like to give. I think I got the sentiment originally from a NaNoWriMo pep talk back in my senior year of high school when I did not know what I was doing, only that I wanted to write. And I did. I ‘won’ Nano that year with my 50k novel. Was it good? No, but it was finished—I had done it and that was enough to show me I could do it. The next time would be better, and the time after that it would be even more so. Even now, if I look back at my writing from only a few years ago, I can see how I’ve improved. You just have to keep writing and keep revising and you will make progress.

What are you reading now?
I am currently reading Like Water Catching Fire by E.M. Lindsey. While it is not a typical pick for me, I won it in a contest and am pleasantly surprised by it. It portrays a deaf character in a very realistic and sensible way that doesn’t feel likes it’s just for show or hashtags. It is also surprisingly sweet. I may look into more books from them.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Right now, I am working with a group of writer friends to create a sweet romance anthology. Collecting, critiquing and polishing up stories from many authors—both new and established is so fun and rewarding and has prompted me to make sure that my submissions are as good as they can be too. Next up will probably be a stand-alone equestrian romance based in the show-jumping world.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
There are very few books that I ever re-read but I can list them off in a heart-beat: The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster, Einsteins Dreams by Alan Lightman, and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. My fourth would likely be House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski. It’s a gorgeous book, but it has been on my nightstand waiting to be read for far too long.

Author Websites and Profiles
Isla Ryder Website
Isla Ryder Amazon Profile

Isla Ryder’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

---

Author Interview Series

To discover a new author, check out our Featured Authors page. We have some of the best authors around. They are just waiting for you to discover them. If you enjoyed this writer’s interview feel free to share it using the buttons below. Sharing is caring!

If you are an author and want to be interviewed just fill out out Author Interview page. After submitting we will send it out in our newsletters and social media channels that are filled with readers looking to discover new books to read.

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

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am an afficianado of all things literary, automotive and have always been passionate about writing. For many years, it has been a lifelong dream to be a published author and tell a good story. I like to write short stories, poetry and have completed one full length novel which is a part of a series. When not writing, I enjoy working on cars and listening to all genres of music.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The romantic thriller that I completed is entitled The Rabbit and The Dragonfly and it has been inspired by a lot of elements of my personal life and experiences.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The works of Niholas Sparks, Ian Fleming and Stieg Larsson have been my main influences.

What are you working on now?
The sequel to my debut novel.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
To use all available resources such as social media and book clubs.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Just keep your dreams alive and never settle for second best.

What are you reading now?
Dear John by Nicholas Sparks.

What’s next for you as a writer?
To move to California and get married.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
The first four books by Terry Goodkind.

Author Websites and Profiles
J.P. Charles Website
J.P. Charles Amazon Profile

J.P. Charles’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My name is Kaitlyn, and I’m from Massachusetts. I currently live in Mexico, where I work as a librarian and a teacher. I’ve written lots of books, but Daughter of Olympus: Gods and Monsters is the first book I’ve ever published. I have ten brothers and sisters, and a wonderful little dog named Isabella. During my free time, I love to read, write, and Italian.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest (and right now only) book is called Daughter of Olympus: Gods and Monsters. I’ve been fascinated with Greek mythology for as long as I can remember, but I’ve always felt frustrated with the selfish behavior and misogyny amongst the Olympians. When I was thirteen, I decided to change that by writing my own version of events, so drafted Daughter of Olympus.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m not sure if this is unusual, but I’m a binge writer. I have bipolar disorder, so I do most of my writing when I’m manic. I can go for months without writing anything, and then write nonstop for days.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Harry Potter! I learned to read later than most of my peers, and I thought I disliked reading until I discovered Harry Potter. It opened up a whole new world for me, where I could escape from my problems with a good book. J.K. Rowling got me reading, and inspired me to be a writer one day.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on two things right now! One is a rhyming children’s book called “Unicorns don’t wear pants,” and I’m also working on the second book in my Daughter of Olympus series.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m new to promoting, so I don’t have a real method or website I’ve found reliable yet. I’m hoping Awesome Gang can help me with that!

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Just write! It doesn’t matter if you think people will like your work or not, just put your story out there. When we write, we can make anything happen.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
It’s very cliché and overused, but my mom is always telling me to follow my heart. So far, I’ve never gone wrong by doing that.

What are you reading now?
Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m not really sure, but I’m taking a sabbatical from my job next year to focus on my writing, so I’m really hoping to finish Daughter of Olympus: Poseidon’s Gift.

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?
Tess of the D’Urbervilles, by Thomas Hardy, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, by J.K. Rowling, The Red Pyramid, by Rick Riordan, and Dime Quien Soy, by Julia Navarro.

Author Websites and Profiles
Kaitlyn Melody Klingensmith Amazon Profile

Kaitlyn Melody Klingensmith’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a full-time author of gay romance and romantic suspense since 2015, so I’m afraid to count up how many books I’ve written. Some reader favorites include The Runaway Model Trilogy, The Assured Elites Trilogy (known as the Gay Celebrity Dating Chronicles on Radish), the Last Chance Academy series, and many more.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Freshman Blues: A Gay New Adult Romance, is book #4 in the Last Chances Academy series. The series centers on an all-male college for bad boys where gay romance flourishes. I’ve always been interested in the glittering world of art crime. This book came from wondering about what it would be like to brought up as a professional burglar of high-end art objects. Could you turn your life around and find love as an adult?

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I wouldn’t consider it unusual, but I like to visit the locations I use in my books.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Shaun David Hutchinson (We Are the Ants) and Adam Silvera (They Both Die At the End). I don’t write that dark, though. Nobody dies at the end of my books. For some reason, I like to read much darker than I write.

What are you working on now?
I keep that close to my vest. I’ve learned you can “talk away” your ability to write a story.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I like to use the Bookbub newsletter. But I’m more a word-of-mouth author.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
There are millions of books already published. Don’t hurry your own work. Indie authors get pressured a lot to put out work in a hurry that isn’t ready, and all it does is set them back. Sometimes for years.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
If it sounds too good to be true, it’s too good to be true. But you’ve already heard it. Hearing it is easy. Acting on it, on the other hand…

What are you reading now?
I just finished The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller. Poor Patroclus, he really deserved better. Achilles was a spoiled brat!

What’s next for you as a writer?
Oh, I’m working on a new trilogy but we’ll keep that under wraps until it’s closer to done.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
A book on survival at the Stone Age level, a book on how to build a raft, a blank book to record my own adventures.

Author Websites and Profiles
Parker Avrile Website
Parker Avrile Amazon Profile
Parker Avrile Author Profile on Smashwords

Parker Avrile’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Madness in Wonderland is my tenth published book but my first in the steampunk fantasy genre. I started writing several years ago when story ideas refused to leave me alone. I thought I’d write them down and shove them into a drawer somewhere. Turns out, I like publishing stories.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Madness in Wonderland is an Alice in Wonderland and Frankenstein mashup steampunk fantasy novel. I was challenged to take two of my favorite classics and put them together into a novel, and Madness is what happened. I love the original Alice in Wonderland and retellings have always fascinated me, so I thought I’d give it a whirl for myself. I don’t think I’ve ever enjoyed writing a book more than Madness in Wonderland.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I have to write early in the mornings. If I wait too late in the day, my creativity suffers and I end up reading all day. Not a bad way to spend the day, honestly.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Marissa Meyer’s Lunar Chronicles and A.G Howard’s Splintered series were instrumental in my own fantasy writing. Without their influence and the wonderful way they have with words, I’d never have dreamed of attempting to create my own fairy tale retelling.

What are you working on now?
I’m currently working on book three in the Beyond Wonderland series. Funny how one book turns into a trilogy without you. I wrote Madness in Wonderland and thought I’d be done, but then new characters started crowding in, and they wanted to adventure in Wonderland too, so I wrote Lost in Wonderland, which is book two in Beyond Wonderland. Again, thought that would satisfy the story world, but it ended up being hungry for a third book.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m tinkering with a lot of different ideas at the moment.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Study the craft. Read lots of books in the genre you want to write in, and pour yourself into the project with the zeal of a toddler getting a new present. There will be hard days where you’ll want to quit. Remember those beautiful days and keep writing.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Write from the heart and you’ll never regret your stories.

What are you reading now?
Romanov by Nadine Brandes

What’s next for you as a writer?
Writing. Writing. 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?
Oh, that’s tough. Let’s see.
Dust by Kara Swanson
Splintered by A.G. Howard
Cinder by Marissa Meyer
Caraval by Stephanie Garber

Author Websites and Profiles
Tabitha Bouldin Website
Tabitha Bouldin Amazon Profile

Tabitha Bouldin’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a retired teacher who was the Outstanding Headteacher of Emotan College, Benin City, Nigeria, before relocating to London, UK. While in London, I was the Head of English Departments in of two Secondary Schools, and also the Manager of a Learning Support Unit in a Boys’ Secondary School in London.

I currently spend my time writing or providing a Life Coaching Service on Personal Development and Relationship issues.

I am an award-winning novelist. My first novel – Dizzy Angel (UPL, 1985), won several awards in Nigeria, Switzerland and other places. Dizzy Angel tackles the traditional beliefs in the Nigerian Society which tend to relegate women to the background in the early 50s and 60s. Ogbanje, the heroine in Dizzy Angel, struggles to pull herself and her family out of the strangle hold of unhealthy traditional beliefs because she and her father, Dolise, were determined that she should get some education.

My second novel – The Broken Bond (2001) is very popular. It is studied by many University Students who have written many reviews on the issues discussed in this novel – especially, as it affects women and their ability to survive in a male-dominated Society.

My third novel – Ada in London, Surviving the Traumas (2005), is also very popular and really interesting to read. This is a Memoir, and it tells the story of Ada’s wrenching from her beloved job as Headteacher, her struggles to get to grips in a foreign place, London, and all the pain and suffering of being alone, being treated badly by racists and suffering serious poverty etc. In the end, her marriage breaks up as a result of her husband’s infidelity and extreme bad treatment.
Ada in London is an excellent read. It is racy and full of suspense.
As one reviewer says:
“Once you start reading Ada in London, you won’t want to put it down! The suspense is superb. It is a heart-rending story, so well-told that it is totally enjoyable. I can’t recommend it enough.!” Editor: African Echo, London.

My other books include:
– HOW TO FIND AND SUSTAIN A GREAT RELATIONSHIP by Dr Grace Anderson
This is an Online Dating and Relationship Guide. Very popular.

– HIS & HERS DAILY GRATITUDE JOURNAL by Dr Grace Anderson
This is a daily Journal to help you stay positive and grateful for the blessings in your life, however small.

– SENIOR CITIZENS’ DAILY LOGBOOK
This is a very useful logbook for the elderly – especially those in care or nursing homes. This logbook will help them remember planned activities like medication, meals, etc.

– MOTHER AND BABY’S DAILY LOG – FIRST TWELVE MONTHS by Grace Andy.
This logbook is for Young or New Mothers as well as expectant mothers. The importance of this logbook is the fact that you can record your baby’s progress from Day 1 to when he/she reaches one year old. Very useful memories to keep for your child to see when he or she grows up.

– YOUNGSTERS’ READING LOG
This is a Reading Journal for young people from age 5 onward. It can also be used by adolescents and adults to record interesting parts of a book they have read, especially the reviews of various characters, etc. Keeping a reading log will greatly improve the reader’s literacy and literary skills.

You can access all my books on my website: https://graceandersonsbooksandjournals.com.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is Ada in London – Surviving the Traumas (Second Edition).
I decided to include extra information in the book to help readers understand its purpose much better.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
No, not really.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I have been influenced by such authors as:
Chinua Achebe: Things Fall Apart.
Camara Laye: The African Child.

What are you working on now?
I am currently working on a new novel that delves deeper into the concept of reincarnation.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
My first choice is Amazon Adverts
and then Free Book Promotion Websites like this one.
I also promote my books on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
All I can tell any one who wants to write is – Just do it! Don’t be frightened of the results. Just write. After you have written your first chapter, take a good look at it to correct errors – eg, using Grammarly, or other such software.

It pays to have a plan of all the Chapters, your characters and the various events first, so that you will be surer that you are working according to plan.

If you don’t try, you won’t ever know how much of a wonderful author you could become!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best advice I ever heard was from my English Teacher in the grammar School I attended: She told me to: “believe in yourself and you’ll get others to believe in you!”

What are you reading now?
I am currently reading a book called: Atlantis in the Amazon by Richard Wingate.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Write more books and sell more books.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
I would take my some Spiritual Books with me to remind me that I am never alone – that God or the Holy Spirit is always with me.
Spiritual Lessons From Living – Harold Klemp
The Shariyat Ki Sugmad – Paul Twitchell
The Bible

Author Websites and Profiles
Dr Grace Anderson (also known as Gracy Ukala) Website
Dr Grace Anderson (also known as Gracy Ukala) Amazon Profile

Dr Grace Anderson (also known as Gracy Ukala)’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hello, Readers! In the first place, I am an avid reader, too – and a picky one (who gets bored pretty easily, by the way). Therefore, to satisfy cravings for novelty and surprise, the pilot trilogy was designed to fill the imagination gap in fiction literature. Rather than re-iterating common themes (such as superpowers, time travel, murders, synchrotron explosions, etc∙), the three books present completely unheard-of mysteries. Stay tuned! This is just a prelude to a much bigger puzzle…

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
As the title “The Mystery of the Rammed Key” suggests, the story was inspired, well… by the discovery of an antique key ingrown in the wood of a robust old tree! The blackened handle was protruding from the bark, and that’s where all the wonders, quests for possible explanations, and wild fantasies started. Now you can dive in the intricate fictive drama loaded with action, sparks of humor, and unexpected twists of events.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
J∙ Verne (several books) — A∙ C∙ Doyle (The Lost World; Sherlock Holmes) — T∙ Heyerdahl (Kon-Tiki) — J∙ K∙ Rowling (Harry Potter) — A∙ Dumas (Monte Cristo) — L∙ M∙ Montgomery (Anne of Green Gables) — A∙ Kazancev (The Destruction of Faena)

What are you working on now?
The three previous cases (the forgotten chest, the rammed key, the Cursed Forest) are somehow interconnected. The roots of such relation can be tracked back to remote history and foggy ancient times. Now it’s the moment to gratify the readers’ curiosity with additional discoveries emerging in the broader plot.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Still waiting for one to come…

What are you reading now?
Obnoxious accounting manuals and international tax return instructions.

What’s next for you as a writer?
To get published in English.

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?
Wonder why? You will understand later, after reading the next parts of the book series – featuring a mystery hunter disguised as a local speech therapist, together with his dedicated helpers (of all ages), fighting together the bestial enemies of the truth and progress (of many sorts, powers and methods of operation).

Author Websites and Profiles
Julion Okram Website
Julion Okram Author Profile on Smashwords

Julion Okram’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a male romance author with a love of wine, women, whiskey and cigars, who enjoys steamy paranormal romance novels, among other things. I’ve written and published over 65+ titles, but most have been pulled from the now defunct publishers and will be re-released, alongside new material starting in Summer of 2022.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Paula’s Craving is my short erotic romance tale. It’s a rewrite of the first romance novel I never finished when I was in high school. Paula, this beautiful latina girl I had a crush on back then was the inspiration.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
None that I can think of. I write, listen to death metal at a loud volume, drink tea (usually Pu Erh or Yerba Mate), wash, rinse, repeat?

What authors, or books have influenced you?
JR Ward. (Black Dagger Brotherhood)
Christine Feehan
Nora Roberts (Her PNR stuff)
Tiffany Reisz (Original Sinners, thank you Kingsley!)
Sherrilyn Kenyon
Laurell K. Hamilton

What are you working on now?
The second full length Nights of Lust story in what should be a trilogy featuring sexy vampires, stoic but passionate heroes and a hell of a lot of action!

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

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Grow a thick skin.
Write what you WANT.
Don’t listen to haters.
Grow a thick skin.
Learn to take rejection as a lesson

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
STFU and write

What are you reading now?
Sadly, nothing at the moment.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I have the third and final book in my Covenant of Wolves/Protectors series to write. Imagine if Faery looked more like a scene out of Terminator 2: Judgment day, rather than the magical kingdom we tend to think of it as. Then, bring in some werewolves and fae to take down a regime ruled by cybernetics, while fighting their internal passions.

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?
Think and Grow Rich
Original Sinners series
Black Dagger Brotherhood series (I know, not 3 or four books!)

Author Websites and Profiles
Sascha Illyvich Website
Sascha Illyvich Amazon Profile

Sascha Illyvich’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
First-time author! It’s been a dream of mine to write a book since I was in the fifth grade. My English teacher, Mrs. Blake, encouraged me to pursue writing outside of her classroom requirements. I’ve been hooked ever since, but kept putting this off…until my dad got Alzheimer’s. Then I knew it was time.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The name of the book is Ten Days With Dad: Finding Purpose, Passion, & Peace During the Darkest Days of Alzheimer’s and COVID-19. I knew I wanted to share my story the moment my dad got Alzheimer’s. Or I should say, after he spent ten days with me prior to moving into an assisted living apartment in 2019.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I prefer to write in the evenings with a bourbon nearby. Just one though!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Stephen King’s writing book, for starters.

What are you working on now?
Ten Days With Dad just launched March 13, 2022, so I will be promoting this for the remainder of 2022 (and beyond, until I launch my next book).

Ten Days will be a series. The next one has yet to be determined, but I’m hoping it will be about a former Marine and Secret Service agent turned entrepreneur. I want to learn other people’s “commandments for life” or Ten Rules they adhere to or learned from someone or someplace in their lives.

I also plan on turning the book into a screenplay, focusing on living with Alzheimer’s (victim perspective) and the caregiver’s angle.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
It’s been Facebook so far. I have the largest following on that platform. I use LinkedIn, Instagram, and pretend to know what I am doing on Twitter–but have no idea, really!

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Yes.
1. The first draft will be awful no matter what you do, so don’t try to make it good. Just get the words out. First drafts are not for perfectionists!
2. Write every day, even if it’s one paragraph.
3. Read other books in your genre.
4. Start building out one platform. If it’s Facebook, start reconnecting with old friends, teachers, coaches, etc. Just add and add friends, because they will help promote your book (and buy it) when the time comes.
4. Pursue your passion–just do it!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
On writing? Probably just write every day. Writing will never be easy, but ideas come easier when you are in the habit of writing every day. In life: “you’re only getting screwed if you think you’re getting screwed,” by Barry Resnick, my dad. Read the book!

What are you reading now?
Reading mainly other authors’ nonfiction books and helping them with Amazon reviews. It’s a two-way street. I read every day, a lot! My favorite books to read though are spy novels. Vince Flynn, Marc Cameron, Daniel Silva. Those guys are amazing.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Another Ten Days with _____, then a screenplay on the original 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?
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
One Goal by John Powers and Arthur Kaminsky (1980 hockey team)
All Politics is Local, Tip O’Neil
And Ten Days with Dad, of course!

Author Websites and Profiles
Mark Resnick Website
Mark Resnick Amazon Profile

Mark Resnick’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am writing Translator of Poor Folk by F. Dostoevsky, A. Kuprin, Henry Barbusse, Prosper Merime, and published author of five short stories books, Liana graduated from Russian Institute of Writers, Moscow. Her latest compilation of poems and a remarkable audiobook, “Trip of America”, proves her excellence as an author and poet. The poetry-cum-novel is a well-composed collection of monologue-style narration about emotions and thoughts.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The name of the last book I wrote. 📚Love Letters From the Black Sea📚

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t have.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
My favorite writes are Victor Hugo, Dostoevsky.

What are you working on now?
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook
Writing a new love story.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I think your sites are the best after Amazon in promoting my books.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
My advice to new writers is to write new stories that shed light on the current context.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
When people write for the liberation of humanity, this is my best writing for other writers.

What are you reading now?
Yes. I always study. And do research. Write the story.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Victor Hugo’s books

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Why not Of course I will.

Author Websites and Profiles
Liana Margiva Website
Liana Margiva Amazon Profile
Liana Margiva Author Profile on Smashwords

Liana Margiva’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a pastor, husband, father, martial arts instructor, comic-book nerd, and cosplayer. I’ve authored six books and co-authored two more. All of my books are non-fiction Christian books that I hope enlighten and inspire readers.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is Holy Heroes of the Bible: A Superhero Fan’s Guide to Become a Hero of Faith! As a huge comic-book and superhero fan myself, I wanted to introduce fellow fans (geeks) to some of the amazing heroes of the Bible. In it, I draw parallels between biblical heroes (like Mose, David and Jesus) and popular comic-book heroes (like Superman, Batman, and Spider-Man).

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not really. I do all of my writing at my desk in my church office.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Christian authors like Max Lucado and Robert J Morgan were some of my inspirations. And fellow superhero fans, like H Michael Brewer and Ed Strauss, are also enormous influences.

What are you working on now?
Right now, I’m working on a study guide to accompany Holy Heroes of the Bible. As soon as that project is finished, I start work on a kids’ version of The Holy Heroes Devotional.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m still trying to figure that out.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
My advice is simply to write something that you would enjoy reading.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best advice? It’s hard to narrow down. But one piece of advice that has always stuck with me is “Be careful to take from and experience only the wisdom that is in it” (Mark Twain).

What are you reading now?
The Kingstone Bible – a massive three volume comic-book adaptation of the Bible, and Unlocking A Broken World – a book about an inner city mission in Springfield.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m eager to begin writing for a broader Christian audience. After I’ve finished my more geeky material about heroes and villain, I plan to write about the life of Jesus, the early church, and the book of Revelation.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
The Bible (of course), the Action Bible by Sergio Cariello, and my own book – Holy Heroes: The Gospel According to DC & Marvel – because it contains stories and photos of my family and our cosplay adventures.

Author Websites and Profiles
Scott Bayles Website
Scott Bayles Amazon Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am from Australia, South Australia, and have written 2 books so far, with more planned.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The last book I published was King Arthur vs Robin Hood. It is a fantasy featuring the two titular characters in an all-new world. The idea started when I had separate projects for each character, and I wasn’t happy with how they were progressing. With that going nowhere, I combined the two ideas to have both characters in the same world.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
No clue. I don’t think I could answer that accurately as I’m not the best judge of my own writing. So maybe that’s the unusual habit? Or maybe it’s that I write nearly exclusively in chronological order, with a rough framework of what the ending is supposed to be. Not sure if that is unusual though.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
To start with, J. R. R. Tolkien. I found his books and worlds fascinating as a young boy. Also George R. R. Martin (of a Song of Ice and Fire), Jonathan Stroud (of the Bartimaeus series), are big inspirations. Realistically, every book influences and inspires in some way.

What are you working on now?
Part 2, the sequel and final part to King Arthur vs Robin Hood.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Getting the name and cover of the book out there as much as possible. The more eyes see it the better, which hopefully translates to sales and good reviews.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Know how to market yourself and get your name out there. You can write the best book in the world, but if no one knows about it, they can’t buy it.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Read a lot. Absorb writing styles, ideas, and get your head in the zone to write.

What are you reading now?
I am between books at the moment. Looking at re-reading an old favorite soon, maybe Mortal Engines or the Bartimaeus series.

What’s next for you as a writer?
After King Arthur vs Robin Hood 2, I have a number of different projects to start on. The Tales of Terrantis, an epic sprawling over a whole world’s history, or even a sci-fi!

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 a desert island.
LOTR: The Return of the King – JRR Tolkien
Gardens of the Moon (Malazan) – Steven Erikson
A blank book (to write something myself)

Author Websites and Profiles
M. W. Sarge Website
M. W. Sarge Amazon Profile

M. W. Sarge’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Twitter Account