Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a transplanted New Yorker-from Queens, New York to Bay Minette, Alabama. Bay Minette would remind you of Mayberry-I’m waiting to wave to Opie any day now-and in fact one of my cats is named Opie! My husband and I do cat rescue, and I have always loved cats. They are featured in every book I’ve written. In my latest series-Lords of Power-Elan the cat is a magickal cat, but this is very understated. The first book I’ve written-with my feline Spirit Guide, Orange Ruffy-is From The Between. It’s out on Smashwords and the print version is on Lulu.com. If you love cats-it’s amazing.
The latest is Lords of Power. The books take place in ancient Babylon, then the desert, Egypt and then the land of Caana which would be modern-day Israel and Palestine.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Lords of the Desert is the second book in the Lords of Power series. The Lords of Power began from a draw I’ve always felt to ancient Persia and Babylon. It’s a love story, but more than that, the story of people of this time who are Priests, Priestesses, and inhabitants of the ancient city of Babylon. I wonder if I didn’t have a past life back then. The characters seemed to create themselves and I felt a real kinship to them.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
My office is my sanctuary and I love to sit down with a cup of coffee and watch my cats out on their catio before I start writing. I can’t push the actual process-the words flow when they are ready.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I’m very eclectic. I love many different books. I’ve always loved Anne Rice’s works because she writes with such descriptions of places that I love as well. I loved ‘Interview with a Vampire’ and she wrote another nonvampire book called ‘Cry To Heaven’ that will bring you right to that time in history in Itay. But I love all sorts of historical fiction. I love finding stories of ancient fiction by new authors as well.
What are you working on now?
I’m working on the fourth installment of Lords of Power even as I edit the third book. Editing takes me a while as I have others go over it for me. The third is ‘Lords of Egypt’.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I have used Facebook the most because I am active on Facebook with Lords of Babylon!
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write, be persistent, don’t give up. Believe in yourself.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
‘Consider the Source’. If someone is telling you something, consider why they’ve chosen to impart the information. They may have their own agenda.
What are you reading now?
Listening Woman by Tony Hillerman. I love the way he incorporates Navajo life into his books.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I have two books working in my head for Lords of Power and I have a vampire rock star series written that I need to edit-and then-well, just keep 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?
Interview with a Vampire or any of the series done by Anne Rice; then Cry to Heaven, another by Anne Rice which is an amazing historical novel. Then Where She is Right-Dis, the daughter of Kings which is an amazing book of ‘fan fiction’ done by an author on Wattpad, The Vesta Shadow Series which is about the Vestal Virgins of Rome. Since I have Priestesses of Bast the Cat Goddess in Lords of Power, I wanted to see how other authors incorporated them. Hard to pick just a few!
Author Websites and Profiles
Debra Hoffmann-Knowles Amazon Profile
Debra Hoffmann-Knowles Author Profile on Smashwords
Debra Hoffmann-Knowles’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
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