Awesome Author Interviews

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have written three science fiction books and a short story that are currently published with Gypsy Shadow Publishing. I am working on two graphic novels right now and a whole bunch of starters. Though I have been reading and writing science fiction from an early age I studied painting, sculpture and photography and am an award winning artist. My favorite authors were Isaac Asimov, John Varley, Clifford D Simak and quite a few others.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I haven’t written much since the publication of my third novel the Liminal Key. I was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma at almost exactly the same time my books were launched. Jack Cluewitt and the Liminal Key. Myth of the Malthians was already published iirc. I’ve had some rough times and some smooth times in the 6 years since. But I’ve decided to write full-time now. I will post about the new work asap. I am in remission from the HL cancer and am in good health though haven’t gotten the vaccine yet.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I like to work into the wee hours of the morning. I used to get home from my full-time job at about 2 am and would work another 3 to five hours writing to get Jack Cluewitt finished. It took 15 years. The science fiction Liminal Key was my first obsession with romance, and it only took me 3 months to complete.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
John Varley’s Titan and Ophiuchi Hotline and Clifford D Simak’s City. Samuel R Delany’s Dhalgren. Isaac Asimov’s Caves of Steel and the robot series was the biggest influence for Jack Cluewitt.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on two science fiction graphic novels.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m hoping it’s here. I’ve had more luck promoting my work in person than online. My personal facebook page and mareimbriumdowns is where I post most of my current works.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t neglect the market. You need to learn the business side of writing no matter how much you don’t want to. It really is the other half of this creative endeavor.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t overuse adverbs but don’t cut them if you absolutely need them and watch the articles. Read articles about how to use articles and not use them in fiction. And try to cut out said at the end of dialog when you can.

What are you reading now?
Robert Sawyer’s Oppenheimer’s Alternative and about five other books!

What’s next for you as a writer?
I may finish some of the starters. I’m going to open them up and see. Currently I would like to do more graphic novels.

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?
Huge books about prehistoric life.

Author Websites and Profiles
Ruth Burroughs Website
Ruth Burroughs Amazon Profile
Ruth Burroughs Author Profile on Smashwords

Ruth Burroughs’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have come to the end of a 20+ year stay-at-home mom career–with my two college aged daughters. I have written unpublished books throughout that time. I aspired to be a published writer but my mom gig took precedence. While the mom career had a clear expiration date, I knew that writing did not and I could pursue it “one day.”

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Chemo P!ssed Me Off is not the book I thought I’d write when I finally go the chance to write full-time. But it became the story I had to tell. It almost wrote itself. After undergoing a double mastectomy for widespread pre-cancer, I wasn’t even supposed to get cancer. Nine years later, I was diagnosed with invasive cancer in a smalll amount of breast tissue the doctors left behind. And so, Chemo P!ssed Me Off was born.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I tend to write conversationally. My narrative voice is quite raw and at times irreverent. That style and those kinds of stories resonate with me. They feel more real. I also use humor to deal with dark things. I might be my coping technique.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Brené Brown’s Braving the Wilderness
Louise Hay’s You can Heal Your Life
Chris Wark’s Chris Beat Cancer

What are you working on now?
I am considering publishing the children’s books I’ve written over the years while raising my daughters. Of course, I’m also open to writing on a topic that may come up and NEED to be written–as with Chemo P!ssed Me Off.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
As this is my first experience with publishing and promoting, I’m still learning. I may need to get back to you on that one. 😉

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I love mind mapping. I really works to begin a blueprint of what you want to say. I am also a fan of not editing while you write the rough draft. I tended to do that in the past and it always got me “stuck.” This time around, I just wrote until I ran out of things to say. Then I went back and made it “pretty.”

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Flex to the feedback. Be willing to be edited. Let it be fun. ~Ellaine Ursuy

What are you reading now?
The Gifts of Imperfection, Brené Brown
The Blue Zones Solutions, Dan Buettner

What’s next for you as a writer?
Promoting and delivering the message of Chemo P!ssed Me Off. I would love to see and help be the change in our approach to cancer and wellness.

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
Boundaries for Your Soul, Allison Cook/Kimberly Miller
You Can Heal Your Life, Louise Hay
Twilight or Fifty Shades Trilogies

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I was born in 1958. Currently, I work as a CEO of a Canadian company, specialized in business development. Last March, we all found ourselves in a state of global emergency due to Covid 19 . During this abundance of free time, I was able to review past family documents of mine and came across my grandfathers soldier certificate. Upon referencing the British Defense Ministry, I was able to locate the unit name that my grandfather served in, along with the name of his unit commander. When researching his commander, i found out that he had kept a diary during World War II, which outlined his thoughts and his unit’s movement patterns. This meant I was able to track where my grandfather was at specific times during the war. My grandfather never told me about his time as a member of the British army. When I discovered these findings decades later, I knew a story had to told.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Everyday, I dedicated four hours to write the book, totalling around 3000-4000 words a day. Before writing any book, I ensure to rigorously research the time period and era so I can depict the mannerisms and thought patterns that would align with the times. For my most recent book, the research job took me one month of investigating and going through any document I can lay my hands on. When writing, I become immersed in the experience, which makes the process run at fast pace. The Long Way Home From Crete took me a month to write. After five months of continuous editing, the book was ready to be released.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The author, Ben Macintyre, who wrote many books about the cold war, including the deception operations that were held during WW2, ignited my passion for historical fiction books. Joseph Finder, who wrote many thrillers, allowed to explore and incorporate action into the stories I choose to write. Both of these authors are successful in keeping the readers in suspense while they unravel a surprising twist near the end.

What are you working on now?
Currently, I work as a CEO for a canadian business development company..

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
As an author, I constantly seek ways to promote my book in order to reach as many people as possible. A sight I commonly use is BookBub and AMS ads. Here, I learn about the various ways and steps to take to promote my book and educate myself about future steps to take for my advancements.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
The biggest advance I would share with someone aspiring to write a book is to believe in yourself and follow your heart and feelings, never hesitate to make a move.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
This piece of advice was once shared to e and I have continued to let it guide me over the years. I can live with failure as long as I give 100% of my efforts to succeed. By doing this, most of the time you will will not fail.

What are you reading now?
As I re-embark on my career journey, I have not had the opportunity to begin a new book yet however, am always looking for recommendations.-

What’s next for you as a writer?
Honestly , I have no clue ! The possibilities are endless.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
1. I am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes
2. Threat Vector by Tom Clancy
3. Beneath a Scarlet Sky by Mark Sullivan

Author Websites and Profiles
Isaac Kal Website
Isaac Kal Amazon Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I was born in Hythe, Kent UK into a working class family. My enduring love of the sea is born from my birthplace where I was in the sea all summer. I cannot live far from the sea. I have written two novels and some short stories, two of which are published in collections. I love cats and I spend half my year in Greece. My writing has centred on Greece, Greek culture and literature. I speak and write fluent Greek. Having written two novels and tried hard at marketing I am now going to concentrate on short fiction.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My second novel is A Sea Change. This book was inspired by years of crafting short stories, lived experiences in different parts of Greece, my political passions that have been part of my psyche since I was fifteen years old and of course people, characters, their dilemmas, their battles within an unequal society.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Maybe. I have never been able to stick to a routine e.g. getting up at 5am and writing for three/four hours. I am very bad at self discipline but when I’m inspired I write. I get a lot of ideas from reading.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Where do I start? The early political novels of George Orwell, Edna O’Brien. The classics, George Elliott, Jane Austen, Charlotte Bronte. Contemporary classics such as Nabokov, Joan Didion, Patricia Highsmith. I think my taste in literature is as eclectic as my taste in music.

What are you working on now?
Short fiction and even flash fiction, entering competitions that I never seem to win or even get to runner up stage. I have at least 5 short stories so am working towards an anthology.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I have used Facebook and published on Amazon and now I have just joined Goodreads. I am on Twitter but don’t see much point in that.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write because you want to express something not to impress someone and don’t ever expect to become rich. Becoming a well known author is not very different from the rest of society’s norms i.e. it’s who you know or who you’re connected to that gets you into the bookshops, regardless of the quality of your writing.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Listen or read advice that is offered then ignore it.

What are you reading now?
Touch by Graham Mort (short stories from his first collection)
A sample of Once Upon a River
A sample of The Terror (after watching BBC dramatization)

What’s next for you as a writer?
As I said experimenting with short fiction/hybrid pieces.

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?
Shakespeare complete works
Poems of Constantine Kavafy
The Odyssey by Homer
The collected short stories of Ernest Hemingway

Author Websites and Profiles
Jacqueline paizis Website
Jacqueline paizis Amazon Profile

Jacqueline paizis’s Social Media Links
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have worked in the publishing industry for over 20 years as a managing editor. During this time, I’ve also written or co-written several dozen books, primarily works of non-fiction, ranging in topics from the best hiring practices for companies to a comic book collector’s guide.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is titled—Writing Characters Readers Care About: A Workbook for Writers. This book was inspired by my personal experience reviewing manuscripts I’ve received as submissions at my boutique publishing company, Cypress Canyon Publishing. So many of the manuscripts I’ve reviewed have excellent, well-thought out story lines; however, their characters are one-dimensional. For this reason, I wanted to develop a practical workbook writers could use to develop robust, life-like characters their readers will actually care about.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I tend to do my best personal writing late at night. This means I often do a lot of outlining and rough draft work on my phone.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Napoleon Hill is probably the one author who had the most influence on me. I think his book, Think and Grow Rich, is an excellent example of writing a book that is evergreen. More than eighty years later, his book is still relevant today.

What are you working on now?
Right now, I’m working on a sending out advanced review copies of my upcoming YA Supernatural Cozy Mystery entitled Zombies for Everyone. I’m also about to release a children’s picture book entitled Carl the Misunderstood Crocodile. I have also just started writing my next book in the Next Level Creative Writing series which discusses how to develop a great book cover.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Beyond current newsletter subscribers and social media followers, promotion resources depend greatly on the topic of the book. For example, for my book The Ambergris Caye COVID Relief Cookbook, I reached out to magazines and blogs focused on the travel industry.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
My advice for new authors is:
1. Read. Read. Read.
2. Get a diverse group of beta readers to review your work. Don’t rely on family and friends. They will be too kind. You want critical feedback.
3. Welcome critical feedback—even if it hurts. Learn from each piece of negative feedback and let it help you make your story the best it can be.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
There is no such thing as failure. There is only opportunities to learn.

What are you reading now?
I’m currently reading Chocolate Chip Cookie Murders by Joanne Fluke. I’ve been on a cozy mystery kick recently.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I have a long list of projects I’d like to personally work on, including the sequel to Zombies for Everyone. Also, I’m always looking for more authors for Cypress Canyon.

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 were on a deserted island picking just 3 or 4 books would be difficult. I rarely read a book more than once, simply because there are so many books I want to read. However, I think I’d choose:
– Harry Potter & the Sorcerer’s Stone by JK Rowling,
– The DaVinci Code by Dan Brown (the illustrated edition, so I could plan the places I could go once I was rescued),
– 11/22/63 by Stephen King, and
– The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie.

Author Websites and Profiles
Kimberly Wylie Amazon Profile

Kimberly Wylie’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Dr. Banerjee is passionate about his scientific writing and research as an experienced former Assistant Professor at Amity University (Dept. of Virology and Immunology, Delhi, India). Dr. Banerjee’s Postdoctoral Research & Mentoring (Graduate students) experiences from the University of Pennsylvania (School of Medicine, Philadelphia, USA) and City of Hope National Medical Center (California, USA) has additionally helped him to acquire in-depth knowledge and teaching experience on Advance Bio-Medical sciences blended with Cutting Edge Research. Previously, Dr. Banerjee completed his Bachelor’s degree (Zoology Honors), Master’s degree (Zoology, University of Calcutta) & Ph.D. Degree in the field of Cancer Biology from Jadavpur University. His strong devotion towards Biological & Medical Sciences throughout life has fetched Dr. Banerjee many International, National, State level awards and Research Publications.
My Viewpoints:
I always get inspiration from this superb quote- “Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing” delivered by great philosopher-writer-inventor, Benjamin Franklin. From earlier in my student life at UPENN, Philadelphia, I felt a curious urge to simplify the complicated and cutting-edge scientific research news in form of short articles or blogs which will be easily comprehendible for anyone. Therefore, driven by the passion as “make science simple”, I am continuing my journey as a scientific writer and editor.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Health complications related to covid-19: A quick glimpse
The book published on Amazon.com.
Book summary:
The recent outbreak of Covid-19 throughout the world has become a major concern of public health. The responsible virus SARS-CoV-2 as well as its genetic variants have spread to almost all nooks and corners of the world and are taking a toll on human lives. Since the World Health Organization (WHO) declared this infectious disease a pandemic, almost 3 million people have died. Importantly, Covid-19 does not make distinctions between economic status, land boundaries, ethnicities, ages, or genders. Breaking the chain of further transmission for Covid-19 has undoubtedly been a huge challenge and
responsibility for research and medical sciences. While this deadly virus continues to disseminate silently, it is of utmost importance to know the overall effects of Covid-19 infections on human health. The main idea behind writing this book is to provide a complete scenario of the Covid-19 spread mechanisms and bring scientific awareness about all the possible health complications and related severities. The concise yet illustrative discussions inside the book will provide clear and conceptual
briefs regarding the various signs, symptoms, and outcomes linked with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Most importantly, going through this book will help the reader become more cautious yet less anxious about the current pandemic. Our efforts will only be successful if this book adds scientific awareness to our society through our reader community. Let’s not forget that the current global crisis due to the Covid-19 pandemic has once again compelled us to check reality, emphasize science and medicine, and grow compassion to protect our communities.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
No.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The great novelist Charles Dickens for his remarkable works such as- Great Expectations, David Copperfield, Oliver Twist, A Tale of Two Cities, Bleak House, and many more!

What are you working on now?
Biographies of great scientists, physicians, and some non-fiction books.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Goodreads may be.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Need quality in content and should be attractive also.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The draft should be error-free with good editing.

What are you reading now?
Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art by James Nestor.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Some non-fiction medical 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?
The Cosmic Connection by Carl Sagan, Silent Spring by Rachel Carson, The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History by Elizabeth Kolbert, A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson.

Author Websites and Profiles
Shuvomoy Banerjee Website
Shuvomoy Banerjee Amazon Profile

Shuvomoy Banerjee’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a language trainer, coach and author. I have been offering my services in the field of education since the last 3 decades. I stepped into the teaching career nonchalantly and eventually discovered that this was my greatest passion in life. I simply love to have energetic youngsters around me. Teaching them, interacting with them, working with them, observing them gave me a deep insight into understanding them.

I would like to say this about myself as a teacher –
‘I am the ground on which young minds sprout. Every now and then the crop gets harvested and I get prepared to sow new seeds. My body grows older but my spirit is always revelling in the sense of timelessness.’
I have always eloquently translated my deepest thoughts and emotions into language with ease. I don’t feel that I write, I just translate my thoughts, observations and experiences into words. It is perhaps this direct candidness that reaches and touches my readers directly. This ability was first identified by my English teacher when I was just 13 when she displayed my self composed poem on the school board. I have always been writing since then, but never really considered publication. It was only lately that I decided upon organising my writing and sharing it with readers through a book.

I have also authored a bi lingual poetry collection “Rishton Ki Dhoop Chaanv, available on Amazon and Notion press. This book is my second publication. And my readers can definitely look forward to more.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Teenager Talks – Understanding The Pressures of Being a Teenager is the 1st volume of the series Teen Talks.
This book got created because of my constant interaction and observation of teenagers around me. Sharing their sorrows and joys, I constantly keep discovering that their lives are not as easy as the people around them usually like to believe. Infact, their lives are extremely challenging and more stressed than ever before. Modern parents have become liberal and understanding. They think that they have managed to reduce this gap between generations. But it may not really be true. Infact, the gap has increased manifold and at a mind boggling rate. With technologically advanced youngsters, even the most modern and well educated seem to be at their wits end when it comes to handling issues related to their children. Mainly because most of these new fangled problems are unprecedented, parenting is becoming more and more challenging. We often hear distressed parents shaking their heads in disdain at their inability to put forth their point of view to their adolescent. Through this book, I have tried to bring the other side of the story, by narrating first hand experiences of some teenagers. I have also added some of my own heart touching experiences as a teacher. Subtly underlying are some messages that I would like to give to the youngsters, who should never underestimate the wisdom of the elders. I have also shared my opinions on what parents might do in difficult situations. This is my attempt to reduce the gap between generations.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
As we have marched into technological modernisation, blending the demarcation between reality and virtuality, writing itself is an unusual habit. This is my observation as an English teacher. Most of the youngsters dread writing. But, as a part of a much older generation that gorged on reading and evolved with expression, writing is an integral and inseparable part of my personality. Writing for me is a natural process, just like eating or speaking. I feel my words, I live my words, I breathe my words. When I was younger, I used to feel that the day I stop writing, I will die. Writing gives me the creative satisfaction of ‘living’ and not merely ‘existing.’ I hope that qualifies as ‘unusual.’

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Paradise Lost – John Milton
Anna Karenina – Leo Tolstoy

What are you working on now?
Teenager Talks – Bridging the Gap Between Generations – Volume 2

Do you have any advice for new authors?
‘Don’t believe what your eyes are telling you. All they show is limitation. Look with your understanding, find out what you already know, and you’ll see the way to fly.’
Richard Bach

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
‘I never did a day’s work in my life. It was all fun.’ – Thomas A. Edison
‘When you love what you are doing, you do not work; you enhance your passion.’

What are you reading now?
The Home and the World – Rabindranath Tagore

What’s next for you as a writer?
Teenager Talks – Bridging the Gap Between Generations – Volume 2

Teenagers are struggling with hormonal and biological changes impacting their body, mind and emotions. Running parallel to that are academic pressures, high expectations, peer pressure, unlimited exposure to media and networking. Also new in their life could be addictions and romance. They are not experienced to handle any of these things and often experience stress, anxiety, anger and depression.

Those stresses could be stemming up due to petty and menial causes but become huge because of the lack of understanding and negligence by people around them. Sometimes, the solution is as simple as assuring, “Go on, I’m listening…” Sometimes, all that a teen needs is a patient ear, understanding and attention, definitely not an overdose of the same. This volume discusses the possibilities for a better bonhomie between generations.
It is my attempt to bridge the gap.

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 Adventures of Tom Sawyer
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Life of Pi
Gitanjali

Author Websites and Profiles
Jyoti Malhotra Website
Jyoti Malhotra Amazon Profile

Jyoti Malhotra’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My name is Nicole Thomas, I have published the first two books in my fantasy series as well a short book of poetry. I have always loved to read and that love led to me wanting to create stories and worlds that would transport my readers away from the stresses of everyday life. I started writing poetry and have ventured into Christian Fantasy. I hope that I will create places where readers may see themselves reflected on the pages and find hope, adventure and truth between the lines.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Tales of Elhaanai is the name of the series as well as the first book, The Prophecy is the second and Wages of War is the third so each title reflects what is going on in the story. The main title “Elhaanai” was given to me in a dream, along with the story. There is no true meaning to it as one word but when broken down it can have several translations, all of which add a layer of importance to the overall story. “EL” being the judeo-christian name for God, “Hanai” – hawaiian term for adopted family. When you read the story, you will see how that manifests for the main character, Alric. It could also be read as “EL Hanah” which mean God is Gracious, and again that definition would resonate with the over arching theme of the series.
From its inception to its conclusion, the book was God led and inspired for me.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Unusual would depend on who you ask. Many authors experience writers block, and some combat it by stepping away or working on a different project. While I often stepped away when this happened I would also pray. My genre is Christian fiction, so I had to be sure the message of Faith would be grafted into the core of the story. If I go stuck at a certain place, I would stop and ask, “Ok God, what’s supposed to happen here? Where do they go? Who dies? Who gets hurt? What changes?” And then I would wait for however long until I got the go ahead.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I absolutely love Francine Rivers and CS Lewis. Both incorporate Christian elements into their stories and tell them so beautifully.

What are you working on now?
I am preparing the final book in the trilogy, Wages Of War, for release on May 1st. I am also writing a stand alone woman’s fiction story about a single mother. It started out as a writing prompt found on Instagram and bloomed into a story I think is needed. The main character is single African American woman with a young daughter. She is not single due to drugs, violence or any other stereotypical trauma commonly seen in books. She is experiencing life like every one of us does and trying to overcome obstacles the best way she can, with faith and grit. I am hoping for 2022 release for that.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I have made the most wonderful connections on Instagram, genuine connections that go behind the twitter blasts that I started out with. I recently launched my website and hope to start gaining followers through that platform as well. I have Facebook author page also, but I am most active on Instagram.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Be true to your vision and value quality over speed. It takes time to write, edit, and repeat as often as needed. Your book is an outward expression of YOU so make sure you put your best foot forward. It’s better to measure twice and cut once, then cut too early and realize what you made does not function as you intended it.
I would also say, just start. Take that first step, that first word and keep going. Let it flow onto the pages and clean it up after. Invest in a GOOD EDITOR and COVER designer, you are worth it and you will be proud of the end result.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
INVEST IN A GOOD EDITOR AND COVER DESIGNER! lol, I rushed my first book and relied on the well intentioned help of family members. I am grateful, but those first few reviews were bad. I pulled the book and paid to have it reformatted and edited for industry standards. It made a world of difference.

What are you reading now?
I am reading Raft of Stars by Andrew Graff, just started it today but its good. I finished The Lost Apothecary a few days ago and it was absolutely wonderful.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I plan to keep writing, like I said, I have the woman’s fiction book in the works as well as a children’s book. My goal is to release one or two books a year for as long as I am able and inspired to do so.

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 and I couldn’t begin to narrow it down further! Something in the fantasy genre definitely and maybe something that could teach me how to get off the island!

Author Websites and Profiles
Nicole Patrice Thomas Website
Nicole Patrice Thomas Amazon Profile

Nicole Patrice Thomas’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve been writing consistently since I was eleven. I wrote short stories through high-school until I discovered screenplays. After writing a few screenplays in college I moved to LA and only wrote more than twenty screenplays over 15 years.

Then I started a car review show called “Everyday Driver” and moved out of LA. My writing time became scarce and I shifted to novels. It took a long time to finish my first novel but I enjoyed it more than anything I’ve written.

I consider myself a writer and story-teller first, but it’s been funny to interact with people that know me as a podcast and TV host and are surprised to hear I write.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest work is “Paper Father”, a story I first began as a screenplay before my son was born. Thinking about impending fatherhood inspired the first bits of the idea and the more I thought about the story, the more I realized it needed to be longer than a feature film and the main character’s writings to his son would be best served in a novel.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t write everyday. At least, I type everyday. I spend a lot of time thinking about the characters and throwing them against situations or each other in my mind. I’ve always discovered new things and better directions for a story as I do this. I take regular notes on my phone or computer – whatever is closest when a new twist comes out of this thinking. Eventually I sit down and take these seemingly fragment milestones and character moments and write. At that point it typically goes quickly.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Steven King’s “Gunslinger” series.
Blake Crouch’s “Dark Matter”
Paula Hawkins’ “Girl on the Train”
Garth Stein’s “The Art of Racing in the Rain”

What are you working on now?
A completely different novel than “Paper Father”. This one is a full Sci-Fi with creatures and space ships and war. I’m excited to be doing something completely different and working on an idea I had about halfway through writing “Paper Father”.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
2 things:

1 – People are selfish. They aren’t thinking about you nearly as much as you think they are, so don’t make decisions based on what others might think.
2 – If you want to take a risk that might be looked down on, but doesn’t hurt anyone else… do it, and ask for forgiveness and not permission.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Figuring out the best ways to promote “Paper Father” as I work on my next novel.

Author Websites and Profiles
Todd Deeken Website
Todd Deeken Amazon Profile

Todd Deeken’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Judy Burr is originally from Colorado, where she raised a family and started an accounting business. She now resides in Las Vegas, NV and continues her career in the field of finance. She is the owner/operator of Account On Me Inc, but her love of “numbers” has been replaced by a love for writing.

After Judy’s arrest on Pearl Harbor Day, she agreed to become a witness for the prosecution, but surrendering to those circumstances was far easier than submitting to the man determined to save her soul. In order to cope, she began journaling and those words ultimately spawned a steamy romance trilogy.

In 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic and the resulting quarantine became a catalyst to complete. With the gift of time, she dusted off her word processor and brought her debut novel back to life. LION SONG is the first installation of a planned trilogy. The second book, FIVE GOLDEN RINGS, is in the editing stages, and the conclusion is waiting in the wings.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Lion Song

On December seventh, years after Japan bombed the Pacific fleet, Judy is arrested and brought up on charges of wire fraud. Her personal war with the Federal government serves as the back drop for a steamy romance with Rod, a charismatic businessman. Rod is determined to save her, but it is not her legal entanglement that concerns him most. Upon her command, they enter the bowels of hell, and there he discovers her true power. She is indeed a witch, and he vows to save her.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Journal like crazy!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Love debut authors. The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski was stellar.

What are you working on now?
Five Golden Rings – 2nd book in a planned trilogy, Uncommon Partnerships

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Not sure. Still experimenting.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t give up.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Get a PA

What are you reading now?
No time to read right now. I’m an accountant, and I’m busy preparing tax returns.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Finish editing Five Golden Rings.

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 Lord of the Rings
The Hobbit
&
All of the Harry Potter series

Author Websites and Profiles
Judy Burr Website
Judy Burr Amazon Profile

Judy Burr’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a Jesus-girl, wife, mom, horse enthusiast, and a word girl! It’s no surprise that words of affirmation are my love language. When I’m not chasing the kids or administering their daily lessons, we can be found riding our horses, Legacy and Sara Jane.
I offer iPads and popcorn to the kids for a couple of hours most days, just so I can squeeze in some time to write. I’ve released two books + a preorder as of March 2021, with plans in the works for many more to come.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
We Grow Together is available for preorder on all major ebook retailers. This story was a long time coming. I drafted it eleven years ago and then left it to collect dust. It just wasn’t quite there. I picked it back up after writing We Go On and Still With Us. I finally knew what the story needed. Instead of just editing, I actually rewrote the entire book.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Five am alarms, hot tea in large quantity, and slippers on my feet. Timers motivate me, so if I’m struggling with a scene, pressed for time, or super distracted, I put on a twenty-minute timer, and somehow that turns on my laser focus. I can put some serious words on the page in twenty minutes. (Also, I’m more prone to freaking out on my family if they interrupt me when the timer is going…. lol)

What authors, or books have influenced you?
All of them? Is that an acceptable answer? The books I’ve read and loved have inspired me to keep trying, to keep learning, to write better. The books I haven’t loved have shown me literary devices and tones and narrative voices that don’t fit who I am or what I want to write. Most recently I’ve been reading Angela Christina Archer’s WWII saga: Yours, Mine, Our (The Promises Between Us) and I’ve been completely sucked in. Before that, I was reading Greer MacAllister’s books – all four of them. You can’t go wrong with her work, either.

What are you working on now?
Preparing to launch We Grow Together and finishing up A Maid for Mason – part of a multi-author series. This is my first launch since leaving social media and it comes with a sharp curve trying to re-define how I will launch a book and announce it to readers.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
My email newsletter is the best way to stay in the loop about my books as they are releasing. I just updated my website but honestly, after I put my first book on it, I forgot to go back and put my second book on it until three months after the book released. Can we say oops?

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write. Quit wasting time. Platform building is long, slow work. Don’t lose hours or days to it, especially in the beginning. Write, keep writing, and write some more.
Limit how many emails you subscribe to, also. You’ll want to follow everyone’s suggestions and ideas and you’ll use up your writing time chasing these other things. Follow one, or two, and use the advice until it seems circular, then unsubscribe and find some new advice. But don’t subscribe to ten at a time and give up your writing time to emails.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Write. LOL Seriously, when I start spinning my wheels and I lose a morning of writing time to all the ideas, I go back to that simple advice. Write.

What are you reading now?
I’m between books right now. Putting the finishing touches on We Grow Together and prepping for launch have tied up my time.

Well, my read-aloud with the kids right now is The Green Ember by S.D. Smith – does that count? (Good book, by the way. Read it.)

What’s next for you as a writer?
After We Grow Together launches, and I finish A Maid for Mason, I have a very special project about a horse whose future is changed in the blink of an eye. It’s going to be a good one, folks! I can’t wait to start writing 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?
The Bible, A Wild Foraging Handbook, Me Before You, The Arctic Fury

Author Websites and Profiles
Regina Walker Website
Regina Walker Amazon Profile

Regina Walker’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a pretty normal person, I guess. I was born in Portland, Oregon and went to college at Oregon State University before I transferred to Oregon Institute of Technology and got a degree in Applied Mathematics a few years ago. I love rock climbing, motorcycles, playing the piano and following my Ragdoll cat, Mr. J, around endlessly. I wrote a screen play a few years ago that did well in the only competition I submitted it to. It’s a thriller about a young man who was abused as a child and withdrew from society. I’ve written short stories for years. Recently, I realized that Amazon made the publishing process much easier and I was eager to share a few of my stories. So, I wrote the first Sunny book, ‘Welcome to South Dakota’ and published it recently. At the same time, I was working on a sci-fi thriller called ‘Europa Contagion’ that I just couldn’t get out of my head. Europa is done and it’s going through a final review for typo’s, consistency, etc. before it gets published sometime around the middle of 2021. I’ve also got a detailed outline for the second Sunny book, tentatively titled ‘Welcome to Spirit Lake.’

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
‘Welcome to South Dakota’ is the newest book that is published. It was inspired by my increased exposure to Native American culture since I moved to Spokane, Washington. Native culture is more dominant up here than where I was raised and I initially became interested in the language and then the beliefs, traditions, etc. of the Native people. My neighbor has a 1947 Indian Roadmaster motorcycle and I’ve always found it fascinating, too. Somehow, my weird brain put the two together and came up with an idea for a novel.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m not sure what others do so it’s hard to say if my habits are ‘unusual.’ I do a ton of research before writing anything. I also do a lot of ‘rough drafts’ of big ideas for my books so I can refer back to these big ideas while I’m writing. I create character profiles so I feel I know my characters very well before writing. I also create a rough, overall outline of the story – but not too detailed so I don’t feel hemmed in. Once I start writing, it proceeds very quickly and I find that, much of the time, I can’t type quickly enough to keep up with my thoughts. Often, I find my screenplay writing experience causes me to see the action as a movie and that makes it more fun for me during the writing process. Writing novels is much freer than screenplays where the formatting and strict limitations (length, arcs, budgets, etc.) make it much more structured.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
As a young person, I was impressed with Jules Verne and H.G. Wells. Later, I found Sir Isaac Asimov and Arthur C. Clarke, to name a couple, mind-blowing. Orson Scott Card also blew me away with ‘Ender’s Game.’ More recently, I loved ‘The Martian’ by Andrew Weir and it has become one of my top five. I appreciate ‘Lee Child’ and the Jack Reacher series a lot and always have time for Dean Koontz and Stephen King, of course.

What are you working on now?
As I said, I’m finalizing the sci-fi thriller, ‘Europa Contagion’ about the first manned mission to Jupiter’s most-promising moon. I’m also deep into planning for the second Sunny book which picks up shortly after the first one ends. I keep a list of story ideas and there are enough items on the list to keep me writing until I die.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Amazon is about all that matters as far as I can tell for self-publishing. This is my first stab at self-publishing (I was under contract with another publisher many years ago and I didn’t like the process). I’m certainly not a marketing whiz so I don’t have any silver bullets when it comes to book promotion.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I don’t feel I have enough experience as a novelist to offer anything that I KNOW is helpful. If you are curious and find writing is fun and you can’t wait to get back to your keyboard when you have free time, I suspect you’ll do fine. But, as I say, what do I know?

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
With respect to writing, I thought Poe’s advice that he wrote the endings first was outstanding. I have always kept that in mind so I start at the end when I’m planning a book. It’s pretty easy for me to come up with a ton of ideas for stories but, the trick is to come up with good endings. Once I know how my story will end, it’s easier and less stressful to start with a completely blank page (or monitor) in front of me. I used to like to solve maze puzzles and they are far easier if you start at the destination and work backward to the beginning of the maze.

What are you reading now?
I’m reading ‘Heart-Shaped Box’ by Joe Hill. It’s a horror novel about an aging rock start who purchases a ghost. The unique concept intrigued me and I haven’t read a horror book for a few months. I just started it so I can’t give it a review yet.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I will keep writing Sunny stories (action) for a while. To keep it interesting and fun, I’ll also throw in a sci-fi novel once in a while. I’ve written some horror shorts but never a full-length novel so that may happen soon. I don’t have any plans to take over the world or write ‘War and Peace.’

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?
Obviously, ‘How to Thrive while being Stranded on a Desert Island’ would be my first choice. After that, I’d take ‘The Martian’ (which is pretty similar to the hypothetical question) and ‘Mysterious Island’ by Jules Verne (which is also similarly-themed). I’d love to try surviving on a desert island though I’d prefer a tropical island. I’d bring ‘Ringworld’ by Larry Niven. I’d also want a completely blank book with tons of pages to write a really long, but really great, novel!

Author Websites and Profiles
Nicholas Thorp Website
Nicholas Thorp Amazon Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Both born and raised in New York, Gary was born and raised in Maspeth, Queens while Ilene on Long Island. They will be celebrating 40-years of marriage in November 2020. Their blended family all live in Arizona, about 30-miles from one another. Along with these four children, they enjoy nine grandchildren ranging in age from two years to seventeen.

It took us three years to become Italian citizens through the Jurs Sanguinis and Jurs Matrimonii application process. This was done through the Los Angeles, California Consulate as they currently reside in Arizona. They would describe this process as a rollercoaster ride and currently help others with their applications, questions, and travel advice. Obtaining Italian citizenship became personal for Gary in wanting to bring his name back home to Italy.

This is our very first book and we are enjoying the amazing reviews on Amazon.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The name of our travel adventure memoir is Our Italian Journey. We are award-winning bloggers, and after obtaining our dual citizenship with Italy – we made a promise to each other to leave family and friends behind and live a year throughout Italy. We decided early on in this adventure to document our journey. For people to enjoy and experience the seducing charm of the country, the twists and turns, and their humorous moments we faced along the way.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
We don’t have any unusual habits. We actually wrote our book while experiencing our adventure through Italy.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Nancy and John Petralia had a huge influence on us. Because of their book, Not in a Tuscan Villa, we stayed 90-days in Parma. We have become close friends – yet we have never met in person. We talk on the phone, email, and Zoom when we can.

What are you working on now?
We are several days away from returning to Italy for 2021. As Italian citizens, we are allowed to return. We are considering documenting this process of how Italy is coping with this pandemic after a year of lockdowns.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Our website is ouritalianjourney.com where we post about places to visit, recipes, travel tips, and of course, about our book.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
In fact, I do. Do it. Try it. You might surprise yourself. I never thought of myself as a writer – and probably still don’t in some respect. We wrote from our hearts and shared our amazing experiences. The responses we have received are heartwarming.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Try it. You never know what door will open because of it.

What are you reading now?
Michelle Domani’s Santa Lucia series.

What’s next for you as a writer?
We have a few ideas in the process. Our reviewers and followers are encouraging us to write another book.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
I would take Not in a Tuscan Villa, Under the Tuscan Sun, and one of David’s books for variety!

Author Websites and Profiles
Ilene & Gary Modica Website
Ilene & Gary Modica Amazon Profile
Ilene & Gary Modica Author Profile on Smashwords

Ilene & Gary Modica’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a high school student and have written my very first novel based on the idea to spread the true sense of friendship.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Cosmo Fri Ship is my first and the latest novel, which was recently released. My own broken strands of friendships inspired me to write this novel. I was not much involved in writing but there’s always a way to drain all your negativity and spread the positivity to the world. These days people are actually surrounded with a lot of people ad yet they still feel lonely and that feeling of staying lonely is beyond any expression. I myself find a lot of people to share a relationship with which is called friendship, but the only question which rises in my mind is- Which one of them is a non ending one?

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Yes… when I actually get bored in my lectures…I write a lot of quotes and thoughts. Though I don’t publish them but you will surely find few of them in my latest novel.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
No one!

What are you working on now?
I am in a high school. I want to pursue my future as an oncologist+author.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I use social media for the promotions of my novel.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Still discovering.

What’s next for you as a writer?
My next project is really very interesting, being a medical aspirant I always wondered what kind of life an undergraduate medical student lives. I will be working on this as soon as I get a college. 🙂

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?
Cosmo Fri Ship- Kshitij Mathur
The Alchemist- Paulo coelho
Dear stranger, I know how you feel- Ashish Bagrecha
The Power of our Subconcsious Mind

Author Websites and Profiles
Kshitij Mathur Website
Kshitij Mathur Amazon Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am passionate about financial freedom and have made it my mission to share my expertise in finance with millennial women worldwide. I spent 10 years building a career in finance, working in banking and wealth management and became a chartered investment manager. I learned an incredible amount of valuable information during that time, I am so excited to be able to share it with those who need it most now!

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The name of my book is Millennial Money Queens. It came about spontaneously! I was out for a walk with my husband and having a philosophical conversation about the state of millennial women and money. Unfortunately, many millennial women suffer financially due to outdated societal beliefs about the role of women in society and how that relates to money. I believe millennial women hold an important key to our society’s future success, we are very passionate about important issues like gender and race equality and sustainability. With the right financial education and empowerment, we can make a difference and create abundance for all! Millennial money queens is a term that represents what I wish to offer every millennial women, to be in charge of her money and create her dream life.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I do have unusual writing habits. I first discovered writing a few years ago, I woke up after having a dream about writing a book for young people about the inner power every human being holds. I simply started writing and the words just flowed! It was an incredible experience! I ended up writing 2 books in that series but never published it. I had the same experience when I started writing Millennial Money Queens, the words just flowed! I simply planned out the outline and the book was complete within a couple of weeks.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The Intelligent Investor by Benjamin Graham and Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill were high influential in my whole journey in becoming financially strong. I quickly realized that these books hold immense power yet they did not speak directly to millennial women who certainly need to be empowered with this information right now.

What are you working on now?
I am working on a follow-up book, it’s built in a program format to help readers implement all the Millennial Money Queens strategies in 21-days. I am very excited to release this, as we know information becomes very valuable once it’s used.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
The best place is to visit my website www.millennialmoneyqueens.com

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Believe in yourself and never stop going for your dreams! Whatever path we choose, there will always be hurdles and challenges and those are actually blessings in disguise, they help us push ourselves out of our comfort zones, to expand and become greater versions of ourselves. There is always so much to learn, always be open minded to learning new things.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Everything is just a story we tell ourselves. This really marked me because life is often a very subjective experience, we all have different backgrounds, personalities and belief systems, we filter events through all that and the experience we end up with is a product of the choices we have made all along in life. A lot of us are subject to harsh self-treatment and judgement, those are all just stories we tell ourselves, they are not hard and absolute truths, we are always rewriting the story of our lives, the choice is yours!

What are you reading now?
Buddha’s Brain by Rick Hanson

What’s next for you as a writer?
I aim to impact 1 million millennial women to develop financial stability and freedom. Creating the tools to help them do that has been an incredible journey so far, the next step for me is to continue expanding my reach and help our generation make history in a beautiful way. Millennial women are approaching an important point in their lives, we are maturing and we need to make choices now about who we want to be, what kind of life we want to live and what kind of world we want to create. By making the right choices now, we can create something truly beautiful, finally put an end to outdated things like gender pay gaps, racism and the destruction of our environment. With the proper funding and education, all that will come much more easily.

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?
Becoming Supernatural by Dr. Joe Dispenza, Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu, the Bible and a survival book.

Author Websites and Profiles
Maria Alcantara Website
Maria Alcantara Amazon Profile

Maria Alcantara’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile