Awesome Author Interviews

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

Susanna Heiskanen

Interview With Author Susanna Heiskanen

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have written two non-fiction books about the nordic lifestyle. I love writing fiction as well which I what I wanted to write next but I have few unfinished non fiction and children’s books that I want to finish first.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My new book Arctic Paradise the Paradox of Finnish Happiness is my new book being published on 21 April. The book is about Finland and why it is the happiest country in the world and why not, what are the areas that you do not see that the country needs to work on to make happiness accessible to all.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write late at nigh, or early in the morning. They are my sweet spot in terms of when I feel my best.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Hygge by Meik Weiking was my eye-opening on all the good things about Scandinavia and Nordics. It made me want to write my version of what is Nordic Lifestyle hence my first book.

What are you working on now?
I have nearly finished a children’s picture book that I am writing with my son. I also have short non fiction book that I am only going to launch as audio and e-book only,

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I like to try new things. I find that non fiction is more difficult to get on the adverts unless it is on amazon or facebook. So I try to mix things on kobo, findaway voices and written world media.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Keep writing things that make you happy and bring you joy.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t give up as the next thing that you do could be the winner.

What are you reading now?
I am too busy writing to be reading but I have Quit by Annie Duke that I am reading when I get a chance.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I want to write fiction next, something that I connected to my roots in Finland.

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?
Lord of the Ring trilogy and all Harry Potter books.

Author Websites and Profiles

Susanna Heiskanen Website

Susanna Heiskanen Amazon Profile

Susanna Heiskanen’s Social Media Links

Goodreads Profile

Facebook Profile

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Jake Brown

Interview With Author Jake Brown

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Jake Brown knows what it takes to survive a bad boss. He spent more than a decade leading creative teams to do good work and have fun…while dodging the landmines of a really Bad Boss. Now, he helps people turn the prison of work back into a playground. Jake lives in Texas with his wife (the most introverted person you’ll never meet) and their four kiddos.

I’ve finished one book, but have a couple others in the hopper.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Leadershit: Tales & Tools to Survive a Bad Boss & Have Fun at Work.

The title came from an typo I sent in a work message…doh. You can read that story in the Intro here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1SH3LNSFCXBs6kFyTJdkh3_C1Zhlb5aDL/view?usp=drive_link

Too many people are stuck in a crappy job. But, it’s not really the job. IT’S THE BOSS.

In Leadershit, Jake shares hilarious stories along his journey from struggling to survive a bad boss to helping others push through. Then, he’ll show you:
-two powerful questions
-four roles we play
-three options you always have
-one thing holding you back

Are you ready to survive your Bad Boss, grow yourself, and have fun at work?

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I start with a bunch of conversations. I make a list of story points. I go on hikes and process the stories out of context and rework them until they are vivid videos I can play on demand in my mind. Then, I write them. A couple days later, I return and add another layer of my internal thoughts (almost another voice).

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Bob Goff, Dave Barry, Donald Miller, Mark Twain

What are you working on now?
I am sorting through my thoughts on a new book about neurodiversity and the art of being understood.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Podcasts have been great. Building a newsletter and a LinkedIn following were super helpful.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Writing a book will change you. It’s worth all the work…just start taking small steps.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Shhhhhhhhhhhh

What are you reading now?
If I Understood You, Would I Have This Look on My Face? by Alan Alda

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m speaking at events and podcasts to share to tools and ideas. This is where I validate and solidify my ideas and thoughts.

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 have to bring 3 blank ones to write/draw in.

Author Websites and Profiles

Jake Brown Website

Jake Brown Amazon Profile

Jake Brown’s Social Media Links

Goodreads Profile

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Rishikesh Upadhyay

Interview With Author Rishikesh Upadhyay

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I was born, grew up and lives in a small Nepalis’ hamlet, Bhanjang Basti (erstwhile Bhanjyang Basti) via Mahadev Tilla, at Haflong, the district headquarter of North Cachar Hills (now Dima Hasao district), India. I was born to Pitambar Upadhaya (father) and Nandakala (Bawni) Upadhaya (mother). My father was in the Northeast Frontier Railway service and mother, a homemaker. I have earned an MSc in Plant Biochemistry, MPhil and PhD in Stress Biology from the University of Assam, India, and a BSc in Botany from Haflong Government College, Assam University. I write article, books, poems, research papers, etc.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Stress in Plants: The Hidden Half” is my fifth book, depicting on the responses and adaptation of plants during environmental stresses.
I’m not sure where the inspiration came from. When I taught at the university or at a college, my lectures were like stories for the students. It has simply gone with the flow of thoughts and my writings. I knew I wanted to write. From there, it just took shape.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
That’s not specific. By day, I work at a local government college, and by night I pour my imagination out onto a page. I believe in and write.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
There are just too many to count, any books related to plants and their environments, sometimes I read philosophy. For example, The Magic of Thinking Big, You can Win, any good Children’s storybooks, and many more!

What are you working on now?
Planning to write about children’s book and poems.
I’m working on it, and possibly it will come soon.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I wish i knew.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
These may vary. Would you please spend some time thinking about your reason for writing a book? Be prepared to invest a thousand hours, energy and perhaps many more, to finish a book you are proud to share with your friends and family. Make writing a hobby or passion, not for earning money. Revising and polishing your work before submitting it is also essential.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t worry; never give up. But, think before you start writing anything!

What are you reading now?
I frequently read research articles, research articles and nonfiction, and sometimes I prefer to read children and philosophy books.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I prefer writing books, poems, research papers, etc. And, of course teaching!

Author Websites and Profiles

Rishikesh Upadhyay Amazon Profile

Rishikesh Upadhyay’s Social Media Links

Goodreads Profile

Twitter Account

Author Interview Series

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Sandra Wilson

Interview With Author Sandra Wilson

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Sandra Wilson, spent her life as a rock singer in various bands and showbands in Seattle WA, Canada, Montana, North Dakota. and Dallas TX. She traveled for several years in Canada, performing in three provinces, working six nights a week, in hotels and bar venues before moving to Dallas, TX. In Dallas she worked with a few local bands and soon put together a seven-piece showband working weddings and large events along with other entertainment ventures. This is my first book to write.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
This Masquerade
This was my memoir autobiography about my life with my 2nd husband Gino. Our life together after 10 years of marriage inspired me to write about our tumultuous unbelievable life together. Once Gino passed away in 1994 I realized that my life with him was just like a movie. In fact I started a screen play first until my 3rd husband talked me into writing this book.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I sit down with my laptop and just write. Once I have the story going in my head I will write for 8 hours straight.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The Road Less Traveled is a great book.

What are you working on now?
I am working on the screen play I started years ago. My story is very interesting and unique because I was in the music business and I faced trials and tribulations that some have never faced.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
My book is new and I am still learning the marketing end of this journey.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I hope I encourage people to write because it has been so therapeutic in so many ways. Most people are afraid to display their real feelings. But I found even though I sobbed many times writing this book it cleared many fears and helped me see that I could truly help people with my story. No matter who you are push the fears away and sit down and write.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best advice for me was to make a movie into my book. After most people read my book they say that would make a great movie!

What are you reading now?
I am not reading any books but I am writing the movie script to my book.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Writing my movie script for right now.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
It would be a true story. Cant think of one right now.

Author Websites and Profiles

Sandra Wilson Website

Sandra Wilson Amazon Profile

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Facebook Profile

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Paul King

Interview With Author Paul King

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I was a professional journalist for nearly 40 years, working first in daily newspapers and then transitioning to trade magazines; specifically, the foodservice industry. I retired from my last job in 2015 and began to pursue my passion, which is history. I have written 3 books. The first, Iconic Pittsburgh: The City’s 30 Most Memorable People, Places & Things, was published in 2020 by The History Press. The follow-up to that is called Colorful Characters of Pittsburgh, and it was released in October 2023. The third, Whitsons’ Way, is the history of an unusually successful, family-founded food management company on Long Island, NY. It is set for publication later this year.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is actually in the writing phase. The working title is “Trailblazers & Influencers: Pennsylvania Women Who Changed History.” When I was researching Iconic Pittsburgh, I discovered that there were a number of women who had made contributions to the betterment of the city, the state, and even the world. Yet they were not considered “iconic” by most people. I decided I wanted to tell their stories. Surprisingly, when I took the idea to my editor, he told me the publisher wouldn’t consider it because “books about women don’t sell.” That sealed the deal; I don’t like to be told “no.” So, I am seeking a new publisher for this book.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Unusual? I think most normal people would consider all writers’ habits “unusual.”

What authors, or books have influenced you?
In my genre, my “holy trinity” of historians would be David McCullough, Walter Isaacson, and David Grann.

What are you working on now?

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Because I have a traditional publisher, I have a dedicated marketing person who helps to promote my books. But sometimes, that’s not enough. To augment that I have turned to Facebook. When I was writing Iconic Pittsburgh, I used to post updates on FB, introducing the profiles and throwing out a fact or two about each.
After Iconic Pittsburgh came out, I set up a page called Paul King’s Pittsburgh Books to help market it and to generate interest in Colorful Characters of Pittsburgh. For that book, I created a contest called Who Am I?. I would post a brief description of a person, and the first reader who could guess the name received a signed copy of the book when it was published.
Lately, however, FB has become more trouble than it’s worth. I have been getting messages telling me that my page has violated some copyright law, and that the page is going to be taken down. They’re all bogus, but I’m tired of seeing them and FB security can’t do anything to stop them. So I am going to transition from the page to a website, which I am in the process of setting up.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
For writers starting out I would say, if you are not willing to immerse yourself in the business of writing, don’t bother. Writing is hard work, and depending upon what you are writing, it can also be a painful process. You have to be prepared to embrace that and endure it. For me, the act of writing is simple and breezy. But the process of taking that first draft and making it over into something that is publishable is agonizing. In short, if you find that writing is easy, you are doing it wrong.
Once you have completed a manuscript, be prepared to seek out–and accept–criticism. There is not a successful writer out there who hasn’t been edited by someone else. I liken it to athletics. No matter how much talent you have, without a teacher or coach, you are never going to succeed. I knew a man who claimed to have written 5 novels, but he had never had any of them published. Why? He told me that every time he approached a publisher, he was told that the book would be successful if he was willing to change this, that or the other thing. He always refused, saying that changing the book would ruin it. Don’t be that guy.
Finally, understand that self-publishing is not a panacea. Too many authors turn to self-publishing because it’s easier than turning your book over to a traditional publisher, or even finding one who will take on the project. Self-publishing isn’t easier; it’s just different. All of the rules still apply. You just shift the burden from someone else to your own shoulders. The biggest benefit, in my mind, of having your book published in the traditional manner is the knowledge that someone else believes your work is good. An unbiased outsider has told you that your manuscript is good enough for public consumption, good enough that someone is willing to take on the burden of printing and promoting your work. In self-publishing, you earn all of the profits, but you will have to do all of the marketing yourself. And you may not know just how good your work actually is. I’m not saying, “Don’t self-publish.” I’m simply noting that you should weigh one against the other, and not be afraid to open yourself up to the criticism of a traditional publisher.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“If you want to write, read. Read anything you can get your hands on, and absorb all that you learn.”

What are you reading now?
“August Wilson: A Life,” by Patti Hartigan, a biography of the Pittsburgh-born poet and playwright who told of the African-American experience through a series of 10 plays that includes “Fences” and “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.”

What’s next for you as a writer?
Even as I work on my book about influential women in Pennsylvania’s history, I already have begun researching my next one: From Chipped Ham to Cheesesteak: A Culinary History of Pennsylvania.

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?
Only 3 or 4 books? Kill me now and end my suffering.

Author Websites and Profiles

Paul King’s Social Media Links

Facebook Profile

Author Interview Series

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John Clare

Interview With Author John Clare

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have been a university lecturer and a bum, having travelled through and lived in over 80 countries.
I spent nearly a decade singing in a pop band in the UK, and living an amazing life on a record company cheque book. I now live in Southern Europe and am re-purposing my pop music records, and continuing to write. I have finished just over 60 books, both novels, autobiography and non fiction. A dozen or so are available on Amazon. I have published 9 books in a series called Join the Girls, which is selling quite well at the moment.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The latest book in the Join the Girls series is volume 8 called You Cant Marry Two People.
It was demanded by the plot, which involves a group of people growing up, and there are just too many girls, and things just kind of got a bit messy…

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write every day, and also write fast. I live in an old farmhouse with a two acre garden, and I like working outside. I like to use one of my cars as a writing room. That way I can move my office around the garden, and that means I can write under the orange trees if I want which is nice.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I dont get time to read other authors, but I have my own style, and I write as if I’m talking with friends.

What are you working on now?
Some time back I was kidnapped and locked in a cupboard under the stairs in an old house. That led to me having serious reality problems, my eyesight didn’t function properly, and I couldn’t stop crying. I ended up in a psychiatric hospital. I’m using all that to create my next book, which may have to be spread over a couple of volumes.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m still testing.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Dont give up, but do try to find your own voice. It isn’t as easy as you might think.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Make sure you get up each morning.

What are you reading now?
The trouble with being a writer is that most of the books you read are your own. If you write a lot you have to edit a lot, which is a bummer.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Finish the book I’m currently writing, and then write another.

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 need a book about fish and what to catch to eat.
It would be great to get away from books altogether. I’d enjoy myself. (I’ve done this before.) After a month or so I’d get bored and try to escape.

Author Websites and Profiles

John Clare Amazon Profile

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Adeline Yeo

Interview With Author Adeline Yeo

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Adeline Yeo is a Freelance Author, Writer, Lyricist, Composer and Producer from Asia. Currently, I’ve written about two books.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My name of my latest book is From Passion To Profit: Transform Your Skills Into Online Video Courses and I was inspired by online video courses creators of how they create video courses and make profits of their sales on those online video courses platforms

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
No, I don’t have any unusual writing habits.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Authors that have influenced me are Stephen King, Arthur Conan Doyle, Ariel Hyatt, Fujiko Fujio, Akira Toriyama and Louis Cha.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on other make money online niche topic ebook projects and I’ve intended to write how-to guides to teach readers to make profits from flipping domains and image sharing internet marketing business methods.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
My best method is to submit my books to free book submission platforms to get exposure of my books.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
My advice for brand new authors who need to write down and put up books is to begin by focusing on the quality of their writing and developing a robust manuscript. Before diving into the publishing manner, ensure you’ve got very well edited and polished your work and have additionally had others overview and offer comments on it.

When it involves publishing, do your research and don’t forget all of your alternatives. Traditional publishing may provide better visibility and distribution; however, self-publishing gives you extra control over the method and a higher percentage of royalties. Consider which path aligns first-class with your dreams and be organised to put in the important effort and marketing to make your e-book successful.

Networking is likewise key inside the publishing industry. Attend author’s meetings, be part of writing organisations, and connect to other authors and enterprise experts to research from their reviews and benefit from treasured insights. Building relationships in the writing community can also create opportunities for collaboration and promotion.

Lastly, do not be discouraged by rejection or setbacks. Publishing can be a hard and aggressive industry, but perseverance and determination in your craft will, in the long run, cause success. Keep honing your skills, in search of feedback, and pushing forward along with your writing desires. Good luck on your publishing adventure!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best advice I have ever heard is “As an author or writer of articles and ebooks, it is essential to continually stay true to your very own precise voice and style. Don’t try to imitate other writers or agree with what you believe you studied; readers can also want to pay attention. Instead, focus on writing authentically and from the heart.

Additionally, make certain to do thorough studies on the subjects you’re writing about to make sure that your content is correct and informative. Providing valuable and insightful statistics for your readers will keep them engaged and coming back for more.

Thoroughly edit and proofread your paintings to dispose of mistakes in grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Double-take a look at for consistency and accuracy in statistics and data.

Incorporate storytelling factors to captivate your readers and make your writing extra enticing. Use vivid imagery, sensory details, and anecdotes to illustrate your points.”

What are you reading now?
I’m reading The Voice in Singing written by Emma Seller and The Secret Pillars of Writing written by Jeffrey A Friedberg.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m still in the planning stage and unsure what it comes next but ensure other writing surprises for my readers .

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
I would bring The Art of Writing & Speaking the English Language written by Shewin Cody, The Art of War written by Sun Zi, Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz written by Lyman Frank Baum and The Cosmic Computer written by H.Beam Piper

Author Websites and Profiles

Adeline Yeo Website

Adeline Yeo’s Social Media Links

Author Interview Series

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

Jeff Senior

Interview With Author Jeff Senior

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I live in West Yorkshire, in the north of England, with my wife of almost 53 years. We have two sons and two grandchildren
I started working in IT and, after about ten years, became a freelance writer. This was initially as a technical author, writing user guides and help text for computer software. I later moved on to writing articles for business magazines, which meant I was able to interview some very interesting people, including a few celebrity chefs. I also filled in with writing website text and blogs.
I had one published book in England back in the 1980s, “Microcomputer Buyers’ Guide”, which had a very restricted circulation. I’ve also ghost-written two business books and, although they go out under another author name, I do get an acknowledgement.
I’ve long had an ambition to have a published novel but financial constraints meant I needed a more dependable income. Now I’m past retirement age, I’ve had the opportunity to finally achieve my aim.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My debut novel is “The Itch That Couldn’t Be Scratched”, which was published 1 March and is available from Amazon and elsewhere. It’s a tale of obsession, of one man’s quest to obtain justice for a woman he never knew, and the effect it has on those around him.
What prompted me to write it was the idea that the decisions we take and whatever we do in life affect those around us and, in turn, those near to them. It’s like a ripple effect that moves outwards and means people’s lives can be changed totally by the most insignificant events, so that things are never as they would have been.
I did originally have the idea of writing different scenarios depending on what decisions were taken but this got far too complicated so I finished up with something more straightforward.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I suppose, when writing a novel, we’re supposed to start with a plot outline that covers the complete book and includes all or most of the characters. We should then probably start at the first chapter and work through to the end. I didn’t do that.
I basically had an idea for the novel, wrote the first and last chapters, than filled in from the middle. I also developed the plot along the way.
Although this may be unconventional, it seemed to work for me. I guess all authors are different and we need to do what we feel most comfortable with.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
My earliest recollection of reading a proper novel is Alistair Maclean’s “HMS Ulysses”, which was published in 1955 and recounts the dreadful experiences of an escort vessel for the Russian convoys in World War 2. I’ve read it twice since.
When I started reading seriously, I read a lot of Stephen King books, most of which were extremely large. Since then, my favourite authors are probably Bernard Cornwell for historical novels and John Grisham for legal stories. I’ve also read a lot of Dick Francis, Ken Follet, Wilbur Smith and numerous others.

What are you working on now?
I am working on a sequel to the first novel. It’s currently at about 65,000 words and still needs some work before it’s finished. However, my time for writing is a bit limited by the need to try and promote the first book.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m hoping Goodreads will get the name around and generate some more interest.
I am running a series of Amazon ads but they’re not achieving much so I need to have a look at them.
I’m also having a review done through Reedsy, which should be featured there, and I have a company doing a certain amount of promotion through press releases.
It’s all early days and I don’t know which, if any, is going to be most effective.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
As a debut author, I’m not sure I’m in a position to give advice to others. The main thing, I suppose, is to stick with it and keep writing if you have an ambition to get your words out there.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
It’s probably along the lines of just keeping writing in order to become more proficient at it. The general advice seems to be to write every day so that we get in the habit of writing and it becomes easier and better.
It’s probably important to establish a routine rather than just writing when we feel like it. Of course, as I’m busy trying to promote my book, daily writing is exactly what I’m not doing at the moment.

What are you reading now?
I don’t have the time to read anything at the moment.
We go on holiday three times a year and I generally read while I’m away. I read five books when we were away in January-February and I’ll probably do another five when we go away in April, then another five in October. I’m not sure what the next one will be but it will almost certainly be a crime/thriller/mystery type of book.

What’s next for you as a writer?
This probably depends on how the first book goes. The next one is already underway and follows on from the first. So the aim will be to establish a series that has the same characters and locations but different plots.

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 Testament by John Grisham, which I think is his best book.
HMS Ulysses by Alastair Maclean, which is the first proper novel I read and which I have returned to since.
Different Seasons by Stephen King, which is actually a collection of short stories that includes The Shawshank Redemption, the best film I’ve ever seen.

Author Websites and Profiles

Jeff Senior Website

Jeff Senior Amazon Profile

Jeff Senior’s Social Media Links

Goodreads Profile

Facebook Profile

Author Interview Series

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

Valton Brown

Interview With Author Valton Brown

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I find it difficult to comprehend that I have written a book to be honest, considering the fact that I had been dropped from an English class at school for apparently not handing in my homework.

I wrote a book some time ago which was called, The Army In The Valley but I have removed this from sale for now, as there are updates that I want to make. Hopefully, this won’t take long to do.

The Hidden Tree, is the recent book that I want to share with as many people as possible. Only because I believe the information in the book are tools to unlocking some of the issues we think are caused by us. this can be anything from health, medicine, politics, religion etc…It is written from a biblical worldview but it reveals a world that anyone can identify with especially when thinking about globalism,evolution and other philosophies.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is called, The Hidden Tree.

I would say that this book and its contents found and inspired me to write it.

Prior to arriving at the final manuscript there were a number of questions, experiences and communications (via email and perfectly timed meetings) that all seemed disconnected from each other until an email landing in my inbox from a financial magazine…

I suggest you read the book to find out exactly what happened but, let’s just say that the email contents revealed a very sinister set of ideas that were to become mainstream not too long after. This became one of many pieces of jigsaw that came to light without necessarily looking for them.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not really, unless talking to yourself when writing is considered unusual.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Central to all of the books that have influenced and continues to influence me is the Bible. I know, this sounds like a cliche, but it’s true. Although I like to read Christian, non-fiction books I haven’t purchased too many books of late, mainly due to the floodtide of new age philosophy that seems to have permeated the christian market.

What are you working on now?
I am currently writing a book which is almost the sequel to The Hidden Tree. It will probably change after completing this interview.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Word of mouth has been the most productive because people want to hear from the author, so I will speak to people about the book.

I also have a website that provides some background information in podcast interviews called, ‘Beside The Author.’ This helps to touch audiences outside of my usual circle.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I have discovered that writing is a very powerful way to communicate and it is too easy to copy other peoples writing styles.

I would say that we have all been created with a unique way of expressing ourselves. Don’t be afraid to use your voice.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
This is a very difficult one to answer as I have been blessed with so many pieces of advice. Probably, ‘stay humble’.

What are you reading now?
I am focusing on the next book but the Bible always forms the basis for everything that I need as a foundation.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m not sure. There are a series of poems that I would like to compile and maybe a technical book that speaks to the profession that I’m in. However, my core goal is to share the findings of ‘The Hidden Tree’ with as many people as possible.

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.
Spiritual Character by Lance lambert
God of The Poor, by Dewi Hughes

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Valton Brown Website

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Lise Cartwright

Interview With Author Lise Cartwright

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a multi-passionate, creative entrepreneur who works with people who want to do business their unique way. I use the Human Design framework to help my members do just that. I have written 40+ books in the past 10 years.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Cultivate You! Harness Your Strengths, Craft Your Message, and Market With Ease is the first book in a 5-part series.

I was inspired by my members to write it. To provide them with another tool to have access to in helping them truly create online businesses that feel easy and fun for them.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t believe so! ‘Butt in chair’ is my philosophy. When I’m writing a book, I block out an hour every morning (and it’s the first thing I do) to write. Nothing special, just daily action. That’s how anything gets done, right?! I can typically write my first draft within 2-3 weeks.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
There’s so many! I’m a huge fan of fiction books, but I myself write non-fiction. The authors that have inspired me are:

– Elizabeth Gilbert
– Brene Brown
– Mike Dooley
– Dave Asprey
– Tim Ferriss

Just to name a few!

What are you working on now?
I’m working on the last book in my 5-part series, Cultivate Your Content. It’s the final piece in the puzzle for the Cultivate Your Business series. I think it’s going to be my fav out of the series… but shhhhush. Don’t tell the others!

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Aside from my email list, the sites I routinely use when promoting my books include AwesomeGang.com, BookSends.com, and The Fussy Librarian.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t worry about trying to market your book until you’ve completed your drafts and you’ve handed it off to the editor! Once that happens, you’re free to start building your audience.

I recommend doing this by inviting interested readers to join your “pre-launch list” where they can unlock special bonuses and a first look at the digital book.

I recommend doing this with a landing page from your email marketing platform (like MailerLite or ConvertKit) and then inviting them to a private FB group. It’s a lot of fun if that’s your jam.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Build your email list now! So many authors rely on the distribution sites to make money from their books… but if your account gets shut down (which can happen with Amazon/KDP) then you always have your email list to fall back on.

What are you reading now?
Sell Like Crazy by Sabri Suby, Afformations by Noah St. John, and The Dreammasters by K.D. Pryor

What’s next for you as a writer?
Finish up my 5-part series and then see what inspires me next!

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 trilogy, and Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert!

Author Websites and Profiles

Lise Cartwright Website

Lise Cartwright Amazon Profile

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Donald Osborn

Interview With Author Donald Osborn

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m on the edge of retirement in the aviation industry. I’m 67 years old, which I cannot believe. I’ve written four novels, but Where We Land is the first to reach the publication stage.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Where We Land: A Pilot’s Reflections at Altitude began in my mind as a completely different concept than what it turned out to be. When I consulted my sister, who is also my writing partner, she suggested we turn the book into a memoir. I never imagined that my life was interesting enough for a memoir, but we’ve had such positive feedback, that I guess she was right.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
The most unusual thing about my writing habits, is that I don’t know a lot about capital letters and punctuation marks. I’ve been fortunate to find an incredible writing partner, who happens to be my little sister. I tell the stories, and Annie uses the correct grammar to turn those stories into something that others enjoy reading.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Back in the day, I used to read a lot of Clive Cussler books. But as I get older, I’ve become more interested in nonfiction books about historical events and famous people.

What are you working on now?
At any time, I always have about 50 songs bouncing around my head and four novels. I need my sister to help me decide which one to focus on and which direction to take it in. On my bucket list is a desire to learn and write science fiction.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
That’s a learning process that I’m still learning about. We are exploring various social media platforms, connecting with podcast hosts, making contacts with local media, and partnering with ‘awesome’ websites such as Awesome Gang.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Find an excellent co-writer and editor, but the best advice is to write something you know about.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Donald, you are not supposed to be naked in the middle of the frozen food aisle in this grocery store.
HAHA. Totally kidding. But if I ever need that advice, I hope someone will give it to me.

What are you reading now?
The reviews and things people have written about Where We Land.

What’s next for you as a writer?
To keep writing. To keep learning. To keep improving.

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?
Where We Land, War and Peace – because that would last me quite a while, and just because I’m stranded, the next longest book I could find.

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Nassima Drihmi

Interview With Author Nassima Drihmi

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hello! My name is Nassima Drihmi. Born on Friday, September 5th 1997. I am a Moroccan writer and author. I am also a scriptwriter and songwriter. I’ve published 4 books “Love After War”, “COLD JULY”, “HAUNTED” and “WE ALL NEED A FRIEND”. This later is a children book published as a flipbook. I am also publishing a children story written in French in the future!

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I have published my latest book “WE ALL NEED A FRIEND” A children story written with love for all the children of this world. It is a lovely story that shows the importance and blessing of having a good friend by our side. Because at the end, we all need a friend!

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Yes, I have my new projects for the near future!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
As a kid, I used to love fairytales and classic books. One of my favourite authors was Victor Hugo.

What are you working on now?
I am working on some artistic projects at the moment, hoping to make my fans happy and proud.
I am also thinking of publishing my first French story for children. (It is a story that I wrote when I was younger)

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I promote my book on my instagram official page where many followers can see it and reach me anytime!

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Keep writing, keep writing and keep writing!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Never stop from showing your talents. Because good things take time!

What’s next for you as a writer?
I want to promote my books and reach many readers around the world and also to attend book festivals.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Romance, fiction and poetry books.

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Nassima Drihmi Website

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A. Haris

Interview With Author A. Haris

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a passionate writer and a dedicated homemaker, bring a unique perspective to the world of non-fiction literature. With a background in Computer Engineering, I bring a balanced blend of technical expertise and creative storytelling.

Fuelled by an insatiable curiosity and a love for knowledge, I delve into the realms of non-fiction, exploring thought-provoking topics that resonate with readers of all backgrounds. Through meticulous research and a keen eye for detail, I craft compelling narratives that bridge the gap between information and entertainment.

“Fruits of Life” marks my debut as an author, immersing readers in a captivating exploration of life’s bounties and the profound significance they hold. Drawing upon personal experiences and a deep understanding of the subject matter, I articulate profound insights with clarity and impact.

Beyond the pages of “Fruits of Life,” I continue to engage with readers, fostering a sense of connection and community. I actively participate in online forums, engaging in meaningful discussions and exchanging ideas with readers, thus enriching the reading experience.

With an unwavering commitment to excellence, my writing resonates with readers seeking knowledge, inspiration, and personal growth. Through the power of words, I empower readers to embark on transformative journeys and explores the boundless potential within each individual.

Join me on an enlightening voyage through the pages of “Fruits of Life,” and discover a world of wisdom, insights, and moments of profound clarity.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is “Fruits Of Life: A key to Live a Purposeful And Fulfilling Life” and I got inspiration to write it from the teachings of famous author “Eckhart Tolle”. I truly believe that everyone can awaken his/her inner purpose. When you approach your purpose with a sense of joy and playfulness, you become more engaged and connected to the present moment. By infusing enjoyment into daily activities and pursuits, you amplify your motivation, creativity and overall well-being. When you engage in activities that bring you joy and align with your values, you awaken a deeper sense of purpose and live a more fulfilling life.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t think so. Just my keyboard, monitor, a cup of tea and Quiet moment! Ah perfect combination for writing.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I am very much influenced with “Eckhart Tolle” and his books like “The Power Of Now”.

What are you working on now?
I am working on my next book nowadays named “Introvert VS Extrovert”, in which I engage readers to reflect on their personal traits and discuss how to manage social interactions and relationships while accepting their personal trait.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Awesome Gang of course and paid advertisements.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Just write, publish and market.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
If you have passion of writing, trust your instinct and start writing.

What are you reading now?
Nowadays I read more articles about writing. Other than that I usually read about self-help books.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I am currently writing my next book nowadays named “Introvert Vs Extrovert”

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 Art Of Happiness in a Troubled World”, by Dalai lama
“A New Earth”, by Eckhart Tolle
“The Power Of Now”, by Eckhart Tolle

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A. Haris Website

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A. Haris’s Social Media Links

Goodreads Profile

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Karen Cogan

Interview With Author Karen Cogan

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have written approximately forty books for adults and children.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is titled Beneath the Northern Lights. It was inspired by a cruise to the coast of Alaska a few years ago. I never forgot the pristine scenery. I wrote one book set in Alaska a few years ago and enjoyed the process. Now I have just published my second Alaska novel.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I need chocolate to write. Lots of dark chocolate. I try to limit my intake but it’s really hard!!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Years ago, I read all of Janette Oke’s books. I loved the character arcs. Lately I’ve been reading modern authors such Rachael Bloome’s The Poppy Creek Series.

What are you working on now?
I am currently working on book four of my popular Grandma Mandy Series novels. The others are Made For Each Other, Landscape Of Love, and Jack of Hearts.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I promote my books though paid advertising such as book promotions and Amazon ads. I also use Story Origin to offer free downloads of my books for email sign ups.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Do research on your niche. Read widely in the categories you want to write to discover what are the common themes and elements. Then, narrow down the to the subgenre you want to write in.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Know your audience and connect with them often. Be available to interact with their questions and comments.

What are you reading now?
I’m reading the Poppy Creek Series by Rachael Bloome.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I am in the process of writing book four in the Grandma Mandy Series. It’s about a young man who falls for a girl settling her mother in his town before she returns to the city. Will she be able to leave him?

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, Pride and Prejudice, and the Mitford Series

Author Websites and Profiles

Karen Cogan Website

Karen Cogan Amazon Profile

Karen Cogan’s Social Media Links

Author Interview Series

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John Russell

Interview With Author John Russell

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I currently have three books in print, available at all booksellers online. I write in the genre of nonfiction paranormal (religion/spirituality, mind/body/spirit, occult, paranormal, metaphysical). My bio follows:

John Russell has been a professional psychic for over 50 years. Internationally known, he has provided psychic readings for clients in over 40 countries, and still reads for a worldwide clientele.

He has been a paranormal researcher and investigator since age 11 and has experienced over 1,000 paranormal manifestations. In addition he is a UFO experiencer with multiple interactions.

Over the decades John has studied, investigated, and practiced an abundance of psychic/paranormal disciplines: He is experienced in psychometry; clairvoyance (remote viewing); séances; telekinesis; crystal ball gazing; ghosts; hauntings; ESP; paranormal investigations; UFOS; mediumship; Tarot readings; healing/remote healing; utilizing crystals; stones; Runes; and many, many other aspects of the psychic, occult, spiritual, religious, and paranormal realms.

John filmed a TV pilot for The History Channel in which he psychically explored the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. The accuracy of John’s psychic insights during his investigations were verified by the docents at the historic sites he explored as well as the production team, and he also stimulated paranormal activity, some of which was captured on film.

For over 18 years he has been a popular featured guest—heard worldwide—on over 100 different radio shows and podcasts including appearances on 11 different United Kingdom podcasts. In 42 months John has been interviewed over 180 times, including 11 interviews with JV Johnson of Paranormal Reality TV, 10 appearances to date on Coast to Coast AM with George Noory, 9 interviews with Cristina Gomez, a 2024 debut appearance on Fade To Black with Jimmy Church, and many more.

He’s a published author of nonfiction with three multi-award-winning books in print: Riding with Ghosts, Angels, and the Spirits of the Dead and A knock in the Attic. A third book, 20 Ways to Increase Your Psychic Abilities, was published in 2023 and hit the Barnes & Noble Top 100 Bestselling Books, and John’s finished authoring his fourth book, The Crying Tree and the Magic Rock, due for publication in 2024, and is writing his fifth volume now: The Can Sack Ghost.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book in print is “20 Ways to Increase Your Psychic Abilities.” I wrote this book so that anyone of any skill level could use the 20 tools and techniques in my book to increase their psychic abilities and improve the quality of their lives.

I stripped away the gobbledygook that usually clogs these types of books, and I made the spiritual methods easy to understand, easy to learn, and easy to practice. More importantly, these are techniques that the Other Side has taught to me directly over the years, so I know they work. And reader feedback is confirming that statement. I’ve received feedback from readers worldwide who tell me, “John, it works!”

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I edit as I go, and then I give my manuscripts one last thorough going over before sending them off to the publisher.

I’ve learned over the years that it’s okay to “write out of order,” that is, if a story pops into my mind that should be included in the book I’m writing while I’m already in the middle of a chapter, it’s okay to pause that chapter and write the newly inspired story before I forget it, and while my enthusiasm for it is still at peak level.

I’ve also learned that it’s okay to work on two or three books at the same time, as I’m doing now: writing more nonfiction paranormal stories while simultaneously working on my first novel, crime fiction with paranormal overtones.

One of the best lessons I’ve learned is to make detailed notes about any inspiration that comes to me for a new book, poem, short story, etc. Trust me, even if it’s a great idea if you don’t write it down in detail when it comes you’ll find that you’ve forgotten it later.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I like John Updike for his way of accurately portraying the human condition. But I am a reader who casts a wide net when it comes to authors and subject matter. I think my writing has been influenced by everything I’ve read, beginning when I was a child, cutting my teeth on the Dick and Jane books, then comic books, and then developing an ability to read and comprehend that enable me to read adult literature before I became a teenager. As a youngster of 11 or 12 I didn’t read books like Williams James’ “The Varieties of Religious Experience” to impress anyone, but simply to discover the information it held and to see how I might be able to apply it to my own life.

What are you working on now?
I’ve just finished my fourth book of nonfiction paranormal stories, “The Crying Tree and the Magic Rock,” which will come out this year (2024). I’m close to finishing my fifth book of nonfiction paranormal stories, “The Can Sack Ghost,” and I anticipate a 2025 release date for that book. And I’m working on my first novel, about a serial killer, and the novel has paranormal overtones. Beta readers tell me they’re excited about it and can’t wait to see the completed book in their hands.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I use anything and everything I can find: Facebook ads; magazine ads; online ads; book promotion sites; AWESOME GANG is one of the best bangs for the buck! I’ve even purchased TV ads, and they did prove to be effective. I try to stay active on social media and post daily, mentioning my older books as well as my newest. I also have a very active interview schedule, and I’ve been on all of the top radio shows and podcasts, including 10 appearances to date on Coast to Coast AM with George Noory, Fade to Black with Jimmy Church, 11 interviews with JV Johnson of Paranormal Reality TV, and many more: over 180 interviews in the past 3 years.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Develop a thick skin when it comes to unwarranted criticism. There are a lot of trolls out there. Don’t take rejections personally; keep promoting your work. And for God’s sake: BELIEVE IN YOURSELF! It amazes me the number of successful authors I’ve met who denigrate their own work. Be proud of your published work. Champion it! Be proud of the words you’ve written and the thoughts you’ve communicated to others. You’re bringing a whole new world of experience to readers; your story is unique.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“Plant your butt in the seat every day and do the work of a writer.”

The more you show up for work, the more the Muse will show up.

What are you reading now?
I just finished “Bet You Can’t Find Me,” by Linda S. Prather. I love this author’s works!

What’s next for you as a writer?
Writing more books! I hope, when my time comes, that they find me slumped over the keyboard, lifeless but with a smile on my face.

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?
Without being conceited or arrogant, mine; for the simple reason that I’ve lived such an amazing life that it energizes me and fills me with gratitude to be able to reminisce about each and every wonderful story I’ve lived.

Author Websites and Profiles

John Russell Website

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John Russell’s Social Media Links

Facebook Profile

Twitter Account

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Elizabeth Standish

Interview With Author Elizabeth Standish

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
So far, I’ve only published one. But I have drafts in various stages of 4 others!

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My first novel is Magnificent Mess. As I talk about in the Author Notes at the back of the book, I wrote it for a creative writing class, and it was as much a way to rant about law school as it was a creative writing endeavor – or more… It wasn’t so much a call to write as much as I way to create a different ending. One I thought I would have liked better. (Spoiler alert: despite, like Emma, despising law school, I ended up in a pretty awesome place, doing really cool lawyer work).

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I get up early to write before my regular work day. I don’t think that’s particularly unusual, but I’ve met other authors who would not get up at 5 AM like I do! I also have to get up from writing – always in the recliner or on the couch since sitting at a desk feels like “real” work – about a half hour after I sit down to let the cat in.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Probably every author I’ve ever read, honestly. I love Jane Austen, first and foremost. My parents read to me every night when I was little, before I could read for myself, so there were a lot of “older” stories in my early life. The Oz series by Frank L Baum, and some British fairytales. I love Diana Gabaldon, and I studied for the verbal section GRE (for the masters I ended up not going back for) while reading one of her books. I looked up every word I came across that I didn’t know, and though there weren’t many, I definitely learned a few. (She did not help with the math portion which I scraped by on, but please let me never look at a statistics question again.)
I’ve also been heavily influenced as a writer by Katherine Center’s books, and Deborah Harkness.

What are you working on now?
The first in a series of interconnected standalones. I don’t even have a working title for it! It’s just “Jane and Peter’s story” at this point. At the same time, I’m writing book 2 in that series, Lauren and Chris, and learning about the couple in book 3, Alicia and Zach.
This wasn’t originally going to be a series, but then I got to know Lauren, Chris, Alicia, and Zach as supporting friends and loved who they were as well.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Umm… I’m still working on this one!

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write. Sit down and do it. Find a routine that works for you. If it’s 20 minutes each day, or 3 hours. Don’t worry about having the whole story figured out, just start writing. Or, if you’re more of a plotter type, than a pantser, sit down and write your outline. Work on that the same way.
Most important is having a routine and doing it consistently.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best writing advice that I’ve ever gotten was from my author friend, Kathleen McGowan, who writes historical fiction. She says to “Vomit on the page,” and that you can clean it up later. That’s pretty much how I approach my writing – I’m a pantser so it makes sense to me to just get the words out. They don’t have to be pretty or in any order or anything. The most important part is to get them on the page!

What are you reading now?
I’m finishing To Sir Philip, With Love, book 4 in the Bridgerton series. Yes, I know I am horribly behind! Not sure what’s on tap after that.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’ll publish Jane and Peter’s story in the early fall this year. Hopefully, by the time their book gets, to publication I’ll have a first draft of Lauren and Chris’ story done as well (or before!). I’m also working on a memoir.

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 for sure. Outlander (the first/original). How to Walk Away by Katherine Center. And then something fun, like an Ali Hazelwood book.

Author Websites and Profiles

Elizabeth Standish Website

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Elizabeth Standish’s Social Media Links

Goodreads Profile

Facebook Profile

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Joyce A. Connelley

Interview With Author Joyce A. Connelley

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a highly successful author, journalist, and marketing professional with two previous books to my credit. I have also published hundreds of articles for national and regional periodicals and numerous trade journals. I began my career as a journalist for the Whittier Daily News and served as Managing Editor of Business Software, a consumer-oriented technology magazine. In 1986, I launched her own marketing agency serving Silicon Valley companies in the fields of technology, consumer electronics, and medicine. During this period, I co-authored “The Black and White Solution: Bar Code and the IBM PC” (Helmers Publishing, 1986), an authoritative guide to automatic identification technology, and “Our Century: 1960-1970,” an historical overview of the 1960s published by David S. Lake Publishers (1989). I have a B.A. in Journalism from San Jose State University. Currently, my husband and I own Marshall Grain Company, an independent organic garden center and landscaping business in Colleyville, Texas where I am the V.P. of Marketing. I’ve been recognized by numerous civic groups, including the Daughters of the American Revolution for my conservation and animal welfare efforts. My husband I serve every whim of our six cats (3 who live in their retail store and 3 who live at home).

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Reunion in Stringtown: Finding Faith, Family, and Healing is the result of more than 25 years of search for the mother who abandoned me and put me up for adoption. More than anything, I hope my story will help dispel the hurtful and shaming lies about the “blessing” of being adopted perpetrated by our society, which keep adoptees mired in trauma.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I do not have writer’s block and I love working with a good editor, which I am told makes me unique among authors.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
As a life-long journalist, I have been more influenced by the pages of premiere newspapers such as the Wall Street Journal and (once upon a time) the Los Angeles Times. My heroes were my very first editor, Betty Schaumbacher of the Whittier Daily News and, of course investigative reporters Woodword & Bernstein, authors of All the President’s Men. Sadly, such good journalism is dead.

What are you working on now?
#1: promoting my book. #2: marketing our organic garden center and landscaping business.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I wish I knew.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Nothing writes itself. And nobody writes a masterpiece on the first draft. You have to allow yourself the freedom to write whatever comes into your mind regardless of quality. The joy of writing is knowing you can revise it and perfect it later.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“Start at the beginning, write until you get to the end and then stop.”

What are you reading now?
almost exclusively history, sciences, and other non-fiction

What’s next for you as a writer?
I have an idea for a book about sustainable landscape practices.

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?
Shelby Foote’s series on the civil war. Carl Sandburg’s biography of Abraham Lincoln, the works of Edgar Allen Poe.

Author Websites and Profiles

Joyce A. Connelley Website

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Goodreads Profile

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

Peter Raposo

Interview With Author Peter Raposo

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Born in England to Portuguese parents, I’m the author of 14 books, most of them published in the last 3 years but written in the last 20 years. In 2020, during lockdown, I went through a painful divorce and found myself living away from my children and trying to deal with loneliness and depression, and in 2021, just when I thought that I couldn’t go on, I found an independent publisher through a friend who also happens to be a writer and that was the push that I needed to move forward with my life. During that time I also wrote a trilogy which I call the Darkness Trilogy. The three books in the trilogy are “the illusion of movement”, “cast away your dreams of darkness”, and “those who lie will fade and die”, and those books are mostly made of stories of people that I met during the years of 2020-2023. Looking back, I wouldn’t have been able to write those books hadn’t I gone through a divorce, followed by another breakup a few years later (I guess it’s not the right time for love). Writing has kept me sane and allowed me both to move on and to meet some extraordinary people in the last few years.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is called “the mechanical tears of the immortal being”, and the idea for it came when I read an interview about this writer who went to New Zealand for a speech and found out that the only speakers present were a few billionaires who wanted to know more about a possible end of the world. Then I read about another millionaire who is trying hard to become immortal so I put all the stories together and created this book.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not really. I tend to write at my local library or at a café, mostly in the afternoon, after taking my daughter to her mother’s house after school. I carry the laptop with me, a few notebooks, and then just get to work. Once a week I take a break from writing, and I go to a church where I help some other people preparing food for those in need, and once a week I sweep the floors of my local church because it helps me to stay grounded in the real world.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I read everything, and authors like Kenzaburo Oe, J.K. Huysmans, Henry Miller, Ballard, Dumas, Proust, Ma Jian and Trevanian were a big inspiration when I decided to become an author. I remember the first time I read “The Three Musketeers”; that’s when I knew I wanted to be a writer.

What are you working on now?
After writing fiction and science-fiction for so many years, I’ve decided to take a break from it and work on a horror novel. The novel will be set in Portugal and England, my two countries, and it will probably take me a couple of years to write.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I email radio stations, bloggers, podcasters, etc., and in the last few years I have been interviewed for the BBC, Manchester North FM radio, written a few articles for some bulletins, was interviewed by other authors, and I have also done a few festivals.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Never give up, even when you feel as if things aren’t going your way. And don’t listen to jealous minds.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
A few years ago, a divorced father who read my book “the illusion of movement”, told me not to give up and to keep on writing because my experiences could help others who were going through the same thing.

What are you reading now?
“A Head Full of Ghosts” by Paul Tremblay.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I want to finish this new novel of mine, get my own apartment so that I can have my writing corner, and just keep on living a quiet life.

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 Savage Detectives by Roberto Bolano, The Bible, Omega Minor by Paul Verhaeghen, and The Shards by Brett Easton Ellis.

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Marie Moldovan

Interview With Author Marie Moldovan

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a Saskatchewan native and Ontario immigrant. Some would call me a reverse snowbird, who feels most comfortable surrounded by snowcapped mountains.
Nomadic by nature, I am multifaceted and have mastered many skills. I dub myself a jack of many trades and master of some. However, because I have acquired a plethora of diplomas spanning the educational spectrum, my mother (May she be at peace) on the contrary would call me a professional student.
I accredit my adaptability to the training I received as a Canadian Forces medic, and My artistic ability to my family. Both attributes have aided me along my journey from points of homelessness and despair to place of stability and optimism I have arrived at today.
In 2018, I was diagnosed with service-related PTSD, and within the same breath of time became a widow.
Unresolved trauma, and the loss of my husband caused me to skirt the edges of insanity. Faced with losing complete touch with reality, I returned to writing and art.
In a sense writing and art saved my life, at least that’s my claim. Fortunately, for the world, my choice to embrace creation has led me to captain a new life as a publisher, illustrator, writer and artist.
I am the author of 20 years of Winter and currently run the publication organization, aptly named, I Ain’t Your Marionette. My book is an autobiographical collection of poetry and art. I published it in hopes to make a way for others who have suffered similar traumas to feel safe knowing that they are not alone nor are they to blame for their experiences. 20 Years of Winter is Marie’s source of empowerment offered to those victims to stand up to their perpetrators and to speak out against victim shaming.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
“20 Years of Winter” is my latest creation, it is a powerful collection of autobiographical poetry and that delves into the dark and challenging aspects of my life as a soldier. I published it in hopes to make a way for others who have suffered similar traumas to feel safe knowing that they are not alone nor are they to blame for their experiences. 20 Years of Winter is my source of empowerment offered to those victims to stand up to their perpetrators and to speak out against victim shaming.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
In the mystical realm of my writing, where pens duel with keyboards and metaphors dance with similes, there exists a peculiar creature: The Unfocused Scribe. This elusive aspect of myself, much like a caffeinated squirrel, flits from idea to idea, leaving a trail of half-finished sentences and forgotten plot twists. My inner author is forever galloping after my hyperactive monkey mind with a lasso. If James Earl Jones were to narrate my process with a comical spin, it might sound something like this:

The Multitasking Maestro:
Our protagonist, armed with a laptop and paper mâché pulp, embarks on a literary adventure. As the words flow, so does the plaster, flour, and glue. Why? Because nothing says “creative genius” like an upcycled monster holding a bookmark.
“Ah,” they muse, “this poem needs more depth. Let’s add complicated layers. Make it a poem within a poem. Maybe even art.” And just like that, their poetry collection becomes a string map on a profiler’s board.
The Attention-Deficit Alchemist:
Concentration is overrated. Our writer flits between tasks like a bunny on an espresso binge. Mid-sentence, they see a dog hair highlighted by the midafternoon sun. So, they pause, grab the vacuum to ward off the impending dust bunny infestation.
“Write what you know,” they shout over the wild growls of the Hoover Vacuum. “Yes, yes, write what you know,” the voice of their father chimes in from the internal family peanut gallery.
The Permission Slip Enthusiast:
“Dear Self,” they write, “I hereby grant you permission to be gloriously weird during the creative process. Feel free to wear mismatched socks, build giant paper mache monsters holding bookmarks, and consult your inner family for plot twists.”

Cut to: the writer losing track of thought and chasing a butterfly that fluttered in from a nearby window.

Smash Cut to: A tale wagging the dog, one would swear it was part cow, barking at its owner to get back on track.

Cut to: the chaotic author’s inner thought dialogue…….

“Certainly, the inner squirls answer! Let’s get back on task and polish up the remaining part of your whimsical narrative:”

Dissolve to: The remaining narrative on the author’s weird habits—hopefully.

The Coffee-Stained Oracle:
Coffee fuels their imagination. It also drenches manuscripts, but who needs pristine pages when you can have caffeinated epiphanies and coffee-stained pages to use for multimedia art? Each spill becomes a Rorschach test:
“Ah, yes, that blot looks like a puppy going through a midlife crisis.”
“And this one? Clearly a plot twist involving time-traveling marionettes set on rescuing the child version of themselves.”
The Concentration fairies:
In the quiet hours of midnight, our writer hears them—the elusive concentration fairies. They nibble at their brain cells, leaving behind fragments of ideas.

And so, dear reader, if you ever encounter a writer surrounded by paper mâché pulp, stringing a sculpture’s armature with garbage, and wearing different-colored socks, fear not. For they are simply channeling the spirit of creativity—one oddity at a time.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
In the worn chambers of my beating heart, where hope whispers and ink nourishes my soul, I secretly shelter a love for words. As a child, I spun my imagination with the golden threads of prose, lost in the dark fairytale realm of Rumpelstiltskin, or the horrors of John Grisham. For me books were my secret doorways, portals to secret gardens and realms of mystery.

But now, I find myself a Ferryman of voices—the guide of narratives, the oarsman of reality. For I publish the words of others, those brave marionettes who bare their heart on the paper.

Michael Falls: His sentences are like symphonies, each a masterpiece of harmony.

Alycia Hodge: She grills emotions with metaphor — her lines sometimes medium rare and other times raw enough to stake a vampire.

Emma Hilson-Gregory: Her rhymes free the soul from darkness.

Joe Mykut: writes with child-like wonder.

Marten Hoyle: He gives voice to the lost souls of imagination.

Together, they form a constellation of inspiration—a celestial library where honesty and creativity dance, where ink-stained hearts find solace. And so, dear interlocutor, let us turn these pages together, for within them lies the magic of countless worlds.

What are you working on now?
Oddly, a children’s book titled “Miss Sally Anne.” It’s loosely based on my childhood And the title is a nickname I was given because I wore hand-me downs and unbranded clothing.

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

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Ignore the Naysayers:
Don’t give up! Your story is like that elusive sock that everyone swears was snatched by some supernatural beast in the dryer—eventually, the sock resurfaces. Trust your inner storyteller; it’s got better fashion sense than Steve Urkel.
Write What Makes You Excited:
In my world, creativity is like a cosmic ketchup—sticky, unpredictable, yummy on a cheese burger but occasionally messy Let yourself get messy, and water down or wash away any of your writings perceived errors with vinegar. Research what you don’t know and remember: patience is the secret ingredient. Just keep shaking that ketchup bottle, success with splatter eventually. And if it doesn’t, flip it upside down and let gravity take over. Eventually, you will get a squirt of inspiration.
Make Art That Is Meaningful to You:
Write what resonates with you. We’re all on our own literary road trips, and sometimes the GPS takes us leads us to what seems like a dead end.

So, dear new authors, pack your metaphors, embrace your weird, and remember that your story matters—even if it involves parking your car at the dead end and going for a walk.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best advice I ever heard was in 1992, when my dad threw my fantasy novel in the burning barrel and told me to write what I know. The burnt manuscript was tragic but the advice was golden.

What are you reading now?
The Brilliant works of many authors in the anthology I am editing.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Maybe sci-fi fantasy? That is if I were to grant my daughter, Sammy, her wish to have me publish one in the latter mentioned genre. Or maybe, the ramblings of my minds untethered squirrel.

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?
Voces Animarium, Leaving Eden and I may Be A Romantic, But I Am not Hopeless.

Author Websites and Profiles

Marie Moldovan Website

Marie Moldovan Amazon Profile

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Arthur SUMNER

Interview With Author Arthur SUMNER

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My work life was in business. While running a company as Plant Manager, I also taught evening classes at a local college. I have been a bible scholar all my life . My first book.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
In Store for Every Christian
Most of the classes in church organizations that I have taught know little about all the things God has planned for us.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not that I am aware of.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The bible, with Luke being my favorite writer.

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