Awesome Author Interviews

Author Interview Series

To discover a new author, check out our Featured Authors page. We have some of the best authors around. They are just waiting for you to discover them. If you enjoyed this writer’s interview feel free to share it using the buttons below. Sharing is caring!

If you are an author and want to be interviewed just fill out out Author Interview page. After submitting we will send it out in our newsletters and social media channels that are filled with readers looking to discover new books to read.

If you are looking for a new book to read check out our Featured Books Page.

Neil Kay

Interview With Author Neil Kay

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I'm a British teacher living in Yokohama, Japan. I've been here for years now and I'm probably here for good. I started writing in June of 2021 and published my first book in March 2022, the sequel was published in August 2022 and I'm hoping to release book 3 in Feb/March of 2023.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The last book was called Fear the Draugr. My series is historical fiction and horror, the first book is about demons living in the chaos of post-Roman Britain. FtD is book 2 and set in the early Viking age. The Saxon Stories by Bernard Cornwell and the TV adaptation The Last Kingdom were inspirations along with legends about undead creatures from Scandinavian saga literature and folktale.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Probably not that unusual but I never start until after breakfast. I can't write while hungry.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Bernard Cornwell because his historical fiction is full of interesting little details. Outside of my genre I like Zadie Smith as I admire how she can write from the point of view of very different characters with a large degree of empathy.

What are you working on now?
Book 3 in the series. It's untitled but I'm wracking my brains. It's a serial killer hunt with many of the supernatural elements found in books 1 & 2. It's set in York in the aftermath of the Harrying of the North in which the Norman conquerors burnt the north of the country to the ground resulting in a famine.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I'm still trying to find that answer for myself! Reddit and Facebook have been decent for me.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Set a daily word limit and stick to it.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best way to market your book is to write a second, then a third, and so on…

What are you reading now?
Manga, where I live it's cheap and an invaluable way to memorize Japanese vocabulary. I've read Kimetsu no Yaiba most recently.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Book 3 out in Feb/March 2023 and hopefully selling enough to replace my PC so I can write book 4 faster!

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
The Baroque Cycle by Neal Stephenson.
Shogun by James Clavel
White Teeth by Zadie Smith
Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel

Author Websites and Profiles

Neil Kay Website

Neil Kay Amazon Profile

Neil Kay’s Social Media Links

Michelle Tooker Amazon Profile

Author Interview Series

If you are looking for a new book to read check out our Featured Books Page.

Michelle Tooker

Interview With Author Michelle Tooker

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My first book was a story about a triangle who wanted to fit in with his friends rectangle, circle and square. I’d written it before I could actually write, so the words were scribbles on construction paper pages. I memorized the story and “read” it to relatives at family parties. Unfortunately, an aunt’s errant cup of coffee killed my first darling. I’ve been a writer ever since.

Professionally, I spent 15 years in higher education marketing before leaving in 2021 to pursue my author career full time. I also research and write for true crime podcasts, including True Crime Bullsh**. To date, I have published two nonfiction books.

In addition to writing, I am an avid traveler and have visited more than 40 countries.
My other passion is bubble tea, and I run a boba merch and coloring book business called Bitsy Boba. I live in Philadelphia with my family.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is “True Crime Trivia: 350 Fascinating Questions & Answers to Test Your Knowledge of Serial Killers, Mysteries, Cold Cases, Heists & More”.

My lifelong interest in true crime began early on, when I learned that my mother once lived across the street from a real-life killer clown. That is a story for another book but, from there, I was hooked on all things true crime. This fascination blossomed over the years and, in 2020, I began researching and writing for true crime podcasts, including serving on the research team for True Crime Bullsh**.

I decided that writing a true crime book would allow me to blend my passion for writing with my interest in true crime. Researching this book was very eye-opening and fascinating, and I wanted to share the interesting details I uncovered with fellow true crime aficionados in an interactive book.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Does constant interruptions from a toddler count? 🙂 Kidding aside, in order to get quality writing done, I spend countless hours in local coffee shops. This provides me with a quiet space to focus and write. I like to visit as many different local shops as possible, and in a heat wave this summer, spent a three-hour session writing on the patio of a quaint cafe located within a greenhouse.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
So many. To name just a few:
Poets Dorianne Laux, Kim Addonizio, Sandra Beasley, Aimee Nezhukumatathil and Maggie Smith. Plus Truman Capote and Jeffrey Eugenides. And, finally, one of my graduate school mentors, Dr. Richard Wertime taught me so much about writing that I reflect on daily.

What are you working on now?
I am working on volume two of True Crime Trivia, as well as transforming the book into a podcast.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Still figuring this one out, but networking with other authors has provided tremendous camaraderie and value.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Let your finished work “marinate” for a bit, then read it with fresh eyes. Even better, read it aloud. This is a great strategy for improving your work.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Be ready to kill your darlings, meaning, don’t get too attached to anything you write and accept that sometimes you have to scrap a character, plot or entire project.

What are you reading now?
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

What’s next for you as a writer?
I am working on volume two of True Crime Trivia as well as writing a podcast with the same title. I plan to release the podcast in early spring, and volume two of True Crime Trivia will release later this year. After that, I might write another children’s book or just stick with true crime. I have many ideas, I just need to find enough time to write them all.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
I’d take two long books: Great Expectations, which I enjoyed reading years ago, and then Infinite Jest, which I’d like to read but haven’t had a chance to yet.

I’d also take two of my favorite poetry books, because you can reread these poems infinite times and find something new:
Facts About the Moon by Dorianne Laux
Good Bones by Maggie Smith

Author Websites and Profiles

Amy A. DeCew

Interview With Author Amy A. DeCew

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m rarely myself anymore after all the recent events, which is how my one book got written.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Almost Over, Never Done: A Reluctant American’s Pandemic Tragicomedy. You’ll never figure out what inspired it, but I’ll give you three guesses anyway. Frankly, America, I am less than amused at your antics, so I created my own.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’d imagine overcaffeination, insomnia, and a laptop that begs for mercy are merely standard. I have a habit of performing my work; it flows from speaking it to writing it and back again in an unholy assemblage of scribbled notebooks, smartphone recordings, and snack breaks. Compiling the evidence into a narrative is its own comedy whodunit.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
When I was 15, I picked up an old beat-up paperback hanging around my grandparents’ house called “Welcome to the Monkey House”. Kurt Vonnegut’s been top of the list ever since. I’m also a huge fan of the Lost Generation literature, which strikes me as some of the most raw and lyrical work in the English language.

What are you working on now?
When I’m not waging a campaign to preserve the Oxford comma for all eternity, you’ll find my preoccupied with preserving democracy and an understanding of germ theory. Usually this means I’m very dependent on the good graces of places with parliaments and public health care.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
We’ll find out! So far, it’s been the support of the people who always expected me to write a book that’s carrying me through the process of figuring out the rest as I go.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I love the scene from “Walk the Line” when the record producer stops the session and asks if that’s the work Johnny Cash would choose if he had one song to sing before he died. Write that book.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Oh, I’m writing these days because I’m not sure I have heard much good advice. Definitely ignore or question most advice out there, since it usually stems from a desire to take pieces of your identity away from you that may prove to be necessary for critical thinking and unique solutions. But that sounds suspiciously like advice, so I’d examine that closely.

What are you reading now?
“The Path Between the Seas” by David McCullough, about the creation on the Panama Canal. For a chunky history book, it reads like an action/adventure novel.

What’s next for you as a writer?
My advance reader team has indicated interest in both a sequel to my current book and also a poetry chapbook. Maybe both? I want the readers to weigh in on what they find valuable.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Oh, no, not the desert island question! I can hear my library screaming. Since it’ll take me the rest of my life to have this debate with myself, we’ll just say the least likely categories are anything romance or religious.

Author Websites and Profiles

Amy A. DeCew Website

Amy A. DeCew Amazon Profile

Amy A. DeCew’s Social Media Links

Valerie Dickson Amazon Profile

Valerie Dickson

Interview With Author Valerie Dickson

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a Christian author who is passionate about seeing people set free from the bondage of sickness and disease. I am a licensed minister, and I have a few healing testimonies which ignited my passion to teach people that as children of God, we do not have to accept sickness and disease in our lives. I live what I teach. I have written 3 books. Two of them are based on this topic and a third shares my story of being a domestic abuse survivor. I have recently completed an anthology with the women of my writer’s group. It is about several different women in the bible.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The name of my latest book is Divine Health is a Blood-Bought Right! This book was inspired by the fact that so many of God’s people are plagued with sickness and disease when they don’t have to be. However, you can’t walk in knowledge that you don’t have. This book reveals to the Christian what belongs to them and my prayer is that it provokes them to take action.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not that I am aware of.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
There are many books that influence me, so it would be easier to list the authors. The greatest author that continually influences me is God through His holy Word, the bible. After that would be Gloria Copeland, Kenneth Copeland, Bill Winston, Kenneth E Hagin, Nancy Dufresne, John Maxwell, and Myles Munroe to name a few.

What are you working on now?
At the moment, I am not working on anything. I have taken a hiatus from a big book project that I’ve been working on over the past two years. It will be a book of prayers that I prayed over customers for two years while I was an Uber driver. I’m still not clear on the title or arrangement of it, but I believe that will be my next book unless I receive divine inspiration to write something else in the meantime.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
My best method for promoting my books has been prayer, social media, and word of mouth.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
We all have a story to tell and an audience who is waiting to hear it. Never give up on sharing what’s inside of you. Life will try to get in the way, but keep writing until your book is completed – no matter how long it takes.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Every gift and talent God has bestowed upon you is not for you, but to bless others.

What are you reading now?
I am reading about three books right now (outside of the bible) from various groups I am involved in. The one I have chosen to read outside of the groups is Everyone Communicates, Few Connect by John Maxwell.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Every book I have written has been Holy Spirit inspired. So the answer to that question would be waiting for the next inspiration. I am very busy with ministry work and serving others in this season of my life, so when I receive my next prompting the writing will begin.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Outside of the bible, I am not really sure. I have read so many wonderful books that would be a hard choice.

Author Websites and Profiles

Valerie Dickson’s Social Media Links

Peter Sarno Amazon Profile

Peter Sarno

Interview With Author Peter Sarno

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve been a freelance writer, journalist, editor, publisher (of other authors’ works), and taught literature and memoir courses at the University of Massachusetts, Boston. In addition to essays, etc., I’ve published short stories. Though, I’ve written several manuscripts, to date, this is the first full-length book of mine that has been published.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The novel is called “Visions of Johanna.”

I read a novel about a younger man and an older female artist and it hadn’t rung true. Though written by a well-established author, it seemed to me to be about a “pretend” artist. Of course, I could have been dead wrong. Other folks were engaged and enjoyed it. But—with a certain level of arrogance—I thought, I knew a talented and brave artist and might be able to share the experience of what that artistic life was like more effectively.

Then I thought, “Why hadn’t that relationship worked out?”

Independent of this, over the years, I had tried several times to write a story about a dear friend who tragically lost her life while only sixteen-years-old. And I eventually finished two short stories based on her. She had been hit by a drunk driver, abandoned on the side of the road, and found dead by her older sister who went out looking for her after she hadn’t returned home from a trip to the neighborhood convenience store. I was numb for weeks and much longer. Years later, only two main images of my friend remained: one of her dressed in a stylish suede leather fringe jacket of the era with her sparkling brown eyes and luminous smile on the Friday she left for that weekend trip to Maine—the one I saw. And another: her lying by the side of the road, alone, waiting for her sister to find her—the one I only imagined, yet could never rid myself of.

I didn’t know how to deal with that pain. There were really no such things as a grief counselors in “those days” and a man (even though I was only sixteen myself)—especially in my neighborhood—was expected to suck it up. It wasn’t until I started writing the novel that I understood that these events might be related. That perhaps one of the reasons my relationship with the artist didn’t work out had something to do with this traumatic event.

Finally I wondered, “Why is music so damn important to you?”

What authors, or books have influenced you?
A difficult question to ask a lit professor (smile) There’s a score—too many to name and I’ll miss a dozen or more. Fitzgerald, Ann Beattie, Andre Dubus, Jr., Ann Patchett, Roland Merullo, Richard Russo, Anne Tyler, Billie Letts, Susan Cheever, Maya Angelou, Denise Duhamel, Susanna Kaysen, Joe Torra, Marge Piercy, Alice Munro—and, early on, the Russians, Camus, Ibsen, Dick Gregory, John Cheever, Eugene O’Neill…I’ll stop now (smile).

What are you working on now?
I’ve started another novel and am revising a linked collection of short stories.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Having owned an Indie publishing firm for over a decade that has released over 50 titles from other authors—many of whom are established and have published books from major houses—I’ve learned that no matter what your budget and how great the prose is, there are no magic answers to promotion unfortunately. So, I print and publish titles “traditionally” i.e. with an initial standard print run and distribute through Ingram and Baker & Taylor and also POD (print on demand) via Amazon and Lightning Source. I try to get them into the hands of as many respected review sources as possible, send old fashioned flyers via snail mail, work with Indie booksellers and their respective associations, work with libraries and book clubs, visit bookstores and libraries in person, have invested in Amazon Marketing ads, and used programs offered via the IBPA (Independent Book Publishers Association). Yet, I’m still on that quest for the illusive “best method” (smile).

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Find and hire a good and trustworthy editor. Ask for references, a sample of his or her editing process, and a free consultation. This is probably one of the most important decisions you can make as a new author. I think the “writing every day” advice that you hear very often is not practical for most of us who work other jobs and/or have child care responsibilities etc. And, that type of counsel can really set up an aspiring writer for failure, because he or she ends up feeling guilty if not at the writing desk every day. This leads to discouragement and lack of confidence. I’m not sure how successful an author can be without devoting a decent amount of reading to their chosen genre. (My definition of “success” is finding and being able to entertain readers—not necessarily garnering large sales numbers.)

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
In regards to writing (or the artistic life), when I was a graduate student at Boston University, the late short story writer and novelist Ivan Gold urged us to “stay away from negative people”—the ones who tell you, for whatever reason, you can’t do this. I’ve read (and assigned my students) dozens of books on craft and although I’m sure those have been more than helpful, Professor Gold’s advice was probably the best.

If we’re talking about life, following the Golden Rule is probably the best piece of advice I’ve heard.

What are you reading now?
“Father of Rain” by Lily King

What’s next for you as a writer?
I hope to get back to work on my new novel, before that though, I owe it to “Visions of Johanna”—those characters and their stories—to continue some promotional efforts. After that, it’s really in God’s hands. (I guess it’s probably in God’s hands anyway—smile.)

Thank you very much Awesome Gang for this opportunity to answer your questions and share my views. I really appreciate it.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?

Author Websites and Profiles

Peter Sarno Website

Peter Sarno’s Social Media Links

Samman Akbarzada Amazon Profile

Samman Akbarzada

Interview With Author Samman Akbarzada

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a female author from Afghanistan. Writing is my escape from a reality that gets hard to face sometimes. Working on projects such as writing novels and poems has become an indispensable part of my life. It is my weapon to support the silenced. I had to flee my motherland for the sake of my life, so now I’m residing cast away from it.

Two of my books have been published. “A Glimmer in the Dark” is my recently published poetry book, and my debut novel is titled “Life is a Movie”
Three novels remain unpublished that I haven’t queried for yet. And I will have at least two more poetry books once curated in a manuscript.

Through writing, I want to play my little part. I want to paint a picture of what I think the world should look like; how it should accept its collective responsibility to build nations where children are not victims of greedy warlords, where women do not have to fight to be seen as human beings, and where peace is real, tangible, and even palpable— not merely a wish on a shooting star. I will always strive to use whatever talents and abilities I have to do whatever I can, as best I can, for all my fellow citizens held hostage and suffering behind closed doors because I have so much love and hope for them.

While living in the saddest country in the world, enduring and overcoming had to be innate. Writing is my gentle respite, it takes me far away from all that overwhelms me. Puts me in a flow state where I can pour my heart and bleed on ivory pages until it is good again and time to withstand.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
“A Glimmer in the Dark”
It’s inspired by the unyielding hope survivors find, withstanding their worst nightmares, and facing everything they once feared. I think that’s sacred. It’s a noble cause to write for, and as a way to cope with the grief that became a hand I got to hold, I wrote.

A Glimmer in the Dark’s beautiful cover depicts glimmers, but we can see a lively flower in it too. And it’s so beautiful.

Dandelions have always meant something even more than a favorite flower to me. In our culture, coming across its seed is believed to bring good news, or words from a loved one far away. Whether it does or not, I don’t think that’s important, what matters is the glimmer of hope it gives at that moment. And when life comes to a state where you write for the dead more than the living, hearing back from them is like your resurrection.

Sometimes on the verge of breaking points, when limbs are listless, the floor trembles as the sky falls; that hope can be enough to stop it for the time being. A tale, a legend, whatever it might be, these hopes become the will in meaningless realms.

Bad news after bad news after bad news… On unforgiving days that detaches us by murky haze from everything and everyone, a seed of this flower flowing by the zephyr beside you snaps you out of it. And we carry along wearing a smile. It reminds us, we’re not alone, we never were. That won’t ever be a mundane fragment adrift, it’s so much more than that.

Maybe tragedies will always have a place in our lives, but perhaps it’s these little things, these little signs that remind us, love is always stronger.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
My room has to be pitch black for me to work on my novel. I can’t help it. The engulfed darkness and classical symphonies take me inside that blank page where I can become the art itself.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Khaled Hosseini is probably the one who has poignantly influenced when it comes to my novels. My poems are mostly inspired by my profound passion for music. The intensity of my sentiments and my helpless capabilities leave me open to write and write until I can breathe again.

What are you working on now?
Something close to my heart. I started this novel just when I evacuated my motherland, now I’m at its last chapter. It’s a story taking place in Afghanistan.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m the worst person when it comes to promoting/marketing, I have no idea. However, I do enjoy sharing my writing with my friends and supporters on Instagram.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write fearlessly, write for the sake of your heart, write because someone out there will breathe in your words like a breath of fresh air. Write because only that can ease your feral soul, feed it what it craves. Not everyone is going to like it, who cares! We as individuals each have a taste that differs, and there’s nothing wrong with that. You will get disheartened along the journey, your job is to not let it take over you. I have over five hundred rejection letters. Even now, I dread querying. But there’s one thing that I never did, I never gave up on my dream. And neither should you because what you write is worth whatever you want it to be. I believe in you and can’t wait to see you thrive. All the best🖤

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I have a lot of favorite advice from artists and loved ones, but I’m thinking of this one right now.

“Many people seem to think it foolish, even superstitious, to believe that the world could still change for the better. And, indeed, in winter it is sometimes so bitingly cold that one is tempted to say, ‘What do I care if there is a summer; its warmth is no help to me now.’ Yes, evil often seems to surpass good. But then, in spite of us, and without our permission, there comes, at last, an end to the bitter frosts. One morning the wind turns, and there is a thaw. And so I must still have hope.”

_ Vincent Van Gough

What are you reading now?
Man’s Search For Meaning by Victor E. Frankl. And Hard Boiled Wonderland by Haruki Mukarami.

What’s next for you as a writer?
A cabin in the woods, and I the reclused, wandering within. Knowing no one and known to none. This is like the final dream, a very selfish one. I just want to see my motherland and loved ones happy and in peace before that, which I’m afraid will always make it an elusive longing.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
This is a difficult one to answer.
The Alchemist, and Manuscript Found in Accra, by Paulo Coelho. The Island of missing trees, and Forty rules of love by Elif Shafak… But I will also sneak in something by Franz Kafka and Dostoevsky 🙂

Author Websites and Profiles

Samman Akbarzada Website

Samman Akbarzada’s Social Media Links

Robert Weaver Amazon Profile

Robert Weaver

Interview With Author Robert Weaver

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve written about ten stand-alone novels out of which I have published six. Mostly some form of mystery or crime / speculative fiction. I try to write in different genres. My hobby is writing and reading and being alive. I like most forms of entertainment media but I don’t invest too heavily in any. I’ll go wherever there is a good story (good being subjective, but something novel, stylish, or emotional). I have affection for the Romantic period for its subjective outlook at the world, and I’m grateful for classic Gothic fiction which I view as a darker sibling to Romance. Writing styles have changed, so I try to incorporate that change in my work.

I like cool things so I try to write about cool things.

Genre fiction has been too harshly criticised and I’m fairly upset that fantasy has been rejected as a literary genre for too long. Ahem, Homer…

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is Five Suns Over Somerset (releasing June 15th 2023). It’s a sci-fi novel about a father looking for his kidnapped daughter. It takes place in Somerset county, England, and talks about human hubris and interdimensional beings and retro-technology (since it’s set in the 1970s).

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I wouldn’t know what was unusual.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Most of the classics, but also Wordsworth, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Poe, Lovecraft, Ian Fleming, James Lee Burke, Cormac McCarthy, Tolkien, Daniel Woodrell, Laird Barron, Aphra Behn, Barry Hannah, Robert E. Howard, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Dennis Etchison, Richard Matheson, Stephen King, Simon Strantzas, Richard Gavin, Michael Connelly, the Bronte Sisters, Mary Shelley, Jonathan Carroll. The list goes on.

What are you working on now?
I’m editing Five Suns Over Somerset and drafting the final thematic occult book to complete the Alchemy Collection / Occult Britain (four stand-alone novels connected via their relation to a classic element: water, earth, air, fire). It’s possible it will be an illustrated novel but we will see how it unfolds.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Not really sure. I try a bit of everything.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Do it if you’ve got to do it. No one else can convince you otherwise.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
You put one foot before the other.

What are you reading now?
Moby Dick by Herman Melville.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Writing, I guess.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Good question. I’ll get back to you on that.

Author Websites and Profiles

Robert Weaver Website

Theresa Nellis

Interview With Author Theresa Nellis

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I knew I wanted to be an author in first grade, but I was a struggling reader (thus, a struggling writer). I was pulled out for specialized reading instruction. With a lot of support from my mother and teachers, I mastered the written code. I obtained a Ph.D., became a teacher, and later published the Keeper of the Mirror 3-part fantasy series.

Now, I share this with my students so they can see the value of perseverance. That’s also why I wrote this series.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I am in the editing process for The School for the Magically Insane: The Lion’s Tooth Year One. My inspiration draws from my love of fantasies and my dark, snarky personality.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
About 75% of the time, the snarkiness just hits my head like a baseball at Yankee Stadium (well, before all the fanfare, lawsuits, and nets). Besides, all the best teachers are a bit crazy—or is that just something I tell myself? After talking with tiny humans all day, the mutual brain training is quite evident—don’t you think?

The dedication for my first book reads as follows:
For My Students
—who were the inspiration for my dark humor—sorry!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Of course, Harry Potter! If you Google my name, you’ll also see me donning a robe and glasses at the opening of Diagon Alley at Universal Studios.

What are you working on now?
I am in the editing process for The School for the Magically Insane: The Lion’s Tooth Year One. I expect to launch this book in early 2023.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
As a new author, I’m still working on this part. However, the world of indie authors is amazing! This community pulls together to support each other in incredible ways.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Keep writing and don’t take yourself too seriously.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“You can always edit a bad page. You can’t edit a blank page.”
― Jodi Picoult

What are you reading now?
“Magical Compass” by Jaymin Eve

What’s next for you as a writer?
I enjoy writing for young audiences because I have a passion for teaching kids how to read in exciting and innovative ways. I have received feedback about this from parents. Although my books are intended for both male and female readers, I have received a lot of great feedback from parents of boys. Their reluctant readers just don’t enjoy reading. This series—and all its snarkiness—was right up their alley. Parents, I’ve got your back on this one. Keep your kids reading all the way through to the end of Book 3!

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Oh, you’re killing me! I guess one book should be an informational book about how to build a boat. The other three would be fantasies. I love books that grab my imagination and take me to new places. You know, those books you don’t want to read the endings for because you don’t want the magic to stop. Those kind of books!

Author Websites and Profiles

Theresa Nellis Website

Theresa Nellis Amazon Profile

Theresa Nellis’s Social Media Links

Ken Wells

Interview With Author Ken Wells

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Six novels and three works of literary nonfiction. I’ve also edited two anthologies.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
“Swamped!” It’s a teen survival story, co-authored with my niece, Hillary Wells, set in the forbidding Atchafalaya Swamp of southern Louisiana. I grew up there, with one foot in that swamp, and always thought the exotic setting would be a great place as the setting for a novel. In the beginning, I was also interested in writing a boy-centric story since statistics show boys read in numbers far fewer than girls. However, as the book evolved the teen-girl co-protagonist took on a hefty share of the survival effort.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I wrote five of my six novels on a commuter train when I traveled back and forth from the suburbs into Manhattan, where I worked as a writer and editor for The Wall Street Journal.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I read eclectically. Eudora Welty, Flannery O’Conner, Faulkner, Hemingway, Jim Harrison, Twain, Jules Verne, Saul Bellow, Willa Cather, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Jane Austen, Zane Grey, Shakespeare, Toni Morrison, Alice Walker, Ralph Ellison, Kurt Vonnegut, and YA books like “Hatchet,” “Rifles for Wadie,” “Catcher in the Rye,” “The Fault is in Our Stars,” “The Call of the Wild,” the Tolkien Hobbit books, etc.

What are you working on now?
A Southern Gothic novel titled “The Book of Earl.”
Earl Verdin Jr. is a mentally challenged 22-year-old French-Indian giant living feral in the deep Louisiana swamps where he’s fled, heartbroken, from a foster home after the death of his mother years before. From his base in an ancient hollowed-out cypress, he rambles the wild lands around him, living a solitary hunter-gatherer life. One day he comes into a clearing and encounters a beautiful young girl being set upon by two garishly tattooed thugs. Earl—who speaks to God, snakes, and his dead mother—uses his uncanny physical prowess to disarm her assailants and save her from a very bad ending.
The girl is Dee-Anne Didier, a bright, impulsive high-school student, spoiled and in rebellion against an unhappy home life. Revealing the circumstances that brought her to the clearing that day would enrage her domineering father, a rich and powerful local lawyer and plantation owner. So she panics and lies—blaming Earl, whom she knows is slow, for the assault.
Earl, whose uncanny woodsman’s skills allow him to make a colorful initial escape from a pursuing posse, is eventually arrested. He finds himself tossed into the maw of a corrupt Good-Ole-Boy criminal justice system determined, with-Dee Anne’s father’s help, to see him rot in jail. But a boy at heart, Earl harbors a secret of his own and for reasons that confound even his accusers makes a fateful decision at trial where he seems on the cusp of acquittal. His choice sets off a long, harrowing, picaresque journey of sacrifice and suffering that wends through the corridors of a forbidding, violent prison and echoes in the unsettled heart and conscience of a young woman at war with her better nature. To survive, Earl must grow and confront the banality of evil all around him while battling his self-doubt about the path he’s chosen.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’ve had very good luck with independent bookstores ‘hand-selling’ my books, very good reviews and good word of mouth from readers. I also get decent traffic to my website: www.bayoubro.com

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Writing is 10 percent inspiration and 90 percent perspiration. A good or even great idea does you no good if you are not utterly committed to putting it down on paper.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Success and failure are the same imposters.

What are you reading now?
“Horse” by Geraldine Brooks

What’s next for you as a writer?
Doing basic research on a non-fiction book idea but it’s too early to reveal the subject.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Shakespeare’s collected works, something by Hemingway, “Catch 22” and “Meely LaBauve,” my debut novel, so as to remind myself that, even if I weren’t rescued, I’d written one very fine novel…:)

Author Websites and Profiles

Ken Wells Website

Ken Wells Amazon Profile

Ken Wells’s Social Media Links

Lyndee Maharaj Amazon Profile

Lyndee Maharaj

Interview With Author Lyndee Maharaj

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a technical expert and an avid reader. My expertise lies in the realm of technology and I have a strong interest in understanding how different technologies work. From software engineering to artificial intelligence, I have been exploring the ever-changing world of technology for many years now. To further my knowledge, I often write books on topics that are related to current trends in the industry. So far, I’ve written two books – one on artificial intelligence and the other on Stoicism.

I believe that my writings will be beneficial not only for readers but also provide advice and direction for those who wish to pursue a career in technology-related fields.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Rise of the Machines: The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Our World

It explores the rapidly evolving field of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its impact on our lives. I was inspired to write this book as I believe AI will become increasingly prominent in our world and it is important that everyone has access to reliable information about this technology. AI promises a wide range of possibilities, from improved healthcare outcomes to more efficient transportation systems, but it also comes with risks. My goal is for readers to develop a better understanding of these potential benefits and drawbacks so they can make informed decisions when engaging with AI-related products or services.

I draw on my extensive knowledge in both computer science and engineering in order to provide a comprehensive overview of current developments in AI, as well as relevant ethical considerations associated with its use.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
My writing habits may be considered unusual to some, but I’ve found them to be incredibly effective. For starters, my favorite time of day for writing is the early morning hours when the world is fast asleep. It’s a time where I can write without even the slightest of distractions and it helps me get into an amazing creative zone that can produce great work. Another odd habit I have during this time is that I typically listen to calming music in order to really get focused on what I am doing. This type of music includes everything from classical pieces to instrumental soundtracks from movies or television shows.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
As a technical professional, I’ve long been drawn to science fiction and its exploration of technology and the future. One particular author that has influenced me is Isaac Asimov, whose works explore the implications of advancing technologies on human society. His stories often feature robots or artificial intelligence, as well as thought-provoking ideas about space exploration and scientific advancement. For example, his Laws of Robotics – three rules intended to regulate robotic behavior – have had a lasting influence on modern robotics research. Reading Asimov’s work was a major influence in my decision to pursue a career in technology; by imagining futuristic scenarios involving technology, he encouraged me to think about how we might use it for good in our daily lives.

What are you working on now?
Currently, I am working on a project that combines my passion for technical subjects with my love of science fiction. This involves taking real-world technology and infusing it with science fictional elements to create something new and exciting. My goal is to invent futuristic gadgets that could potentially be implemented in the near future or even just used as a concept for an entertaining narrative. To accomplish this, I have been researching existing advancements in the fields of robotics, artificial intelligence, nanotechnology, and biotechnology so I can use them as a foundation for more advanced concepts. Furthermore, I am utilizing 3D modeling software to bring my ideas to life in vivid detail before constructing prototypes from various materials such as plastics and metals. By continuing to refine and develop these ideas over time, I hope to make meaningful contributions not just to the world of science fiction but also to real-world technology as well.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
My best method when it comes to promoting my books is using social media. With the prevalence of various platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, I’m able to effectively target people who may be interested in what I have to offer. By creating engaging content with informative captions and hashtags related to my topic or genre, I am able to capture the attention of potential readers and re-engage those who have already discovered me.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
As a published author myself, I have some advice for aspiring writers who wish to become published authors. Firstly, it is important to believe in yourself and your stories. Writing can be a difficult process, and self-doubt is natural when you are learning how to craft stories. It is critical that you recognize your value as an author and trust in your own creative abilities.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
As a writer, I am constantly looking for advice to move me forward in my journey. One of the most influential pieces of advice I have ever heard came from the incredible author Stephen King. He said, “If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot.” As simple as these words may seem, this advice has had an immense impact on my life and career. Whenever I feel myself straying from the path or getting discouraged by challenges, his words help put me back on track.

Reading is essential for any writer because it helps us learn about different genres and styles of writing. It also increases our own creativity by introducing us to new ideas and concepts that we may use in our own work later down the line.

What are you reading now?
I’m currently reading a book called ‘The Laws of Physics: From Newton to Einstein’ by Joseph Polchinski. It’s an exploration of the science of physics and its evolution over time. I find this particular text extremely interesting as it gives me insight into the history of how we came to understand our universe and how physical laws have changed as we’ve learned more about what lies beyond our planet.

Through careful explanation, Polchinski connects theories from historical figures such as Aristotle, Galileo, Kepler, and Newton in order to demonstrate the connections between their work and that which followed it. This allows for a comprehensive understanding of how each scientist’s findings influenced later generations. Additionally, the author goes on to explain the developments made by more modern physicists like Planck, Bohr and Einstein; this information helps contextualize our current scientific knowledge with regards to physics.

What’s next for you as a writer?
As a writer, I have set some ambitious goals for myself that I plan to strive for in the coming years. My main goal is to become a published author with my writing being featured in both print and online publications. To achieve this, I will continue honing my craft by reading widely and studying the techniques of other successful authors. Additionally, I intend on joining various professional organizations and attending conferences related to writing as ways of connecting with other writers and further developing my skills.

My next goal is to become an established freelance writer, which involves building up a portfolio of work by actively seeking out opportunities and clients who need help with their writing needs. This could include everything from blogs, web content and articles to longer form projects such as books or magazines pieces.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
If I were stranded on a desert island and allowed to take three or four books with me, my selections would be carefully chosen. My first pick is The Complete Book of Self-Reliance by James Ball Bowden. This book provides an in-depth guide to do-it-yourself projects such as gardening, food preservation while also offering resources for building skills such as carpentry and pottery. It’s the perfect companion when stuck alone on an island.

My second choice would be SAS Survival Guide by John Wiseman. This dense manual covers everything from how to find food, build shelter, navigate terrain and treat injuries – all invaluable knowledge for surviving in a hostile environment like a desert island! The handy pocket edition makes it ideal for carrying around even during the most difficult conditions.

Another is a a comprehensive manual of DIY skills from carpentry to electrical work to first aid. This will come in handy if I ever need to fix something or build my own home while stranded on the island.

Author Websites and Profiles

Lyndee Maharaj Website

Lyndee Maharaj’s Social Media Links

Ryan Harville Amazon Profile

Ryan Harville

Interview With Author Ryan Harville

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My name is Ryan Harville, and I’m a horror author from the Deep South. I’m a veteran of the U.S. Army, and have too many kids and too many pets. I love any and all things horror, video games, reading, and of course, writing.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My new book is called Red Rains Down. It is the title of the first story in the collection, and not only evokes the obvious image of blood, but also has a sort of double meaning within the story itself. I won’t give that particular point away, because I’d really love you to read it for yourself!

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I have ADHD, so writing is always a bit different for me. I’d love to say that I have a set number of hours, or set number of words I write a day, but unfortunately I’m just not wired that way. I mostly have to wait until my brain is “ready”, for lack of a better term. That usually means days of binge-writing followed by a week or more of inactivity, then the cycle continues.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I think that I, like most horror authors of my generation, was enormously influenced by Stephen King. I devoured everything he wrote. I also love Clive Barker, who taught me to let loose a bit and write what I wanted and instead of what I thought was expected. Horror can come from anywhere. So many others! Joe Hill is fantastic (it’s in the genes), Peter Straub, Neil Gaiman, Brian Keene. I could really go on forever.

What are you working on now?
I’ve completed a second collection of stories, tentatively titled Cloud Nine, that should be released Spring ’23. I’m also close to finishing a book of military horror stories that I hope to release this summer.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I am very new to this and I have spent months learning everything I can. I’ve lost track of how many blogs, sites, podcasts, and reviewers I’ve contacted leading up to the release of Red Rain Down. So, I guess we’ll see!

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t stop, no matter what. I let a decade pass without writing a word, thinking it was pointless. The first story I wrote after that hiatus was published in anthology with some big names (including the always excellent Clive Barker) and since then I’ve been published in anthologies, magazines, and have written nearly fifty episodes of various podcasts. This piece of advice doesn’t end with “And now I’m rich and famous!”, but I have managed to prove some things to myself. And that still means a good deal to me.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
No matter how pretty your prose, it’s probably dragging the rest of the story down. It still think of it every time I’m doing rewrites.

What are you reading now?
I’m playing catch-up from last year. Recently finished All the White Spaces by Ally Wilkes. Right now I’m about halfway through Jackal by Erin E. Adams.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m really just trying to put my mark on this new year. If everything goes as planned I’ll have four releases this year! It’s a ton of work, but I love it.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Well, I know I’d take King’s The Stand and IT, because no matter how many times I’ve read them I always find something new to appreciate. And let’s face it, they’re massive books! Should keep me entertained for a while. I’d probably take an omnibus of all of the The Sandman graphic novels. And Rant, by Chuck Palahniuk.

Author Websites and Profiles

Ryan Harville Website

Ryan Harville’s Social Media Links

Annie Charme Amazon Profile

Annie Charme

Interview With Author Annie Charme

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a graphic artist by day and author by night, writing real, raw, racy romance. My book boyfriends are inked heroes who like fat, fun, and feisty women. My goal is to spread body positivity through my fabulous curvy heroines with a good serving of British humour on the side (not forgetting an extra helping of alpha goodness). So far I have written five books, all with plus size female characters.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The last book was Unwrapped For You, part of the Curves for Christmas series, though my story can be read all year. Inspired by Tik Tok influencers. An English weather reporter moves to Texas for work and meets her neighbour from hell. Liam gets under her skin in more ways than one.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I am a total pantster and find it exciting to write and discover what happens next as if reading a book. My characters sometimes have their own ideas and the story takes a different direction. I always write in the evening when my children are in bed and the house is quiet.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The first book I read with a plus size character was Misadventures of a curvy girl by Sierra Simone and it was then, I realised I wanted to see more books like this, so decided to write my own.

What are you working on now?
I have five books planned for 2023. One is already written but won’t be released until the summer. It’s an age gap, taboo, romantic suspense. My next release will be part of the Man of the Month collaboration, Hate Tea Love You out in April.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I have several methods. I don’t think there is just one and I use all platforms, but Tik Tok seems to be the best one for book sales, however I do like Instagram and Facebook for connecting with readers.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Find your people and your writing community. A good team behind you is invaluable for support and advice.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Not everyone will love your book and that’s okay.

What are you reading now?
A Merry Little Meet Cute by Sierra Simone and Julie Murphy

What’s next for you as a writer?
I want to reach more readers this year, and with my five books planned I hope to do that. My readers can expect my usual fun and flirty stories with three of my books and then two are going to be romantic suspense where I hope to attract a wider audience.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
This is such a tough question, but my favourite read of 2022 was Losers by Harley Laroux, so I would take Losers 1 and 2. Second to that I would choose Anna Todd’s After as it’s my comfort read.

Author Websites and Profiles

Annie Charme Website

Annie Charme’s Social Media Links

Nithya Rangarajan Website

Nithya Rangarajan

Interview With Author Nithya Rangarajan

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a challenge lover. At school, my favourite subjects were Chemistry, Computer, Math and Languages. I began my career in the year 2000, landed a job in the software industry and spent more than a decade in it. The beauty of this industry is that it provides a challenging and exciting learning environment in which you outsmart yourself continuously. It promises abundant self-growth, a gift everyone would love to have.
While I was working in the software industry, I was trying to find opportunities where I could nurture my childhood dream of becoming a teacher. I used to grab or create training sessions out of my own interest. It gave me immense pleasure as I shared my knowledge with others and got to learn at the same time. In my opinion, teaching is one of the best ways to ensure constant learning and self-development.
Though I was successful in my job, after a few years, I wanted to get into teaching full-time. I joined an organisation and got trained in handling classes on Communication, IELTS and PTE for professionals and graduates. The first class was awesome and the level of contentment that I had in my heart is inexplicable. I enjoyed my journey to the fullest. It was an exhilarating experience and my heart demanded more and more.
A few years passed and I decided to listen to my heart but with a twist. This time, I wanted to gift myself with the pleasure of teaching children. I love being with children. Their intelligence coupled with innocence had never failed to amaze me. I was sure I would have a wonderful teaching and learning experience.
I wanted to teach Math to children. I was always fascinated by numbers, right from my childhood. I remembered numbers easily and I was the “Yellow pages” my family referred to whenever they wanted a phone number. Not only that, whenever I encountered numbers in my daily life or in subjects like Computers, Chemistry (balancing equations was my favourite topic), I would see my mind jumping up in happiness. So, to quench the thirst for numbers combined with my passion for teaching, I joined another organization to teach math to children. It was a great experience being with children and helping them master Math. However, I had to quit due to personal issues.
I’m a person who strongly believes in constant learning and self-development. When I was wondering what my next step towards that would be, my passion for writing slowly knocked on the front door of my memory. I had been writing short poems, essays, and stories but hadn’t taken that seriously till then. I felt it was high time I watered that sapling to help me in my personal development and others’.
I began to deeply think about my future in writing. I wanted to share my experiences in life with the world. Also, irrespective of the environment I was in, whenever I met people, I used to think that my observations on their experiences needed to be shared with the world so that others need not go through these struggles again. It would benefit people and change their life for good. This thought triggered me to take my next big step in life.
That’s how I decided to write a book based on my experience and my observation of others’ experiences in life.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The name of my book is “The 5 Secrets to Sustainable Self-Motivation”
My friends and family know me as an ambitious person brimming with self-motivation. This one quality, I thought, would be the best candidate for my debut book. With the help of my mentors, I became an author and published a book on sustainable self-motivation.
I’m happy that my book is getting great reviews and I hope to write more books in the future.

Author Websites and Profiles

Nithya Rangarajan Amazon Profile

Nithya Rangarajan’s Social Media Links

David Bond

Interview With Author David Bond

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a retired Hotel Overnight Manager and have recently moved to Thailand with my wonderful wife. I have written 2 books so far. They are part of a 3-book series with the main title of each being ‘The Cemetery 6’.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Cemetery 6: Festival of Fear. It is comprised of nine short stories being told by six (fictional) Thailand teens as they ‘hang out’ in a cemetery late one night. My inspiration for the book and the series came to me one day when I was riding my bike past a Christian Cemetery that had many above ground tombs and mausoleums. There was an odd breeze that gave me a strange feeling. I began to think what if? So, my inspiration for the teens comes from seeing groups of teens hanging out on Friday nights under a bridge downtown. I just decided to add them to the cemetery to tell spooky stories.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Maybe not unusual but I was reading an interview with one of my writing heroes (Stephen King) had done in the past where he said he commits to writing 4 hours a day or 10 pages. I can’t seem to write like that. When an idea comes to me, I sit and write until the story is done. Then again, I’m only writing short stories at this point so maybe I can do that when I commit to writing a full-length novel.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Edgar Allen Poe, Jack Ketchum, Stephen King, HP Lovecraft, Dean Koontz, Joe Hill. Several of their books are excellent. I think all of those writers have influenced me some. I’m currently reading: Full Throttle by Joe Hill and Gallows Hill by Darcy Coates.

What are you working on now?
I am working on the 3rd and final book in The Cemetery 6 Series titled ‘Graveyard Stories’. The book will also have nine short stories, each one having something involving a cemetery.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I have used some free and paid services for promoting my first book. It’s quite the learning experience. Some of the lower cost sites and free ones (Awesome Gang included) get really good results. It’s nice to be able to track sales on Amazon so you can tell when a promotion spikes book sales. To answer your question, Facebook, Instagram and my website have been the most help for promoting the book. Friends, family, networking and joining reader / writer groups has been great as well.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write what you feel and what makes you happy. Make sure if you release a book to the public that it has been proofread and edited several times as you want to have an awesome finished product for your readers. Don’t worry about sales, just enjoy your writing.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t worry about selling books, just enjoy the process of writing and creating something unique for others to enjoy.

What are you reading now?
Full Throttle by Joe Hill and Gallows Hill by Darcy Coates.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Full length novel. It will be titled: ‘The Coral Island Murders’

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
The Complete Edgar Allen Poe
Ghost Story
Complete Works of HP Lovecraft
The Shining

Author Websites and Profiles

David Bond Website

David Bond Amazon Profile

David Bond’s Social Media Links

Calum Kinstler Amazon Profile

Calum Kinstler

Interview With Author Calum Kinstler

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My name’s Calum. I spent the first few years of my life in Germany. My father was in the U.S. Army and was stationed there. I grew up in Virginia and have published 2 books so far. I have several unpublished manuscripts I’m excited to be editing now.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Successful Entrepreneurship. It began as notes I was taking during my own business studies, which eventually grew to over 300 books across a wide variety of business, and “non-business”, topics.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not really. I’m not too hard on myself, and go back and look over, editing, periodically. taking a break and working on something else helps with creativity and motivation.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Many. Think & Grow Rich, by Napoleon Hill, stands out as one of the best classics. Also public speaking ones by Dale Carnegie.

What are you working on now?
Real Estate Financial Analysis & Real Estate Investing Best Practices.

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

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Read a lot and then write a lot and then edit a lot while learning a lot

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Just do it. – Adidas

What are you reading now?
No books currently but am listening to podcasts and reading online articles, plus reviewing other Authors’ books.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Working on my marketing efforts.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Those circumstances change the intended goal of the books, so I’d probably want ones that were about peacefulness, contentment, and being happy with what you have.

Author Websites and Profiles

Calum Kinstler’s Social Media Links

Athene Z. Adam Amazon Profile

Athene Z. Adam

Interview With Author Athene Z. Adam

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I live in the province of Alberta, Canada. By day, I work in the corporate world and by night and weekends, I’m actively pursuing my writing career. This is a recent development, though. I used to write as a hobby until about two years ago, when I decided to pursue formal publishing. My debut novel, Imperious Realm, was released in November 2022. It’s a science fiction novel and is the first in a series.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Imperious Realm (Reign of the North Forest Book 1) is the first in a series. It’s a futuristic political, science fiction novel about a society on another planet, where the adults are dying off and the children are becoming “Antisenent”–not growing, confined to their childhood bodies. The story centres on the Antisenent Sergen, who is trapped in his home by his abusive father, and on the complexities of this un-aging and stagnant society. It’s as much of a relatable human story as it is a political one. I was inspired by social justice themes in general, but the story is reflective of these general themes adapted to this fictional world and not any one particular Earth leader, government, or conflict.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
My writing style is organic. I’m a discovery writer, so I develop the plot details as I write. This means that my draft writing is not in sequential order, creating scenes as they come to me, to be ordered later. Honestly, it’s a bit chaotic but it maximizes my creativity. It’s a style that works for me.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I have read a variety of fiction and now tend to focus more on reading science fiction and fantasy as I enjoy this genre the most. But when I was younger I used to read a lot of mystery and in particular, Mary Higgins Clark. Mystery novels tend to have intricate plots. I don’t remember all the books I read, but I think this genre in particular influenced how I write.

What are you working on now?
I’m currently in the editing phase of Book 2 in the Reign of the North Forest series.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
www.athenezadam.com
My author website houses everything–book information, social media, and media links. People can sign up for my newsletter and updates on my books on my website. I try to be widely accessible so whatever works for you! I am on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Goodreads, Reedsy, and Reedsy Discovery. I also have an Amazon Author page.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Two years ago, I had no idea what this journey would be like. I had a steep learning curve and I continue to learn and grow. Be prepared for a hard journey and don’t give up.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t ask questions unless you’re prepared to hear the answer.

What are you reading now?
Tonight I’ll be starting The Invisible Life of Addie Larue by V.E. Schwab.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I have so much to learn about this industry so much of my focus is on growth in general in this industry.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
There are so many to choose from, I can’t even answer this question! I guess Harry Potter? I’ll just combine all seven books into a megabook. That’s not cheating, right?
Can I bring a solar powered laptop instead?

Author Websites and Profiles

Athene Z. Adam Website

Athene Z. Adam’s Social Media Links

Peter J. White Amazon Profile

Peter J. White

Interview With Author Peter J. White

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve wanted to be an author since I was about six-years old. Though I took sporadic aim at that target, I never really went after it until I was in my forties. I earned an MFA in Screenwriting and began writing screenplays. The structured nature of that medium opened up the doors of creativity, and I began writing screenplays. Nine or ten of them, somewhere in there. Multiple drafts, etc.

After just enough success at contests and nibbles from various producers to keep me going for several years, I finally buckled up and went after the indie author thing.

I’ve written five novels in the Ghost Hunter series (I’m calling those Paranormal Vigilante Justice Thrillers–how’s that for a mouthful?), and one in the Supernatural Horror niche. That is the one I’m offering up here.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Ghosts of a Coven Past was inspired by an email sent to me by a buddy when he and his wife bought a house in Allentown, Pa.

His letter is one of the epigraphs.

Check it out.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Getting up at 4:30 to write on working days.

I write to soundtracks that fit the mood of the piece, but that’s not unusual.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Stephen King. Dean Koontz. Ernest Hemingway. David Foster Wallace. John Sandford. Lee Child. Micheal Connelly. John Connolly. Edgar Allan Poe. Stephen Graham Jones. H.P. Lovecraft. Anne Rule. True Crime.

That’s just a quick sample of a stream of consciousness response; I’m sure I’m forgetting a few favorites.

What are you working on now?
A piece that takes place on a container ship adrift in the Pacific. Thai crew, Dutch officers, American passengers, and a shitload of ghosts from all over the place.

I’m novelizing a screenplay I wrote five drafts off–similar and different to varying degrees. I originally entitled it “Container,” but that will change. (It was clever in terms of producer language–they are always calling for “contained” scripts. “Contained” = “As Cheaply Produced As Is Humanly Possible”.)

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Can’t say a whole lot about much. Amazon, I suppose. I run a lot of ads, but that gets expensive.

Sites like this are really helpful.

They direct readers like you to me.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Butt in chair.

Every day. Same time.

No matter what.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
From a doctor after I’d broken my foot kickboxing and was pestering him about what I could do. After a list of inadvisable activities (grappling, heavy squats, etc.), he looked at me, sighed, and said; “Peter, there’s nothing you can do to speed up your healing.” (beat) “But you can certainly slow it down.”

Love that man.

What are you reading now?
Newest John Sandford novel, “Righteous Prey,”
“The Violence Project”,
“Reliquary,” by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child.
“The Whispering Dead,” by Darcy Coat.

What’s next for you as a writer?
A series of horror novels of varying types: all supernatural.

Books four and five of Ghost Hunter will publish within about six weeks’ time. Book Six will be a while.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Can’t pass up the opportunity here: I watched “Green Room” with my daughter last night, and the very last line of the movie was Amber’s response to Pat’s “Desert Island Band” question:

“Ask someone who gives a shit.”

But that would be wrong of me:
Mmm, Infinite Jest, for sure. Probably 2666 as well. I’d take a fat King book, but I can’t think of any that end satisfactorily. The Shining, maybe…

Author Websites and Profiles

Peter J. White Website

Peter J. White’s Social Media Links

JoAnne Longtin-Rames Amazon Profile

JoAnne Longtin-Rames

Interview With Author JoAnne Longtin-Rames

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hi my name is Jo-Anne Longtin-Rames. I’m an elementary teacher who spends my days juggling my career and trying to keep up with my two energetic children. We love spending time together in nature and going on adventures around the world together.
For the last two years, I’ve devoted my evenings after putting the kids to bed, creating “Adventures with Darian”. The first book in my series “A Pirate at Sea See” which went through many re-writes and at times I felt like giving up. It wasn’t easy, and learning the world of self-publishing has been a challenging journey in itself but knowing that I would be furthering our family’s mission of providing representation and awareness for children with vision impairment will make it all worth it.
I’m proud to be a working mom who has “made it work” to chase this dream of mine and make it a reality, and I’m so grateful to my family and friends who helped make it all happen.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My book Adventures with Darian – A Pirate at Sea See

This children’s book is inspired by my own son Darian as he navigates the world with a prosthetic eye. This means he has an eye made of plastic acrylic and it matches his other eye. When Darian was only three years old, he was diagnosed with a rare eye disease called Coats. This disease caused abnormal blood vessels which leaked resulting in swelling and detachment of the retina. There are different stages to this rare disease and treatment varies according to these stages. Within three months of this discovery, his eye rapidly degenerated, resulting in emergency admittance into Sick Kids in Toronto where we discovered his retina had completely detached. Within 48 hours, doctors removed his eye. As parents, we worked to help Darian adjust to his new circumstances and learn how important it was to wear his protective eye glasses (polycarbonate lens guard his seeing eye). Since then, his family has trekked forward with the same positive attitude Darian has, always willing to face any challenge with a smile.

We hope this story inspires children with vision impairment to see themselves represented as a hero or a regular kid where VISION impairment is not the focus of the story but a part of it. We strive for representation in children’s literature to promote inclusion, acceptance and empathy. Let’s create meaningful conversations where we celebrate our differences and encourage respect for the uniqueness in us all.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
This is a funny question – I wish I did!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I wish I could list one….but I started this journey to create more representation in children’s literature. After conducting research, I was painfully aware of a market gap in children’s books about or for children with vision impairment etc. It became apparent that children with vision impairment deserve to see themselves represented in stories, but most importantly as main characters who are fearless, compassionate and daring just like my son Darian. Determined, I set out to write one.

What are you working on now?
Another story! This is the one I am very excited about! Its about a Dragon who lost his eye and Darian helps him navigate life with monocular vision.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
No idea. I actually really terrible at marketing.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Patience and kindness. These two things will help when the publishing journey becomes overwhelming.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all – Hellen keller

What are you reading now?
The universe

What’s next for you as a writer?
Not sure? Keeping writing stories and hope someone will read them 🙂

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Flowers in the Attic V.C. Andrews, The tell-Tale Heart Edgar Allan Poe, The house with Chicken Legs Sophie Anderson

Author Websites and Profiles

JoAnne Longtin-Rames’s Social Media Links