Awesome Author Interviews

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My name is Leila Khan, I am an author, public speaker, a self-mastery expert, teacher and mentor of personal transformation. I have written and self published four books and a colouring book.

My Little Red Book of Wisdoms by Leila Khan

My Little Red Book of Wisdoms Colouring book by Leila Khan, illustrated by Abi Latham

101+ Ways to Overcome Life’s Biggest Obstacles by Leila Khan

The Best of the Blog: Life is Today Academy by Leila Khan

Instagram book @leilaakhan

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
101+ Ways to Overcome Life’s Biggest Obstacles! is jam-packed with strategies, tips, and solutions to help you through life’s bumps and hurdles. You’ll find this book offers you a myriad of tried and tested, authentic and creative ways of getting
through life’s problems.

This book was inspired by my life’s journey as I had been through so much and people would often ask me for advice. I also wrote the book because I wish I had read something like this when I was going through tough times, and determined to
succeed.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I do something called a ‘word dump’! I either write or type out whatever is on my mind without thinking about it, with the intention to let go/release all the gunk from my mind. This then helps me to clear my mind and write blogs or posts from a more heart-centred space 🙂

What authors, or books have influenced you?
You can Heal your Life by Louise Hay helped to transform my self-love relationship and Deepak Chopra for helping me to bridge the gap between spirituality, science and everyday living. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho is my all time favourite book because he spoke my journey through life in such a stunning way!

What are you working on now?
I am working on developing my coaching and public speaking business, getting new clients and promoting and selling the books that I have already written. I am passionate about supporting people who want more out of life, who no longer want to be held back by their past, who want to be themselves.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I promote and sell my books through my website www.lifeistodayacademy.com and social media pages. I also sell my books on Amazon kindle.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Keep going, don’t give up on yourself or your dreams. For us dream-chasers, realizing our dreams is not an easy process. We know that following the path of our passions is going to have many ups and downs, many twists and turns with many
tests of faith & patience. Keep taking small steps every day to make your dreams a reality.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
You always have choices!

When I was about 16, I’d agreed to an arranged engagement, even though it was something that I didn’t want but I didn’t know how to say no. You know in life when you have pivotal moments, such as when someone comes into your life at the exact time that you needed them to and your life turns a different corner? Well, an ex-colleague of mine was my angel in disguise. I remember sharing with her what was on my mind, and she said these words that changed the direction of my fate and destiny

‘You don’t have to if you don’t want to’.

Wow, those words blew my world open.

What are you reading now?
I am currently reading the Rules of Wealth by Richard Templar -It’s so important to continually be learning and applying the new knowledge to areas of our lives that are important to us.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I am working on updating and improving my blog in order to inspire more people to follow their dreams, improve their mental health and manifest more money and abundance!

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
I would definitely take The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, A Course in Miracles, Synchro-destiny and The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success by Deepak Chopra.

Author Websites and Profiles
Leila Khan Website
Leila Khan Amazon Profile

 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hi! I’m Neveah Hor and I’m thirteen this year. I love writing, reading and dancing Ballet. I’m the author of Love Machine, as well as, The Revolution. Although I’m not a bestselling author, I’m determined to be someone’s favourite author one day. I’m currently receiving my high school education in Singapore and lives with my parents and an elder sister.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest novel is titled Love Machine. I always get my inspiration from images from Pinterest and I develop my ideas in a writer’s notebook.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Well, it’s hysterical. Whenever I write, a random songs just plays in my head and then I’ll dance to the beat. The most humorous thing is that the song doesn’t match the mood of the novel!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Gillian Perkins. She is an Amazon Bestseller and went through the tough self-publishing route and I can totally relate to her. She is now a youtuber who makes really interesting videos about self-publishing. Her perseverance and success influenced me to think that self-publishing doesn’t necessarily mean your book can’t be a bestseller.

What are you working on now?
I am working on marketing my novel. It’s tough but I’m determined!

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I set up my own author website, made use of the Amazon author central to set up my author page, set up my own blog, went on good reads to do review stuff, contacted book bloggers and searched for book promotion sites.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Believe in yourself!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Do not ever pay for reviews. The only reviews you should pay for are kirkus reviews.

What are you reading now?
I am currently reading the third book of the Evil Librarian trilogy by Michelle Knudsen. It’s captivating and I would categorise it under the genres of romance, horror and young adult, really would recommend it!

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m going to market my books… and then write the second book of Love Machine.

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 three books—The curse of the Evil Librarian, Family storms and last but not least, my own paperback book!
And you know what. I’ve got a better idea. What about just bringing my kindle tablet and my iphone to the island?

Author Websites and Profiles
Neveah Hor Website
Neveah Hor Amazon Profile

Neveah Hor’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a proud Texas who loves writing about her home state. When I’m not writing, I enjoy watching baseball, football, and classic TV shows. I have two furry friends, Nikki & Penny, the perfect writing companions. I graduated with my Masters in Business Administration from the University of Texas at Arlington.

I currently have two published books but I have many more (including sequels) in the “work in progress” stage. My published works are Enigma of Lake Falls & Apollo Project.

Enigma of Lake Falls: Texas 1949 – The Year Spies Invaded is a historical mystery. It follows Private Eyes Jenny Nicolay and Sawyer Finn in their pursuit of a Soviet Spy.

Apollo Project: A Sci-Fi Thriller is a character-driven, action-packed, sci-fi adventure. The book was co-written with my dad.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is the Apollo Project: A Sci-Fi Mystery Thriller. The name was inspired as a placeholder, like code names given to movies when they’re sent to theaters. After months of writing, the title stuck and inspired a NASA mission theme for the sequel.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I have two unusual writing habits. First, I am a complete night owl. The words flow better later into the night. I love the quiet, uninterrupted hours. Second, I tend to jump from project to project as the mood strikes me. At any given time I can have five active projects in various stages of completion.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
My first influence, the reason I picked up the pen (figuratively because I can’t spell and must type everything) was Nancy Drew. I read the Girl Detective Series from book one until the series ended. I also enjoyed the nostalgia of the original series.

I am also influenced by my favorite television shows. I loved the action, mystery, and character development of LOST. Gilmore Girls inspired witty, fast-paced dialogue. Alias portrayed one of the best female spies in Sydney Bristow.

What are you working on now?
I am currently working on three projects:
Undercover Pursuit (Spies of Texas 2)
Project Nemesis (War for the 4th Dimension Mission 2)

Spooked! (Mystery Madness 1) – a modern-day mystery connected to my Spies of Texas series.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
My current promotion strategy is to connect with authors via social media. I love connecting with authors and sharing advice.

I am also putting my marketing degree to use and creating ad campaigns with BookBubs. As an indie author, you wear a lot of hats.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
As a new author myself, I rely on the advice of my more experienced colleagues. However, I would tell new authors to continue to work your craft. Write, rewrite, and write again. Each draft is an improvement over the last. The dialogue flows naturally, descriptions improve, and characters leap from the page.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
For the Office fans out there… “Best advice Michael ever gave me: “Don’t be an idiot.” Before I do anything I ask myself “Would an idiot do that? And if the answer is yes, I do not do that thing.” – Dwight Schrute.

And if you aren’t an Office fan you probably didn’t enjoy my joke. So the serious answer to the question – Don’t be discouraged. Even if no one ever reads your book, be content in the fact you wrote one.

What are you reading now?
I am currently reading A Painted House by John Grisham. It’s been recommended to me for years and for some reason I never got around to reading it. I love period pieces and baseball so I think I’ll enjoy.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Ideally, a bestseller. But I’d be happy for a small group of people to read and enjoy my books. No matter my success level, I will continue to write. When I don’t write, ideas bottle-up inside my head and invade my sleep.

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 Mocking Bird
The Firm
Relic
Team of Rivals

Author Websites and Profiles
Brittany Brinegar Website
Brittany Brinegar Amazon Profile
Brittany Brinegar’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m currently in the process of publishing my first novel, Buried Secrets: Some things should stay hidden – An Ella Perri Mystery Series available now on Amazon. I’ve written several short stories and last year I published Luca on Amazon and other retailers. In addition to that, I collaborated with several authors around the world to publish the anthology Once Upon a Story: Short Fiction Anthology a collection of intriguing and inspiring stories. My favorite genres are mystery/suspense/thriller but I do read outside of those too. Most recently, I’ve been working on the sequel to Buried Secrets. I love writing and reading and can’t get enough of either! When I’m not writing or reading I’m teaching it to fifth graders and that’s a lot of fun. I love gardening, spending time outside, and being with my family. I also own a hedgehog named Penelope.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Buried Secrets: Some things should stay hidden – An Ella Perri Mystery Book 1

The title came from the premise of the story where the main character, Ella seeks to uncover several secrets that have buried deep within the family for decades. These secrets have a rippling effect where one builds upon the next and then they begin to bubble to the surface until they can no longer be contained.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write with a bag of chocolate chips beside me. Eat. Type. Eat.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Too many to name but I’ll start with Agatha Christie, Janelle Brown, A.J. Finn, Ruth Ware, Shari Lapena, Lisa Jewell…

What are you working on now?
I’m promoting my novel, Buried Secrets: Some things should stay hidden and I’m working on writing the sequel to it. I’m also contributing a short story to another anthology.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
My website: krissybaccaro.com. I also send a monthly email to my subscribers, I’ve written to several bloggers/reviewers to review my book and I put an ARC on Booksprout.co. I’ll be part of a book promotion through BookSweeps May 4th – 13th and part of a book blog tour: Love Books Group Tour June 8th-14th. I’ve entered a few book contests and I’ve reached out to excellent websites including Awesome Gang for help with promoting my book as well. Once my book is out there for a bit, I’ll experiment with some advertising!

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Never stop writing! You can do it. Write a little bit each day – it’s up to you how you go about that. You may choose to use a time limit like writing for 30 minutes/day or maybe you’ll stop after one chapter. Find the time that works for you, even if it’s only for 15 minutes at first. I also highly recommend sharing your work with someone – anyone. It can be a friend, family member, or you could join a writing community. There are several online and locally. My greatest accomplishments came when I finally shared my writing with others. I learned so much from other writers and became more confident.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
1. Be generous. Allow yourself to be okay with giving away something for free to your readers – maybe it’s a short story or a one-page list of writing tips…anything. You will engage your readers and attract new ones. 2. Build your writing “cartel”. Begin to network with other writers and share your stories with each other. Work together with the writers in your group to critique each others’ work, share and promote each others’ work and support one another. My greatest growth as a writer came when I became part of a writing group.

What are you reading now?
What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’ll be continuing to write my Ella Perri Mystery Series and I plan to participate in other anthologies and writing contests.

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 Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe; The Hobbit; Buried Secrets (of course!), and after that it would be very hard to pick the 4th because there are SO many that I love!

Author Websites and Profiles
Krissy Baccaro Website
Krissy Baccaro Amazon Profile

Krissy Baccaro’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My mother was an avid reader and made me one as well. She read to me right from the very beginning and I had a huge collection of Little Golden Books–which, sadly, got destroyed when they passed to my little brother. But when I had children and grandchildren, we built the collection back up again and I loved revisiting some of my favorite stories with them. We had the complete Dr. Seuss collection, too, and when I write poetry, my poems still tend to emulate the Seussian-style.

I have also always been a writer, and was first published at the age of ten-years-old, when my flower-filled fantasy, “The Garden,” was printed in my small hometown newspaper. I wrote short stories and poems during my teens and early twenties, and then dryer stuff in the form of business proposals and non-profit grant requests during the bulk of my working years. But when I visited an ancient cemetery in Midway, Georgia, one of the spirits there reached out to me and my first novel, THE CONSORT CONSPIRACY, was born. Now that I am retired, my newest novel, ON DEADLY GROUNDS, the first in a series, will be released on May 8. My third book, THE ROAD REMEMBERED, takes place during World War II and is currently being shopped with publishers. So far, my books are suspense with history and mystery woven in. I say so far, because one of the next books I will write is a vampire story with quite a wonderful twist.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My newest book is ON DEADLY GROUNDS and it will be released by Lamplighter Suspense on May 8. Like my other novels, a historical event provided the inspiration–in this case, the 1926 murder of Ned Doheny in an estate just outside of Los Angeles. Ned’s father, Edward Doheny, was involved in the Teapot Dome Scandal during the 1920s Warren Harding administration, which gave me not only the inspiration for the murder, but also the Russian involvement which my heroine must face.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Unfortunately, I’m not very disciplined like some of the writers I have met. My friend, Steve Berry, for example, gets up early, goes to his office and writes 1000 words every day. GOOSEBUMPS author, R. L. Stine, writes 2000. To me, that feels too much like a job. And I am now retired. Plus, I like to putter around the house and I’m an avid gardener–planting hundreds of flowers every spring. So I get up when I wake up, have breakfast, maybe do a crossword puzzle or Sudoku, do my housework and yard work, then reward myself by going to my office to play with all my characters. While I was writing the World War II book, I often told my husband, “Okay, I’m going back to Germany.” I really don’t know if that’s unusual or not. It’s just what I do.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Several authors have influenced me. The late Dorothea Benton Frank was one of the first authors I heard say, “If Danielle Steele can write and be published, so can I.” I don’t think I had thought about being published before that. But she influenced me to think that way. I took a number of writing courses, including courses by writers Steve Berry and David Morrell, so I incorporated their methods and processes (except for the getting up early part) into my writing. And Kristin Hannah helped me to see how to build the dimensional depth of my stories by adding central characters who might have had nothing to do with the original plot line.

What are you working on now?
I have actually set up two novels that I am working on simultaneously–something I have never done before. But they are so different, I believe I can pull it off. One is the follow on book in my series that begins with ON DEADLY GROUNDS (coming out on May 8), tentatively titled FROM DEADLY TIES. The other book is a vampire book with a twist like nothing you’ve ever seen before and I am really anxious to complete it. I also just submitted a short story to an e-book series titled “1001 Dark Nights.” In addition, I am a regular contributor to several of our local magazines.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I use social media as much as possible to promote–especially in these days of social distancing. I like Facebook and Instagram, but also use Twitter and have just begun really honing in on Goodreads. What a wonderful resource! Getting good reviews and pre-orders on Amazon are really great because Amazon will then use those, combined with their algorithms to promote the book for you. I actually send emails to my fans and readers and ask them to do a pre-order, complete with supplying them the link. This works best if the book is inexpensive–$.99 or free. Of course, the absolute best way to promote books, in addition to “word of mouth,” would be to get chosen by Reese Witherspoon or Oprah Winfrey for their book clubs. I haven’t figured that one out yet, but I’m still trying.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I certainly do. There are a number of things that have helped me through the years that I now pass along to new/aspiring authors. Except for the first one, they are not necessarily in order, because they are all important. But the first one is the most important:

1. FINISH YOUR BOOK – every time I speak to an editor, the first thing they say is, “Congratulations on completing your manuscript. More than 80% of people writing a book don’t.” Don’t let yourself become one of those unfinished statistics.
2. Write/read/edit your book as if it is a movie and get rid of anything that would interrupt that movie scene playing in your readers’ heads (a word they would have to look up, a tangent fact that doesn’t have anything to do with the scene, an explanation, an intrusion of research, and so on.)
3. Embrace re-writes. It’s easy to become attached to your words, but make cuts, streamline, and tighten up your story wherever possible.
4. Keep all your words–even after you’ve cut them to tighten up your story. You never know when that extraneous paragraph from Book #1 could be the perfect beginning for Book #2.
5. Eliminate overused words, such as “that,” “very,” and “of” as often as possible.
6. Practice BIC–Butt in Chair. No words will be written until that happens.
7. Become familiar with Blake Snyder’s “Beat Sheet” from his book, SAVE THE CAT. This is a great way to study the elements of successful stories and keep the pacing, along with the ups and downs of the story moving in the right direction.
8. Follow David Morrell’s “Writing with the Senses” as described in the next section.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I have been fortunate to have met many authors, most of whom have made my favorites list. But the best advice I received was from David Morrell, who describes himself as “Rambo’s Father.” He said that most writers–especially inexperienced ones–describe scenes from a single sense–that of sight. He encouraged me to totally immerse myself in the scene and be aware of everything going on around me–what sounds do I hear, what smells or scents reach me and do those influence any tastes I might notice, am I comfortable or uncomfortable–hot, cold, in pain, in bliss or oblivion? I have taken that to heart and now, when I write, it’s an easy matter to put my character in the scene and simply describe the movie playing in my head.

What are you reading now?
I actually have a number of “How To” books in my reading pile that help refine the writing. For me, I am always learning and looking for ways to go through the writing process with fewer false starts and wasted words. So I am reading books on story structure that includes “Scene, series, and theme.” I am also constantly reading sections of a book about Master Characters from Mythology and how to use them for my writing tropes. For pleasure, I have just finished Steve Berry’s newest book, THE WARSAW PROTOCOL, and David Morrell’s CREEPERS, along with Heather Graham’s BLOOD NIGHT and Kristin Hannah’s THE GREAT ALONE.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I have many stories swirling in my head, just bursting to be told, so I will continue to work on them and keep them moving. In addition, I plan to do more teaching. Almost everyone I talk to says some variation of “I have a story I’ve been playing with,” “A novel is floating around in my head,” or “Listen to this story I came up with.” So I designed a writer’s workshop that encompasses all my years of courses and experience and is called “We All Have a Story to Tell.” And it’s true. I often speak at a senior center near me, and modified the workshop to include writing autobiographies and memoirs, to strongly encourage those seniors to write their stories for their children and grandchildren. I will be forever grateful that I got my parents on video, talking about different aspects of their lives and giving me the family history before they died. My grandchildren will love it even more when they become my age. I encourage people to write their thoughts, stories, and novels down whenever I can and will continue to do so.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
That’s easy. I would bring GONE WITH THE WIND, by Margaret Mitchell, AND THEN THERE WERE NONE, by Agatha Christie, THE DAVINCI CODE, by Dan Brown, and THE NIGHTINGALE, by Kristin Hannah. And if I could sneak a fifth one in without your knowing, it would be WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING, by Delia Owens. Of course, as I typed this, I thought of half a dozen others, but, push come to shove, these are my top four/five.

Author Websites and Profiles
Kaye Schmitz Website
Kaye Schmitz Amazon Profile

Kaye Schmitz’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am as spontaneous as the sky is blue. I moved away from my family and friends (to a different state) with my now-husband after visiting a city one time. I jokingly attribute this personality trait to ‘middle-child syndrome’ but it’s mostly likely undiagnosed ADD.
I often work on 2 or 3 projects at the same time, but Tessa Tease is the first book I’ve finished and published.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Tessa Tease was just released and I’m immensely proud of it. My husband and I spent a week in South Beach, FL for Design Miami and Art Basel one year. The carefree lifestyle and timeless architecture inspired many of the scenes in the book.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I work best with a slight sugar rush and background music. I mix hot cocoa powder and marshmallows in my coffee most mornings. I also keep a notebook next to my bed. When I’m really excited about a book, ideas come to me in my dreams. I have to write them down as soon as I wake up so I don’t forget!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Oh man, growing up I would read anything I could get my hands on. I have a soft spot for Ian Fleming, but I wouldn’t be who I am today without Richelle Mead and James Patterson.

What are you working on now?
I’m currently working on a trio of water-based romances. The first one is called Cruising for Love and it will be out really soon!

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m still trying to figure that out. Right now I’ve been promoting through Amazon and websites like Awesome Gang to gain a following. I’ll let you know how everything works out!

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t be afraid to do what you love! I can’t stress this enough. I’ve been writing since I was in middle school. But my parents and teachers pressured me into going to college for accounting and finance. I didn’t decide to write professionally until my husband encouraged me to do so.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“Never be afraid to ask for help. The worst thing someone can do is say no.” My Dad told me that once and it really helped my anxiety.

What are you reading now?
Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice. I’m taking advantage of those free courses at Harvard.

What’s next for you as a writer?
My goal for this year is to put out as much work as possible. It took me over a year to write my first book. If I finish at least two more books, I’ll be happy. Of course, my goal is to write more than that, but two quality pieces of work are what I’m working towards.

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?
Goodness, that’s a tough one…I would probably bring the Twilight series because my other favorite series have more than 3 or 4 books in them. Whenever I reread the series, I’m taken back to a simpler time in my life. It’s a nice escape.

Author Websites and Profiles
C.C. Converse Amazon Profile

C.C. Converse’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hi, my name is Jay Bazzinotti. I live in Boston and love the city so much that I give tours as a hobby. My first book was a technical manual on how to troubleshoot IBM networks in the 1980s (yawn). It was well accepted in technical circles and was reprinted twice. My first novel was the story of a policeman whose partner is shot to death before his eyes, called “The Double Solid” and was optioned for an NBC television series that was never made. After that I wrote a business success book for college students (and others!) sold on Amazon under the title “Lessons on Success from a Failure” by Jay Howard (a pen name used to protect the guilty). I also have written a book about the technological changes that hit America in the second half of the 19th Century and followed it up with “Calf Pasture Pumping Station”, the story of a down and out bar owner who must solve a vicious crime before the perpetrators decide to punish him for trying. I also write for Quora.com and have had more than 10 thousand articles published including articles in many famous magazines and publications worldwide. I have been interviewed on NPR and had articles on the BBC, in Forbes, Huffpost, Fatherly, the Beijing Times and many more. I have over 100 million page views and more than 50,000 followers.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I have always wanted to write a book about Boston and my first is “Calf Pasture Pumping Station”. I’ve read Robert B Parker and Dennis LeHane and other books set in Boston and I thought they all missed something, the certain essence of Boston that I wanted to capture. All of the locations in the book, no matter how surreal, are actual places. The Calf Pasture Pumping Station was a major castle built in Boston in the late 1800s as a pumphouse used to move sewage into the harbor. Abandoned in the 1960s, the forbidding building still sits near the ocean, filled with rusting machines and water and looks like something out of Frankenstein. It is the perfect setting for crime and mayhem.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
When I write I lose track of time. I can start at 5:30AM and look up to find it is now dinner time and I haven’t gotten up once. When I write, I try to write the scenes of the book that intrigues me the most first, in no order, then I move them around to fit the timeline of the story and alter them and fill in the gaps to bring the story together.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Herman Wouk is my favorite author; his book “The Caine Mutiny” stands out as the best book ever written in my opinion. Daniel Keyes’ “Flowers for Algernon” changed my life with its writing and concept. Recently, my favorite book is “Cutting for Stone”, which moved me to tears. I have read all of Parker’s “Spenser for Hire” books, all of the Dick Francis and Ed McBain mysteries but truly, one of the best mystery writers of all time is Donald E. Westlake, who not only wrote incredible mysteries, but made many of them into light comedies with hilarious sub-plots as well. Jasper FForde’s “The Big Over Easy”, a serious investigation into who pushed Humpty Dumpty off the wall is both an incredible mystery story and a wild adventure into the surreal. I’ve read it a half dozen times.

What are you working on now?
I am working on a sequel to Calf Pasture Pumping Station called “The Assassin’s Wife” that picks up a few months after the end of the first book. It’s a book of revenge and desperation and the things people will do for love and money.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I have been pretty successful using Quora.com. Since I have a large following, I encourage my readers to try my book. Offering free copies in exchange for reviews is helpful. I also give a lecture series on Boston at libraries and other venues and use my soapbox to push my book, since many of the historical locations are used in the story.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Do be a good writer you must read a great deal and you must write all the time. You can’t be a good writer if you do not write. You have to be able to string a sentence together in such a way that it compels the reader to move on to the next sentence, and the next. Using vocabulary and insinuation to briefly describe a person, a room, a location, a situation is critical to moving the story along. One of the problems with the book “Moby Dick” is that Hawthorne spends six pages describing one room – it destroys the story. Let the reader use his imagination.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“Every single thing you do today is preparing you for the life you will lead tomorrow. As Sun Tzu said, ‘Sweat more during peace, bleed less during war.’ Or in the words of Muhammed Ali, ‘Having the will to win means nothing because everyone wants to win. It’s having the will to prepare to win that matters’ and ‘Getting thrown to the mat means nothing because sooner or later everyone gets thrown to the mat. To be a champion, you have to get up off that mat and fight one more round. All you have to do is fight one… more… round.”
“Your attitude is the single biggest determinant of success in your life. Nothing is more important or more powerful than having an unrelentingly positive attitude. Nothing.”
“If there must be an absence of pain for joy to exist then the individual is doomed. We must find a way to experience joy despite our pain because everybody hurts. Everybody. Everyone is fighting a secret battle we cannot see and the line between victory and defeat is often razor thin. Sometimes a person is standing right on that line and doesn’t even know it. A kind word or gesture from someone could be the thing that pushes them forward to victory, while a mean word or spiteful gesture could be the thing that pushes them backwards into defeat. That is why kindness is so important. Words and actions have power and consequences. Be the kind of person who helps others achieve their personal victory and you take part in achieving your own as well.”

What are you reading now?
“The Last Policeman”, the story of a young detective living in Concord, NH at a time when a huge comet is heading for the earth and there is less than a year to live. It’s both a mystery and a description of the crumbling of society and describes how people might react when faced with the inevitable end.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I am excited about the sequel for my current book. I am trying to write a series a la “Spenser for Hire” or the Jack Reacher books. In my opinion, the flaw with Spenser and Jack Reacher is that they never grow. They never change. They never learn. They are born, fully formed, without human flaws or weaknesses. They win every fight, they out think every enemy. I believe a flawed hero is more human, more like the rest of, trying to get through the day, trying to help a friend, fighting his own demons and be successful at life. If there is no growth, no setbacks, no self-doubt, then there is no challenge – there is never any doubt the character will succeed. Without doubt there is no suspense.

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 Caine Mutiny” by Herman Wouk; “Catch-22” by Joseph Heller; “Cutting for Stone” by Abraham Verghese, “Berlin Noir” by Phillip Kerr, “Lost in a Good Book” by Jasper FForde and of course some book on how to survive on a desert island. That would be good.

 

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I`m from Tbilisi, Georgia. I have several awards for my books. My books are: “The City of Masks”, “The Gordian Knot”, “Saraburi”, “Crime Won`t Happen Again”, “Where is the Letter from My Friend”, and “Main Colors”. “The City of Masks” received the prestigious award “Alaverdi” in 2010 and the novel “The Way Which leads…” won the annual One novel Competition in Georgia In 2016. Her short stories were published in the collection of short stories by Georgian writers called “Alaverdi” and in the “Anthology of modern Georgian Prose”. Her detective stories are published in the 8th volume of “Georgian Detective Stories”. My stories, fairy-tales, and translations are printed in many magazines.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is “The Road to Nowhere…” It is based on true events. My friend – a priest was captured in Abkhazia and the kidnappers asked for the ransom to release him. He was freed and when I saw him he recounted his story and told me, maybe one day I`ll write about it. In 2016 I wrote the novel and it was awarded a prestigious prize.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don`t have any. Muses come everywhere, especially when I`m alone with myself and also water has a big influence on me.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
They are many. To write the fairy tales I was influenced by Oscar Wilde. Although there are many of them.

What are you working on now?
I`m translating in English my detective stories.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
To put the book on literature pages, send info about the writer and about the book.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
There will be many disappointments, obstacles, but never give up. Nothing is eternal, even the misfortune. Don`t betray yourself and your future.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“However life may seem, there is always something you can do and succeed at” – Stephan Hawking. “Don`t judge me by my success, judge me by how many times I fell down and got back again” – Nelson Mandela.

What are you reading now?
Re-read Emile Zola: “The ladies` Paradise”

What’s next for you as a writer?
I`m going to write a science-fiction story.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Bible, a book about wildlife, a book for boy scouts, and a notebook to write in

Author Websites and Profiles
Maka Sepashvili Amazon Profile

Maka Sepashvili’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I`m from Tbilisi, Georgia. I have some awards for my books. I write novels, short stories, detective stories. My books are: “The City of Masks”, “The Gordian Knot”, “Saraburi”, “Crime Won`t Happen Again”, “Where is the Letter from My Friend”, and “Main Colors”. “The City of Masks” received the prestigious award “Alaverdi” in 2010 and the novel “The Way Which leads…” won the annual One novel Competition in Georgia In 2016. My short stories were published in the collection of short stories by Georgian writers called “Alaverdi” and in the “Anthology of modern Georgian Prose”. The detective stories are published in the 8th volume of “Georgian Detective Stories”. My novels, fairy-tales, and translations are printed in many magazines.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book name is: “To road to nowhere…” It`s based on true events. My friend priest was captured in Abkhazia and the kidnappers asked money for his release. He was freed and when we met he narrated to me his story and told me maybe one day I`ll write about it. I wrote the novel and it has been awarded. The novel has been published in several magazines too.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don`t have any. Muses come everywhere, especially when I`m alone with myself.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
There are many authors, but especially Oscar Wilde influenced me to write the fairy-tales book.

What are you working on now?
I`m translating my detective stories

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Spread information about the author and the book. Send info and advertise the book on several literature pages.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
There will be many disappointments, obstacles, but never give up. The most important is to believe in yourself and in your dreams and work and work. Nothing is eternal, even the misfortune. Don`t betray yourself and your future.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“However life may seem, there is always something you can do and succeed at” – Stephan Hawking. “Don`t judge me by my successes, judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up again” – Nelson Mandela.

What are you reading now?
Re-read Emile Zola: “The Ladies` Paradise”

What’s next for you as a writer?
I`m going to write a new science-fiction story.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Bible, a book about wildlife, a book for boy scouts, a notebook to write in.

Author Websites and Profiles
Maka Sepashvili Amazon Profile

Maka Sepashvili’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I was born and raised in Kanye, Southern District, Botswana, where i live with my lovely wife, 97 kilometers outside Gaborone. I writer motivational, christian fiction and non-fiction books. I am a motivational speaker. I have written over 10 books. My books include the following: Provoking the supernatural through faith, Prayers that provokes the supernatural, Mystery of the red hand bag and many others which are doing very well.

I love animals especially my cat.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Meditation made simple: how to meditate upon the word of God or His promises

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Before, i written any book i usually go into fasting and prayer. And God almighty will start to download ideas into my spirit. If i don’t do that i become dry.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
My favorite authors are; Pastor Chris, Joel Osteen, T D Jakes, David Oyedepo, Joyce Meyer, Apostle Maldonado, Sid Roth ( christian authors), Gray Chapman and F Dixion (detective books) Hardy Boys series)

What are you working on now?
I am writing a motivational book

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Awesome Gang

Do you have any advice for new authors?
When you write books, don’t write because of money. Do it to make a positive impact in the lives of other people and money will just follow. Because if you make money your primary factor when there is no sales you are going to give up.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
One step backwards is a preparation for a giant leap.

What are you reading now?
Christian fiction and nonfiction books

What’s next for you as a writer?
I am planning to help up coming author in my community to achieve their dreams because the true meaning of life is when you help others to discover their purpose in 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?
How to pray effectively volume one by Pastor Chris
How to walk in the supernatural power of God by Guillerno Maldonado
The Hardy Boys series by F Dixion

Author Websites and Profiles
Oteng Montshiti Amazon Profile

Oteng Montshiti’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am an ordinary girl that could no longer keep her story bottled up inside. I reside in northeastern Ohio, am married with five children and eight grandchildren. My degrees were earned from Cuyahoga Community College and Cleveland State University. Currently, I am completing my Masters in Social Administration at Case Western Reserve University. I am a licensed social worker and love to travel as much as possible.

Despite My Odds is my first book under my name. I have co-authored two children’s books with my husband.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Despite My Odds: A Memoir, combines an autobiography and memoir. It details the struggles I encountered being alone, referred to as ugly and being subjected to many experiences that caused trauma in my life. The book speaks about self-esteem, promiscuity and relationship challenges. It also speaks to growth, self-confidence and self-worth. I felt that too many individuals were experiencing the challenges I had finally overcome. I love to give back, to see others reach higher heights.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
What is unusual to some may be perfect to others! I love to write before the birds chirp. I prefer crisp, wet weather. I write on everything, from store receipts to papers lying around. I prefer to have a cup of hazelnut coffee in hand and I like silence in my room. Sometimes, I will go to the lake and record the birds flying and waves crashing in order to set my mood.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The authors that influence me the most are Mary Higgins Clark. Nora Neale Hurston, Dean Koontz, Vanessa Miller, Mary Monroe, Walter Mosley, Jill Shalvia, Danielle Steel, Sista Souljah and Alice Walker. A scenic setting is very important to me as it is fundamental to get the story to take off. These authors have the ability to capture my interest, oftentimes, from the very first line.

What are you working on now?
I will be releasing a novel which involves a wealthy married couple and an agreement gone bad. While I don’t want to give too much more, just yet, know that it will be a mind twister. I am also working on a few short stories which will speak about the challenges that some women face with fertility, money and relationships.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I utilize a variety of social media platforms to promote my work. You can learn of my books, my husbands works, and purchase merchandise on our website at www.theocavi.com

I am also constantly giving away free books to women I encounter that struggle with self esteem issues. Recently, I donated several books to a local women’s shelter. Amazon and Goodreads are also platforms I use to connect with readers. Recently, I have been contacting bloggers to gain access to their platforms.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
We all have a story in us, just write it. Discipline yourself, write something each day. Set goals-small and large. Maybe you are the type to work on a chapter at a time, maybe you like to write all over the place. Find what works for you and commit. Know that It’s okay to fail. My error with my first solo book was not reviewing my author’s copy before releasing it to the public. I beat myself up, reissued copies to those that were affected after fixing my work; The errors did not change the amazing story within my book. I didn’t let it beat me down or make excuses-I just made adjustments. It’s okay to grow.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
When I was interning for a local youth group, a visitor expressed that he lives by the model: “Preparation plus opportunity equals success.” He states his dad told him that every morning until he died. I use this often. To me it means always be prepared because opportunity can knock at any time. When it does knock, you will soar because you were ready for the moment. I stay prepared with keeping several copies of my book on hand when I’m out. I stay prepared with keeping a writing tablet in reach.

What are you reading now?
My preferences for reading include several books at a time. Usually, I will leave one in my office, and the other by my bedside. My sister gave me a copy of “The Hate U Give,” by Angie Thomas, and I am enjoying the read. I will begin “Stories We Were Never Told” by Sonja Yoerg, as soon as it arrives. Sometimes I will read two different genre’s at the same time. I am also reading “Successful Self Publishing” by Joanna Penn.

What’s next for you as a writer?
My writing will continue. I have some decisions to make regarding publishing as the marketing aspect is tedious and time consuming when you work a full-time job and are a parent of young children. Nevertheless, I will write until I can write no more. English has always been my favorite subject in school. Stories amaze me and I love to get lost in the imaginative mind of a good story teller.

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?
“Grace,” by Natasha Deon, would be choice number one as the scenes are so detailed you feel like you were there during these tumultuous times. Additionally, I’d grab a Nora Roberts book and one from Stephen King. These combinations will keep my mind off of my current situation.

Author Websites and Profiles
Denise Monique Website
Denise Monique Amazon Profile

Denise Monique’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve always enjoyed writing. As a kid I made up stories about other worlds and the technology used in those worlds. Inevitably I grew up, got married, and had 2 wonderful boys. I got interested in the subject of Grit and how it can practically be applied to the many aspects of life.

I first wrote Grit for Kids which has enjoyed a run away success for its practical and easy to understand advice. I have followed that up with Grit for Couples, a book that applies the principles of Grit to relationships. It’s full of personal anecdotes and things I learned along the way in my 20+ years of marriage.

I have 2 young boys and oodles of small nephews and nieces. I also have a passion for travel. I decided to write an illustrated series of books called Around the World on a Kangaroo! These books tell the story of 2 boys and a girl who meet a magical kangaroo. Together they fly around the world and learn different things along the way. I also learned some poetry along the way as the books are written in rhymes.

In all I have 5 books which are all sold through Amazon and can be found on my author page.

I really do hope you enjoy getting to know these books. If you do please take a few minutes to leave a review. It takes a lot to write these books and I would love to hear what you think!

Thanks,
Lee

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is Grit for Couples: 16 Steps to Develop Grit, Prevent Marriage Mistakes, Learn to Trust, and to Create Intimacy in Couples for a Successful Relationship.

I have been married to my beautiful wife for over 23 years. There have been ups as well as downs and I have learned a thing of two. Our marriage is stronger than ever. Now why is that I wondered?

What came to me is that it took a lot of grit to overcome the bad times and to keep the romance alive during the good times. I had to get the message out there. I also interviewed a lot of people to find out how they get to use grit to keep their relationship alive. These lessons I put in the book. How to communicate, how to keep the love life spicy, how to handle in-laws and kids, how to fight effectively. It’s all in there.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I like to write in my local grocery store. I buy some sushi and green tea then hide away in a corner. While happily munching on raw fish I click away writing.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Angela Duckworth – The power of Passion and Perseverance
Carol Dweck – Mindset

What are you working on now?
I am working on exploring how Grit helps in growing your career.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I like Awesomegang of course! I also use Amazon ads, Facebook ads, and BookBub.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Above all, don’t give up. If you have a vision, fullfill it. When you’ve completed your book you will feel incredible pride which no one can ever take away. Then just be systematic in promoting your book(s) and success will happen.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
It too shall pass.

All things really do come to an end, bad and good. Take the time to really enjoy the good times and know that the bad times will pass.

What are you reading now?
The 5 love languages

What’s next for you as a writer?
More exploration of Grit and perhaps some more illustrated children’s 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?
I would bring along plenty of science fiction which I love and a volume or two of survival books. I’m a city guy so I will definitely need those.

Author Websites and Profiles
Lee David Daniels Website
Lee David Daniels Amazon Profile

Lee David Daniels’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am from Plymouth in the United Kingdom, and about to start writing my 5th thriller novel. The first I wrote when I was 16 and never submitted it for publication. I named it ‘The Shade of Darkness’ and was inspired by dark thrillers at the time. I went through a period of reading a lot of Stephen King novels in my teenage years.

My second thriller was a rushed mix of madness, it was a self-published effort and I now consider this a mistake, but all good experience which led me down a path of professional commercial fiction.

I consider ‘Mummy’s Boy’ my first true real novel (although my third and lucky attempt). This was also the book that got me a book deal.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Mummy’s Boy – it’s inspired by things I’ve witnessed growing up. It contains a mix of characters who are dealing with real issues relating to mental health, alcoholism, drug abuse, mental abuse. I managed to combine many point of views into one chilling novel where every character is a victim of each other’s behaviours.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I like to write standing up. Weird, I know – but I move around a lot in the thinking process and take lots of breaks.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Stephen King, mostly. Although I have watched and read a LOT of psychological thrillers I always wanted to write my own and become an author.

What are you working on now?
I’m currently doing structural edits for my second commercial novel out in the later half of 2020. While also planning two more books for 2021.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
NetGalley is great for early reader reviews and can copy this into retailer descriptions on the sales pages of amazon, kobo etc. I think reviews make a big difference.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Never give up. I’ve tried and failed so many times. I wrote what I considered the wrong books for me until I found my own style that worked. For instance, I always wrote books in 3rd person and I look back now and realise they were awful. I also tried writing an erotic thriller to compete with 50 Shades, and that too was a failure. All failures lead to lessons learned.

I decided to try and write a book in the first-person perspective, as if I was that character in each chapter. My writing pace picked up, my planning was improved and this was just the winning formula for me. I appreciate everyone’s style can vary, but when you find out what works for you – just run with it.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t give up

What are you reading now?
Every Little Secret by Ruby Speechley. It’s really quite something and very addictive.

What’s next for you as a writer?
To renew my publishing contract, hopefully, gain new readers and more exposure.

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?
Carrie by Stephen King, Misbegotten by James Gabriel, Rose Madder by Stephen King, and Mummy’s Boy by JA Andrews – yes I’d bring my own to prove I actually wrote a published novel.

Author Websites and Profiles
JA Andrews Website
JA Andrews Amazon Profile

JA Andrews’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a screenwriter and author, and I’ve written three (soon to be four) books of interviews with British filmmakers – and one novel.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book – my first novel – is called THE VETTING OFFICER. It’s a short novel – part spy thriller, part love story – and was inspired by the books of John le Carre and the landscape of Devon in England where I was born.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t know if it’s unusual, but with fiction I write in longhand first – in pencil, in a Moleskine notebook – and wait until I’ve finished several chapters before typing them up. It frees up my thinking and means I don’t start editing straight away, which is too easy on a laptop.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Apart from John le Carre, THE VETTING OFFICER was particularly influenced by Julian Barnes’s novel THE SENSE OF AN ENDING, and the recent film adaptation.

What are you working on now?
Two books: researching a fifth book of interviews – with bestselling author and screenwriter William Boyd – and writing another novel.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I haven’t done it enough to know – my nonfiction books have all been promoted by their publishers, so THE VETTING OFFICER is the first time I’ve had to do it myself – but I’m hoping this website will work!

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t give up. Don’t take no for an answer. Don’t think agents and publishers are the only show in town. And do show drafts of your work to the smartest, most sympathetic people you know – ideally people who read the kind of books you’re trying to write – and listen to their feedback.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Billy Crystal to his writing class in THROW MOMMA FROM THE TRAIN: “A writer writes – always.”

What are you reading now?
SCOOP by Evelyn Waugh – research for my interview book with William Boyd, who adapted the novel for television in the 1980s.

What’s next for you as a writer?
My fourth interview book is due to be published in August – THE ART OF SCREEN ADAPTATION: TOP WRITERS REVEAL THEIR CRAFT – and fingers crossed it will be as well reviewed as the previous three!

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 HUMAN HEART by William Boyd
THE SENSE OF AN ENDING by Julian Barnes
THE REMAINS OF THE DAY by Kazuo Ishiguro

Author Websites and Profiles
Alistair Owen Website
Alistair Owen Amazon Profile
Alistair Owen’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a Colorado-based young adult author and a working journalist who contributes to such publications as Fortune Magazine, the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times. In 2017, I published my first work of fiction, the young adult trilogy, the Trinity Forest Series, (Ember Burning, Oshun Rising and Venus Shining). The series is set in nearby Leadville, Colorado and is about a girl who becomes entangled in a local forest teeming with urban legends of witchcraft and strange disappearances and must not only find herself but ultimately save the world. In 2020, I published my fourth novel, Extraordinary Lies about two girls from vastly different backgrounds who are thrust together for psychic testing at the Stanford Research Institute. As the scientists’ experiments begin to get creepier, the two girls must discover the truth about who they are and the secrets that keep them in the dark. I am currently working on my fifth novel titled Déjà vu.
I’m curious and people say I ask too many questions. You’ll most likely find me at my keyboard or under a blanket with a great book, enjoying a glass of wine or a handful of frozen chocolate chips. I revere my mountain bike, and I’m known to squeal on the ski hill and drive a boat pretty poorly. Most people agree I need my yoga mat to stay sane.
The Trinity Forest Series has won a number of awards, including:
*Gold Medal Best YA Ebook Independent Publisher Book Awards 2018
*Gold Medal Best YA Horror/Mystery 2018
*Finalist Dante Rossetti Book Awards 2018
*Honorable Mention Best Indie Ebook: Writer’s Digest 2019
*Finalist: Publishers Weekly Book Life Awards 2017

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest novel, Extraordinary Lies, was inspired by the real-life psychic testing performed by the U.S. government in the 1960s and 1970s at the Stanford Research Institute. The genesis of the story started not long after I published my first trilogy The Trinity Forest Series in 2017. My husband showed me a story on Flipboard about a Russian psychic during the Cold War that he thought I would find interesting.

The article was about this Russian psychic named Nina Kulagina’s supposed powers kicked off a “psychic arms race” between the U.S. and the Soviets during the Cold War. When American officials discovered the Soviet research into her supposed powers, they began funding investigations into supernatural phenomena at Stanford Research Institute. I learned about the true-life facts for the unique setting for my book and intriguing details from government documents and interviews. Then, my imagination took over. The resulting novel is a paranormal mystery with strong themes of feminism, family and friendship.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I will wake up and write in the middle of the night; and sometimes if I’m really obsessed, I’ll write on my phone.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I love Jandy Nelson, Lauren Oliver, e. Lockhart and a long list of others. I get inspired by their beautiful prose and smart plotting with surprising twists and deep knowable characters.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on another paranormal mystery called Deja Vu. It’s in the early stages and will take some time, but I’m so excited about it.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I seek out readers where they huddle, whether it’s a niche Facebook page, a special book blog, on Instagram or sites like Awesome Gang, which really help spread the word among readers.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Today has never been a better time to be a writer. Carve out time to do your magic, tap smart editors, take classes, read and read some more.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
My dad used to tell me, “Illegitimi non carborundum.” It is a mock-Latin aphorism that means “Don’t let the bastards get you down.”

What are you reading now?
I am listening to Cross Her Heart by Sarah Pinborough. I finished A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder and the French Exit. And I’m also re-reading Emma.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I have several stories in my head, and hopefully in the next couple of years, I can get them onto the page for readers. My first trilogy, The Trinity Forest Series, and Extraordinary Lies, have film/tv interest, so it would be great to see those go to the big screen.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
I’d like to bring two new books I’ve never read—one classical and one a suspenseful thriller. I’d bring one favorite, maybe Jandy Nelson’s I’ll Give You the Sun, and then Stephen King’s book On Writing, so while I sat there, I could plot my next book.

Author Websites and Profiles
Jennifer Alsever Website
Jennifer Alsever Amazon Profile

Jennifer Alsever’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a husband & father who eats way too many of his kids unfinished meals at dinner. I’m also the author of many of poems & stories as well as some books and believe that the story you’re living truly matters. I live in the Houston area where he is also a youth minister.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Fearful Yet Brave. It’s full of stories to help lift the spirits of a student of mine who had suicidal tendencies.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write hundreds of micro-stories a week as well as short stories and poems in hundreds of notebooks. And then I share them with people I think would enjoy them.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, Edgar Allen Poe, Stan Lee, Mary Oliver, Brad Montague

What are you working on now?
Poems & Micro-stories every day. As well as an ongoing one page a day story for my kids. Also, promoting my books.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Word of Mouth by FAR!

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Keep writing. Keep Sharing. And Keep helping others.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
On Writing Books:
“Just write one word at a time until you have a full story.” – Neil Gaiman.
On Living:
“Love One Another.” -Jesus of Nazareth

What are you reading now?
Postcards from Impossible Worlds by Peter Chiykowsi

Becoming Better GrownUps by Brad Montague

The Internet (for better or worse)

What’s next for you as a writer?
To Keep Going. And to Become a Speaker and Maker around my works.

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

Aesop’s Fables

The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe

Author Websites and Profiles
Marshall Coleman Website
Marshall Coleman Amazon Profile

Marshall Coleman’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have self-published three books total so far with many more to come. Stay tuned.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is Spaces and Reflections: A journal for writing. COVID-19, quiet time, old notes, and sitting at home for the space of a month inspired me to return to self-publishing, something that I love to do. I thought about self-care and how reflecting and having a space for reflection can provide long-lasting mental, spiritual, and physical health benefits for almost anyone that engages the practice.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not too unusual. I like to keep it interesting. Settings may vary. Sometimes I have to go into deep meditation or contemplation. I prefer to be away, or even outside in nature or underneath the sunlight.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
So many. I lean towards non-fiction as my primary genre, which is broad.

What are you working on now?
I just completed within a month, two journals: Spaces and Reflections, a writing journal and Chaplain: Reflective Spaces, a journal specifically for chaplains, which is my profession. Currently, I am working on my marketing for those and most importantly outlets to reach those that will benefit from journaling for self-care.

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

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Go for it. The longer one waits, the more time passes. Write. Create. Revisions could take place forever, yet there has to be a stopping point. Arrive at that place of being settled and find peace with your creations. Distribute your work from the heart.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Procrastination is the enemy of time.

What are you reading now?
30 Days of Clean Eating. Health is such a priority. Taking charge of the whole person will lead to clear creations.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Devotional Books, Poetry Books … So much more. Journey with me!

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
1. The NRSV of the Bible
2. Write the Poem
3. Spaces and Reflections, a journal for writing

Author Websites and Profiles
Sharondalyn DuPree Website

Sharondalyn DuPree’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a lawyer and author. I have written five books, four of them true crime and one novel, a psychological thriller. In Broad Daylight won an Edgar Award for best True Crime, and Once Upon A Time was selected as a New York Times Notable Book. It was also made into a movie starring Brian Denehey.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Joy of Killing, a psychological thriller. The belief that somewhere inside every one of us lies a killer.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write from 7 to 11 every morning, whether I feel like it or not. I edit in the evening, and often read aloud what I’ve written that day to my wife. Her comments shift my perception slightly, which is extremely helpful.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
In Cold Blood, of course, by Truman Capote. Small Sacrifices by Ann Rule.

What are you working on now?
A new psychological thriller, entitled Mirror in the Mirror, the story of a psychologist whose patient commits murder, for which he is blamed. He leaves town and ends up working as a prison guard in a maximum security prison in Delaware, and in the end evolves into a person not that dissimilar from the inmates.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Listing on free book websites has worked quite well in the past.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write every day. Don’t be scared to throw it out and start over, time and again. Find your own voice . Don’t mimic authors you like.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
You have fifteen pages to capture the reader.

What are you reading now?
“I’ll Be Gone In The Dark.”

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’d like to try writing short stories. Good short stories are extremely difficult to write, but I look forward to the challenge.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
In Cold Blood, Devil In The White City, Lincoln at Gettysburg.

Author Websites and Profiles
Harry MacLean Website

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a writer and a nursery-hand. Once upon a time, I was a musician and a cook. I’m a country boy living in the city, a working class intellectual, a cynical optimist, a Doctor of Literature who avoids academia, an outdoorsy bookworm, a highly-motivated daydreamer, a lover not a fighter, a hippy who eschews dreadlocks, tribal-chic, drum circles and earnestness.

I’ve also written two books: the deeply Australian post-apocalyptic tale The Rain Never Came, and the giant-monster story-cycle We Call It Monster.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is entitled We Call It Monster, and is a story-cycle that aims to take giant monsters/Kaiju seriously.

I’ve always been fascinated by giant monsters, and I’ve always been a voracious reader (and sometimes an obsessive one). I’ve also been known to occasionally get my nerd on for a particular sub or micro-genre, looking up ‘similar title’ and ‘you might also like’ lists online when I should be doing better things with my time. But I still keep searching, because there can’t just be one example of Mystery Sub/Micro-genre X out there.

Giant monster fiction was one such obsession that carried me away, the timing of which coincided with the completion of my first book. I binged on literally anything I could find, looking for something that took giant monsters as seriously as some of the movies do, something that was more than just capital-A action. I found lots of fun, post-modern stuff out there – some of which could even be described as zany – but not much that approached giant monsters with a serious eye.

Looking for a new book to throw myself into writing – a book that I wanted to be distinctly different from my first book – I decided upon a piece of serious giant monster fiction. In other words, I decided to write the book that I wanted to read. Isn’t that what an author does?

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write part-time, and work part-time at my ‘real’ job. I enjoy this balance, as my real job is as a nurseryhand and is very physical – I spend the whole day on my feet walking-walking-walking, and do a lot of lifting and lugging. It’s a great way to shake off the stiffness and soreness that inevitably settles in after a day spent sitting in front of a computer or hunched over a notebook. What it means, though, is that my writing routine is flexible dependant on deadlines that are due and the mood I’m in – I always start early, but what I start is a different story, as is how I structure the day. If I’ve decided to focus on creative writing – rather than, say, one dedicated to admin or book publicity or research – I’ll set the whole day aside and aim to just produce a good amount of content, rather than set myself a specific target. It’s easier that way, and you can run free more rather than get locked down.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I’m influenced by those writers who possess a singular ‘voice’ and focus on the emotional states of their characters, and on their characters’ psychological development. Within the same genres I work in, these kinds of writers normally use their science fiction ideas to further an exploration of those states and feelings that unite us all as people, rather than as an end unto themselves. These are writers like JG Ballard, Michel Faber, Frank Kafka, Katherine Dunn, Kurt Vonnegut, William Kotzwinkle, Debra Biancotti, Steven Amsterdam and Margaret Atwood – their work is truly memorable for the way it makes us feel, rather than the way the make us think, something only made people by these deep humanistic explorations.

What are you working on now?
Too many things! I like to have a lot of projects on the go at once—the trick is knowing which one to focus on first, something I’m not that good at. And so right now, I’m trying to work steadily on two different books – an Australian-set piece of climate fiction about family and friendship, and an offbeat piece of metafictional science fiction – while at the same time planning a post-apocalyptic western.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
There’s as much advice for aspiring authors out there as there are aspiring authors, but I’ll share a way of thinking that works for me. Writing a good book only takes a few things: a spark of talent that can be nurtured, an idea that can become a story, and discipline and routine, as well as a lot of time and a job that allows you that.

Find these things, and you’ll get there.

What are you reading now?
I have what you would probably call a magpie-mind when it comes to my reading. Although I primarily write speculative fiction, science fiction and post-apocalyptic fiction, I’ll read anything that has the promise of literary potential: realist fiction, westerns, YA fiction, horror, literary fiction, thrillers, non-fiction and, obviously, speculative fiction in its all myriad forms. I’ve even been known to read the odd romance.

I also tend to usually have a couple of books on the go at the same time. And so to finally answer your question, right now I’m reading Fortress of Solitude by Jonathan Lethem (a beautiful and epic work that combines a love of music and a love of superheroes), and the anthology Rock On: the Greatest Hits of Science Fiction (a collection of speculative fiction short stories that, in some way or another, are all about music).

Author Websites and Profiles
Lachlan Walter Website

Lachlan Walter’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I live in China, Guangzhou to exact. I have written a few books. My first is Chasing Owen, I have a few others that I am trying to go a more traditional route with but I will be self publishing possibly two book series.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is called Chasing Owen which I wrote as a grieving mechanism years ago when my father passed away. At the same time I was trying to do something new with urban fantasy which these days is pretty formulaic these days.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t really plan them out, I try and write about 6000 a day, after each chapter I go through and edit that chapter, before each chapter I brainstorm which is me laying my bed spread eagle staring at the ceiling thinking about what I want to happen in the chapter.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
For Chasing Owen they would be John Sandford and Neil Gaimen.

What are you working on now?
One is a portal fantasy about a nerd going to rescue his girlfriend from elves. Another is a historical fantasy about a guy who is trying to take out a group of mages, think the Protestant Reformation mixed with Republic of Thieves by Scott Lynch. I am also working on a book about a supervillain trying to rescue his daughter as well as a fantasy novel about two different groups of people trying to make an alliance and the people set out to stop them.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Right now I am using Awesome Gang, also I am using pinterest for this book as well.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Step 1 write book, step 2 worry about after the book is written.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Lock yourself in a room, turn on loud music and sit down and write; I’m paraphrasing Stephen King’s book on writing.

What are you reading now?
Acacia by David Anthony Durham

What’s next for you as a writer?
Finish the other books I have.

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 Eddas by Snorri Sturluson
An anthology of the first prey novels by John Sandford
An anthology of the Archie McNally Series by Lawrence Sanders
American Gods by Neil Gaimen

Author Websites and Profiles
Jake Compton Website