Awesome Author Interviews

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a native Ohian, happily married, raising two kids and trying to keep up with them.

I just published my first children’s story – a picture book.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
WHEELS: What Is a Virus?

It was inspired by my father-in-law portayed as a farmer and his big blue tractor, named Wheels in the story. He loved giving his grandchildren rides on his tractor, and even let them do some of the driving with his help.

It was also inspired by my sons, Michael and Alex, both of whom had many rides on Pappy’s tractor.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
No, not really. I just write when the inspiration comes. Writing is a great outlet.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Pete the Cat, Tractor Mac, Charlotte’s Web, any Dr. Seuss books, and my husband’s (Chris Baum’s) first book, Surrender, which is a fairy tale with Bigfoot as the main character.

What are you working on now?
Book 2 of my Tractor Adventure Series.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
All social media, and my author website: www.melanniebaum.com

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write what you love.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
If you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life.

What are you reading now?
These interview questions (smirk).

What’s next for you as a writer?
To release the next book of this series with a goal of 1 children’s book per year.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
The Survivalist
Eat Less
All Natural Remedies
How to Best Build a Raft
(Disclaimer: I made these titles up)

Author Websites and Profiles
Melannie Baum Website
Melannie Baum Amazon Profile

Melannie Baum’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I like to dabble in a variety of genres but focus mainly on instalove, contemporary romances. As of right now, I have thirteen novellas published. I’m working on releasing a full-length novel in the next year.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Flawed Professor is the name of the book that is releasing in February of 2021. It’s part of the Cocky Hero Club world. I wanted to pick a character and create his world. Tobias wasn’t a main focus in the Park Avenue Player book.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write when I have the urge to write. If I’m not ‘into’ writing, then I have to wait until the inspiration comes.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I grew up reading the Babysitter Club books. Once I got older, I leaned more toward Danielle Steel and Nora Roberts. Eventually, my tastes broadened and I became entranced as I started to read Anne Rice and Laurell K. Hamilton.

What are you working on now?
Right now I’m working on the finishing touches (edits) of the Unleashed short story tales. I’m also working on a Taboo/Dark Story tale, which should be featured in this year’s erotica anthology. More information for that will be updated on my website.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I usually promote through Facebook and Amazon.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
It’s hard work but I don’t regret ever writing my first story. Keep at it, and don’t give up.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Never give up.

What are you reading now?
I’m reading the Sleeping Lotus series by Scottie Kaye.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Continue writing. Work with my editors. Push out more stories.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
This is a difficult question. I have so many favorites. 1. The Killing Dance by Laurell K. Hamilton 2. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde 3. The Original Sinners by Tiffany Reisz 4. Queen of the Damned by Anne Rice

Author Websites and Profiles
Sarah Stein Website
Sarah Stein Amazon Profile

Sarah Stein’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am the author of two books, an International Relation Specialist and an Editor Writer. The fundamental knowledge in Psychology, Didactic and Philosophy acquired within a certificate degree study in Pedagogy, are representing an essential asset in writing the novels, ‘The Heart Of An Eye’ and ‘Collection Days: Famous Smiles’.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
As author, I am proud of my new released novel, ‘The Heart of An Eye’. The unique and inspirational 2020 release, has a prominent role in my career and has been enjoyed by fans of all ages and backgrounds.
‘The Heart of An Eye’ represents an unique fiction novel that explores — the facets of the human condition, including the function and role of society, the nature, and motivation of human acts, the purpose of life, ethics or morals —the role of experience or reason in the development of knowledge, whether there exists free will. The novel presents an ambiguous and ironic projection of the ideal state— for a future in which society is entirely based on logic and modeled after mechanical systems through different directions of humanity that can be taken depending on its choices.
The fundamental knowledge in Political Science and Social Science developed my enthusiasm for writing ‘The Heart of An Eye’.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not quite. I love jogging because it raises my capacity of thinking. I enjoy landscape photography and spend my free time capturing different sides of nature, traveling, or discovering new places.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The first book is ‘The Great Gatsby ‘ by F. Scott Fitzgerald because it is one of the great classics of twentieth-century literature and it really captured my attention as being an exemplary novel of the Jazz Age.
The most important book is ‘Pride and Prejudice ‘ by Jane Austen, because of her characters intrigue, making this book the most superb comedy of manners of Regency England.

What are you working on now?
I just finished my new fiction novel. It differentiate the directions that were executed into organized actions and statements, activated by characters which hold the power that was administered in the imposed periods of universal policies applied regardless of local culture and traditional approaches. In valuing the procedures’ and frameworks’ in particular, public establishments, institutions and collective actions, the novel underlines a unique approach in key chapters that combine the conventional appearances in explaining the pacts made by communities into encouraging leaders and systems development, in structures that conceive and further detailed the active models that had captured the applied criteria and environments detected in the course of the organizational foundations of identities and civilizations.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Social Media is a path that gives an amazing pulse to any author that attend in knowing the passion of readers. When a campaign is made and launched on social media, as an author I size their engagement into connecting their imagination or mind with other people that captured it. I use all the author social media to achieve to have permanent readers and better engagements in my audience that can capture my books into people’s life.
I am inviting everybody to like, follow and stay in touch on my social media platforms to connect each other to never miss out a new release.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Making a step further is what really matters. If you see the destination you can’t stop. If you let yourself blinded by what you have but with no surprise from you, then you could probably achieve to wait, while other succeed to write better and became stronger.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
To be unique and always be myself. In my opinion writers are a living structure that create to appeal to their genius. The only thing that rise from their abilities is the emotions they meet from readers.

What are you reading now?
The ‘Memories, Dreams, Reflections’ by C.G. Jung that relates the life story of Jung.

What’s next for you as a writer?
In my opinion writers are a living structure that create to appeal to their genius. The only thing that rise from their abilities is the emotions they meet from readers. As a writer my plans are to develop my ideas in new books and creative writing projects. Be braver, smarter and achieve the amazing pulse that any writer attends in knowing the passion of their readers, in the engagement of connecting with more people.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
‘The Count of Monte Cristo’ by Alexandre Dumas, ‘The Alchemist’
by Paulo Coelho, ‘Against the Gods: The Remarkable Story of Risk’ by
Peter L. Bornstein.

Author Websites and Profiles
Iulia C. Bocaneala Website
Iulia C. Bocaneala Amazon Profile
Iulia C. Bocaneala Author Profile on Smashwords

Iulia C. Bocaneala’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hello. I go by Magda L. I am a young self published author. For as long as I can remember, writing has been the only thing that I’ve ever really shown consistent interest and passion for. It has never left my side and has always been a reliever for me, especially since I am a big dreamer, therefore I put my ideas into writing, as well as some aspects of my life. Communication also isn’t exactly my strongest suit (introvert over here haha) therefore writing has always been a lifesaver for me, helping me express myself. I’ve self published 4 books in total. One of them was with a company, iUniverse (wasn’t the best experience) and the other three were with Amazon (which I’ll continue using for future books.)

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I am always working on stories and have plenty of drafts at home, all over my desk and room (lots of short stories lately). The last book I published on Amazon is called, “The New Kid.” It’s a book for all ages. I wrote it when I was very young, and forgot about it for a while until one day (years later lol) it resurfaced while I was rummaging through the drawers in my room. After some heavy editing, I posted it on Wattpad (Account: Wannabe04) and then turned it into a book months later. It’s a mystery/thriller, about a girl who meets a new kid who her close ones are suspicious of.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t think so. Or at least, not from what I’ve noticed. I can say though, that I am very big on adding lots of dialogue in my books. I like to make the characters talk the way we do in real life (lots of filler words, pauses, etc.) Just so that the readers can feel like they’re part of the story. Oh! And actually, I might have a weird habit that I’m thinking about it. I like to sometimes create my own words, or twist the spelling around according to how I like it or imagine the character saying it. Maybe that’s not unusual, but I do it in every single book I’ve written. So in other words, I create my own writing rules as I go. Maybe that’s something other authors do, I’m not sure haha.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Ooo there are so many. I am a big fan of Eric Jerome Dickey. Chasing Destiny, Thieves Paradise, so good! But honestly, I’ve been reading since forever, and I can’t count the amount of books my hands have touched. As a kid I was into R.L Stine’s Goosebumps series, Stephen King at some point, it all changes and it’s never a specific author. I always just loved the way certain books/series were written and the way they would make me feel. I’ve always wanted to give that feeling to people one day with my own work.

What are you working on now?
Right now, I am switching back and forth between different drafts, either editing completed ones or updating new ones. One of them is more of a romance, something I don’t really focus on in my work, but I like the way this one is going as I am purposely not turning it into anything corny or cheesy. Like all of my books, I am emphasizing on the dialogue and general natural flow of the story.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Promoting is all new to me. I don’t have a big following, and therefore it is difficult for me to promote, one of the reasons I am on this site. But I’ve created a YouTube channel (Her Stories) for book trailers, and an Instagram (@_her.storiess). I also try to be active on Wattpad as well and join different communities. It’s a challenge, but I’m trying.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I would encourage all new authors to do their research (know what writing entails), never get discouraged no matter how slow the process is of getting readers and sales. It’s important to use all the effort you put into writing for marketing and self promotion as well. And never be afraid to reach out, because that’s what you want as a writer, to put yourself out there.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Always trust yourself and your instincts. And keep all your copyrights. These are things I’ve read on online articles from countless research haha.

What are you reading now?
I last reread Chasing Destiny by Eric Jerome Dickey. Before that it was Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell. I’m not sure what will be next, but we’ll see.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Really, I’m just looking to grow as a writer and attract readers. My plan is to figure out this whole promotion thing and improve on my skills along the way. I am hoping and working towards the best.

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?
Chasing Destiny – Eric Jerome Dickey (I really like this book as you can see haha)
Basketball Jones – E. Lynn Harris (ugh so good)
The Education Of Margot Sanchez – Lilliam Rivera (really liked this)
Indecent – Corrine Sullivan (good writing style)
These are what I can think of right now, but it always changes in my head

Author Websites and Profiles
Magda L Amazon Profile

 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
TH Leatherman is a writer from Firestone, Colorado. He enjoys science fiction, fantasy, winemaking, and the Rocky Mountain lifestyle. When not busy writing his next book, he can be found hiking with his wife and two sons or walking his rescued dogs. He worked as a stockbroker for twenty years before he started writing full time. He graduated Summa Cum Laude from Regis University with a degree in Business Management and a minor in Psychology. He has released six books, The Burning Son, Marque of the Son, Son Rise, Twin Sons, The Son Set, an omnibus edition of the first three books, and 1001 Puns, Dad Jokes, and One-Liners.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The latest book in The Burning Son series is Twin Sons. The series itself came from my desire to see a freighter crew in a Star Trek style universe. A group of people that were on the right side of the law sometimes, but frequently not. I first wanted to publish the series in 2002, but then Firefly came out and I shelved the project until 2016.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not really. I write in the morning and work on all the other author stuff like promotions, newsletters, blog posts, and the like in the afternoons. A lot of writers have this system.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Wow, a lot. Among the classics, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Heinlein, Asimov. I love the adventure books of Clive Cussler. Contemporary authors I follow are MD Cooper, Terry Mixon, and Jamie McFarlane.

What are you working on now?
I’m currently writing a fantasy humor novel: Fairy Farts. But Son in Exile, book five in the series is slated for later this year.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Awesome Gang! But I also contact other authors for reviews, blog posts, and the like. I post puns and advertise on social media a lot.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t write the book, write three. Join a critique group, then read everything you can get your hands on about the world of publishing.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Make writing a daily habit. That’s the best advice ver.

What are you reading now?
I’m working my way through Glynn Stewart’s Heart of Vengeance.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Write, write, write. I’ll publish 7 books this year if I can stay on schedule. 2 pun books, 3 financial self-help books, Son in Exile, and Fairy Farts.

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?
Seriously? Only three of four books? Let’s start with Lord of the Rings, Ian Douglas’s Star Carrier series, and let’s through in Robert Asprin’s Phule’s Company series for some laughs.

Author Websites and Profiles
TH Leatherman Website
TH Leatherman Amazon Profile

TH Leatherman’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have written about 4 fiction novels, and am in the process of writing two others.
In the middle of this plague, I self-published one of the first 4 novels. Yes, call me crazy!

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The book I just self-published is called Loose Gravel and it’s a crazy road story about a punk band on their first tour. I am a former punk rock drummer, former club and radio DJ and music promoter, and I read a TON of musician biographies. My experience in the music scene and my interest in music is what inspired me to write my first three novels, all of which I intend to self-publish.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Being at a cottage on a lake and being able to swim and write pretty much all day is an incredible creative tonic for me. But my most unusual writing habit is talking and sometimes arguing with my characters because they will tell me things like “I wouldn’t do that – change it to this”. I’ve learned to just shut up and listen to them.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I have always liked edgy fiction and books that push typical parameters. I also enjoy music biographies, non-fiction psychology case studies, and history of people living outside the normal boundaries of life.

What are you working on now?
A novel about a camping trip gone wrong.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I sell my book on Shopify and promote it on Facebook, Instagram and Goodreads.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Make sure you get a lot of people who can provide a critical eye to read your book before you put it out there. While some comments are personal opinions, others can tell you a lot about changes you really should be making. It takes a bit of time to be able to determine this, but whatever you do don’t take the feedback personally.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Never give up. Just keep forging ahead even though it might seem pointless at the time.

What are you reading now?
A novel about a couple trying to figure out why their child is acting so bizarrely and a biography of The Cramps.

What’s next for you as a writer?
After I finish my camping novel, I am going to start in on my next endeavour, but I’m keeping the subject matter under my hat for now. In the meantime, I also plan to self-publish the first novel I wrote, a very dark, young adult novel set in the early 1980s.

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?
L’etranger – Camus
Youth In Revolt – C.D. Payne (SO much better than the stupid movie)
A dictionary (to learn new words)

Author Websites and Profiles
Ginny Fanthome Website

Ginny Fanthome’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a retired software engineer. Though, some claim I’m a wizard posing as an engineer. I’ve written 4 books, all in the award winning Thomas Holland series.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Thomas Holland and Pandora’s Portal. It’s the thrilling conclusion to the Thomas Holland Trilogy. Even though it’s a complete stand alone story with many interesting and unexpected twists along the way, it also completes the over-arching saga that wraps around and through all three books of the magical fantasy (with a sci-fi twist) series.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Multiple screens. Headphones. Researching the character traits of the most popular literary and movie heroes and villain’s. Took master classes from several famous authors, actors and voice actors, including Dan Brown, Neil Gaiman, James Patterson, Nancy Cartwright, and Samuel L. Jackson.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
J. R. Tolkien, Neil Gaiman, David Brin, Douglas Adams, The Bartimaeus trilogy, Startide Rising, Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, Lord of the Rings, Bored of the Rings

What are you working on now?
Audio book versions of my books as well as podcasts and remote school visits.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Face-to-face author events. I’ve sold, signed, and dedicated over 12,000 copies of my 1st two books. Book three was just released. Unfortunately, the pandemic closed down my live author events. Hopefully, those will start up again soon.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Get your ideas down on paper/pixels. Don’t try to make your first draft perfect. Just whip through that first draft. Finish it. It will seem flat and one-dimensional, but that’s what edits are for. Flesh it out in those later edits.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
You might want to consider getting into a writer’s group… (My wife. After reading my first few chapters of my first draft of book one.)

What are you reading now?
Good Omens, by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett. It’s hilarious!

What’s next for you as a writer?
Marketing my just finished trilogy. Audio-book narration, podcasts, Zoom school visits, video book trailers. Getting my online sales going.

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?
Startide Rising, the Old Man and the Sea, Hitchikers Guide to the Galaxy, and my books of course 😉

Author Websites and Profiles
K.M. Doherty Website
K.M. Doherty Amazon Profile

K.M. Doherty’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a three-time children’s writer and two-time award-winner. My books include 2 picture books: Rey Antonio and Rey Feo, and The Unhuggables (Enchanted Page Book Award Winner 2019). I also have a middle grade chapter book called Kindertransport-a child’s journey (CLC Award Winner historical fiction 2018). The first book was inspired by my childhood growing up in the vibrant city of San Antonio. The second was inspired by the curiosity of my own adorable sons. And the third was the product of a reasearch project where I spoke with Kindertransportees about their experiences and hoped to honor their stories. Each one of these books is a unique chamber within my heart. I love to travel, practice languages and especially to drum! I play in a taiko ensemble with 3 wonderful people. Percussion keeps me happy, healthy and kind.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My most recent release, although there is one tentatively planned for 2022, is The Unhuggables. The Unhuggables is an action-packed fantastical book about Oliver, a boy dodging his mother’s hugs by acting like unhuggable creatures. It was inspired by my son who asked me when he was 6, what would happen if you hugged a porcupine.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I still begin the writing process in a scratchy, messy notebook, out of order and outside the lines. The ideas flow more naturally for me that way, unconstricted by lines and formatting. When I feel the story is ready, and not before, I introduce it to they keyboard.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
If I could live as any book character it would be Alice in Wonderland. She is curiouser and curiouser as am I. I also loved the character backstories in Wicked by Gregory Maguire. When I read for fun, however, I get a kick out of non-fiction in an array of topics because I feel more knowledgeable and powerful afterward.

What are you working on now?
I am currently working on screenwriting. I released a short film last year and plan on doing another this spring. I am also in the process of developing a series. Surprises around the bend!

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I enjoy meeting readers in person. It helps make a connection to readers. As we can’t do that in the same way now, we are all relearning marketing. I am trying to beef up my social media and interview presence for just this reason.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write your heart out! Not everything will be published and it shouldn’t be. As an art, some stories are told to let your heart speak and some are meant to speak to others. Once spoken, edit, edit, edit and follow submission guidelines always to give you the best chance at success.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Write what you know, what you have lived. Then go live a good story.

What are you reading now?
Because I work with children, I’ve been reading Texas Bluebonnet Award Nominees, the latest being No More Poems by Rhett Miller and Pass Go and Collect $200 by Tanya Lee Stone.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I am working on diversifying myself as a writer to be known in print and screen. With each success I’ve learned a lot and with each failure, I learned more. I would like to gain traction and opportunity in writing for television and film.

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 books that remind me to think and dream, changing the desert island desertion into a beach vacation. If I have them I have read them so maybe I would choose books blindly from a stranger’s shelf and keep my eyes closed so that the result would be a surprise and new adventure.

Author Websites and Profiles
Kena Sosa Website
Kena Sosa Amazon Profile

Kena Sosa’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a mom of two who loves to play video games and spend time with my kids and pets when I’m not writing. I also have a lot of nieces and nephews that I love to spend time with too, and I am fortunate enough to tutor my eldest niece. I just realized that’s pretty much it about my personal life since I’m so focused on writing.

I’ve written quite a few books, but if I had to count all of them, I’d probably never get passed the unfinished list, because it would put me in the mood to start writing right away. For now, I’ll cound the ones that have been published, so that will be three!

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The name of my latest book is “More Than What He Seems” and a game I play on my cellphone inspired it. Well, that and a television show my husband likes to watch. I’m not big on watching shows myself, but he does ALL the time.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Sometimes, my story ideas come from my dreams. I’ll have what I think is a really interesting dream, wake up, and grab my laptop to immediately write out the summary.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Stephen King, though, my writing is nothing like his and he’s in a different genre than what I write.

What are you working on now?
Currently, my new project is Confined by Marriage, and I hope to have it completed by June 2021.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Right now, this is only the third place I’ve come to, as I did not know about free listings when I started promoting. I definitely will recommend this place in the future.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t be afraid or nervous about submitting your works. Even if your idea isn’t completely original, the point is to love what you write, and if you love it, someone else will.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
If it doesn’t kill you, you’ll come out stronger.

What are you reading now?
What am I not reading now? I actually read a lot of Japanese media translated to English. It’s my favorite pastime.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Having people love my works. That’s literally all I want is for my books to touch someone’s heart the way books did mine when I was little.

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 Sevenwaters Trilogy and how to survive for dummies, though that last one isn’t really necessary. I may not be physically fit, but I used to live in the middle of the woods, so I would be fine. Maybe…

 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
That is a question, isn’t it? I more so write the footnotes and BLA handles the main text. But the footnotes ARE part of the book so I’ve probably participated in about 25% of each of the two volumes for the Circo del Herrero series. Does that mean I’ve written half a book? The CIRCO series has 3 volumes planned. The first one is THE AUTOMATION, which you can download for free in multiple places, such as on the Internet Archive.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The second volume is the most recent. It is called THE PRE-PROGRAMMING. The inspiration comes easy, honestly, because I am just annotating and editing the text of the Narrator, BLA. The books are very meta and you could even call us characters in the series. BLA certainly is, ahem.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
You could say that. Annotating the text of your significant other who thinks they were a cat in a past life who lived with a bunch of ancient robots can really make things unusual. For sure.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Lately, Donna Haraway. We do not write for sky gods. We write for the chthonic

What are you working on now?
The third volume. Footnote # 100-something, probably.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Probably Twitter. It’s where we have the most followers. I’m @circofootnotes.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Read. But read selectively. Don’t waste time on a book you think you can learn from unless you have a full understanding of what it can offer you. Read reviews first. Read the bad reviews. Read why someone doesn’t like something. Maybe their reasons are dumb and you will think the exact opposite.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Read between the lines. There’s footnotes there.

What are you reading now?
Lore Olympus. It’s a free web comic and I am living for it. I heard it’s about to be a Netflix show.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Vol. 3 and then tending to the cats.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Books on how to farm and survive probably. I’m not one to re-read fiction a lot. I get it the first time. Unless I’m editing it. In which case, I read that stuff twice because, you know. Read between the lines.

Author Websites and Profiles
GB Gabbler Website
GB Gabbler Amazon Profile
GB Gabbler Author Profile on Smashwords

GB Gabbler’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am from Italy, though I grew up between France and Switzerland. I graduated from law school, which has little to do with writing fantasy books. So far, I’ve completed Fatherland, and it’s the only book I was brave enough to publish. More are on the way.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Fatherland was inspired by a lot of things. I feel like I poured myself into that book — the things I like, those I hate, my own traumas and experiences, the plots I wished I had read in other books. That doesn’t mean the book has self-insert characters, although it seems to be a recurring theme nowadays. Parts of the setting and a few elements of conflict were inspired by video games; I take whatever comes my way and let it be reborn.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t think it’s unusual for authors to write at night or smoke while staring at a blank page, so I guess the answer is no.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
This might sound odd but I don’t read much. George R. R. Martin might be the only author whose work I read in the past that isn’t dead. I like classics, French classics. Victor Hugo, Choderlos de Laclos, and other names hard to pronounce. A well-known book that inspired me often and that isn’t French is Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

What are you working on now?
I am drafting the second book of my series. Rosencircle. It is directly linked to Fatherland but tells us more about the underground societies we’ve encountered so far and their goals.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I find it hard to promote books, especially when you’re just starting out and don’t have an audience. Ultimately, before trying to reach out to people you don’t know, you might want to make sure those you know (friends, family, colleagues, etc.) engage with you.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Finish your book. The number of people who preoccupy themselves with promotion and networking before they even finish their book is sometimes disheartening. Sure, you want the odds to be in your favor for when your book is out but the writing should remain the primary focus.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
To read my novel out loud. It’s something I initially did because I tend to skip lines otherwise but then I found several authors who suggested you do it also to spot problems with tenses and it did help me improve a bit.

What are you reading now?
Nothing at the moment, though a friend suggested I give The Last Kingdom a try. I might do so.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Who knows? I just want to finish my drafts. Short-term goals are the best goals.

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 mangas authored by Rumiko Takahashi.

Author Websites and Profiles
Ginevra Mancinelli Website
Ginevra Mancinelli Amazon Profile

Ginevra Mancinelli’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a medical doctor specialized in Haematology. I still practice though I have given up my private practice, so now I have more time to spend with my two great nephews Jack and Luke. This was my first attempt at novel writing. I’ve written a medical book and I‘ve written many papers that have been published in medical journals. Also I’m a reviewer for various scientific journals. I am a regular contributor to an influential blog covering political satire.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
General Jack and the Battle of the Five Kingdoms
I have always had a love for literature. Also I am an enthusiast for any type of DIY job. I am now spending plenty of time with my five year old nephew and amongst other things we enjoy ourselves with mutual story telling. These were the three reasons why I wrote the book. I wrote it for my nephew. He himself becomes a protagonist in the book. I thought that there was no better way to encourage a love of reading in such a young boy, than with an in-house, DIY novel.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
My writing style is direct, probably a reflection of my medical note writing. I want readers to not only read the lines but also to read between the lines. That way the reading experience is more fulfilling and comprehensive. So, I aim to write entertaining tales rich in irony, which are also educational and thought provoking.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The books that have most influenced me are “Animal Farm” for its humourous political satire, CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien for their allegorical imaginative world building, and Francois Mauriac who is the best author for narrating internal conflict within a protagonist.

What are you working on now?
At the moment, I’m working on the promotion and marketing of “General Jack and the Battle of the Five Kingdoms”. It’s taken up all my time and will continue to do so in the coming months.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I have to target the industry and the consumers. For the industry, editorial reviews and (if the book is good enough) entering it into book award competitions. These are the best ways to attract their attention. It’s costly and may very well be unproductive. For the consumers, amazon AMS advertising. Here at least you’re in the driving seat and you can control the cost effectiveness of the initiative.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
It’s a very saturated business and it’s almost impossible to break through. There is an inherent bias against self-publishing and the statistics shows that only a handful succeed. Once you embark on a work, you have to do it for the love of writing, take pride in your effort and make it a cathartic experience by putting down your long pent- up creative ideas on paper. But at the same time, keep your feet on the ground. No matter how good and critically acclaimed the book is, the majority of books just won’t sell.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I found good advice from various web sites like Kindlepreneur, Reedsy Discovery and Dale Roberts. They have a soft spot for self-publishers and genuinely try to help out.

What are you reading now?
There’s much I’d like to read but I simply do not have the time. Once I retire though, I intend making up for lost time.

What’s next for you as a writer?
General Jack is the second of the Jack trilogy. In each, my nephew becomes a protagonist at different ages. The first book “The Joyous Adventures of Whizzojack” was written before “ General Jack” but it has got stuck with the illustrations and won’t be out for some time. It’s intended for middle grade readers. I’ll take the opportunity from the delay to polish up the manuscript further. I’ll tackle the third book of the trilogy in the years to come. It will be a collections of short historical fiction stories.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
After the Bible, AJ. Cronin’s The Stars look down, Sigrid Undset’s Kristin Lavransdatter, Marcia Davenport’s Valley of Decision, Ben Ames Williams’ House Divided

Author Websites and Profiles
David Bush Amazon Profile

David Bush’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a stay-at-home-mom, homeschooling parent, Navy veteran, college grad, writer and avid reader.

As far as published books are concerned, I think I have about 14 books out there. Here’s a secret: when I can’t find a book to read, I write one myself – although I typically don’t publish those books. I find that sometimes I have an itch to read a particular story in a certain genre. I’ll email said book to my Kindle and I’ll read and reread it – time and again.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Marta Gets Spooked – Book Three of the Housekeeping Detective Series.

I’m a fan of scary! Along with the Housekeeping Detective Series, I have a series of werewolf novellas. I wondered how I could meld witchcraft-scary with other mundane fears. I was quickly inspired by my years in the Navy, and my time as a Navy wife, too. Military wife groups can be scary, as are constant transfers, deployments, and so many other things. I hope that Marta’s latest story conveys the fears that come with folks doing witchcraft, as well as trying to make a new home among strangers.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Aside from what I mentioned above (books I write for myself), I think that another oddity might be writing some books longhand, using notebooks and pens. The mechanics of handwriting force me to slow down, which is good in storytelling sometimes, I think.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Diana Gabaldon, Sue Grafton, Stephenie Meyer, and Jean Auel are writers that come to mind.

Eva Moves the Furniture, The Lovely Bones, Twilight, Clan of the Cave Bear, and Outlander are books that I keep going back to.

What are you working on now?
Book Four of the Housekeeping Detective Series, as well as the Spanish translation of Marta Cleans Up.

For private consumption, I finished writing a book on werewolves and feminism.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Word-of-mouth is best as far as book promoting is concerned.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t stop writing.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Listen to your books out loud before publishing them! Such a very important step in the editing process.

What are you reading now?
Another private consumption book I wrote – The Spanish Captain’s Bride.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Keep writing. Hopefully reach a wider audience.

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?
Foxfire Book One, the New Testament, a journal, and a massive phone book to use as kindling.

Author Websites and Profiles
Cyndia Rios-Myers Website
Cyndia Rios-Myers Amazon Profile

Cyndia Rios-Myers’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Published 1
Drafted 4 that are with editors
(Pentalogy)
Beginning children’s books, then headed back to the lab for a trilogy by year’s end.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Writer and the Throne

Mixing mythologies! Zeus, Odin, Osiris, Shiva, and many more clash for the throne.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m 100% panster. I wrote all five books from 1 May 2020 off the brain.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I read philosophy-Tao Te Ching, Bible, Norse, Greek folklore, Hinduism, etc.

What are you working on now?
I’ll write 4 children’s books that take place in the same universe as the pentalogy, then in April begin another trilogy as the editors work the series.

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

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Never worry about your draft looking even remotely good. That your lump of clay. The artistry and work comes alive in the editing phase.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
You want something, go out and get it-Rocky

What are you reading now?
Era of undying.

What’s next for you as a writer?
4 kids books and a trilogy by years end.

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?
Besides mine?
Ha, anything philosophy driven. Literally anything with a general concept based argument.

Author Websites and Profiles
Caleb Ortega Website

Caleb Ortega’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Welcome!
Sensei Paul David creates simple & transformative Digital/Audio/Paperback Books & Guided Meditations for Adults & Children proven to help navigate uncertainty, solve niche problems & bring families closer together.

About Sensei Paul David:
Paul was a financial services project manager and process improvement engineer, and a former University of Toronto fitness trainer. Now he is an author/publisher, private airplane pilot, volunteer jiu-jitsu instructor & musician. Paul prefers a science-based approach to focus on these & other areas in his life to stay humble & hungry to evolve.

FREE GIFTS:
Each book contains a FREE GIFT at the end!
Free Access to Guided Meditations and Personal Coaching for adults plus interactive colouring book challenges, and educational quizzes for kids & their families.

***Get your copy of any audiobook, eBook, or Paperback today by clicking the ‘Buy Now’ button!

If you like Sensei Paul David’s books, please leave an honest 5Star rating so that the books may reach more amazing supportive people like you!

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Sensei Paul David
www.senseipublishing.com
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What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My new series is called: Kids On Earth

Book1 is free to visit: kidsonearth.senseipublishing.com

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I like flying aeroplanes and I have a license

Do you have any advice for new authors?
FREE books visit: www.senseipublishing.com

What’s next for you as a writer?
Build all 3 of my book series. For FREE books visit: www.senseipublishing.com

 

Author Websites and Profiles
Sensei Paul David Website
Sensei Paul David Amazon Profile

Sensei Paul David’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I grew up influenced by my mom, an avid historical romance reader. I belonged to every summer book program in the local area between school and the library. I started in my early 20’s reading contemporary romance and continued until my early 40’s when I thought I would try my hand at my own work.
Finding It All is my first novel. I have finished book 2 of the series ‘Finding Happiness In Harmony’ and plan to release late 2021.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Finding It All was inspired by my own love story. I found a second chance at love when I met my husband, Teddy. He made me feel like you could find it all… not just the love, but the friendship, family and dreams.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Late night writing. Probably not that unusual, but so much can be done after midnight in a quiet house!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I love the Virgin River series and Robyn Carr. Also Nora Roberts and her Bride Quartet.

What are you working on now?
My WIP is book 2 of the ‘Finding Happiness in Harmony’ series. It focuses on a character that in introduced in book 1: Finding It All.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
So far it has been social media. Instagram.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write. Write. Write. Oh, and did I say, write? Just keep trying to get your thoughts down, then you can go back and see what you have.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I learned so much from working with my editor. She really worked with me to improve my skills, not just improve the book.

What are you reading now?
Virgin River book #11: Moonlight Road

What’s next for you as a writer?
I have a third book I’d like to add to the ‘Finding Happiness in Harmony’ series. After that, I’m thinking of another best friends series based in the city.

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?
Nora Roberts Bride Quartet series!

Author Websites and Profiles
STACEY KOMOSINSKI Website
STACEY KOMOSINSKI Amazon Profile

STACEY KOMOSINSKI’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am currently studying Engineering at Bristol University which ordinarily alongside sport and socializing would keep me up to my neck in work. But, in these COVID-19 times, without my normal activities and routines and no job opportunities, I have had plenty of time on my hands so decided that instead of spending an obscene amount of time in front of Netflix, I would get to work pursuing a passion I had never had the time to do before so I wrote Arcane I, and They Took The Midnight Train Going Anywhere (although I did still manage to spend a little too much time in front of the TV!)

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
They Took The Midnight Train Going Anywhere: Unsurprisingly to anyone that has heard it, this book was inspired by the song ‘Don’t stop believin’ by Journey, although during writing, it veered wildly off the original course I had planned for it. Iris is headstrong, willful and woefully different from the person that her parents, friends and teachers insist she is. Jory is critical, intelligent and woefully different from the person that his dad and coach insist he should be. Iris’ imagination is sparked on the train when she meets a boy her own age dressed for a life she has always desired but barely let herself envisage. Jory is enraptured by the maze of mathematics and the quest to find a route to the middle where lies ‘the most, powerful, simple phenomenon’. Both must decide whether to follow their dreams or the voices of those around them.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t know how unusual it is but I have a great tendency to spend too long planning a scene or section only to start writing it and ignore all that I have planned entirely!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley is definitely one that made me determined to be an author, the way that it added depth to such a range of topics will forever be an aspiration for me to achieve with my readers. Although, like most people my age, I suppose my interest in reading and later on writing first came from the Harry Potter series (mainstream as it is to admit it).

What are you working on now?
Currently, I am working on two sequels; Arcane II (The King’s Whisperer) and They Took The Midnight Train Going Anywhere (pt.2).

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I haven’t had the chance to try many yet, but my fingers are crossed that it will be this one!

Do you have any advice for new authors?
If you ever finish a manuscript (a challenge in itself) and upon reading it back think that it doesn’t flow or make any sense and you will have to start again, tell yourself to stop being dramatic, take a break and then come back to it, most of the work is already done, the living writing has been created, all you have to do now is put it in a suit.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I don’t really remember any particular lines but it will have been something specific on how to do something better for other people, rather than one of the millions of permutations of simply ‘be nice’.

What are you reading now?
‘The Iliad’ as translated by Martin Hammond, I am really enjoying working my way through many of the Classics that have managed to survive and thrive right up to the modern day.

What’s next for you as a writer?
The plan is to finish off Arcane II and They Took The Midnight Train Going Anywhere (pt.2) before taking some time off of writing to focus on reading and stop me getting too stagnant or repetitive.

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?
Pride and Prejudice x4 as it would probably give me enough material to make a small house out of!

Author Websites and Profiles
Charlie Johnson Website
Charlie Johnson Amazon Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Melbin Parappallil,an Indian writer from Kerala particularly from Idukki District.I have attained the University first degree from Holy Cross College of Management & Technology and the University second degree from JPM Arts & Science College in English.I have written THIS IS HISTORY and 10 SELECTED POEMS.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
10 SELECTED POEMS is my latest book
and I want to give more ideas regarding our Indian society hence I framed those poems having Indian theme.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Yes,I used to write to motivate others without moving away from reality.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Savi Sharma is an author from India who influenced me a lot.Her works are really heart touching and more realistic.

What are you working on now?
Now I am working on a new book and the title is A Five Lettered Word.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I look upon promoting my books through various posts,Ads,Whats App status in the social media platforms.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Keep writing and educate our society more.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Write more

What are you reading now?
I am not interested in reading any books hence I can’t even name any.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Be a successful writer and everyone should notice me with my 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?
Poetry books,Motivational stories,Biographies

 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a high school teacher with a love of reading, writing and crime fiction. I got my start in writing working as a journalist at a small-town newspaper. I loved the writing, but hated the pressure and the “in your face” nature of journalism. However, one of my favourite parts of being a journalist was doing movie reviews. This got me free access to all the latest movies and I got to write what I thought of them.

I started writing crime fiction in 2017 and have two books out and a third on the way. I had a bit of a gap between the first two books when I was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma. I was extremely lucky to catch it before it was too late and I’m currently in full remission.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
THE LEWIS PASS was released at the end of 2020. It was a follow on from my first book which was in turn inspired by a road sign. I’d been past that sign many times before, but one day I suddenly released the sign was alerting travellers to a dark and forgotten piece of history that is still there in the mountains nearby. I instantly knew there was a story there and there years later I had finished two books.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I like to listen to music while I write. This is mostly to block out the distractions of our busy house (I have two young children) and also for inspiration. One of the things I do which might be slightly unusual is, if I hear an interesting musical lyric, I’ll write in down and then craft it into some dialogue or description. In fact, the title of my third book, THE NIGHT BELONGS TO HER, came from the 10,000 Maniacs song BECAUSE THE NIGHT. In the song there is a lyric that goes “because the night, belongs to lovers. Because the night, belongs to us.” I loved how it sounded so I changed it slightly to get my book title.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Raymond Chandler would be the biggest one. His style is so beautiful and poetic and the way he paints the outline of a scene and lets the reader fill in the rest is just fantastic. Michael Connelly is also a fantastic storyteller. His book, BLOOD WORK, when it first came out in the late 90’s really got me back into reading after not having read much in the preceding years. I’ve now read almost all his books. I pretty much tried to copy Connelly’s style when I wrote my first book DEAD GROUND, and then with my second book, I’ve begun to establish my own rhythm.

What are you working on now?
I’m currently working on my third book, provisionally titled, THE NIGHT BELONGS TO HER. It’s about a detective who receives a phone call late one night from someone who tells him a murder is about to take place. It’s set in a small town and the detective knows one of the residents is the killer and is phoning to tell him just before each murder takes place.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Book promotion is one of the hardest parts of being a self-published author. The truth is, all those sites only really work if you already have some sort of online presence, i.e. a blog post or a Youtube channel, or a podcast or something similar. If people have already heard of you, and they then see your ad/promotion, they are much more likely to click on it and buy your book. Having said that, Amazon ads tend to be the best bang for buck, just as long as you start with low bids and don’t get carried away with what Amazon suggest you should bid. I would put Bookbub in a similar category.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Find a successful author that you like, i.e. has sold a lot of books, then read lots of their work. Study their sentence structure, the cadence of their words, the plot twists, etc etc, and then try to emulate this in your own writing. These people are successful for a reason. They write in a way and in a style that people enjoy. You don’t need to copy them, just try to use some of their techniques. If you do this well, then over time you’ll develop your own unique style.

The biggest mistake new authors make is they write in a vacuum. By that I mean they just write what they think is good and then they share it with their family and friends (who all say it’s great even though it’s not) and then they think they know how to write.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Write sentences that “sound good” when read aloud. Good writing has an easy flow/rhythm to it, almost like a good speech or a good song. If a sentence is difficult to read aloud or overly complex or something about it just sounds off, then it probably isn’t good writing.

What are you reading now?
One of the queens of crime, Dame Ngaio Marsh’s book WHEN IN ROME. I love to read books set in interesting places and this book is set in Rome. Ngaio Marsh was a New Zealand author who set most of her books in the UK but this one was set in Italy so that’s what drew me to it. I really like the way she describes characters and her evocative prose.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Luckily for us in New Zealand, we are still allowed to host events during the Covid pandemic so I’ve got a “murder in the library” talk coming up later this year. Apart from that, I’ll be finishing off my third book which I hope to have out by the end of 2021.

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?
Raymond Chandler: THE BIG SLEEP
Michael Connelly: BLOOD WORK
Ben Sanders: THE FALLEN.
Tana French: IN THE WOODS

Author Websites and Profiles
Justin Warren Website
Justin Warren Amazon Profile

Justin Warren’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile