Awesome Author Interviews

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m an author and YouTuber. Currently I have published only one book but many of my novels are available online.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The name of my latest book is The Night In The Pyramids.
As for the inspiration, it is from a movie called Night At The Museum.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m really interested in writing romance stories.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The books that have really influenced me are Night At The Museum and Journey To The Center Of The Earth.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on a horror themed franchise of books called the Blood Angel Franchise. The books will be available soon within two months.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I usually prefer websites which offer free advertising because I am a starter and thus I don’t have much money to invest.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I advise them to not give up hope soon and continue writing.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
That is to not give up.

What are you reading now?
I’m currently reading action themed webtoons and transmigration themed novels.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Writing is a difficult work and it requires a lot of hardwork. Though I can’t use 100% of my time to write, I want to use the best of my knowledge to create wonderful 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 haven’t read many books. So I’ll be answering this in my way.
So, if I were actually allowed to take books, I would like to take some blank notebooks to note down my experiences and adventure.

Author Websites and Profiles
Tejas Nayak Website

Tejas Nayak’s Social Media Links
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve only penned Beneath the Veil, but I am currently about one third of the way through the first draft of the sequel, the Sands of Ahkirah.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Beneath the Veil was inspired by a drive over the dilapidated Newburgh-Beacon Bridge. I was stuck in traffic and looked over to see the distance to the water. The thought crossed my mind – “If we go into that, how many of us would come out?”

This was no doubt seeded by watching the old psychological horror movie, The Mothman Prophesies. Add two decades of voracious reading and the simple dream of always wanting to be a writer and there you have it.

Beneath the Veil is riddled with theology and mythology as well, which have been a love of mine since I was very young.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not that I’d consider unusual, but I do blast a playlist of about 50 songs to drown out the white noise in my head as I write. Often times I’ll hear a song come on again and wonder if it was the third or fourth time I’ve heard it. A glance at the clock will show me I need to wrap up for the day job at that point.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
So very very many – I began reading old Koontz… the dark stuff and segued to Crichton in the fourth grade. It became a race at that point to read all that both had to offer and I took a long break during college to become immersed by the foundational writers. When I came back for air, I leaned heavily into King and Straub–then to Langan, Barron, Burke, Ligotti, Files, and now Ballingrud. They are simply outstanding contemporary horror writers. Gaiman is leading me down the fantasy path and would most likely be the one I’d be compared to based on story style and content, but I think I’ve been affected by all of them in some way or another.

What are you working on now?
I am actively writing the second book in The Valor of Valhalla series, The Sands of Ahkirah, but I’m also beginning a few short stories for a companion collection themed around the events that transpire while the children of Lilith are free to roam the world of the living in Beneath the Veil.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
THAT is a good question. I don’t know.

I’d love to have access to all the tools and hit conventions, brick and mortar stores, and etc, but I’m just getting my feet wet. I dedicate a lot of my mental capacity (and health) to teaching at an alternative high school, and I have two boys, Daniel (3) and Charles (nearly 2), so they eat up a lot of time I would be marketing. The boys get a free pass, though. They’re cute and they fill me with ideas.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t. Stop. Writing.

Don’t. Stop. Reading.

Don’t. Stop. Trying.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“None of that shit matters. Just write it.”

What are you reading now?
I am currently reading “The End of the World” anthology of short stories.

What’s next for you as a writer?
As a whole? grinding until I can extend my reach as an author.

Specifically, I will finish this series before 2023 (that’s the goal anyway) and move on to a few projects that have been sleeping in my brain for the last year or so.

I would like to join up with a friend and create a graphic novel version of this series as well. He’s a talented guy and I’m one willing illustrator short of bullying him into it.

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?
Salem’s Lot, Floating Dragon, The Beautiful Thing That Awaits Us All, Blood Meridian, and The Gospel of Thomas. I’m not particularly religious, so to speak–not these days anyway, but I find that book comforting when little else is willing to lend any.

Author Websites and Profiles
Martin Kearns Website
Martin Kearns Amazon Profile

Martin Kearns’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have written 30 books and am working on more. I simply love to write! I also love to read and am always on the lookout for new authors and adventures. When not writing or reading I can be found hiking in the woods (my favorite place in the world; what can be more exciting than a new path to explore?) or rooting on little nieces and nephews at ball games or crafting handmade jewelry. I am also very active in my church and lead the prayer ministry and sing on the worship team.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I published Fear Not My Lord the Princess Who Fought for Love in January of 2021. A couple of years ago I came across a short story by Hans Christian Andersen titled The Ice Maiden. It is not as well-known as The Snow Queen, but I found it haunting and eerie. The story is about a young man who is stalked by this frightening supernatural being from the time he is a child. The Ice Maiden is determined to destroy him and relentless in her pursuit. It was one of those stories that was difficult to shake after reading it, and I knew that I had to incorporate it into my Princess Who series of fairy tale adaptations. In my version I amalgamate it with Cinderella, who is sent by her godmother on a quest to save him.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I love to write outdoors and find many inspirations in the beauty of nature. The song of a bird, the scent of a flower, the ripple of a stream running over rocks have all inspired scenes over the years.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The works of J. R. R. Tolkien, C. S. Lewis, Edith Wharton and Louisa May Alcott have all left deep impressions on me. But I also love the whimsical humor of Gail Carson Levine and her ability to convey truth while keeping the reader laughing at her unexpected twists to a story. All of these authors have layers to their writing: at one reading you may pick up only what lies on the surface and need to reread a book to see the nuances hidden below the surface.

What are you working on now?
I am presently working on the 4th book of the Chronicles of Israel series, shortly to be released. This one focuses on the life of King Saul and how Israel changed dramatically when they replaced the Judges with monarchs.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I focus on releasing new books in season and promoting free books likewise. There are some months that simply don’t work well for releasing or promoting a book because readers are simply too busy to read, such as December with holiday activities and June, when many are spending weekends at graduations or weddings.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Learn your craft before you publish. Don’t believe that just because your family or best friend thinks that you have talent that you are ready to be professional. Take a writing course to learn plot and character development, and to brush up on punctuation and grammar.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Take whatever you have a burning desire for and pursue it with a determination as fierce as your desire.

What are you reading now?
I just finished a biography of Paul McCartney. At present I am not reading because I am spending my time working on my soon to be released new book.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I write in multiple genres such as fantasy, fairy tale adaptations, historical fiction and Biblical fiction and have several ideas for nearly all of these genres.

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?
My Bible, The Lord of the Rings, and the works of Homer.

 

L. M. Roth’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a mom to three children – 19, 16, and 11 and wife to my husband for 21 years. I work as an analyst for a Telecommunications company part-time and use the rest of the week to write. Northern Escape is my first book.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
This is the Afterword in Northern Escape. It describes what inspired the story.
Life with children is busy. While my husband and I were running the kids to their activities and helping them with their school assignments, a big part of me was missing who I used to be.
I missed the carefree times when I could count on hanging out with my friends on a Friday night. I missed being able to go camping on a whim. I reminisced about a time when I was figuring out who I was and what I wanted out of life. Although I didn’t want to have to go through all that again, I did realize it was a special time and one which made me who I am today.
I started writing Northern Escape in order to capture memories of those days, many of which happened during the five years I lived in Ontario. They were memorable partly because I was there on my own and my friends were my family, and because they were memorable, I wanted to tell my family about some of the adventures I’d had.
As we live, we see things, read things, and hear things and we want to protect our children from them. These, too, were some of the reasons for wanting to write this story. I wanted to capture important messages in my writing—messages such as choosing your partner carefully, staying away from drugs, asking for help when you’re feeling down, and not letting anyone treat you poorly.
Northern Escape is fictional. This story did not happen to me; it was an adventure I created as I wrote. The similarities end with the settings and tidbits of things I love and worry about. I hope it brought awareness to certain issues, but most importantly, I simply hope you enjoyed the story.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I will often listen to a favourite song that will put me in the correct frame of mind for a particular scene. I choose romantic music for a romantic scene and fast-paced music for a frightening scene. I can’t write while the music is playing in the background though. I have to listen and then turn it off.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Stephenie Meyer and Carolyn Keene.

What are you working on now?
I am working on the sequel to Northern Escape.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Online book promotion sites and their newsletters have worked well for me.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Enjoy writing your book, take your time, improve your story through feedback, and then hire an editor to help make it a book you are proud of.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Be yourself in all situations.

What are you reading now?
Tana French’s The Searcher

What’s next for you as a writer?
I am working to develop a course on what is all involved in the self-publishing process. You can check it out at https://www.cindyfolkauthor.com/self-publishing

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?
Twilight, The Hunger Games, a book by Louise Penny, and another by Ruth Ware.

Author Websites and Profiles
Cindy Folk Website
Cindy Folk Amazon Profile

Cindy Folk’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hello, Awesome Gang! My name is Nick Haskins. I am from Toledo, Ohio. To date, I have four full-length books that I’ve written.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is titled She’s Obsessed. What inspired me to write She’s Obsessed was to show my audience that I have different writing styles, different story ideas, and techniques that I can tap into to create a project for them. Each of my books is written differently to express my range as a writer.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I would have to say my unusual writing habit would be that I watch an episode of The Bold and the Beautiful before I start any writing session no matter what time of day or night it is. That’s been a part of my writing process since I started my first book thirteen years ago.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The authors that have influenced me the most are Carl Weber, James Patterson, and Mary B. Morrison. Soulmates Dissipate by Mary B. Morrison inspired me and help launch my entire writing career. Once I finished her 8-book series, I knew exactly what I wanted to do with the rest of my life.

What are you working on now?
I am working on a brand-new book that will be dropping summer of 2022. I can’t tell too much but I will say to my readers that it’s unlike any book they’ve ever read by me.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
The best and most effective method of promoting my books have been sponsored posts and ads on social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t ever, ever give up! At first, it may seem as if no one, except for you, cares about your work. When you feel all alone as a writer, and trying to find and build an audience, remember readers will come in abundance so use the quiet time to master your craft . . . you’re going to need it!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
When She’s Obsessed was first released, my mother was looking at a Live video I had done on Facebook to promote the book. She said, “You’re a struggling writer now, but you won’t always be. Keep going.” Hearing her say that gave me hope that I’m on the right track.

What are you reading now?
The Palm Beach Murders by James Patterson.

What’s next for you as a writer?
After my big book release next summer, I plan to migrate to TV and film. My dreams began as a TV writer, but I knew I couldn’t start there so I started writing books. For so many reasons I wasn’t ready to be a TV writer before, but I feel in my heart that I’m ready now.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
I would bring Something On the Side by Carl Weber. Don’t Blink by James Patterson. She’s Obsessed by Nick Haskins and The Coldest Winter Ever by Sista Souljah.

Author Websites and Profiles
Nick Haskins Website
Nick Haskins Amazon Profile

Nick Haskins’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a contemporary romance author of 22 novels, all with sexy, alpha males and females with attitude to boot. I live in a zoo, hold down a full time job, and am trying to coax my creative muse from her cage. So BEWARE, the madness may rub off on you!

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest release is Undercover Desire, inspired by my desire to bring more attention to how my heroes and heroines juggle real-life issues while finding time for romance.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Unusual? Absolutely! I have many quirky habits such as rehearsing conversations out loud before writing them to singing along with my playlist at the top of my lungs while writing a difficult scene. My dogs find it amusing.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
There are way too many to mention! I’ve read romance novels since high school, all of which have been an influence of some sort. Some of my favorite authors are Christine Feehan, Lora Leigh, and Carly Phillips.

What are you working on now?
I am currently working on the second book in my Wright City Heartthrobs series, Hart’s Desire.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I am currently in the process of figuring that out! Social media via Facebook has worked well for me, as well as author profiles on Smashwords and Amazon.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t ever let anyone tell you that you must follow rules to be published. Follow your heart and your gut.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Rules were made to be broken.

What are you reading now?
As I am in the process of cranking out my next release, I am not reading anything at the moment. In my free time, I will most likely reach for the most current novel from one of my favorite authors.

What’s next for you as a writer?
A new series, of course!

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?
Nauti Boy by Lora Leigh, Dark prince by Christine Feehan, and Dark Magic by Christine Feehan

Author Websites and Profiles
Mia Dymond Website
Mia Dymond Amazon Profile
Mia Dymond Author Profile on Smashwords

Mia Dymond’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a contemporary romance author of 22 novels, all with sexy, alpha males and females with attitude to boot. I live in a zoo, hold down a full time job, and am trying to coax my creative muse from her cage. So BEWARE, the madness may rub off on you!

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest release is Undercover Desire, inspired by my desire to bring more attention to how my heroes and heroines juggle real-life issues while finding time for romance.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Unusual? Absolutely! I have many quirky habits such as rehearsing conversations out loud before writing them to singing along with my playlist at the top of my lungs while writing a difficult scene. My dogs find it amusing.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
There are way too many to mention! I’ve read romance novels since high school, all of which have been an influence of some sort. Some of my favorite authors are Christine Feehan, Lora Leigh, and Carly Phillips.

What are you working on now?
I am currently working on the second book in my Wright City Heartthrobs series, Hart’s Desire.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I am currently in the process of figuring that out! Social media via Facebook has worked well for me, as well as author profiles on Smashwords and Amazon.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t ever let anyone tell you that you must follow rules to be published. Follow your heart and your gut.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Rules were made to be broken.

What are you reading now?
As I am in the process of cranking out my next release, I am not reading anything at the moment. In my free time, I will most likely reach for the most current novel from one of my favorite authors.

What’s next for you as a writer?
A new series, of course!

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?
Nauti Boy by Lora Leigh, Dark prince by Christine Feehan, and Dark Magic by Christine Feehan

Author Websites and Profiles
Mia Dymond Website
Mia Dymond Amazon Profile
Mia Dymond Author Profile on Smashwords

Mia Dymond’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I live in Australia, at a mountain area called Mount Tamborine with my partner Deb and our cat Mr Moo. This is our escape after living on the coast, so can be considered our Green escape.
I have published two novels, thankfully both very well reviewed. Traveller Inceptio and the sequel Traveller Probo will soon be completed by the final in the trilogy – Traveller Manifesto – set to be published before the end of 2021.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Traveller manifesto is the final of a trilogy.
My first novel, Traveller Inceptio, was inspired one day after I had been ripped off by a crooked business partner. I was pretty depressed and sat on a beach, imagining how the location would have looked 100, then 200, then 1000 years in the past. Fortunately, I lived close to the beautiful beaches of the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, Australia and the exercise of imagining the location before resorts, powerlines and phone towers brought to mind a very different world.
The next step in the tale was to imagine how modern humans would survive ‘back then’. Then – how could such a journey be possible?
The story was born
Besides a lot of my own research, being banned from my library for being so late with returning books, and making every effort to be truthful and conscious of Australian Aboriginal historical sensitivities, the rest was a lot of fun.
After Traveller Inceptio, readers requested a sequel, something I had not planned, and Traveller Probo was the result. Now, Traveller Manifesto is about to be published and the pre-pub reads have been very promising.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I have to research, a lot, and do all I can to make sure my writing is correct in its content.
Aside from writing early in the day, life for me is pretty normal, I’m sure.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I love to read good science fiction and love to write the same. I accidentally immersed myself into historical fiction because that is where the story led me. I also love history, and my father is a very dedicated genealogist, so to merge the two genres was fun.
I dearly love the works of George Orwell, Colleen McCullough (The Rome Series), JK Rowling, Bernard Cornwell, Arthur C Clarke, Andy Weir, and so on. These are authors of tales of imagination, of new worlds described with not too much waffle. I especially love a clever tale. Stephen King can provide such tales as well.
Occasionally there are authors like Yann Martel (Life of PI) and Gregory David Roberts (Shantaram) where the painting of the mental picture with words can be magical. I always aspire to such a skill.

What are you working on now?
I am completing the final edit of Traveller Manifesto – my third novel, while I am writing the sequel to another story I have written. So far, I have completed six novels, three of which will be published by the end of the year. Thankfully, my marketing tests indicate the stories are enjoyable and have received very positive reviews.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I do try Social Media – I’m not sure how positive that is but I have a good number of followers.
My web site is : www.robshackleford.com

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I like to suggest:
1. Don’t give up. Finish that book! Make it your passion!
2. Be aware that writing your book is the easy part. The hardest part is getting out there, being noticed or recognised. No matter how good you are, the world will not beat a path to your door. The marketing and distribution of your work is by far the most challenging part of your author life.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t believe all you think.

What are you reading now?
Captain Corelli’s Mandolin by Louis de Bernieres

What’s next for you as a writer?
Keep on going!
Once Traveller Manifesto is published and I am engaged in the promotion of the trilogy, seeking reviews etc etc, I have another novel that will require my attention to be edited, completed, test-read and published next year.
One must treat this as a great hobby, one I enjoy. Becoming a highly-paid, best-selling author will be a consequence.

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?
Probably Colleen McCollough’s “First Man in Rome”
Stephen King’s “The Stand”
Gregory David Roberts’ “Shantaram”
Jerusalem – The Biography by Simon Sebag Montefiore

Author Websites and Profiles
Rob Shackleford Website
Rob Shackleford Amazon Profile
Rob Shackleford Author Profile on Smashwords

Rob Shackleford’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hi, I’m George
One day, after losing everything, I sat there alone, staring at the empty pages of my notebook. I took a deep breath and found the courage to let my heart bleed. Suddenly my wounds turned to wisdom as the world morphed in front of my eyes. It was like nothing I’ve ever seen. I let my heart speak to me in the shape of poems and stories that bridged that gap between my inner and outer worlds. Everything I do today goes beyond who I am as a man because I believe my words create a safe space for others to find their voice and claim their unlimited potential.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
After joining the Marine Corps George lost his best friend in the Iraq war. The battle to find out who he was as a man spiraled out of control with addictive behaviors he ignored until he came face to face with death and learned a truth that runs deeper than time – there is nowhere to go, no place to be.

The powerful metaphor is a reminder that the past doesn’t just walk away from you, and time doesn’t heal all wounds. It will follow you everywhere you go until you find the courage to stop running. With hidden prompts for self-reflection, George shows you how to fully accept yourself and rewrite the way you show up to the world.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I meditate first then sit down to write in a journal, post-it notes all over the wall, then put it together.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Steven Pressfield, Brene Brown, IN-Q, Mark Manson

What are you working on now?
A soul quest in Death Valley to find out who I am as a man

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’ve been hitting up a podcast tour.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Just start writing now.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Words are things, so choose what you say to yourself wisely.

What are you reading now?
The Name Of The Wind

What’s next for you as a writer?
Letting the book gods decide and building my coaching practice.

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?
Ryan Holiday’s series

Author Websites and Profiles
George Kalantzis Website
George Kalantzis Amazon Profile

George Kalantzis’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am Fred Tippett, II. THE LETHAL LIST is my second published novel, though I’ve written five in total and have plans for publishing the other four and writing many more. I currently live in Alabama, but I’m actually a Washington-DC-barred attorney with a Juris Doctor Degree from the University of Pennsylvania Law School.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is titled THE LETHAL LIST, and it was inspired by my long-held dreams of writing Young Adult Mystery fiction featuring teenaged sleuths who solve real-world crimes. Years of reading Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys or Anthony Horowitz YA novels during my childhood gave me a fascination with the YA Mystery sub-genre: powerful, fiercely intelligent young people who unravel the dark secrets of their worlds and bring them to light.

With my debut YA Mystery novel, THE WOMEN IN WHITE, I told this sort of story through the eyes of a fiercely intelligent male protagonist. This time, I wanted to shake things up a bit and do the same thing but with a strong female main character.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t think so, but I also understand that “unusual” is a relative word.

I tend to outline all of my books before I write them–-though I don’t always stick to those outlines as I’m going. Many times, an outline will be a starting point for me. And once I’ve actually begun drafting the book, the characters or practicality or the story itself will just force me in another direction. (I do tend to have more ideas for books than I do time to write them, which means that I often spend more time outlining and planning books than I do writing them.) Once I’ve gotten a good first draft of the book down, I’ll usually take quite a substantial break from it (generally a few months) before hammering away at a solid first edit. And I usually take the book through at least one extra edit (usually with a partner’s input) before deciding to shop it for publication.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Way, way, WAY too many to name. I’ve read a TON of books, and I KNOW ADBOUT two tons more, and I think that they’ve all impacted my style in one way or the other. Even so, some particular names do stick out. During my early childhood, I read plenty of Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew (both the originals and the offshoot titles), as well as everything Sherlock-Holmes-related. During my teenage years, I read several of James Patterson’s Maximum Ride and Women’s Murder Club novels, some of Sue Grafton’s Alphabet series, James Frey’s I Am Number Four Series, Christopher Paolini’s Inheritance series, most of Anthony Horowitz’s young adult novels, and plenty of Mary Higgins Clark. As of right now, I’m reading quite a bit of Michael Connelly’s works, as well as those of C.S. Lewis and Karen McManus.

What are you working on now?
Right now, I’m working pretty heavily on my third book! It’s going to be my debut Adult Mystery novel–its protagonist will be a WHOLE, GROWN MAN, as opposed to the teenaged protagonists of my first two novels! I’m hoping to publish it early next year!

More globally, though, I also have a few other YA and Adult projects that I’m currently outlining and planning for eventual release.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
My books are most heavily promoted on my website (fredtippett2.com) and Twitter account (@Fred_Flinstone8). That said, though, I also have accounts with Goodreads, Instagram, and Amazon.com–-where THE LETHAL LIST is currently on sale.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
This is going to sound clichéd, but I’ll say it anyway. NO ONE can expect to be a good author unless he/she is reading often AND writing often. Time/career/responsibilities, of course, must be taken into account. But I honestly believe that the best thing that a new author can do if he/she wants to make it in this business is read and write as often as feasibility permits. Whatever genre the author wants to be famous for producing is what he/she should be primarily reading and writing. Reading it will give the author an understanding of what works and what doesn’t in that genre–what is more likely to be seen as attractive by readers and, thus, agents and publishers. Writing it will give the author practice producing it. Even if that “practice” writing never gets published, that author will improve his/her craft with every new work that he/she produces.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Wow. The best EVER? I have to say that it’s a passage of scripture that I read from the Bible long ago: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind… and love your neighbor as yourself.”

What are you reading now?
I’m currently reading Diana Urban’s debut YA thriller novel ALL YOUR TWISTED SECRETS–and loving every moment of it.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m in the process of what I hope will be the penultimate round of edits on my debut Adult Mystery novel. Once I’ve finished final edits on that, I will likely look to publishing and subsequently advertising the novel. I have several other book-related projects that I’ll be moving on to tackle after that, including a new YA Mystery.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
I’d like my Bible, first and foremost. Of course, since I’m quite a practical human being, my second would be an all-inclusive guide on how to survive on a deserted island in the 21st Century. My third would be an all-purpose guide on how to build a makeshift vessel capable of reaching civilization when starting on a deserted island. And my last would be some all-purpose guide for choosing and storing fruits and such from the island that would allow me to physically survive the trip!

Author Websites and Profiles
Fred Tippett, II Website
Fred Tippett, II Amazon Profile

Fred Tippett, II’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My writing partner Therese Vannier and I have published two books, Dead Reckoning and our earlier novel, The Long Way, which is a historical fantasy moving from China’s opium wars to the American Wild West.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
We live on California’s Central Coast, and our latest novel is inspired by an event that took place here nearly a century ago, when a squadron of Navy destroyers hit the rocks in heavy fog near what is now Vandenberg Air Force Base. Seven ships sank and two dozen sailors were killed. It’s an event that few people have heard of, but living here you occasionally come across reminders of that night. It’s something that’s haunted us for a long time. We’ve always wanted to bring to life what it was like for these men who aren’t remembered today, and whose lives were changed — and even ended — by mistakes made far above their pay grade.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write slowly and sporadically, often with long gaps when I’m not writing at all. The act of writing itself probably qualifies as unusual for me. And it certainly doesn’t qualify as a habit.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I’m a fan of Michael Ondaatje. I love Penelope Fitzgerald. I’m looking forward to reading the new Dana Spiotta. The book that’s hit me the hardest lately is Sarah Moss’s Ghost Wall. Now I need to read everything she’s written.

What are you working on now?
We’re going back to the 19th century with another western. This one is about a disgraced Texas Ranger who travels to Utah Territory to collect a bounty on the man who killed his brother, only to find a bigger danger in the man’s seven wives. We’re close to finishing this one, and we’re really excited by the way it’s coming together.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Here’s hoping that Awesome Gang has the solution to this! I have to say that I’m a firm believer in the idea that the best thing you can do to promote your book is to write more books, but of course that’s easier said than done.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Turn back while you still can? Honestly, I think the best thing you can do is pursue a career and passions that have nothing to do with writing. It will give you something to write about.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The main thing that separates the successful writer from the unsuccessful writer is that successful writers finish what they’re working one.

What are you reading now?
George Saunders’ A Swim in a Pond in the Rain. I highly recommend this one to anyone interested in telling stories. It’s like taking his seminar class where he breaks down classic Russian stories to discover what makes them work.

What’s next for you as a writer?
We have a large backlog of stories we want to tell but like everybody else we have to juggle that with just trying to survive. We’ll see what happens.

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 hope for survival manuals and field guides to whatever region I was stranded in. Beyond that maybe some blank notebooks that I would probably never get around to writing in, because I wouldn’t want to waste the paper until my thoughts were fully formed in my head.

Author Websites and Profiles
Michael Ray Website
Michael Ray Amazon Profile

Michael Ray’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve been writing since childhood. It’s only until after high school, and then film school, that I realized I needed to give myself the permission to pursue writing seriously, with goals of making it my life.
I went to film school wanting to be the next Spielberg, then realized that was the entirely wrong motivation I’d been lying to myself about, and returned to my true love; writing.
I have 2 books and a short story out there and available. I have other manuscripts written in many stages, as well as short fiction and screenplays.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Heart Of The Storm, the sequel to the first book Eye Of The Storm. The initial story idea came to me while pondering over the great spot on Jupiter, a massive storm that covers a section of the even more massive planet. I got to wondering what a massive storm like that would be like living in, and voila. I had a setting. The books’ aesthetics are heavily inspired by Mad Max as well.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Unusual? Not really. I just try to keep committing to a regular output schedule. It’s being on task that I have the most difficulties with.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Richard Matheson. If I could sort of create a career template that matched someone’s existing career, it’d be his. His influence is present in most of my writing, what I call the Uncanny.

What are you working on now?
A dark fantasy western. It’s got curses, black magic, chaos, and things most foul. Gonna be great.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I tend to do a scattershot approach to promotions. Promo lists like Awesome Gang definitely help, as well as the built-in Kindle promo tools when you are in Unlimited.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
There’s going to be hurdles around every corner. Every. Single. One. But getting past those hurdles will help you learn more of your craft and business, you will only get better with each step. Just keep going.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Read. No writer can be a writer without reading. I still think my best learning of style and substance has not been from a class or webinar, but from comparing what another writer did or didn’t do. READ.

What are you reading now?
An alien invasion series by Sean Platt & Johnny B Truant.
I’m also listening to the audiobook of The Hobbit because it’s narrated by Andy Serkis and that guy is just great.

What’s next for you as a writer?
More exploration into the uncanny frontiers of fiction I want to wander down. I have a horror universe in the gestation period, and that will need to be birthed sooner than later.

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?
IT by Stephen King because it’s good, but also will last me a long time.
One of Richard Matheson’s short story collections.
Lord Of The Rings in a single volume (a bit of a cheat but so what)
Welcome Descent by Cam Wolfe because I promised to read it and haven’t yet.

Author Websites and Profiles
RK King Website
RK King Amazon Profile

RK King’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have written four books. I am a father of two beautiful girls, as of now all my time is devoted into taking care of them. Writing is my main passion in life. I love telling stories and sharing them with others. I mainly write poetry, sci-fi fiction, and horror fiction, but I am open to all genres. My focus is interacting with my fan base and building my fan base up. I am planning on doing interactive writings with my fan base, where they can read latest ideas and also help with a choose the characters actions, where I will be writing about one of my characters and having readers decide what direction that the character will be heading.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is titled Essence Galactic Heroes. It is a sequel to the first book called Essence. The biggest inspiration was the first book obviously, but also sci-fi and space adventure plays a huge role. If you love aliens, magic, and space action. You will love the book.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I wouldn’t say unusual writing habits, but like I said I love to pull ideas from everywhere and bring my readers and fans in. I would love to write interactive stories that have the readers bring in their ideas and thoughts. I also have an idea of a short stories book, where we I will cut off the ending to the short story and have an empty place where the readers will have the opportunity to finish the story themselves. From there, they are able to head to my Facebook fan page and share their endings along with reading my ending for the original story.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The biggest one that influence me is King, I love all of Kings books. He is an inspiration and a master wordsmith. Any horror genre book catches my attention, I like the idea of not knowing what is going to happen. Another inspiration is JK Rowling. The fact her books weren’t instantly popular and it took her years to build a reputation gives me hope.

What are you working on now?
As of now I am working on the third Essence, more poetry, as well as the short story idea I mentioned.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
As of right now I only have word of mouth and my Facebook page, other than that I am not looking good in that department.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
My advice is took keep on writing, never give up, and stay true to what makes your writing yours. Never be discouraged about if someone doesn’t like your books. Not everyone is going to have the same preferences as you, but I do know that people out there are going to love your writing.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
My best advice I have heard is to never be discouraged and to write what is true to my heart.

What are you reading now?
I am reading the Harry Dresden files at the moment. Jim Butcher is a fantastic writer and deserves praise.

What’s next for you as a writer?
My next big step is to build up my fan base. Have my fans be more involved as well as chug along with new 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?
Desperation by Steven King because that is my all time favorite. Lord of Flies, because I feel like that would be ironic and hilarious. I don’t know if this is an option, but a notebook and pencil, so I would be able to write my adventures down I encounter on the island.

 

Christopher Harman’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
DONNA YOUNG – Born in Cootamundra Donna is a Psychic / Trance Medium who has been Channelling since a child. Having an extraordinarily strong connection with her guide from the age of 4 her knowledge was enhanced through a near death experience.

At the age of 16 Donna was diagnosed with last stages of cancer and a cerebral thrombosis.

Donna visited the other side on several occasions where she would learn about Past Lives, and the Process of life – her family were advised to say their goodbyes. Through Donna’s connect with spirit and guidance from the other side she awoke to a full recovery.

I have published 2 booked
My first is about to be re published
And then Spirit Club which goes live 14th October 2021

Due to the illness Donna was advise she could never have children. She now enjoys every day with her beautiful 3 children.

Donna is part of the PTV Australia Team and the first Medium to be invited to attend the Global Health Conference with the request for regular return visits each year. Donna is highly recommended in Australia, USA, UK and New Zealand for her detail and accuracy in all areas of spirituality ranging from one on one reading to teaching & platforming just to name a few.

READINGS – All readings are detailed, accurate and with a no-nonsense approach giving messages of Love and guidance for the Past, Present and Future. She brings love and hope with an incredibly unique approach. In your reading Donna covers all areas – Love, Career, Health, Relationships & money all by making contact with your loved ones on the other side.

Donna specialises in missing persons – becoming well known 10 years ago after finding a missing person alive with her detailed information.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Spirit Club – Mediumship Uncovered
This book has been inspired by my life and all the amazing people I have in it

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I do most of my writing while I’m sitting around waiting in my Truck in the muddy tunnels of Sydney

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The Secret
Dolores Canon

What are you working on now?
Re doing my first book to be republished

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
My web site has hundred of people purchase items every day
Face book I have over 10k followers
And I’m on Amazon

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Work hard from the heart and never give up

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
What you put in, is what will come to you!

What are you reading now?
I don’t read a lot
I focus on business and learning

What’s next for you as a writer?
More areas of spirituality
Past life
Life After Death
Mediumship Stories
Maybe another Spirit Club (Second Addition)
I have also made my own Psychic Cards
And plan to make more sets

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 Secret
The Wish
Conversations with God
The Eye of the Dragon by Stephen King

Author Websites and Profiles
Donna Young Website
Donna Young Amazon Profile

Donna Young’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hurdis V. Davis was born December 18, 1970, in Chicago, Illinois, at Garfield Hospital on the West Side of Chicago to Hurdisteen Davis-Moreland and Frank Earl Davis. Her parents were middle class. Her parents were Baptist; in fact, her mother’s dad was a Baptist preacher in Mississippi. She attended Bradwell Grammar school on the East Side of Chicago up to seventh grade and transferred to James Madison Grammar School on the South Side of Chicago. She graduated in 1985 due to my transferring to another school. She attended South Shore High School in 1985. She only attended this school for a year. Don’t ask her why she could not tell you why she decided to drop out, but she did. By the time she was eighteen, she had her first child in 1988. During this time, she decided it was time for her to go back to school to get a GED. She attended classes but also began to start working as a cashier at the neighborhood corner store. She got married to the manager there at nineteen and discontinued attending classes. They were married for three years, and they got a divorce because she asked for one. They divorced because she was too young to understand her duties as a wife. After a year had passed, she had two boys. She had a good childhood, but her adult life was very confusing and complicated. After she had her two boys in 1993, she began to be physically abused by their dad. This went on for five years until she listened to a song that encouraged her to move on. Her son’s dad and she broke up, and he moved out of her apartment with her two sons. She raised her daughter alone without the help of her daughter’s dad who is not her two sons’ dad. Her sons were taken care of through her support of Child Support; the support ended in 2020. Their grandmother on their dad’s side also assisted with the care of her two sons. After her and her son’s dad ended their relationship, it was not for another year. She remarried in 1998. She was with him for fourteen years. They did not get married until after six years, and after eight years, she and he got a divorce. It was not until 2003 when she received her high school diploma at Central High School Online, a division of Farrington University in Herdan, Virginia. After she received her high school diploma, she began to go to college. She attended Lewis University and did a semester to study sociology and the University of Phoenix for several semesters to study accounting. It was not until she attended Kaplan University Online that she received an associate’s degree in art and science of psychology with a concentration on the behaviors of children and adults. Now, Hurdis V. Richardson is divorced and single and is focusing on herself as Hurdis V. Davis-Richardson and self-improvement on a much larger scale. So far I have written 4 books

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Power of Obedience aim is to lead anyone in finding their identity in
this world and their purpose sooner than later. That is what inspired me to write my first book. It was not until very late in my life that I realized I have a purpose.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
No.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Stephan King

What are you working on now?
Key Key and The Spider on Economics and Strategic Moves, Left Hand Path and Love and Secret Path to Love.

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

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Always know that creativity have no limits!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Do it no matter what you look like.

What are you reading now?
Just Me

What’s next for you as a writer?
Pursuing writing other books with more depth.

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?
Stephen King books

Author Websites and Profiles
Hurdis V. Davis Website

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have always enjoyed writing, but didn’t really attempt penning a novel until 2013, when I put together my first book, Beat the Clock. My novels are action/adventure genre, and I served with the British military from 1976-1990. I tend to set the books in places that I have spent time, and I was lucky enough to live in many places worldwide with my job, even after leaving the military.
I’ve written 11 novels, one children’s book, and a non-fiction guide to selling.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The latest release is called Skeleton Coast, the fourth in a series of books featuring a hero called Alex Green. My novels tend to follow topical stuff, then take it to a new level. This one is about an offshore diamond mining company where the product is disappearing. Alex is called in to find out why.
I’m also about a month away from a new release, The Taliban and The Soldier.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I think of almost all of my plots in the middle of the night!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Anything in the same genre as my own books. Fast action, strange ideas, page turners.

What are you working on now?
As mentioned, The Taliban and The Soldier is the next up. It is about a soldier meeting up with an IED in Afghanistan with all of the usual grisly consequences. It’s about him rebuilding his life, and eventually trying to do something to help the country where everything went so wrong.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I really only use Amazon, plus social media through Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Never give up. Finishing a book is such a great feeling!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Hindsight is twenty-twenty vision. So true. We’re all experts after the event!

What are you reading now?
Nothing right now. Editing the new book is taking up all of my time.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Another book is already forming… Probably set in the mountains of Pakistan, but spreading to the rest of the world. A little like a boulder rolling down a mountain, smashing to pieces in a river, then joining an ocean, washing up in another land. I liken that to my main character.
Still early days!

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 about what you can eat and drink without killing yourself.
Maybe something by Tolkien – his books take ages to read!
Perhaps a Tom Sharp novel – you’re bound to need a laugh at some time!

Author Websites and Profiles
Gordon Clark Amazon Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
In my twenties, I was working in the advertising world but was not very happy. I had always wanted to act and one day, my husband asked me what was stopping me. I was twenty seven but decided to study acting and after a few months I was cast as the lead in two local plays, After that I was hooked! We were lucky enough to move around the country and Europe with my husband’s job. Our first stop was Los Angeles where I studied and worked, then New York City. Once we had children, I put acting on the back burner. A few years later, we moved to Switzerland where I did a few plays with the English Drama Society, then taught some workshops at the International School. Once we moved back to the states, we lived in Rhode Island and I started an after school program that ended with a full length play for the middle school. In between, I wrote plays, monologues and screenplays. This is my first book!

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My book is named GREETINGS FROM ASBURY PARK. It is inspired by my parent’s transcontinental love story beginning in Rome, Italy during World War Two and ending in the 50’s in Asbury Park. My sisters and I grew up with these stories of danger, desperation and love at first site. For years I romanticized the war. All through my youth, I wished for one so I could meet my Prince Charming. But as I did the research, I realized how silly I was being. Getting into the minds of the young soldiers so far away from home, facing death and destruction sometimes on a daily basis was tough. Then discovering how desperate life was for the residents of Rome helped add depth to my story.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write anywhere – Starbucks, at a park or in my home office – but sitting at a table or desk with no distractions is when I am at my best. If I’m driving I use voice dictation.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Georgia Hunter’s WE WERE THE LUCKY ONES. I loved how she wrote about her family stories. Reading this book was a turning point for me. I initially wanted to do a book of love stories from the war. But I realized it was a little bit of a cop out. This story needed more care, the detail was there. Georgia Hunter was truly an inspiration for me.

What are you working on now?
I have two stories in me right now. One is based on mental health. I grew up with a schizophrenic sister and would like to write about that. People with mental illness are so misunderstood. Most of the time people assumed it’s a weakness and those with these illnesses should be able to control themselves. Trust me, it’s not. And it’s heartbreaking for someone to be trapped in their own psychosis.
The other book is much lighter. When my children were babies, we moved to London for a year and a half and then Geneva Switzerland for four years. While the experience was definitely challenging, we travelled to many interesting places and met such characters along the way. This is a book that would write itself!

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m really unsure as I just released my first book!

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t get caught up in your first draft. There will be many, many more! Write as freely as you can. If you worry too much about grammar and punctuation, you will never finish. That is for the editing and proofreading stage. Also, workshop it as much as you can. I was fortunate enough to find an amazing group called The Write Group in Montclair, NJ. Each Friday I would bring a chapter to read for critiques and boy did I get them! But, it only made my work better.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I thought I was done after a year of writing (my first time writing anything) and my sister said it usually takes a lot longer. I was ultimately being lazy and realized this is too important of a story to be sloppy with it. I didn’t expect it would take five more years, but I learned how to write along the way. It went from twenty five pages and very one dimensional characters to 350+ pages and sub plots and nuance. While I hated my sister for saying that, it was absolutely correct.

What are you reading now?
ELEANOR OLIPHANT IS COMPLETELY FINE by Gail Honeyman

What’s next for you as a writer?
Promoting this book! I can tell it will be a long haul, but I can do a little each day. I’ll also be writing as much as I can.

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?
It’s hard to choose. There are so many, but a few of my favorites are THE NIGHTINGALE by Kristin Hannah, THE HANDMAID’S TALE by Margaret Atwood and LITTLE BEE by Chris Cleave

Author Websites and Profiles
Luigina Vecchione Website
Luigina Vecchione Amazon Profile