Awesome Author Interviews

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a Midwestern girl who loves to read, cook, and travel to historical and out of the way places. I currently have five books published and numerous ones half written. lol

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest is called The Gangster’s Woman. It is the second in a Trilogy. In the first book the main character’s sister was missing and this is her story. I had no clue what to do in this story until I found out about a painting that is hanging above the fireplace in an old gangster haunt. No one knows the story of the woman in the painting so I decided to give her one. The painting is actually on the cover of the book too.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
No but if I write a historical one I tend to listen to music from the era of the book.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I love LaVyrle Spencer. I grew up reading her books. I consider her a great story teller and that is what I inspire to be.

What are you working on now?
I am very excited to have been asked to be in a contemporary mob/ mafia romance anthology. It will be released the end of December. I plan to spin off a series from that. I also am working on the final gangster book and next year I would like to start a small town suspense series.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I wish I knew. There are so many books out there right now it is really hard to get noticed. So if you enjoy a book, please leave a review and share it with others. I also try to post and promote in groups that can target readers of the genre of the book.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Keep writing and finish that book!!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t pay attention to negativity. No matter what you do, you will never please everyone so do something that makes you happy.

What are you reading now?
The Mobster Series by Amy Rachiele

What’s next for you as a writer?
Trying to find more time to write. It is much easier in the wintertime but summer up north it is hopeless. lol I am very excited to be going to my first RT convention next year so I plan on attending many classes and learning lots of new things.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
I would take Gone with the Wind because it is long. Ashes in the Wind because it was the first romance I ever read. Morning Glory because it is my favorite book and I would take a book on how to survive being stranded on a desert island.

Author Websites and Profiles
Ginger Ring Website
Ginger Ring Amazon Profile
Ginger Ring Author Profile on Smashwords

Ginger Ring’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Well, I’ve been writing ever since I was very, very young, having written my first, full-length novel when I was twelve. Nobody will ever see that, though, of course. I’ve published seven books as of this year, with many still to come.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is Grieving Liberty and what inspired it is a little bit difficult to place. I had this scene in my head, of siblings troubled by their restricted futures in their high positions and I think, being someone in my twenties, spoke to me as that conflict one has with what is required of them within society.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I have a tendency of changing where I write almost daily, even if it means transporting all my writing materials and notes from one side of the house to the other.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I don’t know if I can say anyone in particular has influenced me. I tend to read a lot of whatever I find that’s interesting at the time and try to take lessons from what I like and dislike about it.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on a lengthy project at the moment and that’s been really exciting for me. It’s a bit of a mixture of what I have done before, with so many new elements. I had hoped to release it in 2015 but it’s a story that’s expanded almost beyond my control so it’s looking more towards a 2016 release date.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I like to interact with readers, be it on Twitter or on Instagram. I think that’s always the best way to do it.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Read as much as you possibly can. You’ll learn something every time and that’s knowledge towards making your work even better.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Read everything. Write a lot. Don’t overthink it.

What are you reading now?
I’m actually re-reading Pride and Prejudice.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m always striving to be better so, really, all I want to do is keep writing. Next year, I feel, will be a big year for me as I have a lot of ideas that I’m just itching to share with readers. Whatever happens, I know I’ll have a good time doing 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?
That’s tough. Probably it would be The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli, Outlander by Diana Gabaldon and The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini.

Author Websites and Profiles
Kyra Gregory Website
Kyra Gregory Amazon Profile

Kyra Gregory’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a longsword fighter, a book-binder, a crafter of all kinds of things, and a web programmer. I’ve written too many books, but I’ve only published two – my first novel, and a smaller book about online marketing.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Meldling – First Novel of the Daemonva. It was inspired by the epic fantasy stories that I grew up with, like the Belgariad by David Eddings, or Lord of the Rings. I love the adventure of fantasy – great magics, sword and sorcery, and vast world-building.

A lot of fantasy that I loved as a kid was about a character discovering themselves and rising to do great things, and I wanted to recapture that with The Meldling.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Although I like to write on my laptop on my couch, I can write literally anywhere and on any device. I’ve written chunks of stories in bathrooms, on buses, in airports and on planes, or while waiting for a movie to start in a cinema. I have to sync it all up using Evernote afterwards.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
David Eddings, J.R.R. Tolkien, Robert Jordan. I love the style and imagination of Terry Pratchett, and I developed a sense of rigor in world-building by reading Anne McCaffrey and Isaac Asimov.

What are you working on now?
The next book in the Daemonva Trilogy, called The Nameless Knight, and the first book in another trilogy called Fire Eyes, Shadowblade.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Facebook. My articles on swordfighting and bookbinding are pretty popular, especially when I go off on a rant about lightsabers. (Hint: lightsabers are ridiculous and they were overused in the prequels.)

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Spend money on two things first: the cover and the website! A hundred dollars spent on a quality cover and a professional site will form the bedrock of your marketing efforts. Marketing is hard, much harder than actually writing a book, and you need to talk to other writers and figure out what will work for you. Once your first book is published, split your time between writing the next and marketing your work.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“When someone gives you a bad review, it’s not personal. It’s their reaction to the story, not the author. It’s not going to connect with everyone, and that’s okay! Just let it go, accept the criticism if you think it’s merited, and work on making your next book as great as possible.”

What are you reading now?
Knight’s Shadow, by Sebastien be Castell. I’m also re-reading Pride and Prejudice for the umpteenth time.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m going to write all the things. ALL OF THEM. I’ve spent years improving my writing to the point where I’m confident enough to be published. Now that I’ve released my first story, I’m excited to finally live my dream of being a fulltime author.

I have always been a storyteller, and I have dozens of stories itching to be told.

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 If You Want to Write, by Brenda Ueland, and three books with blank pages. And all the pens I can carry, of course.

All I need is one book to inspire me to write, and the means to do so, and I will be happy.

Author Websites and Profiles
Claire Ryan Website
Claire Ryan Amazon Profile
Claire Ryan Author Profile on Smashwords

Claire Ryan’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have been writing since first grade and decided to become a writer in fifth grade. I had a wonderful fifth grade teacher that encouraged us to write. She even taught me how to write dialogue. Back then I wanted to become a science fiction writer like my grandfather, Maxwell Sheridan, who published in the pulp magazines of the forties and fifties. He also worked with Ray Bradbury.

I got into fantasy because I had a background in reading all the OZ books by L. Frank Baum. I was also reading a book by Stephen R. Donaldson entitled The Mirror of Her Dreams. Later I read the second book, A Man Rides Through. I also just loved to use my imagination to make up things.

I have written three unpublished science fiction books. I have self-published two fantasy books, Guardian of the Gauntlet, and Guardian of the Gauntlet, Book II. I am working on the third one (Guardian of the Gauntlet, Book III).

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The latest book which I’m working on now is Guardian of the Gauntlet, Book III. It is inspired by the Parable of the Wedding Feast which I studied in Sunday School as a child.

If you mean my latest published book, it is Guardian of the Gauntlet, Book II, and was inspired by a fellow writer who said to me “I thought she was supposed to do good with the gauntlet,” thus the subtitle “The Greater Good.”

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I am a night owl. I write in bursts late at night, just the way I am filling out this interview late at night. I don’t wait until I am inspired; I just write when I have the time.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
L. Frank Baum, the Oz books, C.S. Lewis, The Chronicles of Narnia, Stephen R. Donaldson, The Mirror of Her Dreams and a Man Rides Through.

What are you working on now?
I am working on Guardian of the Gauntlet, Book III, which is based on the Parable of the Wedding Feast.

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

About Guardian of the Gauntlet

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Before you self-publish think how a reader would see your blurb. You may need to make changes, not only to the blurb, but to the book itself.

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

What are you reading now?
Dolor and Shadow by Angela B. Chrysler.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I may write my memoirs and entitle them Goldstream Valley Girl. I also have short stories to enter in 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 Bible, Mere Christianity, Once on a Time (A. A. Milne).

Author Websites and Profiles
Lenita Sheridan Website
Lenita Sheridan Amazon Profile

Lenita Sheridan’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a fantasy author who writes Children’s/Young Teen’s fantasy novels. I have just published my debut Children’s/Young Teen’s Fantasy, The Magic of Geo.

I spent many years teaching and lecturing, English, and Literature in a variety of classroom settings. I have also had the wonderful privilege, and experience of being a voluntary reading mentor for children in a public library. I know how important it is for children and teens to read stories that can reflect on some of the issues they face in real life and that’s what I try to do in my stories as well.

The Magic of Geo is my first children’s fantasy book. I am currently working on my second which is not really a sequel as the story happens long before the tale within, The Magic of Geo, but does take us back to the land of Geo… way back.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Magic of Geo was inspired by my love for reading fantasy and Sci-Fi, and for my love of children’s books.

As a child and teenager, I loved to read and explore new worlds and fantasy adventures from books like Robinson Crusoe to The Chronicles of Narnia. As an adult I want to share my own worlds and fantasy adventures with today’s children/teens and hope they get as much enjoyment out of them as I did as a child.

Even in later years, my love for Fantasy/Sci-Fi never waned. My greatest inspirations come from C.S Lewis, JRR Tolkien, Philip Pullman, Terry Brooks, and of course, J.K. Rowling among many others. I finally gave in to the inspirations of my mentors and with the aid of my muse created, The Magic of Geo.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write what comes to my mind at the time. I do not plan or work from a template, or make an outline. For me these tools sometime stagnate the creative process and I find that outlines tend to create themselves as I write, anyway.

I edit what I’ve written when my muse stops talking and thats when I find myself switching chapters or moving parts of chapters as the story develops and things fall into place. Usually in the middle of editing, my muse starts up again and I write some more and then edit some more. This can go on for hours, sometimes.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I love C.S Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia, and his space trilogy; JRR Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, and The Hobbit; Philip Pullman’s, His Dark Materials trilogy; Terry Brooks’ Magic Kingdom of Landover series, and all the Shannara series; and of course, J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series.

There are many, many other books that have influenced me, such as Madeleine L’Engle’s, A Wrinkle in Time, and Katherine Patterson’s, Bridge to Terabithia which I refer to as soul-touching books. Those are the main one’s that spring to mind.

I could write a book, if not a series on all the books that have touched me in some way throughout my life if I paid a mind to it, so I’ll settle for the ones I’ve mentioned so far.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on another Geo book at the moment called, Unicorn Magic. The story is set in the land of Geo, but long before the tale within, The Magic of Geo. It’s more of an, “in the beginning…” type story and is the story of the unicorn that is mentioned in The Magic of Geo.

It tells of the rise of the shadow and how troubles first came to Geo long, long ago.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
My website is: http://huffingtonbooks.com which is the main site I operate from.

I use facebook and twitter mainly and have recently done ran a promotion on my facebook page to see if advertising on facebook works. I am still exploring twitter.

I’m also on LinkedIn, Tumblr, and Stumble, and am trying some other sites, to see what I can do. I’m on a very limited budget as I’m sure most authors are, so that limits how far I can go with advertising etc.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Promote your book wherever you can. Do interviews where you can and contact anyone who promotes books on their site… try not to be too shy. If people don’t know your book is out there, they can’t buy it.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best advice I adhered to was getting a proper editor to go over my work. Despite having studied advanced grammar and even taught English, one doe not see all of one’s own errors.

It’s not enough to have friends and family look at your work, even though it helps to have those extra eyes. Get a professional editor to go over it… but send them your best edit first.

No one wants to read a book full of errors and children deserve to read, well-written works, especially since what they read may influence how they write.

What are you reading now?
I’m starting on Phillip Pullman’s, His Dark Materials Trilogy again because it’s been quite a while since I read it and I do so love it. Plus I have hard copies… I love holding a book in my hands.

I’m also reading a couple of new books written by indie authors whom I have promised to review. One’s Epub and the other’s Kindle. Both are in the drama genre. I do love a good drama. And, I’m slowly working my way through, George R.R. Martin’s, A Song of Ice and Fire series… also in paperback format.

What’s next for you as a writer?
My main focus right now is to market, The Magic of Geo wherever I can while I juggle reading, and blogging with writing 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?
Definitely Robinson Crusoe. (grin) I might take Gulliver’s Travels as well… just in case I run into any iddy-biddy folk. After that, a survival book of some kind, and a compilation of some sort containing a variety of works in several different genres, the main ones being fantasy and sci-fi.

Author Websites and Profiles
K.C. Huffington Website

K.C. Huffington’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
So far I have released one book, Ascendancy Rise of the Fallen. The follow up to that book Butcher of the Bay is with my editor now. I also have a book Ascendancy The Arena being edited that will be making an appearance on Kindle Scout soon. So if you see it there and want a free copy give it a vote :-).

More about me, I have done a few different things before the writing bug grabbed me. I started out in the golf industry, moved into finance, and am now working on becoming a full-time author. I truly enjoy the freedom writing brings, creating things from scratch is an incredible feeling. Plus I get to spen each day with my wife, and our two wonderful dogs.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Ascendancy rise of the Fallen, was written after I finished Arena. I fell in love with telling a story about the man character from that books parents. With the books being fantasy, and the characters being magical it was easy to think of them having extended lifespans. From there I thought what if I told their tale back in the 1920’s during a significant time of change in our country. It was pretty fun, and I learned a lot about the city of San Fransico and some of the history that surrounded it.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Well, I think they are unusual. I like to write a rough draft, and then expand on that vision two or three times, then start to edit. I find that most writers I talk to end up writing to much and revise downwards in words. So I find myself doing the exact opposite. I also find that my best writing takes place in the morning.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I have a few authors that I really love. John Conroe, M.R. Forbes, Lindsay Buroker, Annie Bellet, and Joe Abercrombie.

What are you working on now?
Right now I am in the finishing stages of the next two books, both should be released sometime in August. Then it’s back to writing. I’m looking forward to getting back to idea creation instead of doing revisions. It’s been a busy Moth completing re-writes and launching my first book, but it has also been fun and rewarding.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I am new to the promotion game so right now I am just trying to get the word out there. I use facebook and twitter. I have signed up to run a few advertising spots, and right now am enrolled in Kindle Unlimited.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Being a new author myself I try not to tell anyone what to do. How much success do you need to have before you are doing things right? I would suggest getting on Kboards and listening to podcasts. There is a ton of helpful information out there. Then you need to do what works for you.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Write a series, and release frequently. That seems to be echoed by most of the authors that I speak with. Also do not skimp on the cover art. People say don’t judge a book by it’s cover, but we really do it.

What are you reading now?
Half a War by Joe Abercrombie. I also just started the Dragon Blood series by Lindsay Buroker and it is amazing.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I am hoping to get at least one more ebook out this year maybe two. At some point it becomes a matter of financing, covers and editors aren’t cheap, but are a must have. So if the books start doing well, I plan on having two more out if they kind of flounder around maybe one more for the year. Either way I will keep writing and revising, and getting new projects in the pipeline.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
This is a great question.

Hungry as the Sea by Wilbur Smith. It’s not my normal fair, but I love it.

Demona Accords by John Conroe. Awesome Urban Fantasy.

The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie, Classic Fantasy.

The last one is much harder to pick. Duma Key by Stephen King. Loved the ending.

Author Websites and Profiles
Bradford Bates Website
Bradford Bates Amazon Profile

Bradford Bates’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a small town girl who has always had a big imagination, but was always too shy to express it outside of my own head. Thankfully, one day I figured out I could write.

I currently have 3 published books, and a 4th about a week away from publishing.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Cheers Beers is a cautionary tale. I was tired of seeing so many people I love in abusive situations. They inspired the story, and I hope it is able to help someone going through something similar who might stumble across it to believe she (or he) can get out.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Yes! I have to write on the couch with the TV on. I live alone, but I grew up in a house full of people, so I can focus better with background noise.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Judy Blume, of course.

Louisa May Alcott – Little Women, and specifically Jo March, inspired me to write women with a backbone and opinion.

Along the same thread…

Lucy Maud Montgomery – I have always considered Anne Shirley my “spirit animal.”

What are you working on now?
I am working on a re-write of my first novel, Wiener Brain, which is a children’s book (more specifically: Middle Grade Fiction), as well as the sequel, which will be called Crumbsnatchers.

After that, I look forward to more literary fiction.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m terrible at marketing, so I’ve only stuck with Facebook and Twitter for promotion up until submitting to Awesomegang.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t worry about what anybody else thinks, just write what speaks to you. If someone has a problem with that, it’s because they’re upset their imaginary friends aren’t speaking to them.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
That once I stop being afraid of people thinking I’m writing about them, I’ll write the best book of my life…I’m still working toward that.

What are you reading now?
“In the Unlikely Event” by Judy Blume

What’s next for you as a writer?
I want to establish my own imprint. It’s a few miles down the road, but it’s in my plans.

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?
Summer Sisters (Judy Blume)

Little Women (Louisa May Alcott)

Anne of Green Gales (Lucy Maud Montgomery)

And if Chelsea Cain’s entire Gretchen Lowell/Archie Sheridan series were available in one volume prior to me being stranded, I would take that too.

Author Websites and Profiles
Lindsey Stuffel Website
Lindsey Stuffel Amazon Profile

Lindsey Stuffel’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a thriller writer, published by Simon & Schuster and Touchstone since 2011, and I also write for my own independent label, Fictum Ltd. I’ve written 18 novels to date.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
“The Identity Mine” is about a terrorist cell that steals a new kind of technology that allows people to ‘see’ thoughts, dreams and the implanted person’s view of the world in real time. It’s based on real technology, as are all the stories in my Warner & Lopez series of books – computers do now exist to watch our thoughts, and have been developed to learn more about neuroscience and how the human brain works.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Only how hard I work! I typically write 5,000 words per day on a new draft. I like to produce a new novel every 10-12 weeks for my independent label, and one novel per year for publishers.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Michael Crichton for his foresight and technological know-how, Wilbur Smith for his epic adventures and Tim Willocks for his grasp of narrative and prose.

What are you working on now?
The last draft of “The Identity Mine”, which is to be published August 10th, a new project for my literary agent, and two ‘treatments’ of my novels for Hollywood film studios / producers interested in my work.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Digital advertising works best, presenting my work to those people who are actually interested in the genres in which I write. It’s wonderful to be able to put my work directly in front of people who have signed up specifically to read action / adventure techno-thrillers.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Work hard, keep working, and never quit. It took me fifteen years to get my first publishing deal, and I still work as hard now as I did then. You never achieve anything if you expect it to land in your lap, but great things can come with effort and a little bit of luck 🙂

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

What are you reading now?
“The girl on the train” by Paula Hawkins.

What’s next for you as a writer?
More writing! I’d love to move into more screen writing, but for now I have six novels lined up to be written over the next 14 months. I’m always busy.

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?
Wilbur Smith: A Falcon Flies. Michael Crichton: Jurassic Park. Tim Willocks: Green River Rising.

Author Websites and Profiles
Dean Crawford Website
Dean Crawford Amazon Profile

Dean Crawford’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve been writing for many years. I published a cassette (yes, that long ago) of folk tales called As You Wish. Shadoe Publishing has published one middle-grade novel, Riding the Rainbow, which won the prestigious 2015 GCLS Award for YA Literature. They’ve also published my latest release, a YA novel, A Man’s Man. Coming up next is a much more mature work for readers 16+ called The Boxer (Shorts) Rebellion. Under other pen names I also have published eight short stories in various genres from spec fiction to erotic romance.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest release is A Man’s Man. It was inspired by an interview I saw on television. Rosie O’Donnell was discussing the questions her (then) ten year old son was asking about living in a family with same-sex parents. Since my kids had asked basically the same questions, it inspired me to create a story that might answer some of those questions for kids living in the same kind of families.

Of course, I had to make it dramatic, so when RJ loses his mom in a sudden car accident and has to go live with his father and his boyfriend, he is very angry. The first lines of the book set it up:

‘It’s like this, see. My dad’s a fag, his boyfriend’s queer, and I think I might be gay. I mean, I think it’s contagious or something.’

RJ decides he’s going to turn his dad straight, but once his plan is in action everything goes wrong. Just what does it take to make a man’s man, anyway?

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Oh no, no, no. Unless you consider watching old black and white movies with the sound off while writing unusual. Of course, when I’m stuck I turn up the volume and wait for the plot to untangle in my brain, sometimes snagging exactly the word I need from the film’s dialogue. They really knew how to write dialogue before all the special effects replaced that.

Oh, and I write sad scenes over and over again until they make me cry. I figure if it doesn’t touch my heart, how will it ever touch yours? Conversely, I write silly scenes over and over again, trying them out on new listeners until I get spontaneous laughter. Basically, I write everything over and over and over and over and over…. But by the time I turn loose of it and offer it to you, I know that it’s the best I can do. Then the editor shows me where I’m wrong and I start rewriting again, and again, and again until she’s happy…

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg, The Color Purple by Alice Walker, every Harry Potter book by J.K. Rowling, oh and the play Harvey, by Mary Chase. Great authors telling great stories.

What are you working on now?
My wife grew up on a tropical island in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. She has a wry sense of humor, and the stories she’s told me about growing up gay in a 100% Catholic community are absolutely hysterical. She had a solid cadre of young butches in training, who fought to establish a place for themselves among the Acoreans. I’m taking some of her best stories and fictionalizing them into a novel I’m calling, Island Girl. Hopefully it will be finished and ready to publish just in time for the Christmas buying frenzy.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I like joining groups on Facebook, tweeting on Twitter, and begging for honest reviews in exchange for free eBook copies of my books. As a matter of fact (winky winky), I’ll be glad to extend that offer to anyone reading this. Simply contact me on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/genta.sebastian) or Twitter (https://twitter.com/GentaSebastian), and we’ll exchange email addresses to set up delivery. Remember, though, I’m offering free eBooks to garner honest reviews – so don’t ask for a book if you have no intention of following through. It generates bad karma, and you don’t want that, do you?

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Yes. Sit your butt down in the chair, put your fingers on the keyboard and start writing. Turn off that internal editor until the story is completely told. Then re-write as many times as it takes to tighten up your work and make it ready for consumption. If you can afford it, hire a professional editor. If you can’t, get as many beta readers as possible to comb though it for you.

And remember, every book you write will be better than your last. If you picked up a musical instrument and started playing, you would be pleased with your first ability to play a song. But the more you played, the wider your selection of songs would grow and the better your skill at mastering the instrument. Everyone’s first novel sucks compared to their tenth. So get started and keep writing, writing, writing.

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

Oh, you mean writing advice? Be honest and unafraid of using the words necessary to tell the tale. Aim for the reader’s heart, but along the way send shock waves to their spines, anxiety to their hearts, and conundrums to their brains.

What are you reading now?
Bastard Out of Carolina by Dorothy Allison. FANTASTIC book.

What’s next for you as a writer?
More writing, and competitions. After winning the Golden Crown Literary Society’s Goldie Award, I found I like the look of the award sitting on my mantle. I want more, so I need to write often and compete whenever possible.

Of course, I also enjoy speaking to school boards, librarians, and assemblies about my rainbow family books, and the need for them.

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 complete collection of Shakespeare (that’s a lot of stories and will keep me busy for a long time).

Jane Yolen’s collection of Folk Tales from Around the World (same reason).

Hero with a Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell, because it will help me perfect my craft.

And last, but certainly not least, Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert Heinlein because, well, I grok.

Author Websites and Profiles
Genta Sebastian Website
Genta Sebastian Amazon Profile

Genta Sebastian’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a little blonde, recently moved to Chicago, IL. I’m married to an amazing man who works as a Technical Director for one of the best high school fine arts departments in the nation. We live with our two cats, and are working to adopt a child!

At this point I have four novels out, but that will be changing very soon. I have one urban fantasy series and one medieval fantasy series. Soon I will be starting on a second urban fantasy series.

I love to garden, act in theater productions, read, and be with kind people, but of course my greatest passion is writing.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is That Sucked, book 3 in the Series That Just Plain Sucks. (I’m kinda cheating cause it comes out in one month). The series was originally inspired by the question: “What if Stephenie Meyer got turned into a vampire and realized she didn’t know what she was writing about?” For those that don’t know, Meyer wrote the Twilight series.

Anyway, that simple question evolved into a fun series somewhat poking fun at the vampire craze.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
One of my writing rituals is tidying up the house before I sit down to write. It is hard for me to be creative knowing the dishes need to be done. This may stem from feeling like writing is a treat or a fun thing to do. I was raised to work before we play, and those lessons are still at work in my life.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
One of my favorite authors is Anne McCaffery. Her Dragonriders series has had a major in pact on my writing in plenty of subtle ways. Patricia Briggs is another. I love her use of 3rd person narrative, especially in her Alpha and Omega series.

What are you working on now?
I am currently working on the final book in my Dothan Chronicles series. This book will wrap up the story of Princess Bethany who accidentally gets sold into slavery.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I try a little bit of everything when it comes to to marketing. I do a lot on twitter and facebook, and occasionally even pay for an ad (gasp!).

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write what you want to read. If you can’t enjoy what your writing, it will show through to your reader. Once I was trying to write a short story, the whole time thinking “This is so boring.” I finally deleted it. If I’m bored, no doubt the reader will be too.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Write every single day! Make it a habit. If you can go weeks without writing and not feel the itch, something is wrong.

What are you reading now?
I’m finishing up The King Trilogy by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff. Excellent series (warning: explicit language and content)

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m stoked for my next series. It will be another urban fantasy series, dealing with how we has humans might handle the mystical world it it “came out of the closet.”

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?
North and South by Elizabeth Gaskel, A Jane Austen novel, and War and Peace (just cause it’s really long and would be something to read for like five years).

Author Websites and Profiles
Charissa Dufour Amazon Profile
Charissa Dufour Author Profile on Smashwords

Charissa Dufour’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have spent my life searching ever deeper levels of reality beneath the easily explainable, I hunt spooky sites in Europe and America. I have three novels out; absorbing fictional tales for those struggling with their lives who would like to find some deeper connection and meaning: “The Mourning After” (a romantic story spanning lifetimes via reincarnation), “Entertaining Naked People” about a young man too sensitive to fit in; to wise to buy into some of the things acceptable religions have been telling him, and “The Gardens of Ailana”, which is a much more in-your-face tale of those darknesses we all carry inside us and how sometimes childhood abuses don’t need to be forgiven to be dealt with and healed from.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
“The Gardens of Ailana”. My lady friend’s husband died of ALS, but for years she took him to this special healer who sat with those in need in her gardens in a small village in northern England. My lady friend took me there once, years after this healer had died, and we looked over her garden wall. I feel like i connected with the spirit of the healer, and she wanted me to write a book about a healer who no longer needed her body. So when she died she simply stepped out of her body and continued to help others.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I sometimes, as with this book, channel at an amazing pace, producing deep level insights about what happens beyond everyday reality, what lies beyond death, and such. Things I did not know myself, even suspect, until I read what I had just written.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Mostly theosophical teachers, but also anyone who writes such luscious imagery that I am drawn to savor particular passages for days before moving on. Barbara Kingsolver comes to mind.

What are you working on now?
I work on several books at once. The main one I am focusing on currently seems to be about isolated individuals, physically or psychologically unable to socialize with others who find themselves drawn to a specific internet social scene. They begin to notice amazing synchronicities connecting them and slowly find themselves forming together into performing some Higher service for humanity. – Perhaps they are being influenced by the mysterious backers of this social net.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I find Goodreads very helpful and friendly. Some great discussion groups going on. Plus – I currently have international giveaways going on for two of my books: “The Mourning After”, and “The Gardens of Ailana”. – https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18088429-the-mourning-after?ac=1

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Just get pen on paper (or fingers on keyboard). Don’t worry about whether what you write is worthwhile at first. Just keep expressing your soul through your words, however awkwardly. – But then never publish before you HAVE refined the wording. Show some respect for yourself, your gift, and your readers.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Duck!

What are you reading now?
All sorts of stuff; mostly spiritual and theosophical.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I am an American, currently traveling England, and live my life in the moment. If there is one thing I don’t do, it’s anticipate all the possibilities of what might happen next.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
“Light on the Path” written down by MC. “At the Feet of the Master” by Alcyone, and two books I haven’t yet written.

Author Websites and Profiles
Edward Fahey Website
Edward Fahey Amazon Profile

Edward Fahey’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a fantasy adventure writer with three books in print. My writing began in high school, but my first book wasn’t published until 20 years later after I returned from Afghanistan. The first book (Protectors of the Vale) parallels my combat experience fighting the Taliban. As the men in my 12 man team and I trained, fought, and in some cases experienced hardships so too do the characters in my book. Obviously the setting is more Lord of the Rings/Forgotten Realms than modern times but the feeling of being there…in the thick of it…is visceral! Book 2 and 3 followed and since then I have had a heck of a lot of fun sharing my stories with fantasy readers.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Book 3 Guardians of the Mountain was inspired as the epic grand finale by a dream. I had been thinking seriously about writing a 3rd book and wrapping up the series. One night it came to me. A long forgotten prophecy, fear of the end of times, betrayal, and a myriad of twists and turn really got me excited about writing. It took well over a year to get it all together, but in the end is was my best work. I had learned so much since my first published work that this book captures the essence of who I am and nicely wraps up the loose ends of the previous episodes.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I am addicted to shock and awe in my writing! I love to astound and even mislead the reader only to reveal an unexpected twist or turn that blows their mind. I have written and re-written countless pages just to get the reader perfectly poised for the excitement I want them to feel. By all reports this is what keep my readers turning pages well into the wee hours.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
R.A. Salvatore’s Dark Elf Trilogy, Cleric Quintet, and well pretty much his entire collection have been my go to books since high school. J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings was a huge influence (for almost all fantasy lovers I bet). I read a dozen Piers Anthony novels and most of the Dragonlance books by Margaret Weiss and Tracy Hickman. more recently I have enjoyed the “I am number four” series by Pitticus lore and the dystopian novels like Maze Runner and Divergent. The books are better than the movies but I enjoy the movies as well.

What are you working on now?
My latest novel is under construction at about 50k words. It is a very dark, modern day fantasy about a former Soldier working as a detective who stumbles into a government conspiracy. This is a tricky book because there have been many books written in this genre and style but much like my fantasy adventure novels…I take life and remake it into fantasy which gives it a personal and undeniably real feel.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Amazon is the best way to find my work. My books can be found in kindle, softcover, and hardbound varieties by searching my name (Curtiss Robinson) or by title (Protectors of the Vale, Defenders of Griffon’s Peak, and Guardians of the Mountain). My publisher is Beau Coup and the series title is “The Heroes of Daerun” for specific searches on google. I also have a personal page, author’s page, and book page on Facebook. Come find me…I am very available and enjoy chatting with avid readers and writers.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Of course I have advice 🙂
1. Never give up…easier said than done for most
2. Write often and read you own work. If you love it then so will others
3. Never go cheap! I have the best artist, editor, and publisher so my work will stand out
4. Have fun…if you write for fun it is never work
5. Pay it forward! No one really wanted to help me when i got started and that sucks so i try to help new writers get the ball rolling. Do the same and pay it forward.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
My publisher (Sable Hunter) told me there are literally thousands of books in digital format that are free online. Few people will just give a new author their hard earned cash when they can get free books so be prepared to give your book away for free to establish a following. If they love your style they will want more. You make money on the second and third books once they are hooked. This is digital marketing 101.

What are you reading now?
I spend most of my reading time online. I love articles and personal growth. I always have my eyes peeled for a new novels and nothing beats the “dead tree version” but right now I am all digital until something incredible comes along.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I love writing but I do it as a hobby. I retired form the US Army a year ago and now I run a clinical counseling practice where I help good people with anxiety, depression, PTSD, and grief. I have written dozens of articles on stress, anger, and coping. Who knows, I might make it into one of the journals of psychology in the future.

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?
OK…seriously? If I am stranded on a desert island I would bring the 3-4 largest books on tax law or politics I could find so I could have plenty of paper to wipe my butt and what better book to use than tax law or politics! That would be enjoyable and practical.

**If I had unlimited toilet paper then I would bring the 3-4 best books on how to survive or escape the desert island**

***If I had unlimited toilet paper and I was on a desert island in need of good reading (unable to escape) then I would bring scripture and get closer to God. Yeah I know everyone expected me to say something a little more whimsical but I am a practical guy. What can I say?

Author Websites and Profiles
Curtiss Robinson Website
Curtiss Robinson Amazon Profile

Curtiss Robinson’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My name is Andrea Perno. I’m a full time Art teacher for Kipp Ujima Village Academy in Baltimore, Maryland. I’m also a freelance illustrator, and a science fiction writer for Beau Coup publishing. I have written two books that are currently out. One, THE LAST DROP, is part of a young adult, trilogy. The second book of the trilogy I aim to have finished by mid October of 2015. The other book, REMOTELY UNPLUGGED, was published this February 2015.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book, REMOTELY UNPLUGGED, is a science fiction, thriller. It was inspired by a horse back riding trip I took in Banff, Canada. If you know Banff, it’s one of the world’s largest national parks. It’s very remote. You can only enter the park on foot, horseback or bike. No motorized vehicles are allowed in the park. I took the trip with a good friend of mine and spent six days horseback riding for about eight hours a day, following a guide we knew pretty much nothing about, in the remote wilderness of Canada. The one thought that kept crossing my mind was, jeez, what is this guide was a serial killer? No one would know where to look for our bodies. With a little added sci-fi flare, REMOTELY UNPLUGGED was born.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Strange writing habits…that’s tricky because it’s really the characters who have the strange habits. For example, not only do they tell me what to write, they tell me when to write (that could be at 3:15in the morning…thanks Avery. The boss loves it when I come to work and can’t talk to people in a “human” fashion before 9:00am.) I also do a lot of writing in the car to and from work. Part of that is just long commute. But part of it, I feel, is also a zoned out, listening to, but not really listening to, pop radio music and letting the characters have space to invade my mind. Space they would not otherwise have when I’m teaching middle schoolers during the day.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
All of Gary Paulsen’s work, particularly, HATCHET, have influenced my writing. I’m also a huge Jim Kjelgaard fan. But, probably my most influential authors are Suzanne Collins (HUNGER GAMES) and J.K Rowling (HARRY POTTER)

What are you working on now?
Right now I’m tirelessly working on the second book of, THE LAST DROP, trilogy. I’m also working with a screenwriter in LA to translate THE LAST DROP into a script worth pitching to Hollywood. *Fingers crossed*

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I don’t think there is one “best” website I’ve found to promote my books. Word of mouth and being able to work with talented and generous bloggers has been very successful. Goodreads, Facebook and Twitter have also been great places to promote. I always keep my ear to the ground for great places to get the word out.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Advice for new authors…This may be the most long winded response, but here goes:

1.) Write every single day. No excuses. No matter what. No, I’ll do it tomorrow, I’m too tired, I should walk the dog, I have to cook dinner yatta yatta yatta. If you’re saying those things you don’t want to be a writer bad enough. You should walk the dog? You better have a notebook in your back pocket ready to take notes. Oh, you need to cook dinner? That laptop better be propped within typing distance so you can switch back and forth between writing and stirring the Béarnaise sauce. And lord knows I can’t count the times I’ve been so tired I’ve fallen asleep with the laptop across my chest. I usually wake up to find I’ve written at least one sentence and a whole lot of aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa…it’s still a win.
2.) It doesn’t matter what anyone thinks and yet IT MATTERS what someone thinks. My second piece of advice to aspiring authors is to find other, like-minded people who are doing the same thing. Talk to people. Share ideas. I spoke to one guy who was in the process of writing his own book. He said he didn’t want to share his ideas or his thoughts because he was afraid it would “disrupt my process” or that I would “steal his ideas.” Needless to say, I gave him a piece of my mind. We as writers are in this together. We don’t “steal” another person’s story. And disrupt the process? YES PLEASE. You might say something profound that makes me think of something different!
Bottom line, build a support system with friends, family, co-workers (because rarely can you quit your job and just write…at least at the start of it all.) and the oddballs you find online that you know nothing about (and that’s the best part). Get every one of them to read your drafts…all seventy five thousand of them, and give you advice. HARD advice.
3.) This one relates to number two. Grow a thick skin. My younger brother, Michael, gave me a brilliant piece of advice when I was starting my first book. I was handing it out to beta readers and family members who, (now granted I had told them to be harsh) were crushing my soul and making me feel like my work was complete garbage. (By the way, the first draft IS GARBABE. So let’s not sugar coat it.) Anyway, I was having an “I’m worthless and this isn’t worth the headache and the criticism,” moment when he literally swiped the computer off my lap, went to the end of the page I was working on and typed: “No matter what other people think or how they feel the story should progress, it is still YOUR story. You got this.”
I add that quote at the bottom page of every manuscript I’m working on. It matters what people think of your work, but at the end of the day it is still YOUR work. People are going to say all sorts of things, good and bad, through the beta reading and editing process and beyond when the book comes out. That’s part of the process. Something to cry over and be inspired by. Trust me it’s worth it. This leads me to my last piece of advice.
4.) The single most important advice I have for aspiring authors is to “just do it.” Some of you know what I’m referring to here. If you haven’t seen Shia LaBeouf’s motivational speech, click this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nuHfVn_cfHU He may not be the best spokes person in the world and I don’t condone some of his life choices, but he is a profound artist in his own way and his advice is sound. Plus it’s said with the passion and intensity I strive to live my whole life with.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The single most important advice I have for aspiring authors is to “just do it.” Stop talking about it and just write.

What are you reading now?
I’m reading, SNOW CRASH, by Neal Stephenson.

What’s next for you as a writer?
What’s next is I will finish my trilogy and then I will begin another separate sci-fi/fantasy novel that I have in mind.

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 Hunger Games, Harry Potter, and Where The Red Fern Grows.

Author Websites and Profiles
Andrea Perno Website
Andrea Perno Amazon Profile

Andrea Perno’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
This is the first book that I’ve written. Fortunately, I have a day job. Unfortunately, it has a habit of getting in the way of my writing. My day job is running a manufacturing company that makes medical and plumbing products primarily for the bariatric (large people) market and the disabled market.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is called “False Pretenses” and it was inspired primarily by the events surrounding the Iraq war.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t think so, but what’s normal to one person may seem unusual to someone else.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I really enjoy thrillers, and the authors that I have read most recently are Daniel Silva, Vince Flynn, Brad Thor, and Lee Child

What are you working on now?
A crime thriller

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I have a book publicist, because along with trying to write my next novel I have that pesky day job that I alluded to earlier.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Keep writing and stick with it to the end. It’s very gratifying to see your book get published.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
That’s a broad question. One piece of advice that really sticks out in my mind though came from a former girlfriend’s father. We were talking about what I wanted to do when I got out of college and I said that I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. He replied that I didn’t have to decide on what I wanted to do for the rest of my life, only for the next few years. I could always change my mind. I felt a great weight lift from my shoulders when he said that, and I’ve since changed my mind and direction many times.

What are you reading now?
Stuart Woods’s Stone Barrington series.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m currently writing a crime thriller, and I have a few others that I want to write. Again, it’s just a matter of finding the time to write.

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 Da Vinci Code, War and Peace, and a book on raft building and navigation.

Author Websites and Profiles
Scott Kramer Amazon Profile

Scott Kramer’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I was born and raised in the New Orleans area and am married to my childhood sweetheart. By day, I’m a clerk of court administrator, by night author and historian. I’ve written four novels: But for the Grace of God, Fame and Misfortune, and books 1 and 2 of a Mardi Gras romance series, The Captain and the Queen and The Captain of Her Heart. Additionally, I’ve written several books and short essays regarding local history.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My most recent book was The Captain of Her Heart, a continuation of my Mardi Gras-themed romance. My involvement in a Mardi Gras organization (krewe) inspired me to begin the series.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I do remarkably well on airplanes and casino coffee shops.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I’ve primarily read biographies and non-fiction historical works and have not been particularly influenced by other novelists.

What are you working on now?
Forever Her Captain, the third and final installment in my Mardi Gras-themed romance trilogy, as well as conducting some research for several non-fiction papers on local history.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Facebook is still a preferred method, and Pinterest.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write as often and as much as you can. Don’t stop if you don’t have to. You’ll only improve with more and more practice.

What are you reading now?
I’m not currently reading since I’m trying to complete my novel.

What’s next for you as a writer?
After the Mardi Gras-themed trilogy, I’d like to produce on a couple of ideas I have for doomsday-type stories, one involving hurricane forecasting advancements and another concerning the destruction of our technology infrastructure.

Author Websites and Profiles
FRANK BORNE Website
FRANK BORNE Amazon Profile

FRANK BORNE’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Sean Michael Hayes was born and raised in Vancouver, Canada. In his younger years he was a professional skateboarder and broke lots of bones. This is what brought him to America, the skateboarding not the broken bones, where he now lives part-time in Encinitas, CA. He likes to head out into the world on solo backpacking adventures, and when he’s not coaching today’s top professional skateboarders he’s doing something like diving with great white sharks in South Africa or living with a shaman in the Peruvian Jungle. In the last 18 months he has traveled to Spain, South Africa, Thailand, Peru, and about a dozen more countries. This diverse social and cultural understanding is the foundation for his dynamic and thoughtful literature. His experience with travel, elite sports, global marketing, and social media; have all complimented his transition into a breakthrough indie author. Sean’s is currently backpacking and working on his soon to be released second book I Killed A Black Dog.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My book is called Five Weeks in the Amazon, here is the excerpt I wrote for it on Amazon.com

A Modern Quest for an Ancient Remedy….

If you enjoy a fast-paced read and a true story, Five Weeks in the Amazon is the book for you. It’s an honest story filled with peaks of humor and valleys of despair. Author Sean Michael Hayes has written a book that many would put on their shelf next to Cheryl Strayed’s blockbuster success, Wild. His adventure took him into the middle of the jungle alone, but Hayes unique writing style makes the reader feel as though they are right there with him. Five Weeks in the Amazon is filled with Hayes thoughtful solutions to many of the common problems we all share. Want to find out what happened to a Canadian backpacker who hiked into the Amazon jungle to live with a shaman? Order the limited supply, first-edition now.
EXCERPT
“At the beginning of the ceremony, nobody knows how the Ayahuasca will react, for them or anyone else. Even though I couldn’t see anybody else in the dark room, I could sense overtones of apprehension among the group. We were sitting there, waiting for the Ayahuasca to do its magic, wrapped in the darkness of the night.
With no warning, an explosion of sound and light shook the entire house. The startling interruption made someone gasp, and I heard a quick squeal from somebody else. The sky crackled to life. I knew at that moment why long ago people thought the thunder came from the sounds of the gods fighting. I imagined Zeus’ sword crashing through the clouds.
The small room became lit again and again by blasts of purple light. Thunder exploded at the same instant as the lightning flashed and I knew the storm was right on top of us. The storm shook the wooden house with every strike towards the Earth it took.
I could feel the sky’s energy and I looked across the room. Through the door, I could see the jungle illuminated with each white-hot flash of light. The room was still electrified and loud, and the Ayahusaca made its presence known. People started purging, Otillia started singing, and all the sounds mixed together…”

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Similar to Hemingway, I try to write at least 500 words a day. Like me, he also woke up early to write, and to avoid the heat when I am traveling. Plus, the morning is peaceful and quiet.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The most influential books in my life have been Plato’s dialogues, which include “The Phaedo” “Crito” and “The Apology.” They form a picture of what Socrates, Plato’s mentor, went through leading up to the trial where he was sentenced to death and then follows him through discussions on why he must accept this decision as just.

What are you working on now?
I a now working on my second book “I Killed a Black Dog” which is a collection of my best short stories and poems from 15 years of travel and adventure.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
for me I focus more on creating great content for my own site, canadianhayes.com

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Practice with intention. Write the best you can and don’t listen to anybody that doubts your goals and visions.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“The only difference between someone who is an author and someone who is not is that an author has written a book.”

What are you reading now?
I am currently reading Raymond Carver’s “What We Talk About When We Talk About Love.”

What’s next for you as a writer?
I am finishing my audiobook, which will be out soon, and I plan to travel to Colombia in November!

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 Salinger, Hemingway, Plato, Theroux, Steinbeck.

Author Websites and Profiles
Sean Michael Hayes Website
Sean Michael Hayes Amazon Profile

Sean Michael Hayes’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account