Awesome Author Interviews

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve written 12 romance novelettes and novellas. I’ve lived in Wyoming, USA and love indulging in gourmet chocolate.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Cowboy’s Runaway Bride (BBW Romance – Billionaire Brothers 1)

I enjoyed writing about cowboys in my Coldwater Springs series and wanted to write about more!

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
No. Does that make me boring? 😉

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Jayne Ann Krentz. I adore her books. I discovered some of her early books at my local library and scoured second hand bookshops and markets until I had all her category romances apart from a few elusive McFaddens.

I also enjoy reading Victoria Laurie, JS Scott, Storm Chase and Lucinda Elliott.

What are you working on now?
The Tycoon’s Reluctant Bride (BBW Romance – Billionaire Brothers 2)

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I haven’t done much promotion yet, but I enjoy doing a release day blitz with The Book Enthusiast or My Family’s Heart Reviews.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write what you want to write. Don’t give up!

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

What are you reading now?
Fantasy Heights Season One by Meg Silver

What’s next for you as a writer?
The sequel to my first BBW book, BBW Needs Hot Sex will be out in early April. Then The Tycoon’s Reluctant Bride (BBW Romance – Billionaire Brothers 2) will be out early May.

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 latest Jayne Ann Krentz, Victoria Laurie and JS Scott’s vampire boxed set.

Author Websites and Profiles
Jenn Roseton Website
Jenn Roseton Amazon Profile

Jenn Roseton’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I wrote my first book when I was 17. I enjoyed it so much that I wrote another book about a year later. Over the following years, I wrote three more books and started two. But, through it all, I hadn’t quite found my voice as an author. It wasn’t until my latest book, “The Man of Nightstone” that I felt like I actually got it right. I finally feel like I know what I’m doing when writing a book.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
“The Man of Nightstone” was mostly inspired by my love of martial arts. Studying kung-fu has sent me on several journeys and adventures and taught me a great deal about fighting, people, life, and myself. I’ve used this book to combine my love my kung-fu with my love of writing into a story and a cast of characters that I had a lot of fun writing.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
When I wrote my first book, years ago, I was confined to the desktop computer in my home. Now, with a laptop, I feel like I can write anywhere. I’ve written in various public places. So an unusual habit would be that I’m always looking for another change of scenery. Also, I’m always listening to music while I write. I’ve had that habit for as long as I’ve been writing.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Jim Butcher’s “Dresden Files” have had the greatest influence on my writing. In second place would the epic novel “Musashi” by Eiji Yoshikawa. But almost everything I read has some influence or effect on me. So I must also include Patrick Rothfuss, William Gibson, Albert Camus, Bill Watterson, George Carlin, and last but not least Kahlil Gibran.

What are you working on now?
A series of short stories about a character named Doctor Madangel. He lives in the world of “The Man of Nightstone” but does not appear in the book. And I am also working on the next book in the Nightstone Saga, which I’m planning on being an eight book series.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Right now, I’m trying everything that I can try. I still feel kind of new to this game, so I can’t say for sure which is the best.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Keep working on your craft. Keep studying your craft. Don’t be afraid to have your work nit-picked for every single little thing that might be wrong with it. Keep asking yourself “How is my work different?” and “How am I going to stand out?” That’s my way of saying, “keep writing.”

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“When in doubt, err on the side of doing something.” A great bit of advice from my Sifu.

What are you reading now?
Some of the original Conan short stories by Robert E. Howard.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I plan on writing for as long as I’m alive. So what’s next for me is always the same: more writing. If I love the characters I’m writing, I’m going to keep writing them. But my mind is always open for some new ones to come along and surprise me.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Well, I’d probably pass the time doing lots of kung-fu. So, I’d want some of my favorite books on the subject of martial arts. “Ving Tsun Kuen Kuit” by Moy Yat & C.N. Kwong, “The Art of War” by Sun-Tzu, and “The Book of Five Rings” by Miyamoto Musashi.

Author Websites and Profiles
Devon Drake Website
Devon Drake Author Profile on Smashwords

Devon Drake’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a father of four, an avid reader of anything I can get my hands on and a lover of music. I have been appreciating art in general for a very long time. Music and literature are an integral part of who I am. If I could write and play guitar and sing all at the same time I think I would be in heaven. In regard to what I have written: one completed and published work (angel paranormal romance, From Heaven to Earth) and two novels that are nearing final editing stages. (From Earth to Hell, From Heaven to Earth’s sequel and Rebirth, the introductory novel for a YA series called, Lailia.)

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
From Heaven to Earth and its series, The Faith of the Fallen, was inspired by my religious upbringing, world religions, various mythologies and theogonies, anime, a lot of Tool and Mars Volta and my imagination which synthesized it all together.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I tend to have music on when I’m writing. Sometimes I get so into a groove with a song that I will be dancing with my eyes closed and typing rapidly. Those are the times when I know what I’m writing is working and coming together. Everything feels like it is coalescing into something palpable and beautiful to behold.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman were the first fantasy authors I really got into. I had read The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings by the end of third grade, but I never really appreciated the epic scope of that story until I re-read the series later. I would say fantasy in general has influenced me in ways that make me see things differently, like there could always be an adventure around the corner. This doesn’t mean necessarily that it will be a completely joyous thing. It could be a terrible conflict, an accident, or someone who just doesn’t want you to succeed but its all in the way you look at it. Everything offers you a chance to grow and learn something. Even the things that change you for the worst can be used in a positive, conducive way. I’m not sure if its a cliché or an axiom at this point, but I do think everything does occur for some kind of reason. It is up to us to discern that. Cormac McCarthy has influenced the way I write quite a bit. His minimalist style is very inspiring. I envy his ability to be precise and meticulous, using only exactly what he needs to get a concept or description expressed, yet the feeling of empathy and the visceral potency is not sacrificed. Recently Neil Gaiman has really inspired me, not only because of his versatile set of works in cinema and prose, but because of how he began his career and grew from it. Indie authors have been inspiring me as well since I became a part of the community last year: Henry Martin and his Mad Days of Me series is excellent literary work, Sam Astbury’s Cloud Storage has fantastic stream of consciousness first person prose, Mark Laporta’s Heart of Earth is the first indie sci-fi I have read and I was most impressed with it, and MC Webb’s Fade to Black was a well written harrowing thriller. I have found that great Indie writers have a lot of heart and passion which I can identify with readily.

What are you working on now?
Currently I am trying to polish the introductory novel of my YA paranormal romance series, Lailia. It tells the story of fourteen year old Zarah Cloud, the descendant of a ancient native American people that settled in Illinois and mysteriously disappeared in 1300 AD. She finds her heritage more of a curse than a blessing when an ancient evil awakes and harasses her to the point of insanity. Feeding off her fear makes it stronger still, and she must somehow find a way to drive it back to slumber before it gains enough power to fulfill its wish: to terrorize humankind and become a god of malice through their fear. It is a novel that explores aspects of the ancient Cahokian culture and is inspired by a blend of shamanism, Native American culture and early civilization mythology.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Right now I am trying to balance my PR aspect with everything else that is going on, but goodreads has been my cornerstone. There are numerous groups that allow you to post your work and offer it up for reviews, interviews and other promotional opportunities. I would highly recommend it for any new indie author or poet who is trying to better their work or find an audience.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t let anyone say you can’t do it. Keep going. Sometimes it takes a very long while before your work is in publishing shape, and no one is going to do that work except for you. Even if you write/edit a page a day, by the end of the year you will have a finished draft. Whether it is your first draft or one of your final edits; the feeling of accomplishment as your printer prints off your novel is almost indescribable. When you get there savor it, and resist the urge to further the editing process for a few days. Take your time and enjoy the writing process.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
That the most important thing to do is believe in what you’re writing and then make other people feel that belief through your writing.

What are you reading now?
I am reading Kojiki by Keith Yatsuhashi and American Gods and The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I am continuing PR work for From Heaven to Earth and trying to get Rebirth ready for its debut. I am working on a review blog to try to give Indie authors that need exposure a chance to get some reviews and criticism for their work. A little criticism, whether negative or positive, goes a very long way in helping writers polish their work.

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 Road by Cormac McCarthy

An island survival guide : P

Dragonlance: Legends (a little piece of nostalgia to comfort me)

Lord of the Rings in one volume or The Hobbit (because it will remind me of my family)

Author Websites and Profiles
Sherrod Wall Website
Sherrod Wall Amazon Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Well, I’ve written at least nine full-length novels plus novella bits and pieces. The real question should be: how many novels have you completed. You know the editing and revising process. That’s basic one. “There Be Demons”which will be coming out this summer [2014] from The Grumpy Dragon.

I started out as a young writer, got side-tracked by life, and was pulled back into writing when I worked at a weekly paper when I started writing short features, which I then sold multiple times to print magazines. But the publishing world has changed and those markets no longer exist.

Now I write fantasy since it amuses me. I concentrate on two basic worlds at the moment: the Far Isles Half-Eleven who are more grumpy than noble and Andor where the demons roam.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
“There Be Demons”, my coming book–since most of what I’ve published have been novellas and short stories to build my “author platform”. The book was inspired by a short story I wrote — “Night for the Gargoyles”, which was published by the British ezine, Spectra Magazine in 2010. Only I was intrigued by Britt Kelly who was a secondary character in the story. [ Night for the Gargoyles is available free on Smashwords in a variety of ereader formats https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/365506 ]

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m a seat-of-the-pants writer who’s trying to convert to an outline–or maybe summary–writer. My worse habit is to start playing Mahjong when I get stuck.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Too many to count. In fact, I think every book I read influences me–either by doing something extremely well or by showing me what not to do. I named my blog Lessons from my reading based on that observation.

Some authors who influenced me early were A. Merrit and Andre Norton. Others Catherine [C. L.] Moore, Leigh Brackett, Marion Zimmer Bradley, Anne McCaffrey, Nora Lofts, Lee Child, Jane Haddam, and Sharyn McCrumb…just to name a few.

What are you working on now?
I’m cleaning up and reorganizing my files and folders while I wait for “There Be Demons” to come out. Basically, I’m rewriting some short stories to fit into the world of Andor plus I have a couple of novellas to complete in my Far Isles Half-Elven world.

When that’s done, I’ll start on the second book of a Britt trilogy. It’s basically a bunch of disjointed ideas in rough chapter sequence. All telling.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
None. I don’t seem to have much luck with marketing if marketing is supposed to equate with sales.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t give up, even if the novel you’re working now is crap. The fourth idea you turn into a novel might be the one where your imagination and your grasp of the writing craft coalesce.

The converse of that advice: write, write, and write some more, and never throw away an idea or partial. You never know when it might come in handy in the future.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The above.

What are you reading now?
Veronica Roth’s Divergent

What’s next for you as a writer?
Writing “Lost at the Crossings”, the second Britt Kelly book. After I finish the sequel to “Troublesome Neighbors”, “Black Tail’s War”.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
A thesaurus and a dictionary, plus a case of notebooks with pencils and erasers.

Author Websites and Profiles
M. K. Theodoratus Website
M. K. Theodoratus Amazon Profile
M. K. Theodoratus Author Profile on Smashwords

M. K. Theodoratus’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My debut novel, What Hides Within, a mystery/horror blend, was published by Double Dragon Publishing last year. It is an EPIC finalist in “horror,” was named runner-up in the “Best Horror” category in eFestival’s Independent eBook competition and has been named to several “Best of 2013” lists for horror. I have several short stories in the works, due to be published this year and next. I am also finalizing three novels and hope to have them completed in the near future.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I’ve always been fascinated by spiders, but like most people, I don’t want them crawling all over me, much less living in my ear. I read a news story about a kid who went to his doctor for an earache only to find a spider had made a home inside his ear canal. Apparently, it happens, and it’s gross, but there’s nothing inherently evil about it. But I started thinking–what if that spider had a more sinister agenda than trying to solve its housing dilemma? My imagination took off from there, and several years later, What Hides Within is published.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I do all my first drafts with pen and paper. My first drafts tend to be overly detailed outlines, and when I type them up, they change greatly. So I feel if I go right to a computer, I would be skipping a crucial step in my process.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
While I’d like to think everything I write is 100% unique right down to the last word, parts of What Hides Within have been compared to just about everyone from King to Kubrick (okay, so “Ki” to “Ku” isn’t that broad of a range). While these comparisons are awesome and, admittedly, undeserved, they probably go more toward the content of What Hides Within than its style.

What are you working on now?
I have quite a few short stories due out in anthologies next year. Beyond that, I have three novels at various stages of development, one science fiction thriller and two horror/thrillers. It’s too early to tell which one will be released next. And if my readers want it, perhaps my favorite spider will return.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Getting reviews, I suppose. I don’t come from a marketing background and am still learning the ropes.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I’m still learning the business myself, but I would advise them to seek out other aspiring authors to form read and review groups and get all the constructive criticism they can. If one’s goal is to be a bestseller, he/she will likely need the right agent and a Big 6 publisher. If one’s goals are more modest, there are plenty of small presses, often genre specific, that are interested in seeing work from new authors.

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

What are you reading now?
The Waste Lands by Stephen King. I am a little behind on the Dark Tower series. Just a little…

What’s next for you as a writer?
Who knows? I am taking it one day at a time, though I hope to still be writing well into the future.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
The Stand, The Road, The Complete Works of Edgar Allen Poe, and Green Eggs and Ham to keep me from killing myself after reading the first three books.

Author Websites and Profiles
Jason Parent Website
Jason Parent Amazon Profile

Jason Parent’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have written five books on human resources topics, but my most recent book is a real departure. The title is On Your Mark: From First Word to First Draft in Six Weeks, and offers practical tips and ideas for professionals who want to write a nonfiction book as a tool to promote their business, boost their career, or to leave a legacy.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is On Your Mark: From First Word to First Draft in Six Weeks, and was written in less than six weeks (of course!). At the time I was wrapping up employment with a HR consulting firm (a 40+ hour a week job), developing the business plan for my new business (another 40+ hour a week job), and writing the book. Yes, a book can be written in six weeks when you follow a strict process (and deny yourself a life during that time!).

How I came to write the book was a result of receiving a call from the National Speakers Association chapter president, who asked me if I had truly written a book in less than six weeks. I told him that I had in fact written four of my five books in less than six weeks.

“Would you be willing to speak to our chapter on how you did that?”

“I would be delighted!”

“But wait, there’s a catch,” he said. “Would you be willing to coach two of our members and then give a panel presentation about the process at the end of the six weeks?”

“You had me at ‘give a presentation,’ but now I’m totally hooked!” I responded.

So, I coached two of our chapter members, and during the process they said, “You could do this for a living, you know.”

And, after giving the presentation to an enthusiastic crowd and many of them suggesting I could/should do this for a living, I decided to embark on this new career direction.

In developing my business plan, I realized that the key to this business plan was to write the book on how to write a book in six weeks, and to do it in six weeks. I now have a new business, coaching professionals on how to write their books as a tool to build their businesses or boost their careers.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m not sure I would say that I have unusual writing habits, although I would say I am very disciplined. I schedule writing time on my calendar, and use a project planning process to get it all done within my time frame. I also don’t write conventionally–that is, I don’t start with chapter one, then move to chapter 2, and so on. I start with the chapter or point that is easiest to write, then move to the next easiest section, and so on. I also work very closely with my outline that I’ve detailed in advance of writing the first word.

I also love working with a coauthor. On Your Mark is coauthored with my nephew, Kevin Williamson, who is a brilliant writer. My third book was coauthored with my mother, Anne Dorton, and a book I’m working on now is coauthored with Lyle Sussman and Kevin Williamson. I like working collaboratively, and find that my creative juices flow much better when I’m working as a coauthor (it also suits my tendency toward extroversion!).

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I love Stephen King’s On Writing. My favorite business book is David Rock’s Your Brain At Work. In addition to reading business books, I love fiction, and read voraciously when on vacation.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on a business parable that I began with another coauthor eight years ago. We’ve introduced another coauthor into the mix, and we’re excited about moving forward with this project.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
It’s been seven years since my last published book, so the playing field is very different now. My coauthor Kevin Williamson has built a stellar website for our book, and we’re both exploring our blog as a means to reach more people. I’m also becoming more savvy with social media, and have been promoting our book via LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. I have a lot to learn, and am eager to figure out the best strategy.

I’m going to throw a virtual book launch party (in addition to a “live” party in my hometown of Louisville, Kentucky), and offer a way for my out-of-town friends, colleagues, clients, and prospects to join in the fun. The virtual party will be given via webinar, and will feature a behind-the scenes interview with the authors, a guest book (Like our Facebook pages), and party favors (download a bookmark!). I will also offer this virtual party as a graduation gift for any of my coaching clients who go on to write and publish their books.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I actually have a lot of advice, but once the book is written, it is time to celebrate your success with your friends, family, and author friends.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Write, write, write! Develop daily writing habits. Don’t try to write and edit at the same time. Picture your reader and talk to that person. Figure out your purpose for writing well before you write the first page.

What are you reading now?
I’m not! I’m trying to get my book out there!

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m working on my next book project, coauthored with Lyle Sussman and Kevin Williamson.

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 my reader loaded up with as many books as I could!

Author Websites and Profiles
Cathy Fyock Website

Cathy Fyock’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Since my late teens, all I wanted to do was to write intense, fast, action-packed novels. I just had all these action scenes, and plot twists flashing into my mind, and I really wanted to share them! At that stage I was haunted with doubt. Did what I want to write make sense? Was it possible? Did it ‘feel’ real? They were real concerns for me. So I put the pen down, and knowing to my bones that being a novelist was my destiny, and set out to live the experiences I wanted to write about. I learned how to fight, and fight well, I travelled to places like Kazakhstan, Russia, throughout Europe and into South East Asia on my own, couch surfing, pretending that I was a character in my books. I wanted to know what it ‘felt’ like to be lost, alone, afraid. I pretended I was being hunted, that I was hunting someone.. and so on. It was a very significant time. Back in Sydney, I became a Private Investigator, specialising in surveillance. I learnt how to follow someone, how to avoid being detected, and how to run like hell when I did get caught! Then, wanting to hone my craft, I started working as a ghost writer, and did that for a few years before I felt ready to put my name to anything officially. It just seemed that everything I was doing was leading me toward being genuine and honest in my writing. In 2012 it was time, and ‘Against the Clock’ was born.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My book is called ‘Against the Clock’. The inspiration for the title was simple, yet complicated. I’m not sure anymore about the chronology of my thoughts, but I wanted a title which epitomised the fast pace, and timed intervals between each sub-chapter. I also wanted to create a sense of urgency with time counting down/running out, as well as the logistical aspect the clock takes on in the Prologue and Epilogue. Over all, I’m very happy with the depth and multiple meanings the title has taken on.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not really sure if they’re unusual… my writing habits are definitely seasonal! Or more accurately ‘Climate’ controlled.

In winter I love to write from my car. I take my laptop, thermos with black coffee, a bag of liquorice assortment lollies and my laptop, and head off to whatever lake, river or park strikes my fancy, and write!

In spring and autumn, I tend to do the same thing, except I have a foldable deck chair in boot, and sit outside under the shade of a tree, and write.

In summer, I stay at home, crank the air-conditioning as cold as it can get, have a pot of coffee on, rice crackers and write.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Robert Ludlum for sure. Especially in the earlier days. More recently Vince Flynn is definitely one of my bigger writing heroes. There are other writers like Andrew Peterson, Matthew Reilly and David Baldacci who also have a place in my ‘influenced me’ basket.

What are you working on now?
I’m working the sequel to ‘Against the Clock’ aptly called ‘When the clock stops’, and also working on the graphic novel adaptation/version of the prequel to Against the Clock. That is proving to be a great deal of fun.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I think I’m far from being a marketing expert. At the moment, I am relying very heavily on word of mouth and the quality of my book to promote people spreading the word. I am also involved with my readers, and potential readers through social media. I’m working on the principle, that by giving something of value, and remaining approachable and genuine, my work will sell itself. Can you tell my marketing skills need major work? haha.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Yes! The same advice I was given, and live by..

Write! And keep writing!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Write! And keep writing!

It’s a philosophy I take into every moment of my writing. Stuck for the next part of the book, not sure what to write, don’t feel like writing, etc etc. I think it was David Morrell who once said, it’s okay to edit what you’ve written if you don’t like it, but it’s hard to edit nothing.

What are you reading now?
I tend not to read any books while I’m writing. I have ‘Rafa’ on my Kindle for the next book I’ll read. I was really excited to read the next Mitch Rapp book from Vince, but his untimely death has put a stop to that..

What’s next for you as a writer?
Once the ‘Clock/Shirin Reyes’ series is complete, I’m looking at co-writing a more sombre based-on-real-events story. Otherwise I plan to continue to write kick-ass, deadly, action-packed, thrill-ride novels!

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
1. The Parsifal Mosaic – Robert Ludlum

2. American Assassin – Vince Flynn

3. Lightning – Dean Koontz

Author Websites and Profiles
charlie moore Website
charlie moore Amazon Profile

charlie moore’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve probably written about ten books over my life, but only recently am I doing much to get them in front of readers. I live in Seattle and work developing content for websites. My early dream was to be a writer, but I lost sight of that for a while and contented myself with editing other people’s writing instead. Eventually the itch came back and I decided to just write the sort of stuff that I have fun reading. Back in the day I studied ancient religion, so the books I write are likely to include a lot of history, religion, and the more mundane details of being a humanities graduate student.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Chimera was inspired by Dan Brown’s work. I’ve read some of his stuff and enjoyed the movies, and one day it occurred to me that he’s always packing his novels with the stuff I learned about in school. I decided to see if I could do it, too: write something that has historical elements without being tedious and pedantic with all the detail.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m compulsively organized so I plan out everything to the last detail. Before I write a word I’ve charted the entire novel, named the characters, captured pictures of the characters and the locations, and so on. So when you hear about writers who just listen to their characters and allow the stories to take shape as they write? Yeah, that’s not me.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I’m a compulsive reader so there are more so many people who have influenced me. I remember several years ago being influenced by Guy Kay and the way he worked actual history into a fantasy setting. And of course there’s Dan Brown, who manages to take aspects of religion and history and work them into fast-paced, entertaining stories. I’ve never dreamed of writing great literature, I just want to write a fun read, and so my strongest inspirations are the men and women who do just that.

What are you working on now?
I’m taking notes on a few different books that I will probably write some day, and meanwhile waiting for the inspiration that will seed the follow-up to Chimera.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m still figuring that out. I’m new to Kindleboards, but I think that might be a great resource, and I’m also thinking about what I can do with my author profile page on Amazon (which as of writing this doesn’t exist yet). When it comes to publishing ebooks, the writing is the easy part. Connecting with readers is the challenge, and I’m still getting my head around that.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write lots of books. Get them in front of readers as quickly as you can. Write what you love, rather than what you think might sell. Don’t read the reviews—the good ones will make you complacent, and the bad ones will get inside your head.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The only person on this earth who you want to please is yourself.

What are you reading now?
What am I not reading, is the question?

What’s next for you as a writer?
More books! As many as I can churn 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’d bring my iPad with a solar charger, so that I could download new books as needed.

David Kaine’s Social Media Links
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve been writing paranormal and romance novels in secret for years, and in 2013 I took a big step and started publishing the Dark Caster series. I’ve now written and published five novels, two in the Dark Caster series and three in the Red Plague trilogy.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I wrote and published all three of the Red Plague novels at the same time. After reading Warm Bodies (and watching the really sweet film) I tried to find romantic zombie novels, but couldn’t find any I liked. So, frustrated, I wrote my own zombie adventure. I’m very proud of the Red Plague series and excited to share it with readers.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I like to write anywhere and everywhere I can. Since I’m a wife and mother I don’t always have time to write in a home office, so I type stories on the sidelines of soccer practice, in the waiting room of the dentist, or during my lunch break at work.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
My favorite books to read and gritty (and sometimes funny) paranormal romances, so I read J.R. Ward, Kresley Cole, and Patricia Briggs. But I also love regency historical romances, the kind Eloisa James writes. I enjoy reading anything with strong characters and a compelling plot.

What are you working on now?
The next novel in my Dark Caster series, Spell of Vanishing, will be out sometime later this year.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I have a personal website that I enjoy updating. Besides that I’m active on social media sites like Twitter and Tumblr. I’m still new to publishing, but I have heard good things about GoodReads and BookBub, too.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Keep writing. Whatever happens, keep working on your craft.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Take your writing career as seriously as you would any other career.

What are you reading now?
I just finished Divergent by Veronica Roth.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I plan on writing a short story in Spring 2014 and then the third full-length novel Spell of Vanishing in Summer or Fall 2014.

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?
Good question! There are some books I could read 100 times and never grow tired of them. 1. Lover Awakened by J.R. Ward, 2. No Rest for the Wicked by Kresley Cole, and 3. Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.

Author Websites and Profiles
Anna Abner Website
Anna Abner Amazon Profile
Anna Abner Author Profile on Smashwords

Anna Abner’s Social Media Links
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Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Alexandra Swistak has traveled the world in her study of languages, culture and architecture.

She has degrees in education and art history, specializing in Early Renaissance paintings. A dream job move to Asia triggered a career change by the time she returned to Canada. She brings art, travel and an interest in the supernatural to her writing.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Red Bride’s Noose is the first book in a series.

The idea came to me as I was travelling through Islamic countries and Asia, but I was not ready to juggle a book around a demanding career. Eventually, I realized I would never have more time and I had to learn how to make time for this book.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
No, but I do like to follow a certain procedure before beginning a new creative project.

I need to feel like I’m in a brand new place, so I begin with an office renovation. It seems extravagant, but a fresh coat of paint and reupholstering a chair are small expenses. Still, my preparations may seem a bit much, but it’s a necessary step for me.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
What makes your mystery thriller unique?

The reader experience’s life in a closed culture and the brutality against young Camille is chilling. Her modern attitudes are incompatible with her family’s beliefs and it could end up getting her murdered.

I can’t think of any other mystery like it.

What are you working on now?
During Nazi Germany, in Russian occupied Estonia, a tragic scene forever changes the lives of two little girls.

I can’t say much more as it’s very early stages.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I question marketing strategies that begin with giving away a brand new release.

When Larry D. Thompson did an Amazon cash gift card giveaway, I won and I have been buying his books ever since. Building brand loyalty and strong relationships with readers is very important to me.

I structure my cash contests and giveaways the same way many of my favorite authors do and it’s been good for me. I’m in the process of doing another $200.00 cash giveaway very soon.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
1) Hire at least 3 editors

2) Hire a good cover designer

3) Package your book as beautifully as possible to compete with established names.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Where do you feel most inspired?

Nothing compares to living and working in Europe. Nara, Japan is also a power point for me.

What are you reading now?
In Falling Snow by Mary-Rose MacColl

http://mary-rosemaccoll.com/

What’s next for you as a writer?
I hope to write many more books, but my neighbours keep flooding my office.

People like to hang clothes on fire sprinklers. A couple months ago, someone put a towel over a gas fireplace and a huge fire broke out. Luckily, this time the originating unit was several floors below me.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
I would be happily stranded with any new work by:

Susan Hill

Ann Cleeves

Tana French

Anne Perry

Author Websites and Profiles
Alexandra Swistak Website
Alexandra Swistak Amazon Profile
Alexandra Swistak Author Profile on Smashwords

Alexandra Swistak’s Social Media Links
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Facebook Profile
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Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have written just one book so far and Part Two is on the way soon.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
It’s called “A New Way of Loving” and it was inspired by the work of Diana Richardson. My own challenges in relationship and witnessing the challenges of so many others also inspired me to write it.. Diana’s work goes to the core of the conflict between men and women. Often men don’t get enough sexual interaction with women and the reason is because women are so often left dissatisfied in their encounters with men. So more and more often they decline after a certain age. They usually don’t know what is missing. They just know that something is. This is a tragic situation really and it’s responsible for literally all the dysfunction and turmoil that defines modern day life. The way to healing this split between men and women is known and proven through Diana’s work and it’s revealed in my book as well.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Yes i do. I often wake and sit bolt-up-right in bed in the middle of the night with an epiphany. I go downstairs and start writing in my iPad then go back to sleep before dawn for a few more hours. When i sit in front of my computer again i can hit the ground running.

It took almost 3 years of writing before the story came and i began to find my voice. Now it flows fairly readily as long as i block the time to write.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Anais Nin was my mother as a writer. She gave birth to the creative just by her sharing her perceptions of people including herself in day to day life in her diary. Then also her more polished works of fiction were very compelling. She was an incredibly loving being, very feminine and very intelligent.

Henry Miller was another one early on and Lawrence Durrell.

Then later came Stuart Wilde. Stuart is a brilliant writer and incredibly perceptive. He has an amazing gift of explaining complex metaphysical concepts in clear easy to understand language, while being incredibly funny and entertaining at the same time. I later learned from him that he was inspired by Durrell as well but he surely has his own style. I consider him to be my teacher. When i began to read his books over 25 years ago, i lost interest in most other writers. I read everything he published and all of it is pure gold to me. I still prefer to read his books over and over than to start new books because i go deeper each time, and it changes me. It helps me continue to grow. I do read other books but always seem to gravitate back to ole Stuart.

What are you working on now?
I am working on Part Two of A New Way of Loving. And it feels that Part Two is working on me too. There’s a way that it’s coming through me rather than me being the writer. In fact that’s the only way that i can write anything decent and meaningful. It’s more of an allowing than a doing really.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m using Kindle and Create Space together and learning from John Tighe how to do the marketing. He has a brilliant and easy to follow program and he’s very likable. He’s genuine and has the serving people part down pat.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Well i think the best advice is to not get too carried away by the advice of others. Writing is a creative process. It involves bringing something out from the inner depths. So my advice is to take care of your body. Detoxify everyday, Eat well. Get out into nature everyday if you can and flow along with life. This way there will be less in the way of what wants to flow from within you. Develop the habit of listening inside to your body and your inner promptings.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
See above…

What are you reading now?
I just picked up another old favorite Stuart Wilde book the other day titled “The Trick to Money Is Having Some”. It’s hilarious and very poignant too.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Well it’s just one day at a time. I have the outlines for Parts Two and Three of A New Way of Loving loosely laid out before me and am blocking time for those to come through. I’m planning to have both completed and published by the end of 2014 …God willing, as they say.

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 first of all ask if i could bring a companion too. If the answer was “no” then i’d probably decline the offer. If i could then i’d bring notebooks and i’d bring books that would help with surviving and thriving on a desert island of course. I’m sure it would be great fun.

Author Websites and Profiles
Ami DeJong Website
Ami DeJong Amazon Profile

Ami DeJong’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have been writing ever since I was a little girl. I remember asking my parents for a horse, thinking that this was a normal pet to have like having a dog or a cat. When my parents told me I couldn’t have a horse I ended up writing stories with girls who had horses. My main character in The Runner has a horse she rides and they’re a pretty awesome team.

The Runner has been out since December and I’m getting ready to release my second novel Rubicon. Both books are series, but it is easier for me to switch back and forth between books. I’ve written numerous screenplays, short stories, and television sitcoms, none of which have ever been turned into anything, but I love doing it.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Rubicon is inspired by the winter I worked in an ice cream shop and strange things happened.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Nothing too unusual. I like to buy spiral notebooks with cute pictures and cool designs. I’m constantly taking notes as I write because I learned that the best way for me to finish something is to plow on through. If I realize I need to change something I’ve already written, I make a note to do it later. If I didn’t do this I could easily see myself rewriting the same opening scene and never get past it.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I am constantly reading. I read anything and everything from classic literature to teen paranormal romance. Because I write in the YA genre I’d have to say that my favorite YA books growing up were R.L. Stine’s Fear Street books and L.J. Smith’s Secret Circle series and her Vampire Diaries series. I think it is amazing that these authors and their works are still being loved twenty years later. It seems like so much has changed in the world of technology, but something in these author’s works continues to be loved by teens (and grown-ups) today.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on the second book in the Avi Bloom series.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m still trying to figure this out. Awesomegang.com has some great services and most are free.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Read the blogs and advice of other authors. I am still very new at this, but I learned so much just from publishing my first novel. There are writers who have been doing this for years and they are very helpful.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Just keep writing. This seems to be the only advice every single writer agrees on.

What are you reading now?
I’m reading The Undead Pool by Kim Harrison. She’s been able to sustain this series for roughly 19 books and the series is still going strong. She’s amazing.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I hope to close up both of my series by the end of the year. I already have so many other book ideas, but first I have to finish what I start.

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 Sorcerer’s Stone, Pride and Prejudice, and The Amazing Adventures Kavalier & Clay. I could reread these books for as long as it took to get rescued.

Author Websites and Profiles
J.M. Johnson Website
J.M. Johnson Amazon Profile

J.M. Johnson’s Social Media Links
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Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a fourth generation Californian who lives in East Highlands, California, not far from

where my great-grandfather planted the first orange trees in this area. I had a wonderful childhood and grew up thinking that everyone had grandparents with big, soft beds and great stories to tell. I like music (classical and swing), walking by the ocean, reading (MG, YA, and adult), cooking, and the smell of violets I seem to have a good memory, for I can recall things that happened when I was not yet three years old.

I come from a family of pioneers. My great-grandmother walked all the way from Vermont to California because the swaying of the wagons made her “seasick.” She had very large feet, and no wonder. I have always loved to hear those stories. I have a special love for the beach, for I spent summers there at my grandparents’ house. Maybe that’s why so many of my children’s books have beach scenes in them – or at least river scenes. My favorite color is blue, and I love caramel sundaes. When I was a child, I was ill for several months with an ear infection, and I read the poems of Robert Lewis Stevenson. I still remember the magic of the counterpane when I made hills and valleys and populated them with tiny china animals.

I have written 30 books, over 500 articles and short stories, and seven juvenile plays.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I just finished the final draft of WHEN CRICKETS STOPPED SINGING, set in 1939 in the fictional Southern California town of Messina. It was a time of indecision in our country – a time when we were on the brink of entering World War II. It was also a time of indecision in Messina. Mr. Jefferson Clement was back, and no one seemed sure what to make of that. Three friends (Angie, Reba Lu, and Geraldine) decided to follow the preacher’s advice and love their enemies – the people in the town who were the worst sinners. Mr. Clement was on their list. So was Dodie Crumper, the least liked child in the 5th grade. The inspiration for this story comes from a situation in my home town, something that I observed and escaped becoming a part of. Though these characters are fictitious, they are very real to me.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I often read of writers who work for long stretches of time – sometimes whole mornings.

This would be such luxury. Since I teach school three times a week and conduct a fair number of writing workshops, I find myself working in spurts and late at night. Twenty minutes here; ten minutes there. It all adds up, and I have learned to use these minutes to the best advantage. I always carry a notebook of some kind so that I won’t let a bit of conversation or a great idea slip by me. When I do get a chance to write for an extended
period in the morning, I sit at the computer in my robe and slippers, a fresh pot of coffee and a bowl full of Cheerios nearby. Whenever I get a chance I spend a few days at the beach, where I know of a little motel right on the sand. Then I write for long, luxurious stretches of time, stopping only for a walk at sunset and food now and then. I don’t really think these are unusual writing habits. They are just mine.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
In college, I loved to read Faulkner (especially THE BEAR) and Hemingway (everything). I have a special place in my heart for Mark Twain and Steinbeck. In more modern literature, I admire the simplicity of Alexander McCall Smith and the great energy of James Rollins’s adventures. In MG and YA literature, I like to read anything by Karen Cushman, particularly CATHERINE, CALLED BIRDY and THE MIDWIFE’S APPRENTICE. Mary E. Pearson’s THE ADORATION OF JENNA FOX fascinated me. I love everything by Ursula K. Le Guin and Laurie Halse Anderson. Gary Paulsen’s HATCHET is timeless. And I admire the poetic voice of Jane Yolen. As for influence, I guess I’ll have to return to Faulkner. It was while I was working on an analysis of THE BEAR in college that I discovered that I had a voice of my own and could write. My analytical essay earned me a monetary award and the feeling that I had more words to share

What are you working on now?
I am currently working on two books: one a MG novel titled THE TROUBLE WITH ARNOLD and the other a YA novel titled KYTELER’S INN. This book is both contemporary and historical – one layer built on top of the other. It takes place in Ireland today and, alternately, in the 14th century.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Amazon. Linked In, Facebook. My own site at http://www.marilyndonahue.blogspot.com

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Read, read, read. Especially read in the genre in which you want to be published, but don’t limit yourself. As you read, use a yellow marker and highlight passages that you admire, bits of dialogue that are meaningful, images and metaphors that make you catch your breath. It is even a good idea to type several pages from a favorite book. This is a great way to capture the phrasing – the pauses that matter – the flow and rhythm of the writing.

Write, write, write. Carry a notebook with you. Jot down bits of conversation and make notes about the voices you hear. Record impressions: smells, sights, sounds that touch your imagination.

Take a piece of paper and rough sketch a setting (any setting) that appeals to you. Don’t try to do this well. It is meant to be rough. Keep your hand moving. Take another piece of paper and describe what you just sketched.

Now use your rough-sketching experience to map your entire story by creating the kind of map/sketch kids love to look at in the front pages of the books they read. These exercises keep you (and your readers) aware of the details of setting. They also help you create characters who belong in your story and a plot that is believable.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t try to write about what you know. Instead, write about what you feel. If you’re not sure what that is, go back to Number 7 and sketch a little more. I find it amazing that emotions are related to moving a pencil around on paper!

What are you reading now?
I am starting FAKING NORMAL by Courtney Stevens Potter. Just finished another of the Richard Jury mysteries (THE ANODYNE NECKLACE) by the talented Martha Grimes. And waiting in the wings on my new Kindle is THE FIXER UPPER by Mary Kay Andrews.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I have several books I want to finish and a few I want to begin.

(1) KYTELER’S INN: a YA novel set in contemporary Kilkenny, Ireland, with the historical story of Dame Alice Kyteler, the “witch of Kilkenny” as an undercurrent.

(2) THE TROUBLE WITH ARNOLD: with MG characters who are close to my heart.

(3) THE QUICKSILVER TREE: first draft completed, but I’m not satisfied.

(4) THE BUS AND US: a memoir piece that may have limited appeal, but I intend to finish it anyway.

(5) A collection of family stories that I have to write if I want to be able to use my spare bedroom as something other than a storage place for family papers and pictures.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
That’s easy. THE BIBLE. Shakespeare’s collected plays and sonnets. HUCKLEBERRY FINN. A collection of GRIMM’S FAIRY TALES. That’s four, but I need one more: A CHILD’S GARDEN OF VERSES by Robert Lewis Stevenson.

Author Websites and Profiles
Marilyn Cram Donahue Website
Marilyn Cram Donahue Amazon Profile

Marilyn Cram Donahue’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a prolific writer, drawn especially to the genres of science fiction and fantasy. My published novels include a Young Adult urban fantasy series (Mary of the Aether, Mary of Shadows, Mary of Starlight, and the forthcoming Mary of Cosmos), a fantasy duology (Bloodstone, A Whisper in the Void), a post-apocalyptic adventure (Shadows of Tockland), a standalone fantasy e-book (Garden of Dust and Thorns), and my latest novel, a dystopian science-fiction tale (Children of the Mechanism).

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Children of the Mechanism is my latest novel, a dark, dystopian science fiction novel about slaves living and working in the bowels of a mysterious factory under the gaze of cruel robots called Watchers. It is based on a short story I wrote many years ago that was inspired by a documentary I saw about children in the Holocaust. I was disturbed at the notion of people born and raised in evil circumstances who have no other experience of normalcy. However, when I turned the short story into a novel, I think I was more inspired by the condition of child laborers in third world sweatshops. In my own strange way, I wanted to tell their story.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I do my best writing very late at night. In fact, midnight to about 2 in the morning is when my creative juices are really flowing. It has something to do with being so tired that I get into a foggy, semi-conscious state of mind. It’s like I’m able to tap into a kind of dream state. It’s not healthy, but it works.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I have enjoyed and been inspired by many writers, including J.R.R. Tolkien, J.K. Rowling, Victor Hugo, Stephen King, Orson Scott Card, Tad Williams and C.S. Lewis.

What are you working on now?
I am working on a post-apocalyptic novel called Fading Man. It takes place in the same world as another novel of mine, Shadows of Tockland, though the characters are not directly connected to one another.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Websites that have worked for me include Goodreads, Amazon’s Meet Our Authors forum, Kindle Boards, Blogger and my own author website, Jeffreyaaronmiller.com but my most effective promotion came through a rather unusual and unexpected means. A college professor who teaches a regional teachers’ workshop decided to put my first novel, Mary of the Aether, on his recommended reading list. This got me a lot of attention and raised my visibility across the state.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I haven’t figured this whole writing business out yet, so I’m probably not one to be giving advice. I am still desperately in need of advice. I would say be very careful with self-publishing. The lack of professional editing has flooded the marketplace with typo-ridden novels that negatively and permanently impact the reputation of their authors and the self-publishing industry as a whole.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I love genre fiction. However, when I was in the creative writing program at the University of Arkansas, one of my professors challenged me to first learn to write non-genre fiction. He said too often writers hide behind genre conventions to hide weaknesses in their prose, plotting and characterization, so he recommended that I work on those aspects of storytelling. I was then able to take those skills and apply them to genre fiction, creating stronger and more compelling stories.

What are you reading now?
I am currently reading Spin by Robert Charles Wilson.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I will finish Fading Man and go immediately to work on the next novel, a YA fantasy called The Figment Tree. At the same time, I will keep plugging away at this promotion thing, trying to eke out a little place for myself in the indie writing world.

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, gosh, I can’t answer a question like this. 3 or 4 books is just not enough. I rarely reread anything. There are too many others things to read. I think I would spend my time on that desert island trying to build a raft to get back to civilization, where there is no end to books!

Author Websites and Profiles
Jeffrey Miller Website
Jeffrey Miller Amazon Profile

Jeffrey Miller’s Social Media Links
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Facebook Profile
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