Vinny O'Hare

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am 35 yo from Iran and I have written 5 books, counting my poetry also.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is called “The Cell”, it is a short story of a life, inspired by reality, what actually happend and I just documented it.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I wouldn’t call it an usual writing habit but I simply start writing, wherever I am, mostly on paper by hand, sometimes on my phone, if I feel right about it. I just write whenever it hits

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I started writing at the age of 12, 13, so I can say no one fluenced me. As time passed I discovered other writers that I could rely on.. Two of them are Albert Camus and Edgar Allan Poe. But not as an influence, I just read them more.

What are you working on now?
For now I’m working on staying alive, surviving what comes from litteraly every side: this pandemic, life itself.. People in suffering… I am mostly working on myself, as I can call it that way, not any other work or something special but I do have some ideas on my mind.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I would never consider myself as an author, never. A photographer maybe writer. Even for photographers I just say “ be honest, just create yourself, you don’t need to please anyone, you don’t need to”

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I can say nothing, I do everything on my own, especially my writing

What are you reading now?
I’m not reading anything at the moment

What’s next for you as a writer?
I just want to write

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?
People go off to those places to be themselves, with themselves: I don’t think I would bring anything with me except maybe my smokes. No book. I don’t think I ever

Author Websites and Profiles
Ali Sheikhaleslami (known as Thymournia) Website

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Originally a fifth generation American, I live in Melbourne, Australia with my wife where I have lived for 35 years. I have spent many years building our family tree. Over this time I had discovered many family members that I had never been formerly aware of. During my research I received a parcel from a distant relative in Nova Scotia who came across my Great Grandfather’s Biographical manuscript that he had written in 1952.

What I read was a most amazing series of tales from stories of his Grandfather, the Baron of Lithuania’s personal tailor, his father a Lithuanian Peddler and their arduous life in The Old Country. Through a series of misadventures, Harry has to escape The Russian Empire and onto the streets of 1890’s New York and later to the Indian Reservations near Pocatello, Idaho. It was a gripping manuscript and I was dedicated to sharing Harry’s tales before they vanish in the sands of time.

Over the next 3 years I researched each of Harry’s tales to ensure dates and facts were accurate. Newspaper clippings, interviews and family history helped to discover more about Harry than his book revealed. As the book evolved, more stories came to us, allowing me to add additional stories Harry forgot or left out of the original manuscript.

Now with the book published, I am looking forward to the next book.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
A Peddler’s Journey is my first book. This was a project of passion, to share the story of a 15-year-old boy coming to America in 1890 from The Old Country and the struggles, success, failures, love and family obligations that is the story of so many that never had the chance to record their story. Once I read Harry’s manuscript, I was determined to research, write and publish Harry’s stories as he would have wished back in 1952 when he wrote his tales. Only today, with self publishing, can stories be shared with the greater population. Harry’s story is your grandparents, great grandparents stories that had been lost in the sands of time.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
When crafting Harry’s manuscript I found it imperative to get into Harry’s mind, to understand him, to feel his spirit. Fortunately, my 90-year-old father was still around. We sat down for days as he told me about harry’s, his good points and bad points. Did he have an accent? Was he caring? Questions kept flowing from my mouth. When I added more stories recently discovered they were written from Harry’s lips.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I love Non-Fiction, historical events and biographies. I am so happy to now be a published Author of one of the very books I like reading. I worked on the twists and turns that make the book an easy read but very compelling.

What are you working on now?
I m now working on the sequel to A Peddler’s Journey, The Peddler’s Wife; Ida Jacob’s Story. A feminist viewpoint parallel to Harry’s Tales. Will be a more intimate and empathetic view.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Facebook has been amazing, with over 150 website visits originating from my page. It allows me to share photos and stories promoting the book. Also I have set up a professional web page to promote the book in the manner I wanted it shown. Our publisher has been fantastic in setting up the format or the artwork, pagination, proofing, setting up the printers for on demand print to client. They did all the legals, trademark, copyright and Library of Congress submission and of course, Amazon, Booktopia, Barnes and Noble and Book Depository submissions and management.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Find a story….Develop the story into a summary, then a brief, finally start writing. Write as much as you can, then edit, edit, edit and then edit some more. Giver it to someone to read and get honest feedback, then edit six more times!! Use imagery, pictures speak tomes! Find a trustworthy publisher. I have my favorite and can share in an email.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
There were many who read Harry’s manuscript and said what a great book this would make. What a great movie this would make. Only one took action! Take action, commit and do it!!!

What are you reading now?
A Peddler’s Journey! Unfreedom of the Press and a host of Biographies.

What’s next for you as a writer?
The Peddler’s Wife; Ida’s Story. It will be a 2 year journey of deep research to bring to life the diaries of Harry’s Wife.

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 Biggest Novels I can find! Clouds of Glory, The Robert E Lee Story; Benjamin Franklin Bio by Walter Issacson and Columbiano by Australian writer, Rusty Young and A Peddler’s Journey.

Author Websites and Profiles
Jeffrey Slater Website
Jeffrey Slater Amazon Profile
Jeffrey Slater Author Profile on Smashwords

Jeffrey Slater’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve written 6 books and been a contributor to 3 others. I’m a writer, speaker, and pastor in the Midwest.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is How Not To Be Noticed: My High School Anti-Plan for Success. I am a volunteer for World Relief and an advocate for immigration reform and refugees. So that passion is what birthed this books idea. I wanted kids to see this kind of friendship and its possibilities.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not really. I tend to write in chunks, for a few hours at a time and then not for a few days.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I love Sharon Creech as a YA writer. Of course, since I also wrote a book on Tolkien characters, I have to say his books are first in influencing me. I love anything Malcolm Gladwell writes because I want to learn his ways of investigation.

What are you working on now?
Nonfiction books on preaching with the next generation and on the value of immigrants and refugees to our country.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I mostly do facebook ads and word of mouth

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Know your strengths and weaknesses, and delegate the weaknesses.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Boil the point of your writing to three words. If you can’t do it, the piece isn’t clear enough.

What are you reading now?
Unafraid by Benjamin Correy and Tolkien: Maker of Middle Earth.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Working on the books mentioned above and keeping afloat in my job and life in the new normal. Becoming more of an online speaker.

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 Bible, Lord of the Rings, Pride and Prejudice, Boat Building 101.

Author Websites and Profiles
Jill Richardson Website
Jill Richardson Amazon Profile

Jill Richardson’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
First-time author

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Mess to Majestic, a true story of recovery and healing from trauma, shame, and addictions with Biblical and clinical insights. Inspiration was seeing the rise in deaths among the hurting, addicted, and recovering community when they don’t heal their shame or trauma, case in point Anthony Bourdain, Prince, many many others. I wanted to share my testimony of recovery and healing, also educate to inform, inspire and ignite others into their own journey of recovery and healing! Stop the stigma, restore hope to the hopeless, and witness to the power of a living, loving God and healthy community.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
True transparent memoir style with Biblical and clinical insights. I write as one who suffered from trauma, shame, and addictions, and one who is healed, recovered and redeemed as well as a clinical professional and addictions expert and biblical teacher.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Billy Graham, Mother Theresa, John Eldridge, Dr. Mark R. Laaser, Leanne Payne, Max Lucado, Joyce Meyer, Brennan Manning, Sheila Walsh

What are you working on now?
Getting the word out

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
New at this. Looking for other mentors, authors to guide me.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Stick with it. When you have a passion to share a life-saving message to your audience, don’t quit. Someone needs to hear what you have to say! Keep at it! You can do it!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
One day at a time! Set small writing goals, sit down and do it! That simple! God will guide the rest of the steps.

What are you reading now?
In the Middle of the Mess by Sheila Walsh

What’s next for you as a writer?
More Overcomer type books

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?
Bible, Emotionally Healthy Relationships Day by Day, Mother Theresa’s Her essential Wisdom, and Alcoholics Anonymous

Author Websites and Profiles
Laura McCarthy Website
Laura McCarthy Amazon Profile

Laura McCarthy’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m an Air Force veteran and a retired Web Developer/Technical Writer. Born in Canton, Ohio I grew up in Tempe, Arizona. I currently live with my wife and two teenage daughters in SoCal where our daughters pursue an acting career. Heart Of Steel: Based on a True Story is my debut novel. It has appeared on television, talk radio, blogs and podcast across the country and is now being made into a Hollywood movie. I am currently working on my second novel due to be released in June, 2020.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Heart of Steel: Based on a True Story
It is the incredible true story of my grandfather’s life. He changed our family name in 1920 to hide a dark and tragic family secret. A secret he took to the grave. Only recently did I learn the truth and write his story to inspire the world of his courage and love for his family. I discovered old newspaper articles several years ago that revealed the painful truth. My real family name is Puchalski.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I use music to inspire scenes I write. Emotional music for emotional scenes. Dramatic music for dramatic scenes. I do not outline. I write inspired. I’m a storyteller.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Nicholas Sparks – The Notebook.
Fannie Flagg – Fried Green Tomatoes.
Richard Matheson – Bid Time Return
Randall Wallace – Braveheart

What are you working on now?
A Historical Fiction story of my great, great grandmother who was Native American and my great, great grandfather who was Irish and a Civil War soldier and vet. It is a coming of age story that begins with a young 12 year old Native American girl forced to leave her home prior to the Civil War. It is also a love story with high adventure and lots of drama. Heartwarming and heartbreaking.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Using a PR firm. Allen Media Strategies of Washington, DC.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t be timid. Writing will leave you vulnerable. The most important thing to remember is to write a great story. One you want to read. Good story is more important than structure. Don’t put it off. Start writing, keep writing. Learn as much about writing as you can. Be bold.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
To write like nobody is watching. Because nobody is watching.

What are you reading now?
Story Trumps Structure by Steven James

What’s next for you as a writer?
Heart of Steel: Based on a True Story is currently in the works to become a motion picture in Hollywood. The screenplay is being written by a renown screenwriter.
Other than that, I’m just going to continue to write great stories that inspire and move my readers.

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?
How to survive on a desert island
Survival Skills
How to build a boat

Author Websites and Profiles
Kevin D. Miller Website
Kevin D. Miller Amazon Profile

Kevin D. Miller’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
This is my first book, but I have been a professional storyteller my whole life. Film and television / Communications and PR / Branding and messaging, telling stories has been my passion my entire life. I love to take messages and shape them.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Very Best Bad Idea: Innovation, Creativity, and Making friends with the Mouse was a product of years of watching brilliant people hide their best ideas because they were afraid of looking stupid.

I wanted to know why we care. So, I spent years researching, interviewing, and collecting stories about it. This book is about the history of thinking, society, communication, and the difference between innovations and inventions.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m not sure I’d call them unusual. I write best/most late at night to early morning. 11pm-5am, I’m somewhat fueled by caffeine and exhaustion.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Its a relatively long list. Scott Galloway, Adam Grant, and Chris Voss were loud voices in my head during this endeavor. On the fiction side, Neil Gaiman and John Green are big inspirations and styles I love.

What are you working on now?
As a lifelong filmmaker, I’m crafting this book into a series of shorts/documentary to make the content more easily accessible

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I find I really like my audience and engagement on Linkedin.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I am a new author. I don’t know that anything I could offer would be valuable. I am already outlining my next book and just want to use what I learned to apply it… don’t even know myself if it’ll work better on round 2.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Stop trying to write “your book.” Just write a story 500 words at a time. Don’t worry about connecting them, or structuring them, or writing “your book”. Just write 500 words.

What are you reading now?
A history of Video Games in 64 Objects.

What’s next for you as a writer?
While writing “The Very Best Bad Idea” I stumbled upon a theory and concept that has inspired me greatly. I’ve been collecting tidbits and background, and soon will turn it into my next book.

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?
Neil Gaiman – The Graveyard Book
Scott Galloway – The Four
Tony Mendez – The Master of Disguise

Author Websites and Profiles
Kirk Westwood Website
Kirk Westwood Amazon Profile

Kirk Westwood’s Social Media Links
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am winding up (polishing) book three, which began as a short story called ‘The Recording’, available and free if you contact me via the email address. Its a science fiction 9 page story about the first woman to reach Mars. The story allowed me to break through a wall of ice (writers block) that had developed as a serious problem on my second novel: ‘The Journal of Resurrection’, available at Amazon stores as an ebook. Amazon have been pretty amazing at messing up my self publishing career and even attributed my first novel to an American poet of the same name! As if the whole writing process was not hard enough! Anyhoo, we march on.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
‘World of Difference’ is a science fiction narrative and was inspired by writers block (see above) and it was a life long desire to write in the sci-fi genre. Writing is not a passive hobby, it demands a steady marathon fit discipline, its not for the weak minded or tardy. But if you do plunge into the icy water you are rewarded with healthy exercise and eventual achievement. Hopefully your experience will be happier than mine, I’m glad I committed to the writing journey but it is an intensive work out. Now I must consider book two in the series: ghastly!

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write in the morning, half dead in my dressing gown coffee in hand then collapse a few hours later, happy that the day is done.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Frank Herbert saved my life in university, the Dune cycle and radio were my only friends.
At the moment I am analysis the work (44 books) of Jack Vance in a vain effort to understand how he does the magic. I have resorted to purchasing a copy (Hardback) of the writers of the twenty first century series devoted to his work. I first made Jack’s acquaintance reading ‘Emphyrio’, (1969). Even though a little dated his writing still drags you under and before you know whats happening your hooked. Richard Morgan and Anthony Ryan also impress and happen to be fellow UK residents.

What are you working on now?
As mentioned earlier I slave presently on ‘World of Difference’, which nears completion, I was fortunate enough to learn from my past mistake and worked out a simple system to avoid writers block: sketch out stand out KEY scenes, including ending and inciting incident, then use these (however many) scenes to link up the story. I found that this allowed me to write the whole body of text in months instead of years. You may have as little as two or three key scenes, but once you find those you can build various pathways into, beyond and through the narrative. The memory tree of backstory can provide more than character detail.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I find Amazon worse than useless, they stopped people buying my second book because I sent prospective readers the link to my book! A bitter pill to swallow. I’m tapping away now to promote my book, its hard to be a marketeer and novelist, welcome to multiple hat universe.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Keep at it, if you show up on a regular basis, the job eventually gets done! And you do improve. I would also add that most first novels can be discreetly hidden under the sofa or burned. Your choice. Read as time allows, but as much as you can. And if possible, dive deep.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Make you posterior sit in front of your computer, or where ever you write with quill and ink or on your cell phone, BUT do it every day for the rest of your born days! Think of it as eating or breathing, an ESSENTIAL and DAILY activity that allows the odd day off for Christmas, Thanks Giving, or any other once per year celebration.
Secondly keep writing materials near your bed, hut, cabin, tower block, within easy reach. You never know when inspiration or notes to self will occur.

What are you reading now?
Several Jack Vance novels, Anthony Ryan’s latest series, some Gene Wolf and the occasional Corona virus headlines.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Bug out finish novel three and try not to have a nervous breakdown about novel four.

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?
Dune omnibus if it exists (six books in one), or if that’s not allowed the last one, Chapter House, book six. And at the moment a Vance trilogy. Blood Song by Anthony Ryan, probably one of the best fantasy novels I ever had the pleasure to read. The other two books in the trilogy are also noteworthy, if not quiet as fantastic as the coming of age first episode novel.

Author Websites and Profiles
Sean (aka WJ) Donovan Website
Sean (aka WJ) Donovan Amazon Profile
Sean (aka WJ) Donovan Author Profile on Smashwords

Sean (aka WJ) Donovan’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I write modern, funny, pulse-racing contemporary romance experiences with strong female leads and a heavy emphasis on the newest ways to find love. There’s always texting and dating apps, autocorrect mishaps, and lots of fun, awkward situations, but the heat is there too. I’ve written six romance novels and novellas.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Mixed Emotions is my latest release coming on April 28th, and it’s book 3 in my All Mixed Up series. This book is inspired by my niece’s digital dating experiences. She’s a millennial and she’s always talking about how she met some guy on this app or that one, and how it’s so hard to meet someone nice. Usually, as in her case, the guy was there all along.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m a night owl. After my whole house goes to sleep, I brain synapses finally light up and the writing juices flow. I’m up at all the tiny hours of the night.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
This is the hardest and the best question. My initial love of reading came from a book titled Coming of Age in Mississippi by Anne Moody. Then I discovered Emily Giffin and immediately wanted to write like her. After that, it was like I kept finding amazing authors who wrote so beautifully with realism and humor like Kennedy Ryan, Sally Thorne, Helen Hoang, Christina Lauren, and Jasmine Guillory. I’m in love with fun, upbeat, slow burn romances. They keep me reading and writing.

What are you working on now?
Ooh, I’m working on a new high concept romantic comedy with an instalove, love triangle situation. I’m already falling for my characters and dreading the torture I’ll have to put them through to find their happily ever after. But the book is turning out to be so much fun. I’m going to query agents with this book for traditional publishing.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Wired for Story. Hands down, it’s the one that gets me thinking about the “why” behind my characters’ motivations to really build a great plot and engaging characters.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Yes. Write shit. Fertilize it with editing and revisions until it blooms. Just get it down on paper/computer (saved on every drive, hard drive, and cloud). Once you’ve finished writing, you’re already ahead of the curve because you know how to complete an idea.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Find out what works for you. They are going to be resources and sites and money-sucking vultures all out to tell you that the only way to write a book is the way they are selling, but it isn’t true. Find your process. Keep drilling down on the writing time that works for you, or the plotting method that works for you. There is no one way to do it and no right way.

What are you reading now?
Reading: The Chai Factor by Farah Heron
Listening to: The Honey-Don’t List by Christina Lauren

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m in a discoverability phase, so what’s next for me is to keep writing and improving my craft while spreading the word about my books. Reviews are so crucial to indie authors.

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?
Hating Game by Sally Thorne, Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating by Christina Lauren, and Kennedy Ryan’s Long Shot.

Author Websites and Profiles
Mia Heintzelman Website
Mia Heintzelman Amazon Profile

Mia Heintzelman’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am in my fifties. I am a mother and grandmother. I like to read as much as I like to write. I have one published book “The Wicked Sister.” I have on book due out later this year. “A Fallacious Seduction.” I have three more manuscripts in various stages of production.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My last book (published) is The Wicked Sister. It is a twisted version of a classic fairy tale. My husband and I were joking one day about fairy tales and how they should have been written. This particular one came up and we tossed idea around about how it probably happened. The idea was sown and I began to write.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I like to eat cherry nibs while I write. They help me thing. LOL

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I read A LOT of romance books over the years. Mostly, to keep me sane. I have a house full of children and my husband was a truck driver. So, I was the only adult in the house most of the time. I would send the kids to bed and curl up in my tub and read a good book.

What are you working on now?
I am working on a story called “The Heir”. It is set in Europe in the 1600’s. It is about a woman spy.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Net Galley has d one a fantastic job so far.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Stick to it. If you get a lot of refusal’s read the editor’s comments. They comment to help you get better, not to tear you apart.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
If you book is refused by many, look it over. Go back through the list of required elements and see what it is missing.

What are you reading now?
The Twilight Series. I watched all the movies. Lately, I decided to read the books.

What’s next for you as a writer?
What’s Next? To keep right on writing! I have two more stories inside my head that i need to get down on paper!

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?
Island Survival for Dummies, would be the first one I would grab. LOL. How to make yummy food from practically anything, would be the second book. The Big Book of Shipping Lanes and their navigated paths, would be the third. The Notebook, would be number four.

Author Websites and Profiles
Virginia Barlow Website
Virginia Barlow Amazon Profile

Virginia Barlow’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a human man. I started out writing short science fiction, mainly in Interzone magazine in the UK, and received a Hugo nomination for my short story The Clockwork Atom Bomb in 2006. Since then I’ve been writing ebooks – eleven of them in the Ant and Cleo science fiction series for children and young adults, two in the Elder Shepherd series of thrillers, two in the Smallworld adult SF series, and Warlords of Llantatis, which is SF Fantasy. I’ve also written fantasy (Tirnahiolaire), urban fantasy (Phil and the Death Machine), SF horror (Abaddon), and mainstream fiction (Cowboys and Dinosaurs). There are other books I will not admit to the existence of.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Twinkle, Twinkle, Collapsar is essentially a Star Trek novel for people who shout at the television when Star Trek comes on. I wanted a space opera story that enshrined the idea of a civilized interstellar society we see in a lot of idealistic SF, but I didn’t want that society to be saccharine-perfect. Instead, I’ve presented two neighbouring societies who have flaws that complement one another, and neither of whom are necessarily good or evil. Good space opera has to have good guys and bad guys, but I want the reader to have to be on his or her toes and require to guess which is which in some cases. I also wanted a minimum of pseudo-scientific gobbledigook. It’s amazing how many people are prepared to loudly proclaim that STAR TREK IS SCIENCE FICTION BUT STAR WARS IS FANTASY ACTUALLY whilst being simultaneously willing to lap up Trek characters holding forth on remodulating the transwarp conduit deflector plasma phase array variance. They usually follow this with ‘It’s risky, but it could work’. Then another character grabs that character firmly by the shoulders, gazes into her eyes, and says: ‘It has to, Ensign. It has to’.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write underwater on special waterproof paper, whilst being serenaded by my pet dolphin.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The two greatest SF authors who have ever lived were H G Wells and Isaac Asimov, but there are so many others it’s hard to choose between them. Neal Stephenson. Frank Herbert. Jack Vance. Philip K Dick. Roger Zelazny. Larry Niven. J R R Tolkien. Douglas Adams. Terry Pratchett. This list sounds a little chauvinist, but I’m certain that, had women been given the same opportunities as men for the greater part of the twentieth century, there would have been female Wellses and Asimovs. One of the greatest female writers (Ursula le Guin) died relatively recently.

What are you working on now?
Book 12 of Ant and Cleo, which is at 300 pages and seems may never have an end; a third book in the Elder Shepherd series; book 2 in the ‘Phil and the’ series; a fantasy novel set in pseudo-renaissance Europe.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I am the world’s worst marketer and not by any means someone anyone should be getting advice from on the subject.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Go into used car sales, you’ll make more money.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
You’re a grown man, Dominic. You can’t go out in public naked any more.

What are you reading now?
Weirdly, I’m reading C S Forrester’s Hornblower series and Lee Child’s Jack Reacher books, in parallel.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Half an hour of World of Warcraft and then bed.

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?
How To Survive On A Desert Island (Waterproof Version)
The Edible Richardson’s Clarissa (Chicken Korma Edition)
How To Signal Low Flying Aircraft By Burning Extremely Large Books
The Super Jumbo Pop Up Mein Kampf (Folio Edition in 200 Volumes, Signalling Low Flying Aircraft Edition – Now Comes With Free Bucket of Petrol)

Author Websites and Profiles
Dominic Green Amazon Profile
Dominic Green Author Profile on Smashwords

Dominic Green’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have written over 100 technical and instructional books for the IT industry. In 2018, I started writing about topics that interest me personally like yoga, meditation, and vegetarian cooking. Today, I do both. I am a contract writer working for companies in the financial, scientific, and healthcare fields and I also write my own nonfiction books.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is Hygge- Living the Cozy Life: How to Use the ‘Danish Art of Happiness’ to Add More Joy to Your Life and Home. I enjoy doing research, and when I find something that I’m interested I like sharing what I’ve learned with others.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write for my business customers during the day, so all of my other writing is usually done between 5 and 7 am every morning.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
When doing research, I read a vast amount of non-fiction books about whatever topic I’m investigating. When I get the time to read for pleasure, murder mysteries are my favorite genre. I love Mary Higgins Clark, Sue Grafton, Martha Muller, Sara Paretsky, and Ed McBain.

What are you working on now?
My books are all about topics that interest me — activities that I want to pursue such as self care, exercise, and cooking. I am currently writing a book about how to get a good night’s sleep — something I personally struggle with.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
My own website, http://bydesign-books.com. Twitter and Instagram. And making my friends promote my books on their social media accounts. 🙂

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Keep writing! The joy is in doing the work, or as Steve Jobs said “The journey is the reward.”

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Believe in the inevitability of your success.

What are you reading now?
Murder on the SS Rosa by Lee Strauss. It’s set in the 1920s, an interesting time period — and great clothes!!!

What’s next for you as a writer?
Writing about the things I want to learn and implement in my life — vegetarian cooking, bullet journaling, creativity. Then someday I’ll write my own murder mystery.

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 Alienist by Caleb Carr. The Other by Thomas Tryon. Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert.

Author Websites and Profiles
Brenda MacElroy Website
Brenda MacElroy Amazon Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a seventeen-year-old published author. I have published one book as of now, and my plan is to continue to write. My goal is to change the world and inspire those like me to reach for what they think us unachievable.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Ember’a Dragons.
The motivation behind it was my horse. Trooper was my lesson horse of many years. The U.S military gave our family a grant due to my dad being deployed. This grant paid for my riding lessons. Eventually, the grant ran out, and I was separated from Trooper for many years. He had helped me through such a tough part in my life, and I had always known I would own him someday. Although I wasn’t sure how to get him, I knew one thing; and that was that I loved to write.
I set out an put my heart into Ember’s Dragons, and years later, I stand here with a published book, and the same horse who helped me all those years ago.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I tend to write my book straight through! I believe this helps me go through the story as my readers would. Although I would not count this as “unusual”, I have found others bounce around when they write their books.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The book Isabel of the Whales by Hester Velmans and Chancey of the Maury River By Gigi Amateau. Both of those books gave me a feeling of “Holy cow, what a journey” when I closed the back page. They are books that can stand alone strongly. That has lead me to my philosophy: NO SEQUELS!!!!

What are you working on now?
Another book that deals with robotics and AI! I do not want to give too much away.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Face to face. Go out, go to expos, print flyers, introduce yourself, be bold! Hold yourself with grace, have a purpose and a fire. Others will see this. Make an impact on those you meet.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Go with your heart, not your mind. As authors, we are often analytical thinkers. Our minds are our weapon. But sometimes, we forget to listen to our hearts. Never get so lost in your journey to forget what sent you there in the first place.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Always take pictures. There are so many precious moments that can be captured.

What are you reading now?
Currently not anything sadly! I have been quite busy!

What’s next for you as a writer?
Continue to promote Ember’s Dragons and write my second!

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?
Isabel of the Whales, Chancy of the Maury River, Racing in the Rain, and Until Friday Night.

Author Websites and Profiles
Isabel Tilton Website
Isabel Tilton Amazon Profile

Isabel Tilton’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a retired airline captain, having been a pilot for over 36 years and 22 years as an airline pilot when I retire in 2012. I loved flying most of all and spent so many years reading technical manuals and filling my head with aviation-related details, i.e. is the weather good for us to go or should I choose an alternate airport? Then when my husband who had retired in 2002 started writing he encouraged me to do so also. I began the research for my first book, Charles Barnhill U.S. Deputy Marshal in 2005 but did not have time to actually write then book until 2012. I self-published it in 2015. I have since written two other book, Missouri Man, an historical Missouri journal I edited for detail and published with pictures and From Pigtails to Turboprops, my memoir. I also took the 400+page Charles Barnhill book and turned into three separate 200+ page books for ease of selling and reading. I am currently writing a book about the Osage Indians in Missouri.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
From Pigtails to Turboprops – my memoir. I wrote it for those readers who want to know what happens when someone chooses to make flying a career. I detailed it to reveal my journey from a sacred-of-heights pipsqueak to the director of flight operations for the third largest regional cargo carrier in the United States managing over 60 pilots and 35 airplanes on the flight line. Not a big company but a very busy one. I also wanted to include enough personal details to let the reader know what kind of dedication and sacrifice is required in this highly technical career. It took me ten years from my first flight lesson to reach airline pilot status. This is typical of the training the is required.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write in my mind when I try to sleep. Many times I will get up from a good night’s sleep and sit down to my computer with the story completely written out.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Louise Penney in her Inspector Gamache series. I have read very one and am waiting for the new release in great anticipation. Also in the area of aviation I have enjoyed Stephen Coonts and his Jake Grafton series of books on naval aviation.

What are you working on now?
A non-fiction history about the Osage Indians in Missouri from their discovery by the white men in the 1500’s to present.

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

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Start writing anything and keep at it until you find your niche and what you like to write.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“You can do it” – my husband and “Never Give Up” – Winston Churchill.

What are you reading now?
Season of the Fox by Denise Domning

What’s next for you as a writer?
Continue to write and promote my books more on social media and Internet sites.

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 Bible, Matthew Henry’s Commentaries, Fox’s Book of Martyrs, and Les Miserables by Victor Hugo.

Author Websites and Profiles
Linda Anderson Website
Linda Anderson Amazon Profile
Linda Anderson Author Profile on Smashwords

Linda Anderson’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My name is Elena Troyanskaya, and I am from Russia. I work in the field of online trading, helping people to ensure not only financial results, but also make progress in terms of improving their own discipline and gaining internal freedom. In my free time I study and accumulate solutions to many problems that ordinary people face in their life: illnesses, stresses, psychological conditions, relationships in the family, relationships between fathers and children, problems of adaptation in the team and in society as a whole, identifying oneself as part community, defining your role, functions and goals, setting goals, etc. I hope my research will be close and clear to you. My goal is not to directly help people, because I am not an expert in the above areas. My goal is to develop theses and rules based on my theoretical knowledge of behavior and reactions, thanks to which it will be easier for people with certain problems to adapt to difficult conditions and improve, despite their physical disabilities and psychological uncertainty.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
many authors and books

What are you working on now?
Over my next book)

Do you have any advice for new authors?
be real and persistent

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Take it and do it!

What are you reading now?
books about finance and trading

What’s next for you as a writer?
have an extensive bookshelf from my books

Author Websites and Profiles
Elena Troyanskaya Amazon Profile

Elena Troyanskaya’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m Marti Shane, a contemporary romance author that writes what I love to read. Smart heroins and strong, successful heroes conquering conflicts and really fighting for love. My first series is The Promise Lake Series set in secluded southern Georgia. Small towns don’t mean small conflicts. Book 1, Pleasures of Promise Lake published in December of 2019 followed by Book 2, Pleasures of the Pride in March of 2020.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Pleasures of the Pride. This book is inspired by protecting the truly innocent. The Pride Academy has produced generations of successful, highly trained males to help innocent victims alter their circumstances. They’re not assassins, they’re strategist. They’re not for hire, they’re what every innocent deserves. If you’re strong enough to stand up against the bad guy, they’ll stand behind you. If you break the law because the devil made you do it, and now you’ want out, you need not apply. For generations, The Pride was a school for boys who evolved into an elite secret society of men. Not anymore.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Many. I write in my head while I’m out running. When I see something out of the ordinary, I try to squeeze it into the piece of the story I’m writing on. It doesn’t always work, but it sparks creativity and adds depth to the character or the place you are writing at the time because stories need little pop-ups.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I love series. My favorite writer of a series is J.R. Ward, Black Dagger Brotherhood.

What are you working on now?
Book 3 of the Promise Lake Series. The secrets, the money, and connections had Mick thinking the FBI would show up any day and take it all away. Mick’s lived her whole life never knowing her father was the leader of The Pride. When the FBI shows up to ask for help, she sees her world in whole new light.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Using a small fan base to promote and share on social media.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Try. There’s not a perfect formula.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Write something down. Once it’s on the paper, you have something to work with.

What are you reading now?
All The Little Fires

What’s next for you as a writer?
Finding that new place for the next 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 high school Chemistry book. I always thought it was interesting but who wants to read about chemistry? With the time on your hands, why not?
The With Me Series by Kristen Proby (The first three are my favorites)

Author Websites and Profiles
Marti Shane Amazon Profile

Marti Shane’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hi, I’m Rinoshun from India. I am a budding independent filmmaker from India. My first film is on the making and the book, ‘the butterflies have died’ is my debut poetry collection.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The name of my latest poetry book is, ‘the butterflies have died.’ I often have trouble getting over things that happen around the world like war and other things that happen in my personal life. These are fifty of the poems out of many others that I have written.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not that I could think of. No.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I love the way Dan Brown writes. I am a big fan of George Owell too. Two of the authors that have influenced me in writing poetry are Charles Bukowski and Rudy Fransico.

What are you working on now?
I am currently working on my first feature film and my first novel. Simultaneously I am working on my second film’s screenplay.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Just reaching out to people through Instagram posts and personal messages.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I am a new author myself so all I can say is get over that fear and put the book out.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
You’ll never know if you have done something great until you have put it out for others to judge it.

What are you reading now?
Bodily Harm by Margaret Atwood and The definitive Kipling.

What’s next for you as a writer?
My second film’s screenplay and my first novel.

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?
1984, Pleasures of the damned, Life of Pi and Alchemist.

Author Websites and Profiles
Rinoshun K Amazon Profile