Awesome Author Interviews

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My name is Elias Zapple, children’s author of the Duke & Michel series of books, well-known moustache model and champion cabbage grower and these are not the only interesting facts about me. I am of average height, above average weight, (though I assure you that my many muscles are purely on an extended holiday), and with superior yet underrated looks. I enjoy sipping cabbage soup, growing cabbages and am extremely fond of admiring myself in the reflection of car windows as the wind races through my hair.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The latest book is the first book as the second book is shy, though it has promised to release itself from its room sometime around lunch, just before Christmas.

The first book, Duke & Michel: The Mysterious Corridor, (which is available everywhere… on Amazon), was inspired when one night, as I slept in my four-poster bed, I was rudely awoken by some strange barking. I rushed downstairs to the parlour to see an adorable Basset Hound staring at me with those sad, puppy-dog eyes. He opened his mouth and said nothing because he’s a dog and cannot speak, not like us tulips. However, it got me thinking. What if he could speak, what would he say? I went back to sleep, after having kicked the Basset Hound out of the house, and the entire book of Duke & Michel: The Mysterious Corridor came to me, page by page, word by word.

Book 1: Duke & Michel: The Mysterious Corridor – released

Book 2: Duke & Michel: The King Tingaling Painting – reluctant to be released

Book 3: Duke & Michel: The Return of the Nibbles – stuck in my brain

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Just before I scribble out a word, I have a compulsion, a ritual if you will, of taking one of my cabbages and hurling them at my neighbour, Dieter just as he goes out into his garden to feed his rabbits.

Aside from that, I do not really have any unusual habits. Maybe I am just a bit of an ordinary, boring, run-of-the-mill, New York Times best-selling author as all I really need to write is a mug of herbal tea, paper and a little needle in which to prick my index finger.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Roald Dahl and all his works have influenced me greatly as have the fumes I was fortunate enough to inhale when I worked as 19th century Victorian chimney sweep.

What are you working on now?
Currently, I’m working on perfecting a new style for my moustache. When not waxing and styling Mr Snazzy, the name of my moustache, I am attempting to put up a new tent on a hill outside of Maputo, Mozambique.

Away from that busy schedule, and if the hypnotherapy works, I shall be working on Duke & Michel: The Return of the Nibbles.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I always find that moustachesoftheworld.com is a wonderful website in which to promote yourself. As for books, I do enjoy Twitter. Interacting with fans and exchanging cabbage-growing tips is wonderful.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Consider plumbing as a new profession. If you do insist on persisting with this writing lark, avoid entering children’s literature as this is my domain and I shan’t hesitate in hurling cabbages at you.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“Elias, write that children’s book, ‘Duke & Michel’, it’ll be a huge success and children everywhere will love it. Also, please eat the lettuce in the fridge before it goes bad.” – My pet slug, Steve, after I had just mowed him down in a fatal lawn mowing accident.

What are you reading now?
‘How to Put Up a Tent’ by R.P. Baden.

‘Get the Most Out of Your Pet Slug’ by Slim Y. Roach

‘Cabbages – The Wonderful World of…’ by Mya Sprouts

I am a voracious reader, as you can see, and am often going through books quicker than I go through pet slugs. So much so, that I have had to organise quite a number of book burnings.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I have been selected to co-author the encyclopaedia to combing moustaches. Before that begins however, I shall attempt to continue book 3 of the Duke & Michel saga, ‘The Return of the Nibbles’.

What is your favorite book of all time?
Peter Ustinov’s ‘Monsieur Rene’.

Author Websites and Profiles
Elias Zapple Website
Elias Zapple Amazon Profile

Elias Zapple’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am an ex-secretary, wife, mother, grandmother – and a farmer for more than 40 years, now living on and enjoying this end of my life on a retirement farm in beautiful Australia.

My book covers say ‘Author – Christine Larsen’, and it’s true… finally. Decades ago my written creations were shelved, in the belief that editors’ rejections equalled no talent. Instead I concentrated on raising a family and meeting the various needs of farming, including successfully raising a myriad of animals, nine of which were kangaroos.

It seems I have been rescuing something or someone ever since – on Lifeline telephones; adopting three ‘special needs’ children; in the community as a Careworker; animals from shelters; and from the Charity shops – abandoned small knitted folk.

Throughout these years I have remained an avid reader and wannabe author, constantly ‘moodling’ about this – until, like a volcano, my creative writing skills had no choice but to erupt, and here I am – working my fingers to the bone on my computer and having the time of my life. Welcome to my world!

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
‘Tall Tales from the Small Folk Clan’ is the 6th and last e-book in my ‘Small Folk Tales’ series. It was inspired by actual events in the lives of our own children and some neighbours’ youngsters. They made it easy to sneak into their minds and capture parts of their fertile imaginations.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t know how unusual it is to write many of my words in the middle of the night. I’m an insomniac so it seems quite ‘normal’ to me. Most of my creations are first recorded with a special propelling lead pencil. I like the immediacy of the connection between pencil, paper and my gray matter. And then my ‘rough diamonds are ready for typing on my computer for the editing and cutting, pasting and rearranging, rewriting and tweaking to take place.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Every author, every book I have read in 65 years has influenced me… every single one, whether good or bad. All were valuable steps on my journey.

What are you working on now?
I’m alternating as always, between my next children’s book and a change of pace and age focus; and the first book in my farming memoir series, about our ‘apprenticeship’ on a Western Australian wheat and sheep farm in the first years of the 1970’s. It is impossible to explain the pleasure I’m having writing this memoir, reliving those faraway days and the wonderful shared memories of a pair of determined dreamers. Today we are still together, still farmers, now on our retirement farm in my home State of South Australia. I guess that explains why no part of its creation is a chore… even the otherwise onerous task of editing – again and again, is actually OK when you’re reliving such marvellous experiences.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’ve only become a self-published author this year, so I am still on learner plates when it comes to promoting my work. I do work hard at this and experiment with a number of methods and sites… but at this point it’s too early to tell which will work best. On a totally personal level, it feels like having won ‘Gold’ – this ultimate self-satisfaction of seeing my name on my books.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
30+ years of having packed my precious words away in mothballs due to too many rejections, too many tears and too heavy a loss of self-esteem, taught me the truth of ‘making Lemonade from the lemons Life gives you’… of never forgetting that ‘the strongest steel is forged in the hottest fire’… and most of all, to never, ever, ever give up.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best advice comes from the great mind of Thomas A. Edison when he said, “I have not failed 10,000 times. I have successfully found 10,000 ways that do not work.” But I find myself equally drawn to more of his words, “Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.”

What are you reading now?
‘Conviction’ by Richard North Patterson is one of my current ‘reads’. I am nearly finished Bryce Courtenay’s ‘ on my Kindle as well, and in between I peep into a Kahlil Gibran book and just let his words roll over my heart and soul.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Next? The proposed five books in my farming memoir series and a few more children’s books that are presently in various stages of progress – some still being ‘moodled’ about in my daydreams. And more tweaking and adding to my new booksite dedicated to my children’s books – ceedee4kids.

What is your favorite book of all time?
As I presently have some 1,000+ books in my library, and many of those are replacements as my tastes have changed over my lifetime, choosing just one favourite is like choosing which of your children you love the most. Simply put… impossible!

Author Websites and Profiles
Christine Larsen Website
Christine Larsen Amazon Profile

Christine Larsen’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve always been intrigued by what took people to remote places so it is no surprise that my stories are set usually set on isolated islands in the southern seas, especially since I lived on one myself for many years. “My” small island was surrounded by never-ending sea – I can still feel the desolation of watching a rare ship sail of the bay.

That island of mine was first inhabited over 4,000 years ago as Polynesians left “Havaiiki” in search of something better or simply different and found strings of spectacular islands and atolls rising out of the sea. They travelled on fragile trimarans that should have sunk but survived the long voyage. They were courageous people, intelligent and beautiful with a lusty appreciation of sex.

Then Europeans came – traders and missionaries, whalers and sandalwood gatherers. Most of them were men who might well have thought they’d died and gone to heaven because of all the sex and erotic dancing under the moon, but by the end of the 1790’s the missionaries were coming and brought wives with them. They set up schools and reduced the language to writing. Polynesian script became an art form.

The clash of cultures would have been enormous – how to express joy or grief, for example. Beliefs about sensuality and promiscuity were miles apart and so was the attitude towards possessions – Polynesians took it for granted everything was to be shared while “sharing” was tantamount to theft to the Europeans. To put it simply, Polynesians believed this was right and that was wrong and Europeans believed differently. This is the world where my heroines and heroes live.

Luke Wainwright is an artist attracted by Polynesia’s vibrant light, but he hadn’t expected to bring a wife along with him. He is forced into a marriage with Hester because by the strict rules of regency England he played the fool once too often. (“Who is He?”)

A young man relies on others to choose the perfect wife for him, only to suffer the consequences. His wedding night is a nightmare – and that is just the beginning. (“A Perfect Wife for Peregrine Winthrop”)

Two wounded people have been acquainted forever but only truly meet when tragedy strikes and he sails to her aid. (“Unexpected Hero”)

Amelia is a destitute teacher who witnesses the slaughter of a man she has never met yet agreed to marry, while Guy thanks God for his wife’s betrayal – without it he would never have prepared for the worst. (“Drums”)

“Mistake” is still being written. Joshua, one of the seafaring Churnsides, blithely believes he is destined to live happily ever after with Reverend Browning’s daughter Susannah – until she makes a mistake he is unable to forgive.

Running through many of my stories is the theme of miscarriage – not surprising, I suppose, since about 20% of conceptions fail. Hester Wainwright has to wait years to give birth to a healthy babe. Charity Trescothick’s experience of tragedy causes weight loss and cessation of her periods, only with Sebastian’s love and care does she begin to heal – and gain weight. Susannah Browning is eventually happily married but still lives under the cloud of her mother’s many miscarriages.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
“Drums” is my latest and just uploaded on Amazon. Life in the early 19th century was a bit different to ours!!!! Especially for women, and especially in new settlements like Sydneytown in the colony of New South Wales. I tried to imagine what it would be like to be an aging (i.e. over thirty!!!) spinster and how such a woman would respond to the chance of marrying a newly-widowed missionary – “Drums” is the result, and here is the blurb.

1825, Polynesia. Amelia Yorke is a destitute teacher with a petunia in a flower pot outside her dingy cottage in Sydneytown. Guy Richmond is a botanist seeking orchids in the rainforest and heir to vast lands in New South Wales.

They come from different worlds and should never have met, yet come together on the deck of a sailing ship overlooking a spectacular tropical lagoon. And as drums on the beach threaten, a man desperately paddles for freedom: he is overtaken and soon the aquamarine water of the lagoon is stained by blood.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Sorry – I just sit in front of my laptop and write, everlastingly thankful for the Scrivener programme.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
John le Carre, Jo Nisbo, Henning Mankell, Lavyrle Spencer (her “Gamble” is the first ‘romance’ I ever read and I love it.)

What are you working on now?
It’s called “Mistake” and is about childhood sweethearts destined to live happily ever. It’s set (as so often in my books) on a remote Polynesian island. The hero is a member of the seafaring family who often appear in my stories. The heroine is the daughter of a missionary. But life isn’t as simple as my hero thought. The heroine is attacked and eventually recovers. But then she makes a mistake that questions his honour. Recovering from that that takes an enormous leap in maturity.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Well – Bookgoodies of course! And I really like the little books Fiverr produce.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
When I started writing fiction I attended a creative writing course. Afterwards I became good friends with the tutor. She told me the most important asset for a writer is fortitude. She was and is right.

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

What are you reading now?
Phantom by Jo Nesbo – I’ve read all his and Mankell’s books. I’m also reading The Italian’s perfect lover by Diana Fraser. It’s a contemporary romance and not a genre I usually read but Ms Fraser has a lovely silky ‘voice’ and I’m enjoying this book.

What’s next for you as a writer?
More of the same. Adding to my bookshelf of four books. I’ve a couple of manuscripts drafted and want to work on them. And I really ought to learn something about promotion.

What is your favorite book of all time?
Pride and Prejudice followed by The Gamble

Author Websites and Profiles
Gwendoline Ewins Website

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m 41 and I have just published my third novel. I first tried to write a novel at 18 and it took me 21 years to finish one to my satisfaction. This was partly because I have a very low boredom threshold, general lack of commitment to things, and I kept distracting myself by writing comedy sketches, sitcoms, non-fiction, making tons of music and doing stand-up comedy. For some reason I now find writing novels very easy and wrote my 100,000 word latest novel in 6 months with almost no planning. At the same time I’ve also written the first 20,000 words of another novel and, in the few days since publishing my 3rd novel, I’ve already written 20 pages of a sequel. I seem to have programmed my subconscious with some novel-writing software and now I just need pen or keyboard and it all comes out. I’ve always wanted to write existential novels and sci-fi – my main ambition is to write the new ‘1984’ or ‘The Idiot’ – but somehow I’ve found that I can write thrillers very quickly and easily so that’s what I’m currently doing, while trying to broaden out the genre as much as possible.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My 3rd novel is ‘Random Target’, a sequel to my 2nd ‘The Memory Man’. Originally ‘The Memory Man’ was a one off but I couldn’t stop thinking about the characters and wanting to know what happened next so now I am writing the ‘T14’ series. T14 is my name for a counter-terrorism agency based in London, a mixture of MI5, SAS and police. The books are set in 2024, ten years after a terrorist attack kills 80,000 people – this allows me to construct a money-no-object, rule-bending organisation that could never exist outside of fiction. Luckily, they are the good guys. I’ve also set it in the future so that I can speculate about where technology and society may be heading. ‘The Memory Man’ refers to one of the agents who has a brain implant in his head. This is not as far-fetched as it sounds, they have actually been around since the 19th century. This one allows him to process digital information and interact with technology, without in any way making him a bionic man.

The idea for Random Target came to me out of the blue when I was sitting in a pub reading a book. I suddenly thought that a good idea for a novel would be weird things happening to randomly selected ‘normal’ people for no apparent reason. I speculated as to who would want to do this and what the reasons behind it would be. I originally wrote this as a standalone novel but then it just made sense to incorporate it into my next T14 book, so I did. I wondered how I would react if weird things started happening to me – would I put up with it or fight back – and that’s partly what the book is about.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’ve just started writing a novel with pen and paper because I spend too much time in front of computer screens. It feels more like fun than ‘work’, and of course an A4 pad can’t crash and delete your book. I almost always write while doing something else – listening to music, listening to Cricket on the radio, sometimes even while watching a DVD. But usually I just drink buckets of tea and eat biscuits. Once on a writing course we had an assignment to write a short story in half an hour and for some reason I decided to have a few drinks before starting: I ended up writing 800 words in exactly half an hour and the only things I changed were 3 typos. It was a totally different style of fiction than I’d ever written before.

As an insomniac I often dictate ideas into my phone in bed or write in the notepad. Every few weeks I go through the dozens of recordings on my phone and find ideas I’d completely forgotten about. But I suppose my most unusual writing habit is that I cannot begin a chapter unless I’ve arranged all my stationary in alphabetical order and made a burnt offering of an exercise book to the god of fiction.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Douglas Adams, George Orwell, Fyodor Dosdoevsky, James Herbert, Shaun Hutson, J.D. Salinger, Colin Wilson, Robert Heinlein, M.R. James, Arthur Conan-Doyle, H.G. Wells.

What are you working on now?
The third book in my T14 series and a novel about a private detective who investigates cases of missing people. I have many other ideas or just started novels but I’m now far more committed to actually finishing the things so all of them will be completed sooner or later.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I can’t answer this, I’m still looking. The only thing I feel I can do is get my name on as many web pages as possible (I also make music so have multiple profiles and pages for that, which helps with search engine rankings). I think having your own domain and site is essential now, and it costs almost nothing to set-up nowadays. I’ve just put my latest novel on KDP select and am currently running a 5 day free promotion. I think that now, for better or worse, people expect some free stuff up front so I have published a collection of poems and a book of short stories for free and posted them on as many sites as I could find. Both titles had over 1000 downloads within a week or 2 but this has yet to translate into significant sales. I think you have to just publish as much as possible and hope to eventually build up to a critical mass where people cannot help but notice you and your work. I have the usual facebook page, my own site, I’m a goodreads author, I have a smashwords profile etc but how much notice readers actually take of all that I’m not really sure.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write, write and write some more. Don’t stop writing. If you’re really cut out to be a novelist then you won’t be able to stop thinking about your novel and your characters, they will be with you always. The first hurdle to overcome is to actually FINISH a novel length book. Doesn’t matter how great chapter one is, you have to be able to finish the whole thing. That was what took me the longest, but once I got over that barrier it because easier and easier and now I don’t think of novel writing as ‘work’ at all because I enjoy it so much. Early on I worked in journalism for 2 years: having your work edited by other people is very useful experience.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Graham Linehan, writer of ‘Father Ted’ and ‘The IT Crowd’. He was talking about script writing but it equally applies to novels:

When you’ve finished [your novel] put it in a drawer and ignore it for a month, preferably two. Then take it out and read it all the way through. If it still seems good to you then you’ve got something.

What are you reading now?
‘The Pure In Heart’ by Susan Hill. Rereading the 2nd in her series of crime novels which contain some of the best writing and characterisations I’ve ever encountered.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Who knows? That’s why I enjoy it so much.

What is your favorite book of all time?
1984. Read it 8 times, never fails to engage me in a new way.

Author Websites and Profiles
Marcus Freestone Website
Marcus Freestone Author Profile on Smashwords

Marcus Freestone’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I grew up in Adams, MA with two educators for parents. My mother was a paraprofessional and my father was a high school English teacher who I had for honors English my junior year. I continued my schooling at Marist College in New York where I earned a Bachelor’s Degree in English, concentration in writing, and a minor in Psychology. I combined both subjects in my first and only self-published novel. Currently, I live in the middle of my home state with my boyfriend, not far from my two sisters and their families. And while writing is my passion, my current profession is a newspaper paginator at GateHouse Media.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The novel I have out right now is called Letting Go and Holding On. It was inspired by 4 mass suicide shootings that happened between 2007 and 2008. The ages of the shooters in those 4 incidents (one of which was the shooting at Virginia Tech) were 20s or teens. And not all of the shootings were at schools- one was at a church and one was at a mall. It seemed to me that these types of shootings, with younger assailants, were happening more and more. Suddenly it wasn’t a disgruntled employee or an angry ex-husband. It was that neighborhood kid down the street, reminiscent of the shooters at Columbine, only with different targets.

And as I read the media reports about these shootings, they seemed to offer little answers to the questions I was asking. Is this becoming a trend? Has something changed in the world to cause it? And is there anything we can do about it? I researched the topic of teen violence for two years, reading numerous books and reports from the FBI, Department of Justice, the Secret Service, and the CDC. I created fictional characters and fictional shootings that mirrored some of the events I read about, and my reporter character goes through the same extensive research that I did.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I didn’t think I did, until I began telling other authors that I’ll write for 7 or 8 hours at a time. I’m not good at writing every day, especially having a full-time job. But on the weekends I’ll write straight out for a good chunk of time. And I’ve had many people tell me they don’t have the discipline to write for that long. I think it’s because my thoughts build up throughout the week, and when I know I have the time to put them all down, I do.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Honestly, I think most of the books I’ve read in my life have influenced me in some way, whether I liked the author’s style, or characters, or dialogue. And the same goes for books I did not enjoy. They made me more cognizant of the way I write my books. Nothing in particular stands out in either regard- I think it’s a more self-conscious thing.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on a science fiction novel about scientific theory versus religious belief. My boyfriend is a physicist who specializes in quantum theory, and he is my consultant on this one. My book includes genetic manipulation, a many worlds theory, and quantum teleportation. But since I’m new to the genre, all of that sounds way more extensive than the book actually is! Those are concepts I discuss, but I always focus on the characters as much as possible. The fact the book takes place 50 years in the future is only a backdrop. The social issue of religion in politics combined with conservative thinking is the real story.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’ve done pretty well using Amazon’s free service, where they promote your book for free if you offer it for free for five days. I’ve gotten the most exposure that way. Other than that, I’m sort of new to the whole promotion thing. I’m doing a lot more on the local scene right now, with book signings and joining anything that features local authors. And Facebook has always been a great way to get the word out to those I know about any events happening.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Start writing and stick with it. The beginning is always hard, and if you haven’t figured out your writing process yet it’s even harder. But you’ll never figure it out if you don’t sit down and write something.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Read everything you can. As I said before, I always find something useful in reading other people’s work, whether it’s things I like or don’t like. And try to use as many active words as possible. It sounds simple, but it’s so true!

What are you reading now?
I’m reading A Dance with Dragons, the fifth book of George R. R. Martin’s series.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Hopefully I’ll continue producing more books! I’ve also thought about branching out from writing novels to maybe writing a play or a screenplay. It’s good to keep challenging yourself.

What is your favorite book of all time?
I’ve never been able to answer this question. I also don’t have a favorite author. There’s just too much out there to narrow it down to one.

Author Websites and Profiles
D.M. Roberts Website
D.M. Roberts Amazon Profile

D.M. Roberts’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
A lover of superheroes and all things fantasy it was only natural to find a home within the Contemporary Fantasy genre.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Retribution, book one of The Dagger of Aita series. I guess inspiration comes in different forms. First a character appeared to me. Then a scene on a roof top in the middle of the night. Once I’d written the scene I knew there was a story to be told. Which lead to an extensive amount of research and world building.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write the book in order, beginning to end. Each scene is written three times. The first time through is a very rough draft. By the second time through I have a better idea of how the scene must be written. Then, the third time around it is merely cleaning a tightening up the scene. At the end of the process the scene is finished and placed in a master file.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
When I was very young Winnie the Pooh followed by years of Nancy Drew. As I got older other classics were introduced to me and I read them all. The Bard is a long time favorite. In contemporary fiction Sidney Sheldon captured my heart and I read every book he wrote. And then…J.R.R. Tolkien made an appearance in my life. I read The Hobbit so many times I had to tape the cover back on. I also enjoyed the humor of Robert Aspirin (his Mything series) and Douglas Adams (Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy). Other influences – Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica, the quintessential Star Wars.

What are you working on now?
Book Two of The Dagger of Aita

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

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Be true to who you are. Don’t censor yourself just because the people in your life may not approve of what you’re writing.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
No matter how far down the wrong road you’ve gone, you can always turn back.

What are you reading now?
A Game of Thrones – George R.R. Martin

What’s next for you as a writer?
Promotion, promotion, promotion!

What is your favorite book of all time?
I think I may have already inadvertently answered this question. The Hobbit.

Author Websites and Profiles
S.J. Wolff Website
S.J. Wolff Amazon Profile

S.J. Wolff’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I write SF/fantasy with my co-author and brother, David W Small. We have been writing together since 2006 and make our partnership work through the use of email, Instant Messaging and Skype. Our newest release is THE SILVER CROSS, Book 1 in the Vampire Nightlife series.

We have written three other novels, ASSASSIN’S CURSE, Book 1 in the Witch Stone Prophecy, QUEST FOR NOBILITY and THE CRYSTAL FACADE in the RULE OF OTHARIA series and three novellas in the DARK FUTURE series to-date.

We are currently working on WITCH’S CURSE, Book 2 in the Witch Stone Prophecy. It’s the exciting conclusion to the storyline and we hope to publish it in October/November 2013.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Our latest book is THE SILVER CROSS. I’ve always had a love of vampires. Seeing as I live near Boston, MA, I thought it would be awesome to have Detective Lacey Gardner a part of the Boston Police Dept. I’ve included lots of landmarks in the book and I’ve been told by fans that they loved seeing that.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Writing with a co-author is unusual in itself, but Dave and I make it work. It took us awhile to gain our stride, but now even we have trouble remembering who wrote what scene or chapter. I think that’s the best testament to our writing style. The last thing we want is choppy scenes that don’t blend well together.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
My first love is fantasy so I’ve read all the greats in that field – George RR Martin, Orson Scott Card, Richard Jordan, Tad Williams and Stephen R Donaldson. I also enjoy thrillers and reading Brad Thor and Vince Flynn has helped me create suspense in our books.

What are you working on now?
We are currently working on “Witch’s Curse” which is the sequel and final volume in The Witch Stone Prophecy. This book will reveal what role twins Kara and Kala play in the ancient prophecy. Jeda will uncover some surprising things about himself as well. Of course, Elizabeth Berkshire, a strong elemental witch, is in the book. Readers love to hate her. We have a few new characters – Raz and Ranker – and we think readers will enjoy them as well.

We’re hoping for a November 2013 publication date, but that depends on our writing timeline. Dave and I both work full-time and some weeks are more productive with writing than others, but we’re working hard to finish this book on time.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
My blog, Two Ends of the Pen, is my best social media site. All of my books are listed on the site. I also feature author interviews, panel discussions, guest posts and book reviews. There’s lot to read there and I hope a little something for everyone. I also tweet and use Facebook to spread the word about our books.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Hire a professional editor!!! I can’t tell you how many books I’ve read that didn’t have this step. Typos, wrong words, POV changes kill the enjoyment for me of an otherwise unique and inventive story.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Patience – have the patience to get the book in the best shape it can be before you hit the publish button. That means having beta readers, a graphic artist for the cover, and an editor. Without the patience to do each step, you may not be putting out the best product you can.

What are you reading now?
I just finished THE WHITE QUEEN by Philippa Gregory and WINDS OF SALEM by Melissa de la Cruz. I have a stack of books in my “review” pile as well that I need to read in the next month or so. That’s one thing about being a book reviewer, you’re never without something new to read. I’ve had to close to new submissions because of my overwhelming “to-be-reviewed” pile.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I also write romance under my pen name, Debra Elizabeth. I’m working on the book 2 in the Age of Innocence trilogy, LOVE BY DECEPTION. I hope to release this book in the fall as well.

What is your favorite book of all time?
“Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austen followed closely by “The Mists of Avalon” by Marion Zimmer Bradley. Of course, if George RR Martin would finish his own Fire and Ice books, I’d be a happy girl.

Author Websites and Profiles
Debra L Martin Website
Debra L Martin Amazon Profile
Debra L Martin Author Profile on Smashwords

Debra L Martin’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve written and illustrated 5 children’s books (well, 3 really as 2 are Spanish translations). I’m from New Zealand but currently live in Andalusia, Spain. I publish in all ebook formats and in print. Each book has a different illustration style but generally I like to use a lot of colour and a range of textures. So far all my stories are told in rhyme or at least alliteration.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
ALPHABETI-COOL, inspired my the intrinsic coolness of the letters of our alphabet.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Nope, I guess I’m pretty normal, although because of a lack of quality writing time and space, sometimes I have to write while cooking.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
There are many books that have made an impression on me, but each for different reasons. I like the classics eg. Dr Seuss – meaningful nonsense, timeless and perfect. More recently I have been blown away by Katz Cowley’s illustrations, especially in THE FIDGETY ITCH.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on a series of educational books about the natural world for very young children. Loads of colour, tiny little nature lessons, all told in rhyme. I’m very excited about it but I have a lot of work to do.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
The jury is still out as I am still trying a number of avenues but I think you can’t just do one thing, you have to make yourself omnipresent (I’m not quite there yet). Using image links inside your ebooks of your other titles that link directly to where they are available is a must and can attract a lot of interest especially if you can make one of your titles free and get them in the hands of many interested readers.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Sometimes the desire to get your book out there is overwhelming, but take your time, don’t publish until your book is ready. Writing/illustrating your masterpiece is only the beginning, then the real work begins. Fortunately there are loads of great people and resources to help you achieve your goals.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t Put Your Finger in the Jelly, Nelly – Nick Sharratt

What are you reading now?
If I’m honest I only really read children’s books with my kids but I love reading them. Adult literature makes be sleepy. Right now we are into DOWN BY THE COOL OF THE POOL by TONY MITTON and GUY PARKER-REES.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Writing, drawing, painting, editing…promoting,promoting,promoting.

I really like the path I’m on (except that promoting is very hard work). I want to publish all the books that I have in my “to be finished” folder and that will keep me busy for quite a while. In the future I would love to do pop-up books or something interactive and really special for kids.

What is your favorite book of all time?
As all kiwi kids will probably say BAD JELLY THE WITCH by SPIKE MILLIGAN. I just checked the book to see if it was still awesome after so many years, and it was!

Author Websites and Profiles
Rebecca Bielawski Website
Rebecca Bielawski Amazon Profile
Rebecca Bielawski Author Profile on Smashwords

Rebecca Bielawski’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I didn’t begin writing fiction until I retired a couple of years ago, but I’ve been writing all my life as either a journalist and freelancer or in corporate communications.

Death on a Dig is my first mystery novel. It’s set around the disappearance of a young woman from an archaeological dig in Mexico. Gwen Madden goes looking for her on behalf of the girl’s distraught mother — and discovers a kidnapping, a tale about a trove of stolen artifacts and — oh, yes — a dead body.

I’ve finished one short story — Murder in the Clubhouse, which is available for free on Smashwords.com — and I’m wrapping up another. Neither features Gwen Madden, but I have both a short story and a novella in the works with Madden as the main character. Both should be available before the end of the year.

Girls of Summer: In Their Own League is my only non-fiction book. Unlike my mystery fiction, which is self-published, Girls of Summer was published by HarperCollins. It has long been out of print, but I recently gave it new life as an ebook on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00COMHB04.

I’ve travelled in the UK, continental Europe, India, Mexico and Central America. Before apartheid was defeated in South Africa, I spent five years in Mozambique as an international volunteer, and I recently volunteered again for six months to work with a small social agency in northern India.
I retired a couple of years ago and am focusing on writing and epublishing mystery fiction.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I wrote Death on a Dig, which is set in Mexico, because I always wanted to write a mystery. It’s by far my favourite genre. I consider that finishing the book has been a great accomplishment for me and has kept me continuing to write. Death on a Dig combines two of my favourite subjects — travel and archaeology.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m always looking for some place to write in public. I have a very comfortable office in my home, but I like the buzz of public spaces. Coffee shops are my favourite and there are a bunch of them in my neighbourhood. Unfortunately, finding a place that other people aren’t trying to turn into their own private phone booth is getting more and more difficult, so I’m having to try to make writing at home a habit.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I love the classics. I grew up on Agatha Christie, Sherlock Holmes (one of the few fictional detectives who is actually better known than his creator), Dorothy Sayers, Mary Roberts Rinehart, Raymond Chandler and Ngaio Marsh. I discovered Rex Stout a little later and to this day Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin are my favourite detectives.

Another very good mystery writer, who I think is greatly underrated, is Georgette Heyer. She’s best known for her historical romances, but she also wrote a number of very good detective stories.

A couple of other favourite writers — neither of them writers of crime fiction — I must mention. One is P.G. Wodehouse, author of the Bertie Wooster and Jeeves stories. He is unsurpassed. He may not influence me as a mystery writer, but in terms of excellence, he has been a very important role model. The other writer is Jane Austen who is probably the first writer I read, enjoyed and appreciated for the quality of her writing.

What are you working on now?
After spending two years on a novel, I’ve decided I want to concentrate on short stories and novellas. I understand the value of delayed gratification, but full-length novels are too much.

Murder in the Clubhouse: A Diamond Girls Mystery is a short story about young girl ballplayers who solve a murder. It’s set in the same world as the pro ball players of WWII that I wrote about in Girls of Summer: In Their Own League. Murder in the Clubhouse is now available for free at Smashwords. I’m just finishing Amends for the Dead (that’s a working title), with a completely different protagonist and different ambience. Think Raymond Chandler.

I also have mapped out a short story and a novella with Gwen Madden as the main character.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I think my web sites are the foundation of my promotion efforts, although I like Twitter a lot and it seems to work fairly well for me as a way of shepherding people towards my online books. When I look at where my traffic comes from, Facebook seems to play a significant role, which is a shame because I don’t much like it. However, I am trying to learn to use it more effectively and enjoy it more.

One web site is devoted to Girls of Summer (http://intheirownleague.wordpress.com). I blog items from my original research and am using it to help get the word out about Murder in the Clubhouse.

My mystery web site is http://www.loisbrowne.com. I have written blog posts about my experiences self-publishing, but I want to ensure that I write about things that interest readers too.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
My advice parrots what every other writer says, most of them much more experienced than I am. Write every day; read every day. I would add that authors should avoid daydreaming about the three-month plan that will make them famous and develop a long-term plan that is much more likely to build a loyal readership.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t put your greatest efforts into promoting your first book. Wait until you have something more for people to go to once they’ve discovered you.

What are you reading now?
Wired for Story by Lisa Cron

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m starting to do local promotion. I have a reading booked in the fall. I’ve joined a writer’s group. I’m trying to track down a couple of local softball stars of the 1940s who played in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League for a couple of years and then disappeared. That’s research for one of my blogs, which I am really enjoying. I also need to do some thinking and planning around my main web site devoted to my mystery fiction.

What is your favorite book of all time?
That’s a difficult question because I reread favourite books on a regular basis. But if I had to name one, it would be Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.

Author Websites and Profiles
Lois Browne Website
Lois Browne Amazon Profile
Lois Browne Author Profile on Smashwords

Lois Browne’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I enjoy weaving together Inspirational Suspense and Mystery Novels blended with romance.

I live in North Carolina. I love the outdoors, there is so much creativity to look at, I’m always amazed at the vast world the Lord gave us.

Escape to Big Fork Lake is my debut novel published in March 2012. Stone of Destiny, also published by Prism Book Group, scheduled for release in Sept. 2013. I’m also a contributor to a devotional eBook, 21 Stories of Faith which is published by Body & Soul publishing.

Check out The Writers Handbook of Online Promotion a non-fiction eBook with ideas for beginning authors. All these novels are available on Amazon.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest novel is Stone of Destiny. My grandson is fascinated with novels about magic. Seeing him read them sparked a desire in me to write about a spiritual kind of enchantment that only happens with faith and prayer.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I love to go out on the porch with my laptop and a cup of coffee. There’s something inspiring about being among nature.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Nicholas Sparks, Terri Reed and Karen Ball.

What are you working on now?
My work in progress is called Redemption in Big Fork Lake. It has a few returning characters from Escape to Big Fork Lake, but is a stand-alone book. This novel shows us all we can have the strength to overcome an addition.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I believe promoting novels online is helped a great deal by the readers who enjoy blogging about books. Reviews and interviews go a long way toward fitting booklovers with novels in their genre.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Persistence is the only way to grow. One day at a time, you have to devote as must time promoting as writing.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Believe in yourself.

What are you reading now?

What’s next for you as a writer?
Outside of my works in progress. I strive to discover all I can about online promotions.

What is your favorite book of all time?
Message in a Bottle. I know it’s not a classic. I should have said Gone with the Wind or something written by Mark Twain, but the truth is- I don’t really enjoy classics that much.

Author Websites and Profiles
Mary L. Ball Website
Mary L. Ball Amazon Profile

Mary L. Ball’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I was born into a politically divided Europe and the series of these short love/satires are somewhat drawn from my experiences there…long ago.

So far, I have completed two “Inter-” stories with more in the offing.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
“Intermezzo” plays out in 1963 spy-laden Vienna.

I thought I’d have some fun for a change and write some short satires under this pen name. My other (6) books are full-blown literary sagas ranging from historical fiction to thrillers to poetry.

So, with the short “Inter-” series, I hope to amuse the sophisticated reader who wants something more titillating, if you will (yet without explicit scenes).

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I have a glass of wine here and there when I do need a “steamy” scene…that gets edited the next morning to make sure there is something left to the reader’s imagination.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
None in this particular genre.

What are you working on now?
“Intercourse” (as defined in the dicitionary).

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Still working on that enigma.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
If you love to write, keep writing. Success may or may not come, but at least you are doing somthing you love (and hopefully are good at).

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“Don’t let the bastards get you down.”

It was actually a rather elegant man who said that to me.

What are you reading now?
Writing. So, not much time spent reading.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Back to completing Book 3 of my other genre.

What is your favorite book of all time?
Writers of dramatic family sagas:

Thomas Mann, James A. Mitchener, James Clavell.

Author Websites and Profiles
Ida Tornovski Website
Ida Tornovski Amazon Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I went directly from high school to marriage and sales. I remained in the sales industry until I was 45 when I left the corporate world and entered into private enterprise in real estate sales and management, then on to office building maintenance.

In 1999 I lost my wife and part of my life and did not regain the latter notation until three years later when I met my new wife who has inspired me to write poetry and novels.

I have published 12 books to date.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is a mystery, “Deavereau and the Napoleon Clock Incident.” I became engrossed in the excitement of becoming the lead character in my last book and it just evolved into the second “Incident” Book and my new character, Deavereau (who preferred not to use the normal spelling of his name ending with an “x”)

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t think so, but then how would I know? I used to write all day, but that became a bit of a problem when my back recognized reality along with my chiropractor. Now, I write a few hours, wander about the house, take the dog for a walk, enjoy a short scotch in the afternoon and then write some more.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I have been influenced by several authors. The most recent have been Koontz, Balducci, and Marshall Franks. Earlier were Patrick M. McMannus, Gary Wells and Edgar Allen Poe.

What are you working on now?
I am in the thought stages of my next Deavereau novel.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I use my own website, facebook, twitter and Author.com

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Take your time, re-read, re-write, re-think, and then do them all again as many times as it takes to make your book as perfect as you can…don’t take advice from your friends and relatives because they will flatter you and what you think is great because of that will cause you to fail.

Don’t give up!!!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t take yourself for granted. View your work as though someone else wrote it and do what you have to do.

What are you reading now?
The Bible, The Whole Truth by Balducci

What’s next for you as a writer?
Enjoy life, take some good photos of the world around me, and soak up as much knowledge as I can. Then write about it in my next book.

What is your favorite book of all time?
The Bible, Todays English Version

Author Websites and Profiles
Thomas Ault Website
Thomas Ault Author Profile on Smashwords

Thomas Ault’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Medium7: Evidence of the Afterlife and Predictions is my first book written (July, 2013). Since 1996 I have published several articles and reports in the area of health and criminology evaluation research but of course publishing reports is different than writing a book.

I am a mother of two children who works full-time with the government of Canada overseeing scientific evaluation research studies that will help non-governmental organizations develop effective crime prevention programs. So of course you would think as a criminology researcher, I would probably be writing non-fiction crime-related novels. Not a chance! While that would be very exciting, I have not written any non-fiction books to date.

I am very passionate about the area of study related to the afterlife as I believe we are all on the cutting edge of understanding who we were, who we are now, and who we will be after we leave the physical world.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I was inspired to write the book Medium7 after realizing that I could use my twenty years of research and data analysis skills and apply them to answering the question, is there life after death. I was really inspired to start my own research with psychic mediums and their clients after a few spiritual experiences. In particular, during a reading when a psychic medium provided my grandmother’s very unique name (Beryl) and stated exactly how she died, I began to realize that perhaps there was more to this universe than what we have been taught in school. I was really inspired to write about mediumship, near death experiences, out of body experiences and any event that related to the afterlife as my personal experiences and literature reviewed demonstrated that people could enjoy their journey and optimize their lives by having a better understanding about the truth behind their existence.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I am not sure if this is an unusual writing habit but I find that my ideas spontaneously come to me while I am not writing. So everywhere I go I carry a journal with me so I can write down ideas, resources and concepts that have come to me spontaneously. I build on these small ideas which usually end up becoming full chapters. For example, I was speaking at a conference , and a panel member asked how the “thought creates reality” movement could be used to help youth at risk develop productive lives. Right after the discussion, I jotted down the idea so I could later ponder how this concept of creating one’s reality could be linked with the discussion of psychic mediums and their ability or limitations on being able to produce accurate predictions consistently. This thought helped me develop a whole new way of understanding the nature of predictions which was subsequently developed into a full chapter.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Ester Hicks, and Jane Roberts are just a few of the great authors that have influenced me over the years. Many don’t know that the famous author who wrote several detective stories about Sherlock Holmes was an established Scottish physician who during his later years rigorously studied the afterlife. Sir A. Doyle’s writings about his scientific studies of life after death greatly influenced me.

What are you working on now?
My books are all going to be a combination of my own research studies and complementary studies conducted by from other scholars. So before I start writing I am currently working out a research design to study the authenticity of alternative healing methods. The book will review the science behind alternative healing methods, provide engaging case studies and look at the implications for humankind if traditional healthcare institutions were to integrate and support these alternative healing methods. My research will take at least a year and then it will take another six months to write so I don’t anticipate releasing another book until early 2015.

I have also been asked by many to produce Medium7: Evidence of the Afterlife and Predictions into an audio CD as the afterlife information is important for the aging community who are more likely to listen to a CD than read a book.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I must say that I am very much in the discovery process of learning about what works for giving your book exposure but I will share a few things that have worked for me since releasing my book two months ago. I put out three videos of my research experiments with psychic mediums and non-believers one year prior to my book being released. One of the videos has almost 87,000 hits and I have at least five people each day dropping questions in my personal e-mail (medium7research@gmail.com) each day wanting to understand various aspects of the reading or other questions about the authenticity of the afterlife in general. About 20% of these contacts have shared that they purchased the book to learn more about the evidence related to the afterlife. I also make it habit to check in and respond directly to the comments on the Youtube video so I can build a relationship with the viewers. To see my question and answer method you can view the following YouTube video under my name: Life After Death: A Medium Conducts a Reading with a Non-Believer. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g74znWzyRTU

I will also be joining a media portal in Canada (www.sources.ca) that will allow my book to gain exposure through radio, TV and print media. The counterpart in the U.S.A is the RTIR(http://www.rtir.com/index.html). I have not started the program in Canada yet, but my understanding from other authors who have used RTIR is that they did get a few radio shows with small markets. These sources are a start to getting exposure for your book via the media.

As for websites, my Youtube video has been embedded in about fifty websites but I have not directly written for any except for this awesome gang website which I have found very useful.

I also submitted my book (paid advertising) in the www.leadingedgereview.com as my understanding is this magazine is circulated to bookstores worldwide. The magazine is for titles and products focussing on spirituality, parapsychology, mind, body and spirit. This ad will run for three months in their fall issue in the gifts section.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
The best advice for new authors is to write at least fifteen minutes five times a week. I work full-time and have two children but once I promised myself that I would write at least fifteen minutes after work, I found that fifteen minutes often escalated to writing three hours per day. So maintain this habit and the other perceived barriers will diminish. If you can’t write for some reason, keep reading or watching documentaries and programs that will stimulate innovative thinking.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best advice I have ever heard is to believe in yourself and after that anything is possible.

What are you reading now?
I am not currently reading right now as I am focussing on preparing an event to launch my book and will begin my new research study.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I hope to use my writing to help me produce documentaries about the evidence of an afterlife to inspire people, given them hope and help them enjoy life to its fullest.

What is your favorite book of all time?
“Ask and It is Given: Learning to Manifest Your Desires” written by New York Times best selling authors, Esther and Jerry Hicks was my favorite book of all time and its contents influenced me significantly. They teach that you can manifest anything you want and they provide a scientific explanation for how this may be possible. Once you understand that traditional barriers such as finding a literary agent or getting published with a traditional publisher are only perceived barriers, as long as you allow yourself to thrive by ignoring negative thoughts you can achieve anything. This book has helped me live my life with confidence. The techniques have given me the ability to write a book and continue writing books for the rest of my life.

Author Websites and Profiles
Donna Smith-Moncrieffe Website
Donna Smith-Moncrieffe Amazon Profile

Donna Smith-Moncrieffe’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I was born and raised in Rapid City, South Dakota, and am enjoying raising a family here myself. I have a wonderful significant other and two amazing boys, a 14 year old and a 3 year old. I live in a house full of boys, and that is just the way I want it as I am not a girly girl myself. I also have a black lab puppy, who just turned 1 and 2 cats who are both 6, all of which are male. The only other female in our house is our guinea pig. I have one younger brother, who is a genius, and my parents and grandparents live near and are all important in our lives.

My whole life, or at least since I was able to read, I have been an avid reader. I have read so many books and am that person that will re-read a book 50 times and still enjoy it. I read all types of books, but mainly horror, thriller, suspense, mystery, supernatural and psychological thrillers. However, I have read other books outside of these categories and enjoyed them. I try not to limit myself and to keep an open mind because that is where the adventure begins.

After high school, I decided to go to college. I had always wanted to be a nurse, from the time I was a little girl, and it was still an interesting career field for me. So, I did attend nursing school and graduated with a Bachelor’s in Nursing and currently work as a Registered Nurse. I have always wanted to help people, and no matter where I find myself, or what I am doing, I always want to be able to find a way to help people.

I have always had a passion for writing, and remember filling a couple of notebooks with a vampire story I wrote in middle school. The notebooks have long since gone missing, which is a bummer because I really would like to look back on it now and see in detail what that first book was about. I have also written several poems which I have compiled into a book titled The Darkest Light and it is available on Amazon in paperback and kindle formats.

My recently released novel, Rabbit’s Feet is available on paperback and Kindle on Amazon.com. This book is the first in The Tempie Rosenthal Series, which is a horror fiction series involving the supernatural. I have just completed the first draft of the second book in this series and am working on the final edits before submitting it to my copy editor.

I have plans for a couple of other series and stand alone books and have notes all over in my notebooks. When I have an idea, I write it down, and as the idea progresses, I keep adding to it. I am excited and can’t wait to get some of these other series started, but for now, my focus is The Tempie Rosenthal Series. However, when I need a mental break from the current novel that I am writing, I work on some of my other writing projects.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is Rabbit’s Feet, and is the first in my new horror fiction series, The Tempie Rosenthal Series. This book opens up the gateway to a whole new supernatural world that began developing in my head several years ago. I had an idea, and I talked to a good friend about it. This one thought quickly turned into a whole world with characters and places and I knew I had to get it out.

I decided that I would write a novel. It took on a life of its own and is much different today that it had originally been planned, but I am much happier with the end product. This world has led to ideas for at least a few more books in the series, and I am excited to put them on paper for everyone to enjoy.

To be honest, I am not sure that I can pinpoint exactly what inspired me, other than that I have always loved to read, and get lost in the world I was reading about, so when an idea and world began to develop in my head, I decided to do something with it.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I typically write on my couch, laptop in my lap with my family playing video games or watching TV in the background. Unless, I am lucky enough to be writing after the children have gone to bed, then I write in silence. Probably the most unusual habit I have is while I have the laptop in my lap, usually there is also a 15lb cat in my lap between me and my laptop. It is a compromise, because it is that or he will lay on my laptop. So, most of the time I am reaching over the cat to type. Also, there are times when I just want to write, not type, so I will take a notebook and write out parts of my book, and then of course have to type them up.

I also do not like to edit on the computer. I like to see it on paper and feel that I catch more spelling errors and what not if I edit on paper vs. computer.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Not to be vague, but I think that every book I have ever read has provided influence in some manner. To see the creations of others, and the worlds that are developed into the detail and realistic nature that many books have, gives inspiration for the creation of your own world.

I have read everything from The Bell Jar, to RL Stine, Stephen King, Laurell K. Hamilton and 50 Shades of Grey, so I have a pretty vast pool of inspiration and admiration.

What are you working on now?
Right now I am editing the second book in The Tempie Rosenthal Series, and making the final tweaks to that manuscript before sending it to my copy editor. At the same time, I am also working on a short story series to release monthly on my blog. Also, I am always working on new ideas and updating ideas. I always have a notebook and pen with me…just in case. I am also working on promoting Rabbit’s Feet by hosting a giveaway for it on Goodreads.com, and just trying to connect with other people on social media sites.

It’s also summer, so I am trying to spend as much time outdoors with my family as I can before it becomes to cold to enjoy the outdoors.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
An effective brand and marketing campaign is the best when promoting your books. But, it is expensive, so I have found twitter, facebook and goodreads to be the most helpful. Goodreads has so many opportunities for authors that I am still learning all that they have to offer. You can do giveaways, sign up to have your book reviewed in it’s genre etc. There are so many resources it is merely a matter of finding them.

Finding websites such as this that will host author interviews or others such as the Independent Author Network, there are just so many out there. You will spend a lot of time on the computer searching, reading, researching, but there again, that is all part of the struggle of getting yourself and your novel out there, and in the hand of readers.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t give up. I am sure that is what everyone says, but honestly writing is the most rewarding thing to do, but that does not come without a price of hard work, tired hands and arms, and frustrations. If something is frustrating you, put it aside for a night and return to it when you are calm. You will see so many rejection letters, you may begin to feel like your work sucks…but it doesn’t. Keep your head up and if you like your work…chances are that there are several other people out there that will too, you just haven’t found them yet.

Research online for the many resources that are available to the independent author and put aside money for marketing and design. In order to reach people, and to get your product known, you need an effective marketing campaign and a great brand. Marketing is expensive, so if you can put money aside for it, do it. Otherwise, look for free promotions, social media and other ways to try and reach people.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Whether you are writing, creating, or designing, do it for you. Don’t write something that you think other people would want. Don’t write to fit in with the crowd. Write what you would like, and write about what you want to. If you always write for you and never worry about all those around you, you will never fail. Oh, and there is no such thing as bad publicity. Sometimes the worst review, or most negative comment will make the interest in your product soar. Thank you Andy S. Banks for the great advice.

What are you reading now?
Right now, I am not currently reading anything as most of my free time has been devoted to editing and writing. I have a few books on my waiting list, and when I am not too tired, I try to read for at least a few minutes before bed. I am a book lover though, not a huge fan of reading on an electronic device, but I am learning to adapt because my bookcase has been overflowing for a decade now. I have run out of storage! Those that I have already started the series in paperback though, I will have to finish out the series with paperbacks and not convert to electronic…at least not yet.

What’s next for you as a writer?
As I finish up the final stages of my second book, the next step will be to publish and release it on amazon. Once I have released my second book, I will begin writing the third book as I already have a rough outline started for it. I am also in the process of putting together a short story blog to publish on my website monthly. So many exciting things in the future and I enjoy every bit of it!

What is your favorite book of all time?
My favorite book of all time? This is really a difficult one to answer as I have so many. There are two series that really stand out for me from my childhood though, The Vampire Twins series by Janice Harrell and The Vampire Diaries by LJ Smith. Those are two of my most favorite series which I have read a countless number of times.

Author Websites and Profiles
Trista Borgwardt Website
Trista Borgwardt Amazon Profile

Trista Borgwardt’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve lived in the Boston area since 1979. When I first arrived, it was a rough transition for a young teen raised in the Midwest. That experience helped awaken my imagination and writing became an outlet. It wasn’t until my senior year in high school that I entered a writing contest and won second place.

Over the following years, writing became more of a hobby because I never had a lot of time to dedicate to it. I was much more interested in film directing and producing. I did some amateur film-shorts and dreamed of someday getting a call from Hollywood. That call never came (no surprise). Writing, on the other hand, was something I could always do without worrying about things like budgets, actors, or securing locations. There’s never any limit in my imagination. It’s like directing a movie with infinite resources.

My writing efforts intensified since I got laid-off from a company I worked at for over twenty years. While it’s been rough trying to find another job in this sour economy, I’ve had plenty of time to devote to writing. I’ve written and published three books so far: “Chasing Redemption,” “Dover Park,” & “The Juncture.” More are in the pipeline.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I released “The Juncture” in February 2013. The story is inspired by a couple of things. First, it’s loosely based on a high school I attended. My wife and I attended the same school, but not at the same time. She had already graduated by the time I transferred in as a junior. I’ve always wondered what it would’ve been like if we were in the same high school class together (let’s just say I’m quite happy we met years afterward instead).

Second, the notion of being able to travel back in time and change the future is something that has become a primary theme in many time travel stories/productions (particularly since “Back to the Future” in 1985). That’s one theme I wanted to explore with this book. Hint: My views run counter-culture.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Sorry, but I’m probably a boring author when it comes to writing habits. Nothing unusual. All I need is my laptop and a cup of coffee.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I first got inspired to write a book after reading “The Hunt for Red October” by Tom Clancy.

There is also a quote from author CS Lewis that drives my writing: “The world does not need more Christian literature. What it needs is more Christians writing good literature.” As a Christian, I understand how heavy-handed and preachy Christian authors can get. I’m personally not out to beat people over the head with my beliefs, but I just strive to write good stories that have a wide appeal. I like to weave virtuous principles and themes into my stories, but not in a way that’s overly moralizing. Hopefully, just a bit thought-provoking.

What are you working on now?
I’m currently working on a couple of projects. One is a new thriller book series. The other is a follow-up to “Chasing Redemption.”

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I don’t rely on only one method or website. It’s always best to adopt several.

For instance, book promo sites are everywhere and it’s easy to go crazy signing up for as many as you can find. However, I’ve found that maintaining them on an ongoing basis can be cumbersome. So, I try to pick out the sites with the best reach. Goodreads, Bookgoodies, Awesome Gang have been good. I recently discovered another great new site called “Hunt to Read,” which offers reader analytics (among other things). I’m always on the lookout for more, but not too many so I don’t lose track of them.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
This might sound a bit contentious, but I’d advise new authors to be careful how much time you spend around other authors. There’s certainly things to learn from experienced authors, but I’ve come to find it can quickly bring on a “fire-hose” effect of too much information. In fact, all things considered, other authors aren’t part of my target audience anyway. I’d rather spend more time interacting with readers. They’re the one who buy books, so they’re the ones we authors need to get feedback from.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Keep writing and stay away from imitating what other authors are doing. Try to be the author everyone else wants to copy.

What are you reading now?
I suppose this is the point where I should dazzle everyone with an impressive list of books I’m supposedly reading. To be honest, I’ve been way too busy writing.

What’s next for you as a writer?
That’s up to readers. If I can continue to build an audience, I have a future as an author.

What is your favorite book of all time?
I don’t have a single favorite, or haven’t found it yet.

Author Websites and Profiles
Bruce Fottler Website
Bruce Fottler Amazon Profile
Bruce Fottler Author Profile on Smashwords

Bruce Fottler’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I grew up in an old Victorian home in Illinois, complete with a coach house, the same house I used as inspiration for my first two books. I earned my master’s degree from Lake Forest Graduate School of Management and have obtained more than three decades of experience in corporate America. I am currently retired and reside in Chicago where I am working on my next novel.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is titled, “Daughters” and is the sequel to my first book, “The Coach House.” Years before I started writing novels, I jotted down anything and everything I thought I could use in a storyline. It could have been from a conversation I overheard on an elevator, a line from a movie, something a co-worker said to me…anything. Then when I was ready to write, I retrieved those hundreds of scraps of paper, categorized them, and put them in piles. During this process, a story emerged.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t know if this is unusual or not, but I can’t get into writing unless I have at least two hours of time to devote to it, and then after four hours, I need a break from it.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I look up to Dennis Lehane and Nicholas Sparks–Lehane for his amazing ability to tell a compelling story and Sparks for his expert character development.

What are you working on now?
My current project, “Red Clover,” is a story of how a young man deals with weaknesses, frustrations and feelings of inadequacy, but more importantly, it bespeaks differing views on what defines success.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I promote my books on a variety of book promotion sites, in author interviews, on my own website, on Amazon.com, and BarnesandNobel.com. I also write articles, conduct free book promotions, participate in many on-line discussion groups for authors, and have an active Facebook author page.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I devote most of my website to new authors–offering advice I wish I had received before I got started. But the most basic advice I have for aspiring writers is to read, read, and then read some more. Read books in your genre and keep notes on what made the book a good read or a not-so-good read. How well did you relate to the characters? Did the story keep you turning pages, and if so why? Is it a book you’ll remember reading a year from now? Learn from other author’s successes and failures.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
If your passion is to write, don’t let anything stop you.

What are you reading now?
I am currently reading “Raised by Committee” by Carollyne Haynes, a fellow indie author.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I hope what’s next for me as a writer is to publish more books. It’s my passion, and I will continue doing it as long as I can.

What is your favorite book of all time?
“The Same Kind of Different As Me” by Ron Hall and Denver Moore may be my all-time favorite book for the rest of my life. Based on true events, it is the story of a modern-day slave and an international art dealer, and the unlikely woman who brought them together.

Author Websites and Profiles
Florence Osmund Website
Florence Osmund Amazon Profile

Florence Osmund’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a teacher of the Western Mystery Traditions and have been writing pieces most of my life, some published in alternative magazines.
I’m always studying something and at the moment am learning about the Druid Bards. I write poetry that is featured in my books.
It’s only now that I have found the confidence to put myself ‘out there’, in a serious way. I’m working toward self-sufficiency on a small farm and between work at my bookshop, reading and teaching centre, the farm and most important to me now, my writing, I keep busy. I have written three books in a series in the contemporary fantasy genre.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Silver’s Threads Book 3, Warp and Weft is the latest offering, shortly to be released. Inspired by Celtic mythology and from thoughts about ‘everything is now’ and so I began to see life as a huge tapestry, the threads linking all lives and all things as one.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I brew a story for a long time before putting pen to paper or fingers to key board and I dream a lot of the stories …it’s like watching a movie!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Charles de Lint has been my absolute inspiration. Josephine Pennicott, Juliette Marillier and Marion Zimmer-Bradley.

What are you working on now?
The last edit of Book 3 and the fourth in the Silver’s Threads series, Silken Web. I also have a non-fiction in the ‘cauldron’ too.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I have found my blog and facebook to be the most productive and am really keen to work more with my author page on Goodreads. I also have an author page with Amazon.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
…write, write, write …never give up and never let anyone change your voice.

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

What are you reading now?
The Sword and the Kestrel by Shawna Reppert, a new author for me.

What’s next for you as a writer?
As we all dream …to find a publisher to take on some of the heavy work. distribution, sales etc., although I guess I do love the autonomy of being an ‘Indie’ author.
I’m off to the UK in February next year and hope to find a readership there too.
I would love to run a workshop based on the philosophies of my books and I’m excited by some new ideas for a series. I want writing to be my full time job!

What is your favorite book of all time?
Hard question …I’m torn between Charles de Lint’s Greenmantle, Yarrow or Some Place to be flying! Don’t make me choose please!

Author Websites and Profiles
Penny Reilly Website
Penny Reilly Amazon Profile

Penny Reilly’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account