Featured Interview With Jennifer Hayes Yates

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I am former Christian school teacher in South Carolina, where I have lived all my life. We reside in the country with two dogs and a cat. My husband and I are empty-nesters, although my daughter is currently home from college for the summer. My son was recently married, so I now have another daughter! I love summer, my back porch, coffee, and a good book.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I have loved to read and write since I was introduced to the Narnia Chronicles as a child. I went to college on a writing scholarship, but after becoming a teacher, but my writing on the back-burner. Now I have retired from teaching to focus on writing and speaking at churches in our area.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
When it comes to devotionals and Bible studies, my favorite author is Beth Moore. I relate so well to her writing and in-depth studies because of my love for the Word. My favorite genre to read for relaxation, though, is Christian suspense, such as books by Joel C. Rosenberg, my favorite writer.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest published book is Let’s Run! Running the Race with Faith and Perseverance. It’s a 6-week Bible study on the heroes of faith from the book of Hebrews. Each week of study takes the reader through the stories of those OT heroes and their struggles with faith, then gives opportunities to apply those lessons to the reader’s own life. I wrote Let’s Run for my high school students to show them that our walk doesn’t have to be perfect; God’s just calls us to be faithful.

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Featured Interview With Cat Ellington

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born and raised in the beautiful city of Chicago with my older brother, RaVan. My parents were not married; my brother and I were both love children. But as a single parent, my mother gave it her all, doing an exceptional job with us, in my opinion.

Growing up on the city’s South Side, my family lived in a number of great communities, including Kenwood/Hyde Park, Grand Boulevard, Washington Park, Jackson Park, and Douglas, just to name a few. And it had been while we were living in the Douglas neighborhood that I had chosen to adopt my father’s last name, you know, to use in my writing efforts, which came into being during that time in 1981.

Being the surname on my father’s side of the family, Ellington was my personal choice because I liked the way it flowed in succession to my one-syllable nickname, Cat, more so than I did any of the other surnames in my family, which all consist of one or two syllables. Initially, I had considered working in the Arts under the name Kimmie Ellington – “Kimmie” being short for my birth name, Kimberly. But at last, I decided against that idea. And I’m glad I did. My final decision to work under my predominant nickname, Cat, had been the wisest one.

I currently live—at least primarily—in Chicago with my husband Joseph Strickland, a screenwriter, producer, and director of the upcoming motion picture, Dual Mania. Together, we’ve produced an offspring numbering three: Nathaniel, Nairobi, and Naras, respectively. And our family pet is an adorable little Pomeranian that Joe (not I) named Aspen. Had I won the coin toss, the Northern Minnesota born pooch would be named NorthStar (for the former Minnesota North Stars hockey team) or Little Bear (laughs).

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I would say around the time that I was seven-years-old. My mother was a passionate reader and she collected books of various genres, especially urban fiction, thrillers, romance, horror, etc.

My family was living in Chicago’s Grand Boulevard neighborhood when I made the acquaintance of my very first Chicago Public Library building, the Dr. George Cleveland Hall branch in the 4800 block of South Michigan Avenue. My mother always took my big brother and me there – nearly every weekend as she, my mother, had a thing for donating books to that particular branch. We used to have so much fun just walking to the Hall library from the old brownstone in which we lived. So it was during that era that I started reading, beginning with a few of those easy-to-read children’s books. My mother not only read them to my brother and me, but she also made us read them out loud so that we would develop a better feel for the words, small as they were. Just remembering those moments and witnessing them now gets me right here. Those were some good times, I tell ya. My mother, God love her, was a brilliant woman. The lady was smart as a whip and blessed with a beautiful penmanship. Even to this day, her reading and writing skills remain superb.

The creative writer instilled within me from the womb emerged in 1981, after I (then ten-years-old) had been guided to compose my very first song work that I eventually titled “The Baby’s Song,” a short, melodical piece to be placed in the Pop genre. Soon thereafter, my hand would often develop an incurable itch to write words . . . and connect them together . . . like puzzle pieces . . . in story form. And whenever the words would come (always in a chorus), there would be music accompanying them – beautiful melodies that I would have to record by mouth because I didn’t have any keys (a piano or keyboard) at that time. I could hear the entire orchestra playing in my head, the strings and everything. But I had to record the works into my tape recorder using my mouth to make the music so that I wouldn’t lose the words or the melody.

I was a chubby little girl, so I tended to spend more time in the house reading books and listening to music than I did playing outside. I mean, for me, at that young age, books and music were just a natural gravitation as the duo of art forms brought me immense joy, even from since the time that I was old enough to remember. I loved books to death, as did I music. And they both were to be my nearest and dearest associates in the creative process. Music and books had both become my fervent interests in the 1970s, and a writer was to become me in 1981.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Stephen King, Iceberg Slim, Donald Goines, John Grisham, Carl Hiaasen, Jackie Collins, James Baldwin, James Patterson, Matt Shaw, Sean Costello, and Jordan Belcher, just to name a few, but in no particular order. I thoroughly enjoy the written work of quite a few authors, but right now, I’m naming them off the top of my head. I really love the writing of Pamesh Gates, too. And Roger Stelljes.

In my genre of literature, which would be nonfiction, my biggest inspiration is the late, great Roger Ebert. Because, like me, he was a critic, but in the branch of film. I, on the other hand, issue my professional criticism mostly in the branch of literature, although I have written a small collection of film reviews as well.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Reviews by Cat Ellington: The Complete Anthology, Vol. 1 is the beginning of a series of nonfiction books in the language arts & disciplines genre that intend to showcase the vast collection of my personally penned book reviews, which span nearly forty years.

Many of the authors whose novels I’ve reviewed were so in awe of my writing, that they were inquiring of me as to whether I had ever thought about writing my own books. Well, to be completely honest, I actually had; I just didn’t want to delve into it until the time was right. And in April of 2018, I got the call. It was time. I had finally located the majority of my original exaninations and immediately went to work revising all of the reviews from decades ago, restructuring them into manuscript form. And the process, though a ton of fun for me, had been terribly time consuming, a lot of hard work. But a stranger to hard work, I have never been. Truly, I’m proud to say that I completed the entire manuscript in just a little over three weeks.

Like every volume in the Complete Anthology series, Reviews by Cat Ellington (#1) comprises (50) literary examinations. Volume one covers 17 years, from 1979 – 1996. And some of the authors/books featured in the collection include Pimp by Iceberg Slim, Carrie by Stephen King, The Firm by John Grisham, Sinners by Jackie Collins, Dopefiend by Donald Goines, and Skin Tight by Carl Hiaasen.

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Featured Interview With Manning Wolfe

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Manning Wolfe, an award-winning author and attorney residing in Austin, Texas, writes cinematic-style, smart, fast-paced thrillers with a salting of Texas bullshit. Her series, features Austin Lawyer Merit Bridges. As a graduate of Rice University and the University of Texas School of Law, Manning’s experience has given her a voyeur’s peak into some shady characters’ lives and a front row seat to watch the good people who stand against them. She lives in south Austin with her mate, Bill and grown son, Aaron nearby.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I told my mother stories when I was about three – the good kind. I studied writing all through school and always thought I’d write a book.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I read legal thrillers, and that’s what I write. I love John Grisham, Scott Turow, Michael Connelly, Robert Dugoni, John Ellsworth, Larry A. Winters, and Billy Kring. I could go on for days!

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Green Fees, the latest in the Merit Bridges Legal Thriller Series sprung from a real-life case in my law office. Attorney Merit Bridges is in danger again when a loan shark uses an Enforcer to compel repayment of illegal loans. Merit tries to extricate golf pro Mark Green from the lender’s grip after Mark borrows money to finance his PGA dreams. Merit becomes a target of evil in a story that will shock and thrill as the identity of her adversary is revealed.

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Featured Interview With K Gregg Elliott

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I grew up in Staten Island, NY; Seattle, WA; and Memphis, TN (my father was in the Public Health Service). I currently live in Memphis, TN but am hoping to retire someplace overseas because I have always wanted to live in a foreign country!

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I cannot remember an age when I did not love reading. Books probably saved me during my teen years. I began creative writing in my 30s. I’ve been doing “nonfiction” style writing in my work since my 20s. It has taken me another couple decades to actually write a book!

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I love true story nonfiction, such as Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann, which I just read, or Educated by Tara Westover, which is next up. In fiction, I like mystery/detective/spy stories (Michael Connolly, Jason Matthews, Tana French), and thought-provoking science fiction such as The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell, or just really good stories, such as The Bone People by Keri Hulme.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
I wrote Career Reinvented as a labor of love. I kept telling people, “I should write a book!” because I was a successful solopreneur but never had any aspirations to start my own business. I did it out of desperation, and I wrote the book for people at a place in their lives like I was 10 years ago.

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Featured Interview With Eric Houston

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I believe I can safely say that I’m the best-looking concert pianist turned writer from the Long Ridge side of North Stamford, Connecticut. So far that’s uncontested. I now live in New York City, where my little apartment hardly fits me, much less a pet, but animals have played an important part of my life.

When I was six years old, my older sister and I began walking to school. After passing the foreboding graveyard, we came upon a small red house with a large black boxer/lab mix chained to a tree. Watching him ferociously bark and lunge for us as we passed, I’d never seen a dog so powerful and beautiful. Each day his barking and pulling became more ferocious, until one day he broke the chain. Seeing him dart like a rocket straight towards me, my sister yelled, “Eric, watch out!” But I was too frozen to move. Instead of ripping me to shreds, which he could have easily done, he began jumping all over me with uncontrollable excitement. My sister began hitting him with a book yelling, “Bad dog! Down! Down!” but even that couldn’t stop him. I loved it. I thought, “This is how everyone should greet me.”

Somehow, he knew that we were meant to be together. For the next few months, we were almost inseparable. He’d wait for me outside of my classroom, and I’d sit in the back by the window so that we could see each other. That summer, while we were away on a family vacation, his owners moved, taking him with them. During the entire vacation, I had looked forward to getting back to him. It was an incredibly hard blow to find out that I’d never see him again.

Then a miracle happened. His owners called to ask if we still wanted him. He was sick, and his owners didn’t want to pay for a vet. The money was also an issue to my parents, but knowing how much he meant to me, my parents agreed to take him. It was the happiest day of my life. The vet warned that he might not make it, but I knew he would. He was too powerful and had too much fight in him. Now that we were finally together, he just couldn’t die.

Still, it was an incredible relief when he was given the clear, and his recovery was just more proof that he was a super dog. I immediately changed his name from the unsuitable Pepper to Hector, the Trojan prince. Hector was more than my best friend. He was my hero and my guardian angel. I couldn’t understand my incredible luck that he would chose me as his friend. He somehow looked past all of my inadequacies and greeted me with such passion that we had to put a Band-Aid on the end of his tail to prevent it from whipping blood on the walls.

As a child, it seemed an eternity away for Hector to grow old. I was ill prepared for him to die of brain cancer when I was fifteen. To this day, I still have the occasional dream that Hector didn’t die. He was just out wandering the neighborhood and comes home. It is a wonderful dream. I never question how unrealistically old Hector would be now, but then I wake up.

Our relationship mirrored to some extent one part of my father’s story in “The Lost Artist.”
In 1934, my father was thirteen when he escaped Nazi Germany by going alone to Palestine. Without family or friends in a foreign, hostile land, it was a difficult time for him. But one day, he saw a magnificent, black Arabian horse running in a field. To get a better look, he walked out into the field, and the horse began charging him. Terrified, he froze as the horse stopped practically on top of him. Slowly and cautiously my father tried petting him. Soon the horse was nuzzling his chest and playing with him in the field, when a farmer yelled out from a distance, “Get away from that horse! He’s a killer!”

Until then, no one had been able to get near the horse, Amon. For whatever reason, Amon only trusted my father. Until WWII separated them, they were best friends. They did everything together. The horse that no one could get near was plowing fields, scouting the area with my father, and working with him in the Haganah to bring in illegal Jewish immigrants. It was only because of Amon, through a bizarre series of events, that my father met King Abdullah of Jordan, WWII’s most important Arab ally to the British. It’s a miracle that my father survived the war. Without King Abdullah’s protection, he would have undoubtedly been killed early on in the North African Campaign.

I described my father meeting Amon exactly as he told it to me, but because of Hector, I understood how he felt. I knew what it was like for a skinny kid who didn’t fit in to have a magnificent animal, for no explicable reason, choose you as his friend. Many have said that Amon is one of their favorite parts of “The Lost Artist.”

My father and I talked a lot before he died of lung cancer in 2006. He was telling me about one exploit with Amon when he said, “It’s amazing. So many years have passed, but he’s still so clear to me. It’s as if we’ve barely been apart.” I told him about my recurring dream of Hector, and he admitted having a similar dream about Amon. We both had many wonderful relationships with other animals, but nothing quite matched what we had then. How could it? Could we ever be that young again to believe in forever?

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
When I was five, I was blown away by Maurice Sendak’s “Nutshell Library.” We can never go back, but I still remember the passion I felt for it. Great art says a lot with a little, and it’s a perfect example. At age ten, I wrote my first book, a fantasy adventure about Hector and me. It wasn’t very good, but the kids kept asking the teacher to read it, probably to get out of schoolwork. Curiously, at age ten, my father illustrated his first book about a bee, “Queen Maya.” His teacher liked it so much that he asked if he could keep it. My father agreed but was heartbroken to hand it over. I wish I could’ve seen it, but it was probably lost in the war.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I love to explore different worlds, so historical fiction and nonfiction are probably my favorite genres. As far as inspiration goes, it amazes me that Jane Austen wrote “Pride and Prejudice” over 200 years ago. There are so many reasons why it’s a timeless masterpiece: perfect three-act structure (not coined until 1979 by Syd Field), compelling drama with characters you care about in unfair situations, brilliant dialogue that is always true to the characters, and, of course, her timeless sense of humor that flows so naturally from the characters. Many writers inspire me: John le Carré, Daphne du Maurier, Graham Greene, and Moss Hart, to name a few. Some I’ve recently discovered: Dov Zeller, Lara Lillibridge, and Jennifer Haupt. Since they inspire me, I wouldn’t be surprised if Jane Austen hadn’t also inspired them.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My new book is entitled “The Lost Artist: Love Passion War (Part 1).”

Having escaped Nazi Germany by going along to Palestine at the age of thirteen, my father became a WWII war hero in the British commandos, but his passion was art.

I knew he had a remarkable story, but I felt too far removed to write it. Besides what he told me, what did I know about the rise of the Nazi Party in Germany, Palestine before the State of Israel, WW II’s North African Campaign, the No. 2 Commando, etc.? I’m used to researching a subject until I’m comfortable enough to write about it, but this seemed overwhelming.

Then in 2010, I received an email from Einat Amitay, a top computer scientist with a chair at IBM Israel, saying, “You may not know this, but your father is very famous in Israel.” At first, I thought it was a scam, but as I read on, she talked about a children’s book that my father had illustrated, “And There Was Evening” (“Vayehi Erev”) (ויהי ער). I knew the book because my father had brought it back from his one trip to Israel in the early 90’s. In early 1948, he had turned in the illustrations right before leaving Palestine/Israel for New York City and never gave it any more thought.

He showed me the book in disbelief. “It’s a miracle. The book was actually published, and this one little bookstore somehow got the leftover copies from the 1950’s printing.”

I told Einat that during our first Skype conversation. She laughed, saying, “He could’ve walked into any bookstore and found it. It’s everywhere.” It never crossed his mind that the book could have had more than one printing, much less become a bestseller and timeless classic, now in its 42nd edition, referred to as the pearl of Israeli children’s literature. After a sixty-year ongoing search for the artist, Einat, while dying of breast cancer, had joined the mission and, against all odds, finally solved the mystery.

The story was now too much for me to resist. Einat was a great support. I was very moved by her story of finding my dad and wanted to tell it as a present-day backdrop to telling his story. We became close friends as we chatted often on Skype. Though she made it clear that her chances of survival were slight, she was so vital, such a wonderful person, and had such determination that it was hard for me to accept. How many people dying of breast cancer would have the determination to join a 60-year search for a lost artist of a favorite children’s book and be the one to actually succeed?! I will always be incredibly grateful to her. On her blog, you can see how much she did for so many, especially for children. I can’t say how much her search for my father has meant to my family and me. I only wish my father could have known her, but he died a few years before. She felt his spirit was pushing her, so maybe they know each other now. I hope so.

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Featured Interview With Upendra Rana

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I am Upendra Rana from Hathras currently putting at Sahibabad Ghaziabad, a postgraduate in MCA. I have experience of 6 yrs (approx) as Digital Marketer. I currently own an IT company named “Make Your Brandz”. I did my schooling from CBSE board, Arunachal Pradesh. I have written 9 books. 8 Books are being sold online through 15 websites worldwide. The first book is about me, which is available free of cost. All books are available at national bookstores, Amazon, Google Playstore, Iphone bookstore, barnes and noble and many more.

I have been interviewed by several TV news channels and 90.4 Radio Salam Namaste. My interviews and success stories have been published in several local and national newspapers besides digital media.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
At the age of 25, I became a writer; at 26, I became an acclaimed writer of 9 books, the first Indian ever to write numerous books on the A-Z of digital marketing and an entrepreneur at 27.

I Started writing at the age of 24 yrs old.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Atal Bihari ji, Ravinder Singh, Durjoy Dutta, and Manoshi Sinha. I was inspired by Ravinder Singh. My father is a role model for me. My whole family motivates me to write. I am an average boy and my marks always rely between 55% to 65%. My father always told me to keep faith in God and keep working hard. Just like any other middle class guy, I too had a bunch of unclear dreams and a blurred vision of my goals in life. Because of my mother’s blessing and prayer, I have become a writer as well as a digital marketer.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My 9th book which is my latest book named as “Step by Step Guide to SEO” by “Upendra Rana”. Published by Prabhat Prakashan.

This is a hands on, very straight and step by step guide on SEO. Contains in- depth knowledge of Search Engine Optimization, Social Media Optimization, Do’s and Don’ts of SEO and SMO. Author has covered all aspects from inception and planning of business, keeping in mind SEO and SMO. Brief knowledge of Affiliated marketing has also been included in this book which will be a practical guide for both beginners and experts.

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Featured Interview With John Egenes

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I grew up in southern California, spent three decades in northern New Mexico, and now live in New Zealand. Spent most of my life around horses in one way or another, and had my horse, Gizmo, from when he was a weanling colt until he passed away at twenty-two. These days I don’t have horses, but I do live with three cats: Ozzie, Harriet, and Gidget.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I started reading almost before I could talk, and I’ve been stuck into a book ever since. I always have a book (or my Kindle) with me, and a day isn’t complete unless I spend a little time in a cafe with a cup of coffee and a good book to read.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
There are so many great authors that I can’t possibly list even a fraction of them. I read around a hundred books a year, and have for most of my life. I’m big on science fiction, but read everything from Louis L’Amour to Richard Feynman, from Margaret Atwood to Neil Gaiman. I like smart writers, people who can make words flow and create imagery in my mind. I read fiction and non-fiction alike. As a university researcher, I also read a lot of research material. Some of it is fascinating, and some… not so much.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My book is called, “Man & Horse: The Long Ride Across America”. It’s a memoir that describes a journey I took with my young horse, Gizmo, back in 1974. We traveled from coast to coast across the United States, seven months and forty-four hundred miles. It’s a look back on another era. It was a different world back then, and the America that Gizmo and I witnessed no longer exists.

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Featured Interview With Jennifer Lewis

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born and raised in the great Pacific Northwest! Though I’m not as close to the coast as I was, I love it here!

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I have been reading as long as I can remember. When I was 11, I decided I wanted to start trying to write on my own. I’ve been writing ever since!

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Nora Roberts, Julie Garwood and Danielle Steele to name a few! I love all genres, but romance is definitely my favorite. I feel most inspired by Nora Roberts. I idolized her books growing up.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest published book is The Proposal, book two in my Marriage of Convenience Series! I would have to say it took me six months to write, but I wholly enjoyed it. It follows Andrea and Benton, who have been dancing around their attraction for over a year. Circumstance throws them together, and they are finally forced to face their feelings for one another.

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Featured Interview With Theresa Oliver

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Hello! My name is Theresa Oliver and I an author of clean historical romance, clean contemporary romance, and young adult and children’s picture books in all genres. I looke forward to getting to know you, but for now, here’s a little bit about me. I was born in Marquette, Michigan, and raised in Jeffersonville, Indiana. I currently live in Kissimmee, Florida, with my husband, three children, a bossy dog and a very persnicky cat.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I first became fascinated with writing at the age of fourteen, when my Creative Writing Teacher, Ms. Burke, gave me a simple writing assignment: Write a short story. I wrote a Twilight Zone-type story titled “The Door,” and I was hooked. Ms. Burke pulled me aside, told me I had talent, and encouraged me to continue writing. As the eyars passed, I wrote off and on, but unfortunately, life all to often took over and not as many words were written. I had almost forsaken my love of writing, when I read the book Twilight, by: Stephenie Meyer, the first young adult book I ever read. I thought to myself “I can do that” and was hooked on writing once again. Now, I write under two names and have published over twenty books. More are on the way. Now, if I don’t write, I start to have “withdrawals.” As long as stories contune to come to mind, I will continue to write them down.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I read in all genres, but my favorite is romance, uban fantasy, paranornal romance and fantasy young adult, and nonfiction. My favorite books include The Twilight Saga, by: Stephenie Meyer; and A Knight in Shining Armor, by: Jude Deveraux. In my opinion, A Knight in Shining Armor is the best time-travel romance ever written and should be the model for all time-travel romance books. I also read many nonfiction books on writing, which help me to continue to hone my craft and marketing. As a writer, it’s important to read.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
When I first wrote the character Dirk, the owner of the livery stable in the fictional town of Whiskey River, I imagined him being married to a princess, although I’m not exactly sure why. The book is set at Christmas time, so including a princess in the story seemed to work. I also wanted to bring in some danger. too. I did a little research on the succession of the throne in Monaco, and I found out that the Grimaldi family has been the ruling family for centuries. So, the fictional character of Gabriella Grimaldi was born. But although she is a fictional character, her uncle and cousin were real people. I love it when I can include real people and events in my fictional stories.

When I thought of Gabriella, I imagined what it would be like to be a princess, to have someone cater to your every whim and wait on you hand and foot. Although it would be nice at first, but you would lose some of your freedom by living in a guilded cage. Gabriella feels the same way and escapes to live a life of adventure. But she has been so protected that she doesn’t realize how dangerous it can be in the real world… expecially for someone in her position. Hence, the character of Gabriella was born.

I started writing A Whiskey River Princess last July, so I watched a lot of Christmas movies to get into the spirit to write the book. Surprisingly, it only took me a few months to write. However, the second draft and rewrites were extensive, which took a bit longer. The result was a much better book, thanks to my editor Liv Olivia Ventura at Hot Tree Editing. Liv, I cannot sing your praises enough.

I enjoyed spending time with Dirk and Gabriella in A Whiskey River Princess. I hope you enjoy spending time in Whiskey River, too.

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Featured Interview With Carolyn M. Walker

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I’m originally from Southern California, but I’ve since traded in the dry heat, Mexican food, brown mountains, and beach bonfires of the golden coast for year-round tropical weather, frequent alligators, and a giant mouse (yes, Mickey…), where I live among the beaches of Florida with my husband, daughter, and chihuahua Dixie.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I realized my fascination with books at a very early age! From the time I could hold a pencil, I’ve been writing. At just six years old I proudly drafted my first short story about a little girl who visits an alternate world through a secret portal in her back yard. When I was 11, I won my first statewide young writer’s competition and by 14 I was an avid reader.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Some great authors who have inspired me include Lewis Carroll, Edgar Allen Poe, Robert Frost, Shakespeare, Jane Austen, J.D. Salinger, Richard Matheson, Stephen King, Neil Gaiman, C.S. Lewis, and many more. I’m also inspired by comic books and anime.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book is my debut book! IMMORTAL DESCENT is a tale about immortality and the human condition among those who are no longer human.

Ethan West knows what it means to be different. With a haunted past and a strange sixth sense he sometimes can’t control, Ethan’s in search of a better future. Instead, he’s brutally attacked. Narrowly saved by the beautiful and mysterious Rue, Ethan quickly learns the world is darker and more bizarre than he had ever imagined. And sparing his life comes with a price: being reborn immortal.

Now, a dark faction of ancient, cursed immortal beings known as Lorns are after him. Descended from the mythological Nephilim, Lorns are bound by either the divine force of order or the mortal force of chaos. And now they want his rare, newly awakened soul.

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Carolyn M. Walker’s Website

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Featured Interview With Cheryl Lacey Donovan

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I am me. Fearfully and wonderfully made to effectuate change in this world by being exactly who I was created to be. I have been married for 25+ years I have 3 adult children and 5 grandchildren. I am blessed!

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I have been fascinated with books for as long as I can remember. Actually, when I was younger, I would finish my work before the other students in the class. So, I thought it was only right to try to help them. This of course was frowned upon by the instructor. Because my mother was an educator, she suggested my instructor send me to the library to read and write a report on what I read. BINGO! Not only did this spark my love for reading, it also led to journaling and ultimately 6+ books.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Some of my favorite authors include Zora Neale Hurston, Alice Walker, and John Grisham to name a few. Like I said I love to read so my tastes are very diverse.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book is all about empowering others to live their best lives honestly and authentically. Too often we hide behind masks that are not a true reflection of who we really are. We’re frauds in our own lives. Can I Be Me provides actionable steps to understanding who you are and how you can present yourself honestly to the world.

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Cheryl Lacey Donovan Facebook Page

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Featured Interview With Henry G. Taygar

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Hello, my name is Henry G. Taygar. I am currently the librarian at Academy Emerald. I was adopted into the Academy when I was a small child, something that is pretty unusual. I’m 42 years old. I have a beautiful wife and two wonderful children that I love to play with who live at the Academy with me. And of course, the students who come through these halls. I love to read and play chess (a truly wonderful game). Currently, two small lhasa apsos are also a part of our family.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I realized my fascination with books as soon as I could read! I began drawing comic books when I was just a young boy. My artistic skills are still at a grade school level, but my storytelling improved.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I have been greatly influenced by great modern novelists like Rick Riordan and James Patterson. I also enjoy a good Sherlock Holmes story now and then. I love the way Sir Arthur Conan Doyle absorbs you in your story. While you read, you are in London. I do my best to emulate that in my writing.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Harry Potter meets Mission Impossible in the thrilling first installment of Alphas.
Dark forces have converged on Earth. The world’s protectors are scrambling to find a solution to the coming apocalypse. Their only hope is for an Alpha to emerge, a Being gifted with incredible power and trained in the legendary Academies.
Theodore Hertz was worried about a class project. Now he’s worried about facing ancient evils who want him dead. His only hope is Academy Bloodstone, but the institution that’s supposed to protect him is just as dangerous. His homework? Survive.
Spoiler alert: This information is classified. It took me two weeks to compile the data files for this book because I had to do it in secret. But now that it’s out there, feel free to spread the word!

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Henry G. Taygar Twitter Account

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Featured Interview With Steven Lazaroff

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was a Military Brat, we moved around a lot during my youth. I lived in several cities in Canada and did a brief stint overseas in Germany when my father served with the Royal 22nd Regiment at the height of the cold war.
Mark, my co-writer and I met in high school and we have remained friends ever since, 30 years later.
He is a bit of an eccentric and has not yet done interviews.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I was a voracious reader from a young age. Having to rebuild friendships every two years caused me to escape into stories. I started writing short stories and poems in Junior high School and have since been writing in amateur formats ever since. My day job requires me to write very descriptive content regularly.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I loved the Narnia series from C.S. Lewis and pretty much anything from Piers Anthony at a YA stage in my life. Later my tastes evolved to Asimov and Frank Hebert. Simon Scarrow wrote a fantastic Historical fiction series called ‘Eagles of the Empire’ that I really enjoyed. Scarrow also did a series called ‘Wellington and Napoleon’ which I really got into. Finally, I enjoyed Hunter S. Thompson and followed the style of Gonzo journalism, which is perhaps why my writing is humorous and sarcastic.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Its a collection of short stories essentially. You can pick up any chapter in any order and each chapter is its own stand-alone story. Mark and I researched and documented an example of a confidence scam perpetrated on people at every epoch of recorded human history. We start with the ancient Egyptians, move on the late Roman empire, then middle kingdom’s era of China, all the way through the modern age. Each chapter explains, in detail how the deception or confidence scam was conceived, executed and concluded. There is a lot of humor to keep the reader from being bored. Especially for people that typically don’t enjoy reading history.

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Steven Lazaroff’s Website

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Featured Interview With Chad Stambaugh

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Chad Stambaugh is a Fiction and Non-Fiction author. A Business Owner during the day. Chad is also a Paranormal Investigator and full-time writer. He’s spent the last decade reading all kinds of books and writing blogs about the paranormal. His latest novel, The Devil Within is his first fiction novel after writing predominately non-fiction.

Chad Stambaugh is a 4-time Paranormal Award Winner. Non-Fiction Book: Paranormal Investigations, 2013; Non-Fiction Book: The Paranormal Dictionary, 2014; Paranormal Radio Show of the Year; 2015, Non-Fiction Book: Beyond the Veil, 2015, The IPPA Award: International Paranormal Acknowledgement Award. (Only the second American to ever win the Award.) He’s also had one of his short stories; “Everyone Hates the Grays.” Published in Portable Magic; The Authors First Anthology book.

Chad started his writing career in 2012 by chance. He was looking for a way to teach others how to do Paranormal Investigations. Which led him to writing his first Non-Fiction novel, Paranormal Investigations. He lives in Fresno, Ca and has three children and 3 grandchildren.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
Almost from the time I could hold a book, I’ve loved sitting and just reading.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
My favorite author is Tom Clancy. He really inspired me to want to write my own books.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My newest book Contagion is book one of a trilogy. It’s also my second attempt at fiction. Most of all my other books have been non-fiction. Something that people won’t realize about the characters in the book are that Every single character is named from a family member or a friend. For some reason they get a kick out of me using their names in my books.

The book itself is about when a disease cannot be defeated, it must be contained. A father learns his daughter has caught the deadly contagion virus. It’s only a matter of time before the CDC finds out and erases the family from society forever. Vincent Gallo and his family watch in horror as their neighbors are “contained” by the CDC after their child is discovered to be infected with The Contagion. Reeling from the trauma and horror of what happened to their neighbors, Vincent’s oldest daughter, Alegra, now shows the marks of the virus. Now the Gallo’s must decide whether they can keep their daughter’s infection hidden from the watchful eyes of the CDC and a fearful population, or take their chances and run. Contagion is the first book of the 3-part Contagion Series. If you like chilling, thrilling, suspense-filled action, and stories of government conspiracy, you’ll love Contagion.

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Featured Interview With Kshama

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
My name is Kshama. I am an Indian author. I was born in Mangalore. I went to Africa with my parents when I was around three years old and they returned back to India when I was ten years old. I did my higher studies and completed my post graduation from Bengaluru University. I am married and have one daughter. Currently, I am residing in Navi Mumbai.
I am an animal lover. I had around twenty five cats as pets in my whole life till now. I also had one dog and some fishes as pets. Right now, I am having two cats Ginger and Snow. They are five years old now.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I started reading at a very young age and never stopped, as I loved to read. My parents have encouraged me to read books in my childhood.
I started writing in my thirties as I had a passion towards writing. I have written six books and four nonfiction books out of them are already published. They are sold worldwide in different online and offline stores. More than five hundred articles written by me are published in different blogs with worldwide readers.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
This is the hardest question to answer. It is difficult to pick a favorite author. I have too many favorite authors. M.K Indira, Preeti Shenoy and the list of my favorite authors goes on.
I enjoy reading widely, all different types of genres. Mostly, I love to read magazines. I avoid reading horror novels.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book that was published is “Baby care and child care – zero to three”. I had ‘Child development’ as a major subject in my M.Sc (Master of Science in Human development). Child development refers to biological, psychological and physical changes in human beings from birth to adolescence.
Many times people become parents unexpectedly and they panic. If parents do not have adequate knowledge of baby care and child care, parenting experience can turn into a nightmare. Parenting is no easy job. This book is a complete guide to parents of newborns, infants and toddlers. It deals with the day to day care, normal development of your baby, health issues, behavioral issues, newborn concerns, infant concerns, toddler concerns and a lot more.

Featured Interview With Zeeshan Arafath

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
My name is Zeeshan Arafath, a 14-year-old author, I have written my first book, All but a Spark. It is about the wildfire in Fort McMurray, but with different names and all. I now live in Calgary with my three brothers, one sister, two parents, and two cats.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
2nd grade, like 7 years old.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
JK Rowling, Cinda Williams Chima, Rick Riordan, and more. I love to read fantasy books. This book I have written is not a fantasy book because I had to get my message out to the world.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My book, All but a Spark, is about my experience, in the fire of Fort McMurray. I used different names for me and my friends, but the things that happened are still the same.

Featured Interview With Chantal Gadoury

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
So a little bit about me. . .
I was born in Germany, on a military base – as my father was stationed there. I often get questions on what I do remember about that time in my life. Honestly, I don’t really remember much about it, other than the cobblestone roads, the wonderful scent of an ice cream parlor, and a little red house filled with sand at a park. When my parents returned to the United States, we moved to a small town in Pennsylvania. I currently still live there with my mom, my sister and our family dog – Taran. (He’s a yorkie, and he’s the cutest dog I know.) After I graduated high school, I attended Susquehanna University, where I received a Bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing. And suddenly had permission to call myself a full-fledged writer!

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I was really young when my fascination with books began. My mom used to take me to the library every Saturday, where she introduced me to the world of books. The library was my most favorite place to go. I loved finding new books to look at, to read. Of course, I had my favorites that I always checked out and read over and over again. I started writing a bit later in my childhood – about seven or eight, when a teacher assigned us to write a story of our own. From then on, I was always writing. I can remember asking my parents for a diary, so that I could be just like Harriet the Spy (because I was young when that movie came out.) I used to cut up my old coloring book pages and create stories for my sister. I would have journals and journals of stories and ideas. And when I learned how to type, I was able to write them down even faster. In high school, I wrote with my friends in journals – we’d take characters and mesh them into different worlds and situations. Many of which were all based on anime characters; “Cowboy Bebop,” “Gundam Wing,” “G-Gundam.” When I was in college, I found a little group of on-line Disney Roleplayers. So when I wasn’t reading – I was writing!

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
When I enter a bookstore, I directly go to the Young Adult section. It’s my go-to for any sort of reading that I might do. In that section, I prefer to read a good, sweet, fluffy romance. Whether it’s fantasy or contemporary, I’m not biased. I’m a fan of Sarah Dessen, Maggie Stiefvater, and Sarah J. Maas. I’ve recently become a huge fan of Jenny Han’s “To all the boys I loved” series, and finished “Fangirl” by Rainbow Rowell. Robin McKinley, Edith Pattou and Donna Jo Napoli were authors that heavily influenced me in the beginning of my “I’m-going-to-write-a-novel” days. I wanted to write a fairy tale retelling just like they had. But I think many of the authors that I’ve listed have influenced me in many different ways when it comes to my own writings. Maggie and Sarah J. Maas have a beautiful way of describing scenes and emotions for fantasy elements. Jenny and Rainbow helped me to grasp onto the emotional tideway that contemporary romances bring to young people. They all are at a standard of writing that I hope to achieve to someday.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
The latest book coming out on June 19th is called “Between the Sea and Stars.” I call it my Disney Crossover. “The Little Mermaid” meets “Treasure Planet” meets villains as cruel as the ones you find in “Aladdin.” When I went about in writing this book, I really wanted to reference real-life mermaid mythology. Instead of being called Mermaids, they’re merrows – based on the Irish/English Origin. The locations are all set in and around Denmark, a nod to the original Little Mermaid tale. And of course, being that it’s my own Disney Crossover, there’s magic, romance, danger, and adventure. Lena is not so much your damsel in distress, but she’s also not one of the many heroines that we read today who hold a bow and arrow and kill all the enemies. I wanted to write a character who felt real and made real decisions; made real mistakes and felt real emotions. I wanted to write a book which explored the many layers of what it is to be human; what makes us who we are. When we’re faced with things that we want the most, who or what do we become? It took about a year to write – but I think I accomplished what I set out to do. Lena meets several different characters while she’s on land – and finds that perhaps the ‘seaweed isn’t always greener, in somebody else’s lake…’ For anyone who enjoyed “To Kill a Kingdom,” “Between the Sea and Stars” might just be for you!

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Chantal Gadoury Facebook Page

Chantal Gadoury Twitter Account

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Featured Interview With Jaime Vendera

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
My name is Jaime Vendera, Ohio born and raised, though I travel a lot, because I have this fun little hobby where I shatter glass with my voice:) I’ve performed this feat all over the world, and here in the US on shows like MythBusters and Dr. oz. When I am not smashing glasses, I teach voice and sing…but my favorite pastime is writing. I’ve written over 50 books both fiction and non-fiction. Happily married with a song and grandson. HUGE animal lover, so much that our dogs were like our children. Sadly, our two dachshunds and two chihuahuas have all passed away over the last three years from old age:(

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
My 6th grade English teacher had us keep journals all year long. I hated it…until I realized that it was a window into another world for me. I began to write stories about werewolves and unicorns and super heroes….I’ve been writing every since:) Ironically, (starting as a fiction writer) my first book was a non-fiction book about vocal training, called, “Raise Your Voice.”

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
WOW, toooooo many to mention. I LOVE fantasy fiction and my favorite authors in that genre are Terry Brooks and Cinda Williams Chima. For non-fiction it is Joe Vitale, hands down.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book is a non-fiction book called, “Mind Over Music” which is a book about overcoming procrastination so that the musician within can get into the studio and onto the stage. I write it in three days…Raise Your Voice took me four years! This book was actually a challenge given to me by author, Joe Vitale. He was shocked when I completed his challenge because most people he has challenged never made it to the finish line.

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Jaime Vendera’s Website

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Featured Interview With DAVID DANON

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born in Pasadena California. We moved to Newport Beach when I was ten years old, and I grew up in the water, surfing, and sailing. I sailed around the world when I was 19 to 21. I now live in Costa Mesa Ca. I’ve had many jobs, co-founded a clothing company, and worked in film and television for 20 years. I began practicing yoga over 40 years ago and began teaching yoga over 20 years ago.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
My parents were voracious readers and read a lot of science fiction, fantasy, and pulp fiction. From the first time I saw the comics in the newspaper, I wanted to know how to read. As I got older, my parents kept me in a continuous supply of books that they had liked. They were reading all the great science fiction/fantasy authors of the day, and it was so great because they filtered for me, and I always read great books.

I always loved reading, and I can remember being so obsessed with the Hobbit, and The Lord of the Rings in High School, that I would have the paperback inside my textbook and be reading during class!

I never was a journaler and didn’t write much when I was young. I began to write a memoir about my youth and sailing around the world, but in the midst of that, my father died. I had to deal with the details of that, lost the momentum, and never finished. Next came a family and those responsibilities. About four years ago I started blogging when I was diagnosed with cancer, and that led to the book.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I love good writing in many genres. For me, writing or any art form, must speak to or evoke emotion. Anything else is just window dressing. It can be fiction or non-fiction. I love biographies and autobiographies of people who changed their art or profession. Fantasy, adventure, historical if it is well written, and moving I’ll read it.

From Michener to Stephen King, to Louis L’Amour, Jack London, Ray Bradbury I don’t care as long as it’s good. Biographies or autobiographies from Keith Richards to Mozart, to Paramahansa Yogananda, or Steve Jobs.

I prefer succinct, direct writing. Long descriptive narratives bore me, and I will skim over them. If I think the author is just going for word count or being overly self-indulgent, I’m done.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Honestly, I had considered writing a book. I even started one. It was a memoir told as a novel, to allow some creative freedom, and protect the innocent and guilty as well. I may still do that one.

But this is not the book I ever thought I would write. It is not a book that I wanted to write. It was, ultimately, the book I had to write.

First, I must make it clear that this book is not only about cancer. Cancer is used as an example of a problem to be dealt with, but many aspects apply to other physical and mental problems as well.

When I was diagnosed with cancer, I did the same thing I have always done when confronted with a new and unknown situation. I studied it, and studied it, and researched it and lived it. And that has been going on for five years.

Throughout that time I have had many, many conversations with friends, family, co-workers, and students regarding cancer. I realized that I had accumulated a large body of information relative to the disease, and just as importantly, the system that treats it. People were so surprised and sometimes shocked by the information, that I began to think, “ok, there is a need for this information. People need to know this stuff.”

That is how it happened. I started a blog and realized that to use yoga as an ally in the battle of life, that life, yoga, and the problem were all inseparable to the yogi. All part of the package of living in material creation.

Thus the stories and views on life are from the yogic point of view. The chapters on yoga are from a long time in it. The section on cancer is from the viewpoint of a yogi facing his mortality.

There may be things in the book that resonate with you and others that don’t. That is exactly as it should be. I don’t pretend to have all the answers, but I know this. If you find one thing in one book that you can integrate and use in your life that improves it, it was well worth the read.

Because in the end, it is all about accumulating knowledge, and most importantly, doing the work.

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DAVID DANON’s Website

DAVID DANON Facebook Page