Top Selling Authors: Get To Know Them Better

Featured Interview With L.M. Bracklow

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
My name is Luana and I’m a twenty-six-year-old Peruvian author. I was raised in Lima and that is where I currently live. I’ve lived here my entire life, actually. I’m a big fan of horror movies and true crime. And yes, I do have pets! A blue Staffy named Aquiles, and a German shepherd named Apollo. My family and I are dog lovers. There’s nothing I enjoy more than reading a book in bed with Aquiles lying beside me.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I’ve loved books for as long as I can remember! When I was in high school, they made us read around twelve books a year and I really enjoyed it. I think that was what made me fall in love with reading. However, I didn’t start writing until I was twenty-two. I had no idea I wanted to be a writer until then. I was watching a YouTube video about the universe and an idea for a book popped into my head. My writing journey began then. I did write that first book, but I never published it. A year later, I came up with the idea for The Islands of Iros. And here I am now.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I’m a huge middle-grade fan so I have to say Rick Riordan, Shannon Messenger, Jessica Townsend, B.B Alston. I also really like Stephen King, Donna Tart, Leigh Bardugo, Madeline Miller and Alexandra Bracken!

My favorite genre to read is Fantasy, fantasy, fantasy! I read romance occasionally, but fantasy books have my heart. Psychological thrillers are great as well. I love plot twists and the unexpected!

I wouldn’t say I’m inspired by one person in particular, but by good writing in general. Reading a book with great writing makes me want to improve my own skills, to better myself as a writer.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
I really enjoy watching anime so my biggest inspirations for The Islands of Iros were One Piece, Attack on Titan and Jujutsu Kaisen. TIOI is a fun, middle-grade adventure filled with pirates, magic, friendship, sirens, and lots of sword fighting! I’m currently working on the second book in the series. There’s a lot more to come!

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L.M. Bracklow’s Website

L.M. Bracklow Twitter Account

Featured Interview With Maeve Birch

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I grew up in the Appalachian foothills, in the land of cows and corn. In the spring when they’d put manure on the fields, I smelled it through the school bus windows for a week. When I was a teenager, my dad retired, and we moved further into the mountains. To my chagrin, none of the other teens at my high school were interested in nature outside of deer hunting season. I spent many summer days alone in the woods behind our house, digging fossils out of the mountainside, identifying tree species, and bringing home minnows from the creek. One day I sat so still that a fox passed three feet away from me, ignoring my presence entirely. Back then I encountered horses briefly from time to time, but never really got a good look at them outside of trail rides and chance encounters. It wasn’t until I moved back to the east coast after college that I sought out horses to interact with. I have never owned my own horse, it has always been at other barns, either horse rescues, boarding stables, or lesson barns. Far from being a disadvantage, this has allowed me to get to know a wider variety of horses and learn more about them than if I had only one horse to interact with. I’m so glad I’ve had the opportunity to work with many equines. At home I have two cats, both tabbies. One is a complete cuddle bug and the other is the most adorably stubborn being I’ve ever come across. My spouse is supportive of my equine obsession, but never really got into horses like I did. I’m grateful that I can track horse manure into the house on occasion and he doesn’t complain.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
My mother was a librarian, so I grew up with books. Trips to the public library were a weekly occurrence. Finishing a good sci-fi novel while hiding under the bed covers with a flashlight happened more than my parents would’ve liked. Threatening to take away a book mid-read convinced me to get my homework done. I wrote poems and short stories beginning in elementary school, but every time I’d attempt to write a novel, I’d get halfway through it and lose track of the plot. What I needed was a topic that I cared passionately enough about to carry me through my first full-length book. The first glimmers of this memoir were initially journal entries, and it unfolded from there. In all, it took me a little over a year to go from journal entries and an outline to a finished, self-published book. Childhood me would be proud.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I love reading nonfiction books about horses, wildlife, and gardening. I’m inspired most by those who mix their spirituality with the natural world. Books like Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer and The Tao of Equus by Linda Kohanov led me toward my own integration of lessons learned from other species into my life and my spirituality. I also love Doug Tallamy’s books, including Nature’s Best Hope. Those inspired me to turn part of my backyard into a miniature meadow, which is a source of great joy and bountiful nectar. The smell of the blooming goldenrod in autumn is absolutely indescribable. In the winter, when the garden is asleep and the barn pasture is absolutely frigid, I read in the evenings. Sometimes I even start memoirs.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Standing in a Field With Horses is the story of the beginning of my time with horses. Initially I struggled greatly with codependent behavior, and it showed in how I interacted with horses. Horses are fantastic at pointing out where you’re lacking boundaries. That’s part of why they make such great partners in equine therapy programs. In my case I was also plagued by an inability to be a “dominant leader” towards horses. If you’re around traditional horse barns for any significant length of time you’ll hear phrases like “He’s taking advantage of you,” “Get after her,” or “Tell him who’s boss.” There is an overarching assumption that horses are out to pull one over on the humans, and will take advantage of us, or hurt us if we let them win any disagreement. In answer to that, horses are often handled with unyielding strength and rigid expectations. I couldn’t do it. I felt a deep-seated discomfort with controlling a horse’s emotional expressions when sometimes I could “hear” the horse in my body and my mind, telling me that something was wrong. It wasn’t them trying to dominate the human, it was pain, fear, or something else unrelated.
Over time it became soul-crushing. The memoir is about my quest to find my voice. I needed to share what I was seeing, hearing, and feeling from the horses. In the book there’s animal communication, moments where I failed miserably, and wonderful and mysterious happenings that I still can’t explain. I admit, some chapters made my editor cry. It’s not an easy book, but it’s an important one. Not just for equestrians, but for anyone struggling through something like codependency or fear of judgement. The emergence of equine positive reinforcement training and equine behavior studies closely mirror the rise of mental health awareness and falling away of punitive parenting and office culture in the human world. Horses are social creatures just like us. It’s no wonder, then, that we find a little piece of our own relational landscapes in the behavior of a herd of horses.
Emerging from the other end of writing this book, I have a community. There are others out there who don’t want a rigid control of horses anymore. The book is a cry of “We exist! You’re not the only one who feels like this.” I hope that’s what readers get out of the memoir. If nothing else these stories will take you on an adventure into the world of a misfit horse enthusiast, trying to find a way to be in the presence of horses while staying true to herself. Come, stand in a field of horses and listen… you might hear more than you expect.

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Maeve Birch’s Website

Featured Interview With Michael LaReaux

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was raised in a suburb of Oakland, California in the 70s and 80s. It was a great place to grow up. Our street was like a little United Nations, so I got exposed to different cultures and beliefs from a very young age. Now I live thousands of miles away in the Maine woods, with my wife, my cat, and my two rambunctious dogs.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
My fascination with books started at a very young age. I read both Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer when I was in first grade. I probably started writing back then, but I don’t have anything from that time. I remember vowing to write a monster novel with my friend Richard, but we never did it. We were too busy whipping apples and playing detective.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I don’t have a favorite genre anymore. It used to be fantasy and science fiction, but now I read a little more widely. Stephen King, David McCullough, Michael Connelly, Guy Gavriel Kay, Jane Yolen, Mary Stewart. I also like reading about interesting people who aren’t necessarily writers, like Jay Blades the guy behind the hit show “Repair Shop.” I want to read about a little bit of everything.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
“A Place to Run Free” follows the journey of Jake Phillips through the afterlife of pets. Suspended from school, Jake sneaks out of his room and heads down to his spot near the river. A bad decision and some thin ice plunges him into freezing water. He wakes up in a vast forest populated by dogs. Jake discovers that the afterlife isn’t the one promised to him in church. Something dark lurks in the deep shadows among the trees, stealing away dogs. Jake is determined to find out what is taking the dogs, and rescue them if he can. He’s helped along the way by the animals he meets – Blue, a steadfast horse, a clever rat named Azrak, and many others. Jake’s journey leads him through deep forests and golden grasslands, searching for the truth behind the missing animals. It’s a journey of high adventure, tragedy, loss, and ultimately, love.

Featured Interview With David Ross

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Born and bred in the ‘burbs of Sydney. It’s a city surrounded by fantastic national parks to hike in as well as a stunning coast.

And where I grew up, I was so fortunate to live right near, what we call, the “bush”. It was remnant eucalypt forest. It was such a wonderful place to spend my childhood, being able to spend my time with my friends on our bikes surrounded by nature.

It was only later in life that I realised how much of an impact that had on me. Today, I am once again living right next to the “bush”, allowing my teenagers to experience something special.

It is also paradise for the family pet, Pippy the wonderdog. She is a kelpie, an Australian working dog breed, and just the most loving pet that we could ever hope to have.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I probably only realised recently that my fascination with books was always there. Since I was a kid. I grew up fascinated with Australian Indigenous stories like The Rainbow Serpent. The mythology, the connection between humanity and nature, just the deeply different mindset to that which dominated my world was an eye opener. And then, I found To Kill A Mockingbird. It was a game changer for me.

I’ve been writing plenty of articles for ten years, extolling the need for leaders and organisations to adapt to a rapidly changing and turbulent world.

But, Confronting the Storm had to be my first book.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
My reading tastes are pretty eclectic and a favourite genre is difficult to pin down. Perhaps it depends on my mood at the time.

In years gone by, I loved works by Stephen King and Clive Barker. I loved the way that they fleshed out a story, gave the characters and location a history, as was the case for me with It. When Clive Barker was at his peak, however, I’ve never come across anyone who would come remotely close to what he could achieve with respect to the ideas, imagery and worlds he would develop in his fantasy books.

Nevertheless, I love how Kinky Friedman gives me a guilty laugh when reading his books or how I can’t put down the crime thrillers written by John Connolly or Jo Nesbo – or even the stories by Tim Winton.

However, no one has ever inspired me to write non-fiction more than Rachel Carson. Just as Harper Lee fuelled a fire for social justice issues, so too Carson lit a fire under me. Somehow, I had never heard of her until I was studying environmental and ecological issues at university, many years after she wrote Silent Spring.

She had been hearing stories about the impact of pesticides on human and ecological communities. The way she communicated what was happening left me numb before fueling a passion that remains to this day. Her work and courage were transformational in how we saw the world, facilitating the development of environmental legislation.

I can only dream to follow in her giant footsteps.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
While I commenced writing Confronting the Storm just before the pandemic started, in actual fact, the book had been within me for at least ten years.

You see, working as a strategist and a peacemaker at the intersection of corporate strategy, government policy, community, and the natural environment, I see how the traditional story of leadership has adversely impacted upon lives, livelihoods, and the planet. Like Rachel Carson, I get to hear stories that never leave me. Similarly, I hear about the stresses that executives are experiencing as we live in times of momentous and turbulent change, where trust in our organisations is in crisis.

There has to be a better way.

And so, in Confronting the Storm, I argue provocatively that the leadership styles that have been celebrated for centuries are now an obstacle to progress. Just reflect on that for a minute.

Instead, we need a more collaborative style of leadership if we are to successfully deal with the storm of complex social, environmental, and economic challenges and opportunities now faced.

My argument is amplified by some of the most inspiring global leaders who are successfully confronting the storm – including a former Prime Minister, former Foreign Minister, and one of Fortune magazine’s ’50 Greatest Leaders’ and more!

Connect with the Author on their Websites and Social media profiles

David Ross’s Website

David Ross Facebook Page

David Ross Twitter Account

Featured Interview With Nicole Gauder

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
My name is Nicole. I am a Spiritual Alignment Specialist, Mental Healer, and Author. I was raised in Canada. I still live in Canada. I love animals. I have 2 cats. I love to read and write. When I am not writing or reading, I am meditating. I also love to teach others of the higher truths of life and to help people live up to their true power and potential.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
It was right before my teenage years that I realized that I loved to read. I only recently started writing within the last year (2022).

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I have many favorite authors. Some of them which have shaped my journey have been : Wayne Dyer, Louise Hay, Abraham Hicks, Mooji, Neale Donald Walsch, Eckhart Tolle, Deepak Chopra, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Norman Vincent Peale, Emmet Fox and Ernest Holmes to name a few. I love to read anything that helps with my growth and ascension. This way I can teach others and help them with their growth and ascension. All of the authors above, and many more have inspired my writings.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book is called Conquer Stress: The Overthinker’s Guide to Peace and Happiness. It is the first book in the Mental Health Series.

Conquer Stress: The Overthinker’s Guide to Peace and Happiness provides you with the motivation and inspiration you need to change your mindset and turn your life around. Focusing on key aspects in chapters such as 16 Empowering Beliefs, Turning Your Negative into Potential, and Following Your Heart to Happiness, this book will guide you on your journey to peace.

Helpful tools, reflections, and exercises are included as an added supplement to assist you on your journey in calming your mind. The secret is to align yourself with the happiness that you seek. Find happiness now. Be your own truth and start the journey of following your heart to peace and happiness.

Connect with the Author on their Websites and Social media profiles

Nicole Gauder’s Website

Nicole Gauder Facebook Page

Nicole Gauder Twitter Account

Featured Interview With Fred Felton

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born in Durban, South Africa. My education took me around South Africa to Cape Town, Bloemfontein, Pietermartizburg, Cape Town and then back to Durban.

At present I live in Durban.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
My fascination with books began in my early teens and I loved reading the books of Stephen King.
I started writing from the age of 13 and have not stopped since.

My interest in the short story genre developed from reading the short stories of Stephen King and W.Somerset Maugham.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
My favorite authors are Stephen King, W.Somerset Maugham and Shakespeare.

The genre that I love the most is horror.

I get my inspiration from fellow writers especially my mentor and of course Stephen King.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Nightmare Destinations is my latest book. It features six short stories. There are a variety of characters in each story and there is something for everyone. Fans of horror, mystery, thrillers, crime and even science fiction will enjoy this book. Some of the characters are scary and some I’m sure you can relate to. They are based in part on some of the people I have met during my life. It has taken me a few years to write this book and I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

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Fred Felton Twitter Account

Featured Interview With Oren Shved

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I’ve been a creative director and game designer for many years. Went through a long list of startups in the gaming, VR, and AR worlds (some were mine, some weren’t).
I had the privilege of writing a lot for games and a lot of other creative projects, but this was my first time writing a novel.
Born and raised in Israel. No pets, just one semi-feral ten-year-old child.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I was reading from a fairly early age, but only really got into it when I started playing D&D and about age 10. It was the 80s, so the first books I really got hooked on were the Dragonlance chronicles.
Started writing as a teenager. Mostly short fantasy stories, as one would expect from a geek such as myself. After college, I went through a long list of startups in the gaming, VR, and AR worlds (some were mine, some weren’t), where I had the privilege of writing for a lot of games and other creative projects. This was my first time writing a novel, which I started writing in 2020

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
A lot of them, recently, I think that Andy Weir really helped me feel comfortable whenever I spice up my writing with interesting trivia and scientific facts that I know would excite my geeky/nerdy readers.
I’ll read any genre, as long as the story sparks my interest (although, I usually gravitate to Sci-fi)

Tell us a little about your latest book?
“Let the Earth open” is the first in a sci-fi/thriller trilogy. It was inspired by a south-Korean show that I saw, which reunited people with a VR version of their departed loved ones. And since I’ve always worked with cutting-edge interactive technologies, I wondered what it would look like If an AI gathered all of our data and created these kinds of scenes for us. Where would that lead us? Where would it lead the AI? That was when I decided to incorporate AI into my writing so that whenever the AI character in the book spoke, it was a real natural language algorithm writing its lines, thus creating a dialogue between myself and the machine.

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Oren Shved’s Website

Oren Shved Facebook Page

Oren Shved Twitter Account

Featured Interview With Dan Albaum

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was raised in Eugene, Oregon and after spending some time in the Southwest, Midwest and Northeast early in my marketing career moved back to the Seattle, Washington area in the mid 1990s.
I now reside in Snohomish, Washington and have two pets, a Golden Retriever named Penny and a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel named Lucky.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I first started reading books seriously in the fourth grade, I loved science fiction and a world of imagination. I’ve written on academic topics throughout my undergraduate/graduate studies and my business career, but this past year fulfilled a long term goal helping others through becoming a published author.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I am open to a wide range of non-fiction authors, and particularly enjoy biographies of business leaders, athletes and musicians. I am inspired by people who overcome significant obstacles to achieve their dreams and inspire others.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Be an Impact Maker

In business, it’s all about making a positive impact every
day.

Be inspired by the voices of more than 75 leaders from
around the world sharing key learnings from their
journey to exceptional leadership, including:

• Building vibrant cultures of innovation
• Developing authentic, trusted relationships
• Embracing diversity
• Improving strategic decision-making by leveraging
data
• Demonstrating leadership behaviors that generate
exceptional results
• The power of optimism

Once you commit to engaging and serving others … get
ready to be amazed by all that is possible.

Connect with the Author on their Websites and Social media profiles

Dan Albaum’s Website

Dan Albaum Facebook Page

Dan Albaum Twitter Account

Featured Interview With Amber Reshay

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born and raised in the northeastern part of Connecticut. I still reside there til this day. I enjoy animals; I love cats and dogs.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I noticed my love for books at a very young age. I was about 10 years old and I just loved going to the library and reading all of the books they had there. I also started writing poetry when I was 10 years old. My grandmother use to always bring me to the library; we would check out about 10 books to read and make it our goal to read each book before the summer ends.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
My favorite authors are Rupi Kaur and Maya Angelou. I love reading about love, heartbreak, women empowerment, and self care books. I am also inspired by Tupac Shakur; he has a poetry book filled with poems that he have written in his personal journals.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My poetry book “Falling” is divided into separate sections; Where it all started are poems that I wrote when I was young but I went in and corrected and added more to them. Where it all started shows how I was when I was younger. I was very vulnerable when it came to love. Also growing pains, I’m not okay, and coming of age show my growth and the many obstacles I’ve been through throughout life to get where I am today. It took me years to write some of the poems in the book. I poured my heart out in it and I hope that all of my readers will enjoy it.

Connect with the Author on their Websites and Social media profiles

Amber Reshay’s Website

Amber Reshay Facebook Page

Amber Reshay Twitter Account

Featured Interview With S. Alston

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I’m originally from Seattle, Washington but have been living in the San Diego area since 2013. My husband and I have 3 children who are nearly grown so pretty soon it will just be the two of us with our dogs, a black lab named Chloe and a beagle named Penny.

As I’ve reflected on what I can do for this next chapter of our lives, I have been drawn to writing. When my children were little, we always loved reading children’s poetry, and I’ve found that over the years I’ve written many poems that I’ve never done anything with. So I’m beyond thrilled to have a creative outlet that gives me a platform to help young minds grow and learn to love reading and using their imaginations.

My mission is to write poems and books that are not only fun to read, but they empower young minds and let children know they have control of their thoughts, feelings, and actions. I currently have 2 children’s picture books published and will have 5 more coming in the next couple of months.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I’m probably not like most authors as I really didn’t enjoy reading until I had children and started reading children’s books to them. I think growing up, I only read books that were assigned to me in school and because of that, I never really read anything that was of interest to me, so as a result, I didn’t think I liked reading. But as a young mom, I knew the importance of teaching kids to enjoy reading, so we began reading young children’s chapter books. I remember thinking how fun some of these books were to read! However, as my children grew older and I no longer needed to read to them, I stopped reading. Except for the occasional parenting book, I guess I always told myself I didn’t have time. And this is a little embarrassing to admit, but it wasn’t until the teen novel series Twilight came out that I realized I loved reading. I was completely immersed in that series! My husband will tell you that I skipped several meals and made everyone fend for themselves while I continued to read and finish the next chapter. LOL I didn’t even know that it was a teen novel series because it was a friend of mine that had recommended the first book. So imagine my surprise as an adult with young children, when I went to buy the second book, and it was in the teen section! I bought it anyway, and my love for reading grew from there. Since then I have become an avid reader. I have gone from reading fiction to non-fiction to self-help and back now through the genres. Through my reading, I have learned so much about myself and it has brought me back to my fond memories of reading to my children when they were little. I was also one of those people who would send Christmas poems on my Christmas cards and I have written poems here and there and never really done anything with them. One of the books I will have coming out soon called the Greatest Lesson is a poem I started about 15 years ago when we were moving a lot. It’s about finding happiness within and will be a fable for 4th grade readers.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
My all-time favorite children’s book writers are Dr. Seuss and Barbara Park, but as far as other genres I’m not too particular. There are so many great authors it’s difficult to name just one! I typically enjoy reading easy-flowing books that leave me feeling good or better than I did before I started reading. So lately this means I’m reading all sorts of non-fiction books that help me grow and improve myself. Don Miller who wrote Building a Story Brand has helped me so much with understanding how to write better even though his instructions are centered on growing your business and brand. It’s a must-have for any entrepreneur. The Help, was one of my all-time favorite fiction books.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
I AM Mighty Me is the first book in a new series for preschoolers. It’s a picture book that teaches kids they are mighty and strong, and that they have control over their own thoughts and feelings. It empowers kids to become more self-aware and shows them healthy ways to take care of themselves and others, so they grow their power! I love the feeling I get when a young child enjoys my book and then I hear from the parents that they are running around the house calling themselves “mighty me” and repeating lines from the book. It just makes me smile so much to know that these miraculous little children are loving themselves a little more.

Connect with the Author on their Websites and Social media profiles

S. Alston’s Website

S. Alston Facebook Page

S. Alston Twitter Account

Featured Interview With Shanae Cooper- Robinson

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I am a child of King Jesus who wears many hats that fit. I’m a mother, wife, educator, author, public speaker, trained teacher mentor, , events planner/decorator , certified pastry chef , etc.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
From unconscious recollection, I have been fascinated with books from birth. I started writing in high school but my passion for writing was cemented back in college. I wrote my way through college.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Now Crystal Daye, back then Alvin Daye, Josephine Cox and Ben Carson. My favorite genre is fiction. I get most of my inspiration from Ben Carson and Alvin Daye.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My book From the Root to the Fruit , Rising Above Adversities is one that places emphasis on
rising above adversities when faced with challenges and hardship. It epitomizes my life experiences, including my grassroot encounters and upbringing as well as triumphs and achievements. It might also be called a book of perseverance.

Stemming from the bowels of poverty, from an early age, gave me the zest to change the norm. I was driven to be the change she wanted to see. I grew up in a household that was headed by my mother, who is the most hardworking lady on this earth. Her work ethics is unmatched. She has six children, four of whom were fathered by her. My father was absent from my life, so mummy had to capitalize on opportunities working odd jobs in order to cater for our needs.

This book epitomizes using aspects of one’s past to pave the way for the future. Our life experiences shape us into the individuals we are today. We go through numerous disappointments and belittling encounters in our life, but we cannot allow those to dissuade our dreams. We must use our experiences as steppingstones to reach our destination.

Our society tends to focus on the product, yet fail to highlight the process that leads to the end product. Where we are from or our start doesn’t have to interfere with where we want to go.

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Shanae Cooper- Robinson Facebook Page

Shanae Cooper- Robinson Twitter Account

Featured Interview With Ashley Brandt

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born and raised in Southern California. I relocated with my husband to North Texas ten years ago. We have two young sons and a spoiled cat, along with two shelter dogs and a guinea pig named Buttercup. On occasion, we foster orphaned kittens for the animal shelter.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I have been an avid reader for as long as I can remember. My mom used to read to me every day, and I enjoyed looking at the illustrations and memorizing the words of the book. I used to act out the stories myself, and when I became old enough, I began writing my own stories. It has been a lifelong dream of mine to become an author, and I recently decided to undertake the task.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
My first love was Mary Higgins Clark. She is a classy writer with a flair for suspense. I absolutely adore anything written by Charlaine Harris, she specializes in creating extraordinary characters out of ordinary people and circumstances. Authors like these have inspired me to continue developing my own writing skills.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest novel, Coyote, is a paranormal thriller loosely based on an old Navajo legend. I found this legend (the legend of Ma'ii, or otherwise known as "Coyote Man") fascinating and envisioned the story with a modern twist. I integrated romance and mystery to the plot, addressing the human dynamic of self-exploration and duty versus desire. Adding in a few twists and turns along the way, Coyote draws readers in and captivates them to the final page.

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Ashley Brandt’s Website

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Featured Interview With Ben Westwood

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I'm an author, journalist, lecturer and performer. I'm a former Daily Telegraph journalist and write on travel, family and environmental issues. I've authored several travel guidebooks on destinations from Ecuador, Galapagos and Peru to London. I combine freelance writing with lecturing at University of Brighton in the UK.
I'm also an experienced musician and have released two albums as a singer-songwriter.
I'm from south-east England and moved back here after living in London and South America.
I have a cat named Marmalade, who makes a cameo appearance at the end of my book!

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I read the Lord of the Rings trilogy when I was 11 and then started writing short stories. I got involved in journalism as an undergraduate. I later moved into travel writing but it's taken me until now to start writing fiction. The pandemic gave me the time at home to write a novel, which was one upside to an otherwise difficult time.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I love fast-moving book so I like thrillers. I also like books that have something important to say.
I admire George Orwell, John Le Carre, JK Rowling, Terry Hayes and in non-fiction Eckhart Tolle.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Green Shoots is an eco-thriller – it’s a crime thriller with an environmental focus set in Britain and South America. In the story, a man determined to solve the mystery of his wife's death finds himself drawn into a lethal plot.
The main character grieving journalist John Adamson is brought back from the brink of suicide by a mysterious phone call informing him that his wife Christina’s death in Ecuador was not what it seemed. John is desperate to find out what really happened to her, but is persuaded by the man on the phone to also investigate a series of murders of businessmen in London. The deaths seem connected to industries that exploit the rainforest where Christina was researching – oil, timber and cattle ranching. John has to work out the connections between these killings and his wife’s death, but it’s both difficult and dangerous.
Towards the end of the book, the antagonist says: “The greatest battle of this century is between extractionists and ecologists.” That is the central theme of the novel – the conflict between those who plunder and those who defend the Earth. I think I channelled my anger at what's happening in the world when I created the antagonist. However, the book does have an uplifting ending, as I think it's important to be hopeful and find solutions.
I wrote the book in nine months over Covid lockdown in Britain.

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Featured Interview With Em McDermott

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I am an avid reader, and the author of dark epic fantasy and fairy tale fantasy.

I was raised in New England, and currently live in upstate New York. I love the privacy of the forests here, and have so many wild deer in my yard every day that I almost consider them pets!

My ideal pet would be a dragon, but in lieu of that, I have a flock of chickens. They have names like Buffy, Khaleesi, and Dobby, and they certainly have the dragonic attitude down!

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I’ve loved reading since I was very young. I devoured a book a day throughout elementary school and middle school. My favorite authors back then were Roald Dahl and Avi. Does anybody remember the Animorphs?

I knew even then that I wanted to be a writer. In middle school, I discovered Anne McCaffrey and dove into adult fantasy. I was hooked. I was in sixth grade when I tried to write my own novel. I still have the notebooks filled with my early efforts, none of which I finished.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Epic high fantasy will always be my first and greatest love. Lately I’ve been reading darker fantasy, and enjoying it. My favorite epic fantasy authors are Sara Douglass and Jacqueline Carey.

I have always been drawn to mythology, and the stories that draw from it. Juliet Marillier writes incredible folklore-inspired historical fantasies, full of atmosphere and soul and gut-wrenching feels.

Literary fiction is where I go when I want a little something different. Favorite authors: Madeline Miller, John Irving, Kazuo Ishiguro, Daphne du Maurier.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest novel, The Woods, draws from the Little Red Riding Hood fairy tale, and you'll find some familiar characters within its pages. Red, Gran, the Huntsmen, and the big bad wolf…but I promise my versions are nothing like you remember from the fairy tale.

When I sat down to begin the novel that became The Woods, I was in a new relationship with a partner who came from a different world than me. We are different colors, different ages, and had very different early life experiences. A lot of my friends didn't get us. It was thoughts of this divide floating around in my head that provided the first seeds of The Woods, which explores love that crosses boundaries. I'm happy to say my partner and I are still together…as for The Woods, I won't give away the ending. 😉

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Featured Interview With Neisha Sibley

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I am a 27 year old Christian young lady who loves God, food and music. I am passionate about seeing young people serve God and that was one of the reasons I wrote this book.
Other reasons includes being obedient to God about sharing my story despite how vulnerable it made me feel. I also wrote this book to encourage others; people who have been through or are currently going through struggles, hurt, disappointment, and dire lack all while serving God and holding true to His promises. Some elements of this book shows mistakes we make as Christians in the way we perceive God, giving up on ministry because of criticisms from others, financially struggling through college but adamant about breaking generational curses among other trials. The name of my book is The Unveiling: Trials, Tragedies and Transitions of a Child of God.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I have been reading since I was about 3 years old. I've always loved books and I especially loved writing. I would write on walls, in my siblings textbooks, just about everywhere. Like most kids, I was drawn to books based on their illustrations. As I grew older I realized I had a fascination about biology and so I would always be reading about the body and/or nutrition. Over the years I would read academic books, religious books and today I am author of my first book; The Unveiling: Trials, Tragedies and Transitions of a Child of God.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Some of my favourite authors are John Ramirez, Sarah Jakes Roberts, Jennifer LeClaire, Shanique Shand etc.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Some elements of this book shows mistakes we make as Christians in the way we perceive God, giving up on ministry because of criticisms from others, financially struggling through college but adamant about breaking generational curses among other trials. The name of my book is The Unveiling: Trials, Tragedies and Transitions of a Child of God.

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Neisha Sibley’s Website

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Featured Interview With Gregg R. Overman

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born in New Orleans and spent most of my early life in central Louisiana under the quiet and careful guidance of the nuns at Sacred Heart Grammar School in Pineville. It was terrifying. To this day, I will not allow my wife to wear a black and white dress. I then attended Holy Savior Menard Central High School (seriously, that’s the name) where I learned to fear men with the honorific “Coach.” Having learned that lesson and survived to graduation, I went to LSU in Baton Rouge and managed to graduate with a BS in Zoology and a minor in Chemistry in just five and half short years. It was one of the worst mistakes of my life. Not the college or the degree—the graduating from college. I had no idea how much fun I was having until I was no longer having so much fun. If I had known what I know now, I would still be attending the university, having amassed roughly 10,000 undergraduate hours and several million dollars in student loan debt.
After graduation I began living the American Dream: Got married a few times, got divorced a few times minus one, got several jobs, quit several jobs and despite all that, found that I didn’t have quite enough stress in my life, so I started my own business. And that, as we like to say in the industrial detergent business, corrected my pathetically anemic stress levels.
I now live in Hernando MS, a small town just 20 miles south of Memphis. In spite of my best efforts at sabotage, my business in Memphis is still thriving, and, at the age of 70, I still go to work every day to shake my fist and yell at the workers. They smile and say, “Yes sir, Mr. Gregg,” and then completely ignore whatever I said. We have a system, and it’s working.
I have a small house with a large greenhouse on several acres way back in the woods where I live with my wife, three cats, three dogs, twelve chickens, an unknown number of mice (the cats are on strike) and a few tropical fish. The fish are almost no trouble at all.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
At the tender age of eight, my dear Aunt Betsey gave me five “Tom Swift Junior” books for my birthday. They had titles like “Tom Swift and His Ultrasonic Cycloplane” and “Tom Swift and the Caves of Nuclear Fire.” I discovered there were worlds within those covers where “Great Things” might be done and no one in a black and white habit would rap your knuckles or make you kneel on rice. It was a safe haven for a young boy who was tragically prone to taking on way more responsibilities than he could possibly handle, and I was well and truly hooked before the end of the first book. It changed my life. (Thank you, Aunt Betsey.) By the time I entered High School, I had read every single Science Fiction book in the Alexandria/Pineville Public Library.
I have always tinkered with writing. It’s gone through stages. There were times when I was writing almost every day and long stretches when I didn’t write at all. I always wrote short stories but never really tried to publish anything because I really, and I mean seriously, sucked at writing. When the author knows it’s crap, it’s crap. I was spared the laughter of my friends and family only because it is so difficult to laugh and cringe at the same time. But I did, ever so slowly, get better.
Then one day I read an article in a science magazine about how humans are hunter-gatherers, and even though there are vast cultural differences, humans share many universal traits because of our common evolutionary past. I remember walking out on the porch—not sure if drugs were involved—and wondering, “Well, what if we weren’t hunter-gatherers? What if we had evolved from, I don’t know… scavengers?” And that was the genesis of the Koombar, an alien race with a penchant for genocidal self-protection.
So I sat down to write a novel, and I have to say, the feeling was immediate. I had room to move! I could flesh out the characters and build an intricate plotline. No one would fault me for spending a page or even more just describing a scene. It was liberating! I discovered that I had no talent for writing short stories, but my struggles with the genre had borne fruit. I could write.
The name of that first book is “Blue Sunrise.” At the time I wrote it, I actually believed that if I wrote a reasonably good science fiction novel, people would read it and it would attract some attention. I know, adorable, right? I mean, I read a LOT of science fiction, and a LOT of science fiction is just awful. Go ahead. You love SciFi, but you know I’m right. Blue Sunrise is not awful. Please quote that. “Author says, ‘Blue Sunrise is not awful.’”
In fact, Blue Sunrise is a good book, much better than most of the books I read these days. Unfortunately, I had no idea how to promote the book, and I also started my business soon after finishing the novel. So, the book sat on Amazon for over ten years, and for all that time, the sequel was bouncing around in my head. I have recently started promoting Blue Sunrise (hence this somewhat painfully long story), and it’s been gratifying that, as of this writing, it has a rating of 4.7 stars with nothing below a three.
But the sequel would not leave me alone, and, in the hope of quieting the voices, I finally sat down to write “Blue Sun Rising.” It’s been an amazing amount of fun. It seems that I have improved as a writer over these last few years. Blue Sun Rising is going to be a fantastic book, and if I quit spending so much time shaking my fist and screaming at workers, I might finish in the next six months or so.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I don’t really have any favorite authors, and even though my favorite genre is hard SciFi, what I read depends heavily on what I need at that point. Much of the time I read for escape (see above). If that’s the aim, then hard SciFi it will be, and it doesn’t need to be anything great or even particularly good. B. V. Larson is a good writer, but you’re not going to get any intricate plot twists or surprise endings in his “Undying Mercenary” series. On the other hand, you don’t have to work at understanding what’s happening or what’s going to happen. McGill will do something stupid, die several times, get himself out of an impossible situation by a nearly impossible action, hookup up with Galina at some point and then retire to his parent’s farm in Georgia. It all makes for a leisurely afternoon of reading.
I read certain authors for certain things. If I want to brush up on how to relentlessly drive a plot forward, Dan Brown is a good choice. Anne Rice helps me hone my ability to describe scenery. Steven King can be counted on to show me how to write a novel that is 400 pages too long.
The point of all this is that I read for relaxation, but I also read with purpose. B. V. Larson can hold a class on character development and keeping things light and uncomplicated even on a peaceful Sunday afternoon. I read everything with what I call a “writer’s eye.” I’m constantly scanning for punctuation, especially punctuation that breaks the rules of “The Elements of Style” and yet still works. I’m always looking at how an author manages and directs the rhythm and flow of the story. If I get particularly caught up in a section of a book, I stop and go back a few pages to figure out how the author did it. Great writers can show you great things, but really bad writers are helpful also. Ask yourself, why isn’t this working?

Tell us a little about your latest book?
I have two problems with this question. Where to start and where to stop. Blue Sunrise was written while working full time and took about a year and a half to finish. I didn’t watch a lot of television during that time. There are three main venues in the novel. Ben Allspot is a particularly tortured individual working on the Moon. He loves his children more than anything, but drugs run a close second, and his life is, of course, in ruins. There is an ensemble cast on Mars as the first manned mission lands and sets up camp with all the surprises and struggles you might imagine in such an endeavor. Meanwhile, lightyears away on the planet Harmony, the Koombar have enslaved a race of intelligent sessile aliens referred to as “Trees.” One of the Trees is tasked with teaching the son of the ruling Koombar King, and a lot of their dialogue consists of discussions of how their respective evolutionary paths have shaped their views and morals. I know that sounds a bit dry, but trust me, it’s not.
So, the Koombar have stolen technology from the Trees, enabling them to destroy all other intelligent life for thousands of years. From the Koombar perspective, this makes perfect sense. The Trees disagree, but their own prejudices prohibit action to stop the Koombar. The plot thickens as our main Tree begins to doubt the wisdom of standing idly by while the Koombar destroy nascent civilizations.
Of course, Blue Sunrise begins as the Koombar discover Earth.
The thing I’m most proud of is getting into the heads of unique aliens. The reader will actually begin to appreciate why the Trees don’t act and why the Koombar are so genocidally paranoid. From our standpoint, they are both insane. From their standpoints each of the other is insane, and yet none of that is true. We are all acting from our own frame of reference, and all frames of reference are valid as long as they are consistent.
Blue Sun Rising, my current cross to bear, takes up where Blue Sunrise finishes. Spoiler alert: The Mars crew makes it (or at least most of them). You’ll need to read Blue Sunrise to find out how the Moon, Earth and Ben Allspot make out.

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Featured Interview With Rachael Hohf

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I grew up in the Midwest, and after more than a decade in Colorado, returned to my midwestern roots.

I have two feisty Catahoula Leopard Dogs, who love to scare squirrels in our backyard.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I've loved books ever since I was too young to read them! I loved looking at the pictures, flipping through the pages, and imagining what was happening. My love of books grew by leaps & bounds when I learned to read.

I started writing at an early age. My first original work was a song I wrote in grade school about ants in glass ant farms. (You had to be there.)

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I love reading Agatha Christie, classic sci fi authors like Ray Bradbury, Isaac Asimov, and John Christopher, and Jane Austen, to name a few.

Mysteries might be may favorite genre, but I enjoy sci fi a lot, too!

My inspirations are Agatha Christie, Betty Wren Wright, Mary Downing Hahn.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My newest book is called "What Happened to Jade?" It's a mystery with maybe (?) a supernatural twist or two. (No spoilers!)

When Jade goes missing, and then her best friend also disappears, their roommate Kayla is accused of the crimes. Oddly, several formerly missing people turn up on the same day the two women disappear, and one of the "returned" has a strange story to tell about her time away. Are the incidents related, or just an eerie coincidence? The local detectives are in over their heads, and time is running out.

This book came together pretty quickly, and I had to force myself to stop writing some days! It was a blast to write and I hope everyone enjoys reading it just as much.

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Featured Interview With Avanti Centrae

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Hi there. I'm an adrenaline junkie raised in the Midwest, where I learned to water ski, ride skateboards and road bikes during the summer, and ice skate and cross-country ski in the winter. After college, I moved to Los Angeles and enjoyed meeting new friends from around the world. For a time, I traveled internationally, and later worked as a raft guide. I currently reside in northern California with my family and German Shepherds and can often be found dreaming up a new thriller on the hiking trail.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I frequented the silver bookmobile as a child, deciding I wanted to be a writer someday. That day came in my early fifties after a health scare, when I realized it was now or never! I wrote my debut, VANOPS: THE LOST POWER, in about two years and it took several more years to find an agent and publisher. When it won three awards and released as a Barnes & Noble bestseller, I was over the moon.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I’m a big fan of action-packed global thrillers that delve into ancient mysteries with the potential to impact present-day society. Dan Brown, James Rollins, Steve Berry, JF Penn, and Ernest Dempsey are a few of my go to authors. I also like a well-written domestic thriller and Gregg Hurwitz is my fave author in that genre.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
CLEOPTRA'S VENDETTA was my pandemic book. It's a standalone thriller or may start a new series. I researched for months before I started to really dig into the writing. I loved learning about Cleopatra and what a strong, powerful woman she was. Most people are familiar with her suicide; this story starts when her death begins. Her revenge is carried out in the present day by estranged couple Tim and Angie Stryker, who haven't been seeing eye to eye since the loss of their infant son. Angie's turned to the bottle to grieve, which doesn't work for Tim because of a tragic childhood incident involving his drunk father. They go on a holiday to reconnect, but Angie and their four-year-old daughter get kidnapped. To get them back, Stryker and his team of military misfits have to track down Cleopatra's ancient gold journal, as it holds the key to the location of the kidnappers.
It's a fun action-packed story, filled with twists and unexpected messages. I'm honored that it won two awards and has been racking up critical acclaim. Readers can watch a trailer on my website.

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Avanti Centrae’s Website

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