Awesome Author Interviews

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a fairly new author. I participated in the A Dozen Apologies novella, and now its sequel, The Love Boat Bachelor. In addition, my own standalone first full length novel, Imperfect Wings, was published in August 2014. It’s the first in a 5-book series.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Book 2 of the Imperfect Series is called Imperfect Trust. It’s due out in the Summer 2015. The story revolves around a young woman who specializes in computer security. Since I’m surrounded by “geeks” — my husband, son, and daughter all breathe this stuff — I thought it would be fun to take advantage of their knowledge and expertise.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’ve always heard you’re either a Pantser or a Plotter, but I tend to be a bit of a dreamer first.I envision these really crazy scenes. If I can bring them to life on paper, they stay. If not, I tuck them away for later consideration. The plotting and pantsing follow when I bridge the scenes together.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
No one tells a story better than Stephen King. No one pictures a location like James Michener, no one wrenches tears out of you like John Green, and absolutely no one can describe the rain like Dean Koontz. They’re all amazing storytellers.

One little known author stands out as my favorite though. His claim to fame comes from a very long series he wrote (until he died and someone else had to finish it for him). Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time fantasy series has it all: adventure, good vs. evil, romance, politics, war, heroes, heroines, good guys gone bad, bad guys turned good, monsters, nightmares, evil, magic, hope, despair — you name it.

What are you working on now?
Most of the plotting and some of the scenes have been completed for Book 3 of the Imperfect Series, called Imperfect Truth. Now comes the pantsing part. That’s when you sit down and lose yourself for hours at a time as the story flows through your fingers. I think this is my favorite part of the process–seeing your characters come alive through a story.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I utilize Social Media (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn) and my growing email list of interested fans. I also have a website where I post updates, and I participate in Blog interviews when and where possible.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
My mantra before being published was, “I’m still going to write, whether someone thinks enough of my work to publish it or not. It’s who I am.” My advice to new authors is know why you write, and then persevere.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Learn everything you can about your passion, and then listen to your heart.

What are you reading now?
I’m just now getting to The Hunger Games trilogy. Such a visceral, gripping story.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I want to get the rest of the Imperfect books in print because I have another batch of characters vying for attention. They can be very distracting. I find myself trying to work them into the current plot, but I don’t want that. They deserve their own story.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
First and foremost is the Bible. After that I’d choose Rebecca, Jane Eyre, and The Thorn Birds.

Author Websites and Profiles
Elizabeth Noyes Website
Elizabeth Noyes Amazon Profile

Elizabeth Noyes’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am an editor, writing coach, and author. My whose emotionally charged stories remind the reader that God is always in the details. I’ve contracted three series. Stalking Willow and Better than Revenge, Books 1 and 2 in the Amazing Grace romantic suspense series are currently available for purchase. Charisse and Libby the first two novels in her The Ties That Bind contemporary romance series have been released. I have also had the pleasure of collaborating on four romance novellas: The Christmas Three Treasure Hunt, A Ruby Christmas, A Dozen Apologies, and the newest adventure The Love Boat Bachelor. An adventurous spirit has taken me into the realm of non-fiction with The Art of Characterization: How to Use the Elements of Storytelling to Connect Readers to an Unforgettable Cast.
Storms in Serenity (release February 2015), is the first novel in the Serenity Key series.
Future releases from me will be: Everybody’s Broken and Frozen Notes, Books 3 and 4 of Amazing Grace and Hope and Delilah, Books 3 and 4 from The Ties that Bind.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Love Boat Bachelor is a multi-collaborative novella released by my publisher, Write Integrity Press. This novella sprang from last year’s A Dozen Roses, and is actually a sequel to that novella. Write Integrity Press writers are a family, and we enjoying working together. The Valentine’s novellas are known because we allow the readers to vote for their favorite hero or heroine to win the lead character. We always make the voting “blind” as we don’t want readers voting on the author but on the character. We find it so much fun to cheer each other on, and we love it when we hear that the work reads as if it was written by one individual. That is our greatest compliment.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I tend to not write for awhile. Then I sit and write until I have a work completed, critique, edited, and ready for the publisher. On occasion, I’ll get in the rhythm of a daily word count, but my life is more than hectic these days. I do what I can to get the best out of story.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
As an editor, I am constantly being influenced my new writers every day. As an author, James A. Michener intrigued me. My writing is so unlike his, but yet, get past the ancient bubbling oozing of evolution, which I do not believe in, and into the meat of the story, no one wrote better than Mr. Michener. I’m actually writing a novel similar to The Drifters, a story of lost youth within the culture of the 1960s. My novel is set in current day and centers around the world of professional surfing.

What are you working on now?
I’m currently working on the third novel in my Amazing Grace series. Everybody’s Broken. This romantic suspense novel once again takes the reader to the fictional town of Amazing Grace, North Carolina and introduces you to Abra Carmichael and Shane Browne and their families, who are all broken over the death of one man and the mystery surrounding his death. When death comes looking for Abra, she and Shane must find a way to ferret out the killer before he can take the life of anyone else they love.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I love websites that our for readers. Writers get caught up in the promotion, but often they aren’t talking to their audience. Instead, they’re talking to the same individuals (authors) who are seeking the same audience (readers), and we never get out of that circle. So websites like Awesome Gang and others who introduce readers to writers are the best.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t give up. Never give up. However, don’t work forward unless you’re in a critique group you can trust and you are continuing learning the art of story.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
When it comes to networking it is not what you can get from others but what you can give. Volunteer without thought of what you will get out of it. You’ll be wealthier in friendship and in business for the long run.

What are you reading now?
I have just finished Veiled at Midnight by Christine Lindsay, an excellent novel in an excellent series. I am in the process of reviewing my to-be-read pile as I want to find my next interviewee for my blog, Inner Source, in which I interview the author and a character about the story.

What’s next for you as a writer?
A new magazine, Imaginate, is being launched in June of this year. I hope to be a part of this innovate work that will bring reader and writers together with author interviews, writing contests, photography contests, reviews, and so much more.

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 as it is the source of all my inspiration; Michener’s The Drifters, Redeeming Love, by Francine Rivers, and the last book would have to be a “How-to” on getting off a desert island because once I’m finished re-reading the books I brought with me, I’d be desperate for more.

Author Websites and Profiles
Fay Lamb Website
Fay Lamb Amazon Profile

Fay Lamb’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
When my first novel was published in 1981, I had no idea where I was headed. Since then, I’ve published thirty-six novels, thirty-three of them with traditional publishers, but in 2008, I decided I wanted more freedom than the traditional publishers would allow and began a new phase in my life as an Independent Author.

I live and write in a small village about thirty miles upstate of NYC, and share my house with my wife, Bonnie and our dog Alfie, an apricot poodle. Our three children have ventured out into the world on their own (or so they think). Our son Zach works on the CBS show 48 Hours. Our daughter Devon, her husband Russell and my grandson Sawyer live in New Jersey where Devon teaches Special Education. Alana, our youngest daughter, is a Pastry Chef in San Francisco.

I write Science Fiction & Fantasy, Thrillers, Suspense and Mysteries.

In 2008, I published Angels In Mourning, my ‘homage’ to the old time private detective books of the 50’s and the 60’s. I used to love to sneak them from my parents’ night-tables and read them as a young boy. Angels, is a modern day take on the old style hardboiled detective. In April of that year, Angels In Mourning won the Amazon.com Book of the Month Reader’s Choice Award.

My Medieval Fantasy, Queen Of Knights, reached #2 on the amazon.com bestseller lists for historical fantasy and medieval fantasy, and my sci-fi of parallel worlds, The Others, received wide acclaim.

I am currently working on the third volume of the Tales of Nevaeh. Volume II will be out in the late spring.

My novels have been translated into 11 languages and published in 15 countries.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Born To Magic, Tales Of Nevaeh, Volume I. Released Date 2/15/15

Born To Magic, came form the terrible situation the world faces today from the various terrorist organizations. When I started this novel (began to put down ideas) two years ago, the terrorists were just terrorists, today, they are banding together. This is what I had seen back then, and Born To Magic grew out of the question, what would happen to our future if the terrorists began a world war using nuclear weapons.

Born To Magic, takes place 3000 years after the terrorists did just that.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
No, it might make a good story, but I simply get up, have some breakfast and go to work. I do have a process, which is to write in the mornings, than after lunch, edit what I’ve written. The next morning I go over the work I did the day before, and continue on. I am a contributor for the book, The LIfeboat: Surviving The Writer’s Life, in which six authors describe their processes, their life and what is necessary to do to survive as a writer.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
My reading has always been a polyglot mixture and to list it all is more than will fit here. Edgar Rice Burroughs, Andre Norton, Sidney Sheldon, Yerby, Asimov, King, Costain, Bradberry, Ludlum, Spillane, Heinlein, Van Vogt, Bester, etc…

What are you working on now?
Volume III of Tales Of Nevaeh. Volume II, The Dark Masters is in the editorial process.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I don;t have a handle on the very “best”, but am working on that.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write, don;t be distracted by others. Don;t give your work to family members until its finished and you have a few ‘outside’ opinions. Family members will either LOVE IT, or won;t say anything other than “interesting”. Find a writer group where you can show your work and read others. Both help tremendously.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
There were two instances: The first was in a writing course at The New School in NYC. The professor sent back a chapter I was working on and said, ‘Don’t bother, you can’t write’. This naturally pissed me off and I sold my first book to a publisher 7 months later.

The second was from Andre Norton, who told me to just stick with it.

What are you reading now?
I’m about to start reading a new book by a writer friend of mine, Lisa Verge-Higgins title, ‘Senseless Acts Of Beauty’

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’ve been talking to my co-writer about a sequel to “The Cured”. Terese Daly Ramin and I wrote The Cured, in 2013 and two of the characters have good ‘legs’ and we are working out an outline for another 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?
Heinlein’s, Stranger In A Strange Land, An Asimov book or possibly trilogy, Ludlum’s The Chancellor Manuscript, and at least one great PI mystery.

Author Websites and Profiles
David` Wind Website
David` Wind Amazon Profile

David` Wind’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have written three books. One is a collection of funny essays and stories from my blog, and two are part of my Beach Haven Series of romance novels.

The Beach Haven books are all set in the same small town of Beach Haven, Michigan, which is based on the town where I grew up. Each book can stand on its own, although readers will recognize some of the characters from book to book.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
His Heart Aflame was inspired by my experiences as the wife of a volunteer firefighter. I wanted to cover a little bit about what it’s like to love someone who risks his life at the job, but I also wanted to touch on some of the crazy behind-the-scenes camaraderie that goes on between the firefighters. Besides, let’s face it — firefighters are just plain sexy!

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Sometimes, inspiration strikes at really strange times, and I’ll write in marathon stretches that can go on all night long. Other times, I might wake up at two or three in the morning and write for a couple of hours while the ideas are fresh.

Most of the time, though, I try to write a set number of hours every day, just to fight off the urge to procrastinate.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I love authors who write with a sense of humor. Mark Twain, Kurt Vonnegut, and Douglas Adams are three of my favorites. I also really enjoy Debbie Macomber, Nancy Gideon, and Janet Evanovich.

What are you working on now?
I am working on the third book in my Beach Haven Series, tentatively called “Their Love Rekindled.” It’s got a couple of characters who were mentioned in my first book, but they weren’t really important before now.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m still new at learning to promote, but I feel that I reach out to the most people through my blog, A Goode One. I don’t always talk about my books or my writing, but I try to talk about a lot of different topics so that readers can get to know me.

I also use my blog to promote other authors because I believe in Karma. If I help promote others, they’ll help promote me. Besides, it’s just the right thing to do.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Be nice to other authors because we’re all in this together.

Never argue with your reviewers.

Just keep writing. Even if you think it’s bad at first, you can always fix it later. Just keep writing.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
If something seems too good to be true, it probably is.

What are you reading now?
I am trying very hard to read “Lucky” by Alice Sebold. It’s an excellent book, but very uncomfortable to read because of the subject matter. I have to keep taking a lot of breaks.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’d like to keep the Beach Haven series going for a few more books, but I’m also playing with the idea of a mystery novel for Young Adult readers. It’s an idea that’s been lurking in my imagination for a long time, and I’m eventually going to have to sit down and write it.

Other than that, I just hope to keep learning, keep growing as a writer, keep getting better and better with each book. And, of course, I want to keep having as much fun with it as I am right now.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
I would take Anna Karennina because I have never been able to finish that book and a desert island would finally force me to do so.

I would take Celia Garth by Gwen Bristow because that’s always been one of my favorite books.

I would want a couple of those huge Norton Anthologies from my college days as an English Major, because those were always jam-packed with material to read.

Author Websites and Profiles
A.J. Goode Website
A.J. Goode Amazon Profile

A.J. Goode’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I grew up in a small town in Michigan, called Manistee and entered the military after high school. I’m a graduate of the United States Naval Academy with a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering and I hold a Masters in Business Administration and have published 12 books, with 3 different series of children’s books, to include science fiction, fantasy, conservation, and the deployment genres. I published my first children’s story in 2004 and my writing style has been inspired by my military service. Through my writing I try to address a variety of life issues for young readers. I married a French woman, who later became a U.S. Citizen and we have a son, Luke, and daughter, Emilie.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My Invisible Friend Did It! is my latest book. My daughter, who sometimes blames her brother for things she leaves out around the house, inspired the story.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Nothing unusual. I use outlines and divide my time up for writing and advertizing. I like schedules that keep me on track, by setting goals, etc.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Gary Paulsen has been the biggest influence on my writing style; however, J.K. Rowling, and Ernest Hemingway are also a big part. I read all kinds of books, and I enjoy both first and third person point of views.

What are you working on now?
I’m currently working on Joe Devlin At The Enemy’s Hand, the fourth book of the Space Academy Series, along with three picture books, What Will I Play While You Are Away (edition 3), Sneezy Jeff Maroon: I’m Going to Sneeze, and Boy Does Wildlife Fly!

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
The best method has been using Amazon Kindle free days. It’s the best exposure for a new author to get your book out to readers fast.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
My best advice is to write, write, and write. Divide your time to allow writing first for each day, followed by advertizing last. Don’t limit yourself to just one story. If you have a new plot, write it down for later.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best advice was to write and not worry about publishing. That means don’t write with the idea of publishing the first thing you finish. There’s a lot to learn, sentence structure, etc.

What are you reading now?
I’m reading Star War, Riptide.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I plan to finish the Joe Devlin, Space Academy Series in the next couple of years, before publishing a spy 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?
I would take three books with me, The Catcher in the Rye, The last Star Wars book ever written, and The Great Gatsby.

Author Websites and Profiles
James Thomas Website
James Thomas Amazon Profile

James Thomas’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I was born in Edmonton, London in 1951 and spent several of my formative years living in Cornwall where I developed a lifelong love of nature and the rural way of life. I began writing in my early teens and a good deal of my short romantic fiction has been published in various national periodicals including “Secrets”, “Red Letter” and “The people’s Friend”.
Never one to let the necessity of earning a living get in the way of my writing, I have continued to write whilst holding down a succession of jobs including Health Food Shop Manager, Typewriter Mechanic and Taxidermist – yes, you read that correctly.
Over the years I’ve experimented with a variety of styles and genres, finally settling on historical fiction. With historical fiction you have a solid framework of known events, but it’s within that framework that you can conjure a very particular kind of magic, create a ” spirit of place” and give your reader a “sense of being there”, all of which I feel I’ve achieved with my debut novel.
I’m single and live and write in Hertfordshire.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The title of my novel is “Dance the Moon Down”. It’s set against the background of the First World War and is about Victoria, a young woman, newly married, whose husband, Gerald, volunteers to fight and then goes missing in France. Her struggle to survive whilst trying to discover what has become of him lead her into many difficult, and often dangerous, situations. Finally she is forced to find work as a labourer on a run down farm, where she discovers an unimaginable world of ignorance and poverty.
With this book I’ve attempted a new slant on an old theme. A huge amount has been written about the men, and even the animals, that fought in the Great War, but very little has ever been done about the women who were left behind to fend for themselves.
I read an article in “The Nation” for June 1914, written by John Galsworthy, the author of “The Forsyte Saga”. Basically it was a critique of the younger generation of whom he wrote “had been born to dance the moon down to ragtime” With the benefit of hindsight we now know that they infact fought the bloodiest conflict of the twentieth century and payed a terrible price.
It was whilst researching in this period that I came across the letters and diaries of some women who had lived through the trauma of the Great War. What I read in them inspired me to write my debut novel “Dance the Moon Down”.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I always write the first draught of my manuscript in longhand, It’s quicker that way. I prefer to write at night, usually from 11pm to 3 am, it’s quiter then and I can hear myself think.
I’m fuelled entirelly by black tea, which I drink from a pint mug. I usually manage about eight pints a night.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Herman Melville, Ernest Hemmingway and Henry James to name but a few.

What are you working on now?
It’s a new novel set against the background of the American Civil War. Again I’m attempting a new slant on an old theme. This one also has a female central character, but that all I’m saying for now.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Contacting book review blogs. It’s hard work and can take a long time, but it’s well worth it. I’ve had some great reviews, been awarded book of the month, as well as making a lot of new friends.
In the main the book blogging community are a fantastic group of enthusiastic and dedicated people. Considering the amount of time and effort they put in to promoting other people’s books for free, I think they deserve a standing ovation.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write for the sheer love of it. Never give up, even in the face of the worst disapointment and, above all, believe in yourself and your work.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
No matter how old you are, or where you live, or what’s happening in your life-follow your dream.

What are you reading now?
“The Heart Of Darkness” by Joeseph Conrad. It’s been out for a while, but I always promised myself I’d read it. So far it’s great.

What’s next for you as a writer?
At the moment I’m researching for my new novel. I believe in getting my facts right, particularly for historical fiction. Then again, I’m a firm advocate of “Never let a fact get in the way of a good story”

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
The complete works of Shakespeare, I’ll have plenty of time to read it. The Bible, same reason, and something by Ray Mears, he writes about self survival, makes sense doesn’t it.

Author Websites and Profiles
Robert Bartram Amazon Profile

Robert Bartram’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am an English teacher living in Asia. Always interested in writing, even from an early age. The recent changes in how people get their reading material (mainly the success of the Amazon Kindle and their publishing platform) made me realize now was the time to get the stories in my head out and onto paper. Or pixels.
The Fixer series is the first fiction book I have written. I have also written a few textbooks for ESL classrooms. Mostly stuff that I used myself and no other teachers deemed worthy enough to use. Ok, only that. But still, looked good on the resume.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Latest book is The Fixer, Season 1. I’ve always been a fan of hitman movies and books. But the idea of a cold-blooded killer with no soul, the psychopath with no remorse, isn’t very interesting to me. I’m more interested in the guy who is not uncomfortable with killing, but views it as a necessity of his job, not as the end of the journey. So I took that idea, melded it with another concept I’ve always enjoyed – that of the good man caught in difficult circumstances but trying to do the right thing. Came up with a freelance assassin, a fixer, who may have had some dark times behind him that led him to the path he is on, but is trying to get out of the darkness and into the light. Not in the “one more job and then out” vein, but someone who stays in the field, trying to find better ways of doing things than just following orders and killing whomever they are told to kill.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Incessant procrastination followed by bouts of virulent self-loathing? That’s the biggest one.
Actually, between teaching, another family business I run with my wife, and trying to raise our daughter, the only real habit I have is doing what I can to wedge writing time into my day. Staying up until 4 in the morning or other times waking up at 5 to squeeze some in some keyboard time. Not on the same day, though.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Dozens. Hundreds. Jack Kerouac’s On the Road is always the first one that pops into my mind, although I haven’t read it in years. Been reading a lot of contemporary thriller and suspense novels. Lee Child. LT Ryan. Mark Dawson. Baldacci, Patterson, Flynn, Connelly.
I’m also equally influenced by movies and TV shows. Scorsese, Bryan Singer, Tarantino. Freakin’ Mamet. Walking Dead, Justified, Suits. Really interested in the kind of mentor/mentee relationship and how it is represented in film and TV.

What are you working on now?
Working on a standalone origin story for one of the characters in The Fixer, Season 1. It’s about how the character came to be a hitman for hire. His journey into the dangerous world of the hired killer and how he finds his way. Not so much how he takes the steps of his first kill, because he’s already killed in the Army. More how he navigates the new world he is in, tries to avoid the pitfalls and traps without becoming to beholden to one person/organization or another.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Best website? Awesome Gang, of course.
Shameless, right? I’ve had mixed success with several promotion services. Little luck with twitter or facebook so far.
Best methods? Word of mouth.
Mailing list, mailing list, mailing list.
Oh, and a mailing list.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Other than a mailing list?
Get your own website. Self hosted. Purchase your domain yourself.
Write. Forget all the other crap and just write. Find a way to get yourself up to 2,000 word every day. Or more.
A good editor is worth their weight in gold. Look around. Your editor works for you. Interview and try them out before you hire them. Don’t be afraid to fire them either if they’re not pulling their weight. And learn to self-edit so you can save them time and yourself money. Much better for them to be focusing on making your story better instead of fixing your incessant grammar mistakes.
Don’t try to make your work perfect. Make it good. Great. Awesome. But at the end, you have to press “publish.”

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
#1
One day coming home from work, I was complaining to myself about how much harder I had to work than the other people I knew because I was working 12 hour days then coming home and trying to write. Suddenly Gene Hackman’s voice popped into my head and said…

“If you have to work twice as hard as everyone else, then go***mmit work twice as hard as everyone else!”

Why Gene Hackman? No idea. But it stuck with me. And whenever I start to slack, I replay it like an old message on an answering machine. Never fails to make me work harder.

#2
The sage words of advice from a successful writer I contacted early in my self-publishing venture. I asked him what was the one thing he would advise me to do. He said, “Other than choose a different career? Sit your ass down and write. That will overcome all problems in this job.”

#3
“Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; un-rewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.”
Calvin Coolidge,

What are you reading now?
Other than my own work, looking for mistakes?
Connelly, Blake, Ryan, Milton. Old Patterson books I pick up used.
I want to re-read some books. Romance of the Three Kingdoms (historical novel set in China, not a romantic book). James Mills, The Underground Empire. Perhaps my most guilty, embarrassing books – Noble House and Shogun by James Clavell.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Up my production. I have lots of plans for books, but nothing happens until I sit down and write day in and day out. I’ve got two spinoff origin stories planned. Then Season 2. Then another standalone novel. Then Season 3. Then perhaps another standalone novel in the series. Shooting to get all that done this year. Hopefully I can. Should make a dent 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?
The Count of Monte Cristo for the blueprint to bring vengeance on the bastards who stuck me there.
Machiavelli’s The Prince, for guidance.
Overstory: Zero to remind me of the home I’ll never return to.
And the biggest damn book I can find to use as a firestarter.

Author Websites and Profiles
Rex Carpenter Website
Rex Carpenter Amazon Profile

Rex Carpenter’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I write women’s fiction and romance, with and without paranormal elements. I also write nonfiction under the name Frances Susanne Brown, and my memoir, Maternal Threads, is due out later this year from High Hill Press.

I’ve written four books – the memoir, two romances, and a women’s fiction, The Phoenix Syndrome, which recently won 1st place in FCRWA’s The Beacon Contest. The other three books are all under contract.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Phantom Traces is coming out as an eBook on 02.19.15 from Soul Mate Publishing. It is a romance with a ghostly twist set in an old library. I love libraries, and I love a good ghost story, so I thought I’d write one.

The trailer says it all and can be viewed here: http://bit.ly/1EIj4IY

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Since I still work full-time, writing has to happen after hours – or usually before. I’m an early riser, a morning person, and will often be found pounding out 1000 words or so on my keyboard before most the of the world even wakes up.

My office, where I do 99% of my writing, is eclectic and reflects my quirky interests, with decor inspired by history, hauntings, and the unexplained.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
In this genre, Suzanna Kearsley is my main inspiration. “A Winter Sea,” first released as “Sophia’s Secret,” is in my Audible library and I’ve listened to it at least three times. Her RITA winner, “The Firebird,” is another.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on another romance/ghost story called “Electricity.” It’s set in an abandoned asylum, and the characters are electricians who are rehabbing the building. In writing some of the scenes, late at night in my office, I’ve actually scared myself!

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I am the odd author who loves marketing, but since this is my debut novel, I guess I’ll have to see which avenue is the most effective to boost sales. I’m a daily Twitter addict with over 12K followers. I also do Facebook, Pinterest, and Goodreads. I’m hoping Awesomegang joins the list of best promotion website!

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t give up. First step: Keep writing until you get to The End. Then revise, revise, revise. Join critique groups – my online crit group had such a big part in getting my manuscript ready for that first contract offer. And remember, until you’ve papered one wall with rejection slips, you’re not really trying hard enough.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Make sure you do your research. I’ve read two books lately where the characters watch “a gorgeous sunset, the sun sinking into the ocean.” One was set in Maine, the other in Massachusetts. Geographically impossible.

What are you reading now?
I just finished “Be Buried in the Rain” by the late Barbara Michaels. Classic ghost story!

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m seeking agent representation for my women’s fiction, The Phoenix Syndrome. After finishing “Electricity,” I will begin work on the next in my contemporary romance series, The Lake George Series. The first book, “A Taming Season,” is coming soon from Lachesis Publishing.

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?
Suzanna Kearsley’s “The Winter Sea”
Cathy Yardley’s “Rock Your Plot”
Anything by Kristan Higgins
A journal with empty pages, and a mechanical pencil (or 6)

Author Websites and Profiles
Claire Gem Website

Claire Gem’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m currently living on a 1920’s Dutch Barge in France.

I’m originally from the UK, but moved to Australia in my twenties. I grew up with horses in the Uk until my world was shattered with a with a bereavement. Disillusioned with life I ran away to Australia and met and married Noel.

Noel and I bought a ten metre sail boat. So, within my first year of living in a foreign land I was becoming accustomed to a foreign husband and a foreign life on board!

Mariah II took us around the world. Pyewacket II (our second boat, purchased in San Francisco) took us across the Pacific Ocean for a second time on a more southerly route. Adventures include The Great Loop in the USA plus Canada’s Great Lakes and the French Canals.

I went on to becoming a qualified mariner – Certificate IV in Maritime (Master 4 – up to 80 metre vessels) and MED3 (Marine Engine Driver) certificate.

As a commercial skipper, I’ve worked internationally, I’ve been a Marine Rescue skipper, and I teach commercial and recreational maritime.

With Noel, I wrote a pilot book (in America) and Cruisers’ AA (accumulated acumen). I have also written several hundred magazine articles worldwide.

At the end of last year (2014) I published my story, Of Foreign Build – From Corporate Girl To Sea-Gypsy Woman. A story of love, adventure, redemption, travel and figuring out who I am! My 5* reviews call the story, “moving”, “rousing”, “stimulating”, “unconventional”, ‘inspiriting”, “resolute.”

My next project, which I plan to launch in May is the story of five horses, two people and a tent. For several months Noel and I trekked along the Bicentennial National Trail in Australia, with five rescued horses. We had no support. Fifty percent of the proceeds from this book will be donated to help rescue more horses.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Of Foreign Build – From Corporate Girl to Sea-Gypsy Woman. my nine year journey around the world on a ten metre boat – figuring out who I am and trying to find happiness.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I need quiet when I write and once I get going, I write for hours and get a numb bum! My first draft is rattled off really quickly, then I spend months and months and months editing.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Dick Francis, Ken Follet, and Albert Facey who wrote A Fortunate Life. Facey wrote about his extraordinary life as an ordinary person – that’s inspiring!

What are you working on now?
As about – A Standard Journey – Noel and I rescued five Standardbred horses in Australia. They were all ex-trotters, injured or no longer winning money, they were all under ten and if they didn’t find new homes… their future didn’t look good.

We lived with these horses twenty-four-seven for several months on the Bicentennial National Trail, without support. The horses were incredible – Noel and I were not. The story is heart-warming and hysterical. Living with horses and relying on each other is an amazing experience with many surprises!

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Keep at it! Before, during and after launch marketing will take ALL your time (well it did for me). Now, I keep the marketing simmering. Most days I will do something positive, whether it is a tweet, a blog, an interview, or answering questions. I help other authors too about 80% of the time and promote my books about 20% of the time – in the hope I receive reciprocating help – on the whole I do. As many authors find out, it is a lot of hard work writing and publishing a book, but the real work starts once you’ve written it!

I do lots of giveaways and promotions, you need to get your book in front of people.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
If you want to do it – just do it. A few sentences adds up really quickly, just keep plugging away. It is hard work though, but incredibly rewarding. When you can’t write (ie you need a break), research – this work still help you. There is a lot to learn whether you are traditionally published or Indie, I learn something knew everyday. It’s a job and a business – if you want to do it as a hobby, that is great too, but unless you are very lucky, not many people will see your book. If you want to make sales – treat it as a business. Join discussion groups for authors – don’t just promote your work, there is so much help and support, eventually you will be helping others!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Just write!

What are you reading now?
Mistake Creek by Rachel Amphlett. Rachel is a bestselling author and we help each other a lot. I am currently beta reading for her (edits prior to sending her work to a professional editor). She’ll have a group of us reading. I’ve only read the first chapter and it grabbed me by the throat already! I read to 1 am and I’m tired now!

What’s next for you as a writer?
A few more manuals, barge/boat handling manual and maybe the story of our two years on board our second boat when we sailed to Pitcairn and Easter Island. We almost lost the boat, and it was a hard journey. After that, I’d like to try fiction, I have so many ideas already.

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?
Anything by Ken Follet, Dick Francis and hmmmm will have to think about that, probably an encyclopedia – need to think ‘big’!

Author Websites and Profiles
Jackie Parry Website
Jackie Parry Amazon Profile

Jackie Parry’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Lets see, I’m 38, married, no kids, 2 cats. I’m a co-owner of a beauty business with my brother, I’m an animal lover, vegetarian and Agnostic. I’m an author and I have 3 books written, two previously published and two books to be re-published in 2015. I have lots of hobbies including, writing, reading, gaming, D&D, Pilates, martial arts, movies, walking and travel.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Hmm, I guess I’ll tell you about the book I’m working on now which is “The Newfoundland Vampire Book IV: War of the Fangs” that title may change. It makes more sense to tell you what inspired the first book and the series. This probably sounds egotistical but I was inspired by myself and my own fantasies to write book I. I’ve loved vampires for about 25 years and I just found myself imagining one day what it would like to be one and what decisions I would make. Basically how would a geeky guy cope with suddenly becoming a vampire? The rest came from lots of different sources, a love of Newfoundland history, my obsession with popular culture and many things geeky and of course Anne Rice, Bram Stoker and Stephen King.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t think so. I like to write generally in the morning and near somewhere where I can look out a window. I also have to do an outline for a book and stay at least 2-3 chapters ahead.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
As I mentioned above certainly Stephen King, Anne Rice and Bram Stoker. Also though I would say Ernest Hemingway, Richard Matheson and Robert Jordan.

What are you working on now?
Right now I’m working on Book IV of my vampire series, tentatively called “War of the Fangs.” It may or may not be the conclusion of the series, it is certainly a major climax of events that have been building for all 4 books.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
That’s always a tough one. While I think Twitter can be useful in spreading the word about an author and their writing, it’s hard to say how much it really works in promoting. I tend to use it a lot but I find my biggest sales and most fun always happen in person at conventions (well most of the time anyway).

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I’d tell any new author to have realistic expectations about profit, don’t quit your day job. Aside from that write what you enjoy, get lots of help with editing and be careful about choosing a publisher (if you go that route). Finally I’d also say while writing is very rewarding you need to develop a thick skin and be prepared to have your work torn apart both online and in person.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Another author (from here in Newfoundland no less) told me something simple that stuck with me. perseverance rewards talent. So the best thing you can do is keep trying, if you love to write never give up and someday you’ll write something you can be proud of and have the chance to share it with others.

What are you reading now?
Right now I’m reading “He is Legend” which is a collection of short-stories all inspired by the writer Richard Matheson.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Well this year the re-release of my first two books, then in 2016 books III and IV. I try to do 3 conventions a year and they’re always great (I sell and give a writing talk usually at a con). I’m hoping at some point in the next year or so that my first book is turned into a TV show/movie or play, I know it’s a long shot but I do have some connections that I hope pan 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?
I’m going to include a comic book because I love those too. Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley, Return of the Dark Knight by Frank Miller (Graphic novel), I am Legend by Richard Matheson and the collected edition of The Dark Tower by Stephen King (first 5 books are amazing, 6 and 7 not so much).

Author Websites and Profiles
Charles O’Keefe Website
Charles O’Keefe Amazon Profile
Charles O’Keefe Author Profile on Smashwords

Charles O’Keefe’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have four published books, and another two coming out soon. I began my writing career as early as the age of fourteen. At fifteen I was already a published author. I was born in Iran from Armenian origin. I began life thinking I would become a musician, but turned out to be an author, and I love it!

My motto in life is that nothing is impossible. Indeed, once you set your mind on accomplishing a task, you should never give up until you achieve your purpose. I also believe in miracles, as seem in my book, “The Apple Tree Blossoms in the Fall” – which is evident from the title of the book. In my novels, I like to share with the reader my international experiences, as well as include characteristics of different cultures.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book which will be published within three months, is called, “Looking For Georges Bizet on Planet Heaven.” What inspired me to write this book was my love for Opera Carmen, composed by the above eighteenth-century French composer. When Bizet performed Carmen for the first time in Paris, the next day critics destroyed his work in the Parisian newspapers. The musician died heart-broken at the early age of thirty-six. Ironically, immediately after his death, Georges Bizet became popular and loved for his Carmen Opera. I have always wondered how Bizet would feel if he were to find out about his post mortem fame.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I mostly like to write when I am on vacation. Also, very early in the morning when my mind is fresh and bubbling with creative ideas.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
For my creative memoire, “The Apple Tree Blossoms in the Fall,” I was influenced by Jeanette Walls’ autobiography, “The Glass Castle.” If you haven’t read this book yet, I highly recommend it. It is one of my favorite reads.

What are you working on now?
I just finished writing my manuscript, “Looking for Georges Bizet on Planet Heaven,” and “The Adventures of Little Acorn, ” which is a children’s story book, and haven’t had a chance to think about a new project.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I find that the best way to promote my books is through word of mouth and different sites on the internet, namely: the Goodreads giveaways, on line radio interviews, local libraries, and local TV station interviews.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Once you have completed writing your book, don’t think you are done. I suggest that you put it aside for a while, and then go back to it and read your manuscript with critical eyes. That’s when you’ll come across errors and imperfections in your work. Writing a perfect book is all about rewriting until you are fully satisfied.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best advice I got was , as a writer, one should not get crushed when one receives rejections from agents and publishers. Rejections are common. Even the most well-known authors got many, before they were published. Therefore, we should believe in ourselves and remember that we are special and that we can achieve becoming a known author if we continue believing in ourselves.

What are you reading now?
I just finished reading Stephen King’s “Revival.” Contrary to critics’ claims, I did not find the book to be a masterpiece. I am now Reading Jane Austen’s collection of: Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park and Persuasion.

What’s next for you as a writer?
All these years that I have been busy writing, I have given little time to really get my name out among the readers. Now, I would very much like to seriously work on promoting my books; which while being entertaining and adventurous, are also cultural and informative

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 Help. One Thousand White Women, Of Mice and Men, and The Glass Castle

Author Websites and Profiles
Armineh Ohanian Website
Armineh Ohanian Amazon Profile

Armineh Ohanian’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve led a strange life. Or so they tell me. Various careers. Various loves. Various parts of the world I’ve called home. Something of a gypsy, you might say. But I don’t regret a moment. Those experiences led me to where I am now and made me what I am today…mysterious, exotic, complex. It was a desire to share what I’ve learned along the way that triggered me to put pen to paper and write stories that explore humanity’s most primal desires. As of the date I’m composing this, I’ve authored more than a half-dozen published books, all released or soon to be released.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
“Escapades of an Erotic Spy” is my latest book. It’s a sexy, historical, romance adventure featuring an exotic femme fatale working behind the lines for the Allies during World War I. The inspiration came from, both, the centennial anniversary of WWI and my admiration for the ladies who have put their own personal safety at risk in order to aid their nation’s war efforts by serving as undercover intelligence people. Most war stories are about the activities of men. This book tells a story of a woman at war.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
You mean like writing in the nude?… Well, yeah, sometimes I do. It’s quite liberating actually, and I can always tell when a steamy passage I’m writing is really working because, well, uh… But, seriously, when I’m writing I do like to listen to music that I consider appropriate to the mood, characters, or time period in the story. It helps put me in the right frame of mind.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Finding an old hidden copy of Philip Roth’s “Portnoy’s Complaint” in my parents’ house when I was just 18 seriously changed my life. Up till then, I didn’t know people were allowed to write such things in books. The chapter title that flagrantly uses the “C” word was most inspiring. By contemporary standards, the book is probably considered relatively tame today, but it opened up a whole new world to me at an impressionable age.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on further volumes of my published series, “100 Women.” It’s a sexy, funny romp featuring short vignettes tied together by a common theme: science in the name of women’s sensual pleasure.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I use all the online methods I can find. Twitter, Facebook, blogging. You just never know where your audience might be trolling.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
If you’ve got the compulsion to do it, then just write and don’t worry about what others will say or think about your finished product. You have a unique voice that must find its audience. That can’t happen if you don’t persevere.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“Only he is an emancipated thinker who is not afraid to write foolish things.” — Chekhov

What are you reading now?
I’m reading a biography about Josephine Baker, the sensation of Paris in the 1920s.

What’s next for you as a writer?
My plan is to write more books about the further adventures of my exotic heroine from “Escapades of an Erotic Spy.” I also plan to write more short, sexy stories designed to stimulate, titillate, and amuse adults who, like me, have a playful spirit.

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 first would be a book about how to build a boat if stranded on a desert island. Then, after I’d read that, I probably wouldn’t devote much time to reading…just boat building. But, if there was some reading time available, I’d want to have a book of stories that would amuse and stimulate the mind (such as the complete Sherlock Holmes series), a book to stir the senses (such as a collection of the world’s great poetry), and a book to provide inspiration (such as a biography of Abraham Lincoln).

Author Websites and Profiles
Lexington Manheim Website
Lexington Manheim Amazon Profile
Lexington Manheim Author Profile on Smashwords

Lexington Manheim’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Something like “tell us about yourself” is not a phrase I particularly enjoy. It’s one of the hardest things to do, even more so than writing an entire book on occasion. However, I’ll take a crack at it. Off the top of my head, I’d say I’m pretty free-spirited. An open mind helps us absorb so much more from our surroundings. I’m a soon-to-be engineer, held together by realms of fantasies. That sums it up, yes, short and sweet. I’ve written a lot of books, more than I can count, prototypes, stories that didn’t fully come together, and then some. ‘Tempestatem’ is the first to hit the shelves. There was another, a couple years ago, but considering it was self-published, I don’t think it counts.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Tempestatem. Many things inspired it actually. It started as an idea, brewing into something magnificent. It’s a proud moment. Vague whispers drove the words out of my mind and it was a period where I was more than just another person. One can never really pinpoint, but I think it was a story asking to be written. I hope to have done it some justice.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I like to take long showers when I’m stumped. For some reason, it helps me figure a way around something tricky.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
For a one off, I’d say Michael Crichton’s Jurassic Park. Jeffery Archer and Agatha Christie comes to mind, especially the latter. I may have read forty or so books penned by her. Funnily enough, I’ve always been hesitant about fantasies, the genre my book belongs to. I’m rather impressionable at times, and there’s nothing better than unveiling your own brand of fantasy.

What are you working on now?
A prequel to the Tempestatem. I’m going to explore ten generations into the past.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Nothing comes to mind. Word of mouth is ideal in most cases. That’s how I often find books. I think social media is a good platform to reach a wider audience faster though. A lot of websites make it very easy to spread the word, but all the more harder for its authenticity to shine. It’s a double-edged blade since anyone can do it, so a little word of mouth in combination with social media works wonders.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
A fresh idea gives people a wave of inspiration. People ride that wave with pride, but when it dies, more often than not, the characters feel old. New characters, maybe even a new story comes to mind. Don’t give up on those old characters; stick by them and do them justice.

Other than that, I think an author’s job is the creation of a world. His characters are his babies, but their actions are not something one can control. Any plot in the book must be overcome with character consistency. Become a chronicler for those heroes.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“Thy who knocks shall get.” I’m not entirely sure I got that right.

What are you reading now?
Jeffery Archer’s ‘Be careful what you wish for.’

What’s next for you as a writer?
Finish my prequel. I’ve never been one to dream small. I’ll reach the world, go all the way, and maybe, just maybe, join the elite few I’ve so often admired as a child. I may sound like I’m building castles in the air, but I suppose that’s what it takes to be a writer. Building castles in the air is what I want to do for a living.

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’ve been advised to try Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time. So I’d probably get the entire collection.

Nishant Muralidharan’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My name is Lachesha. I write Fantasy fiction. I have one book published with two others on the way.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My most recent book is called Survyve (Daylight’s Doom). The motivation for this story, originated from years of various, odd dreams. I see things a bit differently than most, but my huge imagination makes stories.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I love noise and can’t write without it. I play instrumental music while writing. If it is too quiet, I can’t think.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I love Stephen King and Anne Rice. They are the reason I decided to write books.

What are you working on now?
I am working on the remake of my very first book, Vilmo’s Wrath and another called, Time’s Fury, both of which are part of the Deglon Blood series.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I have spent day after day, posting flyers, handing out postcards, and I do lots of mail marketing.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t give up. No matter what keep writing.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
My grandmother always told me, you can only fail when you stop trying.

What are you reading now?
Not currently reading any books.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I plan to keep writing what ever comes into my head. I love writing too much to stop, so why not keep going.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
The Notebook, Hannibal, The Stand, The Witching Hour

Author Websites and Profiles
Lachesha W.B. Website
Lachesha W.B. Amazon Profile

Lachesha W.B.’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a Chicago girl who ran off to Hollywood to pursue a screenwriting dream! I have a dog named after a piece of candy (Licorice), was once hit by a tree (seriously), and wear hot pink sunglasses (why not?). Between working in production on television shows like Austin & Ally, Hannah Montana, and That’s So Raven and playing with my super cute baby twin girls, I write books! Make sure to check out my young adult murder mystery, horror, paranormal romance, and chick lit novels as well as my new adult romantic comedy books. My young adult books include: Adventures in Funeral Crashing (#1), Adventures of a Graveyard Girl (#2), Adventures in Murder Chasing(#3), Adventures of a New Year’s Kiss (#3.5), Adventures in Homicide and Heartbreak (#4), The New Girl Who Found a Dead Body, Doppelganger (#1), Doppelganger 2: On the Run (#2), Connected (A Paranormal Romance), and more! My new adult books include: Crashing Prom.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest release is actually a short story from my Funeral Crashing series. The collection is called Losing It: A Collection of V-Cards, which is a YA/NA crossover with 22 other authors sharing our characters’ first time. Mine is a sweet romantic scene about Kait, the weird girl, and her crush, the most popular guy in school, Ethan Ripley. My last full length novel is called Crashing Prom and it’s a new adult romantic comedy. It’s about a girl whose fiance breaks up with her. Her friends decide to take her on a cross country trip to the prom so that she can start over with no regrets. It was inspired by my own break-up with a past boyfriend, so I wanted to write a getting over a break-up story.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I must write while drinking coffee!!! Then again, I might just love coffee.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I have always been a reader so I have so many influences. Some of the big ones are: Meg Cabot, Sophie Kinsella, The Nancy Drew mysteries, RL Stine, Christopher Pike, Richie Tankersley Cussick, and Stephen King. I’m also heavily influenced by television shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Roswell, Hart of Dixie, Fringe, The X-Files, kdramas, and more!

What are you working on now?
Right now I’m working on Adventures in Homicide and Heartbreak which is the fourth book in my Funeral Crashing series. It’s a YA romantic mystery. The inspiration behind my Funeral Crashing series was a conversation that I had with my mom after a funeral about professional mourners. My brain immediately went – what if a high school girl was a professional mourner? Then I wrote it for thea 3 Day Novel Contest and my brain went….and what if she solves mysteries…with the hottest guy in school? Thus, the Funeral Crashing series was born!

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Advertising works best to promote books. I also really use my newsletter. Those readers are my fans and they rock!

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Keep writing! Even if one book doesn’t do well, write what you love.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Write every day. It’s so simple, but it can be very hard to do.

What are you reading now?
I’m reading Insurgent by Veronica Roth and Wedding Night by Sophie Kinsella.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Lots and lots of writing! I feel like I have so many stories that I need to tell and there’s not enough time in the day to write them all down! I’m finishing my Funeral Crashing series and my Doppelgangers Series this year. I’m also planning to start a new YA contemporary romance series set in Hollywood.

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?
Oh no. That would be awful. 3-4 books only? Okay. Breathe. I can pick even though this would be my worst nightmare. I’d choose: Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maude Montgomery, and Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by JK Rowling.

Author Websites and Profiles
Milda Harris Website
Milda Harris Amazon Profile
Milda Harris Author Profile on Smashwords

Milda Harris’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I graduated from Stanford without a clue (hey, it was the Sixties), have lived in Montana since 1971, and actually spent most of my life working as a carpenter, trying to support my writing habit. I’ve published 14 novels (there are a few other unpublished manuscripts gathering dust in desk drawers). Two of them I co-authored, one with my wonderful wife Kim, and the other with James Patterson

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
THE SHADOW KIND, newly released in February, 2015. I’ve always loved supernatural fiction–my first three novels were horror thrillers. Besides being a lot of fun both to read and write, you can use them to dramatize express ideas, such as about evil, that are difficult to express in more conventional ways. I tried to do this in THE SHADOW KIND with demons called Khibri, who conspire to cause massive human suffering via war, oppression, etc. I’m also a great fan of H.P. Lovecraft, and I (humbly) tried to make my tone and setting at least slightly evocative of his.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
When I was starting out, I’d save up money from construction work to buy a couple of months of writing time, and thus tried to maximize it before I had to strap the tools back on. I’d write all night, sleep a few hours, write through the afternoon, sleep a few more, and do it again. But that wore out (or more accurately, I did), and now I’m pretty much a straight 8 to 5 guy. I find that I do best if I stay put in my office all day, and try to keep interruptions to a minimum. This can make you pretty restless if the work isn’t going well, and isn’t always popular with other people, like, say, your wife.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
So many. I’ll only mention a couple, and only those who’ve passed on, as I don’t want to offend anyone. The recognized greats of literature, of course, with Tolstoy and Dostoyevsky maybe at the top of the list. For our own times, I can’t think of anyone who can top Robert Stone. Chandler is probably my fave detective writer, Lovecraft and M.R. James for horror and ghost stories.

What are you working on now?
I don’t really have anything solid yet. I’m just catching my breath after finishing up an 8-month roofing and remodeling project, and then trying to get THE SHADOW KIND launched. But I think it will either be another supernatural story or something related.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I know very little about all that, but to the best of my knowledge it’s venues like Awesome Gang–sites for interested readers to find the books, and active promotion, as on social media.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
If you really enjoy writing, stick with it–you’ll get over that. Seriously, do stick with it, even and especially when it becomes just plain work. Chances are that means you’re becoming more critical of your own stuff, and thus it will improve. I’d also suggest that you read a lot of successful books in your chosen field, and read them very carefully–even take notes–to get a sense of how the authors use pacing, suspense, action, and so on. You don’t have to imitate anyone directly, but compare, absorb, and that will find its way into your own style.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t compound your error. (Wish I’d followed it more.)

What are you reading now?
Barbara Tuchman’s A DISTANT MIRROR. I’ve read it before, years ago–a marvelous book.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Just keeping at it for as long as I’m able to do it. As noted above, no definite project yet.

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?
Wow–tough one. I don’t think it would be fiction–even a great novel you can only read so many times. Can I say something like the Encyclopedia Brittanica?

Author Websites and Profiles
Neil McMahon Website
Neil McMahon Amazon Profile

Neil McMahon’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I started out being a teacher in a remote village, teaching grades 6-10 in all subjects. I loved it, but felt unable to help my students navigate through the challenges they faced on a day to day basis. I later went back to school and got a masters in counselling and now work in private practice as a grief and family counsellor. My greatest joy has been being a mother. I have been blessed to raise two amazing boys. My greatest heartache came when my oldest son was diagnosed with a deadly brain tumour at age 12. He later died at 13, and during his dying taught the world about love, hope and faith. Since his death, I have felt compelled to share his story so the seeds of love he planted keep spreading out to others. His legacy is hope and I will do all I can to share hope with others.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
In the Cleft Joy Comes in the Mourning: A Story of Hope After Tragedy. In the Cleft: Joy Comes in the Mourning was birthed after a long season of grieving. After the deaths of my husband and son to cancer, I found myself in the wilderness, unable to navigate through the darkness. Even breathing was hard. My pain forever changed me, scarred me and contaminated the way I viewed life; however Jesus met me in the middle of the dark valley and led me through the heartache so I could see in colour again. In him I was able to find renewal, meaning and purpose even after unthinkable tragedy . My journey compelled me to write In the Cleft: Joy Comes in the Mourning in the hopes that my story might help others find their way through their own pain journeys.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m not sure if my writing habits are unusual, but I have to be moving to write. I will go running and words start to pour out of me. I write them down on my iphone while I’m out in nature and then go home and flesh out my ideas.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
C.S. Lewis’ A Grief Observed, Nicolas Wolterstorff’s Lament For A Son, Phillip Yancey’s Where is God When It Hurts, Jerry Sittser’s A Grace Disguised and Ann Voskamp’s 1000 Gifts

What are you working on now?
I am focusing on my counselling practice right now. My youngest son is in grade 10 and I want to spend the next few years focused on connecting before he goes out to find his way in the world. My priority is my family.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I find the best way to promote my book is one on one. I love author signings where I can meet with people and have a chance to find out about their lives. I find social media to be a bit detached, and although I know it is important for promotion, it is my least favourite way of connecting. I enjoy connecting with my readers on my website at www.inthecleft.com. Right now I am trying to find people who will share their stories about how they have overcome the painful things in their lives.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t give up. Keep writing because your story matters. Pressure can take the joy out of writing, so write for fun and let go of perfectionism.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Beauty comes from the most painful places.

What are you reading now?
I’m reading Thomas Merton, The New Seeds of Contemplation

What’s next for you as a writer?
Right now I’m focusing on my first love which is journaling and contemplation. We will see what comes out of this.

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?
Anything from C.S Lewis or Thomas Merton

Author Websites and Profiles
Dana Goodman Website
Dana Goodman Amazon Profile

Dana Goodman’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 forty-something, married to a wonderful guy, woman who finally figured out what I want to be when I grow up! An author!! I started writing Labor Day weekend of 2013, and have released five books out of an eight book series. They are historical western romances set in the fictional town of Hidden Springs. Though each book can be read as a stand-alone, I recommend reading them in order, as the characters develop from story to story. They are, in order, Here to Stay; Hearts on Fire; Abby’s Heart; A Chance on Love; and A Will of Her Own.

I also have plans to release several contemporary novels this year, as well as publishing the last three Hidden Springs books. My fingers ache already…lol.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest release is A Will of Her Own. Anyone familiar with the Hidden Springs series will be happy to know that Carly has her own story.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m not sure that they’re unusual. I need complete silence when I work. I don’t listen to music like a lot of other authors do. And I have to write from beginning to end, even if it means I am stuck for several days (weeks). I can’t jump around to other parts of the story. I also edit as I go, both for content and grammar/punctuation. It makes for a very slow process.

What authors, or books have influenced you?

What are you working on now?
I’m currently working on the sixth Hidden Springs book, Dancing in the Dark. I also have two contemporary stories started, plus ideas for at least eight more books.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I do a lot of promoting on Facebook, as well as Twitter. I also have my own website. www.kristineraymond.com. I try to drive readers there whenever possible. It’s a good place to find out everything that is going on with me and my books.

I have a newsletter, too, that readers can sign up for on my website or Facebook page.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Just write. Don’t let what or how other authors do it influence you. Be open to suggestions but at the end of the day, find your own process, and write the way that works best for you. And don’t give up, especially at those times when you want to the most!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Look both ways before crossing the street.

What are you reading now?
I’m not currently reading anything. As silly as this sounds, reading distracts me from writing.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Finishing the Hidden Springs series is definitely a goal of mine. I also have a super, secret project in the works; one which will be revealed in early summer.

I have several book signings lined up for this year, with the first one coming up March 7th in Biloxi, MS.

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?
Well, they would have to be book sets…lol

The Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder

The All Creatures series by James Herriot

A Year by the Sea by Joan Anderson

and…maybe mine. Or maybe not…lol.

Author Websites and Profiles
Kristine Raymond Website
Kristine Raymond Amazon Profile

Kristine Raymond’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 told I’m a prolific, passionate writer with a purpose. I have over three decades of writing experience for the Christian market. My writing career began, in the 1980s, when I was hired by a Christian publishing company for their book department. Since then, I have worked as a full-time staff writer for two international ministries and was once named Christian Writer of the Year (San Antonio, Texas) by the American Christian Writers Association. My credits include writing for Christian radio, television and the Internet. I am the author of The Dusty Road Chronicles, a series of three books: Mystic Dreams and Dusty Roads, Book 1; Black Mesa Magic, Book 2; and, Love’s Hidden View, Book 3. I have written numerous magazine and newspaper articles. My favorite quote: “Either write something worth reading, or do something worth writing.” — Benjamin Franklin.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Love’s Hidden View. This book is a continuation and ending of a story line that began with my debut novel, Mystic Dreams and Dusty Roads. It’s about a young single mother who inherits a Fortune 500 company, and she has no business experience. She is surrounded by people she thought she could trust but who only seek her destruction. It’s a story of hope, courage and faith in the midst of tragedy and turmoil.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t write with an outline. Many times, I’ll have the title, beginning and end in my head, but I let my characters dictate how the story goes. I guess I’m a “write-by-the-seat-of-your-pants” kind of writer. This doesn’t work for everyone, but it does for me.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Too many to list as I like nearly every genre.

What are you working on now?
I just completed writing my third book, so I’m taking a short break and focusing on marketing my series.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
My website, which you can find the link below.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
You can talk about writing, dream about writing and even hope to write someday, but until you actually sit down and write, you won’t go far. Be passionate about what you write, and be persistent.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
As far as writing, exactly what I would say to new authors. It was the best advice given to me by my writing mentor.

What are you reading now?
Nothing currently. Taking a breather.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I have ideas for two more books and have already decided which one I will begin writing soon.

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, of course, and probably a classic or two from Mark Twain, John Steinbeck or Charles Dickens.

Author Websites and Profiles
Robert Valleau Website
Robert Valleau Amazon Profile

Robert Valleau’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account