Awesome Author Interviews

Here are some of the awesome authors that have submitted books for you to enjoy. Get to know them and discover their awesome books.

Pamela Ogunleye

Interview With Author Pamela Ogunleye

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I was born in Nigeria but grew up in London. I am the author of “Yes You Can Ola!”, a children’s picture book that was released early this year.

So far I have only written one book but I look forward to writing more!

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Yes You Can Ola! was inspired by my childhood. I grew up as a child with lots of self-doubts. Nigeria was a very competitive environment for children. Of course for some children, it was amazing but for others like myself, it was difficult to navigate. However, my mum was such an inspiration and extremely supportive of me, especially when I feel like I did not have the natural capacity to do simple tasks such as riding a bycle or compeititng a sport it events or learning to spell.

Ultimately, the idea of the book is to encourage children to feel it is okay not to get things wrong when trying an activity or skill for the first time.

Apart from trying to inspire children, the book includes a nursery rhyme, and I hope they sing it with their parents as much as I loved singing it with my mum as a child

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not really but it can take time to put my ideas on a paper.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
So many authors!

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
To be honest, I am still navigating the marketing process.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Just go for it and enjoy the process of creating a book.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
You only live once, so enjoy it.

What are you reading now?
Jane Eyre – I love english classics

What’s next for you as a writer?
Hopefully write another inspiring children 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?
Half of yellow sun
A piece of cake a memoir
Gifted hands

Author Websites and Profiles

Pamela Ogunleye Amazon Profile

Author Interview Series

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GL Robinson

Interview With Author GL Robinson

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I was born in Portsmouth, England (no, I won’t tell you the date!), but I’ve lived in the USA for over 40 years.
During the 50’s and early 60’s my sister and I were at a convent boarding school in southern England. I can still see us in the convent under the bedcovers after lights out with a flashlight reading the Romances of Georgette Heyer.
My sister died unexpectedly in 2018. All my books are dedicated to her.
So far, I’ve written 16 Regency Romances, a Contemporary Romance and two Crime Romances.
I’m 77 this year and plan, to paraphrase Tennyson, To write beyond the sunset, and the baths /Of all the western stars, until I die.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book, I Have Always Loved You, a Second Chance Regency Romance, is due out on August 30 (my birthday!). It’s a bit different for me because it’s a first person narrative from two points of view. I challenged myself to write that way and it was hard! All my other books are in the third person single POV, and as the narrator you know everything everyone knows. In the first person, you only know what the person talking knows. I kept having to stop myself and say “How would he/she know that??”, then cross it out and start again!
The book is about a man and a woman who meet in their twenties and don’t see each other again for many years. For her it was love at first sight, for him… well, he has to learn what love is before he can be truly happy.
My books are not totally serious; they have a strain of humor that stops them getting dark. But the history is real, I do a lot of research, and I deal with topics I think are important.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
No, I can write anywhere, any time. It’s a refuge for me. If I’m stressed by something, I can always forget it when I write. And I never have writer’s block!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Jane Austen, of course, and the beloved Georgette Heyer, who I read and re-read constantly. But I also love Barbara Pym, who is less well known and a bit dated now, but a wonderful, witty writer. I also love PG Wodehouse (of Jeeves and Wooster fame), who is incredibly funny and makes me laugh out loud.

What are you working on now?
I have just translated an Alphonse Daudet short story from the French (I used to be a French professor). I plan on publishing it for free on Amazon (KDP) for Christmas. I’ll probably do a paperback book as well, but that can’t be free because of printing costs.
It’s a Christmas story about a priest whose acolyte (assistant) is inhabited by the devil on Christmas eve, when the poor priest has to say the traditional three consecutive Masses. The acolyte/devil tempts him with the sights and smells of the Christmas feast that comes immediately after the services, and makes him babble the words, miss bits out, and generally rush headlong into, as Daudet says, eternal damnation.
I know it doesn’t sound like much fun, but really, it is! The descriptions of 16th century people, the food, the scenes of the priest falling over himself to finish the three Masses in record time is very amusing. I had fun translating it.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I use all the normal social media and a number of book promotion sites like Awesome Gang. I’m an indie writer. that means I have no publisher to do things for me. So I have to promote, promote, promote!

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good. I’ve heard of folks who take ten years to write a book. Nothing is ever perfect. I try very hard but when I re-read my earlier stuff I always think, “I could have done it better.” My advice is, do your best and get it out there! Of course, I didn’t begin writing till I was 72, so I don’t have all the time in the world!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Make your first sentence a zinger! A classic example is, “What would you do if you had to kill your daughter to save your wife?” No one could put that book down until they found out what was going on!
I can’t say my first sentences are as good as that, but I do try. For example, the first sentence of Héloise Says No is, “Thank you for your flattering attention, my lord, but the answer is no.”

What are you reading now?
I’m reading Anxious People by Fredrik Backman (he wrote A Man Called Ove). It’s a bank robbery gone wrong, where the robber takes hostages. But it’s not at all what you expect!

What’s next for you as a writer?
Keep on Writing. I never stop. I have a book out on August 30, I have one at the editing stage for March 2024, I have stories in two Anthologies coming out for the holidays, and my head is full of ideas.

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 take:
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
The Deptford Trilogy by Robertson Davies (a cheat really, as it’s three books in one!)
The Shipping News by E Annie Proulx
Three totally different books, but all the absolute best of their type.

Author Websites and Profiles

GL Robinson Website

GL Robinson Amazon Profile

GL Robinson’s Social Media Links

Author Interview Series

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

J. Henry Tate

Interview With Author J. Henry Tate

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Echoes of Betrayal: Protocol Clean Slate is my first published novel.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Echoes of Betrayal: Protocol Clean Slate is a novel inspired by true events. I worked as a private investigator for a little while, in Huntsville, AL, in the early to mid 1980s. One of the simple domestic cases turned into an international espionage case, requiring the State Department’s involvement.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
No, I usually start the story in my head while I am doing other things. So, when I sat down to write, I filled in the details. I am not productive when I sit down cold with the intention of writing.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
John Grisham, Mark Dawson, Lee Child, and Cindy Dees.

What are you working on now?
I have two at the formulation stage. The first is a physiological thriller, a murder, mystery involving a political prisoner held in an Alabama mental hospital.
The second is the second book to the Echoes of Betrayal: Protocol Clean Slate novel. Jack Campbell starts a new journey.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I am just starting to promote, Facebook has been my go-to until now.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
The words of a local newspaper editor come to mind. I was bragging to him that I was a writer, however, I had not written anything since college. What he said next was like a wake-up slap in the face. He handed me his business card, looked into my eyes, and said, “Writers write.” That was all he said and walked off. His newspaper published everything I wrote for the next year.
So, with all of the challenges of life, and whatever shortcomings you may have, just remember, “Writer writer,” figure the rest out as you need to.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“Write!”

What are you reading now?
I do mostly audiobooks now, I am ready to start my next Mark Dawson book.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Learn how to promote the book that is now in print.

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 (NKJV), something on building shelter, how to identify eatable plants and a John Grisham novel.

Author Websites and Profiles

J. Henry Tate Website

J. Henry Tate Amazon Profile

Author Interview Series

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

Marius Trevelean

Interview With Author Marius Trevelean

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a British writer living in the US. I have been writing for twenty-five years and have won awards for short and flash fiction. I published my debut novel in 2011 and since then I have been shopping a TV property to Hollywood (ongoing) and working on The SiP Saga, a seven-book series for Middle Grade readers. Other notable work includes lyrics for an aria for the operatic version of Fritz Lang’s ‘Metropolis’, penning a movie script for the Chinese market, and working on a TV project centering on the Battle of Kohima in WW2.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is called SiP, which was inspired by a concept, the mental image of a giant drinking straw poking out of the Atlantic Ocean, turning the planet into a juice box. The idea of a planet rich in liquid water, a rarity in the great cosmos, found by something equipped to drink it captured my imagination.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
As I still work full-time I suppose my strangest writing habit is that I write on the move. Time is always at a premium so I will often be found writing on my phone during my commute or away on business trips.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
My inspirations come from both literature and movies. I have been a fan of the works of Roald Dahl and Douglas Adams since childhood. I write in my mind’s eye using the color palette and aesthetic of Hayao Miyazaki.

What are you working on now?
Book two of The SiP Saga which is called ‘Area 52’.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
It has to be Awesome Gang, right? I use a mix of different promotion sites and marketing channels. Having a mix of organic and paid marketing is important. A lot of marketplaces are pay-to-play now so you realistically have to factor in some kind of marketing budget when self-publishing a book.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t give up. You will hear every author and expert out there tell you how hard it is to become a successful writer. Define what successful looks like for you and then put the hard work and hours in to achieve that success.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I would rather have something and not need it than need it, and not have it.

What are you reading now?
The Naked Sun by Isaac Asimov

What’s next for you as a writer?
More writing usually. Finish the series and try not to get distracted by other ideas and projects that will invariably crop up.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
That’s a tough question. Honestly, I would take blank notebooks with me so I have the ability to create and draw. Trying to choose favorite books is like trying to pick your favorite kid.

Author Websites and Profiles

Marius Trevelean Website

Marius Trevelean Amazon Profile

Marius Trevelean’s Social Media Links

Goodreads Profile

Facebook Profile

Pinterest Account

Author Interview Series

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

Clara Stone

Interview With Author Clara Stone

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Born in the heart of Croatia in 1990, I`ve always felt a deep connection to the rhythmof life in this beautiful country. My pen name in Clara Stone. From the young age, I found solace and adventure within the pages of books. Stories ignited my imagination, transporting me to distant lands and introducing me to extraordinary characters. As I grew older, this passion for storytelling only deepeened. For years, the idea of crafting my own worlds and characters remained a distant dream. But the pull to share my stories grew stronger with each passing year. Finally, I summoned the courage to embark on this exciting journey. The result is “Beyond the Veil”, a testament to my lifelong love affair with the written word, and this first book is just the beginning of my story.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My book is called “Beyond the Veil”.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I`ve got a peculiar little writing habit that`s stuck with me since the fifth grade. It`s a simple thing, really: I adorn every “i” and “j” with a tiny, perfect circle. It`s like giving each letter a little crown, you know? I`ve tried to break the habit countless times, but it`s become as much a part of me as my love for storytelling. People often give me odd looks when they see my notes, (especially my boss), but I think it adds a touch of whimsy.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
There was one particular book that ignited my lifelong passion for reading. I was perhaps six when my mother first took me to the city library. Among the countless books, one tood out: a children`s story with a captivating cover featuring a young witch. The details of the book have faded with time, also the author and the plot. But, the feeling of pure joy I experienced while reading it remains vivid.

What are you working on now?
I can`t tell you that. You will have to wait for the new book to come out like everyone else.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“There is nothing you can`t do if you want to.”

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Books, on a deserted island? As a Croatian, practicality is ingrained in me. If I were to find myself stranded on a deserted island, my survival instincts would kick in immediately. While I cherish the world of literature, a good, sturdy book can also serve as excellent kindling. Give me a sharp knife, a trusty axe, and the knowledge passed down throught generations in my family, and I`ll transform that island into a sustainable home. Sure, I might miss the comfort of a good story, but the thrill of survival is a different kind of adventure altogether.

Author Websites and Profiles

Clara Stone Amazon Profile

Clara Stone’s Social Media Links

Facebook Profile

Pinterest Account

Author Interview Series

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

Kathy Giddins

Interview With Author Kathy Giddins

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
When in Bologna is my debut novel. I’ve started writing other books but this is the first one I’ve managed to finish. The first novel I ever started writing was a fantasy about magical cats – I wrote the first few chapters aged 12.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
When in Bologna is inspired by my own travels and specifically the time I spent on a year abroad in Italy as part of my university studies (Modern Languages).

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t think so. But then I don’t talk to many other authors so maybe I’m a complete weirdo and have no idea?

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Bridget Jones Diary, Freya North and Jackie Collins are among my favourite romance writers.

What are you working on now?
My next project which is just an idea at the moment is going to be a fantasy incorporating magic, romance, robin hood and possibly time travel.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Amazon. https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0DCFN1G69?ref_=pe_93986420_774957520&fbclid=IwY2xjawEgNsFleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHfmqREzNmFPZ6L4BoKfhKcHunbNcEejCiirRUPMsBi_abCF_ZrjWxLedLg_aem_5w4ceNO-EtyIgfjUSvWbOg

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Just keep going. My mantra is done is better than perfect. I would never have finished my first book if I was holding out for perfection. And self publishing is a great route if you find yourself getting rejected by traditional publishers.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Done is better than perfect.

What are you reading now?
The witch’s sacrifice by K.C Adams. The fourth in the afterlife calls series. The author lives locally and it’s set in the town where I live which is pretty cool.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Getting ideas on paper and research underway for my next novel.

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 Girl with the Glass feet by Ali Smith. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern and Emma by Jane Austen.

Author Interview Series

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

L D Houghton

Interview With Author L D Houghton

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My name is L D Houghton and I’ve written, gosh it must be nine books now, all some form of sci-fi; from technothrillers to dark comic sci-fi to hard sci-fi.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Mindfire; the trilogy was inspired by studies into the sources of human consciousness, international relations, the origins of totalitarianism, and of course the rapidly advancing fields of artificial intelligence.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write about my interests, mentioned above, and build my worlds as a sort of thought experiment to see where they lead.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
In terms of sci-fi, my inspirations range from Asimov and Herbert to James S A Corey and from Gibson to Peter Watts, among many others. In terms of themes and style, my main sources of inspiration and love come from Terry Pratchett and Douglas Adams.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write for yourself; no one else will.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
If there is a god, it is our duty to be their moral superior.

Author Websites and Profiles

L D Houghton Amazon Profile

L D Houghton’s Social Media Links

Goodreads Profile

Author Interview Series

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

Neil Orint

Interview With Author Neil Orint

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Adventures in fantasy worlds are my favorite, so I wrote my first novel Discovery of Geminus set in a twin world to Earth that’s full of magic and mythical creatures (yetis!). I’ve published short fiction in anthologies and won the Finalist award from the Pacific Northwest Writers Association.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Discovery of Geminus is inspired by the mythology and magic of the Pacific Northwest, where I grew up playing in the pristine woods and waters. The book is inspired by the tension between the divine grace of nature, and the evil forces of greed and fear. The path of awakening is dangerous, but it’s also full of amazing joy and adventure – and fun to write about!

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m up at 4:30 am and start writing after a cup of coffee. My goal is around 2000 words per day, which is often optimistic. I have help from Norton, my big brown tabby who’s an excellent writer’s companion, and of course I depend upon my muse for her inspiration and creativity.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The Hunger Games, The Chronicles of Narnia, Harry Potter, Tolkien, His Dark Materials, and others in this vein are all influences.

What are you working on now?
Book 2 and Book 3 of the Discovery of Geminus trilogy. I’m also putting together an anthology of published and award-winning short stories.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m new at promotion, so I can’t offer authoritative guidance, but so far Facebook has worked for an initial push. I’ll let you know when I figure it out!

Do you have any advice for new authors?
If you feel called to write, you must follow your calling. I write my best when I shut off my mind and listen to my heart, where the muse lives.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Follow your heart.

What are you reading now?
Sarah Maas, Peter Heller, Carl Jung, books about shamanism and Salish mythology.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Publish Book 2 and Book 3. Publish a collection of 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?
The Hobbit
The Lord of the Rings
the Chronicles of Narnia
The American Medical Association Family Medical Guide

Author Websites and Profiles

Neil Orint Website

Neil Orint Amazon Profile

Neil Orint’s Social Media Links

Goodreads Profile

Facebook Profile

Twitter Account

Author Interview Series

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

David Scott Richardson

Interview With Author David Scott Richardson

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Born in Seattle in 1942, I spent my early years in NY City and western Pennsylvania. After returning to the PNW in 1949, I bounced around between Seattle, Tacoma, Spokane, and Bellingham, finally landing over thirty years ago in Woodinville, where I live with my wife, two cats, and a mini zoo of backyard critters. I’ve written two books – An Empty House Doesn’t Sneeze and River’s Reach: Coming of Age Amid the Fish War.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
An Empty House Doesn’t Sneeze; Because my father was killed in WWII, the war has always been an interest. At some point, the idea of somebody lighting fires during the mandatory blackouts in Seattle captured my imagination. As a former sixth-grade teacher, I understood how inadequate we are at teaching civics and history, especially to young people, hence teenage readers became my target audience.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
My best ideas often seem to come just as I’m falling asleep.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I’m inspired by any author who can suck me in and keep me reading. I tend to concentrate on history and social commentary but I do like Hemmingway, Steinbeck, and Vonnegut. I have a special fondness for Joseph Heller’s Catch -22.

What are you working on now?
Nothing in particular, though I’m noodling around with some silly children’s stories I wrote years ago.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
https://books2read.com/An-Empty-House-Doesnt-Sneeze and https://www.facebook.com/AuthorDavidScottRichardson (#AnEmptyHouseDoesntSneeze)

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write and revise, write and revise, and write and revise till you think it’s the best you can do before showing it to anyone, even a spouse or best friend.

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

What are you reading now?
The Hundred Years’ War On Palestine by Rashid Khalidi

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’ve no idea, though perhaps the children’s stories I wrote years ago will organically morph into something that captures my interest.

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 knew I was going to be stranded, I probably wouldn’t go! Though if I wound up stranded, perhaps copies of Funny Times, There is no Ethan, Grey Matters, and The Ghost Forest.

Author Websites and Profiles

David Scott Richardson Website

David Scott Richardson Amazon Profile

David Scott Richardson’s Social Media Links

Goodreads Profile

Facebook Profile

Author Interview Series

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

Tammy Aiken

Interview With Author Tammy Aiken

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a cookbook author I write cookbooks for people who have celiac disease or just are gluten sensitive. I am an author who really wants to make a difference. I have written eight new cookbooks. I have six of them that are gluten free cookbooks, two that are not.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Kids gluten free Christmas cookbook this inspired me because I want to see kids enjoy there Holidays. Kids can also get creative in the kitchen and make their own desserts with their family.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
A cup of water on the right side of me at all times and my phone on the left side of me.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Alex Guarnaschelli she is an amazing author and chef she has really inspired me. I love the way she puts herself out there!

What are you working on now?
I am working on two more gluten free cookbooks.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
facebook.com
twitter.com
instagram.com
tumblr.com
linkedln.com

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Yes, check the publishing companies and make sure they are legit. Take your time writing and do not get over whelmed.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t give up on writing your cookbooks even though you were scammed just keep going and reach for your dream.

What are you reading now?
Different cookbooks

What’s next for you as a writer?
Trying to get on Food Network to really get my recipes out there to help so many more 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?
Alex Guarnaschelli book and some of mine

Author Websites and Profiles

Tammy Aiken’s Social Media Links

Facebook Profile

Twitter Account

Author Interview Series

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

Monica Broussard

Interview With Author Monica Broussard

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I published 21 Tattoos in October 2023. The second book, The 7th Dimension, will be out on September 18th, 2024. Book three in the Tattoo series is due out in September 2025.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The 7th Dimension is the second book in the The Tattoo Series. When I wrote 21 Tattoos I had so much information to share I knew I had to put it in a second book. Which has now ultimately led me to write the third book.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I wake up at 4:30 a.m. every morning to write while my brain is still in the initial stage of sleep. This stage typically lasts around 20 minutes after waking up and is often referred to as the entrance to the unconscious mind. During this period, my subconscious is highly active, presenting a prime opportunity to train my brain for positive thinking and increased productivity throughout the day.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
C.S. Lewis and L. Frank Baum

What are you working on now?
The third book in The Tattoo Series. It does not have a title yet.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
https://www.MonicaBroussardAuthor.com

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write, Write, and Write some more as you hone your craft.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
As an Author it would be: “Focus on your writing.”

What are you reading now?
I just finished Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis- a 2016 memoir by JD Vance about the Appalachian values of his family from Kentucky and the socioeconomic problems of his hometown of Middletown, Ohio, where his mother’s parents moved when they were young.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Finish The Tattoo Series and publish book three.

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, War and Peace, Les Miserables.

Author Websites and Profiles

Monica Broussard Website

Monica Broussard Amazon Profile

Monica Broussard’s Social Media Links

Author Interview Series

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

Diane sanchez

Interview With Author Diane sanchez

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My name is Diane Sanchez. I am 53 years old. I am a mother of six. I love to write. I also have beautiful grandchildren and the best daughter-in-law ever. I write stories and poems. I have taken my writing to a whole new level. I am a Jersey girl. I am also a survivor. I am here making my dream come true.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Forbidden Love is the book I wrote about my daughter and her wife. But now I am writing about my life.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Yes, I write poems and stories. Is writing my journal?

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The author of the Harry Potter book never gave up. I have learned her straight in writing.

What are you working on now?
I am working on my three books. It is my story of the abuse my ex-boyfriend put on me. It is called Reflection, which is a survival story about women’s rights.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Good reading, and Amazon and other sites

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Never stop writing; always keep going, even when you have writer’s block. Everyone has a story to tell. These are mine.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I never gave up on cloudy days because the sun would come out and shine on me.

What are you reading now?
little women

What’s next for you as a writer?
I want to take my book and share it with people. My there book is very special to me.

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?
Romance books and survivors

Author Websites and Profiles

Diane sanchez Website

Author Interview Series

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Richard Corrigan

Interview With Author Richard Corrigan

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Written numerous articles and short stories. Have five novels published, collection of short stories, and one biography.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
CRUST is the name of my book. I was inspired to write it based on real events surrounding the nuclear bomb threat by North Korea.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
None

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Hemingway, Edgar Allen Poe, James Patterson

What are you working on now?
The find of an ancient artifact hunted by secret organizations.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Word of mouth, email, Facebook, starmandscircleassoc.com.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Always be willing to learn, improve, edit and never give up.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Write about what interests you.

What are you reading now?
A Tale of Two Cities

What’s next for you as a writer?
Refinement of a mystery novel

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
The Bible, The Pilgrim’s Progress, Rime of the Ancient Mariner, Critique of Pure Reason, Shakespeare’s Sonnets

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A. C. Ware

Interview With Author A. C. Ware

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
A.C. Ware was born and raised in Jacksonville, Florida in the 1970s. She attended Paxon Sr. High H.S, University of South Florida for her Undergraduate, and National University for two master’s Degrees; one, in Applied Behavior Analysis and pursuing another in Marriage & Family Therapy. She currently lives dually between Florida and South Carolina.

I have written about 18 books, varying from my autobiography (The Worst Five Years of My Life) to Self-Help books to my favorite Cookbooks.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Art of Divorcing: Learn how to separate, remove, and untie yourself from TOXICITY.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m a night owl. I love writing at night after midnight

What authors, or books have influenced you?
My mom

What are you working on now?
A new book about cheating and a second one about being in prison.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I am new to this, but so far I like Draft2Digital, Gumroads, and Ingramsparks

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I’m fairly new myself with self-publishing. But I have been writing for 20 years. I say, just stick with your passion.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Keep your friends close and your enemies closer…

What are you reading now?
the Bible

What’s next for you as a writer?
Finish my Master’s degree and write more clinical publications.

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?
Bible, Commentary of the Bible, Our Daily Bread, and The Worst five years of my life.

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J. D. Winston

Interview With Author J. D. Winston

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a retired teacher and live in Kiln, Mississippi. Cotton Candy Angels: Finding Naballon is my first novel. I wrote it with middle schoolers in my, but I think humans of all ages will enjoy it.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Cotton Candy Angels: Finding Naballon was originally inspired by a group of students I met when I was student teaching during the 1990’s.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I tend to take about 30 years to write a book. I think that’s unusual. Hopefully, the next one won’t take as long.
Another habit that feels unusual to me is that I don’t do any planning—just sit down and write—like somebody’s telepathically sending the story to my brain.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Harper Lee’s writing had a great influence on me. I think To Kill A Mockingbird is awesome.

What are you working on now?
Well, as I said above, I usually just sit down and write. But since I’m working on a series, I’ve been trying to learn to plan. Ideas for book number 2 have been simmering in my brain like a tropical wave preparing itself to develop into a perfect storm.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m still learning about promotion, so I don’t have an answer to that yet.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Have fun writing!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
We are all part of one human family. Be kind!

What are you reading now?
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

What’s next for you as a writer?
Cotton Candy Angels: Book 2!

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?
To Kill A Mockingbird, Fahrenheit 451, 1984, Great Expectations

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Julian Stokoe

Interview With Author Julian Stokoe

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m Julian Stokoe, an animation director and kids’ picture book author. I have a passion for creating unique, edgy, and humorous stories that captivate young readers. So far, I have written six print books and 3 others as interactive book apps.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is titled “Yo Peko! Guess What?” It was inspired by the classic game of telephone and the hilarious mix-ups that can happen when messages get passed around. I wanted to create a story that not only entertains but also shows the trouble that can come from miscommunication.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
One of my unusual writing habits is that, instead of writing down my ideas during brainstorming sessions, I doodle them as pictures. The stories are usually for picture books anyway, but sketching out characters and scenes first helps me visualize the story.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Dr. Seuss for his imaginative worlds, Roald Dahl for his dark humor and unforgettable characters, Maurice Sendak for his ability to capture the wildness of childhood, and Spike Milligan for his absurd and witty humor.

What are you working on now?
Currently, I’m working on an activity book based on the characters and worlds of “Yo Peko!” and brainstorming ideas for my next picture book (possibly one about cryptid creatures).

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’ve found TikTok to be fantastic for promoting my animated work, so I’m planning to create some short videos about Yo Peko and see if I get the same results. Additionally, Yoozoo.nz serves as a central hub for all my projects and updates.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
My advice for new authors is to stay true to your unique voice and vision. Find a way to write something quick and get it out there. Also, don’t give up – while there’s a small chance your work will break through if you finish it, there’s a 0% chance if you don’t.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best advice I’ve ever heard is to follow your bliss and move in the direction of least resistance. Passion and enthusiasm for your subject matter will shine through in your writing and resonate with readers.

What are you reading now?
Right now, I’m reading lots of books about myths and legends.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’ve got a stack of unfinished ideas and projects from other mediums that I’m looking forward to finishing and adapting. But first is an activity book based on the characters and world of “Yo Peko! Guess What?”

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 Complete Works of William Shakespeare, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy Omnibus, and The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle.

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David Rosenheim

Interview With Author David Rosenheim

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a poet and songwriter, living with my wife and two boys in Pacifica, CA. OWL is my first poetry collection, though I have been publishing poetry in journals and magazines for years. I have been in several bands, including Hugh, The Weather Band, and Winchester Revival. Together, we have made many records. In my day job, I am a leadership coach, supporting CEOs, scientists, and other leaders focused on hard problems like solving climate change and curing cancer with new technologies.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
OWL was inspired by the places I’ve traveled, both in the external world and the world within. In 2017, my wife and I took our boys out of school to travel across 14 countries for the better part of a year. Some of the poems in OWL were documents of our “big trip.” Some of the poems map the natural landscapes of southwestern Wisconsin, where my family has a farm. Other poems take an interior view of common but important life themes like change, time, love, loss, suffering, and joy.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
About once a month, I take a day off and go to a museum to get exposure to new ideas, images, and sensations. I love to write in response to the photography, sculpture, paintings, or video installations I see at these museums. There’s a word for it: ekphrastic writing. To me, it feels fresh, unpredictable, and sometimes ecstatic.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Too many to make sense of. But these five poets come to mind: Allen Ginsberg, Lucille Clifton, Forest Gander, Ray Carver, and Jane Hirshfield. In addition to her many volumes of mind-popping poetry, Hirshfield’s essays in “Nine Gates” taught me to read poetry with new aliveness.

What are you working on now?
I’m mixing genres. Trying to put music and video to spoken word. It’s early and very experimental. It may suck, but I’m having a lot of fun with it.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Book promotion is a new game for me. I don’t know what works yet, other than emailing people I know. Though I don’t like social media, I am open to experimenting with it as a way of connecting with new readers and writers.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Make a practice out of writing. Take a “lunch pail” approach to it, as described in Stephen Pressfield’s “Turning Pro.” Don’t wait for lighting to strike.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Yes lives in the land of no.

What are you reading now?
“Gorky Park”- I’m a sucker for cold war spy novels. I am re-discovering the zen and writing website, thedewdrop.org. It does a lovely job of curating poetry, zen writing, and other essays from now and the canon.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Finishing my first novel. Culling work for my second poetry collection.

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 complete works of Czeslaw Milosz and Yeats. They are so dense and hard to understand, that I would be busy for decades. Also Amiri Baraka so that I have music and immediacy to hear from the lines.

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Ravi Ranjan Goswami

Interview With Author Ravi Ranjan Goswami

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a native of Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, India. I am a science postgraduate. I am a retired bureaucrat and an author. He is from Jhansi and lives in Cochin. I write poetry in Hindi and fiction in Hindi and English. I especially enjoy telling stories.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
It is Sankalp. This is a love story set in India before becoming independt.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
NO.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Munshi Premchandra and Graham Green,pablo Coelho

What are you working on now?
I am not writing any new books right now. I am converting my textbooks to audiobooks

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
My Facebook page

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Read and write regularly

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Trust in God and do your duty.

What are you reading now?
Sant Darshna by Shyamji Prashar

What’s next for you as a writer?
Try to write better and better.

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?
4 Vedas

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Jennifer Freedman

Interview With Author Jennifer Freedman

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I began my journalistic career in Southern California at the tender age of 17 and have spent most of my life overseas writing for print media in Europe, the United States and the Middle East. My three children were born and raised in Europe (the Netherlands and Belgium) and now live in Switzerland, the Netherlands and the United States. The distance is tough, but it means we get to travel to see each other (and thank goodness for WhatsApp and Messenger!).

My four-footed family and I moved to Costa Rica in August 2020. The sounds and sights here are incredible: howler monkeys, laughing falcons, toucans, iguanas, inch-long lizards, colorful butterflies, coconut palms and the most gorgeous flowers you could imagine.

I began working as an editorial consultant in late 2011 — a wonderful career not only because I can work anywhere in the world, but also because I’m fortunate enough to be writing and editing documents on topics I find deeply interesting. Lucky me!

I still work as a journalist, but shifted to creative writing with my first book, Toby’s Tale, an award-winning children’s novel. I’m now working on the sequel, Toby’s Travels: The Adventure Continues, which I’m aiming to publish in September 2024. My rhyming picture book, Ashley’s Rescue: A Miracle Breakdown, was published in May 2024.

I am passionate about writing stories that not only entertain and educate, but also tug at the heartstrings and have readers rooting for the (under)dog.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is Toby’s Tale. It’s the first in a series of at least three books (the sequel is about 80% finished!)

Having children kick-started my decision to start writing books. When I was pregnant with my youngest daughter, I came up with the idea of Toby’s Tale and began writing it when I was on maternity leave. Or, it wrote itself. I didn’t sit down and prepare an outline and a plot…I just sort of went where the story took me. It turned into a much bigger project than I expected – a 69,000-word novel for middle school children. It was really fun to work with another style of writing where I could use my imagination, be creative and inject emotion and personality into my writing.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Perhaps it’s unusual not to plot and plan — do other authors usually do that? Another thing I do that is perhaps unusual is to include every dog I’ve ever had in these books. Toby himself is complete fiction, but all the dogs I have ever been fortunate enough to have had in my life appear (or will appear) in the series. It’s sort of my personal tribute to the joy they gave me, and writing about them brought back many beautiful memories.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Ludwig Bemelmans! I’ve always been a huge fan of the Madeline series. I love Madeline’s spirit and her cleverness, her feistiness and her rebelliousness. I love that the series is set in Paris (one of my favorite cities) and I love the illustrations and the way they balance order and disorder. I passed on my love of Madeline to my three children: I have half of those books memorized because I read them so often as bedtime stories!

What are you working on now?
Toby’s Travels: The Adventure Continues is my current project. This book deals with disability and inclusivity and teaches young readers about compassion, empathy and respecting and valuing others — even if they’re “different.”

One of the main characters is deaf. Another is partially blind, partially deaf and old. Toby’s Travels also deals with overcoming biases (in Toby’s case, toward cats!) and addresses bullying. I’m making good progress and hope to publish the book in September and then get to work on the third book.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’ve done reasonably well using Amazon ads. I haven’t found social media to be very useful in terms of book promotion.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Never stop writing. You’re probably not going to get rich writing books — few authors do — and you may end up spending more money than you make. But for me, the joy is in the journey; I love being able to create characters, to write what and how I want to write and to know that some people “out there” love my books.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Believe in yourself, listen more and do what you’re afraid to do.

What are you reading now?
We Were the Lucky Ones and The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store

What’s next for you as a writer?
Just more of the same, I suppose. Bring characters to life with my words. Perhaps learn how to better market my books so more people can enjoy them.

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?
Canterbury Tales and anything by Kristin Hannah. Also, a copy of Toby’s Tale, so I could read it repeatedly and find ways to make it even better. 🙂

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Tanya Goodall Smith

Interview With Author Tanya Goodall Smith

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a personal branding strategist, designer and owner of WorkStory Creative, an agency that helps introverts who are evolving their business create an elevated brand vision and bring it to life.

“The Introvert’s Guide to Personal Branding: How to Put Yourself Out There Without Changing Who You Are” is my first book and I’m so proud of it! I have plenty of ideas for more.

My 20+ year career began at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising, which led to design jobs with international brands like HP, Disney and GUESS. I’ve served on the board of the National Association of Women Business Owners, was a finalist in Maria Sharipova’s Women’s Entrepreneur Program and is a Brand Builder’s Group Certified Personal Branding Strategist. I love crew rowing, dance classes and classic films. I live in the Pacific Northwest with my husband of 20 years and three busy kids.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
“The Introvert’s Guide to Personal Branding: How to Put Yourself Out There Without Changing Who You Are”

It’s inspired by my journey of overcoming the challenges I faced in building my business as an introvert. I share strategies anyone can use to build their personal brand and include specific tactics introverts can you to overcome things like social anxiety, fear of public speaking, energy drain, etc.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Malcolm Gladwell has helped me to be open to a broader view of society and how people are influenced. The principles in Atomic Habits by James Clear have helped me be more disciplined and adopt habits that have lead to my success. Of course Think And Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill is a must read for mindset around success. On a personal note, I love to read historical fiction and learn so much about history and culture through characters, architecture, fashion and social issues.

What are you working on now?
I’m creating a companion workbook for The Introvert’s Guide and a meditative coloring book for Introverts. I’m brainstorming ideas for my next book.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m new to promoting a book so I’m open to ideas! Awesome Gang is the first website I’ve tried. I organically grew an email list previously to launching my book by offering the first chapter for free and that has worked really well. I have an engaged social media following and have gotten great support and feedback from them.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t give up! Many people start a book but not many finish and publish it. Have a support group to help you along. When doubt creeps in, remember why you wanted to write a book in the first place and let that thought drive you forward.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
There is no good writing, only good editing. Don’t get caught up in the details while writing your early drafts. Write now, edit later.

What are you reading now?
I just finished A Well Behaved Woman: A Novel of the Vanderbilts by Therese Anne Fowler. It was fascinating! I’m so intrigued by The Gilded Age. Next on my list is Buy Back Your Time by Dan Martell. I wonder how much my time is worth?

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m using my book as a lead generating tool for my business so I’m focused on promoting the book, booking speaking opportunities and podcast guest spots. Eventually I would like to try my hand at writing fiction but probably not until I’m retired. Who knows?!

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?
Ugh. So hard to choose. I suppose I would bring the Holy scriptures, an anthology of Jane Austin books (can that count as one book?), Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier and I’m not sure what else. I don’t really read books over and over again like I watch movies. I watch Anne of Green Gables at least once per year. I guess I should take those books, too if I can’t watch the show. Notice I wouldn’t take any business books with me. Be stranded on a desert island might be kind of nice.

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