Top Selling Authors: Get To Know Them Better

Featured Interview With Dion Anja

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Hello, I use Dion as my pen name and I was raised in a small town in Turkey. Luckily, after I enrolled into university, I moved to Istanbul where I enjoyed switching continents in the blink of an eye. I am a literature major and I love reading! I generally read classics but I love discovering modern or underappreciated classic writers too. Also, I love walking in nature, writing, learning languages and new stuff, and playing with cats! I have recently adopted a kitten which I named Monsieur. Yes, I am learning French. I love how different languages open different doors inside our souls, it feels like I discover hidden parts of myself every time. About my writing, it is really a mixture of so many feelings and genres. I self-published a poetry collection this year called “My Dawn Is Only Five Hours Away” but until this book, I have never liked poetry and would never imagine I would be writing them! So I tend to harmonize with my inner flow in my words though they generally have a gloomy side.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I remember very vividly the day I fell in love with books and it coincides with me borrowing a copy of Meyer’s “Twilight” from one of my friends. Though it is looked down on today, I enjoyed it and was almost obsessed with it back then. It was an easy read and as a 13 or 14 year old, I was fascinated with how someone could create such a magical universe with their words!I My writing journey began a couple of years later. There was a Sims forum on the internet and I sort of was writing a story about my Sim characters. It took on and I finished a book on Wattpad, got an offer, declined it and then… Well, I had to deal with “writer’s block” for about 3 years. I am turning back to my roots now, thankfully. And I am full of ideas!

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
As I mentioned before, I read a lot of classics and I love reading them. My favorites are Dante’s “Inferno”, Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein, and Oscar Wilde’s “The Picture of Dorian Gray”. I like Patrick Süskind and Kazuo Ishiguro as more contemporary authors. My favorite genres include mystery, romance, and gothic. My muse generally come from my surroundings and my feelings and I find the most minute detail to be fascinating often. In terms of people, women authors really empower me when I feel down as I can identify myself with them.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My debut book is a poetry collection called “My Dawn Is Only Five Hours Away”. I started working on it back in April or March when I was distracted during my online classes. I could never believe I would be working on poetry but as I wrote I was convinced that what I and we as humanity go through these days can only be captured in raw and intense poetry. I worked on it until the end of October, I guess, and it blossomed into something that I am proud of today. I explored themes of love, death, anger, anxiety, sadness, hope, etc. during this pandemic and I wanted to tell it from a young adult’s point of view as our so called “glorious” days fade away during these lockdowns. I also wanted to experiment with literary movements like romanticism, and genres like manifesto. Therefore, there are narrative poems about fairies, talking cats, and lakes that awaken existential crises too. I am currently working on its paperback edition and I intend to add extra poems because I loved the whole process.

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Dion Anja’s Website

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Featured Interview With James Allocca

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I grew up in Brooklyn, and now I live in Valley Stream, New York, where I live with my wife and daughter. I have been an Art Director for the last 35 years, designing all sorts of magazines, and having fun doing it!

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I was fascinated with books at an early age. They took me to places that I had never been and opened my eyes to the world. I even wrote some books as a kid that my audience of two parents really enjoyed! But it wasn’t until later in life that I had a solid idea for a book. Something that I thought readers would enjoy.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I love science fiction and science fact books. Always a big fan of Jules Verne, HG Wells, Clive Cussler, Kurt Vonnegut, James P Hogan and others. And I grew up reading comics, which influence me to this day. Science Fiction movies have also influenced me through the years.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book is The Descendants Of Krag, which is the sequel to Black Saucer. Black Saucer is a standalone book, but my readers suggested that I write a sequel, and they were right! I think that it’s a solid, fun Sci Fi book that I hope everyone is enjoying.

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James Allocca Facebook Page

Featured Interview With James Allocca

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I grew up in Brooklyn, and now I live in Valley Stream, New York, where I live with my wife and daughter. I have been an Art Director for the last 35 years, designing all sorts of magazines, and having fun doing it!

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I was fascinated with books at an early age. They took me to places that I had never been and opened my eyes to the world. I even wrote some books as a kid that my audience of two parents really enjoyed! But it wasn’t until later in life that I had a solid idea for a book. Something that I thought readers would enjoy.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I love science fiction and science fact books. Always a big fan of Jules Verne, HG Wells, Clive Cussler, Kurt Vonnegut, James P Hogan and others. And I grew up reading comics, which influence me to this day. Science Fiction movies have also influenced me through the years.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book is The Descendants Of Krag, which is the sequel to Black Saucer. Black Saucer is a standalone book, but my readers suggested that I write a sequel, and they were right! I think that it’s a solid, fun Sci Fi book that I hope everyone is enjoying.

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James Allocca Facebook Page

Featured Interview With Victoria Liiv

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born as a second daughter to a loving and caring mother, when she was 19 years old. Although she was struggling at the time I consider my childhood a very happy one. We were living in a three room apartment in the capital city of Estonia for the longest time. During that period we tried our hands in caring for pets, we had a turtle and a cat at one point, but neither of them stayed with us for very long (due to no fault of ours, I still dare to think!) There was a time we moved around a lot, until we settled into a semi-detached house with a big garden. I always wanted a dog and it was a perfect place for one, instead I managed to bring home a rabbit, who enjoyed hopping on the grass as much as a dog would have!

When I moved out of my parents house, I also moved out of the country to the Netherlands. Now I own my own semi-detached house, with a much smaller garden, and still have no dog!

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I started reading around twelve years old. It was the time when other girls arraged slumber parties, experimented with make-up and discovered new fashion styles; I discovered new worlds! I realized I had a talent for writing a few years after that, when my literature teacher started reading my essays out loud infront of the whole class. I did try my hand at a few short stories, while being at high school, and found encouragement from the feedback of several avid readers. That’s when I knew I wanted to write a book. I just never managed to find the patience to finish one until now.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I currently consider Grimoire saga by S.M. Boyce one of the best reads. The Black Dagger Brotherhood by J. R. Ward is also high in my list and then several authors like John Green, Kelley Armstrong, Abigail Roux and Patricia Briggs can also be mentioned, but if I were to count out everyone, whose work I’ve enjoyed we would be here awhile.

I mostly read anything fantasy, romance, YA and mystery, but I am discovering new things I enjoy every day and can’t really be confined into one ‘box’.

I think every single story I have read thus far has a part to play in inspiring me in creation of my own fantasy world.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Through Hell & Highwater is a YA Fantasy story. A story of how saving the Earth brings together a Shifter, two Vampires, Werewolves, an Elf, Half-Fae, a Wizard and an Orc. When the world is slowly turning into chaos the students are trying to find a way back. Back to what is safe and secure. But in order to do that, the students have to go through hell first

When I first started telling my friends about it they immediately compared it to Harry Potter (as there is a magic school involved) and Lord of the Rings (mostly because of the orc). Yes, I might have been influenced from both of those books while writing the story, but I’d like to think it turned out to be an individual story.

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Victoria Liiv’s Website

Featured Interview With Sandy Hanna

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I’m a BRAT – in capital letters, not lower case letters. This acronym refers to being a British Regiment Attached Transfer; part of a tribe made up of military dependent children that follow their families around the country and world, experiencing things that most can’t imagine. This life is ever changing and requires the ability to adapt as the world changes around us. To ask me where I was raised, I can only respond ‘everywhere.’ We moved every two years, leaving our friends, schools, pets, homes, and teachers, all without a second thought. I now live in Lambertville, New Jersey, and fight the impulse that comes over me every two-years to move and walk away from everything I know. I rearrange the furniture to trick myself into thinking I have moved. I’ve had so many animals throughout my life, including a monkey and an elephant, but currently I am without a pet. My memoir, The Ignorance of Bliss: An American Kid in Saigon, will give an insight into the transient life of military children, my life. It also gives a window into the conflict in Vietnam that the United States became involve in and the reality of what was happening there in the early 60s when my family and I lived there.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
Books were wonderful, because even if we had left our books behind in every move, there were more to be had wherever we went. My fascination began with the Walter Farley horse stories. I loved the illustrations and the stories. When living in Vietnam, however, I was grateful for anything written in English and found I was reading everything I could find; basketball stories, Nancy Drew and Hardy Boy mysteries, and biographies. When I realized how amazing books were was when I finally read “To Kill a Mockingbird” and I was hooked. I moved on to books by Walter Faulkner, finding ‘The Sound and the Fury’ unforgettable.

I started writing when I was in my twenties, mostly to try to figure out my life. Short notes to myself and stories I would remember from my strange gypsy life. It wasn’t until my father, the Colonel, then in his 80s, gave me an expose on the ruling Diem regime written by his Vietnamese counterpart that I took the job of writer seriously. He put me under orders to write a compelling true story about what was really going on in that small country. His statement was that ‘if you don’t understand history you are destined to repeat it.’ The expose was a reveal of the anti-American position the regime of Diem held, although supported by the United States.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I love all genres, though some more than others. What I appreciate is good writing. I’m a visual person so when the writing forms images in my head I’m hooked. The classics are my favorite: D.H Lawrence, Anais Nin, Charles Dickens, T.S. Eliot ,and Henry James. More modern reads included Robinson Davis, Pat Conroy, Kazantzakis, and Lawrence Durrell. I think the two authors that inspired me the most when writing my book were Harper Lee (To Kill a Mockingbird) and Pat Conroy (The Great Santini). Their stories mirrored mine in some way and I loved their style of writing.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
The Ignorance of Bliss: An American Kid in Saigon by Sandy Hanna
“Saigon was a world of crushing poverty and extraordinary beauty. It was also a world of streets, villas, and brothels, where politics and intrigue resided between plot and counter plot. It was the world I grew up in as a ten-year-old with my brothers and sister between 1960 and 1962. As children we lived in the continuous present – perhaps the only way children can live.”

It took me years to write this true coming-of-age story and in many cases I had to refer to my older brother’s memory for some of the detail. My father died before I finished it, but I think I achieved the goal of writing a story that would be easy for anyone to understand and join with me on the journey. Mine is not the story of the darkest days of Vietnam, but what led America into the conflict. Told through a child’s eyes it is approached with an innocence that is not threatening to the reader. My father, the Colonel, was the Chief of Ordnance with MAAG (Military Aid Advisory Group) from 1960 to 1962. I strived to give the reader a clear picture of a country and history little understood by most and to provide the information that was revealed in the expose given to my father from his Vietnamese counterpart, Colonel Le Van Sam. It is a unique story with unknown historical facts woven in to give critical background information to the reader. This coming-of age story takes place in a turbulent country striving for nationalism, giving the reader a stunning look into the life of military dependents living abroad and the underlying ignorance that surrounded a little understood time in history

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Sandy Hanna’s Website

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Featured Interview With Irene Wittig

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born in Rome, raised briefly in Vienna and Buenos Aires before arriving in New York, where I lived through college. After that I spent a year as a Fulbright student in Germany before moving to Washington DC, where I worked for the government for three years before leaving for a short stay in Italy which extended to five years. There I worked, married and had a daughter before we returned to the Washington area. Later we spent six years in Geneva, Switzerland. I studied art, had my own business hand painting ceramics, wrote a book on it, before writing this novel.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I was always an avid reader but did not become a writer until my 40s.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I started by loving fairy tales, classic children’s novels such as Little Women, then Dickens and Dostoevski. I binged on the Forsyte Saga, reading all nine volumes in a month. I love all books that have richly developed characters or teach me something I did not know before.I’m always interested in World War II, have always liked books that take place in the UK. I’m open to most genres, but at this point in my life I want to read books that are interesting to think and talk about.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
I have been working on a novel quite different, and smaller in scope, than All That Lingers. More a character study than a saga. I’ve also enjoyed trying my hand at short stories.

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Irene Wittig’s Website

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Featured Interview With Justin Haines

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I’m proudly Canadian. I grew up around Vancouver, B.C. but moved to Ontario six years ago. I was raised right on the American border and spent most of my summers growing up in the States, mostly around the Seattle area. I used many of my memories from summers there in my debut novel, Pender’s Death.

I’m currently living in Hamilton, which is just over a half-hour from Toronto. I live with my wonderful fiancee, Victoria, and our two dogs, Senator and Tungsten. My dogs are a wonderful help to my writing. Whenever I’m battling writer’s block, a long walk with them is the perfect cure. And when I’m in the zone and pumping out chapter after chapter, they cuddle me and keep me cozy in place.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
My fascination with books and writing began at a young age, probably around five or six.

I remember writing my first series of books when I was only eight. The entire series was loosely based on my dad (I only bothered to change the first letter of his name to have my main character!) and his job. I would write the books in Microsft Word then illustrate them in Paint, since an eight-year-old is of course writing picture books. I probably wrote those books for a year or two and had more than 20 built up.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I’d say John Grisham thrillers have been my favorite for a long time and are the closest inspiration to the thrillers I write. More recently, I’ve been enjoying Friedrich Bachmann’s novels. I try to alternate equally between fiction and non-fiction books and love reading a good legal, political, or financial thriller.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My newest novel, Pender’s Death, follows Adam Pender in the aftermath of his mother dying. Her death brings the vultures circling as Adam tries to build on his family’s legacy and take over their business. It isn’t an easy task for him and several boardroom battles await.

All the while, Adam’s hunting for answers to the many questions surrounding his mother’s suspicious death. He’ll lean on his friends for help in the search and push them to their limits, but will he push them right out of his life?

The central question of the book: Can Adam keep his life together as everything falls around him, or will he and Pender Industries be added to the list of casualties?

It’s 500 pages of a thrilling mystery unfolding in corporate America.

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Justin Haines’s Website

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Featured Interview With Fred Tippett, II

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I am Fred Tippett, II, the author of the recently released YA Mystery novel THE WOMEN IN WHITE–which is currently on sale now via Amazon. I was raised in Alabama, and live there now, though I was away from my home state for quite a while because I attended college in Georgia and law school in Philadelphia. I am currently a Washington-DC-barred attorney. Sadly, I do not have any pets.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I first realized that I was fascinated with books during early childhood–when I became nigh obsessed with Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew titles (both the originals and the later branch-off books). As I grew into my teen years, my tastes began to mature a bit, tending more towards YA novels written by traditionally published, big-name authors like James Patterson or Anthony Horowitz or James Frey. I also started reading more adult-oriented novels as well, some by James Patterson, some by Sue Grafton, some by other authors.

I first began writing during my freshman year of college, though this wasn’t writing books “in proper.” It was more like very detailed outlining. The laying out of books–outlining them–has always been rather easy for me, and I created very detailed outlines for MANY books beginning during my freshman year. Somehow, though, I never quite found the bravery to put pen to paper (or finger to keyboard) in writing a proper book until one rainy Sunday during my second year of law school. I’m still a master outliner to this day–but since then, I ALSO have been writing books as quickly as the ideas will come to me.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
My favorite authors tend to change often–but I will say that as of right now, I heavily favor works by Michael Connelly, Mary Higgins Clark, and C.S. Lewis. I’m also really looking forward to reading Barack Obama’s recently released memoir A PROMISED LAND.

I have three favorite genres: Science Fiction, Mystery, and Fantasy, not necessarily in that order. Nevertheless, I do read quite a bit more Mystery than I do Sci Fi or Fantasy.

As an author, I have to say that I take inspiration from just about EVERYTHING. Real world events, day-to-day life, things that I read, even things that I write. Every book begins with one or more ideas, and ideas can come from anywhere–at any time.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book–THE WOMEN IN WHITE–is also my first published. It is a Young Adult Mystery novel whose primary character is Greg Chase. Greg is a sixteen-year-old wunderkind whose heightened powers of deduction have, for a little over a year, allowed him to hold a working position as the New York Police Department’s youngest ever civilian consultant. Greg is quite pleased with his job in the NYPD, but he’s forced out when his actions inadvertently lead to the death of a suspect.

Greg returns to school–and shortly thereafter becomes drawn to the new girl, a deviant and mysterious loner named Mel Locket. Greg and Mel begin to grow closer and build a relationship, only for Greg to learn that Mel is actually the prime suspect in the stabbing death of her former friend and classmate from her last school. The police, Mel’s therapist, and even her mother think she did it. Greg, who has made a relatively strong connection with Mel during their brief relationship, thinks her innocent. And he sets out to prove it by any means necessary.

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Fred Tippett, II’s Website

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Featured Interview With Rupert Frazer

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Originally from a military family, I’ve been acting in film, TV and theatre for decades (my screen c.v. is listed on IMDB). Stories – hearing them, telling them – have always played a major part in my growing up. It was natural that acting should follow. So that my colourful family stories should not die with us I set about writing a memoir – Relative Times – which incorporates two generations worth of events – world wars, colonial adventures, personal tragedies – interspersed with film and TV versions of the same or similar in which I’ve appeared, hence the title. My wife, Janie, and I have lived in London since the early ’80s. We have three grown up kids – a boy and two girls – who between them have produced five marvellous kids of their own. We also have a seaside flat on the south-east coast in Deal. We love escaping London in all seasons to swim, bike or walk those famous cliffs.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
Books have always been around – I was lucky to have a dad who set great store by world literature. My first great reading experience was coming across the books of Rider Haggard – that name alone set tingles down my spine – ‘King Solomon’s Mines’ and ‘She’, both seminal books.
But writing books, to my regret, didn’t really get underway until about ten years ago. Once my agent’s calls became less frequent I decided to tell my own stories – and, instead of just the one, get to play ALL the parts in them! I wish I’d written more earlier, but glad to have found such a rewarding occupation. Better late than never.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
A favourite author is Isabel Colegate. Her best known and most highly regarded novel is The Shooting Party which was turned into a very special film in 1984 (and in which I was lucky enough to play a major part). Another novel of hers – in my opinion perhaps even better and certainly more overlooked – is Statues in a Garden. Her style is spare, elegant, ironic and true. I am at a loss to understand why she is not much better known.
During this isolated – and isolating – year (2020) I’ve read my way through all of Jane Austen. In between each novel I’ve read commentaries on her works, life and times. It’s been quite a journey.
The books I look out for defy genre – or incorporate more than one. Although publishers must rely on such classifications I find them self-limiting.
Real life inspires my writing – write what you know – and then take off!

Tell us a little about your latest book?
The Crimson Pantomime, a novel, has been seven years in the making. It was inspired by a real event. While auditioning would-be actors wanting a place at a top London drama school, one candidate showed up whose audition I considered quite remarkable. My co-panellists didn’t agree and this exceptional individual was declined a place. He’ll never know, but it’s thanks to him and his memorable audition that my book was born! We follow his fictional counterpart’s life and the people he loved and who loved him. Along the way we meet characters drawn from theatre and movies, telling their story like it is, rather than than how show business is often made out to be. I’m happy to say that already many of my colleagues have written to say how they recognise the world I’ve created in The Crimson Pantomime.

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Rupert Frazer Facebook Page

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Featured Interview With J Patrick

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I am the son of two retired airfare officers. I was born in Texas and many moves later returned. So, I started traveling before I could walk or talk. I love animals and have had many beloved pets. Right now I am divorced and childless/petless. I have been a creator all my life and I have been a practicing engineer, managing and running a region for a big corporation. Writing became an enormous creative outlet as I resurrected my life after the darkness of divorce.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I have been a creator as long as I could remember. I would put things together with things from around the house from when I was small. I would always imagine my world around me and the far away places I could see and people I could meet and things I could do. In that way, I haven’t changed. I have been writing all of my life on and off. I’ve often journaled poetry as well as prose. I have also been taking photographs as an amateur all my life, documenting scenes from my travels.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I have very diverse interests in writing. I love to read both non-fiction and fiction with a historical link. I am inspired from many directions, including poets and philosophers, mystics and musicians. Some examples of my inspirations are Julian of Norwich, Kahlil Gibran, Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Rumi, Tennyson, Rudyard Kipling, Teilhard De Chardin, Rabi Abraham Herchel, St. Catherine of Genoa, Mechthild of Magdeburg as well as Keats and Yates. Of course, I’m also inspired by the words of Martin Luther King , Sinead O’Connor, Sting Bono and Tim Booth. 🙂

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book is actually my very first book of poems. It is called Psalms of Light Vol I, Pollyanna. I drew new inspiration from life after divorce and that resulted in an outflow of poetry from my heart. The theme of this book of poems is the battle between good and evil and the journey from dark to light. I didn’t plan on writing a book and I didn’t consciously every just say to myself, “I’m going to start writing poetry now”. But it’s never felt so right and so opposed to my daily life. I give credit to my creative mother who recently became diagnosed with Alzheimers. She’s taken to calling me “Pollyanna” in that I always see the positive in all around me. My book is a result of all I’ve been through and the new man I’ve become. I wanted to combine two of my passions, photography and poetry.

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J Patrick’s Website

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Featured Interview With Amelia K Oliver

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Hi everyone, I’m Amelia K Oliver, british author and crazy person. I have four pets, three dogs and a cat, I have a 6 year old son and an awesome husband. Its nice to meet you all.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
From a very young age I loved reading, as someone who didn’t have the nicest childhood, it was and remains my escape.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I have so many favourite authors, Tamara White, Kresley Cole, the list is endless.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book, Blaze is a dystopian reverse harem novel. It was my baby, a real labour of love. I put everything I love into this book. I alsoo have several charity books and I will be venturing into YA/NA next year under the name L. K. Beal
I look forward to meeting some of of you! Please feel free to join my Facebook group, Amelia K Oliver – the mad house
Amelia x

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Amelia K Oliver Facebook Page

Featured Interview With Amelia K Oliver

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Hi everyone, I’m Amelia K Oliver, british author and crazy person. I have four pets, three dogs and a cat, I have a 6 year old son and an awesome husband. Its nice to meet you all.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
From a very young age I loved reading, as someone who didn’t have the nicest childhood, it was and remains my escape.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I have so many favourite authors, Tamara White, Kresley Cole, the list is endless.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book, Blaze is a dystopian reverse harem novel. It was my baby, a real labour of love. I put everything I love into this book. I alsoo have several charity books and I will be venturing into YA/NA next year under the name L. K. Beal
I look forward to meeting some of of you! Please feel free to join my Facebook group, Amelia K Oliver – the mad house
Amelia x

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Amelia K Oliver Facebook Page

Featured Interview With Alina Leonova

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born and raised in Belarus – an Eastern European country. I was an activist opposing the regime (at the time of the interview, Belarus has had the same president for 26 years and a revolution to finally overthrow his corrupt government has been going on for over 3 months), but eventually I lost hope to change anything and moved to Poland, where I got a Master’s degree and later found a job as an English teacher and became a climate activist with the Extinction Rebellion movement. I have lately become a nomad: the coronavirus lockdown has made life in the city very constricting, and my husband and I decided to escape it, so we don’t have a place of our own anymore. We spent 1,5 months in the Polish mountains, another 1,5 months in a Slovak village, and we currently live in a small village in Eastern Poland, in the forest and close to the lake.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I have always been fascinated with books. I guess it started with my parents reading me bedtime stories. When I was older, I took a book everywhere I went and read absolutely anything. As for writing, I started before I knew how to do it properly. My parents have saved the first story I wrote when I was about five, with some letters facing in the wrong direction. It was about kids who found a dinosaur egg. Later I wrote stories about cats traveling to space as gifts for my parents, an adventure book and other stuff. I’ve always been into it!

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
N.K. Jemisin, Lois McMaster Bujold, James S.A. Corey, Andrzej Sapkowski, Strugatsky brothers, George R.R. Martin, Yuval Noah Harari – these are just a few.

My favorite genre is sci-fi because it deals with the most imaginative things, like life on other planets, the impact technology might have on human life, possible future and so on. It’s a playful genre that isn’t afraid to go to places where no one has ever been, explore scientific theories and discoveries, let the imagination run wild. It’s also often used to criticize the authorities or question a status-quo. It’s a genre that makes me think and reevaluate.

I believe every author I’ve ever read has inspired me in one way or another, and some of them showed me things I should avoid at all costs. Whatever I’m reading while writing a particular chapter has an impact on it.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Entanglement is my debut sci-fi novel. This is a character-focused book that explores the relationship between humans and nature and the effects advanced technology has on people’s lives. It dives into the characters’ experiences and follows their adventures, offering several plot twists.

The story is set in a world where the distinction between the virtual and the real has faded, and an inexplicable plague is changing the flora. A man is running away from home, as he feels that something strange has happened to his loved one. He will have to change his life, slowly uncovering the truth as he grapples with his doubts about the nature of reality. Can what is happening to him be real, or is he stuck in a simulation?

At the same time, a woman begins to realize that the restrictive community she’s spent her entire life with and the rules she’s been following all along make no sense. She’s had enough of the Master’s cruelty and the mysterious purpose that he’s constantly talking about never explaining it.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55804884-entanglement

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Alina Leonova’s Website

Featured Interview With Mark Justice

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was raised in Vermilion, Ohio, on the shores of beautiful Lake Erie. I live in Sheffield Village, Oh, just a few miles from the beautiful shores of Lake Erie. The pull of water keeps me close.
I spent several decades in academia, both as a student and an instructor. I taught English Composition and Popular Culture, sometimes the occasional Into to Horror class.
I don’t have any pets at the current time. I had two dogs. They both died a few months apart in late 2017 and early 2018. Heart disease and cancer took them too soon. I’m still not over the loss. I’ll know when the time is right to get a few more dogs. They do make life joyful.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I was read to from infancy and could read before I went to kindergarten. I’ve always loved books, especially classic horror and science fiction. I had amassed a pretty decent book collection by the time I was in my teens.
I didn’t start writing until I was in high school. I started with some poetry and short stories, found a little bit of academic success with writing, and naively thought, “Oh, I’ll be a writer. This is easy.” Haha!
I got a BFA in Creative Writing and continued writing poetry but always saw myself as a fiction writer, or at least that’s what I wanted to be. I wrote minor short stories, nothing of note. Fear kept me from really tearing into fiction for ages, fear of my inability to write realistic-sounding dialogue. Years of writing poetry had honed my use of imagery and concise phrasing, but sadly, I let fear dictate what I wrote for too long.
It wasn’t until 2012, when I started a no-budget movie-making company, Cyclops Movies, that I overcame that fear through writing scripts. I realized I could tell an entire story with nothing but dialogue, so after my third movie, I moved to writing long fiction.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I love Frank Herbert, especially his Dune series, which may contain two of my favorite books of all time: Dune and God Emperor of Dune.
I am a huge Robert E. Howard fan and consumed his heroic pulp in my teens and twenties. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention H.P. Lovecraft, Edgar Allan Poe, Ray Bradbury, H.G. Wells, Jules Verne, Mary Shelley, Angela Carter, Lee Falk, and Stan Lee.
As far as non-fiction goes, I really do enjoy Stephen King’s book about writing. They’re inspiring.
My favorite genres tend to be science fiction, horror, and pulp of all kinds.
As far as inspiration goes, I tip my hat to Stephen King again, not so much for any particular novel but for his body of work as well his accessibility as a writer. I’m staggered by the amount of prose put out by great pulp writers like Walter B. Gibson. Simply astonishing.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book is called Toxic. It’s a non-fiction book which examines my decades-long struggle with the Christian faith I grew up being taught to believe. I do this by carefully and academically examining the Bible, focusing mainly on portions of scripture that the Toxic Christian Church tends to ignore or gloss over. I engage these troublesome passages in order to show a much more complete picture of the Christian God.
Through Toxic, I invite anyone who has ever struggled with their faith, whether current believer, former believer, agnostic, or believer-turned-atheist, to examine their faith closely, carefully, and honestly. Ultimately, I want anyone who’s ever struggled with their faith to know they’re not the only ones who’ve done so. I want them to feel heard, understood, and validated.

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Mark Justice Facebook Page

Featured Interview With Bonnie Lieberman

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I grew up in the Bronx in a neighborhood in which social acceptance was greatly based upon wearing similar clothing, hairstyles, using the same expressions, and walking with the same strut as my popular peers.
I am a retired teacher and I hold a NYS Reading Teacher’s License. My passion was helping my students recognize their creativity and individuality.
Today, I live in the Mid Hudson Valley with my child therapist husband and our two cuddly dogs. I relish spending time with my adult children and young grand girls.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
For as long as I can remember, I looked forward to bedtime only because my dad would bring a book in my room and read it to me. He encouraged me to connect with the characters, their problems, and how they resolved those problems. That was how I was first introduced to the skill of critical thinking.
In second grade, I wrote two stories. One was about a child who had sent invitations to his birthday party and was upset to learn that none of his friends would be able to attend. One can guess how it ended!

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
My favorite genre to read is fiction. I enjoy or have enjoyed reading books by Naomi Ragan, Khalid Hosseini, Herman Hesse, Herman Wouk, Chaim Potok, Sidney Taylor, Lisa See, Richard Wright and Dr. Suess. My favorite short stories have been written by Fedor Dostoyevsky, Ivan Turgenev, Ray Bradbury, Roald Dahl, Antoine Balzac and Langston Hughes.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Congratulations are for… Being brave enough to make good choices for yourself, unafraid of making mistakes and not caring about what others think of you. Welcome to the Village of Nobble Ook, a place in which everyone wants to be like the king, but not really… Their king wants them to be like him, In the village, someone is going to be very sorry, Will he discover it’s never too late to become a better person? Love yourself for whom you are. and don’t try to be like anyone else. Wear the clothes you want to wear. Eat the foods you like just because you like them. Read the books you like because you like them. Be yourself!

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Bonnie Lieberman’s Website

Featured Interview With Laura J. Swallow

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born and raised in Kansas. I moved to Japan for almost four years, then moved back to Kansas this last March.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I’ve been a bookworm for as long as I can remember. I remember going to the library as a kid, checking out a giant bag of books, and then returning them all completed a week later. I really started writing in middle school, which continued through high school. I took every writing elective I could and I actually planned to be a journalist all the way into my first year of college. Then I realized I wasn’t that into informative writing, so I changed my degree to teaching and didn’t write much for a few years. I toyed with blogging on and off, but it wasn’t until I was teaching middle/high school English composition classes in Japan that I remembered my love of writing. I started writing fiction at the beginning of this year and haven’t stopped.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I have so many types of books and genres that I like. I really enjoy pretty much all genres of young adult. I love a good historical fiction book and I’ve even read (and enjoyed!) a large number of classic books. I feel like every book I’ve read has inspired me in some way. When I think of young adult, I think of Roth, Collins, Aveyard, Rowling, and Lewis.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book is called 6,393 Miles, which is roughly the distance from Wichita, Kansas, to Osaka, Japan.
While it’s technically fiction, it’s basically my very heart and soul from about age fifteen until now, only in paperback form. Honestly, it still freaks me out sometimes to think that I’m not only letting other people read something so personal, but I’m actively encouraging them to.
To start my explanation about this book, I’d like to acknowledge that (I think) most of us imagined moving off to a far-away place as teenagers. Especially during those days when nothing is going your way and you want nothing more than to completely disappear. Move to the other side of the world? Sure, anywhere but here. But most of us know that amazing adventure isn’t going to happen so we just live our normal, sometimes boring teenage lives. Only to Chloe, an average girl very lacking in coordination and very much into her best friend, this actually happened, and it happened when she didn’t want it to. When everything was going her way and she pretty much had her future figured out, her dad announced that he was moving her to Japan. And she’s angry, she’s upset at her dad, she’s confused, but she’s still a little excited. After all, it’s still a new place with new people and new perspectives. She grapples with her conflicting emotions, fighting her sense of adventure with sullenness and anger for a while. But the people around her eventually make her give in to her more positive emotions. She learns that change can actually be a good thing, even if it’s the last thing she ever wanted.

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Laura J. Swallow’s Website

Featured Interview With Laura Churchill Duke

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
My name is Laura Churchill Duke, and I was born and raised in rural area of the the Annapolis Valley in Nova Scotia, Canada.
I am a freelance journalist for Atlantic Canada and when not writing, I am a professional home organizer.
I live in Kentville with my husband, and two sons. We have 5 rescue animals, including a dog and 4 degus!

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I have always loved writing. In fact, I recently found some of the stories that I wrote in elementary school. In Grade 6, one of my teachers wrote a comment: Keep it up! You might make money at this some day!
I never set out to become an author, but was something that just fell into place for me, as a natural continuation of what I was already doing.
I love doing historical research and looking into genealogy, and writing this Creative Non-Fiction was a chance to put all of these skills into play!

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I love reading a good story with great characters that I remember long after I close the cover.
Two of my favourite authors include Fredrik Backman and Lianne Moriarty.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Two Crows Sorrow is about the life of Theresa McAuley Robinson, a woman who lived on Nova Scotia’s North Mountain at the turn of the century. This is the true story of Theresa’s love and devotion to her children and her farmland, which ultimately led to her demise. In May 1904, Theresa was found murdered and her farm burnt to the ground. Her second husband William Robinson was accused of the murder. Two Crows Sorrow follows Theresa’s life to her death, then William’s court trial to its dramatic conclusion.

The book is a creative non-fiction, meaning that everything that happens in the book is true. It is all based on my historical research; however, it is strung together and reads like a novel.

Most people who start reading Two Crows Sorrow say they cannot put it down once they begin!

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Laura Churchill Duke’s Website

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Featured Interview With J. A. Jackson

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Hi, my pseudonym is J. A. Jackson, my real name is Jerreece Ann Jackson.
Here’s a little about me.
I was born in Arkansas and come from a family rich in storytellers. My family (my mother, father and us kids) moved to Chicago and pretty much I grew up in Chicago, going to school there. I spent many summers visiting my grandmother in Arkansas. As well as spending time, as a child visiting relatives in Louisiana, Texas and Oklahoma. Some relatives, from my family, moved west to California, and I lived one year of my childhood in Redwood City California, after which I returned to Chicago until I made California my home later in my life. Because I grew up in Chicago and have a lot of my family there, I have a fierce love-hate affair with this fabulous ruthless city.
Regarding my writing, all of my book’s settings have taken place in California. Except my book, Diamond At Midnight. It takes place in Chicago.
I was married for a very long time to my editor, and five years ago my husband passed away.
I am a dog lover. However currently I have no pets. I do have a neighbor’s cat who visit my backyard daily. Miss Cat and I love to sit on my back patio and enjoy the water fall feature in a corner of my yard. She and I find the cascading sound of water falling to be very soothing.
Over two years ago, I also endured the passing of my Big Sally. She was an American Hound Dog, from the German Scent dog breed. She was beautiful with a white coat, floppy ears with huge dark brown spots. She is greatly missed.
Prior to my Big Sally, German scent dog, I had two other dogs at the same time. A German shepherd named Lady Chance and a mixed breed Golden Retriever/Collie dog named Bear. Sad to say they passed this earth many years ago. They too, are greatly missed.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
My love affair with books probably started around age 4, because I had to go to preschool, as one of my older brothers had to start kindergarten and rather than leave me with the sitter, my mother put me in the preschool at my brothers kindergarten school. Also, I started writing at a very young age. When I was a child I had very vivid dreams, I would tell my parents and grandmother when I woke up. My first recollection is of being given a tablet to write my dreams on. After that, I wrote, everything from dreams to poems, etc. The first book I wrote was in sixth grade. It was a very short novelette.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Favorite genre romance suspense with a touch of paranormal charm/magic.
I am inspired by many of the authors I have read. Many things inspire me. I also get inspiration from tidbits of odd knowledge that I pick up while reading throughout the day. While reading, something I may have that “what if moment,” that inspires me to write about it. Other times ideas for my books can come from places that I have visited. I’d like to say that I am always inspired by the grandiose landscape of the magnificent State of California. For example, for my book the Grand Hotel my inspiration came from walking past the regal old Sir Drake Hotel on Powell Street in San Francisco one night. The flickering lights coming from welcoming door gave me a “what if “moment. From there the ideas for The Grand Hotel was born.
First on my list of favorite authors is Jane Austen, Pride, and Prejudice. Next, I know why the caged bird sings by Maya Angelou.
Favorite books I have read are Goddess of Vengeance by Jackie Collins. Juliet Blackwell In a Witch’s Wardrobe, Tony Dunbar Lucky Man, Diary of a Groupie by Omar Tyree, Love Potion Monica Jackson, Mistress Inc by Niobia Bryant, Sharyn McCrumb – The Song Catcher & Ghost & She Walks These Hills and The Jasmine Moon Murder by Laura Childs.
Let me just state for the record these are just a few of my favorites. I love so many other authors too. I’ll just name a few other others. Harold Robbins, Cathy Yardley, Nora Roberts, Madelyn Alt, Cecily von Ziegesar, Jude Deveraux, Beverly Jenkin, Stuart Wood, Sidney Sheldon, Zora Neale Hurston, Tina McElroy-Ansa Sharyn McCrumb, Mia Caldwell, Laura Bickle, Lucinda Rosenfeld, and many, many, many others

Tell us a little about your latest book?
I am currently working on that hasn’t a title yet. It is about a young lady named Mia. I may title this book the Lost Love of Mia, I’m still working on the book and the title.
I just released Book III of Lovers, Players Seducer – The Betrayal of Nicholas La Cour. It is about:
A Betrayed man, a bride left at the altar, and a plan for revenge.
Discover if love can transform even the best-laid plans.

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J. A. Jackson’s Website

J. A. Jackson Facebook Page

Featured Interview With Ivan Nossa

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born and raised in northern Italy where I have studied and got a degree in English Literature. Here I started my own business 25 years ago which I loved and was successful till the day I felt a different call and my life turned upside down.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
At the age of 47 everything started to change for me. It is a long story that I love to tell in my books and at my events. I started to believe in myself and the power of life, I started to feel loved and understood that I had to follow my dream that has always been that of becoming an author. Miracles happened, I gave up my business, found a publisher and wrote many books most of which have sold very well in Italy. I overcame the fear of writing for the public, fear is what holds us back from our dreams.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I did not know anything about inspirational and self-help books till the age of 47, but now those are the books I cherish the most as they give me the will to believe in my dream and achieve them. Of course Dr Joe Vitale, from the bestseller the secret, that now is a friend and co-author. I would also like to mention Anthony De Mello, Neale Donald Walsh, Kahlil Gibran, Mike Dooley, Eckart Tolle, Dalai Lama but there are too many that have touched my life to mention.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
This is my first title that I decided to publish in English, a language that I love. It is also my most successful book, gratitude has been a great start for my career at it dates back to my childhood times where the mother that adopted me taught me gratitude in a wonderful way, it is a story I tell in details in this book and that has touched many hearts. I am deeply grateful for that. Here in Italy I have done many events trying to spread gratitude and love for life. We always have to be grateful, it changes our look on life and creates miracles, even in our difficult times.

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Ivan Nossa’s Website

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