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.

Genevieve Claire Hermoso

Interview With Author Genevieve Claire Hermoso

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My story is similar to a starting over rom com. Literally packed my bags and traveled from the Northeast to the Southwest after a long-term relationship ended.

To help cope, I started writing books as a form of therapy. And realized, after I had landed on a second career as a self-published author.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Woof At First Sight

It’s about a guy who gets cursed and turns into a dog. He’s a bit of a womanizer and he falls in love with the woman who rescues him from the dog pound. It’s really a story about having a change of heart.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I am a pantser but now combining it with plotting.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Jane Austen
Helen Fielding
I read a lot of Brit Lit before.

What are you working on now?
Saying I Do Before I Love You
A steamy contemporary romance about strangers who married each other at first sight. It was influenced by a social media story of a woman who was jilted at the altar who went through with her wedding. In my mind, I wanted to give that woman a happy ending so I did.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I do Amazon ads and some FB free ads.

I am trying Awesome Gang based on recommendation from Kindlepreneur.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Just write.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
My first book coach, Michelle Jackson said to just write it ugly. Meaning, don’t think about editing or fixing the story. Just write it, finish it then fix it when the time comes. This has helped me with procrastination and I have written 12 books using this method. Just write it and do it ugly. To fix it after.

What are you reading now?
I am reading several rom coms right now for ‘market research.’

What’s next for you as a writer?
I will always be writing not just as a form of therapy or self-expression but also because I feel I have a story to tell.

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?
Jane Austen books
Leo Tolstoy’s book
Lotus Sutra

Author Websites and Profiles

Genevieve Claire Hermoso Website

Genevieve Claire Hermoso Amazon Profile

Genevieve Claire Hermoso’s Social Media Links

Goodreads Profile

Author Interview Series

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Josh Payne

Interview With Author Josh Payne

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a currently serving member of the Australian Army, husband and father to two young boys. I’ve always been an avid fantasy and sci fi reader, but began writing because of a hungover bet back in 2015, and discovered I had a passion for creating stories. I’ve written under a hootchie in the jungle on international activities, and aboard warships, continuing through meeting and marrying my wife, and the birth of our two boys. In fact, many of the characters and places in my first novel, A Bastard’s Birthright, were inspired by the people and experiences I’ve had whilst travelling with the Army! For a long while, A Bastard’s Birthright was my primary focus, but to maintain my motivation during the rewrites and edits, based on feedback from beta readers and a professional manuscript assessment, I started an additional project as well. Starting in 2022, this in turn quickly morphed into a short story anthology series, Valor and Violence, which I have been uploading on the website Royal Road, to gauge audience buy in and gain feedback. I am currently working on the sequel to A Bastard’s Birthright and expect to have the first draft completed by June 2024.

I live in Townsville, Australia, with my four cats, three dogs, two kids and my wife.

If you want updates on how my writing projects are going, check out my author website at jepaynebooks.com and join the mailing list or come talk smack with me on Discord!

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
A Bastard’s Birthright. Back in 2015 I was sharing an apartment with my best mate. One Sunday morning we were recovering from the night before and deciding what to do for the day. Opting for something a bit different from the norm, we made a bet to see who could write a novel first. He started on a military sci fi epic, and I wrote the first scene of A Bastard’s Birthright. The bet ended up falling by the wayside, but by that point I had already invested too much time into the story to drop it. The rest, as they say, is history!

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
In terms of planning vs. pantsing, I’m a bit of a plantser, but I do most of my thinking about plot and scenes when I’m at the gym or listening to music. It has a tendency to moderately derail my broad outlines, but I have a lot of fun doing it and that’s what matters, right?

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Uh, all of them? But I would say two of the biggest inspirations are Derek Landy with the Skulduggery Pleasant series and Brian McLellan with his powder mage series’. Beyond contemporary fiction, I’m also fascinated by mythologies from all over the world, and if you read any of my fight scenes it’s impossible not to notice the impact Dragon Ball Z had on me as a kid. It was formative.

What are you working on now?
The sequel to A Bastard’s Birthright, currently titled A Bastard’s Burden. Concurrently I’m plodding along on a separate novella/novel series about an ancient greek historian who gets roped against his will into a mercenary company that specialises in things that go bump in the night.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m still figuring that out. My main effort has been on publishing Valor and Violence, my short story/novella/novel spin off anthology on Royal Road so people can have a look at my writing style and meet some of the characters in A Bastard’s Birthright before buying the book.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write the book, first and foremost, but look online for advice on promoting your work and building a reader base. There’s no reason to learn everything yourself when there is plenty of people out there who have walked this path before.

Also, don’t write to make money. Most authors will only ever achieve modest success. Sucks, but it’s true. As long as you enjoy writing and sharing your stories with whoever you can, you will enjoy the journey regardless.

Also also, don’t listen to unsubstantiated advice from random wannabe authors on the internet. We’re a very unreliable bunch.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Keep putting one foot in front of the other, and you’ll get there eventually.

What are you reading now?
I usually have a few books on the go at a time. At the moment I’m reading:
The Kwaidan Collection by Lafcardio Ahearn
Epic Tales: Aztec Mythology from Flametree Publishing
The 1st Gotrek and Felix Omnibus by William King
Paradise-1 by David Wellington

What’s next for you as a writer?
Hopefully keep promoting my debut novel and find some readers who like my work while finishing the first draft of the 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?
Probably the four I’m reading at the moment!

Author Websites and Profiles

Josh Payne Website

Josh Payne Amazon Profile

Author Interview Series

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

Slavica Joković

Interview With Author Slavica Joković

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have written twelve books.
I am a Doctor of Economics, and an Independent Researcher; published 12 books and over 70 articles by various international and local publishers; Readers` Favorite 2017 International Book Award Contest Giveaway Prize Winner for the eBook ”Winning Public Procurement Contracts in Serbia-Manual”, 2017

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is titled The Unusual Story. It is inspired by events from real life.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
No.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Paulo Coelho and his novels inspired me the most.

What are you working on now?
I am writing the My books newsletter on Linkedin.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Awesome Gang
Pretty-Hot
Discount Book Man
AllAuthor

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t be afraid to start writing. and don’t worry about inspiration because everyday life provides many incentives for writing.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“You cannot take something out of nothing. When you write a book, use your experience.”
– Paulo Coelho

What are you reading now?
I am reading one of my favorite books again.
It is: “The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho

What’s next for you as a writer?
It depends on 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?
I would bring Paulo Coelho`s books.

Author Websites and Profiles

Slavica Joković Website

Author Interview Series

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

Morgan Solis

Interview With Author Morgan Solis

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have written one book called The Backrooms, and it is a Psychological horror. I have written poetry my whole life, but always found horror novels and films to be quite fascinating.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
“The Bckrooms” was inspired by a trip to an empty office building I found in the middle of a city. Something seemed “off” about it, and so a story was born in my mind. I began writing and finished very quickly.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t have a schedule I just write when I feel like and don’t write when I don’t.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The Twilight Zone has definitely played a role in my writing styles and ideas, and I used to watch it a lot as a kid!

What are you working on now?
A poetry book!

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Goodreads has become one of my best avenues for gaining readers, reviews, lists, and fans.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Take it slow and build an audience.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Sometimes you win, sometimes you learn.

What are you reading now?
Nothing at the moment, too busy with other projects.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Doing more author interviews and engaging more with 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?
My own book (of course), a Where’s Waldo? book, a Disney book for nostalgia, and a history book of some sort to keep my mind sharp.

Morgan Solis’s Social Media Links

Goodreads Profile

Author Interview Series

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

Jill Hedgecock

Interview With Author Jill Hedgecock

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hello! I have written five young adult novels. The premise for my first novel, Rhino in the Room, was inspired when I went on an African safari and I learned that three rhinos are poached each day for their horns. I knew I had to write to raise awareness. My second series, which features a Doberman as as key character, was written to portray the sweet side of this maligned breed. I want my writing to have an impact. My freelance articles have touched on topics such as microplastics, impacts of pesticide use on honeybees, and ethical tourism. In addition to writing monthly book reviews and informative pet columns for a local magazine, The Diablo Gazette, my work has been published in Bark Magazine, Books N Pieces Magazine, American West, several anthologies, and an India-based online magazine called The Daily Brunch. I have judged the Mount Diablo California Writers Club’s young writer’s contest for middle schoolers and the nationwide National Scholastic Art & Writing Awards for high school students on behalf of Mount Diablo California Writers Club.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest release, In Shadow’s Reflection, is the third and final novel in my Doberman series. I had toyed with continuing the series, but I had initially envisioned the series as a trilogy. When the famous Doberman, Ruby_dooby_do (and new dog Bruce) who has 1.9 million TikTok followers (https://www.tiktok.com/@rubydobrucetoo) on my book covers passed away during the rewrites of In Shadow’s Reflection, it seemed appropriate to wrap up the series. The Shadow book series was inspired by my rescue dog Shadow who barked at a particular corner of my dining room and I had the thought, what if he is seeing ghosts? He loved to be petted between his eyes and I thought what if I could see the ghost he sees if I petted him there?

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I like to create muse boards at the outset of a new project. The images provide visual cues to help me keep track of my characters and keep me focused on my major plot points.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I admire books with a clear message. Barbara Kingsolver’s Flight Behavior and Prodigal Summer and The Elephant Whisperer by Lawrence Anthony and Graham Spence inspired me to write my rhino novels which I wrote to raise awareness about rhino poaching. I am a sucker for a good dog story and absolutely loved

What are you working on now?
I am working on a historical fiction novel that I started in 2013! I set the project aside to write other novels and only came back to the rewrites last Fall.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I have had the most success ferreting out where Doberman owners hang out. Facebook Groups for Doberman owners has been particularly successful. I have done a U-tube interview for Doberman Planet, written pieces for dog and Doberman magazines,

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t wait to finish the book before you start building an author platform. Create a social media presence now. Start an author newsletter. Look for opportunities to speak or write freelance articles. The marketing side of the author life takes time to develop and a new author should not wait until their book is out to focus on this critical aspect of book promotion.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Write what you love. It can take years to write a novel so the process will be much more pleasant if you like your subject matter.

What are you reading now?
I was a huge fan of Stephen King’s Dark Tower/Gunslinger series, but my career and family responsibilities overwhelmed me about the time the fifth book was released. Given the incredible time lapse since I had read the first four books, I had wanted to reread the early books before finishing the series. I made the commitment to read the series last fall and I am currently rereading Wizard and Glass. I am nearly finished and plan to read the 4.5 book in the series, The Wind Through the Keyhole, next.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I have been publishing novels in the YA genre. I have an adult historical fiction novel sitting in the wings that I want to pick up after I complete my current project.

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?
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver, The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, and The Mirror by Marlys Millhiser.

Author Websites and Profiles

Jill Hedgecock Website

Jill Hedgecock Amazon Profile

Jill Hedgecock’s Social Media Links

Goodreads Profile

Facebook Profile

Twitter Account

Author Interview Series

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

McCracken Poston Jr

Interview With Author McCracken Poston Jr

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My first book, “Zenith Man: Death, Love, and Redemption in a Georgia Courtroom” (Citadel, Hardcover, February 2024), will be out in a few days.
I am a former state legislator-turned-criminal defense lawyer, but not intentionally. This book chronicles that transformation.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
“Zenith Man: Death, Love, and Redemption in a Georgia Courtroom”
From Amazon:
“Was this small-town TV repair man ‘a harmless eccentric or a bizarre killer’ (Atlanta Journal Constitution). For the first time, Alvin Ridley’s own defense attorney reveals the inside story of his case and trial in an extraordinary tale of friendship and an idealistic young attorney’s quest to clear his client’s name—and, in the process, rebuild his own life.

In October 1997, the town of Ringgold in northwest Georgia was shaken by reports of a murder in its midst. A dead woman was found in Alvin Ridley’s house—and even more shockingly, she was the wife no one knew he had.

McCracken Poston had been a state representative before he lost his bid for U.S. Congress and returned to his law career. Alvin Ridley was a local character who once sold and serviced Zenith televisions. Though reclusive and an outsider, the “Zenith Man,” as Poston knew him, hardly seemed capable of murder.

Alvin was a difficult client, storing evidence in a cockroach-infested suitcase, unwilling to reveal key facts to his defender. Gradually, Poston pieced together the full story behind Virginia and Alvin’s curious marriage and her cause of death—which was completely overlooked by law enforcement. Calling on medical experts, testimony from Alvin himself, and a wealth of surprising evidence gleaned from Alvin’s junk-strewn house, Poston presented a groundbreaking defense that allowed Alvin to return to his peculiar lifestyle, a free man.

Years after his trial, Alvin was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, a revelation that sheds light on much of his lifelong personal battle—and shows how easily those who don’t fit societal norms can be castigated and misunderstood. Part true crime, part courtroom drama, and full of local color, Zenith Man is also the moving story of an unexpected friendship between two very different men that changed—and perhaps saved—the lives of both.”

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write in an ever-increasing number of coffee shops. At least half a dozen different coffee shops were used in writing my first book.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
As a child, I learned most, if not all, of Robert Frost’s poems. I believe that is where I fell in love with words. I also read H.G. Wells, Zane Grey, and others.
As an adult, I like historic nonfiction.

What are you working on now?
I’m promoting my first book, which comes out this month!

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I have them all, but I’ve been surprisingly successful in meeting interested people on Reddit. There are many true crime groups there.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Have another more seasoned mentor curate a list of agents for you. Also, be mindful of fraud (someone starting selling a “summary” of my book on Amazon. I tracked them down to Nigeria, and it was an AI-written rip-off.

What are you reading now?
“Stealing the General” by Russell S. Bonds, and “The Wager” by David Grann

What’s next for you as a writer?
My next book. I don’t know if it will even be nonfiction. Fiction seems attractive from my current perspective.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
A survival book. A plant identification book. How to Build a Raft.

Author Websites and Profiles

McCracken Poston Jr Website

McCracken Poston Jr Amazon Profile

McCracken Poston Jr’s Social Media Links

Goodreads Profile

Facebook Profile

Twitter Account

Author Interview Series

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

Adrienne Morris

Interview With Author Adrienne Morris

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve always been obsessed with American history (especially the Civil War/post-Civil War period), but rarely found fiction that really explored how ordinary people living in the North were affected on a multi-generational level by all the trauma of the war. I knew I wanted to write stories about characters with deep wounds mentally and sometimes physically and about the ways in which these wounds could be healed by seemingly small acts of friendship and kindness. My novels (all seven of them) are about family and friendship, but at times can be a little gritty since real life can be like that. I don’t gloss over controversial aspects of the time period but I also don’t demonize the people of the past. As always, history is more complicated than what we briefly learn about at school.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
By the Shores of Solon Pond is a fictionalized account of my cousin Waldo Potter’s life. After extensive research I felt compelled to write about this long forgotten young soldier who diligently sent his army pay home to his impoverished parents. It’s important for people to remember the sacrifices made by the people of the North to win the Civil War. So much has been written about (and glorified about the South). I wanted to even the scales a bit and bring new life to my cousin’s memory. The book is a poignant coming-of-age tale about family and heroism.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I never outline for my novels. The seeds of a story come to me in a flash of insight usually with a visual image in my head. After seven books I recognize these events as the “call” to start a new novel. I think artists and writers are nudged from the beyond to bring beauty and understanding into this world. I hope that’s what I do. I also write with a dip pen and blue/black ink. It gets me right into the time period I love to write about.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I really love classic literature so Tolstoy, Dostoyevsky and George Eliot come to mind. They write BIG, complex novels with great characters which is why I love them so much. I want to inhabit a world for as long as possible if I love the characters. I have a soft spot for orphan stories too, so I adore Huckleberry Finn. I read a lot of history as well–probably even more than fiction. The list would be too long to put here.

What are you working on now?
A series of short seasonal stories about Jane Shaw, a girl orphaned by the war who lives with her grandparents. A young veteran comes to town on Christmas and after saving Jane from drowning becomes an important person in all of their lives–especially Jane’s.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’ve tried a bunch of different ones but always come back here because of the professionalism and the ease.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Go easy on yourself while working on a first draft. It’s really okay if it isn’t any good. You can change things in the edits. Also, for any older writers, it’s never too late to gift the world with your perspective. When I start to worry about readers too much, I remind myself that if I discovered my great-great grandmother’s unpublished book, I’d treasure it. Don’t worry so much about outcomes. Just give yourself permission to create. If it’s on your mind, then you are meant to create it however it turns out.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Write the book that you want to read.

What are you reading now?
Dostoyevsky’s Demons. It’s very intense.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I want to do more organic outreach. Sharing my novels online is fun, but there’s nothing like meeting people in person.

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 bring my own books. The characters are like family to me.

Author Websites and Profiles

Adrienne Morris Website

Adrienne Morris Amazon Profile

Adrienne Morris’s Social Media Links

Facebook Profile

Author Interview Series

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

Isaac Mashman

Interview With Author Isaac Mashman

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Thank you so so much to the Awesomegang team for along with the opportunity to sit down and do this interview. My name is Isaac Mashman, I’m primarily a businessman first. Writing books is secondary to what I do, but is something that I have a deep care and interest in. As of today January 30, 2024 I’ve written one book that is published, but I am working on an expanded edition of work, as well as an entirely separate and unusual experimental crime thriller, which will also be coming out this year.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I published Personal Branding: A Manifesto on Fame and Influence on November 1st, 2021 off of the back of a lot of misconceptions in my business. I run a public relations, firm and specialize in personal branding, and one of the things that I saw time and time again was this conversation that your personal brand is something that you create with every social media profile and is only new because of the various forms of media and communication today. My manifesto is a much more philosophical work and I breakdown what your personal brand is and how the concept has been around since the beginning of civilized man. Although it is rather short, my second edition will be four times the length.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Yes, actually! The way that I’m able to write faster and maintain a consistent tone is using voice to text. My books aren’t 100% written in this way, but if I am feeling particularly inspired in the moment, or don’t feel like typing on my keyboard, I will pull out my phone and record myself speaking and transcribe it directly to words. From there, I’ll edit it for grammar and any mistakes.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I am a massive fan of nonfiction new thought materials, such as Napoleon Hill’s, Think and Grow Rich, How to Win Friends, and Influence People by Dale Carnegie, and some lesser known works like the Empire of Business by Andrew Carnegie, which is a compilation of all of his various essays and letters. The farther back to the source material I can go the better! I actually have a collection of vintage material.

What are you working on now?
Like I mentioned a couple questions back, I’m working on the second edition of my manifesto, which will allow me to dive much deeper into strategies and the psychological aspects of building your personal brand. The fiction book which is separate, but also coming out this year is something entirely different that I’m dedicating to my grandmother and having it edited by my mother. It’s a little bit of a passion project, and I don’t usually say that, but it discusses not so much addiction to substance, but addiction to action.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m an advocate for ownership. For any authors who are reading this, I’d 100% recommend that you have your own website built that way you can collect emails, craft a newsletter, and so forth. A website takes time to build credibility and domain authority, so the sooner you can get started the better. You can find my website at isaacmashman.com.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Go wide! I’ve had clients who are interested in becoming authors ask me time and time again about distribution and marketing strategy, and I always encourage them to get their book posted on as many platforms as possible, as well as as many formats as possible. You should have a paperback, digital version, and even an audiobook. Although you might have your book published on a dozen different sites, that doesn’t necessarily mean you promote each and every site, rather, you are maintaining visibility, and potentially gaining organic sales.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
It’s actually advice that I give myself. At the center of all achievement is personal growth. Anything I want to accomplish and any person I would like to become, requires me to put forth dedicated self-development.

What are you reading now?
I’m currently reading the Harry Potter series in which J.K Rowling’s writing style of third person limited is inspiring my own perspective for my fiction book. I also have some nonfiction books that I will be reading and studying such as The Master Key System by Haanel.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Improving my vocabulary, progressing my writing style, and having consistent works that I can take pride in and promote for the rest of my life. Although being an author, isn’t my higher caricature, it’s something I enjoy exploring.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
This might strike many as surprising, but I would bring a copy of the King James Bible, the Quran, The Law of Success by Napoleon Hill, and a dictionary. This would give me the ability to examine more of my spiritual and metaphysical existence, provide sanity, and be entertained by some of the various historical stories in these religious texts.

Author Websites and Profiles

Isaac Mashman Website

Isaac Mashman Amazon Profile

Isaac Mashman’s Social Media Links

Author Interview Series

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

Hannah Oswine

Interview With Author Hannah Oswine

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hannah Oswine started writing in her youth and has published two books so far. A woman of strong faith who lives in Montana. She is unique, adventurous, insightful, and sometimes quirky. Oswine has a Certification in Photography and an Asssociate Degree in Environmental Science. She enjoys spending time with her son, music, water aerobics, kayaking, kites and a good espresso and glass of wine.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
“Different Name Still The Same, An Adoption Adventure ” children’s book.
Hannah Oswine created this adventure from a short story she wrote for her adopted son when he was a baby. She wrote it to celebrate adoption and help all children with self identity

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Hannah hand writes on paper the story before typing onto a computer

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Oswine is influenced by her own life experiences and states “Writing with a purpose ” as her inspiration

What are you working on now?
Hannah is writing another children’s book and plans to create a series

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Paperbacks from offset printing and direct sales https://payhip.com/HannahOswineauthor

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Keep determined to share your stories!

What’s next for you as a writer?
Hannah Oswine is learning more about marketing her books

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
My own two published books and the Bible

Author Websites and Profiles

Hannah Oswine Website

Author Interview Series

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

Debbie Hightower

Interview With Author Debbie Hightower

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
With a strong background in print media, I have begun to pursue my dream job as a science-fiction author. Currently have one Dystopian Fiction and five science-fiction title in print. American Survivor is the first in a five-book series.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Latest book is Forged in Flames by Debbie Hightower. The idea was based on ruminations of what life would be like after humans migrate to a new planet. What challenges would they face and, more importantly, what laws and systems of government would they follow?

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Last book I wrote was seat-of-the-pants style, with no outline to follow. It was fun, as if I was writing and reading it at the same time!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I’ve discovered that it’s impossible to be a great author without also being a prolific reader. If you want to write science-fiction, then you need to read a lot of science fiction, right? Surprisingly, I tend to concentrate on action/adventure writers. My bookshelf is currently filled with Clive Cussler, David Baldacci, Lee Child and Tom Clancy.

What are you working on now?
Currently working on my first non-fiction title. My bucket list also includes children’s fiction.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Amazon, hands-down. We control the vertical. We control the horizontal. Publish in a matter of days, rather than months as in traditional publishing. Cost to author can be minimal determining how much $ you want to sink in to it. Want to update your manuscript or cover? No problem, just slide it right in.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Read. Write. Publish. Repeat.
Be your own best critic. It’s like any sort of training, be it 5K or mountain climbing. You’ll start out slow but improve with each experience.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Positivity. You can do it. No one is born as a master chef, artist, or author. The skills are learned and will improve over time.

What are you reading now?
Lost Moon by Jim Lovell.

What’s next for you as a writer?
The dreaded non-fiction title awaits at my desk. Lots of research required. Not my favorite thing.

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?
Grab a handful of action/adventure. Probably some dystopian titles like George Orwell’s 1984.

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Pete McGinty

Interview With Author Pete McGinty

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a semi-retired marketing and branding and have spent over 20 years as an auto racing photographer. I intend to spend the next chapter of my life writing fiction. Previously I published a non-fiction book about the soccer team, The Columbus Crew, called Accidental Heroes.
I have recently published my first novel, Private Cummings.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The title is, Private Cummings. It’s the story about a WWll veteran and the many travails his life takes after his service. It was inspired by the concept of an old man who befriends a young boy and the impact their mutual relationship has on them both.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Nothing unusual other than it’s hard for me to sit still for long periods of time. I often walk around in circles in my writing nook, formulating my ideas.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
John Irving, Stephen Pressfield, Pat Conroy, Cormac McCarthy, Stephen King

What are you working on now?
I am working on another novel – it will be the second of three that will make up the series to go with Private Cummings.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I don’t know how to answer that because I don’t yet have enough experience.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
The only advice is the advice I’ve given myself and have heard from mentors. That is, write, write, write. And don’t let resistance stop you.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“When in doubt, it’s resistance.” Stephen Pressfield

What are you reading now?
Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy

What’s next for you as a writer?
To keep writing with the goal of publishing a book a year until I drop:)

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
A prayer for Owen Meany, John Irving; All the Pretty Horses, Cormac McCarthy; the Boys in the Boat, Daniel James Brown; Oh, the Places You’ll Go, Dr. Seuss

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B. Lynn Goodwin

Interview With Author B. Lynn Goodwin

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Disrupted is my fourth book. The previous ones include Never Too Late: From Wannabe to Wife at 62, Talent, and You Want Me to Do WHAT? Journaling for Caregivers. I’m also the owner and editor at https://www.writeradvice.com, and a manuscript consultant and editor.

I’m on the boards at Story Circle Network, https://www.storycircle.org, where I also teach, and the Women’s National Book Association–San Francisco Chapter, https://wnba-sfchapter.org, and an editor and presenter at the San Francisco Writers Conference. This year I’m also a judge for the IBPA’s Benjamin Franklin Awards.

In my previous career, I taught drama and English in high school and college.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Disrupted just came out from Olympia Publishers. What would happen if a 7.1 earthquake on the Hayward (CA) fault knocked classrooms off their foundations and closed the show that Sandee Mason is stage managing? How will she cope with a physical earthquake in addition to the emotional one she had 6 months earlier when her brother was killed in Afghanistan, and how will her best friend Diego’s move affect her? Based on what I wrote above, I’d say it was inspired by some of the what ifs running through my mind.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
If I have unusual habits or rituals, I’m not aware of them. On the other hand, what’s normal to me might be unusual to someone who only writes in a closet or braids her hair or wears a special hat before starting to work.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I learn something from every author I read, and since I’m sent many books for review, I don’t know that I can identify three or four. I like books where the characters face complex issues–especially relationship issues–that I can identify with.

What are you working on now?
Right now I’m working on judging for IBPA, working with editing clients, being a preliminary judge for Writer Advice’s Current Contest, https://writeradvice.com/latest-contest-information/, journaling, and occasionally working on my draft of an inspirational romance. And at this exact moment, I’m working on answering the questions in this interview.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
How I wish I had that magic answer. Maybe it’s yours?

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write daily, freely, and without judgment. Keep writing. Believe in your voice, because no one can tell your story but you. When you’re ready, share with a reliable writing partner or an editor that offers at least a short free sample.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“No one can tell your story but you.” Also, “You don’t lose until you quit trying,” OR “Don’t quit before the miracle.”

What are you reading now?
Education books for IBPA’s Benjamin Franklin Contest and some fiction sent for review.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Write the next evaluation for contest judging. Write the next book review. Write the next author interview. Write the next article. Work more on flash fiction and auto fiction as time allows. Get back to that inspirational romance. And keep working as an editor because people are waiting for your response.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
A planned stranding? Hmm. Maybe a book about physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual survival? Maybe some escape fiction? Maybe something really long and thoughtful with big print? I’m avoiding specific titles because there are so many authors I love and books I want to read that I have no way to narrow it.

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Leslie Flemons

Interview With Author Leslie Flemons

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a communications major at IU Southeast and I strive to use this major to communicate more effectively with others. I have attempted to write one novel a few years back but hardly committed to it. Years later, I decided to commit to writing my official first book. Besides three NaNoWriMo drafts, I’ve only written one full-length novel.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Pretension was inspired by the idea of a character pretending to be something they’re not to impress their crush. Matt, the main character, did that with Precious, the love interest when he was dared by his best friend, Lenny, to become a fake Christian.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I daydream a lot, which allows me to create vivid story ideas. I’ve been a daydreamer since I was a child, which could get me in trouble at times.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The authors I’ve read have told compelling stories in their novels and given tips on how to improve certain areas of your writing.

For example, Marissa Meyer does a great job creating wonderful stories about protagonists based on fairy-tale characters like Cinderella (Cinder) and Little Red Riding Hood (Scarlet). These books have given me access to methods of describing important elements such as settings and emotions.

Linda Hart provides helpful tips on how to improve your novels. For example, in her book, “Thesaurus of the Senses”, Linda Hart provides ways on how to describe the five senses (sight, hearing, taste, smell, and feeling).

What are you working on now?
Right now, I’m working on getting my first book out there, but I do have a few other works planned. A few of my works are outlined at this time.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Currently, I am posting at least once a week on my Facebook page.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t rush. Just learn as much as you can and decide which writing advice is the most valuable to you.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I would say “Write whatever you want to write” or “Write what comes to mind” are my favorite pieces of writing advice. It gives me relief that I don’t have to write about something I’m not too knowledgeable about, but I can write about what I’m most comfortable with. On the other hand, I believe it’s good to broaden your horizons.

What are you reading now?
Right now, I’m reading Between Two Lives/One Past Midnight by Jessica Shirvington. It’s about a girl literally living two lives. One day, she’s living with a strict parents and a loving little sister. Another, she’s living with a divorced mother and has a popular school life.

What’s next for you as a writer?
After my book release, I will make sure it is shared across the digital world. I will do book signings and possibly more interviews. Plus, I will be working on my next book.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
First, I would like to bring a Bible with me, preferably New Living Translation. It would give me comfort and show me how to handle situations like this.
Next, I would bring The Help. I read this in my high school senior year and enjoy almost every minute of it.
Thirdly, I might read one of the series from the Babysitter’s Club, likely the first one.
Lastly, I would read a short book, maybe a Dr. Seuss book.

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R.F. Walden

Interview With Author R.F. Walden

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I write mostly in the climate fiction genre. I have a 6-book novella series releasing on 2/20/24. The first two books will be available on 2/20, and the rest of the books will come out every 30 days after that. I have four other books that will be available on 2/20/24. Ten books in total, plus the Omnibus edition of the novella series, so I guess you could say I have 11 books.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Peace Gene- I thought about what would happen if an alien world offered us a chance to finally have world peace. The answer might not be as simple as we thought.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I listen to Isochronic music while I write. It’s great for concentration.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Clive Cussler, Rod Serling.

What are you working on now?
The second book in The Climate Gods of Zealandia series.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Promo Stacking.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write every day.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Keep searching for greatness.

What are you reading now?
The Council of Animals, by Nick McDonell

What’s next for you as a writer?
Keep it going.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
The Stand- I’ll need a long one to pass the time
The Bible- not much to add to this one, huh?
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy-I’ll need to laugh a little while I building SOS signs on the beach.

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Terri Friedlander

Interview With Author Terri Friedlander

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Terri Friedlander is a writer whose job titles included college professor, teacher, freelance journalist, and MIS Director of a global law firm. After relentlessly pitching her ideas for a column about education, In Front of the Classroom was born.

Terri Friedlander authors children’s books as well as young adult and contemporary romance novels. The CHILDREN’S BOOKS page features the exciting series of The Adventures of Percy the Siberian Cat and No More Bullies!

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Percy Sets Sail on a Cruise is my latest book inspired by children who are reluctant travelers. My children’s series, The Adventures of Percy the Siberian cat, features Percy’s exciting adventures to Alaska, New York, Washington DC and now a luxurious cruise vacation. I also feature another series called No More Bullies inspired by the title and the epidemic of mean kids.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I love listening to children and what excites them.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I love reading Colleen Hoover, Joy Fielding and many others. Of course the only and one Dr. Seuss is a huge personal hero.

What are you working on now?
A mainstream women’s novel called Diamonds and Drugs.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Still searching for marketing tools. It’s overwhelming.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
To borrow the words of Nike, Just Do IT!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t Quit.

What are you reading now?
The Last Mrs. Parish

What’s next for you as a writer?
Childrens book number 6 in the series, Percy Explores Hawaii

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 iPad with the Kindle app

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Julian Gendreau

Interview With Author Julian Gendreau

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My interest in the neurosciences began early in medical school after observing a craniotomy to remove a deadly tumor, glioblastoma, from a patient with one of my close mentors. Here, I witnessed the mesmerizing nature of the brain, first-hand, in the operating room. Additionally, it was in medical school where I realized the many unknowns in our current scope of knowledge regarding this vital organ. These two reasons secured my decision to enter a career in the neurosciences. Initially, I attended medical school at the Mercer University School of Medicine in Savannah, Georgia. Throughout my medical training, I was involved in several clinical projects in all aspects of the neurosciences. During my time in medical school, I also became interested in medical device development. Thus, I subsequently enrolled in a Masters in Applied Biomedical Engineering at the Johns Hopkins Whiting School of Engineering. Here, I also participate in a variety of clinical investigatory projects aimed at improving outcomes after surgery for brain cancers. I am mainly involved with incorporating machine learning algorithms to enhance clinical decision-making capabilities for providers. So far, I have written only one book: The Future of Technology in Medicine: From Cyborgs to Curing Paralysis.

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Anne Riley

Interview With Author Anne Riley

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I was born in Washington state the 11th of 12 children. I’m married, have 3 great kids and two darling grandchildren. I have written three books:
Elusive: Journey to Happiness
Aerie: A romantic suspense novel set in the 1990’s
DINA: Nature’s Case for Democracy which is now out on Kindle and will be viable in paperback next week.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
DINA: Nature’s Case For Democracy is a sci-fi-ish story in which Dina, a mysterious, invisible creature chooses Sara Wallace, a middle-aged woman still grappling with the death of her daughter five years on, to explain that humans are on the edge of extinction. Nature has practiced pure democracy successfully for 2 billion years, but humans, newcomers to the game of life, are messing things up and are going to destroy themselves, and a lot of other creatures when they do.

I have been thinking about how to make sense of life; that is, to understand how humans fit into the larger picture of the universe for over thirty years. This book is the culmination of that thinking, Bonus: I came up with a new theory of the human ecosystem.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Yes. I read my book out loud to myself before I let it out into the world.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Bionomics: Economics as Ecosystem by Michael Rothschild was the book that wouldn’t let me go. He planted the ideas that I built into my new theory.

The Origin of Species and the Voyage of the Beagle by Charles Darwin. What a thinker this man was.

Wonderful Life by Stephen Jay Gould. All of Gould’s books inspired me to find the natural explanation that exists for seemingly inexplicable situations.

What are you working on now?
I am putting together a book of practical applications using my new theory.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I am still experimenting in this area.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Be true to yourself when you write. Find your voice and write what you want to say to the world.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
From Winston Churchill: When you’re going through hell, keep going!

What are you reading now?
Mark Twain: Tales, Sketches Speeches and Essays 1891-1910
The Time in Between by Maria Dueñas.

What’s next for you as a writer?
For a while, marketing and promotion

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?
To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert Pirsig
Voyage of the Beagle by Charles Darwin

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Jay H. Tepley

Interview With Author Jay H. Tepley

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hello there! I’m an international speaker, spiritual mentor, entrepreneur, and author of 11 books on finding life’s Purpose and spiritual self-development.

A few words about me…

An undercover superhero. A maker of realities and a breaker of rules. Would rather be flying a starjet.

I dedicated my life to helping men step into their true power, legacy and Purpose, using a combination of ancient yogic techniques, expanded consciousness and neuroscience.

Love callisthenics and krav maga, and could beat you up with a lighsaber.

My charity work supporting mental health through lightsaber training has been featured in the Guardian, The Jeremy Vine Show and BBC 1.

Speak several languages and mastered the art of staying silent in any of them, too.

Remember my past lives and miss some fun from back then.

A geek, a visionary mentor and an astronomy lover. An honorary member of the non-BS league.

Plan on getting a helicopter pilot license.

Lived in Tokyo, and would do it again.

You can bribe my attention with a matcha latte.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest (upcoming) book is called ‘The Superhero’s Journey’. The name is a nod towards the concept of the Hero’s Journey known through the various mythologies around the world.
This time though, we level up our game and tap into the higher, undiscovered levels of human potential. A great read for any man on a mission, or anyone wanting to understand himself and the world better.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I tend to meditate before writing. It makes the process much easier.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
In terms of content and research, my own journey influenced me the most. For my novel-type books, I took some inspiration from J. R. R. Tolkien, J. J. Martin and Sir John Mortimer.

What are you working on now?
I’m finishing my latest book, The Superhero’s Journey – an inspiring guide for mavericks and visionaries to find their greatest Purpose and impact in a complex world. Inspired by the iconic framework of Plato’s dialogues, this book offers an empowering and revolutionary way of thinking designed for success in both your business and personal life.

Find out more: https://superherosbook.com

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I mostly promote my books through podcast interviews and public speaking, but I love the Awesome Gang:)

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Just start. Get those words out on paper. Don’t be ashamed of them being messy, imperfect, or illogical. It’s a beautiful mess. The mess of creation. Don’t worry about what others may think. Simply look at what you’ve written and ask yourself, ‘Does this make my soul sing?’

And from then on, always follow that feeling, no matter what. Let it be your Ariadne’s thread out of the labyrinth of self-doubt. And if the path gets dark, repeat to yourself, ‘I can do it’.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“Know thyself”

What are you reading now?
“Hook Point: How to Stand Out in a 3-Second World” by Brendan Kane

What’s next for you as a writer?
World domination, of course.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
“Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind” by Al Ries et al

“Sure ways to self-realization” and “Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha” by Swami Satyananda Saraswarti

“The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living” by Ryan Holiday

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Monica Broussard

Interview With Author Monica Broussard

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have written two books- I published 21 Tattoos, the 7th Dimension is in editing, and my 3rd is being written.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
21 Tattoos is the first of the series. It is inspired by my burning question of why people cover themselves in tattoos. I started writing the book while in lock down during the chemo phase after being diagnosed with Stage 3 Breast Cancer. My character waking up to having the rug pulled out from underneath him one day and his life flipped upside down is how I felt when I was diagnosed.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I wake up every morning at 4:30 a.m. that is when I am at my best.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Mostly childhood books. I have always loved Nelson Demille and I like the way Colleen Hoover can tell a story.

What are you working on now?
The 3rd book in my Tattoo Series. And three other potential books I work on in between.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
My website is MonicaBroussardauthor.com and I promote my book through Facebook. I am having my second Barnes and Noble book signing. I belong to local groups that I enlist their support.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Just make it happen. Don’t worry whether it is good or bad. Just keep writing and rewriting until the opportunity comes to let it go. And move on to the next project. I say that I never thought I was good enough. Anyone who read my work said I needed to change this or improve that. Then, one day, I met my publisher, who said it was good enough to publish.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best advice has come from my editor, Kat Ross. She has ended up being my mentor who has given me so much advice and shared her wisdom. What sticks out in my mind- is always make sure the reader can feel, see, smell, taste, and hear everything you need to give the tale life. All the senses should be used to help tell the story.

What are you reading now?
The Oceanography of the Moon by Glendy Vanderah.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I have at least two more books in my head for the 21 Tattoos series. I have another four books started. I need to get my newsletter together and schedule it to go out once a month. I promote locally by attending book signings, promotions, and book fairs. I have so much on my plate to write that I will be busy at least for another ten years. LOL

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. The Prince by Machiavelli. The Interpretation of Dreams by Freud. Moby Dick by Melville. I would have the time to meditate on what I am reading.

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Curt Wendelboe

Interview With Author Curt Wendelboe

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I started writing shorts right after being discharged from Marines inn ’72 and had a bunch published before deciding I wanted to write novels. My thirteenth novel, Death Along the Spirit Road, was picked up by Berkley Prime Crime as was the two subsequent novels. Since then, I have published three more in that series along with a mystery set in the Great Depression, a contemporary mystery, and a period western set in the 1870s Dakota Territory, and two standalone novels. To date, I have published twenty novels.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Death Under the Deluge began to form when I was an off-reservation policeman in a small town in South Dakota along the Missouri. There, old locals talked about an island that Lewis and Clark originally came across (American Island) and how the island was a vacation spot before the Corps of Engineers flooded the river to make a revivor. I combined that lore with that of the Lakota Cold Talkers in WWII and my idea for the cold case murder emerged.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not unusual unless you think a goal of twelve hours writing a day is odd.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
On the western side, Louis L’Amour for certain as his research into locations for his books were so spot on.
For mysteries, Micky Spillane and John D. McDonald (both that I sneaked into the library ’cause good Christian boys didn’t read such things) for their grittiness, and Poe for his clues he imbedded into his stories that were so hard to pick up until once the denoumet.

What are you working on now?
I am plotting out my seventh in the Spirit Road series, a contemporary mystery set on Indian Reservations. I want to go back to the Crow Reservation in Montana with perhaps some scenes on the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
My website can be reached by cmwendelboe.com or spiritroadmysteries.com. I can also be reached through my Facebook author page.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Persistence. I admit I was not the one with the most talent or the finest writing abilities, but I kept writing until people began paying me for what I had to say. Also, I have met so many authors wanting to be published who have had so many rejections with publishers and agents. Authors need to realize that, for the most part, initial cold submissions are being read by assistants and that if the actual agent or editor would actually read the submission, they might be accepted. It’s just the nature of the beast – agents and publishers want solid stories that interest readers yet often bever even see fine works sent them.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
How about the worst advice, one I heard from my ninth grade English teacher and many tines since: “Write what you know.” I did that for years, not having much fir life experiences until I realized if we only wrote what we knew, there would be no stories about the Roman Empire or the Reformation or the Civil War. We can absolutely write what we don’t know – through research.

What are you reading now?
In am re-reading the complete works of Oscar Wilde. So many things that he wrote about during the Victorian tines seems to be reemerging today.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I began writing a novel fourteen years ago set during the Civil Rights Movement of 1968, with scenes back in Nazi Germany during the war. I am actively seeking representation fir that novel as I have so much faith in 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?
Any of Shakespeare’s plays since they take too long to decipher what the outdated language actually says. I would take Louis L’Amour’s Haunted Mesa, which I read a least once a year trying to figure out why it’s such a captivating read (but I haven’t figured it out yet.) And lastly, I would take the Holy Bible to get ne through the days and give me hope for rescue.

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Curt Wendelboe Website

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