Awesome Author Interviews

Interview With Author Nalinee Shantè Van Zyl

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Author, Nalinee Shante van Zyl, who prefers to go by simply, Shante, is an introspective, extrovert. Loves reading, anything that has a twist. Be it a thriller, a fantasy, drama, etc. All genres are great! Period dramas that take you back in time and place you in eras you did not get to grow up in. Any story that can grab you from page one is a book worth reading to the end….

Shante has had a love for reading and writing since the very young age of five and often wrote poetry as well as short stories. She has two little boys of her own who she has read bedtime stories to since birth. She is passionate about encouraging them to create their own stories and comics, as preferred by her elder son, Ethan.

Shante is one of those moms who puts a great deal of time and effort into the mental well-being of her kids. Therefore her first series of kiddies custom books were all based on milestones, achievements, failures and peer pressure experienced by kids today. The book series uses the names and pictures (converted to cartoon format) of real life kids and tells their stories of emotions and feelings they struggle with daily so they can better identify with the story as well as increasing their willingness to read books. At the end of each book is a series of questions for parents or caregivers to ask the kids in order to better resolve important themes brought up in the stories. If you would like a custom kiddies book for your own child aged between 4 and 9 please feel free to drop her an email at shante1000@hotmail.com or shante@theartofcreativity.co.za. You may include any milestone, achievement or adversity you would like a story created around.

Unfortunately due to the POPI Act, parents have not given permission for their books to be circulated as examples or for sale on Amazon as it includes the kids real names and pictures. Shante is currently adapting a whole new series of books as well as those that are written especially for special needs kids and will publish those by the end of June. These were inspired by her second son Nathan, who was born with Down Syndrome, but his competence and determination has taught Shante a thing or two about determination as well.

She has been on a spiritual journey for the last two years. Her marriage of fourteen years went through a rocky patch and life as she knew it came tumbling down. Her career path that she chose and followed for eighteen years and left for the proper development of her second son for the last 6 years was no longer an option to return to when her husband and herself decided to split. The COVID-19 pandemic also posed problems for employment and therefore Shantè chose instead to follow her passions of writing, reading and cooking and baking. She started freelancing and writing stories for her own boys but, as word got out about the kinds of books that she wrote, she started marketing them at schools and other institutions. This is what led to her opening her own Publishing House to help writers like herself to be able to publish their works that came from humble beginnings, passions and those who would like to share their knowledge on different topics. Her personal adversities through life is what inspired her own book, which although a fantasy/supernatural romance novel, has elements with underlying themes of narcissism, non-conformity, revenge, control and ultimately freedom and love. Her spiritual journey has kept her away from her sons for a longer time than she has wanted, however, it is through these raw emotions that she is able to pen some of the most controversial poems and stories on Commaful where she also writes daily.

She currently has no place of permanent residence as she also volunteers counseling to others in similar situations as herself as well as many teenagers who struggle with depression, anxiety, dissociation and self-harm.

Book sales will bring her closer to being with her sons once again which is what she now spends most of her days doing.

Shante has also recently started writing adult fiction and her very first novel, “Darkangel999: A Divine Instrument” will soon be published via her publishing house Art and Creativity and is available here on Amazon ASIN:B09W3Q21K3, this is a fantasy/supernatural romance/suspense novel. This is a 3 book series and Book Two will be on sale as of the end of June.

Also watch out for Shante’s compilation of poetry soon to be up for sale on Amazon and Kindle.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Darkangel999:A Divine Instrument
My very recent divorce after 15 years of marriage. It was inspired by the damage that can be caused by narcissism and conforming to society’s norms for a free spirited, creative and spiritual person.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write all the time so simply just writing is a habit. I draw inspiration from everything and everyone around me, so there are times when I would be in the middle of a conversation or doing something and I would ask everyone to hold on while I make a note of something interesting I have heard to put in my next poem.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I love almost all genres of books, but my favourite authors are more of your classics like John Irving, Roald Dahl, Rosalind Laker, Wilbur Smith, L. Ron Hubbard and recent books like Fifty Shades of Grey, Twilight, Divergent, etc.

What are you working on now?
I am currently working on my new kiddies fantasy books series as well as my second novel for the three book series of Darkangel999, entitled the Alternate Universe, a poetry book compilation of over 150 poems I have written over the last year and a series of recipe adventure books for well known food trucks in my area and their adventures at different festivals and markets.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Goodreads, All Authors, Wattpad, Amazon, different blog sites and also at local bookstores.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Well I am a fairly new published author but have been writing since I was around 6 years old. It has always been a passion of mine.

My advice would be to always follow your passions as I believe they define your purpose in life. Never give up and there is no such thing as failure only not trying hard enough.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Turn your face towards the Sun, let the shadows fall behind you. Anyone who stops you from following your dreams are those who you should leave behind and never look back.

What are you reading now?
Currently I am not reading anything because much of my time is taken up with writing and promotions.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Coming up in September this year I will be hosting a Book and Book Writing Convention which features local publishers, authors, book writing competitions and interactive Storytelling Corners.

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?
My Uncle Oswald, Henry Sugar, A Son of the Circus and The Sugar Pavilion

Author Websites and Profiles

Nalinee Shantè Van Zyl Website

Nalinee Shantè Van Zyl Amazon Profile

Nalinee Shantè Van Zyl’s Social Media Links

Goodreads Profile

Facebook Profile

Interview With Author Stratis Kamatsos

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am lawyer and social entrepreneur who started my business path by reviving my 3-generational, family tradition of olive oil production on the island of Lesvos, Greece, with my company evo3 olive farms. Through my love and knowledge of olive oil, I began to advocate for its health benefits and the role it played in the Greek way of life. I not only promoted olive oil’s health benefits, but also saw that the Greek village diet was much more than just food, but a lifestyle, and I witnessed first-hand that it could make someone live longer, happier and healthier.

I am the founder and CEO of evo3 olive farms. The CSR that underlies evo3 olive farms’ efforts is that for every product sold, a tree is planted in a deforested area in Africa and Haiti putting planet over profit. I work with Eden Reforestation Projects with the tree planting. By teaming up with Eden, evo3 olive farms not only plants trees – through its valued customers and partner – but also gives work to impoverished local people dedicated to earn a supplemental income by planting these trees and reviving their local forests and farmlands.

My olive oil has won many taste and branding awards, including from the New York International Olive Oil Competition, the Los Angeles International Olive Oil Competition, the London Great Taste awards, the AVPA olive oil competition in France, and Gold in the International Organic Awards.

I am an olive oil sommelier giving olive oil taste lectures on how to taste olive oil and choosing the right one, and also the benefits of using olive oil and the role it plays in the SLOW Life diet.

I was also a TedX speaker. My talk focused on creating a business based on social value rather than only financial value. It is called, “Entrepreneurship and Empathy” (please turn on the subtitles as the original language is Greek).

The is the first book I have written and published, and thus, it is a new and exciting journey for me.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The name of my book is SLOW Life Diet – Greek Village Living: The Pathway to a Healthier Lifestyle, Healthy Habits, and a Happier You.

Having grown up in the United States, but being of Greek origin, every summer we would go to my parents’ villages in Greece (Lesvos) and immerse ourselves in the village way of life. Things that I observed, lived, practiced and learned, stayed with me throughout my life. However, they became thoroughly important when my health slightly suffered as a young adult. It allowed me to alter my path to a healthier lifestyle and aging well. And with all the scientific research that has been done on the subject to show its positive health benefits, it allowed me to invigorate my inspiration to write the book and to share my knowledge about the subject.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I wouldn’t call them unusual (or at least from my perspective!), but when I write, I like to make a mental sketch (something of a mental map) of what the book will look like. Then I make an outline (content skeleton) on paper. After this, I take each section/heading one by one and write notes. I then go back and research anything I need to to back up opinions that I make. Lastly, I start writing the book.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
From the old writers, I like reading Plato.
From the more modern ones, being a lawyer, I grew up reading John Grisham. And for his thought provoking writing and thorough history of society, Yuval Noah Harari.

What are you working on now?
As I have just recently published my first book, I am trying to market it and get more readership for it. In the near future, I will look to expand this series with other books talking about the SLOW life diet and Greek village living.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I think that generally, platforms like Awesome Gang, which connect authors to readers and other authors in an authentic way, are extremely valuable to budding authors. These platforms will become even more promising in the future of publishing and for promoting books.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Although it took me a few years (on and off) in finishing my book, in the end, I did not want to hesitate to “perfect” my book, but to just go ahead and publish it. You need to let go of all the anxieties and worries you may have about what others may think of your book. There will people that will not agree with you or not like what you write, but there will be many others who do. And remember, to stimulate conversation on both sides of the table is what writing is all about and a success for writers. Go for it because you only live once.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Everything is impossible until you do it.

What are you reading now?
Keep Sharp: How to Build a Better Brain at Any Age by Dr. Sanjay Gupta

What’s next for you as a writer?
Just to build upon the momentum of my first book; to write a whole series on the subject and to keep increasing my knowledge on 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?
The Laws by Plato
Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
Moby-Dick by Herman Melville

Author Websites and Profiles

Stratis Kamatsos Amazon Profile

Stratis Kamatsos’s Social Media Links

Facebook Profile

Interview With Author Gary Blaine Randolph

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am an author and storyteller. Over my career I have owned a software company, been a college professor, and developed websites and computer programs. And it seems that I have always been writing, whether for business or pleasure — novels, computer manuals, magazine articles, blogs, textbooks, drama sketches, poems, stories for telling, and more.

I have seven books out. Five are in the Galactic Detective Agency series, a comedic sci-fi mystery series. One is a serious standalone sci fi book called Alien World. The last book comes from my work as a storyteller. It’s called Stories from Celtic Lands: A Storyteller’s Tales and Poems.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest is book five of the Galactic Detective Agency, Murder on the Girsu Express. It is a sci-fi mystery comedy. As the name suggests, it is an homage to Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express, with a death occurring on an elegant space cruiser. In addition, two of the main characters are a tribute to the Jeeves and Wooster series of books by the great P.G. Wodehouse. It was a blast writing those characters.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
So far I have never experienced writer’s block. If I’m stuck in one part of a story or blog, I turn to writing another part.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
So many. In no particular order, Terry Pratchett, Rex Stout, P.G. Wodehouse, Caimh McDonnell, C. S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, Barbara Tuckman, David McCullough, Sue Grafton.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on book six of the Galactic Detective Agency, The Cormabite Maneuver. I’m also playing around with a non-sci-fi detective story set in 1930s Chicago. Every detective needs a quirk, and this detective’s quirk is that he is something of an idiot who manages to get by on his charm and with the help of others.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m still trying to figure that out myself.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write. Write. Write. G.K. Chesterton said that anything worth doing is worth doing poorly. Which means you shouldn’t worry about not starting out as an expert or even not being very good at first. Practice and get better.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Measure twice, cut once. It applies to many aspects of life. Interestingly though, it does not apply to writing at all. In writing, the first thing is to just get something down. If you don’t know the best way to say something, just take a stab at it. You can always improve it in a later draft.

What are you reading now?
The Curse of Braeburn Castle by Karen Baugh Menuhin. I’m a sucker for anything Scottish or Irish, especially with a mystery in the plot.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I just want to keep honing my craft. I want to do more serious sci-fi as well as a non-sic-fi detective mystery. I also have a coming of age story in me that will work its way out someday.

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, it’s hard to beat G.K. Chesterton’s advice of A Practical Guide to Shipbuilding. There are very few books I have read over and over. But I’m sure The Lord of the Rings could be mined over and over.

Author Websites and Profiles

Gary Blaine Randolph Website

Gary Blaine Randolph Amazon Profile

Gary Blaine Randolph’s Social Media Links

Goodreads Profile

Facebook Profile

Interview With Author Elena Jagar

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I write books for children as well as short stories and cozy mysteries (under a pen name). My debut title, Conspirators’ Club, is Book 1 in a new mystery series for middle-grade readers. It takes place at a boarding school on a remote island, and is full of adventure.

It is my hope that young readers will come away from my books feeling that nothing is impossible, no matter how difficult things may appear.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is titled THE RAINBOW WEAVER’S APPRENTICE. It’s about a carefree girl, Addie, who is learning the delicate magic of trapping rainbows and harvesting rainbow seeds. Her teacher tries to pass on her knowledge of how to plant and grow the seeds to make magic rainbow yarn. This magic sustains Addie’s village, but requires constant tending to and Addie just doesn’t have the discipline for it yet. When she fails in her duties, she discovers that without the rainbow yarn, her village is vulnerable to the spells of the neighboring Fairy Realm. In order to restore the balance of magic, she must travel through the mysterious Fairy Tunnel that lies between her village and the next one, where she can get help. Unfortunately, the fairies require heavy tolls for passage, and if Addie fails to pay she’ll be trapped in the Fairy Realm forever.

Readers are often surprised to find out that this book was actually inspired by a garden near which I once lived. It was very large, and there was always some new corner to explore. I found it extremely fascinating that some of its remote parts were connected by tree tunnels as shortcuts, kind of like a giant green labyrinth. From exploring this garden, the idea came of a world where a person can walk through a magical tree tunnel and cut down his journey from many weeks to just a few hours. Of course, this would come at a price 🙂 Apart from the setting, some of the people I encountered in that garden became the inspiration for the characters in the book, i.e. Verna the Rainbow Weaver and the sinister Bird Whisperer.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
While I do prefer to be in a quiet place when I’m writing (with a teapot within reaching distance), I don’t really have any peculiar writing habits or requirements. Case in point: I once wrote a chapter while waiting on line at the DMV.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
There’s been so many it’s hard to pinpoint just a few, but if I had to then Tolkien would be at the top of the list, followed closely by C.S. Lewis, Jules Verne, Astrid Lindgren, Diana Wynne Jones, Ursula K. Le Guin, and Scott Fitzgerald.

What are you working on now?
At the moment, I’m working on the companion novel to The Rainbow Weaver’s Apprentice. The title of the book is The Last Gatekeeper. Technically, it’s going to be book 2 in the Fairy Tunnels series, as it features the same world building, a nature-entwined magic system, and yes, fairies. There is an all-new cast of characters, but I hope readers will be happy to know that Addie and a few of her friends from book 1 will be making cameo appearances.

What are you reading now?
I recently finished reading Electric Midnight, a time traveling noir mystery by Nathan Van Coops, a writer whose time-travelling novels I’ve enjoyed very much. I have to say, this one didn’t disappoint, so I’m looking forward to reading the third installment in the series.

What’s next for you as a writer?
For the moment, I’m working on The Last Gatekeeper and having a lot of fun at it. Once that book is finished and out in the word, I’m looking forward to writing book 2 in the Conspirators series. It already has a title and a general plot direction, so I’m anxious to get started on it in the near future.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
That’s easy:
The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien,
In Search of Castaways by Jules Verne,
Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones,
A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin

Author Websites and Profiles

Elena Jagar Amazon Profile

Elena Jagar Author Profile on Smashwords

Elena Jagar’s Social Media Links

Facebook Profile

Twitter Account

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Interview With Author Michael Picard

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have written two and a half books (i.e., one co-authored) and edited three collections.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
How to Play Philosophy: A Book for Public Thinking and the Thinking Public. (Hamilton, 2022).
The book was inspired by those for whom it was originally written, namely participants of the public participatory philosophy sessions I hosted weekly for 12 years.

What are you working on now?
Wrapping up my third edited collection, an anthology of pieces by animators of Cafe Philosophy the world over, including original translations I made from the French book by Marc Sautet, founder of Cafe Philo in Paris in 1992. Over a dozen countries are represented. Several chapters cover practicalities of organizing a sustainable public participatory philosophy events series; others explore — for the first time ever in English — the theoretical and political dimensions of cafe philosophy. There are pieces critical of the practice, and innovations responsive to the critiques, including Philosophy Sports, which I developed and present comprehensively in this book for the first time.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
https://rowman.com/ISBN/9780761873068/How-to-Play-Philosophy
https://www.anvilpress.com/books/cafe-conversations-democracy-dialogue-in-public-spaces

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The truth will set you free.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I am translating two books form German by Gerd Achenbach for Lexington Books.

Author Websites and Profiles

Michael Picard Website

Michael Picard Amazon Profile

Michael Picard’s Social Media Links

Goodreads Profile

Twitter Account

Interview With Author Kevin A. Reynolds

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hello there,
I was born just south of London, and have lived in Tokyo since 1989, where I now write novels focused on Japan past, present and future. Although I cover different genres, there is a core theme that lies at the heart of my work, along the lines of “There are more things in heaven and earth…”, with some obvious, some subtle and some hidden linkages across the stories. I also play guitar, though not particularly well.

I’ve written three novels: Mamoribito – The One Who Protects,
The Girl Who Fell Through Time: Book One – Beginnings, & Book Two – A Universe of Stars.
I’ve also published a couple of business books (please have a look at my webpage for details). So, that’s 5 in all, plus 2 more that I co-authored about 15 years ago – so 7 in total!

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I recently published “A Universe of Stars,” Book Two in the “The Girl Who Fell Through Time” series. I think the inspiration for the overall storyline comes from living in Japan for 30 years and living the contrasts of east/west, destiny/determinism, science/faith, reality/illusion, Yin/Yang, etc., that exist here. I wanted to explore what happens when science and spirit meet (Peter & Nene), but are called upon to do something greater than themselves.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not particularly – although I also have a full time job as a consultant, so fitting in writing isn’t easy!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I grew up reading Alistair Maclean, Desmond Bagley and similar authors – and I think in my heart I want to write in that genre – which is why I wrote Mamoribito, and I expect why the third book of the Girl Who Fell Through Time series will be much more of of an “action” sci-fi/ romance than the first two books.

What are you working on now?
Now I’m working on Book Three of “The Girl Who Fell Through Time” series. After that I’ll write the sequel to Mamoribito.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Honestly, I’m not very good at this, which is why I’m now using Awesome Gang. I have done ads on Amazon and Facebook, but next I’m looking to use Instagram much more.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Just keep going. Rewrite everything multiple times, then do a re-read after publication to find all the things missed on the pre-publishing edits! Your work is better than you think, but don’t expect everyone to like it. I’ve had 5 star and 1 star reviews for the same book. The negative reviews can help you to become a better writer, so even though they are so, so painful to read, they can also be helpful.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“Who you’re going through hell, keep going.”
Winston Churchill.

What are you reading now?
The House in the Strand by Daphne du Maurier.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Get the next book done!

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?
Principia – Isaac Newton. It’s a huge book (I have a copy) and will take years to read.
Encylopedia Britannica. Ditto, although I don’t have a copy

Author Websites and Profiles

Kevin A. Reynolds Website

Kevin A. Reynolds Amazon Profile

Kevin A. Reynolds’s Social Media Links

Goodreads Profile

Facebook Profile

Interview With Author Vanessa A. Ryan

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I live in Southern California, where I am also an actor and a visual artist. At one point in my acting career, I did some standup comedy so my novels often reflect my love of humor even for serious subjects. I have written and published eight novels published. Two of them are published in Denmark. The others were published in the U.S. I write mystery and thriller novels.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest novel is The Trouble with Murder, A Hetty Carson Mystery. It’s a new series with a female private detective. I wanted to have a female private detective based in Los Angeles, but not in the trendiest part of L.A., and I chose the Garment District. It’s gritty and it suits the element of noir that I wanted in the novel. I wanted to make the detective a less-than-perfect character.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m not sure this qualifies as an unusual writing habit, but all of my three cats insist on having lap time with me while I’m typing on my keyboard. Generally, they take turns, but I have had all three on my lap at the same time.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
So many authors have influenced me. It would be impossible to list them all. But here’s a short list: I love Jane Austen, Agatha Christie, Stuart Palmer, G. K. Chesterton, Mary Roberts Rhinehart, Patricia Wentworth, Elizabeth Daly, Dashiell Hammett, Raymond Chandler, Ernest Hemmingway, Ross MacDonald, Dorothy B. Hughes, Cornell Woolrich, James M. Cain, Barbara Michaels, Graham Greene, Georgette Heyer, Patricia Highsmith, Darwin Teilhet, Hildegard Tolman Teilhet, Earl Derr Biggers, Lewis Carroll, Louisa May Alcott, and Eric Ambler.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on a mystery thriller that takes place in Cuba. I once visited Cuba when they opened it up to Americans for travel. While the plot and the characters are fictitious, I’m incorporating what I learned about Cuba and its people from my visit there.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m still learning what works and what doesn’t work.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Keep writing. That seems trite, but what else can you do? The more you write, the better you’ll get at it.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best advice I received was not to overload the first chapter of a novel with background information about the plot and/or the characters. That makes for tedious reading.

What are you reading now?
I’m reading Sanditon, by Jane Austen. I’ve had the book for some time. I even took it on a vacation to the U.K., but with all the sightseeing I did, I didn’t have time to read it. Then I watched it on Masterpiece Theater and loved it. So I’m reading it now.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I want to write more novels, either as stand-alone books or in a series. I have also written some screenplays, and I would like to see those produced.

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?
Wow. Only 3 or 4 books? I guess I would bring the complete works of Shakespeare. There’s got to be one book that has all his plays. That would take quite a bit of time to memorize and understand each play and act them out. As for the other books, I would pick one Raymond Chandler novel–it doesn’t matter which one–they’re all great. For the last book, I would pick Alice in Wonderland because that could give me hope that I’d one day get back home.

Author Websites and Profiles

Vanessa A. Ryan Website

Vanessa A. Ryan Amazon Profile

Vanessa A. Ryan’s Social Media Links

Goodreads Profile

Twitter Account

Interview With Author Lauren Louise Hazel

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have started many books and usually get stuck around the dreaded 40k mark. The Reign of the Occult is the first book I finished and I have written two since (including the sequel). My speed has vastly increased when I start concentrating!

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Reign of the Occult. It’s inspired by lots of things: shows I like, books I’ve loved, and characters I’ve related to. Apparently Everett is inspired by my own brother. Which I did not realize while writing!

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I put sports on in the background. Tennis and football (the British kind), mostly.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Too many to name. Harry Potter was the first series I absolutely loved.

What are you working on now?
I am editing the sequel to The Reign of the Occult, called The Queen of the Underworld. The plot came to me in almost complete form as soon as I started writing it.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
As a debut author, I am still figuring this out. But it’s exciting to try lots of different things.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Prepare to play the long game.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
You can’t fail if you never stop trying.

What are you reading now?
I am reading A Court of Thorn and Roses, which I do really like. I’ve been distracted by writing (and my day job), but when I’m on holiday in the next few weeks, I’m going to read the whole series.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I would like to complete The Occult series in the next year or so. Then I have a great idea for a trilogy I have wanted to write for so long (I have been trying not to get distracted) and I’ve already done the research for.

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 Wind-Up Bird Chronicle
Good Omens
Bridget Jones
Circe

Author Websites and Profiles

Lauren Louise Hazel Website

Lauren Louise Hazel Amazon Profile

Lauren Louise Hazel’s Social Media Links

Goodreads Profile

Twitter Account

Interview With Author Lisa Opel

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have recently published my first book and have built a female empowerment platform. This has come from a place of sheer desperation after losing my libido and my mission is to break all taboos surrounding intimacy and pleasure and help women reignite their desire.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My book is called GIVE IT TO ME! and it is a collection of short, naughty stories. I worked in a fetish shop for six years. These stories were born out of my sassy mindspace mixed with an absolute lack of lust!

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I love putting one song on repeat and then doing writing sprints!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I am an absolute chick literature fan (Jill Mansell, Jane Green etc.). Some might poo-poo at this (mind you, I have read all the classics and greats) but it is the one genre that allows my mind to escape from daily routine and lists.

What are you working on now?
My second book is in the making and will head either down the fantasy route (I’m a geek at heart) or each story will be set in a city of Europe.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
My favourite way to promote my book is in fact one-to-one personal, qualitative conversation. Whilst I will be using paid advertising, I enjoy the feedback I get from people individually.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t give up! Believe in your book, your passion! And do your homework wherever you publish and however you publish!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
If you don’t ask, you don’t get.

What are you reading now?
Jane Green – Falling
(told you I like chick lit!)

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m building a community. Mothers and sexuality are still such a taboo topic and so I plan on doing readings and talks to encourage more women to feel free to explore their desires.

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?
A book of poetry, my own book (too arrogant?!), Mitch Albom (any), Matt Haig (any) and a chick lit.

Author Websites and Profiles

Lisa Opel Website

Lisa Opel Amazon Profile

Lisa Opel’s Social Media Links

Facebook Profile

Twitter Account

Pinterest Account

Interview With Author Charles Harned

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I was born in Galveston, Texas but grew up in Greenville, South Carolina and graduated from Clemson University. I have a business degree, but never really saw myself leaving school and transitioning to corporate America. Owning my own business, starting something from nothing, has always appealed, and in a way being a writer is doing just that. I’ve been seriously writing for eight years and have completed eight novels in that time.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
A Day in Fall is my first book ever published. It’s a topical thriller that could also qualify as a political or espionage thriller. Michael Larson, an agent on a highly secretive team deep within the Department of Homeland Security, tries to make a connection between violent extremists and someone in the United States government after a prominent scientist is abducted.

A Day in Fall was inspired by a singular idea: people will do desperate things when they feel like their backs are against a wall. That goes for anybody. We seem to be nearing a point of no return when it comes to climate change. What are we supposed to do if the government won’t act, or can’t act quickly enough? Are we supposed to trust a system that might be failing?

I don’t have answers to these questions, but A Day in Fall plays off that dilemma. It’s also heavily influenced by the concept of globalism. Can we survive as a species without fully accepting that we have to, at some point, fully cooperate as a global community? All of these issues came to a head back in 2016, when we started to see just how many people vehemently opposed globalism and the green movement. The book is heavily influenced by that as well.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m way more productive when I write by hand and type the manuscript later. I reward myself for good writing with phone breaks, which is more of a bad habit than an unusual one, I guess. My most unusual habit is that I often write two or three unrelated books at once, at least for a while, and only focus on one over the others maybe halfway in. Then I come back to the others when the first is complete.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Carlos Ruiz Zafon (Shadow of the Wind) is my favorite author. John Berendt (Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil) is up there, but makes me jealous more than anything because I’ll never be as good as him. I love a good spy novel, and in my eyes Daniel Silva’s Gabriel Allon series is head and shoulders above the rest. Then, to round it out, The Rum Diary (Hunter S. Thompson), The Master and Margarita (Mikhail Bulgakov), and The Night Circus (Erin Morgenstern) are books I can’t imagine not having read.

What are you working on now?
I’m supposed to be diligently writing away on A Day in Fall’s sequel, A Day in Winter. I’m making progress, but I’ve become sidetracked by another project, The Wrecking Crew. It’s a crime thriller about a middle-aged surfer in Venice Beach who needs a heart transplant. His doctor promises to get him moved up the transplant list if he’ll kill the doctor’s two ex-wives. It’s one of those things where the writing is going really well, and I’m not one to tempt fate.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Honestly, in my limited experience, Facebook has been hugely helpful. I think for any writer trying to gain exposure, leveraging friends and family is so important. I was wholly surprised by how quickly word spread from people I know to people they know and so on. My goal is to tap into as many spheres of influence as possible, and starting with people you know makes for some motivated customers.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
None of this is original, but when it comes to writing the same advice gets repeated again and again for a reason. I feel very strongly that writing must be done for its own sake, not for fantasies of fame or fortune. If you’re doing it for those reasons you’ll never last long enough to have success. The drive won’t be there.

My other piece of advice is learn to be resilient. There will be a lot (tons?) of rejection. Don’t expect things to happen quickly. Expect it to take years of hard work before your writing is good enough. But if you want it bad enough you’ll keep going and find a way to make it happen. Just find a way.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
If you’re going to regret not doing something, you better try to do it, even if you fail.

I write books because I can’t really imagine my life if I didn’t. It’s something I feel compelled to do. The fear of failure is real, but if not doing something is going to hang over your head for the rest of your life, pluck up the courage and take the leap!

What are you reading now?
The Keeper of Night by Kylie Lee Baker. I don’t read fantasy too often, but this book is great. It’s dark, has plenty of British and Japanese mythology, and has kept me on my toes thus far. Definitely check it out.

What’s next for you as a writer?
My goal is to have two more books written by the end of 2022. Hopefully, I can work with my current publisher to make A Day in Fall’s sequel a reality and then find a home for ‘The Wrecking Crew’ if there’s interest. But the goal is to always work on becoming a better writer and connect with more people. I’m so excited to keep growing my network.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
That’s a tough question. I’m the kind of person that can’t go anywhere overnight without a few books hidden in my backpack. It gives me anxiety to travel for any extended period without some good reading, and I never know what mood will strike. So, here’s my rundown:

A Farewell to Arms
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
The Master and Margarita
The Rum Diary
(Honorable Mention) The Witching Hour

I think those could bring a much-needed escape to my island solitude.

Author Websites and Profiles

Charles Harned Website

Charles Harned Amazon Profile

Charles Harned’s Social Media Links

Goodreads Profile

Facebook Profile

Twitter Account

 

Interview With Author Deborah L. Perdue

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am an award-winning illustrator of graphic design and author of five books on my favorite topic and passion, “gratitude.” I teach workshops, and classes and facilitate women’s retreats about topics of gratitude, abundance, and how to live a life of peace, joy, and bliss.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My new release is titled “Daily Gratitude Reflections Volume 2: 365 Guides to Great-Full Living.” Writing about spirituality inspires me greatly. In particular, writing about gratitude, and inspiring others to be more grateful in their lives is very fulfilling to me. Becoming a gratitude aficionado in my own life in 2012 informs me of how very powerful a daily gratitude practice is, and I like to share this knowledge.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Nothing unusual or quirky habits at all. I tend to write short pieces. When I write, I like best to use pen and paper, and then type on my computer where I also edit. I write daily because I send out ‘Daily Gratitude Reflections’ in an e-newsletter, and this keeps me always writing which I love to do.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Spiritually, I enjoy Mark Nepo, Michael A. Singer, Brene Brown, Caroline Myss, Deepak Chopra, and Wayne Dyer, to name just a few. Fiction-wise, I enjoy modern psychological drama and mysteries. A few authors to name are Kristen Hannah, Judi Picoult, and Susan Clayton-Goldner. I also love Toni Morrison, Anne Lamott, and Maya Angelou. Loved Michelle Obama’s book “Becoming.”

What are you working on now?
I just released my new book, so I’m currently busy promoting my book as my dear friend Cat lyon of Lyon Literary Services as I hired her to help market the book. She is an expert at what she does and the exceptional marketing knowledge she has. SO that is my focus right now.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
The same as shared in the above question. It is also essential to have a proper book launch for a new release and I used the help of Book Funnel services to launch my latest title, “Daily Gratitude Reflections Volume 2: 365 Guides to Great-Full Living.”

Do you have any advice for new authors?
If you love what you are writing about, keep going! Never give up. Writing is a wonderful form of creativity. Make sure you find an expert editor and save money for a marketing budget to market your book after release.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best advice I was given is to learn how to self-publish your books. I did. I self-publish through my own publishing company Applegate Valley Publishing. I wanted to publish my first Grace of Gratitude Journal and did, and then others followed. Inspiration gratitude books and one more beautiful journal. All my books and journals are available on Amazon and my ebooks are a part of the Kindle Unlimited program.

What are you reading now?
I’m looking for my next read. I do enjoy reading modern psychological fiction and also modern mysteries.

What’s next for you as a writer?
At this moment, I’m not too sure as of yet.

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?
First and foremost the Bible, anything of Wayne Dyer and Maya Angelou.

Author Websites and Profiles

Deborah L. Perdue Website

Deborah L. Perdue Amazon Profile

Deborah L. Perdue’s Social Media Links

Goodreads Profile

Facebook Profile

Twitter Account

 

Interview With Author Jessica James

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a former journalist who has written 19 novels. The first genre I wrote in was historical fiction, followed by suspense/thrillers. I also have a holiday novella and a Women’s Fiction novel.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I have a new Civil War Trilogy out that is based on my first novel written in 2008.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Just that I have to have complete silence when writing. No music or TV.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I fell in love with Northwest Passage by Kenneth Roberts, which led me to writing historical fiction.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on a new suspense/thriller.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
My author page at https://www.jessicajamesbooks.com

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Yes, use the A-B-C method.
Attach-Butt-to-Chair…and write.

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

What are you reading now?
I’m writing a freelance article on a new WWII museum in Gettysburg, so I’m reading up on the war.

What’s next for you as a writer?
More freelance and travel writing.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Northwest Passage
The Scarlet Pimpernel
The Count of Monte Cristo

Author Websites and Profiles

Jessica James Website

Jessica James Amazon Profile

Jessica James Author Profile on Smashwords

Jessica James’s Social Media Links

Goodreads Profile

Facebook Profile

Twitter Account

Pinterest Account

Interview With Author Kirsten Fowler

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have had a love for writing since I was a young girl and always kept a journal for expression, therapeutic value, and family history. Family, Faith, and Fragile X is my first published book about my life as a mother of four children, three with special needs.
Throughout high school and college I wrote and designed for several newspapers. I have also written for several blogs and online sites. When I am not writing I love to spend time with my kids, read, play music, and hang out with my husband.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Family, Faith, and Fragile X is my first published book. It is about my own life experiences as a mother of there special needs children and all its ups and downs.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I prefer sitting on the couch or my bed with a blanket instead of sitting at a desk!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
CS Lewis, Thoreau, modern fairy tales, various memoirs, Kierra Cass.

What are you working on now?
Taking a break before my book launch in July!

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Having Amazon and my own website are the best help to me.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Everything is going to work out.

What are you reading now?
Right now I am reading various books and articles put out by my Church.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I hope to write more books in the future and want to dabble in various different genres, including fantasy, comedy, and more non-fiction.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
I would take my religious books as well as some good fantasy fiction.

Author Websites and Profiles

Kirsten Fowler Website

Interview With Author C. C. Burns

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m Claire, lover all things Regency! I’m not quite sure how this fascination began, but trips to my local National Trust house at Osterley Park were certainly part of my inspiration as a young girl and naturally lead to an overconsumption of period drama and nineteenth century books from an early age. I am interested in excavating women’s pasts and reimagining the little known-untold stories of supressed histories and narratives. I love research and like to mix well researched truths in with reimagined fictions, to fill out the historical clefts. I like to start with a valid line of enquiry and ask “what might such a past have looked like for a woman like this?” My current (debut) series seeks to consider what a lesbian lifestyle might have been like for a woman of the nineteenth century.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My series name was inspired by a very famous line by Jane Austen in P&P and seemed fitting to my protagonists character: “Diary of an obstinate, headstrong female.” The book title of my latest book within this series is: “Appetence.” The book is about longing for the forbidden, ardent desire and romance, so it seemed apt.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Hmmm, how would I know when they would not seem at all irregular to me? 😉 – I don’t think I have anything extraordinary to note. I’m what’s know as a pantser, in author speak, and sometimes my characters and storylines come to me in dreams and on the fly and I have to speed-write the details down before they are lost to me like a fading dream.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
So many… I have always enjoyed the wit and romantic plots of Regency authors like Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer. I also love Victorian works by Dickens, Gaskell, Emile Zola & Alcott. I have more recently discovered less known regency authors; Charlotte Dacre and Maria Edgeworth.
My favourite modern HF writers are Sarah Waters, Michel Faber, Imogen Hermes Gowar, Kate Manning.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on my third book in the series: “Cicisbeo” which I expect to complete this year. I have already done most of the groundwork for this book but It can take a little while to synchronise it all and give it the final polish.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m not sure yet, it’s early days..

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Join 20books250k for a wealth of indie author advice and experience on publishing and marketing. – Independent authors have to be writers, publishers and marketers – the latter can be a little daunting.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Question everything…

What are you reading now?
Zofloya, or the Moor – Charlotte Dacre.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Well initially to complete this current series which I anticipate will end up a six book series. After that, I have stacks of ideas queuing, and new ones always emerging from current research.

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?
Tipping the Velvet – Sarah Waters
Fingersmith – Sarah Waters
The Notorious Madame X – Kate Manning
Sprig Muslin – Georgette Heyer

Author Websites and Profiles

C. C. Burns Website

C. C. Burns Amazon Profile

C. C. Burns’s Social Media Links

Goodreads Profile

Facebook Profile

Interview With Author Justin DiPego

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve been a storyteller for as long as I can remember. It started with creating the adventures of my (made up) friends and evolved into being a probably not very good Dungeon Master because I was more interested in spinning a yarn than rolling the dice. My pursuits away from writing took me to experiences that would return good stories, like horseback riding and construction work. I began my screenwriting career out of college, my first novel, Seven o’Clock Man, came out in 2018 and I’m now releasing my second novel.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
“Wrong Side of a Working Man” is the story of an electrician, plying his trade across Los Angeles when his life suddenly goes to hell. He develops chronic pain and flights of anger. His wife leaves him, he loses his job and he discovers a curse has been put upon him. To lift the curse, he has to perform ten mythic tasks across the Southland, to reset his balance and the balance of the city itself. Inspired by the Twelve Labors of Hercules, it’s also an exploration of the hidden corners of the city, the secret mysticism that binds us all and the role of pain in toxic, mail violence.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
“Epic Film Scores” is a playlist I stumbled upon on YouTube Music. I play it as loud as is tolerable and find the cinematic mindscapes both inspire me and drown out my ancillary thoughts, focusing on the voices in my head.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I’ve been a constant reader my whole life and J.R.R. Tolkien was obviously a gateway to epic fantasy, but also to the notion of the narrative voice being an unnamed character in the story. I love Raymond Chandler and his observations of the human condition, disguised as hardboiled detective stories. I’ve also pulled countless novels from the shelves of used bookstores by authors no one remembers and I try to learn from everything.

What are you working on now?
As an author, I’m gathering my notes, thoughts, and characters for the second book in the Workingman trilogy. As a filmmaker, I always have several irons in the fire.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
The best method for promoting my books is via my website which you can find below.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Writing is not a desk job. Get out into the world and experience as much of it as you can. Pay attention. Observe. Gather truths. Learn. Then sit at your desk and put pen to paper.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I get this from my father. Though writing is not a desk job, it is a job. You can’t sit and wait for the muse. Whatever stage your project is in, you have to clock in and get to business.

What are you reading now?
Happily, the book world has evolved since I was coming up, and authors other than old white men have more opportunities to tell their stories. I just finished The Song of Achilles and Circe by Madeline Miller, which I cannot praise highly enough, and just started The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m really looking forward to digging into the next installment of the Workingman series, but I also have a spacefaring Sci-fi that’s been rumbling in the background. Always looking for my next challenge.

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?
Questions like this always fire up my analysis paralysis, but here goes: First, I would bring the thickest, heaviest single-volume dictionary I can find. Second, The Complete Tales and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe would be eternally re-readable. Next, The Book Of Knots – Being A Complete Treatise On The Art Of Cordage, Illustrated By 172 Diagrams Showing The Manner Of Making Every Knot, Tie, And Splice from 1890 is under 50 pages but sounds pretty useful. And finally, can anyone recommend an expansive book on comparative mythology?

Author Websites and Profiles

Justin DiPego Website

Justin DiPego Amazon Profile

Justin DiPego Author Profile on Smashwords

Justin DiPego’s Social Media Links

Goodreads Profile

Facebook Profile

Twitter Account

Pinterest Account

Interview With Author Kristina Gallo

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a Croatian multi-genre author. I have written 14 books, number 15 is on the way.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The mermaid from my nightmare is a thriller with a place of action in Brazil. It is a story about a fatal woman Marcia who caused trouble in others’ lives. Her murder was unsolved until the other victim found suspicious tracks about Marcia.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I love classic music while I am writing.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Agatha Christie

What are you working on now?
I am writing my new book Unfinished business. The topic is a war thriller.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Sharing books on Twitter, and Amazon ads.

What are you reading now?
I am reading book Four by indie author Peter B. Novis.

Author Websites and Profiles

Kristina Gallo Amazon Profile

Kristina Gallo’s Social Media Links

Twitter Account

Interview With Author Val Tobin

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Val studied general arts at the University of Waterloo, then went to DeVry Toronto to get a diploma in Computer Information Systems. She worked in the computer industry as a software and Web developer for over ten years.

In October 2004, Val became a certified Reiki Master/Teacher. She acquired Angel Therapy Practitioner® certification in March 2008, in Kona, Hawaii from Doreen Virtue, Ph.D.

Val started work on a bachelor of science in parapsychic science from the American Institute of Holistic Theology in March 2007 and received her degree in September 2010. She also obtained her master’s degree in parapsychology at AIHT.

At the end of October 2008, Val returned to Kona, Hawaii to complete the Advanced ATP® training and in April 2010 to take the Spiritual Writing workshop and the Mediumship Certification class. Val wrote freelance for online magazine Suite101 and was Topic Editor for Paganism/Wicca and Webmaster Resources at Suite.

A published author, she contributed a story to Doreen Virtue’s Hay House book Angel Words. Her novels are available in both e-book and paperback format.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book, The Magician: Infinity’s End, is book two in my urban fantasy series, Tales from the Unmasqued World. Each book in the series takes inspiration from a different card in the tarot’s major arcana.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
No, nothing unusual.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Authors who’ve inspired me are Stephen King, Margaret Atwood, Nora Roberts, Michael Connelly, Lee Child, and too many others to name. The books that have influenced me are The Lord of the Rings, Gone with the Wind, Watership Down, Rebecca, every Nora Roberts book, Salem’s Lot, and many more.

What are you working on now?
I’m currently working on book three in the Tales from the Unmasqued World series. It’s called The High Priestess: Persephone’s Return.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I do well promoting my books at live events such as book signings.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Work on your writing project every day. Even if you can only do a little, it adds up.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Write the first draft with the door closed. That’s from Stephen King’s On Writing. When I first started writing, I wanted to get feedback immediately and would show people the first chapters of my rough draft. That’s not helpful. The first draft is for me only now. This way I barrel through without second-guessing myself and the work gets done.

What are you reading now?
Daphne du Maurier’s Echoes from the Macabre

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m working on a non-fiction book about the aftereffects of near-death experiences. I also want to write a sequel to my romantic suspense novel You Again and write book four of my UF series.

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?
My Valiant Chronicles (it’s three books in one) book, so I’m cheating. Also the Lord of the Rings (okay, cheating again because that’s three books in one too), Gone with the Wind, and Rebecca.

Author Websites and Profiles

Val Tobin Website

Val Tobin Amazon Profile

Val Tobin Author Profile on Smashwords

Val Tobin’s Social Media Links

Goodreads Profile

Facebook Profile

Twitter Account

Pinterest Account

Interview With Author K.W. Hether

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have written many books under different names. This is my first horror collection, and first published under my real name. I have written anything from romance to science fiction, but horror will always hold a special place in my heart.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
“Schlockbuster Horror: Omnibus #1: Rewind or Die”. It’s inspired by my childhood love of video store horror, Fear Street, and chilling anthology horror.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write by the seat of my pants. If I can’t surprise myself, how am I going to surprise my readers?

What authors, or books have influenced you?
R.L. Stine is a MAJOR influence. I remember reading his pulpy books as a teen. I still have a decent collection of R.L. merch into my thirties.

What are you working on now?
I am working on my ongoing anthology “Schlockbuster”. Free stories are posted on my blog and Facebook.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Tiktok has proven to be exceedingly helpful in getting a wider audience but the best method is just being true to yourself. The rest will follow.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write the stories only you can. Think it’s too weird? Make it weirder with a YOU style twist. Don’t ever let imposter syndrome stop you from getting where you want to be!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Believe in yourself. I know it’s cliched to say that but if you don’t believe in yourself nobody will. Confidence is everything.

What are you reading now?
I am going back to one of my all-time favorite spooky reads, “Ghost Radio”.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I plan to take my Schlockbuster brand and turn it into a dark empire. I am filming a horror short with my partner this summer as a pitch project for bigger stories to be told under the banner.

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?
Fear Street (any of them)
Ghost Radio (awesome book!)
IT (It never gets old!)
Anything by Christopher Pike.

K.W. Hether’s Social Media Links

Facebook Profile