Awesome Author Interviews

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am an avid reader/writer who adores her grandchildren. Don’t we all?

Since my passion is historical romance, my favorite place to visit is Charleston, SC where history abounds. I can sit on a park bench under the swaying beards of Spanish moss and slip into an era long gone. Those of you who are lucky enough to call the low country home are fortunate indeed.

Of my three grown sons, one still lives at home. He loves his music, enough said?

I have written four books so far. Lynna’s Rogue and Lynna’s Beau in the Tropical Paradise Series. Lynna’s Promise should be published around Christmas 2013. I have two other books. A contemporary/women’s fiction titled Midsummer’s Eve, and a middle grade book, Beware the River, in the Middle School Haunts series.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Lynna’s Promise is the book I am working on now. It is part three in the Tropical Paradise series. I have received so many wonderful emails from fans asking when it will be released and I am so grateful for your emails. I’m still debating if this will be the last book in the series. Alas, there is still so much to tell!

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I have found that my most productive writing comes between the hours of 5:00 am and 9:00 am. I guess my mind is well rested at that time without the usual jumble going on up there. Also, in a chair under an umbrella on the beach, on the riverbank, or a historical spot such as the Battery in Charleston all put me in a great writing frame of mind. To be honest, I can write anywhere as long as I have my laptop.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I cut my teeth on Kathleen Woodiwiss, Jude Devereux, and Johanna Lindsey. In my opinion no writer of historical romance will ever compare to the talent of those three ladies. My first book was Shanna by Kathleen Woodiwiss and I have been hooked on the genre since.

What are you working on now?
Lynna’s Promise.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Word of mouth is always the best promotional tool available.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Put a great deal of effort into choosing the best cover you possibly can. I personally do choose a book by its cover. Then I read the blurb and a few reviews to decide whether or not I want to buy the book. But if the cover doesn’t grab me, I keep scrolling.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t let anyone take away your dreams.

What are you reading now?
Not reading anything currently. I’m too deep into Lynna’s Promise.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Finish book three in the Tropical Paradise Series and decide if there will be a book four.

What is your favorite book of all time?
Why did you have to ask me that? Until a few years ago my unequivocal response would have been Gone With the Wind. Now, it would have to be the entire Twilight series. I confess, I am addicted to Edward and Bella. If I could sit down with Stephanie Meyers I would ask her to please, please, please write Jacob and Renesmee’s story.

Author Websites and Profiles
Kitty Margo Website
Kitty Margo Amazon Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve been a headhunter for the biotechnology industry for 30 years. A few years ago I started writing, and last year published my first mystery book, MURDER TAKES TIME. Since then, I’ve launched two more mysteries, and a novella dealing with one of the characters featured in them. Earlier this month, I released the first non-fiction book, No Mistakes Resumes, which is the first in the No Mistakes Careers Series.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The most recent book is No Mistakes Resumes, and I wrote it because I’ve seen so many people struggle with how to put a resume together. I figured I can help more people by writing a book than I can one-by-one on the phone.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not that I know of, other than writing very late at night, but I’m sure many authors do that.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The storytellers. I love Alexandre Dumas, and was always fascinated by how he told stories.

What are you working on now?
I am polishing the first book in a new series I’m starting. The book is called Necessary Decisions, and it’s about a detective in Houston who tends to push the lines of the law.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
If I find a best method, I’ll let you know first. I think the most difficult thing for all authors today is visibility, and there is a huge need for someone to fill that gap with a good service.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Obviously write the best book you can, but more importantly, have a marketing plan, and be patient.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t listen to any rules of writing.

What are you reading now?
A book by Christopher Bartley, called Sleep Not, My Child. He’s got about 5 or 6 books out, and they’re great.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Continuing my three mystery series, and the non-fiction series. That should keep me busy.

What is your favorite book of all time?
The Count of Monte Cristo. Hands down. Didn’t even have to think about it.

Author Websites and Profiles
Giacomo Giammatteo Website
Giacomo Giammatteo Amazon Profile

Giacomo Giammatteo’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a computer professional and a proud father of four teenage children. I wrote my first book in 2007 for my son, Michael, who was nine at the time. I don’t know how many authors would admit they wrote a book unexpectedly but this was the case for me. I wanted to get my son interested in reading and to that end developed a plot with him. I started to write out the plot for fun, and 50,000 words later had a book! It was passed to a local author, who read it, critiqued it, and encouraged me to publish it. It’s been a six year journey of critiques, revisions, and learning, and I published it in April of this year. I’m very pleased with the response I’ve received from readers thus far. This book is the first in the “Boulton Quest Series”. I’ve completed the sequel and am working on the third book in the series.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Brothers, Bullies and Bad Guys is the name of my latest and debut novel. It was inspired by my son Michael, who at nine years didn’t read books because he “couldn’t find books that interested him.” This is a fast book, loaded with action, and was written to meet Michael’s style. The book has four characters – Christopher, Michael, Thomas, and Katherine. My four children were the inspiration for these characters and though not a direct reflection of my children, many of their characteristics are shared with the characters in the book.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Hmmmm…writing habits reflect the needs of the writer so I’m not sure what would be considered unusual. I’d say I write quickly as I develop the chapter in my head before I pick up the pen. Of course, revision is a different story. That takes forever!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
JK Rowling’s personal story is inspiring. Dreams can come true! I really enjoyed Scott Westerfield’s “The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel” series. He’s amazing.

What are you working on now?
I’m revising the second book in the Boulton Quest series and have started on the third. I plan to publish the second book this fall and expect to work on the third over the following year.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
GoodReads and Facebook are my favourite websites. My best method is time and patience.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Have your work critiqued by as many people as possible and take all critiques seriously. Writing is most important so even if you don’t agree that “the wrong character is the protagonist” re-write the book with a different protagonist anyway. At a minimum you’ll gain experience and mastery, but more importantly you’ll find a better angle you’d have never thought of.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Revise, revise revise and when you’ve finished revise again.

What are you reading now?
City of Glass by Cassandra Clare.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Keep writing! I hope to get the second book in the Boulton Quest Series published this fall, and complete the third book in one year.

What is your favorite book of all time?
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck

Author Websites and Profiles
N.D. Richman Website
N.D. Richman Amazon Profile
N.D. Richman Author Profile on Smashwords

N.D. Richman’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
In total, I have written three books. Two are from the Romance genre, and one (the latest one) is from the Spiritual Fiction genre. The two romance novels are entitled “Always in my Heart” and “Searching For Sabrina Fair.” My Spiritual Fiction novel is actually a five part series that I began writing back in 1999 as part of a conversation I had with one of my spiritual mentors. The title of that series is “The Last Prophet” and the first book is “The Last Prophet: Guarding Sophia.” The remaining four books are currently in the works and I’m already having a lot of fun working on them.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The latest book that is already out is “The Last Prophet: Guarding Sophia.” The idea for “The Last Prophet” book series came as a result of a very profound and deeply moving spiritual conversion I went through back in the summer of 1998. I was at a crossroads in my life then, having completed my undergraduate degree the year prior, and still searching for what my calling was after college. I was blessed to have met, worked with, and befriended a group of individuals whose faith journey and practices spanned a wide range of experiences. Through the sharing of their life stories and their personal journeys I reconnected with my faith and found myself drawing closer to God and having a lot more peace. The embodiment of that journey for me was the idea of the book series I am continuing to write.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I tend to write in darkness, with only the light from my computer screen illuminating the room. I realize that doing so is actually doing more harm to my eyesight than good for my writing, but it just seems to focus my attention on the story I am telling. Other times, it feels like I am truly in an intimate setting with the characters of the story, in a place where no one will disturb us. The only other quirk I have when I write is that I seem to do my best writing in the late hours of the evening or the early morning hours. I’m not quite sure why this developed as a habit, but it may be a remnant from my old college days when I would do my best writing for research papers and essays in the late evening and early morning hours.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
In the romance genre, I have become quite fond of Cat Johnson’s books. When it comes to writing in the spiritual fiction genre, I am largely influenced by Frank Peretti who has written one of my favorite spiritual fiction novels on angels and spirituality. In general, I find myself drawn to authors and books that can take my everyday experience of the world and make it believably extraordinary. One can read about a person’s experience, for example, of going to a coffee shop and ordering their daily latte. The difference between just recounting what happened, and telling a story is the detail and the emotion the writer/author brings out in even the most ordinary events.

What are you working on now?
I am currently working on the second book of “The Last Prophet” series. Where the first book in the series deals with the Archangel Gabriel and Sophia (the Last Prophet), the second book deals with the Archangel Michael and a woman he is given special care over. The second book is also a continuation of Sophia’s journey as the Last Prophet and her relationship with the angels and God. Each of “The Last Prophet” books will deal with the Archangels and a special “charge” for which they have care over.

Although “The Last Prophet” series is in the works, I have already begun developing ideas and stories for a few other book series I hope to write. One is a continuation series from “The Last Prophet” series, which I have begun referring to as “The Remnant” series. Another series I have wanted to write since the onslaught of paranormal and werewolf movies among the younger generations is a paranormal series about shape shifters seeking sanctuary. That series I have begun calling “Redemption Ridge.” That series also ties in with a potential paranormal romance series I hope to write soon called “The Sanctuary.” As you can see, my mind works a million miles a minute and in a thousand different directions. The end results are all stories I want to share with readers.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Thus far, my publisher has kept me abreast of all the latest sites and promotional items through her website. Both of us have worked on updating Facebook pages, my own personal website on Weebly.com, Twitter, Google+, and through getting to know other authors through social media sites. Finding websites that allow authors to promote their books for free and posting that information widely in sort of snowball effect has been what seems to work thus far.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
In the altered words of Dory, the fish in Finding Nemo with absolutely zero short term memory… Just keep writing. If you love the story you are telling or are just dying to tell it, think about the story you want to tell rather than worrying about whether it will sell or not. I am in a place and age in my life where I am comfortable in my own skin and the only thing about writing that matters to me is to tell the story inside my heart and mind. My desire is to tell the stories, not just sell the book. We buy books because we like the story, or the story caught our attention somehow. If you have a story to tell, then tell it. A good story will sell itself. Be happy to just write and tell the story in your writing.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I recently watched a webcast through YouTube with Jimmy Thomas and a few book cover designers and book reviewers and the best piece of advice I heard so far was really very simple. That piece of advice had to do with promoting your book through social media. A book reviewer on that webcast simply said to be yourself. She said that people are more likely to check out a book or website or blog of someone they genuinely find interesting or simply like, as opposed to someone who keeps pushing and pushing and promoting and trying to aggressively sell their book. When we like a person, or respect them, or find them interesting, we will naturally be inclined to trust their word on something. Constantly putting something in a person’s face does not always work, especially if it is done in a forum where the atmosphere is supposed to be social. We equate social with being around people we like or would like to know. When you try to pitch something that seems out of place in an arena it is not designed for or welcomed, it could backfire. Be yourself. Likewise, however, if your true self is someone who has a grating personality all around, you have to learn to reel it in and keep yourself in check.

What are you reading now?
I am reading several books at the same time right now. I’m the type of reader who likes to do more than one book at a time. On my current “reading list” I have quite a few short romance novellas by various authors, “Luke’s Tale” by Carol McKibben, “Caged” by Cameron Conaway, “The Pope’s Stone” by Mark Kuhn, “Piercing the Darkness” by Frank Peretti, “A Princess of Landover” by Terry Brooks, and “The Pursuit of God” by A.W. Tozer. As a mother of two small boys, I am always looking for new children’s books to read to them. They both love to listen to me read to them and they both love holding the books themselves, so I am very conscientious about the types of stories they read. I want them to hear and listen to stories that help them grow as individuals and ultimately good people.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I want to continue writing in various genres. I love Spiritual Fiction, but I am also a fan of Romance, Suspense, and Science Fiction. Ultimately, I just love telling a good story. It’s my hope that as story ideas come to me, that I will be able to write about them and tell those stories. I’m really just enjoying being able to write the stories I’ve always wanted to tell to multitudes of people.

What is your favorite book of all time?
I’ve heard a lot of people say that they don’t have a favorite book of all time, and I myself have been guilty of that. I do, however, have favorite authors and because I enjoy their books I go back to them often. Frank Peretti is one of my favorites and the book I enjoyed most that he has written was “This Present Darkness.” Peretti is a Spiritual Fiction and Spirituality author. Two other authors I enjoy reading is Cat Johnson, as well as Christin Lovell, both of which are romance genre authors. When it comes to classics, I really enjoy C.S. Lewis, and J.R.R. Tolkein, Jane Austen, the Brontes, and even Shakespeare. My husband and I both have one author in common that we love to read, and that is Terry Brooks, the author of the Shanara series of books, as well as the Landover series. I just love to read, which is one of the reasons I love to tell stories through my writing.

Author Websites and Profiles
Claire Gager Website

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

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I was 18 years old, I’d just left school and got a job in London, working in an insurance company. I was working inside – in an office! My mother thought that was like being CEO of Shell Oil.

I was late one morning, I took a short cut through the church yard to the station to catch my train. I’d just finished reading The Sun Also Rises the night before; and here I was looking at all these gravestones, I remember thinking: Gee, we’re not here very long. Better make it count.

So I went home, told my mother I was quitting my job and going to Morocco. She damned near fainted.

After traveling through Spain and Africa, I hitch-hiked across Europe to Sweden to visit a girlfriend I’d met the year before on a football tour. When I finally got back home, I was still restless. After failing to make the grade as a professional football player, I traveled around Asia; my experiences in Bangkok and India later inspired my thriller VENOM, and my adventures in the jungles of the Golden Triangle of Burma and Laos were also filed away for later, the basis of his OPIUM series about the underworld drug trade.

I emigrated to Australia where I helped a mate establish a new advertising agency. We could only afford this derelict building for an office. Once we were pitching to a client during a thunderstorm and the roof flooded. A piece of the ceiling fell down and just missed his head. Fortunately he had a sense of humor. We got the account!

After a couple of years we were doing much better. We could even afford to pay ourselves a wage! But I really wanted to be a writer, not a copywriter. When I told my mate I was leaving to try my luck in the Big Smoke, he offered me 40% of the business. It was 40% of nothing at the time. I saw him a couple of years ago, and he’d just sold the agency for twenty million dollars. I worked out what 40% of that was on a pocket calculator. It’s quite a lot of money, apparently.

I went to Sydney and worked in TV and radio and freelanced for many of Australia’s leading newspapers and magazines. But he got his dream, publishing forty books under three different names in the UK and US and having my work sold into translation in Brazil, Belgium, the Czech republic, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Korea, Mexico, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Spain and Turkey.

I lived for many years in the beautiful Margaret River region in WA, and helped raise two beautiful daughters with my late wife, Helen. While writing, I also worked in the volunteer ambulance service. I’d be at my desk typing, then thirty minutes later I might be crawling into an overturned car or running along a beach with the oxygen for a near drowning. It was an interesting time.

My marriage ended in tragic circumstances, a story I told in ‘The Naked Husband,’ and its non-fiction sequel, ‘The Year We Seized the Day,’ written with my good friend, Elizabeth Best.

I travel regularly to research my novels and this quest for authenticity has led me to run with the bulls in Pamplona, pursue tornadoes across Oklahoma and black witches across Mexico, go cage shark diving in South Africa and get tear gassed in a riot in La Paz. (I was actually trying to cycle down the Death Road. In the end I had to abandon the attempt and take the bus down.) I also completed a nine hundred kilometer walk of the Camino in Spain.

A few years ago I stopped writing. I suddenly found I couldn’t do it anymore. It was after‘The Year We Seized the Day.’ I remember standing on a beach in Thailand late one night, and I said to God: ‘Okay I’ve had enough now.’

A week later I was in a Thai hospital, only time in my whole life I’ve ever been sick, I’d got some sort of tropical infection and I was close to multiple organ failure. I remember praying again (that’s twice in one year!): “Hey I didn’t know you were listening, Big Guy! I didn’t mean it! I have two girls to look out for!”

I survived but when I got home I started drinking too much and I couldn’t find my writing mojo. It got ugly there for a while. Thought I’d never write again.

Then he published SILK ROAD, and won a three book contract in London, and my love affair for life and for writing returned. For me, the two things are inseparable. My passion for one infects the other.

My fiction comes from dedicated research and what he calls a quest for Hemingway’s ghost; characters with a passion for life, for love and the courage to face down their demons.

When I was walking through that graveyard I made two promises to my gawky 18 year old self; one – that I would not die feeling that I had not lived, and two – that I would follow my siren call to write, no matter where it lead. I feel like so far I have kept that promise and I intend to see it all the way through.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
ISTANBUL is my Casablanca, a love story set against the byzantine backdrop of one of Asia’s most beautiful cities during the Second World War.

‘Nick Davis first saw Daniela Simonici in the American Bar of the Athenee Palace Hotel in Bucharest in June of 1940. He couldn’t take his eyes off her. The city was full of beautiful women, penniless countesses and fox-furred demi-mondaines looking to be rescued, and until that moment he had spared them only an appreciative glance. But this woman was different . . .’

The story is fiction though the plot – the sabotaging of the peace process in 1944 by Britain’s MI6 in order to help Stalin – well, that’s all true. And the love story? Let’s just say that Nick took a long time to uncover the mystery about the girl. And so did I.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
When it’s time to write my book I sit down and I work very, very hard for very long hours. That’s it.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Every week my Aunty Ivy took the train down from London to visit with us in (what was then) rural Essex, bringing with her a collection of Classics Illustrated comics. She must have picked them up in the markets in London.

There were some Beanos and Victors mixed in, but I threw them out. My treasure was the cartoon versions of some of the world’s greatest literature.

I read all of Jules Verne in an afternoon.

It’s how my love affair with literature began. By the time I was eight I had read Moby Dick, Doctor Jekyl and Mister Hyde, The Moonstone, The Black Tulip and Ivanhoe, was familiar with most of the major works of Alexandre Dumas (Père), Mark Twain and William Wilkie Collins and had even read most of Homer’s Odyssey (although I never found out how it ended because the last page had been ripped out.)

I don’t think that back then Aunty Ivy knew she was giving me primers for my future career, for no one in my family had ever used their hands for doing anything other than making pies or fixing corner cupboards.

But those comic books were vital to me. I was an only child and though not particularly bookish – I was then, and still am, a sports tragic – it nurtured in me a thirst for great stories painted on broad canvas.

So Aunty Ivy did not just give me the gift of something to read when it was raining too hard to play football.

Classics Illustrated stirred my nascent imagination and at the same time gave me an undying thirst for travel and for adventure.

These little gems of comics also made me want to time travel, because many of the places I was reading about no longer existed.

The only way I could revisit them was to recreate them in my head. Imagining them onto a page was the next logical step.

When I left school the first thing I did, to the consternation of both my parents, was to go hitch-hiking around Europe.

After all, why go to university? I’d read The Iliad and everything Shakespeare ever wrote by the time I was eight.

After Europe I headed down to Morocco, where me and my mate were the only white faces (then) wandering the Djema El-fna’a, the Place of the Dead, in Marrakech.

Not too long after that I found myself in the middle of a typhoon in the South Java Sea, and wandering the Golden Triangle of Burma, shaking hands with CIA agents and drug smugglers.

All thanks to Aunty Ivy and Classics Illustrated. Wherever she is in heaven, I hope the angels are making her a nice cup of tea.

 

What are you working on now?
A new romantic historical trilogy set in 1958-1969.

I’ve almost finished. In September I’m starting a new historical series as an eBook series.

I’m working harder and loving writing more today than I ever have.

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

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Remember that almost everyone in the western world can write. It’s something we are taught to do in school. Word count is nothing.

To be a writer is to take yourself back to a school of another kind and study the crafting of story.

Don’t ever stop learning. Study the authors you like, study the authors you don’t like. Understand the craft that lies below the words. Learn to see what is not seen. Become a student of story.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
1. Writer in the morning, businessman in the afternoon.

2. Sit at your desk at nine in the morning and wait for inspiration. If it’s not there by ten past, start without it.

What are you reading now?
Carl Ruiz Zafon, The Shadow of the Wind. Madrigal’s Key to Spanish. The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, Carson McCullers. The FBI Files on Frank Sinatra (current research) and my sister in law’s last email, which is five pages long and which I have bookmarked halfway through.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I have a print book coming out in the UK and US next year (under another name) and two new series which will be released online this year. I’ll see how they go then make up my mind.

What is your favorite book of all time?
1. THE POISONWOOD BIBLE

2. WORD OF HONOUR

3. WOLF HALL

Author Websites and Profiles
Colin Falconer Website
Colin Falconer Amazon Profile

Colin Falconer’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 California and raised there and in Utah. I first wrote horror fiction as a young adult, but kept writing throughout the years. My first published novel was “The Bank of the River,” and my latest is “A Haunting in Oregon,” both published in 2013.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
“A Haunting In Oregon.” I had created some interesting characters in “The Bank of the River” and wanted to see them take on a different geography and meet new characters. People seemed to enjoy them from my first book, “The Bank of the River,” and there were plenty of options to see them continue on. I see several more books about the two characters of Steven and Roy, and their ability to deal with ghosts. Steven’s relationship with Roy is complex and I think there’s plenty to explore, in ways that other people can relate to. The father/son relationship can be a real love/hate thing. Steven’s found a way to love his dad in a way he had never thought of before, due to their inherited psychic abilities, but is that the only reason they’ve become close after all the years of estrangement? Roy seems fearless, but are there things that really scare him? And they’re not killers, so the enemies they defeat are still out there, built up over generations.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Nothing at all unusual. I like to write first thing in the morning until mid afternoon. I’d do it every day if I could! Pour a cup of coffee and open the laptop!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
In my youth Stephen King and Peter Straub were huge influences. Later, other authors such as Updike, Roth, Vonnegut, and Phillip K. Dick became favorites. “The Shining” and “Ghost Story” remain the most frightening books I’ve ever read, but Clive Barker and Lovecraft have given me good chills over the years. Kazuo Ishiguro is one of my all time favorite authors – what he does blows me away. I wish I could write like him!

What are you working on now?
Getting “A Haunting in Oregon” out the door is the main goal for the next few weeks. The outline of the next book in the series has developed, and I’m working on that now. I would expect a third book in the months ahead. “A Haunting in Oregon” was more expansive than “The Bank of the River” and the next book will continue that trend.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I haven’t found any particular site or service to be “the one”. I keep trying different methods I learn from blogs, and tracking my results to see what works best. I keep picking up from others that no one method is foolproof, and that patience is key. I’ll bet I have a different answer to this question a year from now…we’ll see.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write every day.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I remember hearing Ray Bradbury talk about the discipline of writing, how he’d write even if he didn’t feel like it. Because writers write. I’ve found that advice to be what motivates me.

What are you reading now?
A new book, “Viral House” by Joe Sharp, and the new Dan Brown.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I want to continue the series started with “The Bank of the River.” I think the characters have interesting histories, and there’s a lot of fun stuff that can happen as I explore their history. So the next book will be a continuation of those characters. But I’d like to start a new subject as well, something else in the horror/thriller genre. I think that will come after the third book is done.

What is your favorite book of all time?
Absolutely impossible to say. That’s like asking me my favorite movie of all time. The best I could give you is a list of 10 books, but it would change next week! An Ishiguro would be in the top three, for sure. But even then my favorite of his changes from time to time.

Author Websites and Profiles
Michael Richan Website
Michael Richan Amazon Profile

Michael Richan’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have over 25 years of writing experience for the Christian market. My writing career began, in the 1980s, when I was hired by a Christian publishing company for their book department. Since then, I have worked as a full-time staff writer for two international ministries and was once named Christian Writer of the Year (San Antonio, TX) by the American Christian Writers Association. My credits include writing for Christian radio, television and the Internet. I have contributed to three books and have written numerous magazine and newspaper articles. I am the author of Mystic Dreams and Dusty Roads which was released this year, 2013. I am writing its prequel, Black Mesa Magic which is due to release in 2014.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Mystic Dreams and Dusty Roads. I’ve always enjoyed the movie, Fried Green Tomatoes, so I wanted a strong female for my main character. The challenge was to write from a female perspective — however, not only from a female perspective, but from a child female perspective. After I got the basic idea for the plot, the characters and story began to flow effortlessly. Many books have been written about the Dust Bowl years of Oklahoma. But few have been written from a child’s perspective and from those who chose to stay and endure one of the most devastating periods in American history. This story is about loss and life, tragedy and triumph, sorrow and strength. Even though I call it a fictionalized memoir, many of the emotions and events are all too familiar to a lot of us. I hope my main character, Peep, inspires others to believe that good things truly can come from whatever hardships, failures and disappointments come their way. I wrote the story for three reasons. I wanted to show others that: 1) Tragedies happen. Tragedies may disrupt our lives, but we don’t have to allow them to destroy our lives; 2) All is not lost. When facing a difficult situation, cling to the hope that we are created for something far greater than any negative thing that we may be experiencing. 3) Friends are important. They help us get through tough times.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I never outline my novels or articles. If writing a book, I allow the characters to dictate the story, their conversations and behavior. For either a book or an article, most the time I only have a title, a beginning and a probable ending. Most authors/writers are probably cringing right now, but that’s how I write. I may have somewhat of an idea in my head of how I’m going to get from point A to point B, but it’s not concrete.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I love all book genres, so I’m not restricted to any particular one or any one author who may have influenced me. Since my strength lies in Christian writing, I like a lot of Pastor Max Lucado’s work and Christian novelist Frank Peretti.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on a prequel to my debut novel Mystic Dreams and Dusty Roads. The prequel is called, Black Mesa Magic. Most of my readers wanted to know more about the love relationship between Peep Holler’s dad, George, and Peep’s best friend’s mother, Savannah Bluecoat (Palmer). Twelve-year-old Peep Holler is my main character in Mystic Dreams and Dusty Roads, and her best friend’s name is Jodi. George and Savannah grew up in the same area where my debut novel’s story takes place. Here’s the summary/back cover copy:

The Black Mesa, in northwestern Oklahoma, is an enchanting backdrop to Savannah J. Palmer’s quest for true love. Before she is Jodi’s mom and Peep Holler’s object of distrust in Mystic Dreams and Dusty Roads, Savannah spends her childhood among the fields and rock formations of the Oklahoma Panhandle. Her best friend, a young George Holler, joins her, and the two of them grow close. At seventeen, Savannah’s feelings for George deepen, and she thinks their friendship can become much more. Unfortunately, a series of unexpected events interrupts her quest…leaving a trail of unanswered questions behind her.

In the midst of her confusion and chaos, Savannah meets a handsome stranger who ignites her passions and gives her hope of a match made in heaven. He helps her to see life from a different perspective, but not before his mysterious past catches up to him.

Will Savannah’s hopes and dreams of love become reality? Or will they be dashed by a disaster that descends upon her − like a fury − from the depths of hell? ©2013 Robert Valleau

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I would have to say Amazon.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Yes, two words: persistence and patience. Be persistent in the pursuit of your passion and patience will be the key to unlocking your potential.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Keep on keeping on. In other words, don’t quit. Don’t give up. Keep on knocking. Keep on asking. Keep on seeking. Above all, keep on writing.

What are you reading now?

What’s next for you as a writer?
Completing the prequel to my debut novel. Plus, I have ideas for three other books.

What is your favorite book of all time?
The Bible, of course.

Author Websites and Profiles
Robert Valleau Website
Robert Valleau Amazon Profile

Robert Valleau’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Brian Terenna grew up in Doylestown, PA. He is a Fantasy, Sci Fi, and Paranormal romance writer. His first fantasy novel is, “Talent Storm.” He is also writing a book review blog. He is an avid chess player and meditates regularly.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Talent Storm is my latest novel. It was inspired by my love of fantasy and comic books, as well as modern political events.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I use an audio recorder as part of the process. First, I plan and record the scene. Second, I audio record the prose of the scene. Third, I transcribe and rewrite the scene. It’s a lengthy process, but it allows me to come up with well-done and interesting writing.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Brandon Sanderson has been my favorite author for years and is a strong influence. Steven Erikson’s Malazan Book of the Fallen series is another influence. I also grew up reading x-men comics and watching the cartoon.

What are you working on now?
Besides marketing “Talent Storm” I’m in the early stages of writing a fantasy mystery novel. I’ve been looking forward to moving on to a new project for some time.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
My plan is to first use KDP select and release my novel for free. I’ll make sure to post my promotion on every book website that offers the service.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
The process is all about dedication. Each step of the way needs to be given as much attention as the last. In the end, even if you have a perfect book, you will not sell without marketing.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Work tirelessly.

What are you reading now?
I’m rereading “The Name of the Wind” by Patrick Rothfuss. The first two books of this series are amazing. I can’t wait until the third book comes out.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’ll continue to produce fantasy and sci-fi novels, while increasing the size of my marketing network.

What is your favorite book of all time?
Right now it’s “Warbreaker” by Brandon Sanderson. I listened to the audio book and absolutely loved it.

Author Websites and Profiles
Brian Terenna Website
Brian Terenna Amazon Profile

Brian Terenna’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
At the age of ten months, my mom and dad moved our family from Milwaukee to a town not too far away with a whopping population of 1000 people. Our party-line phone number was 52 and my sisters and brother and I walked the mile and a half to school each day. I’ve basically been a small-town girl all my life, partly because my husband likes the peace and quiet of a small-town setting.

I graduated from WSU Stevens Point with a major in English, a minor in psychology, and a B.S. in Secondary Education. After deciding teaching wasn’t for me, I worked as an executive secretary before I met and married my husband Denny. Now we have two, terrific grown kids, Kathy and Jeff, who put up with us and make us proud.

There are roughly one hundred short stories in my files, and in 2005 I wrote Flight 419, a one-act play, which was produced and performed by Darknight Theatrical Productions in Chicago, Illinois. Since then I contributed five short stories to a ten-author anthology titled Mosaic: A Collection of Short Stories.

Since then, I’ve become an Indie author. To date I’ve written two in a series of mystery/police procedurals. The third in the series is underway.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book Shadow Tag, a mystery/police procedural, has just been released. It’s the second in my Ray Schiller Series. I guess you could say Dear Crossing, the first book in the series, is what inspired Shadow Tag. The main characters, and even the less prominent ones, are so multi-dimensional and the possibilities so endless, it seemed natural to provide a new stage for their continuing performance.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
It may not be unusual, but I don’t outline my stories. On the other hand, I have to know how it begins, the approximate direction it will take, and how it’s going to end before I even write the first sentence. I’m not a fast writer for the simple reason that, despite the admonition that a writer should write every day, I don’t. I seldom stop thinking about the story, but if I have to force myself to sit in front of the computer, the results are rarely what I want to see.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The list is pretty long-ranging. Authors: Ernest Hemingway, Dean Koontz, Peter Benchley, Stephen King, Tami Hoag. They’re on my short list.

What are you working on now?
Right now I’m working on the third novel in my Ray Schiller Series. The title has already changed four times, but the current working title is Death Penalty. I already feel guilty for what I’m going to put Ray through this time.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I try to do a little of everything: social networking, Goodreads, helpful promotional sites like Awesomegang, Twitter, doing interviews, giveaways, even a blog site, which I neglect terribly. Variety keeps it more interesting.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t give up! That’s it–short and simple. If you need prodding, and even if you don’t, try to find a good writing critique group. That will work wonders.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Silence is the friend of the fool. — Sir Francis Bacon

What are you reading now?
Spilled Blood by Brian Freeman.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m starting to participate in more library events and book signings to promote Dear Crossing and Shadow Tag. Beyond that, I have an idea for Ray Schiller’s fourth case.

What is your favorite book of all time?
A lot of books popped into my head with that question, but the one that sort of came to mind first was Immoral by Brian Freeman. So many are neck-and-neck.

Author Websites and Profiles
Marjorie Doering Website

Marjorie Doering’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I write simple and sweet romance stories and an occasional fantasy. I have been writing most of my life and have dozens of books started. I just need the time to finish them! I have three books that I have self-published on Amazon and two more that I have finished but just don’t feel they are ready to be published. I have recently started working on a mystery/romance novel. This is my first foray into that genre and I am looking forward to seeing how it turns out.

I am the author of the Holton romance series and The Good, a contemporary fantasy novella. I love reading books, writing books, and traveling wherever and as often as time and money allows. I live in Texas with my sisters and my cat, Darcy.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Notice Me is the second book in the Holton Romance Series and the latest book I have self-published. I was inspired to write it because I introduced the characters in the first Holton book, Convince Me. The main character in Notice Me, Victoria Carson, really spoke to me and I knew she needed her own story.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t think I do anything that is exceptionally unusual. When an idea hits me, I typically just start writing but somewhere along the way I create a basic outline. It is never very detailed – just enough to allow me to see the process through to the end.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I loved reading romance novels growing up and still do today. One of my favorite books was “The Grand Sophy” by Georgette Heyer. Today, I enjoy reading more contemporary books by authors like Jenna Bennett, Lois Greiman, Ilona Andrews, and Patricia Briggs.

What are you working on now?
I am working on the third book in the Holton Series, Trust Me, which is the story of Paul Hart and Rachel Lewis. The characters were introduced in the first and second books. I have also recently started working on a mystery/romance novel. This is my first foray into that genre and I am looking forward to seeing how it turns out.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I am still learning the process of promoting my books. I do use twitter and it was great for advertising my free promotions.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write, write, and write some more. This is the hardest thing for me but I force myself to write at least a little bit everyday. I would also advise any aspiring writers to not get caught up in a “right” way to do things. Follow your own path.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
As cliche as it sounds, the best advice I have ever heard is don’t give up.

What are you reading now?
I am re-reading the Mercy Thompson books by Ilona Andrews in preparation of the release of her newest book.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I hope to expand from a traditional romance writer to a mystery/romance writer.

What is your favorite book of all time?
To Kill a Mockingbird

Author Websites and Profiles
B. L. Blair Website
B. L. Blair Amazon Profile

B. L. Blair’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I live in the north west of England and work as a data analyst for one of the local Health Authorities. I have been a prolific reader all my life, and for many years have spent the majority of my free time writing. As well as being educated up to degree level, I have completed courses and received diplomas from ‘The Writing School Ltd’ and ‘The Academy of Children’s Writers’. My aim in life has always been to write, and I have had a sideline of freelance writing for more years than I like to admit to having lived. This has mainly involved published articles in such magazines as ‘Prediction’. I have also completed two children’s novels, ‘Caution: Witch in Progress’ and ‘Zac’s Destiny.’ ‘Caution: Witch in Progress’ was published by Ghostly Publishing in 2013 and is available in paperback and on kindle on Amazon worldwide. I am currently working on a very different children’s humorous fantasy, ‘Be Careful What You Wish For’, and a fantasy novel for young adults titled ‘Dimensions’.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My children’s humorous fantasy,’ Caution: Witch in Progress’ was published this year by Ghostly Publishing, and launched at Earl’s Court Book Fair in April. I have always loved to read fantasy. It is escapism into worlds we can only imagine, full of colour and fascination. Terry Pratchett introduced me to humorous fantasy, and I have never looked back since. What a writer. I like to think that he has been my inspiration for my humorous writing, and my witches of course! As to witches in general, I feel they have had a hard time of it over the years. There may be some bad ones (though mine are not!) but throughout history alleged witches just seem to have borne the brunt of other people’s misfortunes. If someone’s crops failed, they blamed the little old lady with the hunched back who lived down the road for walking past. If their cattle died, the cross-eyed woman stared at them funny. Tell me, how else could she stare at them? I thought it was time to follow in the footsteps of my hero, Terry, and try to raise an appreciation for witches for a change. Many of the persecuted ones in our dim and distant past were probably little more than healers and herbalists. ‘Caution’ is mainly just a story that was inside me. I love to write humorous fantasy, and even if I’m not trying to be humorous, my writing has a habit of turning that way unless I keep a very tight rein on it. I began the story and it developed quickly. Before long the characters took over, and kept me going until they had reached their last page.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I tend to approach writing in a way that some might find long-winded and time consuming, but it works for me! I like to scribble my ideas down quickly using pen and paper in long-hand. I write each chapter in this way, then before I get on with the next one I type up the chapter on my computer. At this point, I take more care with spelling and punctuation, and tend to add bits, or even take them away. Once completed, I read through the chapter and make any more necessary changes. I then send the chapter to a friend who proofreads for me. In this way, I feel that the first draft of my book has already had at least some polish along the way saving time in rewrites later.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Terry Pratchett has to be my main inspiration these days. He is a legend in the world of humorous fantasy. I was also greatly inspired and introduced to fantasy by JRR Tolkien in my teens. Since then my favourite genre has stayed firmly in fantasy. I feel that authors are likely to want to write in the same genre they enjoy reading. This is certainly true in my case, anyway. Along with Terry Pratchett I currently love to read Terry Brooks, Joseph Delaney, Angie Sage and F.E.Higgins, to name but a few.

What are you working on now?
I have just completed the first draft of another children’s humorous fantasy titled ‘Be Careful What You Wish For.’ Here is a brief synopsis:

‘Finn is a bored young leprechaun. He wants something exciting to happen, but never having been blessed by the Good Luck Fairy, he soon gets far more than he bargained for. This is no fairy tale…’

I am also working on a YA fantasy titled ‘Dimensions’

‘When Leah first sees the old necklace in the window of an antique shop, little does she know what life has in store for her. Increasingly drawn to the pentacle on a silver chain, Leah finally buys it and soon finds herself having strange dreams about Stonehenge. Trying to put the dreams to rest, she visits the ancient site; only to be transported into another dimension.

Leah arrives in a besieged land of wizardry, magic and demon might. The land needs the help of an Outlander, and to Leah’s disbelief and shock, she has been called.’

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I tend to try to promote as widely as possible. I find new sites by surfing the net and Facebook. I approach any sites that look suitable for promoting my work, and try to get my book advertised and/or author interviews. I must say I am very impressed with the support offered to authors by the Awesome Gang, who not only provide great promotion themselves, but also offer links to other great promotional sites. Well done for that, you guys!

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t give up. You are very unlikely to have your life’s work snatched up by the first publisher or agent you send it to. Be prepared for the long haul, but believe in yourself, and don’t lose hope. There could be someone out there just waiting for your book to drop on their desk. The hard part is finding them…

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I think the best advice comes from authors who have made it, but are honest about how hard it is to get to the point where your books are published and selling. It is always useful to read famous authors slants on the process of becoming a published author. It is a hard slog, but well worth it in the end.

What are you reading now?
I am currently reading ‘Snuff’ by Terry Pratchett. Terry has never disappointed me, and I don’t think he ever will.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Next will hopefully be the publication of my sword and sorcery children’s fantasy, ‘Zac’s Destiny’ later this year, then the acceptance for publication of ‘Be Careful What You Wish For’. Who knows, if there could be a film version of any of my books in the future, then my dreams would be complete! If I shoot enough arrows out there, one might hit the target…

What is your favorite book of all time?
I probably have to give credit to Lord of the Rings for that. An epic read, indeed, and still as popular now as it ever was. Lord of the Rings has stood the test of time, and should still be classed amongst the greats in another hundred years or so.

Author Websites and Profiles
Lynne North Website
Lynne North Amazon Profile

Lynne North’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I began writing in a serious fashion at the age of 12 when given an old Royal typewriter and began to learn to hunt and peck.

For twenty-two years I published a weekly newspaper in Maryland and sold it in 2010. The newspaper was represented by Levine, Sullivan, Koch & Schultz in winning a landmark First Amendment decision in 2003. The case Rossignol v. Voorhaar was filed in Federal Court following a raid on newsstands on Election eve of 1998 by a state’s attorney, sheriff and a posse of deputies which removed all available copies of the newspaper to prevent voters from reading critical articles prior to voting. The case was ruled on by the United States Court of Appeals Fourth Circuit and is published opinion and is the law of the land.
There are presently 18 books and 4 Kindle shorts:

Book Title(s): The Story of The Rag; Leopold & Loeb Killed Bobby Franks; Klan: Killing America; Titanic 1912; Titanic & Lusitania; Chesapeake 1850; The Privateer Clause; Return of the Sea Empress; Follow Titanic; Follow Triangle-Vanish; Cruise Killer; Battle of Solomon’s Island; Pirate Trials: Dastardly Deeds & Last Words; Pirate Trials: Hung by the Neck Until Dead; The Chesapeake: Tales & Scales; The Chesapeake: Legends, Yarns & Barnacles; Panama 1914

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Titanic Poetry, Music & Stories….is a collection of some of my poems and those of 100 years ago, along with the music of the Titanic.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Binge writing, up to 10,000 words a day.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
H. L. Mencken, Dashiell Hammett, Edgar Allan Poe, Samuel Clemons, Harper Lee, Taylor Caldwell

What are you working on now?
A new book on how to avoid the dangers present as a cruise passenger.

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

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write like its going out of style.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Write what you know.

What are you reading now?
Humble Heroes

What’s next for you as a writer?
To finish the three books I am writing.

What is your favorite book of all time?
To Kill A Mockingbird

Author Websites and Profiles
Ken Rossignol Website
Ken Rossignol Amazon Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m an international bestselling Canadian author who loves to say, “I kill people off for a living!” You can imagine the looks I get from people. Sometimes I’ll tell them, “Fictitiously, of course. I’m an author.” Sometimes I won’t say anything; I’ll let them wonder…

I have 12 ebooks and 9 paperbacks, plus my work is featured in a variety of anthologies.

Submerged, my latest novel, is a psychological suspense thriller with a hint of supernatural, and it promises to leave you breathless. But I am probably best known for Children of the Fog, a supernatural suspense thriller that has sold over 60,000 copies and made Amazon’s Top 100 bestsellers list (#4 in overall list) multiple times out of nearly 2 million ebooks; and Whale Song (and Whale Song: School Edition), a much-loved, inspiring family tale with a hint of mystery, which is now available in its third edition–plus a school edition with a discussion guide.

My other titles include: The River, Divine Intervention, Divine Justice, Divine Duo, Skeletons in the Closet & Other Creepy Stories, Remote Control (novelette), and Lancelot’s Lady (pen name: Cherish D’Angelo), plus one non-fiction work: How I Made Over $42,000 in 1 Month Selling My Kindle eBooks.

Booklist calls me “a big hit in Canada…a name to reckon with south of the border.”

Born in Vancouver, BC, I was a “military brat” and a “military wife” who has lived all across Canada and in Bermuda. I now reside in Edmonton, AB, with my husband Marc and our Pomeranian Princess, Chai.

I am represented by Erica Spellman-Silverman from Trident Media Group.

My links:

http://www.cherylktardif.com

http://www.cherylktardif.blogspot.com

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cheryl-Kaye-Tardif-novels/29769736630

http://www.twitter.com/cherylktardif

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My most recent novel is SUBMERGED, a psychological suspense thriller with a supernatural twist that will leave you breathless. It was inspired by my fear of being trapped in a submerged vehicle. Glub, glub! I’ve since discovered that I am not the only one with this fear.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write for about half of the year; the rest is spent publishing other people’s books at Imajin Books, my company.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Stephen King, Dean Koontz, JD Robb, John Saul, James Patterson and far too many others have influenced my writing greatly. I am an avid reader of all of them!

What are you working on now?
Book 3 in the Divine series – DIVINE SANCTUARY. This time Jasi McLellan and her covert team of psychic investigators are investigating a suspicious death at Sanctuary, a cult colony in BC, Canada.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Amazon – http://www.amazon.com/Cheryl-Kaye-Tardif/e/B002C4V542

My website also helps: http://www.cherylktardif.com

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Read, write, edit, edit, edit. Then learn the business of publishing and expect to work hard and invest in your career.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“Don’t worry if it gets published. Write it for yourself. Write it because you have to.” This came from a friend, and her words started my career as a novelist.

“Dare to Dream…and Dream BIG!” That’s mine. 🙂 Feel free to borrow it.

What are you reading now?
This interview?? LOL. Right now I’m in publish mode at Imajin Books so I don’t have a book on the go.

What’s next for you as a writer?
The New York Times and USA Today bestsellers lists! Seriously, that’s my goal for August. 🙂

What is your favorite book of all time?
The Mists of Avalon! And Misery. It’s a tie.

Author Websites and Profiles
Cheryl Kaye Tardif Website
Cheryl Kaye Tardif Amazon Profile
Cheryl Kaye Tardif Author Profile on Smashwords

Cheryl Kaye Tardif’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 streets of the Bronx, a place I left as quickly as I could. For the past couple of decades I have lived in Los Angeles, and the City of Angels has played a key role in all of my writing. L.A. is fascinating, as it is home to an outsized level of wealth, sin, beauty and despair. I also earned a master’s degree from USC; my love for the Trojan football team helped spur the creation of my protagonist, Burnside, a former USC football star turned private detective extraordinaire. In total, I’ve written five books, although only two have been published. My first book was an unholy mess — but it was absolutely critical in the development of my next book, Post Pattern. I learned the importance of plot structure, character arc and foreshadowing, as well as the danger of self-indulgence. Structure is critically important in genre fiction, and especially in the mystery category in which I write. It’s a hard lesson to learn but one which is essential in developing a great story.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is called Bubble Screen and it is the third novel in the Burnside series. I don’t want to reveal too much about my inspiration for writing this novel because that might give the plot away. In general though, the motivation for writing this book is the same as for all the others. It is simply that I love reading great mysteries and I want to create the same terrific feeling I get when reading a good story. I think that some of the best writing today is coming out of the mystery category. I love putting together a well-written, well paced novel that drops just enough clues to allow the reader to make an intelligent guess as to who is the villain. When the culprit is revealed, I want the reader to sit back and marvel at how the answer makes so much sense. I believe the best mysteries depict the villain hiding in plain sight.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I am afflicted with a certain level of attention deficit disorder, so it is sometimes hard for me to focus as intently as I would like. When I’m at my computer, the internet is a temptation, but as Oscar Wilde one said, the only way to get rid of temptation is to yield to it. I admit I move freely back and forth between my writing and surfing the web. To an extent, I realize I may need to spend six hours procrastinating just so I can get one or two solid hours of writing done. But those one or two hours produce some extremely good work. And whether it takes combing through the web for irrelevant bits of trivia or simply daydreaming before I can ease into the writing, I know this is simply part of my process. Forcing myself to sit and stare at the screen does not yield good work.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I am a fan of great writing, so that includes mainstream fiction and non-fiction. Over the years, I have loved reading the works of novelists such as John Updike, Saul Bellow, Kurt Vonnegut, Charles Bukowski, Pat Conroy, as well as non-fiction authors Studs Terkel, David Rakoff, Joan Didion, and Mike Royko. In the mystery genre, my influences have come primarily from the giants of the field, such as Raymond Chandler, Ross Thomas, Robert B. Parker and Dashiell Hammett as well as some local Los Angeles writers, Les Roberts and Robert Crais, and of course, James Ellroy and Walter Mosley.

What are you working on now?
I will soon be approaching a crossroads in my writing career. Having just finished writing Bubble Screen, I am presently hard at work on a fourth Burnside mystery. But after I finish that one, I am feeling tempted to move on and try something new.  It might be a standalone mystery, or quite possibly even a screenplay. When you live in Los Angeles, the siren call from Hollywood is always nearby. I have a great idea for a film, but movie making is a completely different world, and I’ll need to come to grips with that. It is a very collaborative effort, and unlike novel writing, I will have to cede a lot of control.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I chose to go exclusive with Amazon in terms of promoting my three Burnside novels. My reasons were fairly simple. Amazon is the largest digital publisher and they also offer KDP Select, which has been a successful tool for me because of the free days. Post Pattern launched in February 2013, and in the first few months I sold very few copies. In September 2013,  I made Post Pattern available for free for four days. I promoted it heavily, and was able to generate 53,000 free downloads. I also began using Twitter and Facebook frequently during those days as well. Post Pattern reached #2 in Amazon’s overall free book rankings, as well as #1 in all mysteries and #1 in private investigator mysteries. But that and $5 would get me a latte at Starbucks! What happened next was interesting. Amazon began promoting Post Pattern on their site, in the area of “those who viewed the book you’re looking at also viewed…” As a result, I sold hundreds of additional books over the next month. And just recently I took advantage of Amazon’s Countdown Promotion and lowered the price of Post Pattern to 99 cents for a week. The results were remarkable. Within two days, I was ranked in the Top 100 of Amazon’s best seller list. I know that at some point I’ll be tempted to expand into Nook,  Google Play, iTunes and other platforms, but for a new writer, Amazon offers many advantages that the others do not.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
While you can’t ignore the old adage to write about what you know, there are limits to that approach. We only know so much! I would submit that new authors should write about those things which they feel passionate. It’s important to remember that when writing a book, you will be living with the story in a very intimate way for many months — or possibly years. Having strong feelings about your subject matter will get you through those dark days when you are troubled by the self-doubt and writer’s block that most writers have to endure at some point.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Shakespeare said it best: to thine own self be true. This carries over in your writing and in your life. You don’t have to be part of the crowd or do what others say you should do. We all know people who are pretending to be something they are not, maybe living out someone else’s dreams. Eventually that catches up with them. Deep down, we know what’s best for us and tapping into that inner-knowledge provides a unique and serene peace In the end we have to live with the consequences of our decisions and our actions. Following the path that our hearts carve out for us makes the journey so much easier.

What are you reading now?
I always have three or four books going at one time and this is most likely due to my difficulty in focusing. I am reading a wonderful family saga called Maine by J. Courtney Sullivan, an intensely personal and introspective  story called You Should Have Known by Jean Hanff Korelitz,  and an old novel, South of No North by one of my favorite authors, Charles Bukowski.  And I often have a mystery novel in the mix; I just re-read the very first Stephanie Plum novel, One For The Money.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I am debating as to whether I should take a break from Burnside and write a standalone mystery or continue documenting the exploits of my alter ego, and the best character I have ever created. The next step is never an easy decision, so I am again trying to tap into my inner feelings and do what feels right. Sometimes I make a decision but then have to do a course correction and change projects because the inspiration isn’t there. Finding the right project takes some hard thinking and hard decisions. It has to feel right, and be something I feel strongly about.

What is your favorite book of all time?
Oh my! I’m not sure I could narrow it down to my Top 20 favorite books. Certain books have influenced me greatly, but at different points in my life. From The Outsiders to A Clockwork Orange to Thus Spoke Zarathustra to Farewell My Lovely to Tattoos On The Heart, all have been important to me because they were so unique and original and showed me a part of the world I did not know existed. But if forced to choose one, I would have to go with Catch-22 by Joseph Heller. I don’t think I have ever read a book that was so brilliantly written, so strikingly original, so monumentally complex, and so undeniably life changing. Joseph Heller took the experience of war and pulled back the curtain to reveal many shocking truths. And to do this in such a humorous way was a grand achievement. I’ve read and re-read Catch-22 many times and it never fails to amaze and inspire me.

Author Websites and Profiles
David Chill Website
David Chill Amazon Profile

David Chill’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Professionally, I have written several hundred books. As a ghostwriter though, I can’t take credit for any of them. (Let’s face it, some of the subject matters have been so strange that I am perfectly fine with that!) Under my own name I’ve had four nonfiction books published. They are: FINDING HENRY: A JOURNEY INTO EASTERN EUROPE, 50 HOMEMADE CLEANING SOLUTIONS: RECIPES USING COMMON HOUSEHOLD ITEMS, HAUNTED ESTILL COUNTY, and COPING WITH GRIEF: THE ANTI-GUIDE TO INFANT LOSS.

In the fall I will have the first book of my paranormal trilogy released. It’s called WINDWOOD FARM and the series involves a photographer who sees the past when she looks through the lens of her camera. She uses that skill to solve old murder mysteries.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I recently had COPING WITH GRIEF: THE ANTI-GUIDE TO INFANT LOSS released. It came out last week. It was inspired by my son who died from SIDS in 2010. It’s not just my story, though. I interviewed lots of other infant loss parents and included their stories as well. After my son died I had trouble finding anything to help me through my grief. They were either too inspirational (I was angry and mad, I didn’t want to read anything uplifting), too religious (I’m not), or too clinical. The original title of my book was “My Baby Died and I’m Madder than Hell.” I decided to go with something a little less aggressive.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I work in the middle of the night. I stay up all night and go to bed at dawn. Sometimes, when I’m working on paranormal stuff, I even manage to scare myself. I usually have DESIGNING WOMEN or THE GOLDEN GIRLS on in the background. I love horror movies but they freak me out if I am up alone. I am sure that every sound is someone coming to kill me.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I will read anything-even the back of cereal boxes. Honestly, the bad writing influences me more than the good writing because it shows me what NOT to do. Isabel Allende with her magical realism really inspired me although my writing is nothing like hers. I mean, she’s really good…I just try to entertain.

What are you working on now?
I am working on a historical fiction novel called FURNACE MOUNTAIN. It takes place during the Great Depression and is about a little boy who writes President Roosevelt and invites him to visit his town in the mountains of eastern Kentucky. Roosevelt responds and says that he’ll be there at the end of summer on his reelection tour. The book is mostly an adult version of the children’s book STONE SOUP and focuses on how the townspeople, who all thought they had nothing, find out they have everything when they come together and prepare the town for Roosevelt’s arrival.

I’m also working on the paranormal trilogy and HAUNTED MADISON COUNTY. Because we love our ghosts around here!

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I have no idea. When I find one that works I will let you know. I do have almost 2,000 members on my Haunted Estill County Facebook page. But we mostly talk about ghosts and goblins in the county. I’m not sure how many sales it has resulted in. I live in a small town. Once everyone has a copy of my book there really isn’t anywhere else to go with it.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write. Read. Drink if it helps.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
To take criticism with a grain of salt.

What are you reading now?
I usually have several going. Right now it’s some Wicca spell book and a Nora Roberts thing. I read a bunch of literary stuff a few months ago. I have to let my brain rest.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Hopefully to sell some books and find time to actually write. I have two small children. It’s like trying to herd cats sometimes.

What is your favorite book of all time?
I really love HOUSE OF THE SPIRITS. And MY ANTONIA. Oh, and VC Andrews’ HEAVEN, although that is kind of embarrassing to admit.

Author Websites and Profiles
Rebecca Patrick-Howard Website

Rebecca Patrick-Howard’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hi Guys!! my name is Akshat Agrawal. I am a street magician from India.This is my first book. I have written this book to save the art of magic. I have won two awards at the age of 15 and 19 for best teen magician and duo magicians award. I have compiled some of the closely guarded secrets of card magic, mentalism tricks, coin tricks and tricks with other common things. The tricks are such that they are self working and you don’t need to practice it a lot

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The name of my latest book is Magic Trick Book Easy To Do Professional Magic.

I was inspired to write about it because I am a magician, and to promote magic this is my first mark at global level. I want to save the art of magic.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Well!! I tend to write better at nights. Even More!! I write better when I am thrilled by a new magic which I want to share with you.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Some Books like Magic Complete Course, 101 Magic Tricks etc have also inspired me

What are you working on now?
I am working on my second book on magic and belive me it will be the best I have ever written.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
My best method is to directly contact my readers. I have also enrolled my book in KDP select. Also I am offering my Book at discounted rates for a limited period.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Just do it!! What you have in your mind, write it down NOW!! Don’t think; Action is what which maters.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Belief is what we are; Action is what which matters.

What are you reading now?
I am reading some fiction books currently in my leisure time.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I am also planning to go in other categories like self help, how to etc.

What is your favorite book of all time?
My favorite book of all time is Criss Angel tricks revealed.

Author Websites and Profiles
Akshat Agrawal Website

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a Canadian living and writing in New Zealand . I have been teaching in New Zealand for the past 17 years in both the Catholic Elementary system and now as a Secondary English teacher. I am originally from Pictou County, Nova Scotia, Canada and studied English at St. Francis Xavier University (I’m an X-Man!). I am married with two almost grown-up children. I love to read and now am enjoying adding the role of novelist to my lifestyle.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My first and latest novel is “Redeeming Brother Murrihy: The RIver To Hiruharama”. It is inspired by a great deal of things from my last 17 years here in New Zealand. It;s core theme is about leaving things of the past in order to move forward into the future. This includes past sins, unhealthy relationships and, even more difficult, leaving behind relationships that were healthy for their time. This theme extends from the personal to familial, cultural and spiritual. Literary inspirations for the novel include Joseph Conrad’s “Heart of Darkness”, Francis Ford Coppola’s “Apocalypse Now” (My novel is in a sense a response to these) as well as the life and work of New Zealand poet James K Baxter. Other influences include the life of Mother Suanne Aubert and Padre Pio.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write sporadically but for the novel, I stayed up late at night, sometimes until 3am. Naps the next evenings were important. After dwelling on the idea for so long and making many false starts, I competed in NaNoWriMo which was a great help in forcing me to sit down and just write it. It’s been great fun ever since.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Along with Conrad’s “HOD”: John Steinbeck (“Grpaes of Wrath” and “East of Eden”), Shakespeare’s “King Lear”, TS Eliot’s “Prufrock” and “Wasteland”, Paul Theroux’s “Mosquito Coast”, Ernest Buckler’s “The Mountain and the Valley” – so many!

What are you working on now?
I’m marketing a lot at the moment but eager to start a second novel. I have the theme and some characters worked out. I’ll keep jotting ideas and plans until November before writing during NaNoWriMo again. I can see this being a yearly rhythm for me from now on.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I have a Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/maplekoru) and I would love to see this go well beyond friends and family. I use Twitter and love Goodreads. I also have a WordPress blog (http://antonymillen.wordpress.com/blog/) and am finding this fun for writing reviews and other blog ideas.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Just do it – that’s what I had to do finally. At the same time, I knew this advice and knowing it didn’t get it done. You do have to dig deep – really know why you want to write. It’s not enough to write for someone else – your parents, your teachers, whoever. You have to see it as your artform – your chosen form of expression. The reward comes from this.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
John Steinbeck’s advice (found all over the internet – http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2012/03/6-writing-tips-from-john-steinbeck/254351/). I wrote this on the inside of my journal and also in a folder in Scrivener. I especially like:

“Forget your generalized audience. In the first place, the nameless, faceless audience will scare you to death and in the second place, unlike the theater, it doesn’t exist. In writing, your audience is one single reader. I have found that sometimes it helps to pick out one person—a real person you know, or an imagined person and write to that one.”

For me, this single reader was my brother, who didn’t read the book until it was published, but gave me face and a personality. From him, my audience became others at home (Nova Scotia), then Canadians, then North Americans and of course, New Zealanders. Funnily, I have had good response from others who are immigrants to New Zealand from other countries than Canada.

What are you reading now?
“The Crossing” by Mandy Hagar and “Ripple” by Tui Allen. Both are New Zealand writers. Publishing in New Zealand and making contact with other writers has excited me about reading fiction from New Zealand that I might otherwise have ignored.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Novel #2! More blogs and reviews.

What is your favorite book of all time?
Ouch, tough one. Let’s say “East of Eden” by Steinbeck because the intellectual and emotional impact are still resonating within me after almost six months have passed since finishing it.

Author Websites and Profiles
Antony Millen Website
Antony Millen Amazon Profile
Antony Millen Author Profile on Smashwords

Antony Millen’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I was born in 1932 in Atlanta, Kansas to Scotch, Irish, and English parents. As a child and through high school, I was an avid reader and often was in trouble at school for writing snippets I stuffed in my desk.

After college, I enjoyed a twenty-three year career as an Art Educator. When I retired, I began to write full time. My first novel, Out of Control, was a paranormal suspense.

I met Hazel Hart when I joined a critique group. Some books just happen. Hazel and I decided to co-write a story by taking turns adding a paragraph or two as we sent the manuscript back and forth in e-mail. After a few months, we had close to a hundred pages of a story we called “The Seduction.” About this time, the company that had published my e-book stories went out of business. We couldn’t let the cover, designed by Gordon Kessler, and the title story of a woman’s revenge against bullies who kill her cats go to waste, so we decided to add our co-written story and others to the book in order to make it long enough to publish in paperback form.

But THEN I wrote the story I loved most of all, Nelly of No Man’s Land ( historical fiction).

All told, I’ve written five books.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest published book is a historical novel. titled NELLY OF NO MAN’S LAND. It involved a lot of research and took two and a half years before it was on the market. The idea for the novel was inspired by both my mother’s stories about homesteading in No Man’s Land, Oklahoma, and my great-grandmother’s recipes for herbal cures—she was a medicine woman.

Within the tattered pages of the old Dr. Chase book my mother passed down to me were my great-grandmother’s handwritten recipes for medicines written on the blank pages at the end of chapters. They contained weird ingredients such as sugar of lead, chloroform, sarsaparilla, sulphuric ether and acid, iodide of potash, stillingia, poke root, morphine, to name just a few. Her cures covered diphtheria, blood purifier and liver regulator, piles, worms, and a host of other ailments. With her concoctions, she healed ill and dying patients who had been given up to die by the doctors.

As I considered how I could use the herbal healing in a novel, what story I could tell, I remembered all those family stories my mother told me about homesteading in No Man’s Land. As a child, I would beg her to retell the stories, and she would laugh and say, “Oh, you don’t want to hear that again.” But she always recounted those fascinating tales of digging the dugout, confronting outlaws, and surviving the war between the cattlemen and the settlers. I never tired of hearing about those frightening experiences of what it was like to homestead in that wild and untamed territory.

NELLY OF NO MAN’S LAND takes place in Oklahoma over a two-year period. A pioneer family homesteads in The Strip where they struggle to survive in a lawless territory. Nelly Duncan is a dying woman who battles to regain her health while struggling to resolve the personal pain of her husband’s alcohol addiction and infidelity. Through the help of a medicine man, she regains her health there. Then the past returns to haunt her: the handsome peddler she turned to for comfort during her husband’s unfaithfulness and who fathered a child her husband thinks is his own reappears.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I can’t plot a novel. When my fingers touch the keyboard, it’s like walking the path with the characters. Even though I have a vague idea of where I want the story to go, I never know what is going to happen. When I reach a certain point, I throw in some kind of obstacle to impede the main character.

It isn’t often I get to control someone’s life, since I’ve never been able to control my own. Life is a game of chance. You only think you’re in control, but you aren’t. Maybe that’s why I became a writer. I like to move my characters around like a Kansas tornado, just to see how they land on their feet, see what they’re made of.

And of course, I have my cat trained, after hours of trial and error, and he can now ‘sit’ on command, so I can see what I’m typing on the monitor.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Books I loved were H. G. Wells, Zane Grey, all the Tarzan series (oops, now you’ve discovered my age). Oh well . . . and then later I turned to John Sanford, Lisa Jackson, Leonard Bishop, and a host of others. Maybe that’s why I love genre hopping.

What are you working on now?
Assisted Dying, my latest novel, is a mystery where a neglected mother becomes a target for a black market organ ring when she enters a rest home. But I’m already thinking of my next book and have it titled without having a plot as yet. VAPORIZED! So follow me through my genre hopping and see what I come up with.

Assisted Dying will be out sometime in 2013.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Hazel and I have partnered up to promote our books and other indie writers on Keyhole Conversations. We’ve done author as well as character interviews, art and authors, cooking vlogs on other creative outlets authors enjoy, screenwriters interviews, poetry, and even bloopers. I love creating the graphics, and Hazel and I film vlogs and turn them into mini-movies to post on our blog at http://2tgr.wordpress.com/

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Writing advice:

• Write in a genre you like to read.

• Write every day.

• Rewrite.

• Find a critique partner who will tell you the truth.

• Be willing to accept criticism.

• When proofreading, read your work aloud to catch the most errors.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best advice I ever had came from my sister Betty, who would always say, “This too shall pass,” whenever I was going through trouble. Guess what? She was right.

What are you reading now?
I just finished reading a doomsday book, KNOW THY NEIGHBOR, by R. M. Strauhs. The story line is about one urban family’s fight to survive a foreign invasion.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’ve become concerned more about environmental issues, so I’m thinking of writing an apocalyptic tale of terror titled VAPORIZED. It will involve a tremendous amount of research, but then I’m retired, so I can do this!

What is your favorite book of all time?
No one book pops into my mind as my favorite. There are so many wonderful books out there, so many good authors that it would be hard to single out any one book as my favorite. But I sure do love John Sanf’ord’s novels.

Author Websites and Profiles
B. J. Myrick Website
B. J. Myrick Amazon Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve written four books: a novel, two short story collections, and most recently a memoir. I was an editor for a long time before I became a writer, though I’d always wanted to do it.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is The Secret Life of Objects. I lost both of my parents very suddenly, and while I was cleaning out my mom’s house and looking at all the objects, I realized that our possessions really hold the stories of the people we’ve loved, the places we’ve been, and the lives we’ve lived. I started writing about some of my treasured objects—many handed down or inherited, some a little goofy, many that would have no value to anyone else—and realized that together my objects made up a memoir, and that it seemed like something that would resonate with a lot of other readers. My son illustrated the book.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I like to read what I’ve written aloud—is that unusual? I have two jobs and two kids, so there’s always the question of when to write. My work is very compressed, and this might be why!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I hate to deflect the question, but I think everything we read and take in influences us. My all-time favorite books are the great Russian novels, but I don’t write anything like them!

What are you working on now?
I’m working on a novel that’s kicking my butt, and I don’t dare say more.

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

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t give up. But persistence doesn’t mean just grinding it the same way when it’s not working. So maybe the better advice is, keep learning.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t be afraid to fall on your keister.

What are you reading now?
A wonderful collection by Jen Michalski that will be published this fall, called From Here.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I don’t know. That’s what makes it interesting!

What is your favorite book of all time?
War & Peace

Author Websites and Profiles
Dawn Raffel Website
Dawn Raffel Amazon Profile

Dawn Raffel’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My first career was as a songwriter—I wrote quite a few hits and had songs recorded by Tim McGraw, Dolly Parton, Martina McBride, Kenny Rogers, etc.
I had over 90 songs recorded and published and was fortunate enough to have one of my songs receive BMI Million-Airplay award for songs played over 1 million times on the radio. I also recorded 2 albums for RCA Records, and toured as a singer with Julio Iglesias. That was my past life.
I quit songwriting to write books about 12 years ago.
This is only my second book, the first one being a funny little book called Dating Sucks. (www.datingsucks.net)
This is my first work of Fiction.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Dead Men Are Easy To Love is my newest book. I was inspired from reading a book of love letters to Ernest Hemingway, by his various wives and lovers. I realized that, after I finished the book, I was in love.
Only problem was that he was dead. I then began to wonder what it would be like to fall in love with other dead men.
I read many books on other incredible guys like Vincent Van Gogh, Clark Gable, Butch Cassidy, Beethoven and more and realized that I was smitten with them as well. Now… this may all seem a little more than strange to those of you reading this, but at the time I was dating rarely, and when I did in real life, it made the imaginary lovers I was writing about all that more appealing. There was not anyone in real life that was as interesting as these dead guys, and that is what inspired my finishing the book.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not really. I write to maintain my sanity. I have a vivid imagination.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Hemingway, Stephen King, Ann Rule, Charles Dickens, Edgar Allen Poe… and too many more to mention.

What are you working on now?
Trying to get something… anything… going with my book.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I really like Author Marketing Club. I find many places from that.
Of course, Pixel Of Ink and Digital Book Today.. and now this Awesomegang.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
If there is nothing else you can imagine yourself doing in life, then, that is the ONLY reason to be a writer.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I think I’m still waiting for it!

What are you reading now?
How To Win Friends and Influence People, by Dale Carnegie and “On Writing” by the master– Stephen King.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I hope it is that I will finally get this book sold and it made into a movie… and we all live happily ever after.

What is your favorite book of all time?
The Stand Stephen King

Author Websites and Profiles
Hillary Kanter Website
Hillary Kanter Amazon Profile