Awesome Author Interviews

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My name is Myrlande E. Sauveur, I am originally from Haiti, came to the United States when I was 17 years old to further my education. I obtained my MBA from Strayer University in 2010. I consider myself multi-talented; I am a poet, author, entrepreneur, youth counselor and a Health & Wellness Consultant. I am a born again Christian, actively working in my community and spreading the gospel through my writing. I have written and published one book so far.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Daily Spiritual Vitamins and Minerals for Your Soul is the name of my book. God inspired me to write this book while I was going through one of the most difficult moment in my life emotionally; it is a part of my testimony of how God helped me overcome it.

“Only God Can Heal You Both Spiritually and Physically! Oftentimes, the vicissitudes of life get in the way of building an intimate relationship with God. We live in a fast-paced society and sometimes feel overwhelmed to the point that we question God’s plan for our life. Daily Spiritual Vitamins and Minerals for Your Soul offers a dozen meditational reflections, supported by daily key verse, as a regulator to give our lives the rhythm we need to enhance our self-esteem, elevate our morale, increase our faith, and strengthen our fellowship with the Lord. We all need vitamins and minerals to stay physically healthy and we need the Word of God to remain spiritually healthy”.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I wouldn’t say I have unusual writing habits but whenever I feel something whether it’s on a computer, on my phone, or a regular notebook, I always try to catch the idea, and when I have time I put them all together. I feel more comfortable writing on my bed than my desk.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The bible

What are you working on now?
I am currently working on the French translation of Daily Spiritual Vitamins and Minerals for Your Soul, and also on my second devotional book and a poetry collection to be released sometime next year if God’s willing.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
When it comes to promoting my book, I find social media and cross-promotion to be very useful. I don’t have a website yet for my book but I sold a lot of books through FB and FB groups.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
My advice for new authors is to write, write, write some more. Practice makes perfect.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best advice I have ever heard “is to treat your book as a business”

What are you reading now?
Right now I am reading three books by my fellow authors I met at the Readers Favorite Award Ceremony in Miami and the Miami Book Fair International: Healing Love by Sophie Dawson, The Ivory Cell by Nevine Miller

and Can God Save Haiti? By Frantz Michel.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Continue to promote my book while I am working on my other projects, start teaching kids how to express themselves through writing and open a group to promote and showcase Haitian writers.

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?
If I was going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3-4 books with me, I would bring my bible.

Author Websites and Profiles
Myrlande E Sauveur Website
Myrlande E Sauveur Amazon Profile

Myrlande E Sauveur’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m the author of political thriller THE HIDDEN LIGHT OF MEXICO CITY and the EMILIA CRUZ mysteries set in Acapulco. Occasional nomad, cultural observer, reluctantly recovering Furla handbag addict. I’m also overly fond of coffee, my husband, our nearly-grown kids, and our haughty German Shepherd.

As a fiction author I love to weave unique cultural gems into the plot. Most of the time I draw on my own world travels and experiences living in Mexico and Central America.

So far I have published four books, three of which form the beginning of the Emilia Cruz mystery series. I plan to publish two more Emilia Cruz books in 2014, as well as a memoir of student days in Paris.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is MADE IN ACAPULCO: The Emilia Cruz Stories. It is a collection of short stories featuring Emilia Cruz, the first and only female detective on the Acapulco police force. With hot nights on the beach and suspense straight out of the news, the series goes inside Mexico’s drug war with a fearless style and a woman who will be hard to forget.

The stories in MADE IN ACAPULCO take place before the action in the full-length Emilia Cruz mystery novels, including CLIFF DIVER and HAT DANCE.

The first story in the collection is entitled “The Beast” and was first published on The Huffington Post’s Fiction 50 showcase. The collection also includes the story “The Cliff,” which was the original Emilia Cruz debut and was used as the basis for the novel CLIFF DIVER.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
A typical day for me starts out with coffee (no surprise) and the news at around 0545. I generally work out after that and am ready to start the writing work day about 0900. I check social media first—another news source–and then focus on book writing, blog posts, or generally answering the mail until about 1500. If I haven’t gotten a lot of real writing done, I’ll often write longhand in the evening, coming up with new angles or sketching out dialogue. The best part of writing is editing but I can’t do that late at night, for some reason I tend to have better concentration in the morning. There’s more about how I approach my work on my website’s FAQ.

I have a writing buddy that I meet with once a week. We bounce ideas off each other and generally recharge our creative batteries with too much cappuccino. He’s a walking thesaurus and very helpful.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
This is a fairly diverse list:

Ken Follett: His earlier works including Night Over Water, Triple, The Key to Rebecca and The Eye of the Needle all have a tension-filled storyline, interesting characters with complex relationships, and multiple voices that are all integral to moving the plot forward. Not to mention the hot sex scenes.

P.G. Wodehouse: I discovered this British humorist in high school and have read dozens of his books and short stories. His world is that of 1920’s England. All of his books have an invariably tangled plot, crazy characters, and perfect phrasing (“he writhed like an electric fan”) that never grow old. My favorite is The Code of the Woosters.

Robert B. Parker: The creator of the Spenser mystery series is a study in perfect-pitch dialogue. Some of his books are a series of conversations that are so well crafted that virtually the entire plot/mystery is revealed in this way. His action scenes are never gratuitous which means they pack a big punch. My favorites are Potshot and Hugger Mugger.

Peter Mayle: His novels like Hotel Pastis and Anything Considered are the best examples of integrating a foreign language into an English language book. His topics are light, focus on elements of French culture (truffles, wine, etc) and always make me smile.

What are you working on now?
Right now I’m working DIABLO NIGHTS, the 3rd Emilia Cruz mystery set in Acapulco. Detective Emilia Cruz has to contend with an inexperienced partner while investigating a murder aboard a cruise ship and trying to track down the origins of a strange religious relic. As with the other books, Emilia’s caseload is complicated by Mexico’s drug war and she’ll face stiff resistance for being a woman in a traditionally male-dominated work environment.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
As I found when The Huffington Post published my short story, “The Beast,” in September 2013, if readers see a sample they will want more. Readers can find the first chapters of all my books on my website and I frequently post other excerpts as blog posts.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
1. Don’t fall in love with your first draft. Fall in love with your characters, in the setting, and in the plot twists. Keep editing and rewriting until your manuscript is as good as it can be. Learn to be a ruthless editor of your own work.

2. Don’t change points of view within a single section. Just when a reader has identified with a certain character–whoops–suddenly they are inside another character’s head. This is my personal pet peeve. Read novels by Leon Uris and Ken Follett for great examples of keeping points of view separate and how to use different points of view to advance the plot.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“Know the audience for the book.” It really helps an author stay focused if you know for whom you are writing.

What are you reading now?
I’m currently reading TATIANA by Martin Cruz Smith, the new Arkady Renko mystery. In the bookstore of my imagination my books are shelved right next to his.

What’s next for you as a writer?
In 2014 I will bring out two more Emilia Cruz novels, DIABLO NIGHTS and another with the working title of SUN GOD. Also in 2014 I’ll be releasing a fun memoir called GIRL MEETS PARIS, based on the letters I wrote home while a student in Paris.

I keep getting asked if I’ll ever write fiction set somewhere besides Mexico and the answer is, yes. No title as of yet, but I have written a paranormal thriller set in Virginia that will be published in 2015.

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 guess I’d want both entertainment and reflection opportunities so I’d take along The Collected Works of P.G. Wodehouse, the Lord of the Rings trilogy, the Bible, and the complete works of Plato.

Author Websites and Profiles
Carmen Amato Website
Carmen Amato Amazon Profile

Carmen Amato’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
The Stair in the Wall is my first book out and my first writing for the children’s market. I have been published quite a bit in literary journals — poetry and adult short fiction, and have won a few prizes. I am also working on an adult book called, Edenvale. It’s about a young woman who has been banished from her family since she was eight years old and nurtures fond memories of her grandparents’ ranch called Edenvale in the beautiful Santa Clara Valley of California when it was so covered with orchards that in the spring the valley looked as white as if snow had fallen and the air was heady with the fragrance of the blossoms. But there is a dark secret in her family that now, with her gravely ill father’s disappearance, has come to the fore. She returns to the land of her childhood to solve the mystery of her family once and for all.

I have an MA and MFA in Creative Writing from San Francisco State University, where I also taught creative writing. I live in Berkeley with my husband, the novelist Floyd Salas, and assorted cats.

My grandparents actually did own an orchard in the Santa Clara Valley and I did my undergraduate work at Santa Clara University.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I think the reader of The Stair in the Wall, my latest book, will find some similarities to the rough plot sketch of my adult novel, Edenvale — not the plot itself, not at all, but the idea of the half-orphan. Sylvia in The Stair in the Wall has both her parents but her mother has left the family to find herself and her father, as a consequence, becomes so heart-broken that he is unable to care for Sylvia. Thus, though not technically an orphan, she feels like an orphan and, as such, must craft a new family for herself. This idea of the orphan is a common one in folklore and fairy tales, which I have studied fairly extensively, and, of course, is central to the Harry Potter books. The trope in Harry Potter — that of an exalted being living with and being mistreated by lesser beings until his true lineage is recognized– is a very old one. You could argue that the Christ story is a variation of such a story. It is very, very compelling because it feels pyschologically true to many people — all people are misunderstood and sometimes mistreated. And the adolescent often feels that he must be superior to the heathens among whom he is forced to live (family).

In The Stair in the Wall, Sylvia is introduced to a world with different rules than those of the self-protective, angry and fearful adult world that, in the early chapters, so lets her down. In Greenworld, each being is valued for what he or she brings to the community. Not to say that these intriguing characters don’t have their foibles, peculiarities and faults. But in this world (is it her own dreamworld? or a real world accessed through the stair in the wall?) Syliva gains the psychological strength to bring about a happy ending to her own problem of orphanhood.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Uh — the usual — tearing my hair, eating junk food, drinking caffeinated beverages.

Writing makes me highly nervous and highly excited. I sometimes write for long periods intensely, then I am exhausted.

I will say that writing down my dreams every night — telling myself I was not trying to “write well” or “write prettily” or edit what I remembered in any way — effectively got rid of writing block forever.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Well, back to the orphan theme — Jane Eyre and the update rewrite, Rebecca — these are pretty Oedipal books with a strong psychological pull. Speaking of a great book on analyzing fairy tales, Bruno Bettleheims’ The Uses of Enchantment is a must-read. Carl Jung has influenced me quite a bit — he is really the artist’s psychoanalyst — his analysis of symbolic acts in life changed the way I looked at life and fiction. Man and His Symbols is another must read for the writer, I think. I believe The Great Gatsby has perfect form..many great books do not have perfect form. Gatsby does. The short story by James Baldwin, Sonny’s Blues, is one of my favorites — it always brings me to tears, even after many re-readings — and also has great symbolism and form. You can’t get much better than the great Russian authors, Dostoevsky and Tolstoy, especially Crime and Punishment, The Idiot, Brothers Karamazov, The Death of Ivan Ilyich and Anna Karenina. I love Jane Austen and George Eliot and Thomas Hardy — I’ve read most of those authors’ books. I took a 5-unit course in Hemingway and I must say I am now influenced by his writing style — not at all what you would think at first — the short, declarative sentences he is known for. But if you read him deeply, he is also just as adept at the very long sentence (re-read the famous love-making scene in A Farewell to Arms.) But what I am most deeply influcenced by is how he is able to convey consciousness through often inarticulate characters — I read a number of his lesser known short stories about insomnia, etc. Very interesting.

Frances Hodgson Burnett’s children stories have that same kind of mythic pull of Jane Eyre — they are masterful. The Secret Garden. A Little Princess. I re-read The Wind and the Willows recently. What a beautifully written book! And, of course, The Chronicles of Narnia and The Wizard of Oz. You can see that I like the classics.

I could hardly help but be influenced by my husband and teacher, Floyd Salas. No one has captured consciousness better than he has in the first few pages of Tattoo the Wicked Cross, in which a young boy in reform school contemplates his cell.

What are you working on now?
See above regarding my adult novel, Edenvale. I am also putting together notes for a sequel for The Stair in the Wall, which will find Sylvia going in an entirely new direction as she solves yet another problem.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I am just learning how to promote my writing. I think my Facebook pages — both my “regular” one and my author page — are extremely helpful and also my own website: www.claireortalda.com

I am just getting to know fantastic sites like this one and beginning to feel like there is a real community out there on the internet. I love it.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Rudolph Schaeffer used to run an art school in San Francisco and he had this word of advice for all kinds of artists: “If it’s not joyful, why do it?”

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Both are from Floyd Salas:

“The only things precious in life are love and time, so you better spend your time doing what you love.”

“If you want idealism to live, then you live it.”

What are you reading now?
Right now, I happen to be reading a biography of the opera singer, Maria Callas.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Again, I am working on Edenvale, also a sequel to The Stair in the Wall, and also a mystery series called The Classic Book Club Mysteries. The first title is “Pride and Premeditation.” I love mysteries.

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?
Man and His Symbols

The Bible

Collected Works of Shakespeare

A 1-volume encyclopedia

Author Websites and Profiles
Claire Ortalda Website
Claire Ortalda Amazon Profile

Claire Ortalda’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
About Myself: Let’s start with my name – I was named after both of my great-grandmothers, 100% Czechoslovakian. Being born in the U.S., my name was Americanized to Suzie. When I became an adult, and outgrew that name, I reverted back to the original, “Zushka.”

I was born and raised in New England, the first of three children born to my hippie parents. I grew up in a modest home surrounded by miles of forest, which became my playground. My appreciation for nature began there and remains with me to this day. I feel most at home outdoors.

I spent 20 years in the desert of the American Southwest, before spending a year in Michigan, and finally landed in Sedona, Arizona, which is where I live to this day.

Books I Have Written: My first book, “God Knocked Me Off My Bike,” was released via paperback in May of 2010. It became available on Amazon Kindle in January of 2013. My second book, “The Secret Butterfly Trail,” was released on November 25, 2013, via Amazon Kindle. It will become available on paperback in March of 2014. These two books are a part of my Nonfiction Trilogy Series, “An Ordinary Life.”

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Secret Butterfly Trail is my latest book. As with all of my books, it was inspired by my journals. The recording of my life events, feelings, and my personal accounts, over 30 years of journaling, produced my trilogy series sort of by accident. My journals evolved into books. You could say I am an “accidental writer.”

My biggest inspiration is purely selfish – it is my own personal therapy. I have recovered from difficulties in my life through my writings. Sharing this with readers is a big part of my inspiration and continued recovery. Through my shared experience and hope, readers who have been through similar events in their own lives, are relieved that they are not alone; that there is somebody else out there in the world who went through the same things that they are, and survived it. Most of the feedback from my readers is simply this: They feel comfortable opening up and talking about their own lives after reading my books. Knowing that I am touching the hearts of people I have never met, and in some small way helping them, is in itself what inspires me to continue writing.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Writing Habits: I handwrite all of my journals. After I have collected 10 or so notebooks of writings, I type them onto my laptop. I don’t include every single detail, as not all of it is necessary in a book format. As I type, individual chapters develop naturally. Before I know it, I have a whole book completed. I print the entire book and hand it to my Editor, who quickly gets to work with his red pen. Weekly meetings, sometimes twice a week, continue for a few months until the edits, rewrites, and printed version is ready to be released into the world.

Writing Space: My writing space is just as important to me as my writing habits are. I have a writing room in my house, decorated with things that comfort me: My desk, a bookcase full of my favorite books, a Vision Board on the wall, inspirational artwork, plants, and a crystal singing bowl on top of an antique trunk, fill the room.

Writing Ritual: I prefer to write in the early morning hours, and can spend 3 to 5 hours in one sitting. Soothing music must be playing, incense burning, and a fresh pot of brewed coffee waiting. I journal first, then meditate for a few minutes, before I dive in.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I read Hugh Prather’s “Notes to Myself” when I was younger. His book of journal excerpts resonated with me. I felt liberated by his words. Charles Bukowski’s and Hunter S. Thompson’s raw, real-life, no-sugar-coating writings are always influential. Larry McMurtry’s “Literary Life” is another one of those books that I look through often. These styles, mixed with “The Kite Runner” by Khaled Hosseini, “Eat, Pray, Love” by Elizabeth Gilbert, and “A Day in the Life of the American Woman” (by a collaboration of women photographers) all have their way of influencing my life.

What are you working on now?
I am finishing the Trilogy, “An Ordinary Life.” My third book, which does not have a title yet, is about my Sedona experience. It covers the period of the 3 1/2 years that I have lived in Sedona; the people that I met, the places I have been, the events, and the culture. Everything, from the cowboys to the moon worshippers, to the psychics and the coffee houses, are included in my book, just to name a few. It is a story of my personal encounters with the hippies, artists, and thieves of Sedona – nonfiction and entertaining.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Word of mouth seems to be the best way I have promoted my books. I talk about them everywhere I go, to everyone I meet. Other than that, Facebook, Amazon Author Page, Goodreads, Twitter, and my own website are a good way to promote my books.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write. Write all the time. Write whenever you feel like writing. Write, write, write, and never stop.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“Anything worth doing, is worth doing badly.” – Anonymous

What are you reading now?
“Finding What’s Lost” a novel by Gail L. Winfree

What’s next for you as a writer?
Book Signings and interviews – lots of them.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Very large books that float very well.

Author Websites and Profiles
Zushka Biros Website
Zushka Biros Amazon Profile

Zushka Biros’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My name is G. Eldon Smith and Murder in the Rockies is my debut novel. I’ve dabbled with children’s literature, but only published one short story. My previous writing experience was primarily in writing multiple-choice test questions for hiring and promotions in the Colorado Civil Service Department.

I am a Veteran, Navy photographer; retired Civil Servant, human resources; and married to a loving wife who is my proof reader. My grown son wants to buy the book rather than receive it as a gift…is that loyalty or what?

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Murder in the Rockies is my latest completed and published book. As I was doing research about Colorado history, I kept coming across articles and photos of events that took place in 1890. It became evident that my novel would have to be set in Denver in the year of 1890. Read an exciting mystery and get a lesson in Colorado history.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I can’t write without coffee.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
John LaCarre is a favorite because of the suspense he builds. His details let the reader know that LaCarre has really been there.

Mark Twain wrote the funniest sentence I have ever read. In Roughing It, his description of a fight in which he was engaged goes like this. “So I grabbed him firmly between the teeth with my nose and threw him heavily to the ground on top of me.” Forty years after I first read it, that passage still makes me chuckle as I type it.

What are you working on now?
I am currently writing a second Andrew Coyle mystery in which Coyle is hired to investigate the Chrystal Carnival held in Leadville Colorado in the winter of 1896. The citizens of Leadville decided to put on the Carnival to attract tourists. The main attraction was a giant Ice Palace, which was a truly remarkable architectural achievement. During the building of the Ice Palace, the head of the county treasury is killed in an accident, or was it murder? Coyle’s task is to find out which, and if it was murder, who done it? Leadville is the Two Mile High City, located high in the mountains at 10,400 feet elevation. Thus the title of my latest novel, Two Miles High and Six Feet Under.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I received three good reviews from a Goodreads giveaway. Three reviews for 10 books has been my best promotion.

My website blog is new every week, but nobody has left a comment in the comments section, so I don’t know if anyone ever reads my blog. I find it interesting, but then I write it.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I am a new author myself. I am more in a position of asking for advice than giving it.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Write what you know. That is the reason my fiction is mixed with historical facts, events I know actually happened. I stay away from paranormal subjects that are popular these days. I don’t know and have never met a zombie from outer space.

What are you reading now?
Hell on Wheels: Wicked Towns along the Union Pacific Railroad is nonfiction that reads like fiction.

The author, Dick Kreck, put a tremendous amount of research into his book, as he always does.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I have spent so much time and effort into marketing Murder in the Rockies, I have not thought much about the future, other than definitely planning to finish Two Miles High and Six Feet Under.

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 want Coconut Recipes Book, How to Build a Raft that Floats, and a World Atlas showing popular navigation routes.

Author Websites and Profiles
G. Eldon Smith Website
G. Eldon Smith Amazon Profile

G. Eldon Smith’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve worked as a military intelligence operator, an engineer and a construction manager. For the last three years, I’ve been writing full time and have seven titles. Four of them are full length (80,000 to 100,000 words) and three are shorter novellas.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The latest in the ‘Black Ships’ series is ‘The Orphan Alliance’. It grew out of a discovery made by Dr. Colbert during her return voyage to Earth in ‘The Dark Defiance’. It occurred to me that her research might hold the ultimate prize for our species, but there’s always a catch.
If things went wrong – and I mean horribly wrong – what would happen to our forces in enemy territory? Marcus Cicero once claimed the sinews of war are infinite money. What happens if those sinews are severed?

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
When I get stuck on a scene, I start up Blender – an open source 3D modeling program – and build the environment. With science fiction, you can’t just travel to your settings to inspire the imagination so I create the environment and animate the camera to take me through it.
I just finished a model for a sub-oceanic city as part of the outlining process for ‘Counterweight’ and I’ve already come up with some interesting SDR (surveillance detection route) possibilities.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I really need to keep this list as a doc file on my admin directory. It’s not a short one, so I’ll just do a bit of cherry picking:
Heinlein, Asimov, Cornwell, Forester, Flemming, Ford,
And the Godfather himself – Arthur C. Clarke (c’mon, the guy practically invented the sattelite).

What are you working on now?
I’m working on ‘Counterweight’ which is book four of the ‘Black Ships’ series. It takes us forward in the conflict by a century and a half and we pick up the tale of an alliance ‘agent provocateur’ who’s trying to stir up trouble on the remote oceanic planet of Chaco Benthic. His tale becomes linked to the descendants of two opposing renegade groups from the previous book and the connection will unleash something new and unexpected.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
It’s funny you should ask – I’m currently collecting data to answer that very question. I’ll be tracking results from several sites over the next few months, allowing my sales to reach a stable baseline between each experiment.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?

If you sit by the riverside long enough, the body of you enemy will float by…
So don’t drink the water while you’re waiting…

What are you reading now?
I’m reading my way through Evan Currie’s ‘Warrior’s Wings’ series. It’s an incredibly well written series with carefully crafted science and a strong female protagonist.

What’s next for you as a writer?
After the ‘Black Ships’ is wrapped up, I’ll get back into ‘Prometheus Bound’. It’s a story about the cyclical nature of civilization.

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?
Probably ‘The Lord of The Rings’ and George R. R. Martin’s ‘Game of Thrones’ series (kind of a cheat to pick a series, but we’re making this up as we go anyway, right?) The first is my all time favorite story and the second has so many threads in it, I forget half of them by the time the next story comes out.

Author Websites and Profiles
Andrew Claymore Website
Andrew Claymore Amazon Profile
Andrew Claymore Author Profile on Smashwords

Andrew Claymore’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m Joseph but I go by many aliases including J.U. Scribe which is my penname. I currently live in Wisconsin where I was born and raised although I have roots in Nigeria. I’m a Mobile tester by day but at night I’m free to be whomever. It wasn’t until this year that I could call myself a writer. Although if you meet me I’m quite conservative, but in my mind I’m free to escape into the realm of imagination.

My earliest shot as a writer came in the 4th grade where I wrote my first Children’s Book. Since then I’ve done a lot of growing up physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Since then I’ve went on to create a whole series of books centered on my main character, Troy, a Roman boy who comes from royalty. More about my series can be found on my bloghttp://writersnookblog.wordpress.com/. My debut novelette is “Before the Legend- The Prologue,” which starts our tale when the character is four years old. The series is meant to follow the character as he gets older and develops into the young man that he becomes. My goal as a writer is to create complex characters and rich storylines that engage the reader and leaves you wanting to more.

When I’m not writing my stories, I’m blogging. I do have a creative side and have a range of interests including graphic and web design, drawing, painting, and listening to music. To find out what I’m up to next, follow me on the links below.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Before the Legend- The Prologue is the latest book to be published although people may be surprised to know it was inspired by my first book, “Roman Identity.” I felt the story needed a backstory to show how Troy was affected by earlier events that shaped his character. That’s when Before the Legend was born.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m not sure if this is considered unusual but I love listening to music when I’m writing a chapter to put me in the right frame of mind or mood. Even after a chapter is finished, I associate a certain song that fits the mood of my story and will go back to that chapter just so I can put on my headphones and play the music as I’m reading a particular scene.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I would say Lois Lowry’s works, particularly The Giver has influenced my works and even certain themes or motifs would flavor my own works. The Bible is another influence as well as other historical writings that nurtured an interest in learning about past cultures and time periods.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on promoting on my debut novelette, “Before the Legend.” When I’m not doing that I’ll be resuming work on the trilogy to the series, Chasing Blue.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I would definitely say word of mouth and using social media such as Facebook to promote your story to your network of friends and to other strangers who may have similar interests to you.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I would say to do your homework. Don’t expect immediate results because the market is very competitive; coming from personal experience. Also try your very best to reach out to others for constructive feedback and continue to refine your work to the very best of your ability because people judge self-publishers a lot more harshly than those who go through a publisher. That’s the common consensus I get from several indie writers. Also never overlook word of mouth for marketing. As an indie writer you need all the connections you can get.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
One of the best advice I got was not to rely too much on others because it can be as debilitating as a crutch. I found those words to be true in life in general. In this process I found myself juggling various roles by myself. It’s not to say that you can’t reach out for help but don’t rely to heavily on others because people humans are imperfect.

What are you reading now?
I’m reading these questions to fill out lol.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m planning on finishing the trilogy of my series which is the final conclusion to the series. Whether I publish it or not is too early to say at the moment.

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
The Giver
A Survival Guide

Author Websites and Profiles
J.U. Scribe Website
J.U. Scribe Author Profile on Smashwords

J.U. Scribe’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
For many years I have mainly been a playwright, with productions in over 40 countries and 20 languages. I am well known in the USA, where my plays have appeared in almost every stock and amateur theatre, as well as on Broadway. However I have also written a novel every 15 years or so!! My first book, A RUSTLE IN THE GRASS, was a Hamlyn Book Of The Month publication and after several years I suddenly realised there had been a slow build-up of tremendous Amazon reader reviews. This helped to spur me on with my new and very different novel, which is about one of my greatest concerns.
I live between Bath in the UK, the South of France, and Australia – three of the most beautiful places on earth (and three of the most inspiring in which to write). How lucky I am!

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST
The debate about Darwinism is always with us, but interest seems to be growing at present, when the world’s religious and philosophical beliefs are in such disarray. What are the origins of evil? What is the cause of man’s inhumanity to man? Evolutionary theory tackles these subjects and Darwin’s revolutionary concept is more relevant today than ever. This novel concerns its contentious premise, and its influence on the modern world scene. Read about it on http://sbpra.com/robinhawdon

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I can’t write for long sitting upright or at a desk. I have to recline with legs up on a sofa. Thank heavens for laptops! I write most mornings, and then spend the afternoons on admin, golf, or swimming. If I don’t have a project to work on I get very grumpy!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Too numerous to name, but I love biographies of powerful or interesting people. (Edna Healey’s magnificent biog of Emma Darwin partly inspired my new book)

What are you working on now?
Promoting the book! I’d much rather be writing another one, but apparently needs must in the present climate.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m enjoying writing the blog www.charlesdarwinblog.com. Don’t know whether many are reading it though!
Ditto for Facebook and Twitter – but they are a bore really.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Revise, revise, revise. Your text is NEVER perfect.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Only work 4 hours a day. The rest of the time your mind will be working subconsciously and you won’t have nearly so much wasted stuff.

What are you reading now?
About five books at once. I dip in and out.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Another book. I have the glimmer of an idea, but it will be a long time formulating.

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?
NOT the Bible!
Books by John Fowles, Tolstoy, John Updike probably.

Author Websites and Profiles
Robin Hawdon Website
Robin Hawdon Amazon Profile

Robin Hawdon’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Elyse Grant is one of several alter egos of author Shelley Lieber. Shelley is a nonfiction writer and publishing consultant known as The Wordy Woman. Shelley wrote 4Ps to PUBLISHING SUCCESS and PUBLISHING MADE EASY & PROFITABLE. Our (my) debut novel is THE PRINCE CHARMING HOAX.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
THE PRINCE CHARMING HOAX began life as a nonfiction book by Shelley Lieber about re-entering the dating scene at age 40+ after divorce. I’m a fiction writer and I’d been waiting many years to emerge. My opportunity finally showed up one day when Shelley was struggling to organize and present all the stories she had conducted from her real-life interviews with divorced and separated women as research for the book. I saw her falter in frustration and I quickly jumped out and took over the keyboard, introducing her to the characters of Leah Gold and Roxanne Stein. Suddenly everything seemed to fall into place, and the story of THE PRINCE CHARMING HOAX unfolded.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I start my books with paper and pen. When all the space has been covered with words, insertions, cross outs, and arrows and can no longer be followed, I transfer everything to the computer and continue that way for the rest of the book.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
In the past, I was initially influenced by Marilyn French and Erica Jong. Today, I’m old enough and have enough experience to do my own thing. I spent many years in the publishing industry following the rules. Now, I take pleasure in breaking them 😉

What are you working on now?
I’m working on the follow up to THE PRINCE CHARMING HOAX. In this book Leah has an opportunity to experience something we’ve all wished for…a chance to see what happens on the road not taken.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I use social media, mostly Facebook.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write now, don’t wait for the “right” time.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Drive crazy and take chances.

What are you reading now?
A lot of erotica.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m exploring mixing genres (Romance and science fiction, for example.) I have two novels that are Works in Progress and a notebook filled with dozens 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?
I’d cheat and bring my Kindle, filled with hundreds of titles. Once loaded, I don’t need wifi to read.

Author Websites and Profiles
Elyse Grant Website
Elyse Grant Amazon Profile
Elyse Grant Author Profile on Smashwords

Elyse Grant’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 Altoona, Pennsylvania in 1981. Much of my childhood was spent captivating friends and adults alike with storytelling and short stories. I was first published in a popular children’s magazine when I was 9 years old.

In my early twenties, I attended San Jacinto College in Pasadena, Texas, with a major in Computer Sciences. And before moving back to Pennsylvania in 2005, I collaborated on several stage productions: including the widely popular “Uncle Phil’s Diner”.

So far, I have two books out: Sammy Reynolds for Mayor and Desperate Shadows. Next year, I will be releasing 3 other titles: The Garden of Ages, Snapshot Finish, and All Things Unwanted.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The name of my latest book is Desperate Shadows. Most of the storyline in Desperate Shadows was manufactured in the creativity of my mind. But the disdain that Brockton has for anyone they find to be different, in any way; is something that my wife and I have experienced for much of our lives.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
While I’m not sure if they would be classified as unusual or not, compared to other writers; I have two things that clearly define my ritualistic daily routine: The first being that I write all over the house (which is why I absolutely love my laptop), and the second is that my desk must never be changed or organized by anyone else. During certain parts of the writing process, I will routinely rearrange my workspace–depending on the mood of the story–but only I can do this, or my brain becomes somewhat clouded.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Much of the inspiration comes from my favorite Authors: Stephen King and Michael Crichton. And as far as the style of writing is concerned, I have always fancied the classical writings of Charles Dickens and Robert Louis Stevenson.

What are you working on now?
Currently, having recently finished Desperate Shadows; I am taking a month off of writing for relaxation and book promotion. However, in January, I’ll continue writing The Garden of Ages, set for release in April of next year– (I already have penned the first chapter).

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I actually have two that work best for me. My Official Facebook Page and my website JasonBlairBooks.com

Do you have any advice for new authors?
If you love writing, keep at it! At first, it may seem that very few people are interested; but if you persevere, and have great passion for writing, then you’ll make it.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“You know, if you put your mind to it, you can accomplish anything.” — Marty McFly; Back to the Future

What are you reading now?
Pet Sematary by Stephen King

What’s next for you as a writer?
Next year, 2014, is already full. I have 3 books coming out; the first of which, set for realease in April is entitled The Garden of Ages.

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?
David Copperfield by Charles Dickesn, Timeline by Michael Crichton, and the Bible

Author Websites and Profiles
Jason Blair Website

Jason Blair’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am an author of three books and currently working on my fourth book. My first book is “Walking In God’s Path Toward Your Destination Volume 1, To Change Your Mindset.” My Second Book is “Walking In God’s Path Toward Your Destination Volume 2, Building A Personal Relationship With Him.” My latest book is “The Real Purpose of Networking.” I am a member of the BDPA-NY and the Gospel Music Workshop of America National Convention. I am an affiliate with the Association of Independent Authors (AIA). I truly believe in networking by building solid relationships with my fellow Authors. I am an expert on how to create a great relationship by networking. I am the creator of Create Your Own Opportunity Network Group on Facebook. I am also a Freelance Writer with The Yahoo Contributors Network and HubPages. You can check out my blog at

http://www.miltonkelly.wordpress.com/

You can follow me at the following links:

http://www.facebook.com/CreateYourOwnOpportunityNetwork

Amazon Author Central: http://www.amazon.com/author/miltonkelly92

Facebook Fan Page: http://www.facebook.com/AuthorMiltonKelly92

Yahoo Contributors Network: http://contributor.yahoo.com/user/1714273/milton_kelly.html

HubPages: http://miltonkelly.hubpages.com/

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is The Real Purpose of Networking. The inspiration for me to write this book after attending so many networking events and I met several individuals that don’t what networking is all about. I want to teach individuals the proper ways of networking. The main mistakes that people make while networking is that they don’t follow up with their new connections. The purpose of networking is building solid relationships by getting to know our new connections.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I love to write while I am listening to some Gospel music. Gospel Music helps motivate me to write my story.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Any books that are Inspirational and Motivational have a great influence on me. I love to read those kinds of books because it helps me to have a positive mindset.

What are you working on now?
Right now I am working on my next book and I am also writing different kinds of articles. I am also write Book Reviews for Self Published Authors to help them to promote their works.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
The best method when it comes to promoting your book is word of mouth. You must tell people that you know about your book. Another great way to promote your book is to be a guest speaker online Blog Talk Radio, blogs and even on the radio show.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
My best advice for new authors or aspiring authors are simple, just keep on writing your story. Don’t let anyone interrupt you from writing your story. Also make sure that you network with your fellow authors.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
My best advice that I heard is to make sure that you market your book because it isn’t going sale by itself. Also take pride in your work by making sure it is your best work.

What are you reading now?
Right now I am about to read some books by my fellow Independent Authors. I believe that we should support each other.

What’s next for you as a writer?
My next goal as a writer to expand my fan based by writing articles for different magazines, newspaper and online magazine. I also want to start my own publishing company after I learn the rope about the publishing company.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
If I was stranded on a desert island I will bring the following books with me:

1) The Holy Bible

2) Home By Toni Morrison

3) Mama B – A Time To Speak

4) Ramsey Praise By Vanessa Miller

Author Websites and Profiles
Milton Kelly Website
Milton Kelly Amazon Profile

Milton Kelly’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hi my name is Sarah Vistica. I currently live in Northern California with my chihuahua mix Mocha. I am not only an author, but also an actress. I love winter and summer, those tend to be when my story ideas take over. I am in charge of my own author blogsite: http://www.sarahvistica.blogspot.com. I have written many books that are still works in progress. I have written two short stories, one of which I have published. I have also published one YA paranormal romance novel.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is Whisper. I actually wrote the story for a contest and only had a couple weeks to write it. I don’t remember what I was doing when the idea came, but I do know that the television show Ghost Whisperer and the film version of The Secret Garden were my inspirations for the story. I have an attraction to the Victorian Era, so it was important to me to add a little bit of 19th century history to my novel.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I do have some unusual writing habits. I like to do all my research ahead of time, though I am learning to break free from having to do it all at once. I actually write while I am watching television. I know that can be a bad thing, a definite distraction. I don’t always have that issue at least.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Books and authors that have influenced me are pretty good. I have to first say if it weren’t for my choice to read The Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer before the first movie came out, I would not have discovered my love of reading. While reading the Evernight series by Claudia Gray I got my first story idea. I have to say that was a definite influence. I got my idea for my second book while reading the Evermore series by Alyson Noel. I have not finished writing either of those books. I am influenced by authors who had struggles and took years to write their first novels. Rebecca Maizel is an author I am highly influenced by because she has an editor who wants her story to be the best it can be so she isn’t rushing to put out sequels. Kelly Creagh is just an author who has a common interest only she got an idea for a story from it and went with it, I can’t wait to read her next novel.

What are you working on now?
I am working on a book I started writing four years ago. It is an alternate reality/paranormal (ghost story)/romance YA novel. I don’t want to say it is sci-fi, more of an urban fantasy feel with twists and turns that aren’t expected.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
For promoting my books, I like using Goodreads. I also like a site called Free Book Fridays which is run by an author and it is a great way to gain exposure through giveaways and interviews. Awesome gang is another great way to promote. Any site where my book can get mass exposure is in my mind a great way to promote. Youtube and Vimeo are also great promotional tools because a book trailer is definitely a promotional tool.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
For new authors, I would say search around online for advice from authors who have been successful, even though your book may not see it instantly, it helps to know what successful authors have done to get their books noticed and what advice they have for authors in general. Learning to create your book trailer and book covers if you are strapped for money is very important. I recommend learning how to do image layering on Gimp and looking for Creative Commons licensed images. If you have any money available at all try stock photos or paying someone to make a trailer for you. There are many artists on deviant art who make professional book covers for under $100 which is worth checking out. I recently learned that through a Creative Commons license with commercial use allowed I can get great quality images free to use for book covers and trailers.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best advice I have heard is to start blogging. Other great advice was don’t expect your book to be a best seller right away. That helped me not be as disappointed when my book didn’t do as well as I wanted it to do, it did better than what I expected, but not what I wanted. Other advice I learned that was the best advice is, always read and stay current on what is on the shelves of the genre you write about.

What are you reading now?
I recently just started reading The Homecoming Masquerade: Where girls wear black book 1 by Spencer Baum

What’s next for you as a writer?
What’s next for me as a writer…Hmm. Writing more books. Hopefully I will be able to do more interviews and see more people noticing my books. I am actually writing my own short film scripts for films that I have created roles for myself to portray, so that is something new I am doing as a writer. We will see how it turns out. Script writing is a bit different from novel writing.

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?
If I were stranded on a desert island I would take Hunger Games with me, it has some helpful survival stuff in the story. I would take my bible with me because there is a lot of encouraging words in there to help me stay sane. The final book in the Nevermore trilogy because I am sure there will be some great Edgar Allen Poe poetry in the story and my final book I would want to take the final novel for the vampire queen series because it is such a unique story and I am sure the ending is unique.

Author Websites and Profiles
Sarah Vistica Website
Sarah Vistica Amazon Profile
Sarah Vistica Author Profile on Smashwords

Sarah Vistica’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I grew up on the mean streets (well really more of a cul de sac) of Orange County. Even as a kid my life plan was the same as it is today: to be a billionaire/astronaut/superhero. But, for now, I live in LA with my artist/rock-climber/restaurant running girlfriend where I spend my time writing, leading field trips for my favorite charity (826LA) and dashing up to the mountains for fly-fishing.

My plays have been produced by multiple theater companies (next up will be a May 2014 production of my play “Canyon” in Connecticut) and I’ve written several screenplays, that are in stages of production ranging from: “development hell” to “starts shooting in January 2014”.

My novel “Monsters of the Apocalypse” is my first venture into publishing.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My book “Monsters of the Apocalypse” is a post-apocalyptic science fiction adventure. It’s inspired by the paperback science fiction books of the fifties and sixties. I love fun, action packed books, that are filled with dangerous characters. Seeds of Heinlein, Vonnegut and Bester are all through it.

I self published it as an ebook because I felt that in an earlier era this would have been a dime novel, a cheap paperback or in science fiction magazines, but in today’s world that niche has been filled by the “$2.99 and under” ebook.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write on a computer that’s missing a couple keypads. It’s my lucky computer.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Kurt Vonnegut’s “Cat’s Cradle’ is the book that influenced me the most. I think it’s a perfect work by the greatest writer of all time.

I read everything Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett write.

I was a kid during the 90’s, a great era for comic books, so I read those constantly (Jim Lee’s X-Men, Frank Miller’s Batman, Jim Starlin’s Infinity Gauntlet… etc) and their influence is very evident in my writing.

What are you working on now?
I have a few film projects I’ve been hired onto and a few plays that are going to be staged this upcoming year. As for novels, I’m working on the follow up to “Monsters of Apocalypse” so hopefully that will be up to par!

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’ve had good luck with Facebook, Twitter and Goodreads – but end of the day, my awesome friends and the artists I’ve been privileged to work with in the past have been my greatest method of promotion.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I volunteer with kids (at a charity called 826LA) and they are constantly inspiring me with their energy and imaginations. Find a charity that you like, volunteer some time and you’ll come back inspired.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.

Buddha

What are you reading now?
I’m just finishing the Hunger Games Trilogy (I know, I’m a little late).

What’s next for you as a writer?
Hopefully NASA will call today and invite me to write my next book in space. I feel my writing would benefit from zero gravity.

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?
Cat’s Cradle, Siddhartha, Where the Sidewalk Ends and Jitterbug Perfume,

Author Websites and Profiles
Jordan Rawlins Website
Jordan Rawlins Amazon Profile

Jordan Rawlins’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a book lover! I have been writing for a lot of years but just got to the point where I decided to take the proverbial bull by the horns and go the route of self-publishing. I have released two books this year, one is a contemporary romance and the other is a paranormal/erotic romance.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The last book that I released is Blood Vengeance and it was inspired by the thought of how well a lot of vampire stories have done and the success of the Fifty Shades series…what would happen if I did a combination of the both to appeal to a larger audience. I’m also pretty interested in the world of spiritualism and have been a vampire story fan since the days that Dark Shadows was on television.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Unusual? I don’t know if it is unusual…but I do get off the track when I get a new idea and just HAVE to put it to paper. Thus, I am trying to finish up the Vengeance Trilogy, have another contemporary romance to release in the next few weeks, and another trilogy outlined for release in the summer of 2014. Not to mention a lot more ideas jotted down for even more…

What authors, or books have influenced you?
My best friend bought me the book “On Writing” by Stephen King for my birthday a few years back because he was trying to push me into writing novels I think! But my favorite authors are Nora Roberts (love her witch series’), Jayne Krentz, Stephen King, Heather Graham, Linda Brown, Nicholas Sparks…seriously…the list is endless and my home library as well as my Kindle collection continues to grow each day!

What are you working on now?
I am working on a contemporary romance called Yesterday’s Promises as well as the second book in my Vengeance trilogy called Vengeance Unleashed. I also have an outline of what I am going to call The Sisters Three trilogy that I can’t wait to start bringing to life.

Yesterday’s Promises is about first loves being reunited after having some significant trials in their separate lives. The heroine is the widow of an NFL player who made some pretty bad choices and the hero is a country music star with a drama filled ex-wife.

The Vengeance trilogy is about a group of vigilante vampires who meet a medium along the way, create a new vampire, and are joined by another medium in the last book. They destroy those who prey upon the innocent and helpless but what happens to the souls after the predators are killed?

The Sisters Three is about three sisters who are witches who are called upon to protect their hometown…that’s all I can say about that right now.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I am still learning how to promote and market my books…I’m going with some recent advice from my Romance Writers of America chapter members that this is not a sprint, it’s a marathon…

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I’m too new of an author to give much advice other than to follow your dream…if you want to be a published author…just do it any way that you can!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time…

What are you reading now?
I am reading A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness…Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert…and Doctor Sleep by Stephen King

What’s next for you as a writer?
I am going to keep on writing until I run out of stories to tell.

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 would be practically impossible! Ok…here goes…On Writing by Stephen King and the three that I’m reading right now…next week my answer might be different.

Author Websites and Profiles
Teresa Keefer Amazon Profile
Teresa Keefer Author Profile on Smashwords

Teresa Keefer’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My name is Katelin Wagner, I’m 19 years old, I’m a pre-medicine student based in Los Angeles, California, and I recently published my very first book.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Untold Mysteries of Phoenix Hearts, which is really a collection of poems about falling in love, the process of it falling apart, the breakup, and how I basically found myself after. It’s an incredibly personal collection of poems and is really a snapshot of my love life within these past 12 months. I spent a lot of time after being heartbroken feeling incredibly lost and writing this book not only helped me find myself again, but I think it’s a testament of my growth as an author and a person.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Lately, I can’t write without making homemade quesadillas and I have to eat them with hummus…I think I’m really embarrassing myself sharing that.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Oh man, I think initially the author who inspired me to start writing was JK Rowling because I wanted to be able to create a vivid imaginary world like she could. But I think I really started taking writing more seriously in high school when I read: JD Salinger, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Ernest Hemingway. I remember my “Ah-Ha” moment with writing came with reading the final chapter in The Great Gatsby and I realized that writing was something I wanted to do, I wanted to be able to convey emotion through my words on the same level as Fitzgerald.

Lately, it’s been Charles Bukowski, Buddy Wakefield, Miles Hodges and all the members of Strivers Row, Andrea Gibson, Chuck Palahniuk, Jonathan Safran Foer, Margaret Atwood…But I also am really inspired by songwriters who can convey a story through their music such as Matthew Mayfield, The Civil Wars, Marcus Mumford, Led Zeppelin, Ray LaMontagne, Jimi Hendrix, Gillian Welch, Noah Gundersen, John Mayer- I could seriously go on for ages about this…

What are you working on now?
As of now, just promoting my book and trying to establish myself more in the literary world. I want to grow more as a performance poet, compete in more slam competitions, and finish school.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
CreateSpace- super easy, efficient, user friendly.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
-Don’t write about what you don’t know. I see a lot of authors wanting to try and be unique by writing about things that they have no emotional connection to and when you do that, it will definitely show in your work.

-Coaxing out a poem or piece of writing is never the answer. I’ve had nights where I feel a poem brimming at the edges of my fingertips but it’s not “all there” for me to write it out on paper…just wait for it to come when it’s ready…it’s always better than when you force it.

-Write for yourself and no one else. Do it because it makes YOU happy.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
-“People are always going to be talking about you, it’s when they stop is when you’ve got to worry”- My mother quoting Steve Harvey (this got me through all of high school)

-“If something was meant to be destroyed by the truth, then it should be”- This was from a photo on Humans of New York

What are you reading now?
I’m currently revisiting Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia

What’s next for you as a writer?
I want to just keep writing and publishing of course. I’m looking for longevity in particular. I just really want to keep pushing my boundaries and limits, I’ve focused a lot of my time on love and lately I’ve been able to explore other topics which is exciting and challenging….But as of now, I’m finished writing about love, I got a book out of it, it’s time to move on and explore new things.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
1. A book telling me either how to survive on a desert island or how to get off of it

2. The Harry Potter Series: SO cliche, I am aware but those books hold such sentimental value.

3. Junkyard Ghost Revival: Buddy Wakefield and Andrea Gibson among other poets are featured in this

4. Post Office by Charles Bukowski

Author Websites and Profiles
Katelin Wagner Website

Katelin Wagner’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My debut novel, Puritan Witch; The Redemption of Rebecca Eames, was just released in September. I am currently researching a sequel and have plans for a third book.

Originally from North Dakota, I’ve lived in Maryland with my husband of 27 years since 1988. Writing used to be the only thing I did growing up, but for the past 25 years, it took the back-burner to other pursuits; jobs and other interests. Recently my love of writing was rekindled and it feels really great to be writing again! With the publication of Puritan Witch, I have accomplished a lifelong dream—I wrote an historical novel!

I love reading, cats, and strong coffee. I enjoy spinning wool and crocheting items out of my own hand-spun yarn.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Puritan Witch; The Redemption of Rebecca Eames, is the result of about 3 years of research. A few years ago, I got in contact with a third cousin who is into genealogy. She told me about this common ancestor we share, our 9th great grandmother, Rebecca Eames, who was one of the over 140 people accused and imprisoned during the 1692 Salem Witchcraft hysteria. Her story had never been told, so the moment I heard about her, my love of writing was rekindled. In 2012 I visited Rebecca’s grave in Boxford, Massachusetts while researching for the book.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
No. Ideas seem to come to me most when I’m about to drift off to sleep, but other than that, no unusual habits. I do find it helpful to listen to the Brainwaves app for creativity–it’s supposed to subliminally stimulate the creative parts of the brain, I guess, and sometimes it seems to help.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Dr. Wayne Dyer’s “Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life,” is my favorite inspirational book. It’s Dr. Dyer’s version of the Tao Te Ching’s 81 verses, each accompanied by an essay.

Susan Ariel Rainbow Kennedy (aka SARK) has written a series of colorful, life-changing books I just adore. There was a SARK forum online and I have made many great friends from that site.

My all-time favorite novel is Gone With the Wind. I also like Ken Follett and James Alexander Thom. I would love to be able to write as well as they.

What are you working on now?
Presently I am promoting Puritan Witch, and intermittently researching for the sequel. For the sequel, I am studying the Pequot tribe and Hartford, CT, in 1693-94.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
So far, my Facebook Author’s page. It also pays to not be shy! I ask complete strangers, “Do you like historical fiction?” if they do or they know someone who does, I give them my card!

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I tend to get discouraged easily, so be sure you have a good support team to cheer you on. Also, if you are the kind that gets discouraged easily, consider self-publishing. I went with iUniverse and every penny was well spent. If you go the traditional route, you need an agent and face a lot of rejection.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Never give up. Never surrender (Buzz Lightyear)

What are you reading now?
Jo Ann Butler’s “The Reputed Wife.” It’s another book set in Colonial America and I am really enjoying it!

What’s next for you as a writer?
Get all my research for the sequel done then I can start on it. Then start researching for my THIRD novel, also based on ancestors my third cousin and I share.

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?
Dr. Dyer’s “Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life,” and “Gone With the Wind”

Author Websites and Profiles
Peni Jo Renner Amazon Profile

Peni Jo Renner’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hi, I’m Anna and I’m an Irish author. I have been writing since I was a kid and love every moment of it. It’s my life!!

To date I’ve written 12 novels, and numerous novellas. I write steamy romance and romantic thrillers.

I am a keen photographer, I love to photograph seascapes and city scenes. I love to cook and spend time with family and friends.

I am a huge movie buff and although I do love horror movies I am a bit of a coward because I can’t watch one on my own lol

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest novella is called ‘The House Sitter’ and it was inspired on vacation earlier in August when I was staying on the beautiful island of Lanzarote. I was having a glass of wine out on the verandah and just relaxing and I saw a young woman cleaning the villa next door, she would keep looking into our garden and my imagination went into overdrive and so The Winchester Heights series was born..

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Hmmmm Copious amounts of lattes, I am a ‘latteholic’ and I have to have music playing in the background anything from classical to soft rock. Of course depending on what I am working on I listen to different genre.

When I finish writing a book I always celebrate with a glass of bubbly.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I am a huge fan of Edgar Allen Poe and F. Scott Fitzgerald. Poe’s ‘Man of The Crowd’ would certainly be a big influence in some of my screenplays.

What are you working on now?
I am currently working on a new series called ‘A Sweet Seduction’. The series is a spin off from my Temptation Series, where we met four hot blooded Londoners and their relationships. In ‘A Sweet Seduction Series’ we meet some of the characters from the original series and discover what they get up to.

The first story, ‘In Too Deep’ we catch up with Katherine Holesworth and follow her complicated relationship. It’s due out in Jan 2014.

I’m really excited about that.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I find that giving excerpts on the fan page on face book, helps a lot particularly prior to publication. After that I find Awesome gang is a great platform and some of the groups on FB depending of course on the genre.

From time to time I use the free promo days on amazon.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Keep writing and follow your dream, believe in your work because perseverance and determination will take you where you want to go!!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best advice I ever heard was don’t write for the market but write for yourself, if you enjoy what you are writing then the reader will enjoy it

What are you reading now?
I am reading about the life of French novelist Maragritte Duras. An amazing lady and incredible writer.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I have some novellas and a new novel planned for 2014 and I would love to start working on a new screenplay so busy year ahead!!

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 only 3 or 4…..well one would have to be The Great Gatsby, The Walking Dead, The human beast and The Lover.

Author Websites and Profiles
Anna Daly-McCabe Website
Anna Daly-McCabe Amazon Profile

Anna Daly-McCabe’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 is an avid Harley-Davidson rider, as well as an Amateur Radio operator from Las Cruces, New Mexico. I attend New Mexico State University, where I’ve studied many different subjects including: Geography, GIS, Mechanical and Electronic Drafting, Architecture, Composition, Computer Science, and Astronomy. I teach at DACC part time, and work for the NMSU Facilities and Services department. I’ve written well over twenty novels, but only have 8 up for sale now.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The most recent one I published was called ‘Deepforge.’ It’s a prequel to the novel ‘The Legend of Vayrock.’ This takes place on the world of Ahl-Thoor-Hees (also called Altoris), which is 6 billion light years from in the Phoenix cluster of galaxies. I wanted to tell the story of how the Grognor Empire came to be, and also show how the world stage was set for the arrival of the Benevolent Dragon King.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Most nights I need lots of activity. When I’m writing, I have to have the television on and people around me talking to each other. It forms a shell, in a strange way, around me. When it’s quiet I can’t concentrate. I usually have a constant flow of beers too.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
There are so many. Tolkien, Martin, King, Patterson, Heinlein, ERB, the list is seemingly endless.

What are you working on now?
I’ve got two books in the works now. One is called ‘Tepes,’ is the story of Vlad Dracula’s last few weeks of life and the atrocities he committed. The other is called ‘The Descendant,’ and is another story of the people of Ahl-Thoor-Hees. This one details the reasons for the 18k year dark ages, and the leads to the ultimate conclusion of the whole series. Dragons, gods, magic, etcetera.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Facebook. I also use Linkedin, Google plus, and Twitter. By far the best one is Facebook. Simply posting links to my page or a specific book helps get people interested, plus I also post snippets and other teasers.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
READ.

Before you put down one word of your novel, READ like crazy. Anything you can get your hands on, good or bad. If you read in your chosen genre, even better. It doesn’t hurt to go outside of that too. Just read as much as you can. Then find books on literature, and read them too. Find books on writing and grammar, read those too. You don’t have to have a degree in English, but you do need to follow [most] of the rules. It’s also a good idea is to experiment with different styles. Oh, and participate in NaNoWriMo. Good experience.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
See above. READ, READ, and then when you’re done, READ some more. Your writing will show it.

What are you reading now?
Am reading an in depth historical piece on Vlad Dracula, for research. When I’m done with that, probably the new Stephen King novel.

What’s next for you as a writer?
More reading, and more writing. I also write screenplays for fun, I may try my hand at developing one that will become a blockbuster. Hey, why not?

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. Probably The Dark Tower series, or Lord of the Rings.

Author Websites and Profiles
Ron Washburn Website
Ron Washburn Amazon Profile

Ron Washburn’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a native of Washington, D.C. and have enjoyed living in Dallas, TX, Charlotte, NC and my current home is in Los Angeles, Ca. I am a mother of three wonderful sons. I always knew I would become an author and my love of reading inevitably directed my path. I spent my younger years giving back to the community through a youth Arts organization I founded. I left D.C. in 1989 to pursue a fashion design career in Los Angeles, California.

I have spent the last twenty years in several successful fields. In the corporate world, I used my technical expertise as a Computer Application Specialist. My entrepreneurial spirit led me into several successful business ventures. I opened a chain of Exclusively Yours stores on the east and west coast – featuring handmade aromatherapy products, clothing and jewelry. I continued my fashion design career in the entertainment world as an image consultant to new and existing recording artists which ultimately opened doors for me to become the President of WOG (Word Of God) Records, Vice President to KNTD Publishing and a manager of several recording artists. I am also interested in Naturopathic healing and I am currently pursuing a Doctor of Naturopathy degree.

Through everything, I never lost the dream to write and when the Lord called me in 2005 to put “pen to paper” regarding my walk with him, I answered by penning my intimate journey with God in the form of a book. The Skin I’m In – An Intimate Journey With God is the first in a series I have published.

I have received numerous certificates over the years as a guest lecturer for colleges and universities. My awards include nods from the late Mayor Tom Bradley, Michael Woo as well as Maxine Waters in Los Angeles, for my successful fashion design business and youth outreach programs.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Skin I’m In: An Intimate Journey With God is the first book in a series I have written and published.

My inspiration for this particular book series stemmed from my walk and ministry to others.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?

I don’t know if one would consider my writing habits unusual; however, I like to take a package of post-it-notes and write down stories, sections for the book. I stick them on the wall in my office and to avoid writer’s block, each day I take down a post-it note and write what is on the note.

One of my other writing habits is based on organization combined with my Application Specialist skills. I maintain an MS Excel workbook for each book. It is color coded with stories to write and stories that have been completed. I also use this workbook for character development.

Once the work is done I also have worksheets for marketing etc.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I have read so many authors and so many books, this is a difficult one. I would have to say one of my most favorite authors is Sidney Sheldon. Next would be Jean Auel and the entire Clan of the Cave Bear series. And finally, Tim LaHaye & Jerry Jenkins – The Left Behind Series. I would have to say after reading the Left Behind Series – I was truly inspired to write and complete “The Skin I’m In”

What are you working on now?
I have been multi-tasking. I am working on the sequel to The Skin I’m In (book two). I am also working on the development of my next five book series “Wake Up Girlfriend”.

And I have a project that I am very excited about that is geared toward Young Adults this will be my first Fiction/Fantasy series.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Oh my, promoting my books is an everyday job. I am constantly searching for tools that will assist with me being more efficient in marketing therefore I have become a Social Media Queen. I have had a lot of sales from Twitter but it requires communication and constant interaction with your followers. My Facebook Fan page has helped out but one has to ensure they participate in the various Fan Page Parties, I have sold many books from promoting that way as well as joining Groups on Facebook for Readers and Reviewers. I use many other sites to promote my books but I have no way of determining if I receive customers from the sites. (i.e., Pinterest, Author Marketing, Goodreads, etc.)

Do you have any advice for new authors?
There are thousands of authors today, what really sets you apart from the rest? That is what you have to discover and bring that forward. It is not up to a Literary Agent, or a Publishing company to ensure your book ends up in the hands of people. Sit down and spend a great amount of time doing your research first for where to market your book. Marketing and Promotions of your work is the biggest part of getting your work into the hands of readers. If you are on Amazon – you need Reviews to push you up the ladder. Start there first and a few friends or family members is not enough (smile). Write, Market, Promote, research, market, promote, research – ahhh you get the picture.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best advice I have received to date was from a fellow author and friend. “Your book cover means everything when it hits the shelf; even though you are indeed self publishing your book, your cover should not look like it has been self published.”

What are you reading now?
I am currently reading “This Present Darkness” by Frank E. Peretti

What’s next for you as a writer?
Aside from the books series I am preparing to write, I want to start an internet radio talk show for authors.

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?
If I were stranded I would first request my Bible, second a Bible Dictionary (preferably an Ungers), I would like to have a Lexical to define the original Hebrew and Greek of the Bible.

Author Websites and Profiles
Jewel Tyler Website
Jewel Tyler Amazon Profile
Jewel Tyler Author Profile on Smashwords

Jewel Tyler’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account