Awesome Author Interviews

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m proudly Canadian. I grew up around Vancouver, B.C. but moved to Ontario six years ago. I was raised right on the American border and spent most of my summers growing up in the States, mostly around the Seattle area. I used many of my memories from summers there in my debut novel, Pender’s Death.

Pender’s Death is my first published novel, but I have written two more that will be available soon, so keep an eye out!

I’m currently living in Hamilton, which is just over a half-hour from Toronto. I live with my wonderful fiancee, Victoria, and our two dogs, Senator and Tungsten. My dogs are a wonderful help to my writing. Whenever I’m battling writer’s block, a long walk with them is the perfect cure. And when I’m in the zone and pumping out chapter after chapter, they cuddle me and keep me cozy in place.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My newest novel, Pender’s Death, follows Adam Pender in the aftermath of his mother dying. Her death brings the vultures circling as Adam tries to build on his family’s legacy and take over their business. It isn’t an easy task for him and several boardroom battles await.

All the while, Adam’s hunting for answers to the many questions surrounding his mother’s suspicious death. He’ll lean on his friends for help in the search and push them to their limits, but will he push them right out of his life?

The central question of the book: Can Adam keep his life together as everything falls around him, or will he and Pender Industries be added to the list of casualties?

It’s 500 pages of a thrilling mystery unfolding in corporate America.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I love writing on weekend mornings with golf on a TV in the background. I find something about the calm, monotone, announcers soothing and the greenscapes helps my creativity flow. It’s especially nice to see a warm, sunny, course down south when it’s rainy or snowing in Canada.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I’d say John Grisham thrillers have been my favorite for a long time and are the closest inspiration to the thrillers I write. More recently, I’ve been enjoying Friedrich Bachmann’s novels.

What are you working on now?
My next novel is another financial thriller. This one is more of a modern-day Robin Hood that follows a philanthropic hedge fund manager and a female reporter for a leading New York newspaper. Neither are as they appear and several twists follow. The hedge fund manager’s spiritual advisor and cult following provide some particularly interesting storylines.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Everyone finds different paths to success, but I find social media to be the most effective. If you can build a loyal following, freely promoting your own books can yield wonderful results.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Just write! It’s easy to get hung up on planning or editing but you need to trust the process. Your first draft doesn’t need to be good, you just need to finish it! There will be plenty of time later for revisions and many, many, edits.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Very similar to the advice I gave: Don’t think, just write. The thinking can come later when you’re editing and improving the quality of the book, but first, you need to have words on the page in front of you.

What are you reading now?
Right now I’m enjoying a non-fiction book called The Players Ball by David Kushner. It’s about the rise of online dating in the early internet between two men who fought over ownership of the domain name Sex.com.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I hope to launch a couple of series. While Pender’s Death is a standalone story, my future work will be more expansive. I don’t want to give any spoilers away for my next book, but one of the characters will certainly be followed in a sequel.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Oh, this is a tough one, only being able to pick three. The first that comes to mind for re-reading is Friedrich Bachmann’s A Man Called Ove. I would want to accompany it with a classic and S.E. Hinton’s The Outsiders is always enjoyable. I would probably want to round the group out with a true classic like King Arthur. I’m sure these books would help pass the time.

Author Websites and Profiles
Justin Haines Website
Justin Haines Amazon Profile

Justin Haines’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am an avid learner as well as researcher of many topics including but not limited to health, nutrition, herbalism, European folk culture and simple living. I live wherever the wind blows gaining experience, knowledge and testing that knowledge out firsthand to share with people like you. Health & Not Screwing It Up is my 1st book. Other works include: Money & Why’d You Have To Spend It On That?, The Adventures of Chuck series, my Intriguingly Awkward Shop as well as The Adventures of Chuck Youtube series.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Adventures of Chuck: Vol 1-3 on Paperback. My Intriguingly Awkward Pomeranian, Chuck, is the inspiration for that as well as his videos from The Adventures of Chuck Youtube channel.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Just being awkward as always.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I enjoy many authors and styles of writing. None come to mind in particular at the moment for my writing style.

What are you working on now?
A compilation of 3 of my Ebooks. I am turning that into a paperback. Hopefully it will be out January 2021.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Variety is key. Do blogs, videos, social media, you get the picture.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Learn, don’t be afraid to try new things and don’t be afraid to fail.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Do not steal the pierogi.

What are you reading now?
I am reading a Polish Grammar book.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Just to keep writing and trying new avenues.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
How Not To Die by Dr. Michael Greger
Polish Grammar
Poland by James A. Michener

Author Websites and Profiles
Harken Headers Website

Harken Headers’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a midwestern woman who loves to travel and explore all that life has to offer.

I currently live in Wisconsin and I own my own coaching business where I help women experiencing life transitions reclaim their power and joy.

I’m a mom to 3 humans, 2 long-haired miniature doxies, and 1 memoir.

I’m a former rollergirl and currently completing my 200-hour yoga teacher training.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My book is called Finding Life In Between. I tried to write a book about other people’s relationships and our connectedness and finding joy, but the Universe had other plans.

After some health issues and losing my career I hopped in the car and took a road trip south and wrote about my adventures…and all the stories that seemed to find me.

It turned out to be a memoir/self-help of my real life journey to worthy.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I love to travel write.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I’m officially in love with the writing of Glennon Doyle. Glennon sharing her truth inspired me to write. I also absolutely adore Elizabeth Gilbert and Jen Hatmaker.

What are you working on now?
I have a few things in the writing hopper, but mostly right now I’m working on YTT.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I believe best method for promoting is engagement. People want to be a part of something bigger than themselves, and we are all hungry for connection in this COVID world.

With that in mind, I created a “CREATIVE SPACE” where artists who read my book and are inspired can share their creations.

It’s a cool way for me to build relationships with readers.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Just keep writing. It’s impossible to edit a blank piece of paper.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
You learn a lot about someone by how they handle conflict.

What are you reading now?
The Inner Work by Mathew Micheletti and Ashley Cottrell
& Canoodling Up North, a romance novel by my friend Shawn Verdoni

What’s next for you as a writer?
Right now…promoting my book!

Hopefully doing some book tours and signings and maybe having a post-launch launch party after COVID is done!

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Barack Obama’s new book – A Promised Land
Eckhart Tolle – The Power of Now
Glennon Doyle – Untamed
Cheryl Strayed – Wild

Author Websites and Profiles
Candice Ruh Website
Candice Ruh Amazon Profile

Candice Ruh’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m born and raised in Iceland in turbulent times. During the Second World War, the world realized the strategic location of my tiny island country, situated smack in the middle of the North Atlantic. Allied forces invaded Iceland and turned it into a fortress to prevent Hitler from advancing into North America. Since Iceland entered the world stage, it has grown from a dirt-poor nation to a prosperous one. The country’s success became every Icelander’s success. Spurred by this favorable wind, I set off to conquer the world like my Viking forefathers.
I left home at 19 to study architecture in Finland. Afterwards I pursued an international career that took me to the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe and the U.S. My assignments ranged from construction of the palace and harem of the ruler of Abu Dhabi to building schools in developing countries in Africa and elsewhere. I’ve worked for several aid agencies, including UNESCO and the World Bank. I now live in the Washington, DC area with my wife and coauthor, Veronica Li.
Let me introduce her. Veronica emigrated to the U.S. from Hong Kong as a teenager. She received her B.A. in English from the University of California, Berkeley, and her master’s degree in International Affairs from Johns Hopkins University. She has worked as a journalist and for the World Bank, and is currently a writer. Her three previously published titles are: Nightfall in Mogadishu, Journey across the Four Seas: A Chinese Woman’s Search for Home, and Confucius Says: A Novel.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The name of my book is Viking Voyager: An Icelandic Memoir.
I love telling friends about my adventures in Iceland and around the world. They keep saying I should write them down, so I did, in bits and pieces. I dumped them into a folder called “Episodes” in my hard drive, like dumping photos in a shoe box. One day, I showed a snippet of my travels in the Middle East to my wife, a published author. I’m sure she read it just to humor me, but her reaction surprised me. “Sverrir, you’ve had a really interesting life!” she said.
From then on, my project became hers too. She came up with a theme for my memoir: the making of a modern Viking and his adventures. This became the backbone to hang my episodes on. They became the building blocks of a coherent and exciting story.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I have to say the setting of my writing environment is unusual. I’m most productive in my weekend home, which I designed and built with my own hands on the shores of the Chesapeake Bay. Veronica and I work at his and hers desks in our bedroom loft. The space is surrounded with glass that allows me to look out at the expanse of sea and sky. Tapping on my computer, I can see from the corner of my eye an eagle swooshing past the balcony or a flock of bufflehead ducks paddling in the water. When I get stuck, I just stare at the wonderful landscape and feel happy that I’ve had a blessed eighty-one years in this world.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Halldór Laxness, the Icelandic Nobel Laureate for literature, is my favorite author. His writing is concise, sharp witted, sometimes outright funny, and his characters are so vivid they remind me of people I know. Much of it is a searing social critique of current or historical norms in Iceland. His books have been translated into many languages, but nothing beats reading it in Icelandic. If a book can sing, his does, which by the way is the title of one of his novels, The Fish Can Sing.
Tales of a Barber Surgeon by Finnish author Zacharias Topelius had a great influence on me. As a ten-year-old, I devoured the five volumes of the Icelandic translation. They were filled with action and blood and gore—just right for a boy’s literary taste. They were part of the tiny library at the farm I worked in during the summer. I read each volume dozens of times, since there were few other choices. Finland, with its magnificent architecture, poetry, and music, became a fascination for me. I ended up studying architecture in Finland and launching my career there.
I didn’t become fluent in English until well into my twenties. I was well-versed in several Scandinavian languages—Icelandic, Danish, Swedish, and Finnish—and my German was passable. But I’d always viewed English as a scrappy, undisciplined language that jumbled bits and pieces from the Romance and Germanic schools, with neither the ardor of one nor the structure of the other. I didn’t take English seriously until my last years in Finland, when I realized English was the lingua franca of the twentieth century. To prepare for my travels around the world, I gave myself a crash course by consuming every Agatha Christie mystery. It worked.

What are you working on now?
Given the times we live in, I’m contemplating a series of novels about epic battles to deal with epidemics in various parts of the world. It can take place in any of the sixty countries I’ve traveled to. The heroine, a feisty Jane Bond type, is an operative in a United Nations agency such as the World Health Organization or World Bank. She gets things done, often at the cost of stepping on her superiors’ toes. Such a character has already been created in Veronica’s first novel, Nightfall in Mogadishu, a thriller depicting the fall of Somalia, where she once worked. We’ll have plenty of material to draw on from our international careers. Veronica doesn’t know it yet, but I expect her to be my collaborator again.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Giving talks at libraries, book clubs and other community groups is now out of the question. So for now, we rely on the virtual world.
Veronica and I are now working hard on getting reviews on Amazon, Goodreads, and other sites.
So far, we’ve had success marketing our book to groups with ties to Iceland. The Icelandic National League of the U.S. interviewed us right after the book was released. The webinar is posted at https://inlus.org/community/webinars. A major paper in Canada catered to the Icelandic diaspora in North America has agreed to post an article about Viking Voyager.
We’re going on a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish. The tour will run from Nov. 23 to Dec. 18, with stops at 30 blogspots. Everyone is welcome to join the tour at https://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2020/10/fs-vbt-viking-voyager-by-sverrir.html

Do you have any advice for new authors?
My advice is to start writing. You never know what emerges. Seeing your thoughts in writing can stimulate the brain to connect the dots, to recognize patterns, and a storyline may appear.
These are the lessons I learned from writing my memoir. Perhaps others can learn from them too. The story was originally put on paper by a technical writer —Sverrir— and subsequently shaped by a creative writer —Veronica. She always insisted on painting vivid pictures of places and people in order to transport readers to a different world. When I said I couldn’t remember the specifics, she threatened to exercise a coauthor’s right to creative license. Of course I couldn’t let her turn my life into fiction. So I dug into my memory, did some research, and found the details to flesh out the scenes. From its birth as a factual and dry account, the story evolved into a visual canvas for the reader.
Another key lesson I learned is the importance of the theme. Once the theme is established, the episodes fall into place. A gripping focus helps to keep up the tension in a story, like a train hurtling toward a destination, and makes it a page-turner.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I begin my memoir with my grandfather’s tragic accident. A writer friend who read an early draft pointed out that the chapter was all about my grandfather, with hardly any trace of me. As this is my memoir, she felt I should make a strong entrance from the beginning. I saw her point, but I felt inhibited because the event I was describing took place well before I was born. I was also worried about upstaging my grandfather. But as I learned more about creative writing, I realized the magic of a blank page—anything is possible. A WRITER HAS THE CREATIVE LICENSE TO MAKE ANYTHING WORK. With Veronica’s help, I crossed the boundary of time and came out of the shadows to share the limelight with my grandfather. My friend’s critique has made me realize the infinite possibilities of creative writing.

What are you reading now?
The Lion’s Game by Nelson DeMille, an action thriller

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m translating my memoir into Icelandic. I was rather rusty in the beginning, having left Iceland sixty years ago. But as I work on it, my native language is beginning to feel like an old friend. I have an editor in Iceland to help me polish up the manuscript. She’s also my agent and is in the middle of finalizing arrangements with Icelandic TV and radio to interview me.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
I would take with me books that last a long time:
Independent People by Halldor Laxness
War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
Art: A New History by Paul Johnson

Author Websites and Profiles
Sverrir Sigurdsson Website
Sverrir Sigurdsson Amazon Profile

Sverrir Sigurdsson’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
One so far.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Thought Made Kingdom is the name of the book. It is a personal story entwined in a fantasy tale. My own history is what inspired me to write it. I wished to create something that could be used as a guideline to keep my own thoughts in harmony with certain ideals. I can only hope that others will find it as useful as I do; much of it is a symbolism for what we experience in our daily lives; the thoughts and emotions that we contend with.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
It is hard for me to say, since I do not know what are the “usual” habits. I write daily, and I make sure not to think about what I write too much. I prefer it to flow; for it to be a the result of a connection with something higher.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Ralph Waldo Emerson – Nature
Ralph Waldo Trine – In Tune With The Infinte
James Allen – As A Man Thinketh
Wallace D. Wattles – The Science Of Being Great
Florence Scovel Shinn – Your Word Is Your Wand

What are you working on now?
I am currently working on my next novel, which has the placeholder title of “Faux Hearts”.
It will be a little more down to earth than my previous novel. The characters will be a lot more human.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I mainly use Instagram, but I have been trying different sites too.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
As a new author myself, I can only say – do what feels right, and try not to overthink things too much.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Write, write, write, and eventually, you will get it right.

What are you reading now?
Currently, I am not reading anything, as I am devoting myself to my first novel wholeheartedly.

What’s next for you as a writer?
My next novel!

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
In Tune With The Infinite by Ralph Waldo Trine, Nature by Ralph Waldo Emerson, and of course, The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien 😉

Author Websites and Profiles
Tomasz Bell Website

Tomasz Bell’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Since leaving the military in 2013, I have been travelling the world, visiting around 25 exciting neighboring countries from my new home in Cairo, Egypt. My time in Italy contributed to the atmosphere of this new book, and most of the scene locations have been described from my personal experience there. For the past two years, I have been developing my writing skills and self-publishing my books on Amazon. I currently have five Sparrow titles on Amazon (one of them is an interactive fiction story for children!), and I’m working on #6 (a mansion murder mystery).

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest published book is called Carried Away. It’s an action-packed pandemic thriller set in a quarantined Italy, inspired by the current COVID-19 crisis but based upon a different, yet very real global disease.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Yes. Before I begin writing a new book, I create a 3D model of my protagonist that I can look at for inspiration while I’m writing his dialogue.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I like to think that my greatest influence was Michael Crichton. I truly appreciate the stunning amount of research that he poured into each of his novels.

What are you working on now?
I’m currently working on a mansion murder mystery, similar to an Agatha Christie novel. My book is set in Egypt, in the 1920s, in a historic mansion called the Baron Palace.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I promote my books at www.theshortstoryteller.com, and also feature an eclectic variety of book reviews there.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Read. Turn off Netflix, stop playing X-Box.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
A writer writes, always. (Throw Momma From The Train)

What are you reading now?
I’m reading Agatha Christie novels for inspiration.

What’s next for you as a writer?
One of my next projects might be a spy thriller, on board a cruise ship. I’m hoping to book an Arabian Gulf cruise for inspiration.

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?
Blank books, so that I could write my own!

Author Websites and Profiles
E.L. Haines Website
E.L. Haines Amazon Profile

E.L. Haines’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m 24 years old, and along with writing books I own a couple of online shops and go to college for an English degree. I’ve finished two full length novels, a novella, and a short story in my War on the Gods series.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
“Daughter of Poseidon,” and my readers inspired it. They kept telling me that one of my side characters needed more of her story told, so I considered their suggestions and realized they were 100% correct.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Other than drinking tons of coffee while I do so? No.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Lloyd Alexander, Tui T. Sutherland, Neil Gaiman, Rick Riordan . . . the list goes on and on.

What are you working on now?
I’m currently working on a novella and the final novel in my War on the Gods series.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Facebook, Instagram, and my newsletter.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Read a lot.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Also, read a lot.

What are you reading now?
Right now, I’m reading a ton of different modernist works for a college class.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I have a sequel series to War on the Gods planned, and also a fairytale retelling series.

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) Stardust or The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
2) The AVATARS trilogy by Tui T. Sutherland

Author Websites and Profiles
A. P. Mobley Website
A. P. Mobley Amazon Profile

A. P. Mobley’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I was born au Cap-Haitien, Haiti, in 1972. I grew up in a modest home with my three loving siblings. I was raised to be an independent and strong-minded woman. I relocated to the US in April of 2000. I am a mother of three wonderful children, a Social Work, a change agent, a social justice advocate, most importantly a difference-maker.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Owning My Mistakes: My Undies Should Fit Now is a memoir based on my real-life events.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
It’s very funny. I do have an unusual writing habit. I find myself waking up in the middle of the night to write ideas as they come in. I think that I am afraid to forget by the time I wake up in the morning.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The Bible has influenced me the most. It encourages me to always tell it as it is.

What are you working on now?
I am currently working on continuing to the most important parts of my story. It will involve not only where I have been but also where I am going.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
As a new author, I am struggling with that aspect. I used social media and paid advertising. But, I have yet to find what is the best way to go about it.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t be afraid. Anything you are inspired to write about, there is an audience for it.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it.”

What are you reading now?
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (Maya Angelou).

What’s next for you as a writer?
I am working toward becoming a bestseller and a woman of influence.

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?
Jewels (Danielle Steel)
Blessing in Disguise (Danielle Steel)
The Obsession (Nora Roberts)

Author Websites and Profiles
Marie Ghislaine Desir Website
Marie Ghislaine Desir Amazon Profile

Marie Ghislaine Desir’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am Helena Paschal, the founder and CEO of Correlations Professional Training & Development. I teach strategic event planning skills to professionals and business development to emerging entrepreneurs.

I have written four books:
Articulate: Our Words Shape Our World (New Release)
Event Planners Love Tacos
The Event Planner Book
Look at You Planning Your Own Wedding

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is Articulate: Our Words Shape Our World

I was inspired to write the book when my daughter asked, “Mom, what are you going to do if you get COVID-19?” Hesitantly, I reponded that my brother would take care of her and I would stay in a hotel for two weeks to quarantine. That same night, we watched the musical “Hamilton” and it said we don’t get to decide who lives, dies, and tells our stories.
I decided to write my story. It started out as a collection of journal entries that I would want my daughter to know about me if something happens to me. After reviewing the journal, I decided that it may inspire and help other young adults who are interested in pursuing higher education.

Growing up, I was the “quiet girl” because I did not know my worth. Making myself small and silent seemed to cause less friction. Not using my voice allowed others to define me. Pleasing others became natural for me and I would go out of my way to protect the feelings of others while jeopardizing my own.

Articulate reveals my path of navigating blindly through higher education to earn my master’s degree. My journey through college empowered me to launch my own business. Now, I use my voice to mentor and train professionals throughout the U.S. first-generation college students will find this book most beneficial.

Aspiring college students who come from low-income backgrounds generally do not graduate college within six years. They are unfamiliar with the “hidden code” required to successfully graduate a four-year university. The “hidden code” consists of practicing good study skills and understanding higher education bureaucracy.

Students from low-income families often work part-time jobs to finance their education, which leaves them too preoccupied to crack the “hidden code.” Having a mentor can make a significant difference in the outcomes of first-generation students who do not have family members to guide them through college life. This book serves as a college coach.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m not sure if it’s unusual but I must print the entire manuscript in order to review and edit the book. I can’t do it by looking at it on the computer screen. I am old fashioned and I need the book in my hand to write it, delete, edit, rewrite, etc. The book ends up being printed a dozen times before I am satisfied with the final draft.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I am influenced by Dale Carnegie books. My favorite is “How to Win Friends & Influence People.” I enjoy inspirational stories with practical advice. My favorite book is “Think and Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill. I also enjoy books by Terry McMillan.

What are you working on now?
Now, I am working on a journal/planner. A no content book. I love writing lists and checking things off my to-do list and I believe it will be helpful for others. I am also working to condense my book into a 30-60 minute motivational speech to graduating seniors in high school and incoming freshmen in college.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I prefer to offer preorders on my website at least 4-6 weeks before the book releases. Afterward, I run paid promotions on Amazon. I also break the book down with practical advice to deliver on YouTube for ongoing sales.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Yes, I would advise new authors to create an outline and to set a word count goal. It is also extremely important to keep the reader in mind when you are writing the book. My top advice is to hire an editor.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best advice is NOT to promote your book on social media all day to your friends and family. You will be disappointed with your sales. It’s important to get your book in front of your targeted readers. This may mean getting out of your comfort zone and doing speaking engagements and interviews.

What are you reading now?
Currently, I am reading Black Women as Cultural Readers by Jacqueline Bobo. Since my book is a memoir, I am now interested in reading other memoirs. I am listening to the memoir of A Promised Land by Barack Obama and the Mariah Carey Memoir on audible.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Since my book Articulate is designed to help first-generation college students successfully graduate college. I would like to write a book to help first time entrepreneurs by sharing my failures and victories in a relatable story.

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 Promised Land, Becoming, and Articulate.

Author Websites and Profiles
Helena Paschal Website
Helena Paschal Author Profile on Smashwords

 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have been a sailor, scientist, and professional cage-fighter. As a merchant sailor I crossed the Arctic Circle, passed through the Straits of Gibraltar, witnessed sea monsters, and participated in a helicopter rescue atop the tallest cliff in Scandinavia. I have worked as a research scientist studying gene therapy for two major universities and spent four years as a professional mixed martial artist. As a civilian contractor, I spent three years teaching hand-to-hand combat to members of the US military and over ten allied nations. I am a military spouse, and my family and I have lived in eight states from coast to coast.
Shadow of Wolves is my debut novel, with another being written at the time of this interview.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Shadow of Wolves: A Kit Barker Novel is a paranormal action adventure with elements of horror drawn from Native American and Germanic folklore. I’ve always wanted to see new takes on the classic western, especially with a horror theme. And I’m a big fan of well-done monster stories, so I decided to try creating one of my own.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I love to make things and work with my hands, so my go-to solution when I have writer’s block or need to flesh out a new idea is to sit down and start creating something else. For example, I’ve carved wooden cups, sew leather garments, restored antique axes, and taught myself how to make fire with a bow drill, all as alternative creative outlets while thinking through the details of a storyline.
I’m also a Brazilian Jiu-jitsu black belt, and grappling is something else I love to do to clear my head before getting into my storytelling.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I’ve read so much over the years that it’s hard to pick out specific authors, but I’ll try. The works of Louis L’Amour and C.S. Lewis were definitely early influences, and I’ve read a ton of Stephen King. Clive Cussler is great for that sense of adventure, and Sci-Fi writers like Frank Herbert, Robert A. Heinlein, and Harry Harrison are fantastic for seeing how complex themes can transcend a genre. I’ve also been a fan of Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child for years, going back to their first book, Relic.
Every book has some sort of effect on the reader, which is part of their appeal.

What are you working on now?
I’m currently hard at work on the sequel to Shadow of Wolves, while also mapping out the bones for the new couple books in the Kit Barker series. The new book will follow the continued adventures of Kit Barker and John Swift-Runner (along with a new host of characters) as they encounter a new series of paranormal challenges in the old west.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Social media build up and sending out ARCs to reliable readers was a big positive for Shadow of Wolves, as was promotion through sites and services like Awesome Gang, Amazon and Goodreads. With this being my first novel, I’m still climbing the learning curve on self-promotion.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Get something on the page. You’re not a photocopier churning out a perfect product the first time. You’re more like a sculptor. You can remove things, add things, and mold the end product as you go – so just get something on the page and then circle back to craft it until you’re satisfied.
And read, read, read. Reading good writing will do more for your skill as an author than almost anything else.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t forego a dream simply because of how long it will take to achieve it; the time will pass anyway.

What are you reading now?
Lately I’ve been coming back to the early sci-fi classics. I just finished reading Who Goes There by John W. Campbell, which was later made into the John Carpenter film The Thing.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m going to continue the Kit Barker series for several more books, and I also have at least three other standalone novels that may grow into series, as well. Right now, Barker and his hooligans are my main focus. I also do some short form writing on my website.

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 definitely bring something like Survive! by Les Stroud or The SAS Survival Handbook by John Wisemen, just for the survival knowledge in a situation like that. I would definitely be making escape attempts. I would also bring The Complete C.S. Lewis Signature Classics, which is an anthology of his non-fiction works, because that sort of contemplative material is appropriate when you’ve got a lot of time on your hands. I’d also bring With These Hands by Louis L’Amour.
And I would definitely bring a blank journal to keep writing and to record my attempts to escape from the island. If I make it, there could be another book in there, you know.

Author Websites and Profiles
J.R. White Website
J.R. White Amazon Profile

J.R. White’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

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

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

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

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

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

What are you working on now?
Right now, I’m actually in the final stages of editing my second book! It’s going to be another YA Mystery novel–though this one will feature a strong female protagonist, as opposed to THE WOMEN IN WHITE’s Greg Chase. I’m hoping to publish it before the end of next year!

More globally, though, I also have a few other YA projects–as well as my first bona fide Adult Mystery novel–that I’m in the process of outlining and planning for eventual release.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I really have taken a more scattershot approach to promoting my books than using any one “best” method for getting the word out. I have my own website and have advertised my debut novel there. But I also have accounts with Goodreads, Twitter, and Instagram; and I promote my materials heavily there too–to say nothing of Amazon, where THE WOMEN IN WHITE is currently on sale. To be fair, though, I do suppose that my Twitter advertisements have probably gotten me the most attention thus far.

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

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

What are you reading now?
I’m currently reading C.S. Lewis’ THE SCREWTAPE LETTERS and Barack Obama’s newly released memoir A PROMISED LAND.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Well, I’m already in the process of final-editing my next book, another YA Mystery novel. Once I’ve finished that, then I will likely look to publishing and subsequently advertising it. I have several other book-related projects that I’ll be moving on to tackle after that!

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

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

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

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hi there! My name is Elizabeth Miles. I am the author of This Is Where You Pivot: The Shift from Fear to Freedom, as well as The Journey to Healing: Love, Yourself, and the soon-to-be-released title, Connect You: A Guide to Your Authentic Life. I am a wife, a mom, a business owner, and a student of personal growth and transformation. I also happen to be a baker/foodie, and love my dog Rarrie!

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Connect You: A Guide to Your Authentic Life is a workbook for those looking for help connecting with their authentic life. We spend so much time worrying about everyone else’s thoughts and feelings, and this leads us, often times, to living our life according to other people’s definitions and standards. That isn’t fair to us at all! This book is a compilation of content and questions designed to give you time and space to connect with your heart – where you are right now, and understanding how you are using your time, energy, and resources to determine if they are in alignment with the person you want to be. My goal is that everyone lives a life that feels authentically good, no matter what their definition of success is.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I consider myself an intuitive writer. I don’t set timelines for writing. When I get an idea that feels really good for me to write about, I let that idea flow out of me, as it needs to. I have found that, when I push too hard to get results, whether it be a page or chapter count, or in the content, I don’t do my best work.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Alan Watts, Jen Sincero, Napoleon Hill

What are you working on now?
I am working on my next book, which is more spiritual in nature, and will be a guide to help readers understand what is known our “shadow” – exploring and accepting the parts of ourselves that don’t usually seem so positive. I also continue to develop my podcast, The Power to Pivot Podcast, which is available on Anchor, Spotify, Apple, and Amazon, and grow my company, March Forth Media Co. I am on a mission to help independent authors, artists, and musicians share their message with the world.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I use social media, as well as my podcast, to promote my books.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t give up! If you have a story to share, get it out there. This is how we create community, as well as inspire positivity and growth in the world. As an author, we have the power to create real change in the world. I know it can seem daunting at times, but there are so many great resources available.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Be yourself!

What are you reading now?
The Book by Alan Watts and The Quality of Courage by Mickey Mantle

What’s next for you as a writer?
I am working on my next book, which is more spiritual in nature, and will be a guide to help readers understand what is known our “shadow” – exploring and accepting the parts of ourselves that don’t usually seem so positive.

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 Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Everything I Know I Learned from Baseball
A Separate Peace

Author Websites and Profiles
Elizabeth A. Miles Website
Elizabeth A. Miles Amazon Profile

Elizabeth A. Miles’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve been an actor for decades, in film, TV and the theatre (my screen c.v. is listed under my name on IMDB.com). I started writing seriously, about ten years ago, when my agent’s calls became less frequent. I wish I’d started earlier. So, to date, there’s a so-so novel, Walking Backwards, languishing in a bottom drawer (best thing about it is the title). Several screenplays – one about my experiences working on a tobacco and maize farm in southern Africa in the mid Sixties; another, an adaptation of a superb novel by Isobel Colegate (more of her anon); another, Shooting Tutankhamun, based on what happened while on location for a US TV film on the discovery of the boy King’s tomb. Then comes a family memoir, Relative Times. This was prompted by a cousin who didn’t want our family’s stories to die with us. I’m proud of this well-received book and am happy to say it’s available on Amazon. Writing and acting aside, I’m a family man, happily married to Janie with three grown up kids who between them have produced five marvellous kids of their own.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My novel The Crimson Pantomime took seven years to write. Of course there were big gaps along the way but even in those I was always thinking, thinking, thinking… The inspiration for the book came to me after auditioning a spectacularly talented candidate wanting to train at a top London drama school, who through reasons you will discover when reading the story, failed to gain a place. That real kid will never know what he started! But I’m grateful to him.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m an actor. I’ve been telling stories all my professional life. So I inhabit my own characters as much as possible. This means talking their talk aloud (or under my breath if in public); and reading aloud what I’ve written. It’s great – instead of playing just the one character, I get to play them all. It helps me to imagine an audience, even a small one will do.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Isabel Colegate, the author of The Shooting Party (I was lucky enough to play a major character in the film version); and her Statues in a Garden, a novel I became obsessed with in the noughties and turned into a screenplay hoping the film might be made in time for the centenary of WW1. No such luck; and, among others, her recently re-issued novel, Orlando King. Isabel Colegate’s style is spare, elegant, true and ironic. In my opinion she is enormously undervalued. Of course to even try to emulate her is a cheek, but I’m allowed to claim her as an inspiration.

What are you working on now?
Next up is a novelisation of a Viennese play written in 1911 and updated by me, very specifically, to 1968. (In that year, as a drama student, I appeared in an English adaptation of this play). It made a profound impression me. After The Crimson Pantomime I wanted to embark on a simpler, more straightforward story. Again, no such luck. This one will tax more of my resources than any of my other projects.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I wish I was more interested and therefore better at promoting and marketing my books. Perhaps I’d then get to sell more of them which of course is what every author wants. I’m only now getting going. David Morrison of PublishNation, my indie publisher, is marketing The Crimson Pantomime for me and I’ve managed to get a few of my celebrity friends – Ian McKellen, Miriam Margolyes – to read the book and say nice things about it. My website is still under construction and I guess Facebook will play a part.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Just the usual – WRITE! It’s such easy advice to give and so difficult to do in practice. Especially for us independent authors with no commissions, no outside deadlines, no-one but ourselves to believe in what we do. I am part of a local writers group, here in SE London. We are an eclectic lot. There’s only one rule: there are no rules! We (never more than six of us at a time) rock up at someone’s house or paid community space every other Tuesday at 7.00pm. The first one up distributes printed copies of what she/he’s written (2000 words being an agreed maximum – but more if she/he wants) and reads it out to the group who make notes, or not. When she/he’s done a discussion ensues – lighthearted, generalised to begin with and then perhaps becoming more detailed and specific. The talented writers tend to get more flak than the ones who are tentative and not so sure. But it’s never a back-slapping session and sometimes we ‘go home bleeding’. Well, it hurts to be criticised – especially when you know the criticism is spot on. The group has made my book better than it would otherwise have been. No question. Of course, all that was before Covid 19 stymied everything.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Let me copy and paste this useful list from those who should know:
1. Write!
2. Don’t always murder your darlings. But do look on them with a very beady eye. Not every little twinge of satisfaction is suspect – but the ones that amount to a smug glee is to be watched out for! Diana Athill.
3. Description is hard. All description is an opinion about the world. Find a place to stand. Anne Enright.
4. It doesn’t matter how ‘real’ the story is or how ‘made up’. What matters is its necessity. Anne Enright.
5. The reader is a friend. Not an adversary or a spectator. Jonathan Franzen.
6. Write in the third person unless a really distinctive first-person voice offers itself irresistibly. Jonathan Franzen.
7. If nobody will put your play on – put it on yourself – David Hare.
8. If description is coloured by the viewpoint of the character who is doing the noticing, it becomes, in effect, part of character definition and part of the action. Hilary Mantel.
9. Read it out loud. Michael Morpurgo.
10. In the planning stages of a book don’t plan the ending. It has to be earned by all that goes before it. Rose Tremain.

What are you reading now?
I’ve just finished The Last September by Elizabeth Bowen.
And just started Martin Amis’s Inside Story.
and, because I like to read a factual book alongside a novel:
Other Minds – The Octopus and the Evolution of Intelligent Life by Peter Godfrey-Smith.

What’s next for you as a writer?
If there’s time, and at my age that’s a serious consideration, I’d like to write a play.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
I’d take all twelve volumes of Proust’s In Search of Lost Time – and finally get to read them!

Author Websites and Profiles
Rupert Frazer Amazon Profile

Rupert Frazer’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Well what can I say, I was born and raised in East London, grew up on estates and got into mischief, I always had an eye for adventure which led me into trouble.
Loved making up stories as a kid and when I hit sixteen knew I wanted to be a writer.
I’ve just had my first novel published, so now I’m in the process of trying to promote it and write my next novel.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The New Age.

The inspiration was reoccurring dreams I kept having as a teen, hence why the format of the family in the book is based on mine.
I connected all the reoccurring dreams together and made it into a novel.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Yes, I write in human blood…….
No I tend to write by hand, which is quite long winded but just more natural.
Not really a unusual habit.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Arthur C Clarke, EE ‘Doc’ Smith are at the top, great writers.

What are you working on now?
I’m currently working on three projects, two are kids books and one is another novel.

The first kids book is based spring heeled Jack and is being illustrated by my daughter ‘Callie’ who is a gifted artist (I am 35, so was quite young when she was born, she is 13).
The second kids book is a project between myself and my eldest brother, it is a weird and whacky children’s book which I will write and my brother will illustrate.
And finally my new manuscript is a space opera which follow a set of triplets (that’s all the info you’re getting), so as you can tell this is very time consuming, very hard to run opium operation on the side.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Throwing copies of my book at random strangers as they walk by, although strangely it is sometimes met with anger, failing that I just sell it as toilet paper so not only can you read while on the bog, you can also wipe.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Be persistent, simple as that, persistence is key.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t stick your little fella in a plug socket.

What are you reading now?
Dune…. Nuff said.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Go full shining on my family and eat cereal.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
How to survive on a desert island, dummies guide to being a doctor, how to be a robot and lastly spot the dog.

Author Websites and Profiles
Michael Davidson Website
Michael Davidson Amazon Profile

Michael Davidson’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Well, I’ve been a writer since I was 11. At least back then, I was trying to be one. I would write stories in the genres I liked, Sc-fi, Fantasy, mystery…etc. I watched an ungodly amoung of TV, whenever I could. So I had a love for stories from a very young age.
It took me a while to give writing for a living a serious shot. I first tried out publishing a book when I was 16. I found a publisher and gave it a shot. I published a story titled Theodosius: Kingdom Betrayal. I was so excited at the time but it didn’t work out. A few readers here and there but it was quite far from ideal.
I took a break from trying to publish but kept writing on the side, while pursuing my BA in Business Management. Eventually I got back to publishing and started my own publishing company to retain ownership of all my works but I also plan to start publishing other writers.
So far I’ve written over 40+ books. Many of them will probably never see the light of day, but they’ve all served a purpose, even if only a personal one.
Right now, I’ve got over 10 books published and you bet your right cheek I’ve got more coming.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The latest book I’ve released is a non-fiction book titled No One Will Save You. I’ve been writing self-improvement books for a while but I wanted to do something a little different. The whole idea of self-help is actually well helping yourself but I also noticed that many people have this idea that just reading a book or being told by their friends or parents that they need to do X, Y and Z will transform them. Well, I wanted to dispel that notion and talk about that and really incite self agency. As that can actually change a life sometimes with no external input.
On top of that, the book was packed with observations on many topics about life, ambition and the deeper meaning of it all. There are times when I sort of teetered into the spiritual but I kept that to a minimum in this one. Spending time with this book was quite the internal ride for me, I hope it will be the same for others.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Hmm, let me see. I write in bed. Like I can’t sit on a chair for long, especially if it’s in my room. I don’t know why but it’s been like that for a while. If I’m at a cafe or some place public, it somehow goes away but when I’m alone I just sit up with a pillow to my back and one beneath me. And I can spend the whole day writing like that (of course, with the occasional break here and there).
I don’t really know if that’s unusual but I’m the only writer I know who writes like that. That’s the actual issue with this question. Maybe I’m doing way weirder things but I just don’t know it.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
That’s a question that would take a while to answer. So, I’ll keep it short. I’ve loved many writers and stories during the course of my life. Just as with my writing, I’m quite an eclectic reader. If I found a romance, sci-fi, snuff film (or book, if those exist) that was fantastic, I’d watch it with the same verve as anything else of the same calibre.
But some of the writers that really shaped the way I see the world are: Alex Haley, Bernard Werber, Antoine de Saint Exupery, Anne Lamott, Chinua Achebe and there are many more but I don’t want to turn this into a list.

What are you working on now?
Right now, I’m getting myself mentally ready to work on some fiction projects. The one that’s got me a little nervous is my Sons of God series. It’s going to be epic, I feel, something I’ll spend years working on. So that sense of the unknown is keeping me on my toes right now.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Well of course, it would be unfair not to put the Awesome Gang pretty high on that list. You guys are doing, well, awesome work here. I really prefer doing subtle promotions, not the aggressive kind, like posting about my book with every interaction I have online. I’d rather just be a human, I still talk about my book, do interviews and do free promotions like the one I’m doing on awesome gang but I trust that readers love talking about the books they found helpful. So I do my best to focus on that, making helpful and inspiring books, in non-fiction at least.
There’s still much I have to learn and implement but so far just providing value and making that consistent has really provided me with a ton of word-of-mouth promotion.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t do this if it’s only for the money. Like really, you could get rich but it often doesn’t happen on your terms. There’s no set formula either, maybe one thing will work for one guy and to him that’s like the bible or something. Then you try it and you might get totally different results.
So I’d say if you’re going to be serious about being a writer you have to be willing to sacrifice a lot. There’s some esoteric depths to this craft that could take years for you to start sensing. A moral imperative that starts to unveil over time. Until you get to that level where you can’t help but being a writer and you’re ready to burn bridges to write, then I’d say you’re probably better off getting a job.
However, if you’re ready to actually get creative and fight for it. Then yeah, I think you’re made for this.
Another piece of advice, I’d say you, is you should try to make it a habit. That’s nothing novel but this is the single most important piece of advice I ever got. Just make sitting down and writing consistent and try to improve what you’re doing over time.
Lastly, read like it’s your fix. Just reading good books will make such a difference in your own writing. Read as broadly and narrowly as you like, but read.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Consistency is the key. My kryptonite used to be consistency, that and marketing. Well I’ve gotten significantly better at both. If you can make working on whatever you do consistent then over time you’re bound to see results. Just work on refining the process and your focus.
Pick some random guy that works on and off for 10 years and a guy who works only for 3 years but consistently, and guess who is more likely to achieve something significant?

What are you reading now?
Right now I’m reading a bit of everything. Marketing books, mystery…. but I’ve just picked up this fiction book Sovereign by C. J. Samson. I’ve had it since 2015 and boy do I regret not reading it earlier.

What’s next for you as a writer?
What’s next for me? Well, I have a goal for the next year. A number of readers I’d like to reach and help. That’s pretty much my marketing focus. Personally, my next step is always to keep going deeper, exploring and growing. Whether that’s in fiction or non-fiction.

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’m not going to answer that question.

Author Websites and Profiles
C. A. Touré Website
C. A. Touré Amazon Profile
C. A. Touré Author Profile on Smashwords

C. A. Touré’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a writer trapped in the body of an Information Technology professional. Writing is my passion, but IT pays more of the bills. I’ve managed to squeeze out two novels over the course of that past several years. I’m working on a third, but the going is slow. I write on the fringes of Science Fiction. My books don’t fit neatly in the genre, so I find myself adding an excessive number of adjectives when attempting to describe them. My first book, Motes, is definitely SF. I mean, it has an alien culture and space travel. Those things always equal SF, right? That’s true, but the book really isn’t about science fiction so much as it is about the mystery of scale, the power of family, the burden of duty, and the relationship between faith and science. If I had to pin down a single inspiration for that book, it would be the writings of Blaise Pascal.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My second novel is called The Bit Dance. This book was a blast to write. I still think about it and its characters almost every day. My background in IT collided head-on with emerging technology around artificial intelligence and resulted in a story that skates right on the thin line between science fiction and science fact. I have a young girl at the center of the story who I really love. She’s brilliant from a technical standpoint, but struggles to win the approval of her overbearing father. Their relationship is critical to the development of the story and drives the plot along. It might seem weird to refer to a fictional character as someone you “love”, but I am really close to my characters. They are real in my mind. That got really interesting (and fun) when the AI character in the story began to take shape. I hope my readers enjoy the way that character took shape.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I end up arguing with my characters in my head. They drive the story. I create them, but I kind of turn them loose to do as they please. That might seem strange, but that’s how it works. They might say or do things that I find troubling, but I have to let them win these arguments and live consistently inside their own selves. I know that makes me sound like a crazy person, but I think you have to be a little crazy to write fiction anyway.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Growing up, I read a lot of Asimov, Heinlein, and other “Golden Age” Sci-Fi authors. I also have a deep appreciation for the complex worlds created by Tolkien. I have read and re-read the Lord of the Rings series multiple times over the years. One of my favorites outside of Sci-Fi and Fantasy is To Kill a Mockingbird. I think my love of strong characters draws me to that story. The relationship between Scout and Atticus is fantastic.

What are you working on now?
I’m trying my hand at YA Fantasy now. The going is incredibly slow, but I am working on a first-person narrative novel with an 11-year-old boy at the core of it. The story deals with the concept of parallel worlds and travel between them. It’s not Narnia. It’s more of a “many worlds” view of the universe. There’s a good bit of good versus evil and other Lewis-esque features that you see in the Narnia books, but the worlds are not alternative in the same way Lewis created his. I’m only about 25% of the way through my first draft, so the story is sure to change a bit as it plays out.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
That’s a great question. I am the world’s worst marketer. I really struggle with this aspect of writing. I’m actually still seeking the right channel(s) for me and my work.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
If you get stuck on a story, give it a break, but don’t stop thinking about it. Consider jumping ahead and writing a later part of your book, coming back to fill in the blanks later. That can really jumpstart your process when you feel blocked. I wrote about two-thirds of my first book and got seriously stuck. I jumped ahead and wrote the ending. Things I came up with while fleshing out the last part of the story gave me insight into how to pick up from the place that had me stuck.

The other thing I would say relates to one of my previous answers. Characters are EVERYTHING. Build full-fledged, three-dimensional characters. I even write things about my characters that never make it into my books. I just keep them aside as a part of who the character is. I’ll even write short stories about them in order to get a feel for how they would react in a larger setting. Again, I know that might sound crazy, but it does help. Your characters must be real to your readers. They have to behave naturally – according to their own personalities.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“Keep writing”. That sounds simple, but it’s critical. A writer writes. Write. Even if all you can manage is an occasional 500-word sketch as you try to get traction on a larger project, do it. Keep the muscles flexing.

What are you reading now?
I just finished reading The Scarred King I: Exile (Tales from Talifar) by Rose and Josh Foreman. I read this in support of an indie author group to which I belong. It’s a great story with great characters. I’m looking forward to future installments to this series.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Short-term, I really want to finish my third novel. After that, I think I would like to consider a sequel to The Bit Dance. That book won the bronze medal for Science Fiction from Readers’ Favorite this year. I’m pretty proud of that – and the other recognition that book has received. If I can manage to build my readership, I think the story deserves a sequel.

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 (I’ll cheat and say a combined volume so I get all three books. That story never gets old.)
To Kill a Mockingbird (I have the story pretty much memorized, but the message to always do what is right – even if you are the only one – is priceless and should be reinforced at every opportunity.)
A Wrinkle in Time (L’Engle’s powerful characters and universal message of love make for one of my favorites that I can read over and over.)
Asimov’s Mysteries (This is a collection of short stories by the Sci-Fi Golden Age master. They are great fun, even when you already know the endings.)

Author Websites and Profiles
Tilmer Wright Website
Tilmer Wright Amazon Profile

Tilmer Wright’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve written two complete manuscripts entitled Curse of Cortes, and SWARM.
I was encouraged by close friends to publish the second manuscript first, entitled SWARM because of the relevance to current world conditions. including the recent election. SWARM is a action-packed cyber-AI-thriller inspired by a true story. I plan to publish my first manuscript, entitled Curse of Cortes’ in the late spring or summer. Also inspired by a true story, Cortes will tie a billion dollar lost plunder, a 1911 claim of finding Atlantis and the Mayan creation myth into an edge-of-your-seat thrill ride.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The name of my latest book is SWARM. The title is inspired by a AI drone technology in development by DARPA featured in the story. The bulk of the premise was inspired by a true story about a program which escaped an NSA spy lab in the early ’90s and never re-captured. When I produced a webisode series about the program in ’95, the FBI paid me a visit to ask me to take down the site. Apparently, I had stumbled onto a top secret program. That program is central to the story of SWARM.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Well, not sure what would be considered unusual, but I can say that my plots often derive from years of research into a field, asking question after question until I stumble onto the key flaw, the vulnerability or moral dilemma that we face as humanity. Then I will spend months more trying to understand that issue before I outline a story. Some writers create incredible story worlds, I try to nudge as close to reality as a can without a law suit because I believe truth is more frightening than fiction.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I read many of the classics in college with Mark Twain rising as my favorite primarily for his ability to use wit. Post college, when I did get a chance to read, I found myself drawn to Raymond Khoury, Ian Caldwell, Michael Crichton, Daniel Silva, Steve Berry, James Rollins, and my all-time favorite Dan Brown. I loved their integration of history, archaeology and science into a plausible, yet fictional scenario.

What are you working on now?
I am currently eyeballs deep into the research for a sequel to SWARM, tentatively entitled “The Second Scroll”, which will extend the AI-Espionage world of SWARM. I will also extend the premise that we have entered into the Seven Seals of prophecy. Research will cover AI, AI-weapons, geo-politics, Middle East, church corruption, but will also include the true story of the Dead Sea copper scrolls and the possible hiding place of the arc of the covenant.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
To be honest, I’m new to book promotion. I research others who have been successful. Yes, I have a website with lots of extra content and media, but I get more attention on Facebook and Good Reads. I am focusing on finding and building relationships with reviewers with an audience, and kicking off with free promotions on Amazon and Good Reads with the idea that the more who read the book, the more word of mouth.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Absolutely. Don’t give up, and just keep writing. I spent years on my first book, re-writing over a hundred times until it actually worked. My second advice is to find someone who will force you to improve. not stroke your ego. The best person you can have as a beta reader is someone who will rip your work apart so you know how to stitch it back together. Re-write, then re-write again until to sings.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best advice I ever received was to completely rewrite a manuscript complete with page by page notes, and 45 pages of general notes. Humiliating. Discouraging. Ruthless. Exactly what I needed. A good coach will tear you down and then build you up right. Don’t be afraid of criticism, embrace it, internalize it, own it and then work to eliminate it. Negative feedback keeps us humble, but more importantly, they lay a path to improving the reader experience.

What are you reading now?
I am ‘half-reading’ several books as I swing between research for my next book, and taking time to get inspired. Research wise I am reading: Welcome to Putingrad by Franz Sedelmayer. I’m trying to get inside Putin’s head and post election influence on Trump. I finished two books on the Dead Sea Copper Scrolls, and one on the third Jewish Temple. On the fun stack are Camino Winds by John Grisham, then Crucible by James Rollins.

What’s next for you as a writer?
The next few years will be focused on a series of six to ten novels that will extend either the SWARM or Curse of Cortes series. The SWARM series will cover AI, cyber-espionage, geo-political, weapons, church corruption and end-time prophecy. Curse of Cortes cast will cover lost treasures, lost civilizations, archaeology and the history behind ancient myths. Since my books are deeply researched, and highly cinematic, so I hope to work with my contacts in Hollywood to create screenplay adaptions.

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 inner geek would battle my inner artist. My library is half research, half thrillers. The geek would want practical books on how to eat, survive, signal and escape. My inner artist would want to take some action-thrillers like Inferno, Timeline, Tom Sawyer, or Da Vinci Code. Of course, a Bible wouldn’t hurt for those darker nights.

Author Websites and Profiles
Guy Morris Website
Guy Morris Amazon Profile

Guy Morris’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a nomad who currently lives in a small village. I’m also a dreamer, a climate activist on a break and just a human being. I’ve recently published my debut sci-fi novel.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Entanglement is a sci-fi novel that is set in a world where the distinction between the virtual and the real has faded, and an inexplicable plague is changing the nature. A man flees his home, as he feels that something strange has happened to his loved one. A woman flees a restrictive community she’s spent her entire life in, as she starts questioning the Master’s methods. The books follows the characters’ adventures as they try to uncover the truth, struggling with their doubts about the nature of reality.

The book was inspired by my husband because I intended it as a wedding gift for him, but of course, I didn’t manage to finish it on time. That’s why deep connection between the characters is one of the themes of the book.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t know. I often start writing without a clear (or any) idea of what’s going to happen and discover it on the go, but I don’t think I’m the only one who does that.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Every book I’ve read has influenced me in one way or another. I definitely look up to N.K. Jemisin, Lois McMaster Bujold and James S.A. Corey for character development and world building, to Adrian Tchaikovsky for plot originality and details of how other beings might view the world and to Strugatsky brothers for clear and concise language that manages to convey a complex idea in just a few words.

What are you working on now?
I have an unfinished novel that needs a lot of editing and I’ve started another one, but I’m not currently working on them. At the moment, I focus on reading and discovering new, female voices in sci-fi.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m not good at marketing, so I shouldn’t be the one giving advice. What I do is talk to people on Goodreads and build relationships with other readers who like the same books, give my book away for honest reviews and give interviews. I’ve also started writing a blog about science fiction by female authors after I realized that most of the sci-fi I’ve read was written by men. I hope it will allow me not only to discover and promote talented writers, but also to build a community of sci-fi fans willing to expand their horizons. I review books by famous, as well as indie and self-published authors, and so far, it has been an exciting quest.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Give your book to beta readers before publishing it, gather honest feedback and take it seriously. It will help you see the issues in your work that you can’t notice on your own and give you a chance to improve it. It’s better to get those comments privately while you still have time to correct something than see disappointed readers giving low-star reviews to your book.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
When you want to achieve something, start with small steps. The idea of doing something grand can be paralyzing and prevent you from any action at all, while taking small, measurable steps is easy and can can help you build a routine. For instance, writing a book can seem like an impossible and confusing task, but writing for 5 minutes today isn’t such a scary idea.

What are you reading now?
I’m reading Sinai Unhinged by Joanna Evans as part of my quest for female sci-fi. I’m also reading an unpublished book by a fried who was my first beta-reader as well.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I plan to keep writing and working on my skills.

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 think those should be practical books on building a hut, edible plants and survival, but maybe I’d also allow myself a luxury of one book just for entertainment. Let it be the last James S.A. Corey’s book from the Expanse series that hasn’t been published yet (Leviathan Falls). I want to know how the series ends, I haven’t read it so it’s going to be fun, and I trust the authors (there are actually two of them under the pseudonym) enough by now to know it’s going to be good.

Author Websites and Profiles
Alina Leonova Website

Alina Leonova’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m Laura. I’m an elementary school teacher and I just self-published my first book! I have written two more books, but I’m hoping to find a publisher for those books. I love writing, reading, eating junk food, and kickboxing.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is called “6,393 Miles.” I just moved back from Japan (6,393 miles away from my hometown!) after working there as a middle/high school teacher for almost four years. This book was inspired by a lot of people and a lot of things in my life. It was inspired by my high school boyfriend who is now my husband of nine years, playing basketball only my senior year, friendships that I had, thing I would have changed about my high school days. It was inspired by lessons I learned before, during, and after high school. It was inspired by precious, precious people that I met overseas and by the heart-wrenching experience that was leaving them behind. I needed a way to express myself, to portray what an experience abroad does to and for you; how it changes you.

I actually wasn’t sure if I would publish this book when I was writing it. It’s almost too personal, you know? In fact, I still have moments when people I know personally mention that they’re reading it and my stomach knots up and I want to chew on my nails.

But I really felt like this story needed to be shared, even if it meant totally putting myself out there. I think there’s something to say for the deep relationships that are forged in the heart of the fire that is living in a country that isn’t your home. There’s something to say about living in a place where you can’t read or speak the language, where you have to rely solely on the graces of others to support you. A place where you think you can never belong, but, because of the people who accept you and love you and hold your hand as they walk you through more than you could have ever expected, you end up loving with your whole heart. I think it’s a really unique feeling and I think it’s really overlooked and misunderstood. I decided to publish this book because I hope it can share a bit of my heart and, hopefully, the hearts of other people who live away from their home countries and their own language.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I guess I don’t know what usual writing habits actually are? Haha. I don’t know if it’s strange but I write in really irregular intervals and do a lot of thinking and dreaming about the stories as I write. If I get stumped on something, I don’t just keep writing. I take time and I think about it and sleep on it before I write again. Sometimes I write for twenty minutes and nothing is really working, so I quit. Other times, I’ve written for five hours straight while the words just flow out of me.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
That’s kind of a hard question. I don’t know if there is really one author or one book that has a huge influence on me. I’ve always been a bookworm and I don’t stay in one genre, so I’ve read a lot of books that were really meaningful to me. My favorite book ever is “Blink” by Ted Dekker, and I’m also a big fan of “Chronicles of Narnia,” “Harry Potter,” and the “Divergent” series. I think every book I read influences my writing style because it gives me more examples of good writing, builds my vocabulary, and broadens my imagination.

What are you working on now?
I just recently completed young adult science-fiction duology. It’s about a society who lives underground post-Covid, post nuclear war. Nova, is a mechanic in one the poorest parts of the society. She’s content to remain that way until she hears from a friend who she thought was dead.

I’m still working on checking its flow, making sure my character development is on the page and not just in my head, and seeing if I have any additional scenes I want to add to it.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m just starting out, but I’m having a lot of success with Goodreads.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Just keep going. Keep writing. Make it consistent but don’t push yourself when you can’t write. Just do something each day. Maybe you’ve got a bad case of writer’s block (do people still use that expression??) but you can think about it, you can research it, you can pause and read a book to inspire you to keep going, but don’t give up. You can do it.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best advice anyone has ever given me is to just start. No matter how small that first step is, do it. You’ll never regret starting to follow your dreams and someday, you’ll get there, even if you only take baby steps the whole way there.

What are you reading now?
“This Light Between Us” by Andrew Fukuda

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m going to keep looking for a publisher for my duology, and I’m going to start writing another book. I’m not sure yet what it’s going to be, but it’s going to happen. Now that I’ve started I can’t stop. It’s like I’ve always been a writer and, now that the dam’s broken, there’s no stopping 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?
“Blink” by Ted Dekker
“The Magician’s Nephew” by C.S. Lewis
“Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire” by J.K. Rowling
“Farenheit 451” by Ray Bradbury

Ehh, maybe scratch the C.S. Lewis one and bring something like “Deserted Island Survival for Dummies”

Author Websites and Profiles
Laura J. Swallow Amazon Profile

Laura J. Swallow’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile