Awesome Author Interviews

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I used to work in Information Technology Security and Cyberwarfare and spent hundreds of hours waiting in International airports for flights to and from my clients. Lots of time to read though. These days I just write about some of the things I’ve come across in my fast-paced suspense thrillers. I currently have eight of these available (four in ‘the CULL’ series and four stand-alone. I have also written a non-fiction book for people who want to become writers themselves entitled ‘How NOT to be an ASPIRING Writer’ – loaded with practical tips and tricks and written in a chatty, witty, easy to read fashion.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest novel is book 4 of ‘the CULL’ series. The series happened when, first, I jokingly mentioned to a cousin a few years back that I now needed to write a Vampire novel and was immediatly asked to feature her daughter and, second, in response to the huge number of reader requests for more of the female Covert Intelligence Agents I had created for that book. Now up to the fourth of a series of five and people are still enjoying the series for its originality and morally-ambiguous characters.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Tea! I have to be constantly fueled by Strong (Strength 3) black tea or my brain freezes. Other than that, I’m about as normal as writers can be… which isn’t saying much. (Do the blood sacrifices and fruit offering count?)

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I have been an eclectic reader all my life but have a special place in my heart for three writers I grew up reading: Charles Dickens, Ian Fleming and the British author John Gardner, who I had the pleasure of corresponding with and meeting and who gave me great encouragement to become a writer before Life appeared and set me on a different path… for a while. I’m now back to my first love.

What are you working on now?
I’m currently working on the sequel to ‘Outsourced’, again by popular demand. Seems my trio of protagonists, two New York thriller writers and a hard-nosed female Intelligence agent, have struck a chord with the readers and my email account Inbox exploded with requests for more – I am but putty in my readers’ hands!

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
My own website, of course, where readers can find extracts and the Inside Secrets of my novels, then Twitter. I did a very successful promo with Awesomegang last year and am now back for more, please.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Writing can be a very lonely business but it doesn’t have to be. Many writers, myself included, are only too happy to help our fellow scribes. I have found that, given my background, I’m a source for information for several other authors and am always glad to help. There are also several excellent sites out there for authors to obtain specialised research info: Judith Lucci’s Author911 http://author911.blogspot.com , Fiona Quinn’s ThrillWriting http://www.fionaquinnbooks.com/#!blogger-feed/cxss/tag/ThrillWriting or Jordyn Redwood’s Medical Edge http://jordynredwood.blogspot.com are amongst the best.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
‘Believe in yourself and others will follow!’ and ‘Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken!’ (Oscar Wilde?)

What are you reading now?
I’m currently reading ‘Weakest Lynx’ by Fiona Quinn. I read her ‘Chaos is Come Again’ (co-authored with John Dolan, another superb author I like, last year and l was looking forward to this new thriller, the first in a series. I’m over halfway through and it’s brilliant! Will definitely read the next two books in the series this summer.

What’s next for you as a writer?
After the sequel to ‘Outsourced’ I’ll be working on another sequel, this time to ‘Leaving Shadows’. The novel, entitled ‘Chasing Shadows’ pays a return visit to the Kidnap and Ransom Rescue team CACS and plunges them into a very delicate mission on behalf of MI6. After that I’ll be putting the finishing touches to a collection of connected short thriller tales entitled ‘FACETS’. By then it should be Christmas and time for a break, but not for long: the last book of ‘the CULL’ series is already biting at its chains.

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?
‘War and Peace’ (never actually got round to reading it and I guess I’ll have the time once basic survival stuff is taken care of), ‘The Complete Works of Arthur Conan Doyle’, and ‘The Art of War by Sun Tsu’ which never gets old.

Author Websites and Profiles
Eric J. Gates Website
Eric J. Gates Amazon Profile

Eric J. Gates’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve been writing professionally, in one way or another, all my adult life. I was a TV promotion director, founder and creative director of a NY ad agency, public relations specialist, playwright, and novelist. I’ve written several books, including the murder mystery NICE PLACE FOR A MURDER, ARE YOU JEWISH? a collection of one-act comedy plays (which have been produced by groups across the US and as far away as London, Rome, Israel, and Aukland), business books including recently published START A BUSINESS – WORK FROM HOME.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest opus is BASEBALL TEAM SIGNS GEEZER, which is either a long short story or a short novella. It’s a story that’s been marinating in my mind for several months, about a 67-year-old geezer who happens to be a sensational hitter. Despite his age, he’s signed by a professional team, with the proviso that he maintains an unreasonably high batting average, and with the added motivation that if he breaks the season batting average of Ted Williams, who batted .406 for the Red Sox in 1940’s, he will receive a huge bonus. My own fascination with baseball began when I married my wife, who is a lifelong Yankees fan. Now I’m a Yankees fan, too. That’s real love for ya.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
My writing habits are bad ones. The worst is my tendency to go over what I’ve just written again and again. If I were wise I’d just knock out a first draft as fast as possible, then go back and polish it when it’s all done. As Ernest Hemingway is supposed to have said, “First drafts are sh**.”

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The author who has influenced me most is Vladimir Nabokov – whose course in European literature I took when he taught at Cornell. It’s only in retrospect that I’ve come to realize how much I learned from this master prose stylist. All these years later, I continue to go back over his lectures. I enjoy the Russian writers, especially Tolstoy. I am the only person I know who has actually read WAR AND PEACE — twice! (I can’t understand why people say it’s long and difficult. Yes, it’s long. But the story is a real page-turner.) I don’t claim to write like the masters. My style is simple and direct. Like most writers, I do the very best I can.

What are you working on now?
I’m revising a romance novel I wrote some time ago. I wrote it just to see if I could write in a genre I knew little about. Bad idea. Now I think I know what’s wrong with it. We’ll see.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I really have yet to discover the best promotion method. If you have a method that works, please let me in on it.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
The wit Dorothy Parker is supposed to have said, “I don’t like to write. I like to have written.” If you want to be a writer, you gotta WRITE. Then when people ask you what you do, you can honestly say, “I’m a writer.” I have a theory that all writers have a million bad words inside them, and the good words don’t start to come until they get the bad ones out of their system.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
An early boss of mine once advised me, “Do something that makes money while you sleep.” I still think that’s a grand idea. But I haven’t found a way to be successful other than working very hard. I guess the best advice to any writer is: WRITE. You may never be brilliant, but you do get better. And from what I’ve observed, you don’t have to be brilliant to be very, very successful.

What are you reading now?
It seems I’m always in the middle of three or four books at the same time. I’m reading NABOKOV IN AMERICA, by Roper, a new bio of the writer; THE REDEEMER, a murder mystery by the excellent Jo Nesbo; the recently published COLLECTED POEMS of Mark Strand, winner of the Pulitzer Prize. I have also been reading the most recent translation of DON QUIXOTE for years now. It’s very funny stuff. I’m determined to finish it.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I have a kindle short story, THE LAST OF THE BERGMANNS, which I think would make a strong one-act play, maybe even a three-act. Stay tuned.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
I’d take DON QUIXOTE, so I could have the time to finally finish it; BLEAK HOUSE, by Dickens; and Bittman’s HOW TO COOK EVERYTHING, because I like good food.

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My name is Anat Feldman, I am a health consultant and a personal trainer. I hold a Ph.D in Health Education from IUBL University, a Masters in French Culture and Argumentation from Tel-Aviv University and a B.Ed. in Physical Education from Wingate Institute. For the last 20 years, using the Gymind method (combination of Gym and Mind, Body and Soul), I have guided children and adults on their path for a better and healthier life. I currently lives with my husband and three sons in Israel. This is my first book.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
“Health? Your Way!” is a life-project, a window to my work for the last 20 years as a personal trainer, a life coach and a healer. In an era of reality shows, this book reveals true fascinating stories of some of my clients. They are the true heroes. They chose to take charge over their life, to take care of themselves, to exercise, to eat smart and to clean their mind and soul. They are children, teens and adults who “Gymind” their way in life since they combine the physical part (gymnastics) with the mental part (mind) and literally create wonders. For example: Oliver the hypotonic kid becomes stronger in body and mind; Irene, diagnosed with Lupus, not only overcomes pain and discomfort but also finds that happiness has always been there right under her nose.
I have had the privilege to escort them, guide them and learn so much about the power of the mind, the plasticity of our brain and the fact that anything is possible, that even the sky has no limits. This book is so inspirational and powerful that each and every one of us can relate to Oliver, to Irene and to all the other heroes in the book or outside of it, meaning: us.
Health tips and helpful guidelines are all present, supported by the latest health researches, since my long years as a lecturer and a researcher at Tel Aviv University had taught me to bring solid proof to my statements. So when you hold the book you walk through the narrative and the academic, they both support and enrich each other, making us think, meditate and grow.
The process of writing the book felt very natural, just like giving birth to child number four after three sons. My Ph.D. thesis from IUBL was naturally converted into a story line I have the privilege to share with the readers.
At first I named it “Gymind your way in life; the linkage between fitness, nutrition and Mind”, and a copy of this title still appears on amazon. Yet, when I held a printed copy in my hands the title felt too heavy, too long, too complicated maybe too presumptuous. The book is so graceful and flowing that I needed to keep the title simple, catchy, easy to remember: “Health? Your Way!” got not only a new title but a new and more suitable cover with a straight message: take the road towards your health, your way !

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I tend to shade in grey the personal stories as well as the tips and guidelines in the book. Some readers find it unusual. I find it special and unique…

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Robin Sharma, Liz Gilbert, Maria Shriver, Joseph Murphy, Brian L. Weiss, Dawn E. Clark.

What are you working on now?
I am working on a new book names “Sex for Health? Your Way!”

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

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write from your heart, believe your own words and enjoy the process – of both writing and advertising.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Practice what you preach

What are you reading now?
A beautiful french novel names “Leon and Louise” by Alex Capus

Author Websites and Profiles
Anat Feldman Website
Anat Feldman Amazon Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have three great hobbies- health and healing, self defense and investing. Fortunately for you, I am nearly obsessive about each of these topics. I spend most of my free time learning about these things and then passing on what I have learned.

Passing on what I have learned could easily be classified as my fourth great hobby. I seem to be addicted to it as well.

So far, I have two books published, and probably a dozen in the works.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The name of my most recent book is Investing 101- Safe, Simplified, Effective Investing and Money Management Basics for the Beginner.

Being self employed, I don’t receive a pension when I retire like a lot of people. Social Security seems to be a constant unknown. So my wife and I decided we needed to do it ourselves.

We learned the hard way that nobody cares for our money as much as we do. We also learned that nobody took care of our money the way we could. Even as an amateur we did better managing our money than professionals. Even if those professionals did well managing our money, their fees often ate up much of our profits.

Additionally, we had several friends and family members who lost almost their entire nest eggs right before retirement due to mis-management by professionals. In fact, most of these friends and family members had professional who out-right refused to take their money out of the market when it was crashing. As a result, these people who had saved their entire lives to retire in comfort, and had succeeded, lost it all in a very short period of time.

I also knew a few people who had invested on their own and lost a lot of money. So my wife and I set out to learn how to invest safely, yet very simply and very effectively. It took years of trial and error to perfect, but we now have a system that we are very happy with. And we want to share it with other people.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I guess we all do. My main thing is that I write and re-write the same little bit over and over and over. Everybody may do this. What I do seems excessive to me. Also, I binge write. Once I get in a groove the ideas won’t stop so I keep going. Even when I try to quit, the ideas keep popping up for a while.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
As far as investing goes, I studied Ken Roberts, Rich Dad Poor Dad books, Burton Pugh, Ted Warren, Dave Ramsey to name a few. My favorites were always the non-mainstream guys who tended to be brave enough to try new things. As a result, they typically found a way to make money that others had not yet thought of.

What are you working on now?
Just promoting Investing 101 right now. I want to see what kind of response I get, and see if any questions pop up that I might need to address in a revised addition.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I am a new author, so I really don’t know yet. At all. I like writing. I like teaching. Promoting? That’s what I need to work on.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Just do what you love.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
To only take advice from those who have what you want. Everybody wants to give you advice, even if they have no clue how to do what you are doing. Its just human nature. But as far as the advice you want to go by- seek out people that have what you want, and ask them what they did.

What are you reading now?
Natural Born Heroes by Christopher McDougall

What’s next for you as a writer?
Learn how to promote!

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

Author Websites and Profiles
Matthew Barnes Website
Matthew Barnes Amazon Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a mom with teens and an author. I was born in the land down under, Australia. Though a lifelong Aussie hailing from Queensland, I’m now also a Tassie, as I currently reside in Hobart, Tasmania. In my youth, I was a competitive swimmer, winning Silver for Queensland at state in the 200 meters butterfly and also representing in the 10K marathon swim. I’ve written several books including Kidnapped at K7, Mission Possible, Elusive Quarry, and Mumma Africa.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Mission Possible is my latest release. I’ve always wanted to be a writer and I’ve been scribbling passionately for many years. I’ve tried for a few years to find success with my first novel. Now I just write for me and have fun.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I like to write in the wide outdoors. Sometimes kangaroos, koalas or whatever else may happen by and interrupt me but I enjoy it.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I know it may sound silly but I was really inspired by Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys as a child. I think my love of those types of mysteries is what led me to write cozy mysteries featuring a woman sleuth.

What are you working on now?
I’ve written a number of books in my series, the Bendersons Mysteries. I have more than a dozen actually, written over many years and I’m now trying to get them all published, working with a wonderful editorial team called Kindle Marketing.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Even though I’ve had books published since 2011, I haven’t really been successful. I kind of gave up for a while, until I connected with Kindle Marketing and they got me inspired to try again.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Chin up. Be brave. Be true to yourself. Know when to give up, but keep trying if you have even the slightest inkling of possibility.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Emily Asimov told me to keep writing, if I keep enjoying it, and I do, so I have. Kept writing that is. It may be hopeless, but I love just the idea of the dream of being a writer.

What are you reading now?
I’m reading the Star Chasers books by Emily Asimov. She inspired me to keep writing, and I’ve never before read anything like her work before. It’s very good.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m going to spend more time with my children, but also keep writing as much as I can. I like to write during my lunch breaks and when I have spare moments at night. It’s all I got, but it’s mine.

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 by Suzanne Collins, After the Machines by Robert Stanek, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by JK Rowling.

Author Websites and Profiles
Leanne Schroder Website
Leanne Schroder Amazon Profile

Leanne Schroder’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
J Richard Knapp is an internationally recognized American author and speaker from the Pacific Northwest. His education includes degrees from the University of Oregon and Boise State university. Knapp is internationally recognized as a leader in education, bully prevention, and an author of many tween and young adult fiction books. J Richard Knapp is the Founder and CEO of Stop-Bullies.com, Magpye Publishing,and KnappStory.com.

Knapp has written eight fiction books for children and teens and 1 non-fiction book for adults on the topic of bullying.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
‘Book of Codes’ is my latest publication for 10 year olds. This fictional story is an action/adventure of two twins, who break a secret Caesarian code to discover a hidden underground city. I began writing the rough draft of this story several years ago as I was researching codes used by the Romans.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I never write even one word until I have completely visualized the entire story, characters, and setting. At that point I begin composing the opening chapter entirely in my head. I will then play it back in my mind like a movie. If it makes sense to me, I begin transferring the story to the computer and will write relentlessly every day until it is finished. Once done, I walks away from the manuscript for at least a week and then return back to the manuscript for editing.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I met Wilson Rawls in the seventies and saw his handwritten manuscript (Where the Red Fern Grows). We discussed what it took to write a book of such magnitude. It was at this point in time that I knew I would write children’s books in my lifetime.

What are you working on now?
Shona Anderson (co-author) and I are writing the fourth book in the Cow Pie Gang series.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I have learned that authors must not rely on just one site to promote their books. This includes sites such as Awesomegang, social media sites, and much more.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
1. Don’t be afraid – just write!
2. Put the time in!
3. Learn everything you can about marketing and publishing! Do not expect others to do it for you.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t be afraid – just write!

What are you reading now?
Nothing. When I am writing a new book, I do not allow any distractions to interfere with my concentration.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I will begin writing the Book of Codes part 2 this fall.

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, Where the Red Fern Grows, Biography of Lincoln, and a copy of the United States of America Constitution

Author Websites and Profiles
J Richard Knapp Website
J Richard Knapp Amazon Profile

J Richard Knapp’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 written poems and short stories but not entire books though I am in the process of writing two.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Well the last thing I published is The Boy and The Universe and it was inspired by my best friend who bluntly chooses to ignore everything magnificent and out of the ordinary so I chose to teach her a few things.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I have a few places I must be at when I’m writing, otherwise it doesn’t work. And I could never write anything on another person’s laptop. Hmm, I don’t think there is anything else except perhaps the fact that I don’t properly use the keyboard like it’s meant for regular ten fingered humans, instead, I only use my index fingers, I never thought that was any unusual until my friends pointed it out.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The biggest influence on me have definitely, in the past when I was still entering the whole teenage years phase, had Sarah Dessen and Meg Cabot. Nowadays those influences include John Green, Guillaume Musso. When talking about the classics I was mostly influenced by Oscar Wilde as well as a variety of children’s books authors from my surroundings.

What are you working on now?
Currently I’m writing a novel about a child genius and his adventures in the world of computer science as well as a spy novel about an orphan girl.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Well I’ve had a very positive and, might I add, only encounter with promotion through Amazon and Awesomegang and I have been very pleased.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Being a new author I really don’t think I’m in a position to give advice but mine would be that the worst thing you write is still better than the best thing you didn’t write. Not sure about the credit of the quote, so excuse me on that.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I’ve just written it and it’s a simple quote: The worst thing you write is still better than the best thing you didn’t write.

What are you reading now?
I’ve just finished Danny Wallace’s Charlotte Street and currently I’m reading The Beginning of Everything by Robyn Schneider.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Well everything since I’m just starting.

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?
Looking for Alaska

How To Survive on A Deserted Island

The Fault in Our Stars

How Not To Die

Author Websites and Profiles
Irene Keller Website
Irene Keller Amazon Profile

Irene Keller’s Social Media Links
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I was raised in northern England where I played professional soccer before moving to the United States and attending Penn State University. It was here that I wrote my first book on soccer, published by Simon Schuster. I now live in Denver, Colorado and travel around the country speaking about my second book.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Life’s Too Short for Leftovers – 9 Lessons from a Third World Kitchen.

Having spent time in Africa I have experienced many facets of the culture and life of these wonderful people who are experiencing immense hardship. I believe we can learn much from them and wanted to document such as a storyteller. It is part inspirational rallying call, part first-person, autobiographical narrative and part eulogy for a treasured friend and mentor. It is a highly personal journey of self-discovery. With my conversational style I attempt to relate timeless philosophies to contemporary challenges and opportunities that face Third World countries today. I bring a generous portion of lucid insights and aha moments to the table, leading the charge toward improved, positive outcomes – in our own lives and in the lives of others.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Nothing that unusual other than handwriting everything on paper first, after 4 cups of coffee every morning. Once that high is relinquished I take a 30 minute power nap and then go over everything again in a more soothing and thought provoking manner.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
On a spiritual front, Rumi and Ruiz and for recreational reading, James Herriot. Many books have brought me to literary watersheds in my life that have forged an identity for me with my subject matter. Bill Shore – The Cathedral Within along with Richard Dowden – Africa and William Easterly – The White Man’s Burden.

What are you working on now?
I am working on more speaking engagements around the country and planning my next trip to Ethiopia to spend time with the children at Project Mercy.

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

Here you will find everything you need to know and you can re-live my time in Africa through the videos from the trips I have made.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Begin…..with the first step and the first word

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t prove others wrong, instead prove yourself right

What are you reading now?
My own book. I never got the time to read it during the past 5 years.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I want to branch out to other areas of the world to see how much duplication there is both good and bad, that mirrors what Africa holds in it’s hand today.

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?
Shake Hands With The Devil

We wish to inform you that tomorrow we will be killed with our families

Stellaluna

Oh, the Places You’ll Go

Author Websites and Profiles
Michael Ditchfield Website
Michael Ditchfield Amazon Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Nine years ago I was taken at gunpoint and loaded onto a plane some place over in Elmundo/El Paso and deported to a place I dont want to live. Leaving my wife and kids behind in a relationship scramble.

It has been a savaging experience and I, from my growing christian background, believe there is a better life for immigrants and for all else. This first book pich my understanding with the impending possibilities of Planet X passing.

I believe you will find this book a pleasunt way to deal with these difficulties.

This is my first book. Series #3 compiled from Post that were being developed on LinkedIn.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
– THE WAY – NAVIGATING NOW – TROUGH PLANET 7X – TO HIS MAJESTY BY HIS KINGDOM COME AND AUTHORITY ALL WALKING IN THE SPIRIT.

My inspiriation comes from agressively looking for difficult to find jobs here in Jamaica and efforts to use my experience to create a saleable book within my entrepreneural efforts with “value” to all on the planet, values that ares eternal.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I made many jottings when I was in immigration lockup.

They seemed to have been lost. but I do believe and practice storing my treasures in heaven where the thief does not steal and the moth does not rot. And like everyone else can I let this has a place and usefullness in my life. I heard a lady spoke on some programme of how the degital age allow the readers of a author’s work are able to better understand the auditors writing by seeing the path he/(she) goes through as he develops his/(her) writing. Through the pain of sentence structures, grammer and spelling probles I struggle with confrunting the problems that hinders us from living higher sandard of live (like moving from Global percapita income of US$15,000 to US$75,000. That is higher than USA percapita GDP of 52,000, China $11,000 but less than Singapore $83,000.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I have been heave reader of Text books. qualifying as a certified Accountant with Chartered Association of Certified Accounts UK.

I concern myself with economics issues, political structures and practices of all countries but expecially with leading nations and emerging economies and evaluate them from my christian, economics an finance perspective.

I dont read the bible much these days though I am glad anything I want to check I can just google it and find chapter and verses in the pible on the phrases or quoes I can call from my own heart.

What are you working on now?
Book 2 of the Series. A presentation of MAJESTY SHOCK TRAIL IN CHRIST.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I am new to the whole promoting of books. I draw attention to my hub on Linkedin:

https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=84122142&trk=nav_responsive_tab_profile

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Just keep on trying and improving. and aim to “Serve All” in each of your effort. Be global. it is very much part of the perfect will of God for our lives. It lowers cost of production and will still have potential to make us earn in abundance at low selling price. allowing seed capital to function more extensively. That is my belief in Christ, in God.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“Serve All” by the grace of God in Christ Jesus.

What are you reading now?
What ever appeals to me on Social Media. I keep intouch with every thing economics global.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Singing two songs and doing audio books of my writing and evolve from there.

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 need a tablet, access to the internet, and some unlimited power supply. Solar it would have to be perhaps.

Author Websites and Profiles
Sheval Anthony Smith Website
Sheval Anthony Smith Amazon Profile
Sheval Anthony Smith Author Profile on Smashwords

Sheval Anthony Smith’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Well, i am pursuing a PhD in political science, subjects related to politics, environment , anthropology and religion interest me.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
well its “INDIA AND PAKISTAN AN EMPENDING DOOM ANT THE MENAING OF GREATER WAR”

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not really.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Richard dawkins , Charles Darwin, Steven Hawkins , Isabelle Duyvesteyn

What are you working on now?
intelligence related , war related issues

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

Do you have any advice for new authors?
well books are getting very market oriented not what is the true essence of wisdom , this should be looked into

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
wise man once told me don’t argue with fools , for people from a distance can’t see who is who.

What are you reading now?
The Future of Intelligence: Challenges in the 21st century

What’s next for you as a writer?
writing my heart out !

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, Quran ,Torah , Veda ! lol

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
A first time author, I have very recently published my debut novel on Amazon Kindle.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The name of my book is “Fortnight before Dawn”. An abiding interest in languages and a growing disquiet at the manner in which terrorism is taking over the world inspired the book.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I quaff green tea by the gallon when I write.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Way too many have guided this pen 🙂

Do you have any advice for new authors?
just don’t keep waiting till eternity; plus, don’t pin all your hopes on print publishers.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Go for it!

What are you reading now?
The Forsyte Saga by John Galsworthy

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
My Kindle Voyage loaded with my library

Author Websites and Profiles
Bhamini Ravishankar Amazon Profile

Bhamini Ravishankar’s Social Media Links
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hi, I’m Cameron Lee, a Boulder, CO-based blogger turned author. I have always had an interest in writing, and in the last decade or so became immersed in the culture of indoor growing.

When I went online to learn about the craft, I realized that the art and science of growing indoors is changing so much every year that home growers are always using two-to-three year old information to grow their plants. This had to change!

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I started writing my very first book, ‘Grow Great Weed’, after spending countless hours reading online publications, books, and blogs, trying to get the right answers, and ended up discovering that most of what I read was either an ad selling a product, or propaganda that didn’t educate so much as it had other intentions. That made me so frustrated and angry that I finally said enough, and threw my hat in the ring, to help others who may be interested in growing but may not know how or where to start.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’ve found writing to happen at the most random occurrences. I am an avid golfer, and have to carry a pen and notepad on the course, or driving range, should I have a moment of inspiration. I also have had many ‘a ha’ moments in the shower as well — I suppose that may be unusual!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Stephen King’s ‘On Writing’ was a significant influence for me in learning about the craft. I also have a good friend who is a full time, travel blogger. His journey (and writings) have inspired me to be transparent and open in my writing.

What are you working on now?
I am fascinated by the way LED lighting is changing the world, and am looking to explore more around that topic in a future book. My first book, ‘Grow Great Weed’ was singularly focused on the indoor growing arena, which is a fascinating industry and pursuit. The folks involved are creative and have tremendous ingenuity to come up with creative ways to hone their craft, including working with LED Lighting. I’d like to look at other industries where LED is changing the way business is done.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I am new to authorship and being a ‘book promoter’, so I still have much to learn! I’m really enjoying connecting with readers and getting feedback that helps me hone the craft.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Iterate, iterate, iterate! And find an editor much more skilled than you are!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Fail often, fail fast.

What are you reading now?
“The Girl on the Train” and some nonfiction books. I’m fascinated by what makes a book a viral success.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Perhaps exploring the world of fiction!

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
1. ‘Think and Grow Rich’ by Napoleon Hill
2. ‘The Alchemist’ by Paulo Coelho
3. ‘Four Hour Work Week’ by Tim Ferriss

Author Websites and Profiles
Cameron Lee Website
Cameron Lee Amazon Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve published ten books on Amazon Kindle in the Roger and Suzanne mystery series—six novels, two novellas, an anthology of short stories, and an omnibus volume containing three of the books at a substantially discounted price. There soon will be two additional books in the series, a novel and a novella, scheduled for publication in 2015. In my leisure time I work full-time as a professor at the University of California.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The latest published book is Unbearably Deadly, a suspenseful mystery novel set in Alaska’s Denali National Park. It was inspired by a vacation, which included a comprehensive tour of Denali National Park, we took in Alaska the year before I wrote the novel.
The soon to be published novel, Hunter Down, is a murder mystery set against the backdrop of Southern California’s circuit of canine hunt tests. It features Roger and Suzanne, as well as their two German shorthaired pointers, Juliet and Romeo. Oddly enough, my wife Elaine breeds German shorthairs and helps train them for conformation shows and hunt tests. Perhaps even more oddly, we have two dogs named Jolie and Ries (Jolie’s grandson) who have had a lot of experience in hunt tests.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Probably not. My biggest problem is finding time to write, edit, and try to sell the books. I’d much rather be writing than editing or selling!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The classic mystery writers—Chandler, Hammett, MacDonald. My third Roger and Suzanne novel, The Matador Murders, has its roots in Hammett’s “Red Harvest”, but starring my series characters, and with the plot updated to the present and set in Montevideo, Uruguay.

What are you working on now?
Final edits and input from Beta readers for the new novel Hunter Down, and final edits for the new novella, The Body in the Alpaca Pasture, set in Salta, Argentina. The Body in the Alpaca Pasture should be available for pre-orders from Barnes and Noble, iBooks, and Kobo early in July.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Probably mostly via Facebook and Internet book marketing sites like Awesomegang.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t be in a hurry to quit your day job!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Find a job you enjoy doing and do it as well as you can.

What are you reading now?
I just finished, and very much enjoyed, Jonathan Kellerman’s “Mystery”.

What’s next for you as a writer?
The next tasks are to get the two books I discussed above published and promoted, then start the next Roger and Suzanne novel. I’m not sure where they’ll be visiting when they find the next dead body, but Cuba is a strong possibility.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
I’m not sure but they’d almost certainly be mystery novels.

Author Websites and Profiles
Jerold Last Website
Jerold Last Amazon Profile

Jerold Last’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
“A Ladder In The Dark” is the first Novel I have written, but I have been blogging about the long-term damage of bullying for 8 years. The first story I ever wrote was called “The The” and was a horror story that I wrote when I was about 7. My sister had written a horror story, so we competed to write our stories. I also wrote a story in third grade called “The Picker In Pete’s Nose”, which was about a person who could shrink down and get all the “mess” out of someone’s nose. While the teacher gave the story an “A”, she chose not to display it in the class due to the interesting “subject matter”. I knew early on that my unique style of writing would hopefully find a home other than a third grade board at some point.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is my memoir about a childhood of being bullied and the long-term Complex PTSD that resulted for me from that. It was inspired by my life and eventual recovery from anxiety and depression. I wanted to share with others what I learned about bullying and the need to recover.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Since my mind collects and stores my stories, my usual style is to try to outline and write character names up-front, but really do most of my writing from my mind as it is there waiting to come out. With my own short patience, it’s easier for me to write it all up-front first and then go back and fix all the mistakes or duplication I have. I depend on some great editors as well to make sure that the book is written well for the audience and not just me.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
“Salem’s Lot” by Stephen King, because it was the first book I read by him and is still one of my favorite stories by him. I think that if vampires were around today, they would act just as Mr. King wrote them.
“The Life of Pi” by Yann Martel. I couldn’t put this book down and the ending just blew me away. It was such a compelling read.
“The Odyssey” by Homer. I might have been the only person in my English class in high school that loved this book. It is such high adventure and action and, while not easy to read, is the first book to approach the cliffhanger story that I know of.
“The Help” by Tate Taylor. Some books are life changing experiences and this is one of them. Telling the truth in a story and the obvious research to create this tale makes it one of my favorites.
“The World According to Garp” by John Irving. Really any book by John Irving, because his ability to take situations that would be bizarre to anyone else and make it seem real is uncanny. There are no other authors I know of like him and I am always surprised by each page he writes. It makes for fun reading.

What are you working on now?
I am working on a fiction book about bullycide and school shootings to due bullying issues. I have just started, so I don’t want to give too much away. The working title is currently The Very Thin Line.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I use the free press-release websites, such as this one and many others. I try to also send out press releases to specific groups that I want to get the book into the hands of.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I find that the writing comes very naturally. In today’s world of self-publishing, all new authors should be educated on Library of Congress Numbers, ISBN numbers, the different methods and sites to publish on and how to reach the largest audience. Also, writers today are expected to help promote their own books, so taking a marketing course is not a bad idea either.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Your first impression is usually your correct impression. If something or someone doesn’t feel right to you, you should walk away. I wish I had learned this earlier in life.

What are you reading now?
I am reading “The First Phone Call from Heaven” by Mitch Albom. He is a fantastic writer. I am also reading “The Unquiet Mind” and “Columbine” to help me in my research for my next book.

What’s next for you as a writer?
To market and speak to people about “A Ladder In The Dark”. I believe it will help many people who feel trapped in their anxiety and depression due to C-PTSD.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
“The Stand” by Stephen King
“The Odyssey” by Homer
“The Torah” (so that I could at least have hope of being rescued).

Author Websites and Profiles
Alan Eisenberg Website
Alan Eisenberg Amazon Profile
Alan Eisenberg Author Profile on Smashwords

Alan Eisenberg’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a lifelong resident of Missouri, a fan of anime, comics, and movies. I love to draw, and even work on my own covers.

So far, I’ve written Vitamin F, a dystopian novel about genetic controls and a pair of short steampunk short stories featured in the Dreams of Steam anthologies.

I have a few more projects in development, some needing another draft, some just looking for a friend in the publishing industry.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest work is The Fanged Circle. It’s a dark fantasy serial inspired by video games like Dark Souls and Bloodborne.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I tend to write out of order. When a scene charges my passion, I write it. When a character demands to let their story be heard, I tell that story.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The works of Stephen King and John Grisham are my earliest influences. These days, I’m most passionate about books written by Brandon Sanderson and Greg Rucka.

What are you working on now?
I’m editing a science fiction novel that deals with a group of linguists when they discover a species that impossibly speaks with a human tongue.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Best method? That’s tricky. Word of mouth has been the most effective so far. I’m looking around, trying new methods. We’ll see what sticks.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Keep writing. Finish what you write, then set it aside and write something else.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“No one can do it for you.”

What are you reading now?
Grudgebearer by JF Lewis

What’s next for you as a writer?
More writing, more editing.

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?
Dune by Frank Herbert
Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman
Smoker by Greg Rucka
Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson

Author Websites and Profiles
Len Berry Website
Len Berry Amazon Profile

Len Berry’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have written my first book: The Modern Mughal Mentality-New Strategies to Succeed in India and the Global Marketplace

About Dr.Afshan Naheed Hashmi
Book Trailer:
afshanhashmi.com/
drafshanhashmi.com/
Dr. Afshan Naheed Hashmi was born in India and educated both in India and USA. She now lives in Rockville, Maryland, USA. My parents kept my name Afshan Naheed which means Shining Star and they always wanted me to shine in the world. Hashmi comes as last name through my husband .
Dr. Hashmi is an author, award-winning entrepreneur, speaker, educator, and a book, movie, make-up and beauty products reviewer, film critic and Radio and TV show host, a successful regulatory and business development and scientific professional with more than a decade of experience.
She specializes in making innovative and value creation market entry strategies for companies looking to enter India. She also lectures and delivers seminars on “Doing Business in India,” including culture training. An award‐winning entrepreneur, Dr. Hashmi has coordinated meetings and accommodations for U.S. business delegations in India. She has facilitated the introduction of U.S. businesses to potential U.S. and international partners, and vice‐versa. Dr. Hashmi maintains an extensive professional network that is required to launch initiatives especially in the U.S., India, Qatar, UAE and Bahrain.
Currently every month she delivers lectures on India’s various aspects to a very large audience. Dr. Afshan Naheed Hashmi has an amazingly diverse career with extensive media experience. She is very popular in India, and many newspapers in India in English, Hindi, and Urdu having written about her including, “The Hindu”, “Hindustan Times”, and “The Indian Express” to name a few ( (drafshanhashmi.com/id16.html ).She has also appeared on major television channels in India and on TV Asia in the USA.

Dr.Hashmi has had a total reach of over one billion people worldwide via print, TV, and online. Dr. Hashmi is the author of two blogs,”India Business Innovations”
( indiabusinessinnovations.wordpress.com/ ) and “Connecting with the Dignitaries”
( connectingdignitaries.wordpress.com/ ).
She has authored numerous scientific reports, and has also written and presented various papers on the subject of biochemistry and molecular biology.
With years of experience as a business development, regulatory, and scientific professional, Dr. Hashmi’s wide experience base enables her to offer strategically sound advice in many business sectors. While working with clients on improving profitability, Dr. Hashmi was able to experience the powerful impact that the new business model revealed in The Modern Mughal Mentality firsthand. She has written articles and or comments for The Huffington Post, Elle India, Elle, Glamour, Forbes India, Harvard Business Review, Elle UK, Harper’s Bazaar, Vogue, The Chew Show website, TNW Blog
( drafshanhashmi.com/id15.html ).
Dr. Hashmi’s popular lectures range in topics and include everything from improving profitability in the international business to international cuisine and culture. She is passionate about sharing her knowledge with others.
Dr. Hashmi had founded Global Regulatory and Business Solutions, LLC as President, and has provided operations management, business development, market entry strategies for India and Qatar, and regulatory affairs expertise.
Prior to opening her own business, she was the primary company liaison to companies located in Asia and U.S. as the consulting liaison for ToxLogic LLC, and supported companies’ business development activities by communicating orally and in writing with potential clients and providing regulatory strategic planning and advice. She has traveled internationally to support business development and to give oral presentations to diverse audiences. She has been invited as a guest faculty by a very prestigious university in India to introduce and teach U.S. Regulatory Affairs and its relation to the business of Biotechnology via online classes. Dr. Hashmi is currently working on the curriculum for this online class. Dr. Hashmi successfully collaborated with a client to gather information to support filing of a Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) application to allow the client to file for a patent in multiple countries simultaneously. Reviewed scientific portion of application used this information to then help client develop licensing agreement to distribute a new technology. She has also provided entrepreneurship training.
Dr. Hashmi earned a PhD Biochemistry from Aligarh Muslim University in Aligarh(UP) India, 1991, M.Phil Biochemistry,(a pre‐PhD requirement), 1988, M.Sc. Biochemistry,1985 and a B.S. (Honors) Chemistry,1983. She was also educated at Johns Hopkins University in Regulatory Affairs in the Zanvyl Krieger School of Arts and Sciences, Advanced Academic Programs, Department of Biotechnology. Coursework: Regulatory Processes for Domestic and Global Biotechnology Products and University of Maryland (Baltimore), School of Medicine, Department of Medical and Research Technology Categorical Course in Clinical Chemistry, 1997.
Dr.Hashmi earned a certification from American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) ‐ Technologist in Chemistry. She is also Regulatory Affairs Certified (RAC) US and has extensive experience with scientific research and publication as well as an in‐depth knowledge of regulatory requirements of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Dr. Hashmi has evaluated outsourcing opportunities for clinical trials and manufacturing, conducted scientific literature reviews, and analyzed research data, and prepared press releases and other marketing materials. Dr. Hashmi worked also as Research Associate at Human Genome Sciences, Inc., Rockville, Maryland; Medical Technologist in Rapid Response Laboratory at University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore, MD; Public Health Scientist at Maryland State Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Laboratories Administration, Baltimore, MD; Postdoctoral Fellow, Division of Physiology, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Hygiene and Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD; and as Research Assistant, University of Maryland Cancer Center, Baltimore, MD. She is also a member of The American Society for Clinical Pathology(ASCP); member of Regulatory Affairs Professionals Society( RAPS) and member of Maryland Writers’ Association(MWA).

Dr. Hashmi is a recipient of the Ibn Sina Public Health Award in recognition of her contributions in the field of Public Health Science and Entrepreneurship from the AIDS Cell of the Ibn Sînâ Academy of Medieval Medicine & Sciences, Aligarh, (UP),India. She also received an Award of Excellence by AMU Ladies Club, Aligarh, (UP), India.
On April 14, 2008, her company, Global Regulatory and Business Solutions, LLC, was awarded the Certificate of Appreciation by the County Executive,The Honorable Isiah Leggett of Montgomery County in recognition and appreciation for being one of Montgomery County’s outstanding companies chosen for visits during Business Appreciation Week. Also on April 14, 2008 another Certificate of Appreciation was presented to Dr. Afshan Naheed Hashmi’s company, Global Regulatory and Business Solutions, LLC, by the Mayor of the City of Rockville, The Honorable Susan Hoffmann and Executive Director of Rockville Economic Development, Inc., Sally Sternbach in recognition of company’s contributions to Rockville’s economy and participation in Rockville Business Appreciation Week, April 14‐18, 2008.
She was awarded a Certificate of Appreciation on March 10, 2008 by the County Executive of Montgomery County, Maryland, The Honorable Isiah Leggett, for serving as a member of Montgomery County’s November 2007 business mission to India.
She was also awarded Junior and Senior Research Fellowships by the Indian Council of Medical Research, May 1987 to November 1991. Dr. Hashmi was awarded an Aligarh Muslim University Medal for earning the First Position in the M.Sc. Biochemistry Program as well as the Science Merit Scholarship as a result of a written competitive test for the academic session 1983‐1985. A scholarship was given for the pursuit of a two‐year M.Sc. biochemistry program.

Dr. Hashmi loves to promote authors and artists, and through videoconferencing she interviews authors and artists and then shares these interviews on various social media platforms. She runs a book club on Goodreads and Twitter called Afshan Hashmi’s Online Book Club, which takes its members on an innovative, inspiring, and intellectual journey. The book club is also called Afshan’s Stylish and Glam Reading Corner, launched on 20 April 2014. In the book club she also reviews books. She has also created Hashtag #drafshanglambookclub to have a very stimulating and interactive discussion in her book club. Dr. Hashmi reviews books, movies, beauty, and make-up products on Amazon and Goodreads (books only) websites. Also she reviews books, movies, beauty, and make-up products via audio and video podcasts on her Youtube channel, internet radio and TV shows. A hashtag has been created #The Modern Mughal Mentality as well as a blog by this name, to have interactive discussions about the The Modern Mughal Mentality book online. Various other hashtags have been created to have stimulating discussions. These hashtags are #askdrafshan, #americaindiaexpert and # AMUtalk.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Name of my latest book is: The Modern Mughal Mentality-New Strategies to Succeed in India and the Global Marketplace

When I left India for the United States, my father told me that I was fulfilling my destiny and both of their dreams. He wanted his only daughter Afshan to write a book in America that would not only demonstrate her knowledge, but change the world. With tall orders to follow, I immediately embraced his dream, and imagined myself becoming the ultimate authority for American business travelers to India. For the past several years I have been working on this dream.
Today, India is a rising giant and now known to be one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. For the full fiscal year 2014/2015, the Indian government estimated that the economy would expand 7.4%. This represents a significant acceleration over the revised 6.9% increase for the fiscal year 2013/2014 previously reported: +5.8% (The Indian government revised the previous data series to reflect new methodology and a change in the base year). Thus I saw the potential and timeliness of the project. Even though my inspiration was India, I knew that my business philosophies would translate well, not only in my own consulting business to help my clients, but I began to see a correlation between the way that I had consistently applied Jugaad in my business practices and my high level of achievement. I seemed to excel at whatever I did. I believed that interpreting my business philosophies could fill a void in the current business manual market. I started to notice examples of Jugaad in all sectors in my daily live in the United States.
Finally, I decided that there should be a template for all companies to improve their bottom lines. This led me to create the Jugaad Management Principle, a new business model which can inspire “out of the box” thinking and innovative strategies to stay ahead in today’s market. As I worked on the book, I began to implement the new business model, and witnessed the transformation of many businesses.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write whenever ideas start floating in my mind. If in the middle of the night some idea comes to my mind I get up and start writing.
Yes when I write I do not take any phone calls. Take breaks in between and do things that I like to do which makes me motivated to write e.g. seeing TV shows which I like, listening to Bollywood songs, reading about fashion to name a few.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
My maternal grandfather, Prof.Abdul Aleem, my mom Mrs. Jamila Siddiqi, and my dad, Prof. A. Majid Siddiqi influenced me a lot and instilled in me the quality of communication through the medium of writing. Being the granddaughter of the renowned freedom fighter and thinker of India Prof. Abdul Aleem, Mahatma Gandhi has always inspired me. I have been raised by learning about Mahatma Gandhi, Abraham Lincoln , Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Martin Luther King Jr., Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Maulana Azad, and other renowned personalities of the world. I met Mrs. Indira Gandhi many times while growing up in India, and admired her a lot.

Authors and books that have influenced me:

Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead- by Sheryl Sandberg
Hatching Twitter: A True Story of Money, Power, Friendship, and Betrayal-by Nick Bilton
Dilip Kumar – The Substance and the Shadow : An Autobiography -by Dilip Kumar
Think and Grow Rich- by Napoleon Hill

What are you working on now?
Right now busy with the launch of my new book : The Modern Mughal Mentality-New Strategies to Succeed in India and the Global Marketplace

Also have some ideas about my next book which will be a Science-fiction:As you all know that I am a Scientist also. So my second book will be a Science fiction novel ,which I will start writing soon.

For this book I have an innovative idea. Each page of the book will be sponsored by a company or an entrepreneur to place their logo and website link at the end of the page. To discuss in more detail the price of each page please contact me via email:

afshan@drafshanhashmi.com

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I have hired a book marketing services and the company is lining up interviews for me. The book is available wherever books are sold both in print and online formats.

Most of the media coverage will start once the print format is launched in July 2015. Also I am trying on my own through some of my media contacts.

I also liked awesomegang and that is why giving interview on this website.
The reviews of the books are very good and you can read some of them at my author website.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Always do some fun things which you like to keep you motivated and focused as you move each day in your book writing projects. Never give up however much difficulties come across your path. I got lot of discouragement that I will not be able to write a book but I never got discouraged and never gave up and see today I am a published author!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Never give up and never get discouraged when others say that you cannot write.

What are you reading now?
I am reading some best sellers in business category.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I will be speaking worldwide and have joined a Speaker bureau in this regard and you can go to this website to know about the speaking programs I have developed: http://www.worldclassspeakers.biz/speaker/69/dr-afshan-hashmi

Also as I mentioned earlier I will be writing a Science fiction novel next!

Also please go to the following page to see that new program about writing I have developed:

http://www.afshanhashmi.com/do_you_want_a_book_written_about_you_andor_your_company

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 ones I mentioned above they are so good that I can read them again and again!

Author Websites and Profiles
Afshan Naheed Hashmi Website
Afshan Naheed Hashmi Amazon Profile

Afshan Naheed Hashmi’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Originating from St. Louis County, Missouri, it wasn’t until my senior year in high school at that I discovered more than a casual interest in reading chiefly because of my college-prep English class and frequent trips to a local bookstore. It was that class with an inspiring teacher and all the wonderful books he had us read and critique in class discussions and what he called written “critical comments” that lit the flame for me. I headed south with the Missouri Pacific Railroad the day after graduating to put together some money for college and packed some paperbacks and my cheap guitar to keep me company since I was now venturing out into the world on my own. The three months in Texas and Louisiana during that long, hot southern summer would yield valuable life lessons along with the hard-earned money. And, many years later, that summer would be the inspiration for my debut novel, Southern Passage.

At summer’s conclusion, I attended Central Missouri State College in Warrensburg, and after remaining there a while, enrolled at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. With a major in Sociology and several hours in Anthropology and Psychology, I graduated in 1971 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree. My interest in creative writing was nurtured during my college years; some of my poetry, along with a one act play, appeared in the school literary publication at Warrensburg. After retiring from a 33 1/2 year career I took up writing and completed my first novel, Southern Passage, a coming of age story inspired by my summer with the railroad in 1966.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Southern Passage, my debut novel, is my only published work thus far.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I seem to write in fits and spurts, usually sitting down to knock out paragraphs when the ideas strike. I’ll stay at it as long as the creative juices last for that keyboard session. I find it impossible to follow a set routine; that creative urge simply has to be there. It’s far too frustrating and a huge waste of time for me to box myself into such a way.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Although I’m a fiction writer, the authors I most frequently read are biographers and historians. I love history, particularly American, and gravitate to historical novels when I read works of fiction.

What are you working on now?
Since finishing Southern Passage, I’ve written several short stories and I’m now in the process of molding some of them into a hard science fiction novel. I’m fascinated by astronomy and cosmology and my second novel is slowly taking shape. I find myself trying to imagine the unimaginable and trying to artfully and realistically fuse facts with fiction in the novel’s multiverse storyline.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m a member of the Rave Reviews Book Club and its members do a fabulous job of promoting each other with daily blasts on Twitter. Twitter and Facebook are great sources for getting word out.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Find the courage to step out of yourself and share your story with the world. Maybe it’s easier said than done, but the satisfaction you feel from hearing from people who’ve read your work is immense and so very much worth the anxiety or hesitancy you might have about revealing your inner self to others.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Forget about what other people think, write what’s in your mind and heart!

What are you reading now?
Tom Clancy, Stephen Hawking, along with a number of historical novels.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Certainly my current objective is to complete my second novel and get it published. After that, I’ll narrow down some of the fictional themes I’ve been kicking around and then get busy with starting the third novel.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Stephen King’s The Dark Tower: A Concordance, #1

Douglas Adams’ A Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

Michael Herr’s Dispatches

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein

Author Websites and Profiles
Jim Yonker Website
Jim Yonker Amazon Profile

Jim Yonker’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
5 books some with pen names

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
A look at climate change, the facts. I wanted to educate people on what is happening with our earth today and now. I want to get people involved and save this planet

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t sleep at night sometimes

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Daniel Steel, JK Rowling, Andrew Mortein and Barbra Cartland

What are you working on now?
A Romance story

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
https://www.facebook.com/pages/My-Book-Store/1645040769045365

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Do your research and the long hours in the begining, not the end.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Do things for the long term

What are you reading now?
The Paleo Diet for beginners

What’s next for you as a writer?
More fictional 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?
Richard Branson-Screw It Lets Do It.
Gina Rhindhart by Adele Ferguson
Flowers in the attic

Author Websites and Profiles
Alex Wong Website
Alex Wong Amazon Profile