Top Selling Authors: Get To Know Them Better

Featured Interview With Linda Maria Frank

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Born and bred in Queens, N.Y. I still live on Long Island and love being near the beaches and marshes. I have two cats, Max and Lola. I have had a very long career in teaching, from 5th grade to graduate school. I taught the sciences, and an introductory course in forensic science that I taught in both high school and college got my writing simple mysteries for my students to solve.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I became a reader when I discovered the Nancy Drew mystery series. Nancy made me a life time reader. It was many years later, and many books later that I discovered that my talent for story telling could be turned into books.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I love historical fiction. Current favorite author is Diana Gabaldon and the Outlander series. Besides the romance and thrilling exploits of the characters, I love the herbal medicine and healing arts aspects of the books.
I think Stephen King is my inspiration as a writer. The way he draws his characters, making the human ones so very human is a great model for me in the development of my characterrs.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book which is part of the Annie Tillery Mystery Series is the Mystery of the Lost Avenger. It was a labor of love for me to reasearch what the women of my mother’s generation did to help win WWII.
This fourth book in the Annie Tillery Mystery series falls into the genre of young reader, between children’s chapter books and young adult. However, older women who grew up reading Nancy Drew love this book. The story works on several levels, a ghost story, a romance, the technical side of weaving clues to solve a mystery, the history of women in WWII and the espionage that happened in that war.
The wreckage of a World War II plane is found in the mountains of Appalachia in 2014. It mysteriously crashed in 1943 on its way to a naval base. Inside the plane is a note, written by Annie Tillery’s great grandmother, Charlotte, who was in love with a fighter pilot. Young Charlotte tested the planes and flew them to naval bases; her fiancé flew the planes in battle.
While investigating the crash site, NCIS finds the note in the plane, which they trace to Charlotte and then to her surviving family members, Annie and her mother Carol. Annie struggles with Carol’s new sobriety with her addiction to alcohol, which in the past, caused an estrangement between them.
The mystery begins. Why did the plane crash, and what does Charlotte’s note mean? Annie and her mother decide to dig into Great-Grandmother’s past by way of the family attic.
There, they find love letters written by Charlotte and her Navy pilot fiancé. A code to be broken in those letters hints of sabotage. As they explore, Annie suspects Charlotte’s ghost is reaching out to tell her something, but what? She enlists the help of her boyfriend, newly licensed pilot Ty Egan, but Annie feels she may be the key to her great-grandmother’s top-secret life. She means to find out how.

Connect with the Author on their Websites and Social media profiles

Linda Maria Frank’s Website

Linda Maria Frank Facebook Page

Linda Maria Frank Twitter Account

Featured Interview With Lisa Wolstenholme

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Hi, I’m a multi-published author originally from the UK but now living in Perth, Western Australia. My family immigrated nine years ago and we love it here. Perth is one of the lesser-known cities in Australia but well worth a visit, and the weather is just perfect.

I was raised mostly in the UK. My father was in the Royal Air Force which meant moving from place-to-place every three-or-so years. I spent time in Germany and all over the UK, so you could say I’m well travelled. Travel is something I love and have been to Canada, USA, South America, all over Europe. Being in Australia opens up the opportunity for some really exciting trips, well, as soon as COVID-19 restrictions are lifted.

At present, I have one dog (a Kelpie Mastiff cross who’s a complete numpty), a goldfish, 6 baby chicks and one hen, not to mention the amazing variety of birds and critters calling my block home. I’m lucky to live in the Perth Hills surrounded by bush – a haven away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
Looking back, I guess I’ve always been a writer. I’m always daydreaming and coming up with stories and scenes, and as a child was drawn to fantasy stories like ‘The Enchanted Wood’. I could easily disappear into other worlds and would think about them constantly.

I love to read and am particularly drawn to gritty, emotional stories that leave the reader pondering what makes a character tick and why they do what they do.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I love contemporary fiction and am not averse to romantic tales as long as they are not too ‘mushy’. I do particularly enjoy transformational journeys and love Paulo Coehlo’s work, especially books like ‘Veronika Decides to Die’ and ‘The Alchemist’. Gillian Flynn is also a favourite author. I love the way she builds authentic characters and creates tangible settings. I also really loved ‘The Girl on the Train’ and found Paula’s writing affecting and accessible.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
The Sunrise Girl is contemporary women’s fiction novel about a thirty-something woman who is struggling with authenticity. A former party-girl, she does what she’s expected to do i.e. get married and settle down, but it becomes an increasing struggle for her. When her husband dies, she has to navigate her grief – and guilt – and figure out what she wants, but rather than face her past she escapes to the party island of Ibiza and indulges in a hedonistic-like lifestyle.
It’s gritty, emotional and a bit steamy in places (but not in an ‘erotic’ sense). I would say it’s ‘Adultery’ by Paulo Coehlo crossed with ‘Shirley Valentine’ by Willy Russell with elements of ‘The Girl on the Train’.

Connect with the Author on their Websites and Social media profiles

Lisa Wolstenholme’s Website

Lisa Wolstenholme Facebook Page

Lisa Wolstenholme Twitter Account

Featured Interview With PEARL.

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
~ Poet ~ Empath ~ Highly Sensitive ~ Psychic ~ Readings ~ Angelic Reiki Healing ~ Crystal ~ Enlightened Wisdom ~ Healer ~ Twin Flame ~ Manifestation ~ Mental Health ~ Eating Disorders ~ Body Image ~ Emotions ~ Sexuality ~ Erotica ~ Inner Child

I’ve been through quite a lot of trauma over the years. All ranging from mental health issues, sexual harassment, emotional neglect, struggles with sexuality, losing my ‘known’ identity. The latest to add to the list is having my first relationship, with a narcissistic emotional and mental abuser.

When it comes to mental health issues, I’ve suffered from a range. Eating disorders, OCD, depression, self harm, suicidal tendencies. 15 years and still the same default setting comes through. Why? I guess I haven’t healed yet.

The thing with trauma is – you keep going through the same stuff until you learn the lessons embedded deep within it. Until you change the programme, the same frequency is going to keep being emitted. Trauma leads you to a place of self-love, and that’s what life is all about.

It’s not egotistical love. It’s not being selfish. It’s not viewing yourself as being superior to others. No. It’s about embracing all that you are, shadow side and all.

Self-love is about honouring yourself. Honouring your limits, your triggers, and honouring your energy. Where you place yourself, affects your energy. How much pressure you put on yourself, affects your energy. Who you spend time with, affects your energy.

This world is beautiful, and magical. Only the select view see it though. I’m one of those select view.

Exactly like my book description concludes: ‘Throw in the concoction of eating disorders, narcissistic relationships, a Divine Masculine Twin Flame that struggles with emotions, hidden sexual desires, struggles with sensuality and sexuality… and you’ve got a book that covers all areas of the psyche and mind.’

That’s what this book is about. My journey throughout it all.

The main character throughout, is myself. You’re reading the words as if you’re looking through my eyes. My writing does something miraculous though. You may be looking down on the paper through my eyes, but you’re creating your own story. You’re looking back over your lifetimes, and you’re picking out pieces of the puzzle. You’re acknowledging that these little gems that are found between my words, are actually the gems that you’ve been missing your whole life.

Of course, throughout, the differing stories focus and evolve around culprits or characters who played a huge part in the trauma that I endured. Again, there are characters who have helped me and who continue to help me forevermore.

My advice: Love yourself truly, completely and unconditionally. You’re the only person who will never leave your side. Other people come and go. You have to be your own best friend, because when you’re dealing with the stuff inside, it’s only you who understands.

I want to be a well-known Spiritual Teacher. Get me on all platforms. Let me spread the word… share the word… let me be a ripple that generates a magnetic wave across the entire race of humanity, to really start implementing and living from a place of truth, peace and love.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I’m not really sure when I started writing, but I know that as a child in Primary School, I was very creative. In Literacy and even Creative Writing, I would thrive. Admittedly, I felt it to be a bit of burden when having to write stories – I could never seem to find a suitable ending, and so would just keep on writing and writing.

However, as my life’s path started to pan out, I realised that I was adept at poetry. It actually got added to my list of ‘coping mechanisms’.

My current published book:
Chapter 1 = My undying attempt to feel loved
Chapter 2 = Enlightened wisdom that keeps me alive…and fighting.
Chapter 3 = Mental Health Illnesses and how they are all fabricated illusions… yet so very pain-stakingly real.
Chapter 4 = How my shadow side actually saved me from an abusive relationship with a narcissist.
Chapter 5 = Sexual repressed desires/erotica

The second book I’m in the process of writing is all about:-
Chapter 1 = Being fearless and being the hero of my own life… being the hero of my own destiny
Chapter 2 = That hero (my Inner Child) being locked away and held captive…and me not knowing where she is or where she’s gone
Chapter 3 = Eating Disorder
Chapter 4 = Acknowledging my Shadow Side (and Traits), and also balancing Masculine and Feminine energies of whom I am.
Chapter 5 = Realising that I’m a Messenger/Spiritual Teacher who holds much Wisdom and Truth
Chapter 6 = Honing in on my emotions and being the sensitive soul and empath that I am
Chapter 7 = Worshipping both my Masculine and Feminine energies, and also my Shadow and Light sides
Chapter 8 = Getting justice for all who have wronged me
Chapter 9 = How my Soul leads my way now…

As you can see, my first two books are all centred on my journey, and how pain and all different types of emotions have been embedded throughout. It’s been a hectic ride, that’s for sure!

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
To be honest, I feel like I’m one in and on my own. Yes, there are numerous poetry books out there. Truth be told, I don’t particularly enjoy reading poetry. I can say that I’ve not read any books that are like mine, and therefore, they haven’t influenced me.

My own life experiences have shaped my writing, and I’m really proud of that. I’m proud of myself for having come through those experiences, and still be the strong beautiful soul that I am today. I haven’t changed, and what I mean by that is… I’ve not closed my heart… I’ve not turned nasty… I’ve not let the world turn me cold. If anything, I’m more loving, nurturing, protective, caring, loyal… because of the experiences I’ve been through. It’s a rarity in this world.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
As previously mentioned, I’m working on two books. One that, again, is focused on my journey through life… but is definitely much more indepth… and it really scrutinises everything that I’ve been through, all whilst summarising it all really.

You’ll clearly be able to distinguish between the chapters, and you’ll follow the journey with ease. It’s very clear, yet as my writing does, it generates so many layers and so many stories that are buried deep within. You’ll find yourself swinging along many different turns and paths, and that’s what it’s all about. It’s about going deep within yourself, and honouring what comes up to the surface.

I tend to just go with the flow. Even if I think I’ve got nothing to write about, I’ll get my laptop out and I’ll literally just put down anything that comes to mind. It can be so wacky and metaphorical, but it all just seems to fit and come together so beautifully!

Other than that, I tend to just write from how I’m feeling. Feelings and emotions are such a great indicator for what you should write about!

I was actually reading my own book. I think it’s a beautiful element to be able to put yourself in the reader’s shoes for a few moments, and really indulge in the writer’s stories. It’s almost endearing to be able to forget that you’re the writer, and generate even more stories in your mind that you didn’t have when you were actually writing the book!

Connect with the Author on their Websites and Social media profiles

PEARL.’s Website

PEARL. Facebook Page

Featured Interview With Mia Michele

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I grew up in Nashville, but I’ve lived in the Philadelphia metro area for the last two decades. I met my husband in New England and, after college, we settled in Pennsylvania. We don’t have any pets, but are currently raising a brood of children.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I’ve always loved books. I was the child who received pens and reams of paper for Christmas and birthdays! I remember writing short stories and poetry throughout primary school and, by the time I was in middle school, was organizing fairly long novellas. I began professionally publishing in the early 2000s and, in 2013, switched from nonfiction to fiction.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I was a librarian and, quite honestly, will read anything! My favorite book is The Source by Michener (although I’m not a huge fan of his other pieces!). A book that has stayed with me is Anita Shreve’s The Last Time They Met.

I don’t know that “who” inspires me is the question in as much as it is “what” inspires me. I feel like life makes the best art and, even in my paranormal and dystopian work, I draw from real life to create the situations and characters.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Alexander Vale has lived for a thousand years. He has seen the human race fall prey to the immortals and now, as a member of the ruling Archon class, he is responsible for his own people- both the older and more powerful Archontes as well as the hunger-driven Subalterns- and the mortal Esnes. The Law is his safety; he helped create the ruling class hundreds of years ago to quell revolt and provide a measure of calm in a world that was ravaged by cruelty and harsh conditions. Once the Old Lands were made docile, he and those like him turned to the New Lands, and he eventually settled himself as the Commissioner of the North Eastern Dominion. The Law was established: the Esnes were forced into obedience, the Subalterns (for the most part) were subdued, and the Archontes were firmly in control. There have been minor rebellions, but, since the Great Rebellion (twenty-five years ago), there has been a relative peace. Stumbling upon an Esne after dark, his entire life is turned on end and he sees not only who he has been, but who he is at his core self. In a story that combines the dystopian and speculative worlds with romance, Vale crafts a psychological tale that pits ego against soul, with heartbreaking consequences.

Connect with the Author on their Websites and Social media profiles

Mia Michele’s Website

Mia Michele Facebook Page

Mia Michele Twitter Account

Featured Interview With P.C. Darkcliff

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born and raised in the Czech Republic, but now I live in Spain. I’ve lived in four other countries: Canada, Portugal, Bulgaria, and Turkey. Since we move around a lot, we don’t have any pets.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I started reading and writing as soon as I learned my letters. If I remember correctly, my first story was about a talking dog.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I love classic horror writers, such as Lovecraft, Poe, and Machen, and my favorite genre to read is dark fantasy. I also admire Dickens, Remarque, Steinbeck and other late masters. Out of contemporary authors, I like Follett and Grisham.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
It’s called Celts and the Mad Goddess, and it’s the first installment of The Deathless Chronicle. It tells the story of a young Celtic woman called Rawena, who falls into the claws of the rat-goddess Pandemia. The goddess schemes to annihilate humans to preserve other animal species. She lets Rawena live but turns her into a pawn in a mad game. Rawena fights to defy Pandemia while running from her own tribespeople who suddenly see her as their enemy.
It took me only a year to write this book, but it’s based on a saga I worked on for nearly a decade in my younger years, and later abandoned.

Connect with the Author on their Websites and Social media profiles

P.C. Darkcliff’s Website

P.C. Darkcliff Facebook Page

P.C. Darkcliff Twitter Account

Featured Interview With Sophia Sinclair

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I’m a small-town Midwestern girl to my core and my small-town romance books build on each other like the written version of the world’s longest romantic movie. I spend my free time performing unnecessarily complicated culinary feats in my kitchen and dreaming up home improvement projects for my husband to do in our fixer-upper Victorian. My greatest accomplishment so far has been either raising two wonderful children who love to read or designing and digging a goldfish pond by herself. Probably the goldfish pond; it’s really cool. We had the sweetest old beagle-mix mutt, Ginger, until recently. We aren’t ready to get another dog just yet; losing Ginger broke our hearts even though she lived to a very ripe old age. If you read Worth the Wait, the old shelter dog Clarence Molly’s kids adopt was modeled on my Ginger.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I’ve always been a writer. I knew from an early age this is what I’d do. I have done every kind of writing, from journalism, SEO, advertising, marketing, fiction, genre fiction and technical writing. I write. It’s what I do.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I will read anything, including the backs of cereal boxes or technical manuals if that’s my only choice. I read a lot. If it’s well-written, I’ll read it happily. There are thousands of books in my house, plus all the ebooks I now have. Reading is my favorite thing to do. I love the classics, I love genre books, I lover non-fiction … I love it all. You’ll notice that my romance novel characters are smart, well-read people.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
I’m about to publish the fifth book in my Small-Town Secrets series. It’s called “Crazy Little Thing,” and it features the bartender of The Clipper. The Clipper is the bar where everyone in Fairview, my fictional small town, hangs out. There, you’ll run into previous characters as well as people who might be in future books. Ashley has been in every book, so it’s fitting that now she’s the main character in this one. She’s been plotting something for a long time. I love Ashley! She’s smart and she has a lot of secrets up her sleeve. No wonder the wealthy developer who walks into the bar ends up losing his heart to her. She’s unlike anyone he’s ever met before.

Connect with the Author on their Websites and Social media profiles

Sophia Sinclair’s Website

Sophia Sinclair Facebook Page

Featured Interview With H.B. Cavalier

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, and draw a lot of writing inspiration from the land around me. I have traveled, though, and that slips in as well. My pen name, Véva Perala, exists mainly to lend an air of magic to my novel, ‘Farewell, Everything’ (Véva is, in a sense, a character in the story herself) – but originally it served to protect my privacy. Now days, however, I wonder just what I’ve been trying to hide. There really isn’t much to say about me! The life of Véva Perala is FAR more intriguing.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
Oh, immediately. I was given a little chalk board at 18 months, and legend has it I began writing, at length, right then and there. I grew up in the 80’s, across the street from an academic writer – she’d give all of her red-inked rough drafts to me, so that I could write my epic novels on the blank side of the paper. Living under the sea, being kidnapped by ghosts, and ridiculing the rich were common themes of my early work, but I also dabbled in nonfiction: bee colonies and cat anatomy were my specialties.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
My favorite fiction genre, hands down, is magical realism. I get frustrated when writing is too concrete and literal – it leaves stories barren, void of metaphor and deeper meaning. Part of the pleasure of reading, for me, is finding hidden gems in a narrative, discovering new depth upon returning to an old book after years away. You can mature side-by-side with a good story. Plus, my life experiences have rarely been logical by modern standards, and like anyone, I enjoy books that reflect me back to myself, so.

On that note, I love Dorian Gray – joking. Sort of.

Oscar Wilde is one of the greats, though, of course. Garcia Marquez, Murakami, Arundhati Roy, Sunil Yapa, George Saunders and Salvador Plascencia are all authors on my bookshelf. But I mostly gravitate toward nonfiction – books about psychology and spirituality, history and sociology, philosophy and the human brain. The occasional memoir, such as James Rhodes’ ‘Instrumental,’ and David B.’s graphic novel ‘Epileptic.’ But, at the end of the day, I feel I’ve drawn just as much writing inspiration from music and film as from books.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
‘Farewell, Everything’ is a slipstream/magical realism novel following a sickly runaway through tandem struggles with disease and politics – neither of which he’s prepared to handle. It’s something of a hero’s journey, in that the protagonist spirals into the depths to find strength and wisdom he never knew he had – but more than that, it’s simply dark comedy. The main character is bumbling, naive, and desperately self-unaware. Romantically self-sabotaging with both men and women, he willfully ignores his own limitations, allowing them to undermine every aspect of his life in the process. Enchanted by the world around him – a world that speaks to the past, the future, and even the realm of the dead – our hero enjoys plenty of escapist fodder in his quest to avoid of reality. ‘Farewell, Everything’ is a mystical story at heart, surreal and whimsical at times – but never loses sight of its end goal: to get this poor, confused kid out of the mess he’s made for himself.

Connect with the Author on their Websites and Social media profiles

H.B. Cavalier’s Website

Featured Interview With E.N. Crane

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
E.N. Crane is a pen name that combines my last name, married name and a nickname I tried to get people to call me in Junior High that never took. I’m from the Antelope Valley, a suburb of Los Angeles that is 50/50 considered a suburb and “the country” depending on which part you are in. I live 30 minutes south of there now in Santa Clarita, another suburb, with my fiance (until October) and German Shepherd, Perry. She was rescued from the pound and may be a velociraptor. It has yet to be cleared.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I started my first book in 4th or 5th grade when I got my American Girl of Today doll and I could write her story. In 6th grade, I started my own Fantasy novel, and in High School I started 2 Laurie Halse Anderson style books. None of which were ever completed. It took 20 years to actually finish a book that I started without getting distracted and now I have 2.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
My favorite authors are, in no particular order, J.K. Rowling, J.D. Robb, Janet Evanovich, Michael Connelly, Jill Shalvis and Mindy Khaling. I know the last isn’t technically an author, but she is a writer and has written 2 books about her life and shenanigans and I love her. My favorite genre to read is romance and thrillers. Bonus points if there’s both.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
I started a trilogy, The Ampersand Series, and it centers around an optometrist with an extrasensory ability to see strong emotional memories. She uses it to try and help people, but ends up putting herself in danger. She’s sarcastic, love dogs and drinks way too much coffee. In book two, she’s recovering from the loss and trauma in book one and trying to sort through her dad being sick as well as being the target of a serial abuser and rapist. It’s titled Without Direction and will be out October 1st!

Connect with the Author on their Websites and Social media profiles

E.N. Crane’s Website

E.N. Crane Facebook Page

E.N. Crane Twitter Account

Featured Interview With Irving Waters

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I’m a private security contractor, writing books when I’m off duty.
I grew up in Langley. I love dogs and grew up with a Newfoundland.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I have always written, but never published anything fictional until my first book:
‘The Wuhan Mission’.
I had a great time writing it and now I’m hooked.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I prefer reading outside my ‘spy fiction thriller’ genre. I’ll read anything that has some movement to it.
My books are fast paced, and that’s how I like the books I read to be.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
‘The Wuhan Mission’ is a fun look at the conspiracy theories that surround the Covid-19 situation. It will take your mind off the darkness of it and give you a giggle while entertaining you for 5 hours or so.

Connect with the Author on their Websites and Social media profiles

Irving Waters’s Website

Irving Waters Facebook Page

Featured Interview With Jeff Pollak

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Most of my upbringing occurred in Riverdale – not the one in the Archie comics, the one in the Bronx (part of New York City). Although my dad died when I was three and my mom passed when I was sixteen, my childhood years provided a positive upbringing and prepared me well for adulthood. I attended college in Buffalo, N.Y., and soon after graduating I moved to Los Angeles for law school. My career in and around civil litigation lasted thirty-five years, and now, in my retirement, I write fiction.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
My earliest childhood trauma involved books. On the first day of first grade, my teacher divided the class into groups based on our respective reading skills. I was lumped into the kindergarten-level group, which upset me so much I cried. I thought I belonged in the advanced reader group. So I decided to prove to my teacher that I belonged there. I began to read everything I possibly could, and well before Thanksgiving I’d moved into that advanced group. I became a voracious reader as a result. But I never thought of myself as an author until I retired and decided to give it a try.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
My current favorite authors are, in alphabetical order, Neil Gaiman, David Mitchell, Haruki Murakami, Iain Pears and Daniel Silva. I love books too much to have a favorite genre, but I read a lot of suspense novels. As for my own writing style, my debut novel, First Second Coming, was influenced more by Neil Gaiman, Terry Pratchett and Douglas Adams than anyone else, but I can’t say that any single author has inspired my writing.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
After five years of working on First Second Coming, it was published in August as a supernatural romantic suspense novel. Yes, that’s three genres rolled into one story.

Earth’s new god provides the supernatural element. He’s a planetary turnaround specialist, hired by Milky Way Galaxy, Inc. in 2027 to replace the retiring New Testament God. The new deity’s task is to bring Earth back into compliance with MWGI’s planetary operations standards.

Suspense derives from the first step the new God takes. He must decide whether to include humans in his turnaround plan. He chooses to test their ability to cooperate with each other, and assist him, with this ultimatum: within sixty days religious violence must be brought to a permanent end, without heavenly help. Failure means mankind’s extinction.

The romance element comes into play after God introduces himself to earthlings by appearing for an interview on a talk show, which he beams worldwide. The shows’ co-hosts, Ram Forrester and Brendali Santamaria, are anointed as the only media reporters approved by God to report on the progress of discussions to prevent religious violence. In addition to monitoring that conference, Ram and Bren must evade a fringe religious group seeking to kill them for promoting a false god, and do their nightly shows. All this brings them closer. Romance blooms as the specter of extinction threatens to bring their love to a premature end.

Connect with the Author on their Websites and Social media profiles

Jeff Pollak’s Website

Jeff Pollak Facebook Page

Jeff Pollak Twitter Account

Featured Interview With Nicole Higginbotham-Hogue

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I grew up in a small town, a place where you had to make your own fun. There wasn’t a movie theater in my town or a concert hall. There was just a pool and a library. Therefore, I took up a great interest in reading. As I grew older, I began to write, and I eventually went into the military. My career field in the military was centered around health management, so in my free time, I took extra assignments from the base newspaper, The Nucleus, so that I could expand my talents. I eventually was honorably discharged and landed in a new city, where I wrote for The Rover and The Gateway, which were local college newspapers. A few years later, I took an assignment to write for The Sarpy Sun, The Midtown O, and The West O. After about two years of doing this and exploring journalism, I decided to take a break. I didn’t begin to write again until 2012, and I didn’t write seriously until I got married to my wife in 2015.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I realized that I was fascinated with books when I was eight. I was walking in my school library, and I saw a book that was written by a boy my age. After looking closely at his work, I was inspired to try and create my own story. I started by creating picture books and comics, and later on, I wrote screenplays and for newspapers. It took a while for me to realize that my true calling was writing novellas and novels.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Early on, I was influenced by Jane Austen and later by Julie Ann Peters. As I got older, novels by Radclyffe began to hit the Barnes & Nobles shelves, and at that time, there were only a few lesbian fiction authors. After reading several of her works and exploring that of Gabrielle Goldsby and Gerri Hill, I decided to write my own lesbian fiction stories.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book is called Complicated Heart. This is the fourth edition in the Avery Detective Agency Series, a series that was first inspired by my grandfather. I decided to write a fourth installment because several readers had contacted me requesting this addition, and since I love mysteries, the writing process flowed naturally.

Connect with the Author on their Websites and Social media profiles

Nicole Higginbotham-Hogue’s Website

Nicole Higginbotham-Hogue Twitter Account

Featured Interview With Jessica Ainsworth

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Born and raised in New Jersey. I know, I know – not many are fans of the dirty Jersey, but what can you do?! I currently reside in Maryland with my husband, three kids, bulldog and guinea pig.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I fell in love with books at a very young age. The first book I remember really sparking emotion and intrigue for me was a book called A Solitary Blue. Like many other children I, of course, loved the Goosebumps series (rereading it now with my eldest) and Judy Bloom.

I was about 11 or 12 when I started writing my own “books” and continued writing in various forms throughout the years. Mostly technical in nature and very research driven.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Total fan girl for Nicholas Sparks!!! If Nicholas Sparks is reading this — I LOVE your books and we should be friends!!!!!

As for who inspires me to write… that’s kind of an odd answer here. While I’ve always loved reading and writing, I could never really decide what to write and always had self doubt. What kicked off my writing career was actually watching small businesses torn apart by COVID-19. These books are all written with the small business owner just trying to make it to tomorrow in mind. This is my way of helping.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Going back to my inspiration here, there was a sudden “aha” moment, a lightening strike moment if you will. Shortly after COVID-19 forced businesses to close, business owners were left scrambling to find innovative ways to reach their customers so that they could make ends meet.

I had a Facebook Ad come across my News Feed for a pizza parlor located several hours away from me. Being that far away, I am clearly not their intended audience. In fact, by targeting outside of their radius, they were wasting money. So, I reached out to them privately to help them with their Facebook Ads and they had confessed that not only had they been targeting the whole state, but were embarrassed to admit they had been targeting the ENTIRE country. Talk about a money suck!! You see, they said they were new at advertising on Facebook and weren’t entirely sure about what they were doing. Enter the “aha” moment.

It was from seeing their ad and the ads of other businesses that I realized that I could help.

Connect with the Author on their Websites and Social media profiles

Jessica Ainsworth’s Website

Jessica Ainsworth Twitter Account

Featured Interview With Wendelin Gray

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was an only child, and we moved around a lot, though not within that large of a geographical area. My parents strongly emphasized education, and therefore we usually lived around Asian immigrants wherever we lived, though I first got involved with immigrant community arts events and started learning my first foreign language when I was in middle school. This really impacted my community involvement as an adult as well as my creative writing later. I was a volunteer ESL teacher for a lot of years helping with the Asian community, I worked as a core volunteer on programming and educational outreach for a dozen or so years with the now-defunct Silk Screen Asian Arts Organization, and I’ve provided cultural programming for local libraries and Japanese festivals for 5 to 10 years. I’ve also studied a lot of traditional and fusion dance styles from the Middle East and Asia for decades. I now live in Pittsburgh, PA, in a very old house. I’ve had both small lap dog breeds growing up and cats more recently, though I don’t have a pet right now.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
When I was seven, my father noticed I was writing imitations of the back cover copy of novels we had around the house, and he gave me a notebook with instructions I should write the stories to go with the descriptions. I also was fascinated by our family set of encyclopedias then and loved the Time Life book series with a volume for each foreign country we had, particularly India. I think I memorized that one when I was little, just like I did with Bulfinch’s Mythology a number of years later, so I like nonfiction, world literature, and foreign languages as well as regular genre fiction.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I read a lot of horror and fantasy growing up with some of my father’s favorite sci fi and my mother’s gothic romances thrown in here and there. Tennyson, Walter Scott, and Chretien de Troyer were some of my classical influences. I also loved Edgar Allan Poe, H. P. Lovecraft, Abraham Merritt, Agatha Christie, and the more modern Hickman and Weiss Dragonlance series. Michael Moorcock’s Eternal Champion series was fascinating, too, and I loved the romantic overtones of Meredith Ann Pierce’s The Darkangel though I never finished the trilogy. Lillian Jackson Braun’s The Cat Who Series was really fun as was Mary Stewart’s Merlin Series. I got into Frank Herbert’s Dune series at one point, though for the most part I’m not a big fan of science fiction. I really prefer pre-modern genre stories.

However, my college major, of course, was Russian, which required reading in a lot of Soviet-Era banned fiction and works from the 19th century, so we read a lot of like Gogol, Dostoevsky, and Turgenev in English translation and Gorky or Pushkin in the original Russian. We once had to memorize a poem in Russian and recite it for the class, Soviet-style. My classmates and I were really mesmerized by some of the rehabilitated authors since they had ideas that were unique and outrageous though they often upset the authorities.

Since I graduated and switched immigrant communities that I served, I studied East Asian languages and began reading their classics, some in translation and some in the original languages. I like that challenge and breadth of exposure because it gives a writer more ideas and techniques to incorporate into their own writing. Some of my Japanese language influences include Ryukishi07, whose light novel versions of his work have some really surprising experimental elements, and Fuyumi Ono who writes a lot of interfaith horror for girls. Just about anything by her is on my bookshelf. Nahoko Uehashi’s anthropological approach to her high fantasy novels is also quite fascinating.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My most recent novel is The Lucky Cat and the Kaiju Horde, volume 4 of my political horror-fantasy satire The Lucky Cat Series. The series follows three generations of women in the Hagiwara family as they deal with the terrifying realities of living in a futuristic, predatory state after World War III has transformed the globe. As the unofficial history of the superstate comes to light and reveals that the grudge of a persecuted dollmaker has unleashed a vengeful set of Girls’ Day dolls against it, the world will never be the same.

With this series, I really wanted to revisit my Russian literary roots, so my everywoman Kumori Ando, the main character in volume 1 where the political intrigue begins, is largely based on the milquetoast civil servants of 19th century Russian literature. Later in volume 3, Trofim Shulga also fits this meek, ordinary character type.

The inspiration for some of the kaiju elements of this series comes from my research on Godzilla films, but the early 1920s Symbolist fiction of Russia also played a huge part, like Mikhail Bulgakov’s Heart of a Dog, which is political satire with fantasy elements. I used the magical Lucky Cat statue in the first volume as my only fantasy element, though I did have an idea of where I wanted to drive volume 2 with more of the dolls, but I let that idea sit until I felt I could play it straight and not make the premise as silly as it sounds. Hopefully, the result is more horrifying and threatening than ridiculous. The second volume delves more into my overall theme of state violence against citizens, which was inspired by 20th century world history since there were a number of countries that did this kind of thing, and it expands its range of fantasy characters to include a more sinister portrayal of Japanese fox spirits into volume 4.

Connect with the Author on their Websites and Social media profiles

Wendelin Gray’s Website

Wendelin Gray Facebook Page

Featured Interview With Kitty Arceneaux

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
My name is Kitty Arceneaux, born and raised in New Orleans, La. I’m married with 3 kids and we have a dog name Major.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I started writing at the age of 8, but never really thought about writing a book until I became an adult. I would read all the time, all sorts of books and magazines. I have a love for words more than a love for books.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I have a vast amount of authors I love to read, like TD Jakes, Miles Monroe, Maya Angelou, Robert Kiyosaki, Napoleon Hill, Lynn Richardson just to name a few. I read more Christian and Financial books now, but I used to read a lot of romance and fantasy books when I was younger.

Honestly, I have so many people that inspire my writing that it’s hard to point at just one person.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book, Ruth Ready, is about building healthy marriages. Both single and married women relate to this book. It has recently won an international book award, receiving the Bronze Medal.
This book is intended to help you focus on what’s important: a healthy and joyous Christ-Centered marriage that will last as long as the vows say, ‘til death do us part.

It took me about 3 months to write Ruth Ready

Connect with the Author on their Websites and Social media profiles

Kitty Arceneaux’s Website

Kitty Arceneaux Facebook Page

Featured Interview With Bill Mesce, Jr.

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I’m a native New Jerseyan. I’ve spent most of my life in Jersey, but did my undergraduate degree at the University of South Carolina, and several years ago spent a year at the University of Maine at Farmington on their Creative Writing faculty. Coco, our family’s shih-Tzu, never criticizes my work. She also never reads it, but what’re you gonna do?

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
My parents were heavy readers so I took to books when I was quite young. After my mother threw out my comic books because she said they were giving me nightmares, I started reading their book so by the age of 10 I was reading adult novels. I don’t remember when I started writing; maybe junior high, but it was just messing around. I had no serious goals. That wouldn’t happen until I got to college and I discovered this was something I wanted to do.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
While I have favorites (George V. Higgins, John LeCarre, Evan Hunter, Steinbeck, others) it really is catch as catch can. I’m an opportunistic reader: one of my daughters brings something home, I find a book laying around at the schools where I work and it seems interesting or I’ve heard about it, I’ll scoop it up. Inspires, that’s a tough word. There are writers whom I’ve learned from (I named a few above to which I would add Thomas E. Kennedy whom I was lucky enough to have as an instructor when I went for my MFA a few years ago), and others where I’ve admired how they’ve navigated their careers (Hunter doing literary work and screenwork under his own name, crime stories as Ed McBain).

Tell us a little about your latest book?
It began largely as my own response to being a young man working in Manhattan in the early 1980s, a bit overwhelmed by the crazy, scary, exciting stuff that was going on. As the years went by and I would work, rework, revisit the novel, I realized that at one point it was going to become sort of a nostalgia piece for me, revisiting a NYC that had since calmed down and sanitized itself. While it’s not in any way autobiographical, the main character — Ronnie — is seeing NYC as I saw it. In fact, many of the events and overheard conversations Ronnie is party to I witnessed in my time in the city.

Connect with the Author on their Websites and Social media profiles

Bill Mesce, Jr. Twitter Account

Featured Interview With Amber Daulton

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born and raised in North Carolina (I’m still there!), but I don’t have a Southern drawl as most people who live here do. About everyone I meet for the first time will ask me where I’m from, and it’s funny to see their shocked expressions when I say, “I’m from around here.” They always think I’m from up north or from a foreign country since I sound different.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I read my first romance book when I was 12, and it inspired me to write my own story about two people finding adventure and falling in love. I finished my first novel within six months, and I’ve revised that book several times over the years (it’s currently not published).
I write because I must. I have so many ideas and characters inside my head that I just need to get it out. My imagination is pretty vivid, so I need an outlet. Writing provides that.
Arresting Jeremiah is my thirteenth publication, but I have about ten more manuscripts on my computer waiting to see the light of day.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I love all genres of romance (especially romantic suspense and paranormal), but it’s hard for me to pick a favorite author or book. I don’t think I actually have one.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Arresting Jeremiah, the second installment in the Arresting Onyx series, picks up where Arresting Mason ends and will be released on October 14th, 2020. The story follows hardnosed parole officer Jim Borden and his obsession Calista Barlow as they stick their noses where they don’t belong and fall deep into the trouble with the criminal organization known as Onyx. This sexy, dirty-talking romantic suspense series spans five full-length novels and two novellas (I’m currently writing the novellas) with a standalone HEA for each rough-and-tumble hero and their spunky heroines.

Connect with the Author on their Websites and Social media profiles

Amber Daulton’s Website

Amber Daulton Facebook Page

Amber Daulton Twitter Account

Featured Interview With Andy Beck

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Born in 1986, I am a devoted writer, musician and multilinguist who splits his time between Glasgow, Scotland and Maidstone, England. I believe that each and every one of us has a story; a deep passion that can guide us on a journey of self-discovery and growth towards the life we really want. In this respect, I’ve just authored “Folk Springs Eternal”, a folk-punk music novel about four musicians with a dream…and how their success will help you find yours!

In my twenties, I struggled to break the mental hold that the scripted, 9-to-5 lifestyle has over many of us. Now, I still work an office job, but with reduced hours, which pays the bills but frees up the time and energy required for my written and musical work. My writing conveys a positive, yet practical message to assist others in identifying their own passion, getting the right people on their side, targeting their audience correctly, and getting paid to do it.

I live with Kerstin, my amazing wife. We speak English and German, sometimes in the same sentence. We’re also learning Scottish Gaelic together.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
The first author whose books captivated me was actually R. L. Stine, with his “Goosebumps” series. This man was the first to give me a sense of the dramatic, the suspenseful and the spine-chilling. In my teens, I graduated to Stephen King, whose imagination and irreverent literary style I praise highly – “The Shining” and “Dreamcatcher” are fine examples.

However, I’ve also drawn inspiration from some more classical, 20th-century works such as “Nineteen Eighty-Four” (Orwell, of course) and “The Purple Plain” (Bates). A somewhat volatile mix, but one that has guided my own output from its creative-writing origins in primary school right through to the present day.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
My favourite English-language authors are currently Stephen King, George Orwell, H. E. Bates and various other, lesser-known authors (e.g. Joseph Coohill and Joe Barnes). All of these have inspired my own literary style to one extent or another. In German, I quite liked “L’Adultera” by Theodor Fontane when I read it at university, and Voltaire’s “Candide” was an interesting, black-humour ride.

In terms of genre, that’s a tough one! But I’m going to pick horror.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Gus, Lin, Herman and Rash are four talented musicians playing Irish and Scottish music with a punk twist. They’re nonconformists who’ve found their passion, but how will they make their dreams of big success a reality? Especially when scepticism, hostility and even physical violence are to beset their path?

The band must either persevere through the fire and emerge victorious . . . or fail and self-destruct among the flames. This stirring and suspenseful musical ride will appeal to all nonconformists, especially those with their own burning passion and the courage to pursue it. An action plan at the end of the book equips readers with the tools needed to find success and to withstand setbacks and failures.

Connect with the Author on their Websites and Social media profiles

Andy Beck’s Website

Andy Beck Facebook Page

Featured Interview With Christy J. Breedlove (pen name)

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Chris H. Stevenson (pen name Christy J. Breedlove), originally born in California, moved to Sylvania, Alabama in 2009. His occupations have included newspaper editor/reporter, astronomer, federal police officer, house cleaner and part time miniature builder. He has been writing off and on for 36 years, having officially published books beginning in 1988. Today he writes in his favorite genre, Young Adult, but has published in multiple genres and categories. He was a finalist in the L. Ron. Hubbard Writers of the Future contest, and took the first place grand prize in a YA novel writing contest for The Girl They Sold to the Moon. He writes the popular blog, Guerrilla Warfare for Writers (special weapons and tactics), hoping to inform and educate writers all over the world about the high points and pitfalls of publishing.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
My early writing accomplishment were multiple hits within a few years: In my first year of writing back in 1987, I wrote three SF short stories that were accepted by major slick magazines which qualified me for the Science Fiction Writers of America, and at the same time achieved a Finalist award in the L. Ron Hubbard Writers of the Future Contest. This recognition garnered me a top gun SF agent at the time, Richard Curtis Associates. My first novel went to John Badham (Director) and the Producers, the Cohen Brothers. It was an extreme honor to be considered. The writer who beat me out of contention for a feature movie (as well as the book), was Michael Crichton’s Jurassic Park. My book was called Dinothon.

A year after that I published two best-selling non-fiction books and landed on radio, TV, in every library in the U.S. and in hundreds of newspapers. B. Dalton and Walden Books carried my titles in all of their commercial outlets.

I have been trying to maintain that lightning in a bottle ever since. My YA dystopian novel, The Girl They Sold to the Moon won the grand prize in a publisher’s YA novel writing contest, went to a small auction and got tagged for a film option. My latest release, Screamcatcher: Web World, just currently won Best YA title of 2019. I received a 5-Star and badge in the Readers’ Favorite Review Competition, and took the bronze medal in the Reader’s Favorite International Awards Contest for 2020. I have 17 titles appearing on Amazon, the vast majority of them in the adult category.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Oh, like what I consider stylists: Poul Anderson, Virgin Planet, Peter Benchley, The Island and Jaws, Joseph Wambaugh, The Onion Field and Black Marble, Michael Crichton, Jurassic Park, Alan Dean Foster, the Icerigger trilogy, and some Stephen King. Anne Rice impresses with just about anything she has written. I think it’s the humor and irony that attracts me the most–and it’s all character related. Although I’m partial to SF and portal fantasies, I will read just about any genre if the characters grab me.

BLURB:

2020 Readers’ Favorite Bronze Medal Winner for Young Adult Horror

When seventeen-year-old Jory Pike cannot shake the hellish nightmares of her parent’s deaths, she turns to an old family heirloom, a dream catcher. Even though she’s half blood Chippewa, Jory thinks old Indian lore is so yesterday, but she’s willing to give it a try. However, the dream catcher has had its fill of nightmares from an ancient and violent past. After a sleepover party, and during one of Jory’s most horrific dream episodes, the dream catcher implodes, sucking Jory and her three friends into its own world of trapped nightmares. They’re in an alternate universe—locked inside of an insane web world. How can they find the center of the web, where all good things are allowed to pass?

Tell us a little about your latest book?
It all started with a dream catcher. This iconic item, which is rightfully ingrained in Indian lore, is a dream symbol respected by the culture that created it. It is mystifying, an enigma that that prods the imagination. Legends about the dream catcher are passed down from multiple tribes. There are variations, but the one fact that can be agreed upon is that it is a nightmare entrapment device, designed to sift through evil thoughts and images and only allow pleasant and peaceful dreams to enter into consciousness of the sleeper.

I wondered what would happen to a very ancient dream catcher that was topped off with dreams and nightmares. What if the nightmares became too sick or deathly? What if the web strings could not hold anymore visions? Would the dream catcher melt, burst, vanish, implode? I reasoned that something would have to give if too much evil was allowed to congregate inside of its structure. I found nothing on the Internet that offered a solution to this problem—I might have missed a relevant story, but nothing stood out to me. Stephen King had a story called Dream Catcher, but I found nothing in it that was similar to what I had in mind. So, I took it upon myself to answer such a burning question. Like too much death on a battlefield could inundate the immediate location with lost and angry spirits, so could a dream catcher hold no more of its fill of sheer terror without morphing into something else or opening up a lost and forbidden existence. What would it be like to be caught up in another world inside the webs of a dream catcher, and how would you get out? What would this world look like? How could it be navigated? What was the source of the exit, and what was inside of it that threatened your existence? Screamcatcher: Web World, the first in the series, was my answer. I can only hope that I have done it justice.

The entire trilogy series took me over a year to write and about two months of solid editing. That was working eight to 10 hours a day, non-stop.

Connect with the Author on their Websites and Social media profiles

Christy J. Breedlove (pen name)’s Website

Christy J. Breedlove (pen name) Facebook Page

Christy J. Breedlove (pen name) Twitter Account

Featured Interview With River J. Hopkins

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I grew up in Burlington, MA, a suburb not far from Boston. Now I’m out in Western Mass, where my mum grew up. I’m actually living on the street she lived on as a kid! It’s pretty cool. As for pets, I don’t have any at the moment, but two characters in my recent release—INTO THE FORGOTTEN FOREST—are based on two cats I used to have.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I think I’ve always loved books and storytelling. In our house, growing up, there wasn’t a room without a book. Even the bathroom! I’m not entirely sure when I started writing my own stories, but it was pretty young. Found one recently that I wrote when I must’ve been in the first grade, titled THE METAL SNOWMAN. It was kind of TERMINATOR meets FROSTY THE SNOWMAN. I think I was in the third grade when I was first published. It was a poem I’d written about my Nana. And I wrote my first full length novel at seventeen…but we do not speak of that abomination. Haha.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Oof, I have so many favorite authors! Genres, too. I am a big fan of Fantasy, and most of its subgenres. Definitely a sci-fi, horror, and comedy fan, too. I like stories that smoosh different genres together, too. But my go-to authors if I’m in need of inspiration are Holly Black, Melissa Marr, Ray Bradbury, Susan Cooper, Terry Brooks, Anne Rice, and Clive Barker.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
INTO THE FORGOTTEN FOREST was originally twice as long, and with a different title. I realized how massive the story was getting, and made the decision to do some book surgery on it. So now the second book will have the original title—UNDER THE WOLF MOON.

The first book in the series follows Oli and Xander Locklear as they start to discover that their world isn’t exactly what they thought it was.

What I keep seeing are these paranormal romance books where the main character is a human girl, and she usually ends up falling in love with a vampire, and usually ends up becoming one herself toward the end. And what I did was to make the trope a bit more interesting. Instead, the main character is becoming a monster, herself. She and her brother, both. And it’s about their journey to figuring out who they are, and who their family really is. But it’s also about friendship and betrayal and loss and a myriad of other things, including an evil queen, doors to other worlds, and other realities. There will be a little romance further on in the series, but it’s definitely not the focus.

Connect with the Author on their Websites and Social media profiles

River J. Hopkins’s Website

River J. Hopkins Twitter Account

Featured Interview With Michelle O’Healy

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born in Mt. Vernon, Washington. Dad joined the military shortly thereafter, so we moved a lot.
My primary years were spent mostly in Germany (Dad had two tours) . We always came back to my Grandparents tulip farm, though, and I cherish many happy memories there.

I started High School in Georgia, and finished the last two years in Washington State. After college, marriage, and the birth of my first child, I returned to Europe to live in London for four years. My second child was born there. For many years she thought she was British royalty, as she was born in the same hospital as Will and Kate’s first born. She did not take the news well.

I returned to California, and homeschooled the kids on a boat for seven years. We then sailed from California to Baja, into the Sea of Cortez, and hung out in Mexico for a while. Feeling the call of the sea, we left Mexico, crossed the South Pacific, and explored French Polynesia.

I now live in the Bay Area, California with my family, looking forward to the next adventure.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
Books were a fascination for me for as long as I can remember. I was a natural storyteller, and have written in some form or another since I was a child.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
This list changes daily, as my interests are rather broad. I’m into picture books mostly these days, with things the way they’ve been this year. Picture books are a short, fun diversion. Dr. Seuss and Shel Silverstein are always in my top ten. A. A. Milne always puts a smile on my face.

As far as inspiration: that’s something I find all around me. Often times, my book ideas are sparked by joking around either with my kids, or my nieces and nephews. Sometimes I’m just bored and needing entertainment; like when I’m in line at the post office.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
“What Happens When Unicorns Fart?” came about as I was trying to keep my kids entertained. The story itself took about a month to write, with multiple revisions. In the final copy: A young boy, fascinated by farts, follows his curiosity. He first tries to sneakily get the unicorns to eat beans and other fart producing foods, but doesn’t have any luck. Then the unicorns capture him. The conflict is resolved with calm discussion, and the unicorns do eventually give these new foods a try. Tasting these new foods makes the unicorns fart for the first time, and it’s a lot of magical fun!

There are a number of lessons kids can learn from this engaging and entertaining story. They might be introduced to healthy foods they have never heard of or tried before. There’s cooperation, peaceful conflict resolution, the importance of listening to others, work ethic, and at the end, an illustration depicting the beauty of human diversity. All of this, in a story about unicorns farting.

I’m really proud of how this book came out. While I had written it before covid hit, the illustrations creation and publishing process happened while I was sick with an “upper respiratory viral infection” in early March, which resulted in a fair number of doctor’s appointments and a scary trip to the ER. Every time Milan sent me a new proof or illustration, it cheered me up, with a number of them making me laugh out loud. I’m so grateful to be able to offer to others something that brought me so much joy while I was ill.

Connect with the Author on their Websites and Social media profiles

Michelle O’Healy Facebook Page