Awesome Author Interviews

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Although a writer for most of my adult life, I am now a published author with my debut Fantasy novel. Born in The Netherlands 38 years ago,I have traveled, lived in Norway, Wales, Northern-Ireland and now living near Manchester, UK, with my partner, two small children, two dogs and a cat.

‘The Queen’s Curse’ was launched on Amazon Kindle on the first of May this year.

I have written two further Fantasy novels and a trilogy which I am currently in the process of getting them ready for publication.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
‘The Queen’s Curse’

This novel has been in the making some twenty years now, so basically whilst I myself was struggling with a lot of things that happened in society affecting me as a very sensitive person such as justice and injustice, what it’s like being powerless, freedom or the loss of it and of course my coming out and experiencing romance. Waking one morning with one line in my head, I started to build the story around it. The characters are all based upon different aspects of me, so it came natural to write and the story soon came to life. Although originally written in Dutch, once moved to the UK and mainly reading in English, it became clear it had to be translated to English and it had to be good enough to be able to reach a very competitive market. Hence the twenty years!

I like to think it a original heroic spiritual Fantasy with a lesbian sub-theme, because I don’t want to be labeled as a lesbian writer or this a lesbian novel. The main theme is not about lesbians; the two main characters just happen to be just that. It makes it even harder for them to live their lives with the curse around, so the story becomes more interesting. I wanted to steer away from the cliches so often found in main stream Fantasy. Reaching out to a broad audience I hope that both male and female, straight and gay can relate to this story as it has many interesting elements such as: justice/injustice, power/control, romance, freedom,adventure, magic, immortality, intrigue, soul searching, love, life, loss and near death experience.

In this book I explore the ancient battle between good and evil so common in Fantasy.

What is evil and how does someone become bad; a question that has always intrigued me. In my work I deal with all elements of life, love and loss and try to build strong characters as realistic as possible, for even though the genre is Fantasy I want people to feel connected with my heroes and villains as they would with their friends.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
It has to be quiet around me and…tidy. I am a bit OCD and can’t think with rubbish around me! It’s hard with two babies, so most of my writing is done when they’re asleep! So my writing is progressing very slowly.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I am influenced the Queen’s of Fantasy; Marion Zimmer Bradley and Tanith Lee. I love Bradley’s Darkover series and Sword and Sorceries anthologies. Tanith Lee’s Birthgrave is also one of my favorites as well, but not too keen on her darker stuff.

I have been reading both authors since I was a teenager and they have taught me what to do and what not. Although influenced, I have always tried to find my own voice and think I have succeeded in that!

What are you working on now?
I’m currently working on a trilogy focusing on a species I’ve created that have very unique and special abilities! But they are, as many species competing with humans on the same planet, misunderstood and haunted. This is inspired by my love of animals and nature.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I think Google+ and GoodReads, but also Twitter and my Facebook page.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Be yourself, keep writing, rewriting and read through your work. Also read the best and create your own voice. You have to stand out from the masses.

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

What are you reading now?
The Warriors Path-When women were warriors by Catherine Wilson (I think), I noticed this book when I saw that my readers have bought it, so thought to myself; “I need to know what my competition is writing!” I’m enjoying it so far, although it’s a bit long winded and although Fantasy not very realistic as all the women are either warriors or ‘companions’ and there is no man mentioned so far. By ignoring them do they go away I wonder?

What’s next for you as a writer?
Getting my next novel out and keep marketing my current one and to better myself.

What is your favorite book of all time?
‘The Mist of Avalon’ by Marion Zimmer Bradley is one of my all time favorites as it has great female protagonists and is very well written.

Also non Fantasy, such as ‘The Secret Life of Bees’ or The Moment’ and all books by Manfred Kyber.

Or Etty Hillesum’s ‘An Unfinished Life’ ;hugely inspiring and hopeful. She always believed in the goodness of people, even though the nazi’s were killing her and her family and friends.

I adore Kahlil Gibran’s books as they are so beautiful and poetic and so full of wisdom.

Author Websites and Profiles
Natasja Hellenthal Website
Natasja Hellenthal Amazon Profile

Natasja Hellenthal’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I stumbled upon writing books and articles by accident. As most things in life go, if you can recognize an opportunity when it come a-knocking, especially in unexpected circumstances, life just gets better. I write mostly about my long-time loves–Guam, exercise, and desserts. Born and raised on the 32-mile-long rock, I now live in North Carolina where I continue to work on my love of Guam food. Schooled as an exercise scientist at the University of Oregon, I have been able to help friends, family, and fans with their cooking and exercise endeavors.

My books include A Taste of Guam, Remember Guam, and Macarons Math, Science, and Art, all available on Amazon.com. A Taste of Guam and Remember Guam are my tribute to my island. Macarons Math, Science, and Art, was my way of blending academics, dessert, and fun, to make the most perfect French macaron. Food demonstration videos for my recipes are available on my website.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I am currently working on another book, Conquered – an epic saga of war and love on Guam, a Pacific isle fighting and forging through World War II. It’s been a long road since she started this book in 2006, but she continues to venture forward, one step at a time until the book is finished.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I love Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six, and Stuart Wood’s Stone Barrington novels. These author’s styles have helped me in writing my Guam novel.

What are you working on now?
A World War II historical romance novel based on Guam.

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

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Keep a file of all your book ideas. Use lots of manila folders for research. Write, write, and write more, particularly when you are in the mood.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Write first then do research to verify the facts.

What are you reading now?
Books about WWII on Guam as well as business/success books.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Just trying to finish my novel that I started back in 2006…still years from completion.

What is your favorite book of all time?
Jean Auel’s Clan of the Cave Bear.

Author Websites and Profiles
Paula Quinene Website
Paula Quinene Amazon Profile

Paula Quinene’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Writing fantasy has become my passion and a thrilling life adventure. After majoring in chemical engineering and working for over twenty years, I became an international business strategist, and now I am an epic fantasy author and it is a dream come true. I write what I love, sweeping epic medieval sagas with complex characters and surprising plot twists. I love castles and knights but I also love to write strong women. I’m currently writing The Silk & Steel Saga, a five book epic medieval fantasy full of plots, battles, romance, and schemes. The first four books, The Steel Queen, The Flame Priest, The Skeleton King, and The Poison Priestess, are published and getting great reviews. I’ve also published a collection of short stories, The Assassin’s Tear.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is The Poison Priestess, the fourth book in The Silk & Steel Saga. The main character, the Priestess, wields poison and seduction in a bid for immorality. I love to read books that explore this type of character, but so often the themes and the delicious potential of a female assassin is under explored. So I decided to try my hand at it. Here’s a short excerpt of The Poison Priestess to show you what I mean. “Like seduction, the Priestess took poisoning to an art form. Any assassin could slip hemlock into a flagon of wine but it took an artist to design the perfect death. Part of the secret lay in understanding the possibilities of each poison. Symptoms could range from the dramatic to the subtle, from tortured convulsions and visions of gods to falling deep into a fatal sleep. And then there was the choice of dosage, strong enough for an instant kill, or parceled out to appear like a lingering malaise. But the real finesse came in the delivery, like slipping into a garden to paint baneberry on an apple just before it was plucked, one bite away from death. The Priestess smiled. She prided herself on creative kills, death by design, the artistry of murder.”

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Writing is my passion but it is also my job, so I try to work five days a week. But if hit a wall and get stuck, then I’ll take a bubble bath. I call it my ‘think tank’! It is amazing how relaxing in a bubble bath will unclog the mind and make the ideas flow.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I’ve always wanted to give back to fantasy some of the joy that reading has always given me. The writers who have most inspired me are JRR Tolkien’s world building and story telling, George Martin’s Song of Ice and Fire with his complex characters and multiple POV’s, and by the underlying themes of Frank Herbert’s Dune. JRR Tolkien achieved unparalleled world building with settings like the Mines of Moria, Rivendell and the Argonath. George Martin has taken fantasy characters to a new level of complexity, making an art form out of shades of grey. And Frank Herbert was a master at incorporating complex themes like environmental science, religion and politics into the weave of his story, turning Dune into a classic. In writing my saga, I tried to learn from all three of these masters. I know that this is reaching for the stars, but I never understood why anyone would reach for anything less. If you aim for the stars you are likely to at least land among the mountain tops.

What are you working on now?
The Battle Immortal, the fifth and final book of The Silk & Steel Saga.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I like Facebook the best. I have a personal page and a page for The Steel Queen. I also like Goodreads and I have a website, http://www.karenlazinger.com/

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write what you love. Write and keep writing. Read always, especially in your genre. And get strangers to read your books before you publish! Best of luck!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Hard to say. I’m always looking to learn, and explore, and grow, so I am always open to good advice.

What are you reading now?
I am re-reading Across the Nightingale Floor, an epic fantasy set in a type of feudal Japan. It is on my short list of favorites, books that have great stories but are also very well written. I tend to re-read my favorites every other year.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Finish writing The Battle Immortal, the fifth book of The Silk & Steel Saga. Then I’ll publish it, take a short break to bask in the accomplishment (like running a marathon AND climbing a mountain, it leaves you exhausted and exhilarated, and is something to be celebrated and savored). And then I’ll probably start my next fantasy saga.

What is your favorite book of all time?
That is a tough question. There are too many on my favorites list to pick just one, so I’ll mention a few, Lord of the Rings, Game of Thrones, Dune, The Feast of All Saints, The River God, The Shell Seekers, The Agony and the Ecstasy, Shogun…to a name just a few.

Author Websites and Profiles
Karen Azinger Website
Karen Azinger Amazon Profile

Karen Azinger’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a new author, having recently finished my first book and published on Kindle.

Writing a book has been a major ‘life event’ for me.

This has come to me relatively late in life, at the grand age of fifty six years!

If someone had told me a year ago, that I would write and publish a book…. I would have told them they were mad!

Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined that I would be a published author.

You see, I always hated writing at school and completing homework was just a chore. I would much rather be working with my hands than dealing with paper. Of course today, we have the wonders of technology and the internet.

Working on a Laptop has many advantages, from the point of view of research, formatting and correcting errors. The only downside in this is poor posture and eyestrain!

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My (first) book is titled “Investing Money For Beginners – how to become a DiY investor”.

The project came about as follows:

I decided to write a book, following a course that taught the wonders of becoming a ‘self published author’, utilizing the Kindle platform.

Therein lay a dilemma… what to write about?

I had spent most of my working life within the offices of various commercial insurance companies and brokers. Did I want to write about insurance?

No way!….I have been trying to get out of insurance for years and do something different!

I have a long standing passion for ‘Classic Cars’ …. could this be a good subject?

My other option was to write about ‘Investing’, because I had done this for almost thirty years, as an enthusiastic amateur.

I chose ‘Investing’ as the subject matter, because I knew about it and was very interested.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I really don’t know the answer to this, that is for readers to discover and remark upon!

It is probably true to say that I try to write as I think, rather than trying to emulate some great author such as Charles Dickens.

As I have no formal training, I throw myself upon the crowd to decide my fate as an author!

After writing the first draft of my book I decided it was pretty awful…. and reminded me of many insurance textbooks I had to study.

These were the ones that caused me to fall asleep halfway through reading in bed. Many times I awoke the following morning with the book open on the floor!

So I decided to re-write the first draft and to try and inject something to make the reading more open, easy and enjoyable. This included the use of graphics, to break up the text and illustrate the various points that I was making.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
This is quite an amusing question to answer!

I have to admit to a dislike of reading books. This started in school and lasted pretty well up until 2012!

I have always been an avid reader of magazines however, because they were short on text and contained illustrations.

In the last twelve months I have read more books than in the previous forty years!

This is completely due to gaining an interest through Kindle.

I found myself reading a large number of Kindle books published by new authors. Through reading these books and being involved in the self publishing scene, I have come to appreciate the sheer effort and skill that does into writing and creating a book.

A couple of books have really impressed me, not because they are by the greatest authors on the planet. They have impressed me because they are creations by new aspiring authors that have their own message to convey.

Firstly, “Antiques Don’t Bounce” by Richard Bullivant (Funny, Biographical)

Secondly, “Foreign Deceit” by Jeff Carson (Thriller)

Both are available on Amazon kindle

What are you working on now?
I’m going through the ‘marketing’ phase for my Kindle book.

After this is complete I will write the ‘paperback’ version and publish on Amazon. This should be a fairly quick process now that I have an existing book to work with and understand how the process works.

Next on the list will be to help my good friend write his first book. This I think, will be the story of how he restored his Classic Car from a wreck into a show winner. He has owned this car since 1988 and it is an amazing story. Is this likely to be in demand with readers? We will have to wait and see. But I want to help him to achieve his dream!

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
This is all trial and error at the moment!

I am trying as many different avenues as possible to get my book noticed by readers. Again, this is a whole new learning process.

Any effort expended will be a useful part of an overall learning process.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Get stuck in and do it!

If I can write a book, believe me when I say that anyone can do it!

The best advice would be to pick a subject that you know a lot about or are very interested in.

You have to find your own style of writing, this may take some time and set backs.

Remember that writing is a learning process. some may find certain aspects easier to master than others. We all have strengths and weaknesses and nobody is perfect.

The advantage with self publishing is that it is relatively inexpensive, since your main cost is limited to your time.

At least you do not have to worry about trying to get a big publishing house to take you seriously!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference”

“Continuous effort – not strength or intelligence – is the key to unlocking our potential”

Both quotes from Winston Churchill.

What are you reading now?
I have three Kindle books to read, when I have completed by own book.

They are on various subjects:

Promoting Kindle books

Building a Blog

Finance and Money

I find it strange that I have developed a thirst for acquiring knowledge…. by reading books!

What’s next for you as a writer?
To develop my writing and publishing skills.

Continue the learning process and build a Blog.

To understand and use’Social Media’

Write some more books for myself.

Help friends to write a first book and bring their stories and interests to life.

What is your favorite book of all time?
The book that I have just written!

Author Websites and Profiles
Paul Tipping Website
Paul Tipping Amazon Profile

Paul Tipping’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
If you count two pencil-written paragraphs as stories, I’ve been writing a long time. The move from those tiny spy stories to novels took a few decades of life. I started my professional writing career as a journalist then wandered into corporate communications, but nothing satisfied the itch to write with total creativity. The Loft in Minneapolis gave me permission to explore the bigger world of writing.

Writing three books of speculative fiction has surprised me. When “Minnesota Cold” first began I believed I was writing the story of a woman looking back at an amazing life. That wasn’t how my writing group or publisher saw the book. The influence of writers like Margaret Atwood plays throughout the development of Sally Dodge’s story. The “Ashwood” trilogy followed “Minnesota Cold” with the final book scheduled for June 2014 release.

All of my books feature strong female protagonists. Having worked in senior management at a number of large corporations I admire every woman who steps into leadership. Growing up in a multi-generational household, I also admire the challenge of those who care for children and manage a home.

My practical and creative sides make life interesting. I have a masters degree with a major in labor economics that seemed like the right thing when I was doing corporate human resource management and a MFA in creative writing that was the right thing the launch my next career once “Minnesota Cold” was picked up by a publisher.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
“Minnesota Cold” will be featured as a free Kindle download May 29 through June 2. My latest book, “Harvesting Ashwood: Minnesota 2037”, is the second book in a speculative fiction family trilogy which begins after a global economic depression. The final book will be released in 2014.

I began the “Ashwood”, the first book of the trilogy, in 2007 following an evening of poetry reading during my MFA residency. In particular the voice of Tim Seibles, a strong metro-inspired poet, brought me to my laptop around midnight to write the first sentence: “The great grey house invited no visitors.” That sentence would change and become embedded in the final opening chapter.

“Harvesting Ashwood: Minnesota 2037” stays with the family as the world economy begins to regain steam and the large government safety net built in 2030 must be assessed. I am fascinated by thinking how we would rebuild the country if we were forced to make those decisions. Would politicians and corporations push to restore the old order or start anew?

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
When I was working full-time and raising kids I had awful habits. I felt I couldn’t write unless I had at least two hours and I had to have music playing and I started each precious session by playing three hands of solitaire on my computer. In other words, I let a lot of opportunities escape.

Today I can write almost anywhere. I like music in the background, but can’t deal with hearing it through headphones. I prefer to write where there is a window and really love being able to see trees or water or a busy metro street.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
My favorite authors are eclectic. Margaret Atwood’s “The Handmaid’s Tale” and “The Children of Men” by P.D. James are my go-to speculative fiction books, although both are better known for other work. There are so many good writers in this genre–James Howard Kunstler, Haruki Murakami, Suzanne Collins and Hugh Howey to name a few.

I trust Anita Shreve and Jodi Picoult to write good books that will entertain me. The language of David Rhodes, Tim O’Brien and Pat Conroy fill me with dreams of mastering the rhythm and sound of words.

What are you working on now?
Two books are currently on my work plan. “Leaving Ashwood” (working title) will be released in June 2014 and completes the Ashwood trilogy. I am also in revision of a book about the conversations of a young middle-age woman who is pregnant and abandoned by her man with her father who is fighting cancer. The story takes place on a family farm in Wisconsin where the daughter stays to be close during both crisis.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
My website is cynthiakraack.com. I also blog, use Facebook and Twitter.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
My writing group is insanely important in my writing process. I have had many people ask me how to get published and am still surprised by how many have never asked others to read their manuscript. They say they don’t really want anyone’s opinion. They have a lot to learn!

Write a lot and often. Throw away a good part of what you write. When you are serious about a piece, force yourself to describe what the story is about in thirty words or less. Discipline yourself to write a short title (5 words or less) for every chapter before you write it, then go back and see if the title and paragraphs agree. I don’t outline my books chapter by chapter, but I do write a synopsis before I begin the book. Minnesota Cold wasn’t written that way because I was inexperienced.

If you’re trying to break into this scene there are many possibilities.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Understand what success means for you and run for it. That might mean self-publishing and having copies to give to friends and family. It might mean placing a some magic level in Kindle’s top 100. If you let others define your success you might never be happy.

What are you reading now?
I read more than one book at a time. I recently finished “Gone Girl” by Gillian Flynn and “Being Esther” by Miriam Karmel. In non-fiction I’m reading “Daily Rituals, How Artists Work” by Mason Currey.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I have two books to market. One is about an American family discovering the fragility of their adult relationships when a crisis shakes their ways of being together. The other is the book I mentioned above about conversations of an adult daughter and her ailing father.

What is your favorite book of all time?
I’m going to name three: While I haven’t read it for many years,”War and Peace” is my favorite classic. Pat Conroy’s “The Prince of Tides” and Margaret Atwood’s “Cat’s Eye” are more contemporary works.

Author Websites and Profiles
Cynthia Kraack Website

Cynthia Kraack’s Social Media Links
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I used to be a mini celebrity (mostly in my own mind) when I sang for a living in Hawaii. I had a cover band, who did pop music and sang in the big hotels, most often doing convention show entertainment. Once I opened for Maya Angelou’s keynote address for Herbalife and another time I opened for Jay Leno. I was nominated for Entertainer of the Year in 1990 on Maui and lost to a gal who is Hawaii’s most beloved Hawaiian singer now, Amy Gilliom.

This year, my book The Dream Jumper’s Promise is nominated for BEST INDIE FIRST BOOK and it looks like I’ll be second again. But I don’t care! I love to write and Dream Jumper was a blast to formulate in my head. People say there are so many twists, turns and surprises so you can imagine how fun that was. The Big Reveal was a last minute addition, just before I published it last winter.

I am also a published author with The Wild Rose Press in their suspense line. My novel is Necessary Detour, a story about a retired rock star. (Gee where did I get that idea?)

AND, I write under a pen name for my contemporary romance novella series The Husband Hunt. My nickname is Kiki, with my girlfriends, so it wasn’t hard to think up the name Kiki Abbott. The last name was formed by my need to be at the beginning of every list and line.

I have a full length novel coming out this summer (2013) called The Need for Something Sweet. It is the first book I ever wrote and comes straight from my heart.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest is The Dream Jumper’s Promise, a romantic, suspenseful, mystery with elements of the supernatural. The story centers around a second chance love story that involves being able to share dreams. It’s with this ability the hero helps solve a mystery for the heroine who can’t recover from her husband’s presumed surfing death.

I initially just wanted to write about Maui, an island I love and a place I lived for eleven years. They say write what you know so I chose to have the heroine a scuba instructor, which is what I did for my day job when I lived on The Valley Isle.

I wanted to add some elements of the paranormal in a magical realism sense and knowing that women love mysteries, I set out to make the book a mystery. It actually took over two years to write, edit and publish–a long time, but I’m proud of the story. EAch chapter went through my critique group and then the final was edited professionally. If there are typos or grammatical problems, it is only because I went back in obsessively to change phrasing, sentences, words. I still can’t leave the thing alone! Help!

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m sure this isn’t unusual for a mother trying to write a book but I get interrupted every few minutes when I write, either by one of my children, a dog, the phone, my husband who works from home or the 1001 things I should be doing instead of writing. I like to visualize my characters and Pinterest is great for that. I also end up dreaming about them, but that isn’t a writing habit.

Something that I do in my personal process of writing a book, that might be considered unusual is that I first draft a very childishly written version of the story to get the idea down. I don’t edit, go back and fix anything but just plough ahead. Then I go back in about 6-20 times to add, plump up, fix, edit, change, write descriptive passages etc. The second pass is the real writing of the book.

My novellas get three or four passes and that’s why I publish under a different name -Kiki.

My novels get up to 20 passes and that’s why it takes so bloody long for me to put out a book.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I love Elin Hilderbrand, Jodi Piccoult, Elizabeth Berg, Audrey Neffenegger, Anita Shreve, Lolly Winston, Carol Mason, as well as Marian Keyes, Nora Roberts, Cherry Adair, Stephanie Meyers,and countless others. I just don’t read Vampires (only Twilight), shapeshifters, poorly written romance or horror. I love really good Women’s Fiction, Historical Romance, if it isn’t cheesey, and love mysteries with a love story, as long as the mystery doesn’t involve grisly crime.

What are you working on now?
I just finished a 15,0000 word contemporary romance for an anthology with three other writers that will be pubbed and out in early June 2013 and next I plan to edit The Need for Something Sweet, my romantic women’s fiction that is set in Asia when a woman from L.A. moves to Taiwan to recover from an abusive marriage.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I like twitter because I can do it fast and easily, five times a day, facebook works well if you have fans on there and not just other writers and I have a networking group of about 50 writers and we cross network each other’s stuff on our sites and blogs and tweets.

But, the best way to promote is these sites like Awesome Gang. For a new writer, having these places to promote for a small fee, and sometimes no fee, is absolutely golden. Thanks Awesome Gang!!!

Do you have any advice for new authors?
If you are really serious about launching an actual career, be prepared to spend a HUGE amount of time promoting. Learn social media as well as writing skills.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?

If you want something, never give up.

What are you reading now?
I just finished ‘Shameless’ by Rebecca Clarke which I loved and am now reading ‘An Ear for Lies’, by Christine M. Fairchild. She’s a critique partner (lucky me!) so I get to read it early. When I’m in writing mode, I need to read’ like’ authors to keep focused and both these gals are very good writers of romantic suspense.

I have a very long list of books to be read like Gone Girl, Summerland and Amy Hatvaney’s new book.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Publishing The Need for Something Sweet, this summer, promoting three novels this year, writing the second in The Dream Jumper Series and becoming a New York Times Bestselling Author!

I also teach an online class called Channeling Your Inner Rock Star about confidence in public settings and I’m going to set up a summer class on YouTube for that.

Making trailers is also on my to-do list and I’m excited about the visualization of my novels.

And promoting the summer anthology with Lori Leger, Trish Findley Leger and Karen Sue Burns.

What is your favorite book of all time?
One of my favorites is The Blue Bistro by Elin Hilderbrand

Author Websites and Profiles
Kim Hornsby Website
Kim Hornsby Amazon Profile

Kim Hornsby’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I was a Foreign Service officer for 23 years, having worked previously in military intelligence and journalism. I am a member of the Diplomatic Readiness Reserve, subject to worldwide duty on short notice. I hold M.A. degrees from the U.S. Naval War College & Columbia University, and a B.A from George Washington U. I’ve served in SE Asia, Cuba, Guantanamo, Pakistan/Afghanistan. I’ve spent ample time at the White House and worked in a Secret Service presidential protection detail overseas. I also know the Pentagon, CIA and other foreign affairs agencies well. I have been featured on NBC’s Today Show, in the Washington Post, Huffington Post & NPR. My spy-mob thriller PERMANENT INTERESTS and CHASM, a thriller about war criminals, have landed simultaneously on three Amazon Kindle Bestseller lists, including #1 in Political Fiction and Spy Stories. They were joined by TRIBE, a political thriller centered on Afghanistan. HAVANA QUEEN, an espionage thriller set in Cuba, is due out in June 2013. My stories possess an authenticity rarely matched in the political thriller genre.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
HAVANA QUEEN, a thriller that posits an end-of-days scenario for the Castro regime, intertwined with an intricate and dangerous war of espionage between Cuba and the United States. I draw heavily from my service both inside Cuba and at Guantanamo Naval Base.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I do my serious writing from 9:00 pm to 3:00 am. I’m a night owl.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Joseph Conrad – my overall favorite. As far as studying the craft of writing the spy thriller, Daniel Silva, David Ignatius, John LeCarre, Alan Furst.

What are you working on now?
Apart from promoting HAVANA QUEEN in the lead-up to release, I’ve finished a book of essays on foreign policy and intelligence. It’s my first nonfiction book. I’m looking for publication later in this year.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I don’t have a favorite. I do what most other writers and publishers do by being active on social media. Certainly, however, Amazon has been my best friend for marketing and selling my books.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
It’s a steep and l-o-n-g learning curve. Successful authors are those who never give up. Improve your craft; learn the business side. As one who has had three agents and pursued traditional publishing, I advise skipping the legacy route altogether and self-publish. Life is too short.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“Never play cards with a man named ‘Doc.’ Never eat at a place called ‘Mom’s.’ And never sleep with someone who has troubles worse than your own.”

What are you reading now?
SPIES OF WARSAW by Alan Furst. AMERICA’S OTHER ARMY by Nicholas Kralev.

What’s next for you as a writer?
In the immediate future, I’ll be teaching a class on “Writing the National Security Thriller” at International Thriller Writers’ ThrillerFest in New York in July. After that, my goal is to publish my nonfiction book, THE FOREIGN CIRCUS.

What is your favorite book of all time?
HEAR OF DARKNESS by Joseph Conrad.

Author Websites and Profiles
James Bruno Website
James Bruno Amazon Profile
James Bruno Kobobooks Author Profile

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

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a personal growth specialist, small business consultant, the creator of the award winning life design blog, IGG – Tips, Tools & Tantalizing Ideas, and I have written and published 6 books on various aspects of living life by design.

My professional background includes a successful 20 year career in international sales and marketing, followed by a decade as a life and small business coach working with new and emerging entrepreneurs.

I make my home in Maui, Hawaii and my mission is to inspire readers to embrace that we are each as powerful as we allow ourselves to be … that we can choose to create our own life experience.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is Boost Your eBook Sales Success and it was inspired by my own self-publishing experience, as well as my background coaching entrepreneurs. Again and again I’ve come across new authors who get as far as publishing their first book, only to then realize that if they want to become known as an author and get their book into the hands of readers, they will have to manage the marketing themselves. They end up getting bits and pieces of information from around the Internet and in forums and struggle to make sense of it all – it’s like trying to piece together a giant puzzle not realizing you only have half the pieces.

Boost Your eBook Sales Success is a book about is putting all the pieces together and applying entrepreneurial strategies and mindset to bridge the gap between the art of writing and the business of being an author.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m not sure how unusual they are, but I prefer to work in silence (no TV, music, etc.), and I tend to think through what I’m going to write about before I put words to paper. When I’m working on something new I often have this running dialogue going on in my head working through the story line.

I have a favorite quote by Gore Vidal that says it all: “Each writer is born with a repertory company in his head. Shakespeare has perhaps 20 players … I have 10 or so, and that’s a lot. As you get older, you become more skillful at casting them.”

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Most of my books are about personal transformation and my favorite authors include John Maxwell, Jack Canfield, Peter McWilliams and Seth Godin. Seth isn’t normally considered a “self-help” writer, but he is all about innovation and personal accountability. As far as writing overall, the author who has inspired me the most is Stephen King. I love his thoughts on the writing process.

What are you working on now?
My next book is due out mid-June and the name is Beyond Your Book, A Practical Guide to Building an Author Platform. Just prior to that I will be launching a new blog, The Business of Being an Author, and my mission for that site is to help authors cultivate an entrepreneurial mindset and view the entire process of publishing and marketing their books as steps to building a foundation for their business as an author. Since I know a major concern is how to find time for all the activities involved with marketing and building a platform, I’ll be sharing plenty of information and resources to help with productivity and work-life balance.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
My blog serves as my home base for my writing and is a great way to connect with readers. Building a list of devoted fans is the #1 way to strengthen an author’s business foundation because when you have a ready-made audience for your books you don’t have to worry about how to get reviews, you have people who trust that you provide a quality product and are willing to pass that trust on to those in their sphere of influence, and you’re far less affected by every new trend or change in the market.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
My answer to this question has evolved over the past few months as I’ve worked with so many new authors, and at this point I’d have to say that before you do anything about branding or marketing take the time to decide what you want to achieve as an author. There are basically 3 main reasons people write books. 1) As a promotional tool to establish credibility for their primary business. 2) The writer has a single compelling story they are driven to tell, and once that story is published they may or may not ever write another book. 3) The writer has a goal to become known as an author, plans to keep writing books, and dreams of someday making a living as an author. Effective branding and marketing will be handled differently for each of these goals and having a clear vision for what they want to achieve will serve as the basis for their marketing plan and help to keep them focused on the things that matter.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Like many writers I’ve written my whole life, but always for employers or for community organizations, never anything under my own name because I didn’t consider myself a “writer.” Then one year at the Maui Writer’s Conference I was chatting with author/speaker Sam Horn who’d I’d become friends with and out of the blue I uttered those fateful words, “Someday I think I’d like to be a writer.” I will never forget the look on her face. She shook her had and said to me, “Marty, you are already a writer! All you have to do is figure out what it is you want to say to the world.” That simple statement created such a shift in mindset for me!

What are you reading now?
I just finished Into the Wind – My Six Month Journey Wandering the World for Life’s Purpose by Jake Ducey. It’s really an amazing book that I could relate to on a very personal level.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Short term I’m writing content like crazy for my new blog and working on launch plans for the new book. After that I’ll be switching back to my personal growth niche to make a life long dream come true of publishing a book I’ve written and illustrated. Should be quite an adventure!

What is your favorite book of all time?
Just Do It! Let’s Get Off Our Buts by Peter McWilliams. It’s fundamentally a book about comfort zone. I regularly pull this book out and tap into Peter’s wisdom – in fact, I’m on my third copy because I keep wearing them out! This is not a book for my eReader because it is filled with sticky notes and highlighted passages.

Author Websites and Profiles
Marquita Herald Website
Marquita Herald Amazon Profile

Marquita Herald’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My name is Darrin Mason and I am an Australian author who once drew cartoons for The Truth newspaper and People magazine. I also am an Australian Cartoon Award winner. I outgrew the cartoonist’s pen and turned to that of the author and while I outgrew the cartoonist’s pen I did not outgrow the cartoonist’s sense of humor. It seemed common sense then to bring that sense of humor with me into the world of books. I have written several parodies with many more to come.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Wicked Witch of the West Rides Again is the sequel to The Wicked Witch of the West: Munchkin Killer which was inspired by my absolute love of The Wizard of Oz and the Wicked Witch in particular.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Yes, I write comedy to the thumping bass beats of Metallica.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Undoubtedly, Stephen King. As far as comedy writing, Mel Brooks.

What are you working on now?
A short story called “I Vonna Suck you (A Vampire Parody)” and one called “Wally Winka and the Little Shop of Horrid Little F*cks”.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Connecting with my 1000+ Twitter followers.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write what you love.

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

What are you reading now?
Anything by and about Stephen King.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Fame and fortune.

What is your favorite book of all time?
On Writing by Stephen King.

Author Websites and Profiles
Darrin Mason Website
Darrin Mason Amazon Profile

Darrin Mason’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a retired physician and long distance sailor. My wife and I retired in 1995 for a life at sea.

Five years later, and now on a Nordic Tug trawler, we put down roots in the California Sierra foothills.

I’ve published six novels, four in the Brier Hospital series, and one non-fiction book, I Love My Doctor, But…, about the problems between patients and their physicians. It’s a serious subject but presented in a lighthearted and humorous way.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I Love My Doctor, But… It’s impossible to ignore pressing healthcare problems, not only for the realities of medical practice, but because of the senseless political bickering.

Everyone involved from physician and hospital organizations, politicians, the administration, and saving the best for last, the lobbyists. Each have their perspectives, but none deal with the problems on the front line…the patient/doctor relationship. If we can get that one straight, perhaps there’s some hope for us all.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
No really. I’m a morning person, so I start early. I write almost every day and look forward to getting at the computer in the a.m.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Steven King’s On Writing, Catch-22, On the Road, On Aggression, The Good Earth

What are you working on now?
I’m editing the next novel in the Brier Hospital Series, The Plague Within, and awaiting a final edit on my novel, Deadly Passage, the one novel that takes advantage of my many years at sea.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’ve used Bostick Communications for press releases and reviewers. I’ve been pleased with their service.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Find an objective way to determine if you have the creative ability to write. If you do, the rest is craft. Learn it, and learn it well.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Hemmingway said first drafts are shit.

You should come to love editing. It’s every bit as creative as the original write.

What are you reading now?
Just finished Patriots by Christian Appy, the Vietnam equivalent of Studs Terkel’s Working.

If we had only learned the lessons of that war, we might not have strayed into the others.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’ve started a half dozen novels. I’m reviewing the ideas and will go back to one or another. I really love the characters of Doctors Jacob and Lola Weizman from my novel, No Cure for Murder. They are octogenarians who take away the fear of getting old. They need a new novel.

What is your favorite book of all time?
Different favorites at different times in my life,

Author Websites and Profiles
Lawrence Gold Website
Lawrence Gold Amazon Profile

Lawrence Gold’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a former military man, orofessor, and have written 11 books. The next is released this month by Casemate Publishing.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Four War Boer: The Century and Life of Pieter Arnoldus Krueler. Co-authored with my wife Anne Marie Lewis.

My interest stemmed from interviewing him, and his historical significance in over seven decades of warfare, from teenaged messenger/sniper, to commando and mercenary.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
no sleep

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Cornelius Ryan, Raymond F. Toliver and Trevor J. Constable, Alfred Price and other historians.

What are you working on now?
The German Aces Speak Vol. 2, interviews with 4 more Luftwaffe fighter poilts from WW II. I write with my wife, Anne Marie Lewis.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
www.lewisheatonbooks.com as well as our various publishers’ websites, such as casemate Publishing, Zenith Press, Naval Institute Press, Algora Publishing, etc

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Never give up, look for an agent who understands your field of interest, and become an expert in your field so that your work stands up to the rigors of scrutiny. Have a website to also self promote your book. Do not rely upon BN.COM or Amazon to do that for you. Do radio and if possible TV interviews. et recognized persons in your field to write blurbs or forewords, add to the name recognition.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Never understimate the potential of a good thought.

What are you reading now?
Several books for research

What’s next for you as a writer?
Hitler’s Inner Circle. This book will be an analysis of Hitler through my interviews with over 70 Germans who knew him.

What is your favorite book of all time?
The Count of Monte Cristo. never understimate the power of revenge.

Author Websites and Profiles
Colin Heaton Website

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have always loved stories, but I only began writing novels five years ago when I was pregnant with my first child. I took a Creative Writing module through the Open University and was immediately hooked, although my desire to write novels came from my first participation in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writers Month – writing 50,000 words in thirty days).

Since then I have written four Contemporary Women’s Fiction novels and one Young Adult Fantasy/Paranormal Romance novel.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My novel, Dragon Wraiths, came to me in a dream, as corny as that sounds. I woke with the plot in my head, although by the time I managed to wrestle past two small children and write it down I only had the opening line and a general idea of the story.

Dragon Wraiths is my first Young Adult Fantasy/Paranormal novel and I was inspired to finish it because of my renewed interest in the genre after reading Twilight and the Hunger Games series. Although I love reading Sci Fi / Fantasy as a genre this was my first foray into writing Fantasy, as I didn’t know if I would be able to imagine a real-enough fantasy world to sustain a full novel.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
As I spend most of my time looking after two small children I write when I can. My daily blog is written after the children are in bed, but I also write 0n my phone while I’m walking the dog or when the children are off playing at the park. I tap out 200-word text messages (the limit for each text) and upload them all to my laptop at the end of the day. I have been known to write 1500 words on a 45 minute walk with the dog.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
In terms of Fantasy world building I love David Eddings: all of his series have enthralled me and the characters, particularly from the Belgariad and Malloreon, have become old friends. The same is true of Terry Pratchett with the Discworld novels. I wouldn’t say I have been influenced by them – I can only dream of writing such great literature – but I do aspire to be that good one day, if I work at it long enough.

Dragon Wraiths was influenced by Twilight and the Hunger Games, for the strong female protagonists and the first-person writing style. I also read Eragon by Christopher Paolini after finishing the first draft, and as a result my editing focused much more on getting the dragons to be three-dimensional characters as Paolini has done.

What are you working on now?
Most of my time is spent on my blog as I am taking part in the 2013 Postaday Challenge on WordPress. My daily blog is divided between a new installment in the novel Two-Hundred Steps Home – devised for the blog challenge – and a diary part that discusses a range of topics from parenting to book reviews to self-publishing.

I am also sketching out a new MG novel which is currently in the early stages. I don’t normally plan my novels, but for this one I don’t have the capacity to write alongside the daily blog, so I am taking the time to work on plot and character development. I hope to make progress with writing the draft during this year’s NaNoWriMo, if the daily blog allows.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I have only been promoting my book for three months so I haven’t yet got a feel for the most successful route. I have dedicated a lot of time to Twitter and obviously to my blog. I also write guest blogs and author interviews where possible and that seems to be proving successful.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I still consider myself to be a new author and therefore am not sure I’m the right person to be giving advice. However, if I were to give myself advice, I would say – don’t take anything too personally. The one-star reviews, the detractors, the people who tell you not to self-publish or that you’re doing something wrong. But also, don’t publish until you and your book are ready, however tempting it may be. I have read some self-published books that are full of typos or which have weak cover art. It is worth taking the extra time to make sure the book is as good as it can be.

Once you are published, don’t forget to keep writing. It’s easy to get caught up in the promotion, social media and sales reports (I know, I still check my sales figures every morning and it isn’t always a positive way to start the day!) and to forget that the best well to sell more books is to write more books. With hindsight I should have concentrated on writing the sequel to Dragon Wraiths rather than starting the daily blog challenge this year. But there’s always next year!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
You can’t edit a blank page. Just write. Every first draft is rubbish (I’m paraphrasing the last one!)

What are you reading now?
Return to the Divide by Elizabeth Kay.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I have three key goals for the next twelve months: survive/finish the 2013 Postaday Challenge, finish editing my Contemporary Women’s Fiction novel Baby Blues & Wedding Shoes, and get stuck into my Middle Grade novel first draft. I suspect the editing of Baby Blues will be the one that gets squeezed, as I find it harder to edit than write first drafts. That’s why I have five complete novels and only one is published!

What is your favorite book of all time?
I don’t think I could name a favourite book ever as it changes with my mood and requirements, and as I’ve grown older. I think Terry Pratchett’s The Wee Free Men is an amazing book exploring consciousness and what it means to be ‘me’ and I wish I had read it when I was a child. I love epic stories like Gone with the Wind, and traditional literature, like Persuasion by Jane Austen. David Eddings books were friends to me for a long time, and Marian Keyes novels helped me through my twenties. The books I return to again and again, though, are the Regency Romances by Georgette Heyer. They are soft and gentle, fun and entertaining, and perfect for unwinding after a long day running after my preschoolers.

Author Websites and Profiles
Amanda Martin Website
Amanda Martin Amazon Profile
Amanda Martin Author Smashwords Page

Amanda Martin’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a trying-to-be-former advertising copywriter and author of four books: Catching On Fire, Twilite A Parody, The H.Unger Games Gone Wild A Parody, and a, ummm, racier novella, The Transformation of Trinity Jones, that I published under S. Knott.

I’ve lived in Buffalo, NY; Pittsburgh, PA; LaCrosse, WI; and New York City. I currently make my home just outside of Buffalo, NY, with my teen son, cranky husband and affectionate Siberian Husky.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book, Catching On Fire, is my first full-length novel. It was “instigated” (rather than “inspired”) by Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight. I felt there was a need for something that was as light and entertaining as Twilight, yet still had some substance to it. I didn’t think it was fair to punish readers of popular fiction by giving them novels with nothing but empty calories. I wanted to write a novel that give readers something to think about without making them strain there brains looking for deep symbolism or wading through poetic metaphors. I think I achieved that. Catching On Fire is a quick, easy read, but there’s more to it than that.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Only that I can sit at my computer and write for hours on end. And that has ruined my back. And my leg. And it has given me a much bigger butt than I feel I deserve.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I am influenced by everything I come into contact with. Even horrible books/authors. I’m like the Borg in Star Trek, I incorporate everything I come into contact with. (Does anyone else feel that the Borg were named for the scale company rather than for “cyborg?” At the time, Borg pretty much owned the bathroom scale market. Almost every scale in America said “Borg.” And bathroom scales are universally despised, aren’t they? Star Trek’s Borg lived on ships that were strangely scale shaped, no?)

What are you working on now?
I am working on two things. I have a humorous book about Menopause that I’m doing with a group of women. We’re not using individual names. Instead, we’re calling ourselves “Hot Flash Hell.” It’s a picture book and it should be out before June 2013.

I am also trying to get my second novel, the sequel to Catching On Fire (a planned trilogy) out. I’m supposed to have it finished by the end of 2013, but I am cutting it close. One cannot schedule creativity. (At least, that’s what I tell my publisher.)

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I wish I had a best method! I’m hoping to find some luck with Awesome Gang. I do find that Goodreads is a good site to get readers talking about your book. I have more reviews on Goodreads than, say, Amazon.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I’d say don’t think about publishing until your book is as good as it can be. Then, be prepared to work your tushie off promoting your book.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Discouraging advice. I’m one of those people that feel the need to prove naysayers wrong.

What are you reading now?
My goodness, when does an author have the time to read? Wait a minute…I did start a book on vacation. It was Where Did You Go Bernadette by Maria Semple. I am enjoying it. Or, I was until I got home from vacation and had to put it down. I’m taking a weekend off in July when I hope to finish that book and start a sci-fi novel called Wool. (I’m not putting quotation marks on the titles because I’ve had websites do horrible things to quotation marks. I think I may have let a few slip through, though.)

What’s next for you as a writer?
Aside from writing more books and working my tail off promoting them? Well, I’ll be promoting them more vigorously. I’m trying to put together a book tour. I hope to get to bookstores all over the country, or at least the northeast. And my son is going off to college in the Fall. I may have a life then. If I do, I’m going to go back to a strange pursuit I had to put on hold: standup comedy.

What is your favorite book of all time?
It’s either got to be one of the cookbooks in my kitchen or a thesaurus. I turn to those constantly.

Author Websites and Profiles
Sue Knott Website
Sue Knott Amazon Profile

Sue Knott’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
A native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, I attended the Philadelphia High School for the Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA), enrolling in the school’s first year hen it was a fledgling program, where I majored in Creative Writing and minored in Videodrama, becoming an award-winning director of video projects. In addition, I was a founder, writer, and cartoonist for CAPA’s newspaper THE PAINTED WORD, for which I eventually became editor-in-chief. Listed in WHO’S WHO AMONG AMERICAN HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS and commended by the National Honors Society, I graduated with CAPA’s second graduating class in 1981.

Attending STANFORD UNIVERSITY in Stanford, California, where I majored in Drama and minored in Dance, I performed in an average of five to six major productions per year. I taught art to autistic, learning-disabled, and educable mentally retarded children at the Peninsula Children’s Center in Menlo Park, California, was active in the Stanford University Rape Awareness Program, occasionally wrote for THE STANFORD DAILY, and toured for two years with the BALLET FOLKLORICO DE STANFORD MEXICAN FOLKDANCE COMPANY. I received a Bachelors of Arts Degree in Drama in 1986.

As a performing artist, I have performed in dance productions, touring shows, and Off-Broadway productions of ANTIGONE, THE TRIAL OF SUSAN B. ANTHONY, WE HAVE STORIES TO TELL OF AFRICA, FRATERNITY, NOTES ON 6FINITY, THE AMEN CORNER, and A FEW HOURS IN HELL, making my West Coast theatrical debut as the Duke of Cornwall in KING LEAR with the Pasadena Shakespeare Company in Pasadena, California, following that up as a member of the ensemble cast of the Fountain Theatre/BAND critically-acclaimed production of Rita Dove’s THE DARKER FACE OF THE EARTH, then continuing on to the West Coast premiere of the VoxBox Arts Collective original production of JIGSAW. In addition, I have acted in various commercials, industrial films and videos, television shows, and feature films such as WHO SHOT PAT?, PHILADELPHIA, LET’S TALK, THE C-SHIFT, REFLECTIONS AGO, RED HERRING, FIGHTING WORDS, A DAY OF ATONEMENT and STRAIGHT ON ‘TIL MORNING.

I am the author of three science fiction novels, TOTENTANZ, THE TAKING OF CYNDRIEL’S HOPE and HUNTER’S MOON, all of which are currently available in print-to-order hardcopy and downloadable e-book through the online content marketplace http://www.lulu.com.

TOTENTANZ

ISBN 1-4116-7793-5

TOTENTANZ tells the story of Hren-Tikaar, a notorious former assassin- thought to be dead- who carries within him enough information to topple a major galactic underworld syndicate, and Galan Rojai, a special Ranger agent with powerful psionic abilities who must transport him to an inquest on the Alliance capitol of Themis. Attacks from without and within, and a chance encounter with a freak wormhole leave these two men stranded on a planet in the middle of nowhere. In a hostile environment and with enemies on the prowl, these two men from opposite sides of the law are going to find that if they are to survive, trust is their only way out.

http://www.lulu.com/content/187915

THE TAKING OF CYNDRIEL’S HOPE

ISBN 978-0-6151-3793-3

In THE TAKING OF CYNDRIEL’S HOPE, which is set ten years prior to the events in TOTENTANZ, the commercial passenger starliner Cyndriel’s Hope is hijacked by members of the paramilitary terrorist group The Warriors of the Black Flame. Their leader- Haakem Tigonn- demands the release of other members of the group currently imprisoned in exchange for the Cyndriel’s Hope and all aboard her. The clock begins ticking as the terrorist will kill one hostage every hour until their demands are met. One of the passengers- Galan Rojai, a young man with extraordinary gifts- decides to fight back, and with the help of the ship’s engineer, does what he can to keep the hijackers at bay and off balance until help can arrive.

http://www.lulu.com/content/571709

HUNTER’S MOON

ISBN 978-0-9765739-0-6

Harrikh was a military leader and a hero on the world of Lonari, until he was condemned for crimes against that world and his people, the Ynan. In his exile, he transformed from pariah to monster, and undertook a life’s mission written in blood and fire.

Jan Baker, a young man raised on Earth, is one among many Ynan refugees who were scattered amongst the stars when Harrikh returned to Lonari to fulfill a terrible promise in a single act of unparalleled barbarity.

Valerie Phillips, a young Philadelphia art student, comes to love Jan and provide for him an anchor of reality, while he, in turn, makes her life more surreal than she could have ever imagined.

With their numbers gradually dwindling as Harrikh continues his mission of genocide, the last of the Ynan must fight for the right to exist, and Jan must face his destiny.

http://www.lulu.com/content/paperback-book/hunters-moon/8075083

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My most recent book on the market is entitled HUNTER’S MOON, and it, like my two previous novels came to me initially in the form of vivid serialized dreams. While much of HUNTER’S MOON takes place within the fictional universe that i had created for the previous novels TOTENTANZ and THE TAKING OF CYNDRIEL’S HOPE, what inspired me to write HUNTER’S MOON was a old but very provocative question that had been in my mind since i was a boy: “What if extraterrestrials have been living on Earth for years and non one ever knew?” However, in addressing that question, I presented a situation in which revelation was inevitable.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Like all writers, I keep something to write on and/or with all the time. I do not believe you could call it a habit, but I have been known to dream lucidly and episodically, having dreams that continue over numerous consecutive nights until they tell a complete and reasonably cohesive story. I expand upon, flesh out and edit from there.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I cut my eyeteeth on STAR TREK, so that got me started watching science fiction. I believe the first science fiction book I ever read was Isaac Asimov’s novelization of the movie FANTASTIC VOYAGE. From there, I began reading voraciously. Growing up surrounded by books and having been raised by an English teacher (my mom), taking stabs at writing in what had become my favorite genre of fiction in books, film and television seemed to be a natural fit. To hear my mom say it, my head was always in the stars, and she sometimes would jokingly say that as a baby, I had been left on her front doorstep by a flying saucer. (That statement is actually included on the dedication page of my novel HUNTER’S MOON.)

I was initially inspired by the works of Isaac Asimov, Ray Bradbury, Frank Herbert, Ursula K. LeGuin and Robert A. Heinlein. From there I went back to the original masters- H.G. Wells and Jules Verne, Edgar Allan Poe.

From there, I discovered William Gibson, the man who gave us the subgenre known as cyberpunk.

It was around that time that I discovered writers who showed me that people of color also have a strong voice in a genre that I love: the late, great Octavia Butler, Samuel Delaney, Nalo Hopkinson, Walter Moseley and S.P. Somtow (formerly Somtow Sucharitkul).

Becoming something of a fan of anime and manga, I came to appreciate Japanese storytelling styles and the metaphysical content in many such works.

What are you working on now?
I am currently preparing my fourth novel entitled DARKSPEED ARYDANI for publication, and I am working on two novel projects concurrently. The first, which features characters from TOTENTANZ and THE TAKING OF CYNDRIEL’S HOPE, is entitled A CARGO OF SINNERS. The second is a sequel of sorts to HUNTER’S MOON, and the working title is PARIAH’S LEGACY, WARRIOR’S LIGHT.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I am promoting my works through Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter, and I have recently joined Stage 32, Promocave and Goodreads.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Every work should be a true labor of love. Do your research, when writing, when seeking an outlet for your material, and when marketing said material.

First and foremost, if you’re going to write science fiction, you must read lots of science fiction- the classics as well as current material- and read LOTS of hard science.

Learn the art of verisimilitude; that is to say, sounding like you know what you’re talking about by creating a fiction that sounds real enough and convincing enough to make the reader willfully suspend any sense of disbelief.

Whether you are writing a single story or a series of stories that take place within the fictional universe that you have created, make sure that the logic is consistent throughout. If you wish to write for part of an established franchise, make sure that the logic is not only consistent but adheres to previously established canon. Changes to internal logic will be noticeable and something like that can throw the reader off and out of the story.

Listen to your characters. They will often tell you where you need to take them in the story.

Don’t be afraid to be somewhat sadistic to your protagonists. How that character survives what you throw at them and what they are like when they come out the other side will show the reader what kind of stuff that character is made of.

Learn the rules and conventions of the genre so that if you plan to break them in your writing, you can do so PROPERLY.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
There was a line from the movie THROW MOMMA FROM THE TRAIN: “A writer writes…always.”

What are you reading now?
I am currently Stieg Larsson’s Millenium Trilogy- THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, THE GIRL WHO PLAYED WITH FIRE and THE GIRL WHO KICKED THE HORNET’S NEST.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I have recently completed a novella entitled PATHFINDER (I am currently pitching the companion screenplay of the same title). That story will eventually be included with partner story in a volume entitled CRISIS AT ARDAN.

What is your favorite book of all time?
It is hard to pick one particular book as a favorite because there are so many. As previously stated, the very first science fiction novel I had ever read was Isaac Asimov’s FANTASTIC VOYAGE. However, the most incredibly intricate and involved novel that i had ever read was Frank Herbert’s DUNE.

Author Websites and Profiles
Cory Williams Website

Cory Williams’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a writer and composer, though by day I teach choristers about music which keeps me from sinking into a completely self-absorbed state. My writing background is mostly in theatre – I did quite a lot of comedy when I was at university and that developed into various dramatic projects, from a one-man musical tragicomedy to full blown musicals (the composing obviouslydovetails neatly with these). My first was a timely musical about Tony Blair, performed at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2007, but more recently (and I think more successfully) I adapted various short stories by Saki into a full length show called Miracles At Short Notice.

On the back of my Fringe experience I co-wrote a lighthearted guide to the Edinburgh Fringe – called, appropriately enough, Fringe. (This was before the name was appropriated by an American TV show.) My first attempt at a novel started to coalesce around this time, albeit in a very messy and ill-disciplined way, and because I had approached writing it in completely the wrong way it ended up getting stuck in a rut. I abandoned it when I had the idea for what was to be my first published novel, More Tea, Jesus?, which I approached with a clear sense of narrative and therefore managed to finish (though getting it published took a lot longer). However, I later picked up the original attempt and, by cutting through whole swathes of nonsense, managed to turn it into a sprawling, ambitious novel which I am rather proud of, though I have been told it’s not very commercial.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
More Tea, Jesus?: a light comedy about the Second Coming. Inspired, at least partly, by years of singing in an Anglican choir, which brought me into contact with all sorts of extraordinary characters, many of them priests. Essentially, the story grew around the idea of Jesus having returned but the churches being too busy with their internal politics and routines to even notice. The twist being that when eventually they do notice him, they just carry on with their internal politics and routines as normal. As a concept, that in itself would only fill a short story, but as I populated my fictional parish with characters various subplots emerged and it became more of a general satire on the state of the church – and I suppose by extension, the state of society, since a parish church is, in its own quirky way a macrocosm of society. That makes it sound very serious: actually, the whole point of the book is the absurdity of so many of the things we get tangled up in as human beings, whilst perhaps forgetting what’s really important. It was fun to see people try to tangle Jesus up in them as well.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I suspect it’s not unusual at all to put off the actual writing bit of writing for as long as possible – when I start a new project I will get a really nice book to write in and fill it with all sorts of ephemera connected with what I’m going to write – historical background, character breakdowns and possibly whole chapters of backstory that will never get into the final work because none of it will turn out to be relevant. But when I do eventually start writing I find that having created the ‘world’ makes it all flow much quicker – as does starting the process by hand. Actually, that’s probably an excuse for putting off starting writing properly – I’m still intimidated by the blank page.

More Tea, Jesus? was a notable exception, because I was working in a horrid temping job and had no time for any such faffing about. In fact I had so little time that I called in sick, nailed myself to a computer and typed out the first 10,000 words in a day.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Some obvious comic writers – P. G. Wodehouse, Evelyn Waugh, Tom Sharpe, and more significantly Michael Frayn, Flann O’Brien and, a great master who certainly would have influenced all of the above, Saki. In terms of weaving a narrative and playing with language I find Dickens an incredible inspiration and my (possibly unfashionable) view is that he was the funniest British writer of all.

There are less obvious influences too – at least, I’m assuming they’re less obvious – William Burroughs blew my mind when I first picked up his stuff, especially Cities of the Red Night, and I’m a big fan of James Joyce, who wrote my favourite collection of short stories ever with Dubliners. Again less obvious, at least superficially, but to my mind a major influence in weaving a narrative through characters, is Patricia Highsmith.

What are you working on now?
In an attempt to be more commercial, I have turned my hand to children’s fiction – not that that’s an easy option by any means. Working with children has of course been a great help, seeing what they’re reading and listening to what interests them. My feeling is that great children’s literature is basically just great literature written in a more accessible style, and I’ve found that language is the only thing I’ve really needed to adapt in my approach. Well, and there’s less sex. And less politics. Okay, so I’ve adapted my approach quite a bit, but the things I consider foundational in my writing – narrative and characters – plus my slightly twisted sense of humour, all seem pretty suited to the children’s book I’ve produced.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I sort of wish I was more interested in self-promotion – of course I understand the necessity, and of course I want people to read my stuff, but in the limited time I have I would always rather be working on the next project than promoting the last one. What I have found useful is blogging, because rather than trying to spring a new work on the internet out of the blue I have been able to built up some kind of regular readership. Twitter has also been a really useful tool, and it genuinely is rewarding to hear directly from people who have read my book – and word of mouth is an invaluable tool.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Read lots. Write lots. Read what you’ve written then rewrite it. Rewrite it again. And again. Then get somebody else to read it, somebody you know well and trust, and ask them for honest feedback – and don’t be upset when you get it. Then rewrite it again. Don’t even think about putting your work into a public arena until it’s absolutely as good as you’re able to get it by yourself – agents, publishers and readers don’t have time to look for potential, they need to see what you’ve got in the best possible light.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“An artist who is inspired is being obvious. He’s not making any decisions, he’s not weighing one idea against another. He’s accepting his first thoughts.” – Keith Johnson

I used to find myself crippled by indecision, rejecting one idea after another and never actually writing anything, partly the result of a composition teacher who, quite rightly, taught me to be more self-critical. What I learned by doing improvisation, particularly from the exercises devised by Keith Johnson, was that being spontaneous and being self-critical needn’t be mutually exclusive – the most obvious idea is often the one worth developing. That’s not to say you don’t have to be self-critical with what you end up with (see advice for new authors), but a spontaneous approach frees up the creative process incredibly.

What are you reading now?
The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared. Enjoying the yarn it is spinning very much, finding the narrative style a bit dry sometimes.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Another rewrite of the children’s book and a short film project that will hopefully lead to a feature, eventually. I’m also collaborating on an increasingly surreal piece of theatre about Fanny Cradock, which will incorporate cooking (amongst other things).

What is your favorite book of all time?
Too hard to single out one book, but I think it would probably be David Copperfield on the desert island with me. (I mean the Dickens novel, not the magician.)

Author Websites and Profiles
James Lark Website

James Lark’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Chicken Soup for the Soul was my published works, my story Volunteering from the Heart was published in Chicken Soup for the Soul in 2009. My first book, On Toby’s Terms, was released in 2010. It became an international best seller and won Gold in the Readers’ Favorite 2012 Awards. That book, about our dog Toby, inspired a series of children’s books: Toby the Pet Therapy Dog and His Hospital Friends, Toby the Pet Therapy Dog Says Be a Buddy Not a Bully, and Toby the Pet Therapy Dog and His Forever Family (to be released late 2013). I also co-authored GPS Your Best Life – Charting Your Destination and Getting There in Style. These books were all published by Bettie Youngs Books. In 2011 I also self published Bounce Forward- Building Resilient and Inspired Teams. Since Chicken Soup, I have also been featured in five other books

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Toby the Pet Therapy Dog and His Hospital Friends was inspired by our dog Toby and the legacy of A Million Acts of Kindness that we created after he passed away. Toby presented with me to more than 10,000 children around North America and we wanted to continue sharing the message of kindness, unconditional acceptance and making a difference.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
One of the writing habits I have created is Not Writing! I discovered that in many ways I am a stronger storyteller than writer. I Talk My Book. Using my H4 Zoom Recorder (and transcribing the audio) or Dragonspeak (which types your spoken word) software I talk my book instead of typing my book. When I tell a story out loud instead of simply typing it from my head, the story is richer.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
So many books have inspired me through the years.. Velveteen Rabbit, Judy Blume, the Rupert The Bear series, Jack Canfield to name a few.

What are you working on now?
I am in the second round of edits of Toby The Pet Therapy Dog and His Forever Home which will them go into illustrations. At the same time I am finishing off my book for authors, Your Book as a Business- make your book the next Big thing!

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
There are three strategies that have really served us well:

– Speaking (at events, signings, tele seminars, webinars, etc.)
– Media (online, print, radio, TV, magazines and blogs)
– Relationships (social media, sponsors, building a strong connection and conversation with fans, video, circle of champions)

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Systematize everything you do, there are many tasks you repeat over and over again with the book production and marketing/selling. When you create systems you save time, money and resources. And you create the template for success for your next book. Also, keep track of all the contacts you meet (media, bloggers, reviewers, online sites that list and promote your book). This will save you time and energy (and money) for your future book and help you repurpose what is already out there (e.g. you can circulate book reviews that were done on a monthly basis, and having the links on a spreadsheet allows you to easily find them).

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best advice I heard is to take an action every single day towards marketing your book, this is 365 actions a year. And …. think big! Selling books in the 1:many format (e.g. bulk sales) takes less energy and time then selling books in the 1:1 format.

What are you reading now?
Several books including EMyth by Michael Gerber

What’s next for you as a writer?
Our next project is turning our children’s books into iBooks and apps, and finishing the audio version of the books.

What is your favorite book of all time?
My favorite book of all time is the Velveteen Rabbit.

Author Websites and Profiles
Charmaine Hammond Website
Charmaine Hammond Amazon Profile
Charmaine Hammond Author Profile Other Bookseller

Charmaine Hammond’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a 21 year old student from Northern Ireland, been writing since I was a wee kid and in the last two years have started to make a ‘proper’ go of it. I love reading, writing, films, gaming, music, jogging, and going to the gym.

I’ve written 4 books, and am putting the finishing touches to number 5. I’ve got a thousand ideas on where to go after this so it’s a matter of being excited to finish one to be excited to start the next one. One of my books is currently published, with more on the way soon, especially as I write more and more.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is my debut, Cigarette, published by Rowanvale Books. It is a crime/humour novel, a darkly funny sort of pastiche on gangster and crime fiction. It was inspired by a simple sort of concept that came into my head one night, which was basically ‘This guy is missing a finger, and nobody knows what happened to it.’ And the rest of it sort of game from there. I was inspired to make it dark and funny because it’s just the way I write. Any time I try to make something serious I just end up taking the piss out of it. I figure I may as well roll with that and take the piss intentionally.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I set my self a solid amount of time every day, between 1 and 2 hours, where I write non stop, ignoring all distractions. I just throw my headphones on, get a cup of tea, and write like my life depended on it.

In terms of unusual habits, I never start with anything more than a simple line or a concept. Like in Cigarette mentioned above, in it’s two sequels, and in the two other books I’ve written. I start with no idea how it’s going to end and just go from there. It keeps it exciting for me. I’ve always found planning things out boring. Planning my writing tends to close off my ideas and I don’t let my mind kind of go all over the place like I would otherwise. Each book is like an archaeological dig. I start with a toe, and I keep digging. I don’t know what I’ve got, might be a mouse, might be a T-Rex, and I never do until I’m finished.

Then I go back and edit it and tidy everything up, and it looks like I knew what I was doing all along. Full proof.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Stephen King is my favourite author and my biggest influence – especially because of his writing style, which my own is probably quite similar to. I loved IT and The Stand, probably my two favourite books, and The Dark Tower series is brilliant.

I also love William S. Burroughs, Jack Kerouac, Hunter S. Thompson, Allen Ginsberg, Kurt Vonnegut, and Charles Bukowski purely for their completely off the wall writing style, bizarre characters, and bleak sense of humour. It’s something that’s echoed in my own writing style, too.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on a quite lengthy novel about a girl who starts writing a blog when she is drunk and accidentally starts a quasi cult/religion. It’s good fun to write, and different from my usual style because of a lack of ultra violence and generally more reserved characters. It’s evolved quite nicely and I’m moving into the third act and am absolutely hooked on it. After that, there’s a few ideas for short stories and screenplays knocking about that I need to see off before I could start another book.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Since I’ve only started out promoting myself (which my first book out for about a week now) I’m still finding my feet, but Twitter and Goodreads seem to be safe bets. Both have great communities of readers and authors always looking to help each other out.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write. Write more. Finish it. Always finish it. Never stop, no matter how stupid you think it sounds, no matter how tired you get of it, finish everything you start. A redraft can fix minor niggles, but you can’t redraft half a book into a full novel.

Also, set aside time every day to write. Don’t make excuses, get out there and do it.

And read. Writing and not reading is like trying to be a plumber and not owning a tool box. In writing, you learn equally by example, and equally by doing. I’d always be a big advocate for saying that writing is like exercising, the more you do it, the fitter/better you get. It’s a muscle. If you want to lift heavier weights, you train your arms. If you want to write heavier stuff, train your brain. And fingers, so you don’t get CTS.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot.” -Stephen King.

What are you reading now?
I’ve just finished Horns by Joe Hill, moving on to anything by Brett Easton Ellis after that. I loved American Psycho and I want to work my way through everything else by him. Between that, I’ll be randomly reading the last I haven’t by Phillip K. Dick, finishing off Lovecraft’s Necronomicon, and reading a few graphic novels here and there!

What’s next for you as a writer?
Getting feedback from Cigarette, good or bad, building my presence online. Finishing my cult book, publishing a few short stories, redrafting my YA/NA book for what is looking likely to be publication in the future, and beyond that, continuing to write, read, and improve myself.

What is your favorite book of all time?
IT by Stephen King. If I had to pick one. To be honest, it changes all the time, every week I seem to have a new favourite. I don’t tend to cling to each book that much. I read it, and move on. IT lingers with me because it was probably the first adult book I ever read, and at the time, the longest book I had ever read by a country mile.

It got me hooked on the hard stuff and inevitably ended up in me writing for myself, so I suppose I have to think it for that, as well.

Author Websites and Profiles
Jason Purdy Website
Jason Purdy Amazon Profile

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

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve been writing since I was about 13 – everything from stories to poems to comedy sketches.

A while ago I also co-wrote a musical called ‘Love and Marriage’ which was performed at the Edinburgh festival – although to everyone’s relief I only wrote the dialogue and not the music. That wouldn’t have been pretty!

I also contributed to the Royal British legion book ‘In the Footsteps of War’, and contribute articles and other pieces to various websites every so often too.

In terms of novels, last year I self-published my first novel The Artist, which is a psychological crime thriller. It is focused around the obsessive pursuit of fame, and so I drew quite heavily on my experience as a comedian and actor for that. I have degrees in both law and psychology too, so I think a lot of my writing –including The Artist – is influenced by legal cases and psychological themes.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is called The Artist, which is a crime thriller set in London. The story revolves around a serial killer who is preying on young actresses and filming the last 15 minutes of their lives. The recordings are then sent to the media. It’s a perversion of Andy Warhol’s quote about how in the future everybody will be famous for 15 minutes. The killer gives the actresses this fame, but the trade-off is that it’ll be the last 15 minutes of their lives.

Meanwhile, a young girl named Kaylin lives in London with her mum, who is an out of work actress. Her mum’s relentless pursuit of fame has cost her pretty much everything including her marriage, and it is deeply affecting Kaylin, who just wants to be a normal 14 year old. Kaylin then finds out that a murderer is killing actresses in London, and the rest of the story is about the consequences this all has for the main characters.

The book was mainly inspired by my own experiences in the entertainment industry. A lot of the book concerns the obsessive and potentially damaging pursuit of fame at the cost of all else. This came from the million auditions I’ve been to and people I’ve seen who will literally do anything to get famous. I’ve fallen victim to that myself too, especially when it’s a part I’ve felt really passionate about. You become blinkered, and all that matters is getting the role. In The Artist, I take this all-encompassing pursuit of fame to a real extreme, and examine the effect it has.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not really. I mean, I always type the first draft of anything on computer, and then edit it by hand once I’ve printed it out. Then I make the changes on computer, print it out again, edit it by hand again, and so on until it’s finished. I’m not really sure how unusual that is though.

I’m starting to think I should really make something up here, shouldn’t I? Um, ok, how about this – I can only write if I’m wearing scuba gear and sitting in a park. There. That’s got to be pretty unusual.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
There’s a non-fiction book called The Gift of Fear by Gavin de Becker, which is just incredible. I read it for the first time about fifteen years ago, and the ideas and psychology behind it really stuck with me. I also love C S Lewis, who I think was an absolute genius.

In terms of fiction, I’ve read and reread The Shining by Stephen King, and The Silence of the Lambs/Red Dragon by Thomas Harris, more times than I can count. They’re just incredibly well-written and so exciting to read, even though I obviously know what’s coming. I’m also a big fan of Harlan Coben and Michael Connelly, and love the way they write tense chapters and characters that you genuinely care about.

What are you working on now?
I’ve just finished the first draft of my second novel, Sleep No More. It’s a story about a woman plagued by horrific nightmares that slowly leech into her reality. It’s leaning more towards horror than crime, although there’s still a very strong psychological thriller element to it. There’s a question hanging over whether her experiences are the result of some kind of demonic possession or haunting, or whether she is essentially losing her mind.

The story came about from my own experiences of suffering from sleep paralysis, which is where you wake up in the middle of the night and can’t move. It’s pretty terrifying to experience, especially when I wake up lying face down and then need to move so that I can breathe! Some people have also reported feeling a presence in the room as they lie paralysed, although that hasn’t happened to me. (I bet it does now though…)

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I use Twitter and Facebook a lot, although I’m not sure how much that’s helped in promoting my book because I mainly just post a load of rubbish that I think is funny rather than targeted ‘adverts’. I think it’s hard to know what’s working and what isn’t really, because I’ve attended some book groups and answered questions about my book, and have done a few author interviews like this one, and I’m on Goodreads and have a blog, etc, so I do a lot of promoting in a way, without ever knowing what is effective and what isn’t.

I think it really is a case of just doing everything and hoping for the best!

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I would definitely say make sure that you don’t publish anything until it’s ready. I’ve heard of a couple of people who self-published and then withdrew their books so they could change the endings, which is really bad for the poor readers who bought the unfinished version. I think it’s important to remember that whatever you produce will have your name on it, so it’s vital to make sure it’s the best you can make it.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I heard a story about George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola, although I can’t remember who was giving who the advice. Basically, one of them told the other to just write. Even if it’s not great, just get ‘it’ written, whatever it may be, because it’s so much easier to edit than to create from scratch. I think that’s great advice. It’s so easy to fall into the trap of trying to make every sentence perfect in the first draft, but that’s essentially what rewriting/editing is for. Just getting it written is so important, that way all the elements are there – you can worry about making everything all pretty later!

What are you reading now?
I’m going through a non-fiction phase at the moment, so I’m reading a book about the life of Henri Nouwen, who was a Catholic priest. It’s fascinating and also includes parts of some of his sermons, which are very interesting.

What’s next for you as a writer?
After I finish and publish my second book – Sleep No More – I’m going to put together a collection of short stories and publish that too. I’m not sure what the theme will be yet, but I’m leaning towards mystery/horror. As soon as that’s finished, I’m going to start my third novel.

What is your favorite book of all time?
That’s a difficult one. In fact I think that’s too difficult, so I am going to respectfully refuse to answer! I like so many books across so many different genres that they can’t really be fairly compared to each other.

Actually, can I just say The Artist and be done with it…?

Author Websites and Profiles
Angelo Marcos Website
Angelo Marcos Amazon Profile

Angelo Marcos’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have been writing since I was about fourteen, and decided to turn my childhood fantasy role-playing world into a novel. I turned out about one book a year for six years, and then discovered the wonderful horrible world of editing and quit writing new material almost altogether while I went back and worked on rewriting.

To-date I have yet to finish rewriting any of my early novels; my new work is much better quality I guess. I have published three novellas and a children’s book so far, and have plans for many, many more.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
“Inspector Floyd” is the third novella in the “Supervillain of the Day” series. I got the idea for the series from my inability to write books longer than 40K. I decided to “give up” and just write shorter books. This lead to the idea of “episode” style novellas published on a much tighter schedule than most series; modeled after a typical TV show.

I got the idea to write about supervillains after seeing the spiderman trilogy. After fighting with the sandman, Spidy is emptying out is boots and wondering “Where do these guys come from?” I thought, we have so many superhero series, and each one has a new villain. If there weren’t any superheroes the villains would overrun the world!

And so I wrote a series about a world without superheroes, overrun by supervillains.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Most of the time I write by hand, in black ink, in college-lined notebooks. I write anywhere, and everywhere. In the car, at doctor’s offices; even in church. The downside to this was having to type everything up afterwards, so I did eventually start writing on the computer just to save time.

I have to write in order. I start at the beginning of the book and write through to the end. Sometimes I don’t know the ending until I get there. Outlines are a valuable tool, and I have used them for the Supervillain series, but I still love the adventure of discovery that comes from just writing without plans, and seeing where the story takes you.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Oh goodness, it varies. Quite a bit. When I first got into scifi and short story writing I was heavily influenced by Isaac Asimov. The supervillain series in particular is heavily influenced by Douglas Adams. Joss Whedon is a huge inspiration to me; I can only wish I wrote as well as he does. (Not sure if he counts, though, since he does movies/TV.) The Queen’s Thief Series (Megan Whalen Turner) and the Riddlemaster Trilogy (Patricia A McKellip) are both examples of fantasy novels that I draw on heavily when I’m trying to work out character motivations, relationships, and emotion.

What are you working on now?
The rest of the Supervillain series. Book 4 is mostly done, but my season finale is in somewhat a state of disaster. And there are plans to be made for a second season as well; to be announced next month. 😉 I have fond hopes of finishing my science fiction novel “The Justice Project” but it keeps getting shoved to the back burner while I work on books that are actually slated to get published.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Facebook, actually. That’s the one place I’ve actually got the most response when it comes to promotion. Goodreads Giveaways also seems to be working out very well. As an indie author I’m fairly new to the whole promotion thing, and being a publicist was never on my list of things I wanted to do when I grow up, so I definitely still have a lot of learning to do.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Just keep writing. No matter what. They say you have to write a million words to truly know what your’e doing, and they’re right. (I hit my first million last November.) They also say you have to do something for ten years to be an expert and that is also true.

If you’ve just started writing and plan to self-publish; don’t rush into it. I highly recommend not publishing your first novel. Or even your second. Keep writing for a year or two, and then go back and look at it. Have you improved worlds since then? Then you’re not ready yet. Keep writing.

Keep writing, even if what you’re coming out with is total crap. Keep writing, even if your family and friends think you’re insane. Keep writing even if you’re totally discouraged with yourself. If you want to be a writer then keep writing, even if it’s a really bad idea.

You’re probably crazy, but it doesn’t matter.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Neil Gaiman’s “Make Good Art” speech.

Probably not technically the correct answer to the question; but seriously. All the advice anyone could ever need is summed up in that video. The core of it could be summed up as “Do what you want to do and don’t let anyone stop you.” Now imagine 20 minutes of that from an expert who took his own advice. Epic.

What are you reading now?
I have a to-read list a mile long, and I’m in the middle of about seven books. Literally right now I’m working on “Mourn Not Your Dead” by Deborah Crombie. It’s British crime, so I’m calling it research. I’m also in the middle of “Against Intellectual Monopoly” and “The Statecraft of Machiavelli.” Notable books on my to-read-in-the-near-future list are “People of Sparks”, “Death of a Salesman,” “Forbidden Science,” and “Hammer of God.”

What is your favorite book of all time?
Ha. Hahahaha. Very funny. Fortuanately for you, I have a list.

#1: The Riddle-master trilogy by Patricia A. McKellip

#2: The Queen’s Thief Series by Megan Whalen Turner

#3: The Myst Series by Rand Miller

#4: The Lucky Starr series by Isaac Asimov

And it gets harder to number from there….

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