Top Selling Authors: Get To Know Them Better

Featured Interview With J.M. Kirkley

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I’m a Texas transplant, originally from Southern California. I still miss the San Gorgonio Mountains covered in snow and the cresting surf at Newport Beach, but my home is among the Pineywoods of East Texas. Here, I live with my spouse of 50+ years, where we raised our son and daughter.

I’m a late bloomer: I graduated college at 40, plowed through my master’s degree in counseling, and published my debut novel in my sixties. Proof that it’s never too late to pursue your dreams.

My life centers around my faith, our kids and grandkids, and listening to the stories of my clients, who inspire me.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
My fascination with books began as a young adult when I became an avid reader. First the enduring classics reeled me in, then the process of writing began to intrigue me. How authors craft an entire story.

I began putting pen to paper as our kids left home and the house became Too Quiet. Writing answered the question, what now?

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Choosing favorite authors is like an ice cream lover picking a favorite flavor of ice cream. It depends on my mood. Jane Austen and Charlotte Bronte rate the top of my classics list.

My favorite genre is historical Christian fiction with at least a romance thread woven throughout. Favorite authors in that category include Roseanna M. White, Lisa Wingate, Tamera Alexander, Laura Frantz, Sarah E Ladd, and Michelle Griep.

All these authors inspire me in my writing.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
A Writing Upon the Sand is a page-turning tale, seen through the eyes of the protagonist, Emily Cleburne, who returns to the place that spawned her nightmares. The scene of the deadliest natural disaster in US history, the 1900 Great Storm of Galveston. It’s taken her a quarter of a century to face her fears and her deepest secret. At last, she allows the memories of that year to flow. Despite surviving the worst of times, she experiences love with a happily ever after ending.

The book took me more than 20 years to research and write, as it weaves in events leading up to and after the 1900 Great Storm. I wove in historical people, like Clara Barton and R.C. Buckner, who aided in the relief effort.

“Draped in southern charm, cloaked in mystery and belted in real tragic history, J.M. Kirkley’s, A Writing Upon the Sand is a prize Christian Historical Romance debut.” Iris Fuller for Artisan Book Reviews

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Featured Interview With John Pendleton

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
John Pendleton is the pen name of John Cowpe, a former newspaper editor who had a 39-year career in journalism and public relations.
Born in the English holiday resort of Skegness in Lincolnshire, John edited a series of local newspapers, most recently for Johnston Press.
His fourth novel, “The Men in the Marsh”, begins with the dramatic events of October 12, 1984, when an IRA bomb exploded at the Grand Hotel, Brighton, in an attempt to assassinate Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and members of her Cabinet. A young entrepreneur leaves the Grand Hotel minutes before the bomb goes off but the event returns to haunt him many years later.
John’s previous books are three novels “Hector’s Revenge”,“Ill Winds” and “All For Blood”, and “Skegness Past”, a mainly photographic record of his home town.
John, who still lives n Skegness, is married to Wendy and has two grown-up children, Colin and Trudi, and four grandchildren. His interests include politics, reading, angling, tennis and going to the gym.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I was fascinated by books as soon as I learnt to read. The first book which really got me hooked was an “As told to the children” version of Homer’s “The Iliad”. From the age of about seven or eight I started to write stories, mainly my own versions of Greek myths and some tales about a fictional criminal called Harry Droner.,

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
My favourite authors are Charles Dickens, Anthony Trollope, Thomas Hardy, Jane Austen, D. H. Lawrence, Evelyn Waugh and Kate Atkinson. As you can see from that list, my preferred genre is literary classics. I am inspired by the insight into human nature and the humour in the writings of Dickens, Trollope, Austen and Waugh, by the passion and innermost yearnings portrayed by Lawrence and Hardy, and by the clever plots of Kate Atkinson.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
On October 12, 1984, an IRA bomb explodes at the Grand Hotel, Brighton, in a bid to assassinate UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.
Graham Robinson, an ambitious young entrepreneur, who is attending the Conservative Party Conference, leaves the hotel minutes before the explosion.
The Men in the Marsh traces Robinson’s life, loves and politics, leading up to dramatic events which have haunting echoes of his 1984 experience.
Much of the novel is set in the fictional east coast holiday resort of Sanderholme. It has strong elements of mystery, crime, romance and humour, a mixture which typifies John Pendleton’s work.
Published by Blossom Spring Publishing, “Hector’s Revenge” is available from Amazon as a paperback and as an e-book on Kindle.

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Featured Interview With Elizabeth Harlan

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Growing up in Manhattan in an apartment with limited space, my siblings and I weren’t permitted by our parents to have a dog or cat, but we had just about everything else that was small enough to keep in cages and tanks: canaries and parakeets, turtles and tropical fish, hamsters, snakes, guinea pigs, and even an occasional loaner bunny rabbit from school. But what I wanted most of all was to have a horse, for which I worked up a rendering of one of our bathrooms repurposed as a stall. My drawing was posted on the refrigerator, but a pet horse never happened in my childhood. Reading the entire Black Stallion series by Walter Farley and riding at summer camp was the closest I got. When it came to raising my own family, we chose to live on a farm. In addition to dogs and cats, my kids grew up with a horse, a pony, goats, a sheep, and two llamas.
In my novel, Carly, also a New York City kid without pets, is delighted when she’s invited to handle shar-pei pups at a boarding school in the Pennsylvania countryside. When Headmaster McAdams cautions her “to be careful not to get peed on,” Carly loosens up in her interview, figuring that, “anyone who could talk about puppies peeing on you couldn’t be too judgmental about anything she could say.”
Even though I’m a native born New Yorker and was raised and schooled in the city, my heart has always been in the country. I now split my time between my cottage on the Peconic Bay on Long Island’s East End and my home on a bridgeless, barrier island off Florida’s Gulf coast. I travel too much to keep pets, but my children and grandchildren bring Parker, their adorable Beaglier — a combination beagle and Cavalier King Charles Spaniel — when they visit.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I can’t remember not being fascinated by reading and writing. My mom was very strict about lights out at bedtime, so as a very young girl, I kept a notebook and flashlight under my pillow to record ideas for stories in the middle of the night.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I like lots of different genres, but especially fiction. As a child, Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White and Frances Hodgson Burnett’s A Secret Garden and A Little Princess were among my favorite books. When I was a girl growing up, Young Adult fiction wasn’t a separate category, but that became what I loved most, including Scott O’Dell’s Island of the Blue Dolphins and every single volume of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House on the Prairie, which figures in my novel as Carly’s obsession, as well. As an adult, I’ve been entranced by Jean Auel’s Clan of the Cave Bear, of which I’ve read and reread all six volumes several times. Clearly, a strong thread of interest in the lives of girls growing up and overcoming adversity weaves its way through my passion for reading and writing. My teenage character Carly connects the dots as she wends her way through seemingly insurmountable obstacles to writing a beautiful essay about Thomas Hardy’s Tess, one of literature’s most beloved young heroines.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Becoming Carly Klein has been in gestation for many years. It began as a series of linked short stories that I submitted as my thesis for the Columbia Writing Program Master’s in Fiction. My next project, which grew out of my background in French and France — I went to a French high school in New York, studied French literature in college and graduate school, and lived in Paris for ten years — was a biography of George Sand, a French 19th century woman writer. It wasn’t until the Covid pandemic when I was sequestered on my remote barrier island in Florida that I pulled my Columbia thesis out of a drawer and began to reconfigure it as a novel. And while it seems on the surface that my biography of George Sand and my novel Becoming Carly Klein tell two altogether different stories cast in two altogether different literary genres, they share the common premise of a young, highly individualistic and rebellious girl straining against misguided mothering, struggling with identity, and prevailing against daunting challenges as she grows up to discover who she was meant to be.

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Elizabeth Harlan’s Website

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Featured Interview With Yurie Kiri

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Yurie Kiri, born in a trailer in rural America, studied Mathematics and languages and speaks Japanese, English, French and has also studied Chinese, Arabic and Spanish as well as a smattering of other languages such as Korean and Russian along with binary, octal and hexadecimal machine language because if you really want to get to know someone you need to speak their language no matter if they’re machine or human. Yurie lived and worked in Asia for decades before coming back to America where Yurie went on an extensive backroad journey across the US and Canada from the rough Mexican border towns to the icy cold town of Yellowknife in Canada’s NWT where you need to cross a frozen lake to get into town in the winter. Yurie also sailed (single-handed) from Mexico to the Canadian border, retracing a well-traveled road journey by sea in a small, live aboard sailboat. Yurie has been traveling and gathering story ideas from Asia for the Game Series which covers Japan and other Asian countries and North America for the Murder and Mystery Series which covers the American Southwest.

Yurie Kiri is a shy, secretive person who used to live on a boat, sailing between various ports in the Pacific Ocean. Yurie lived on the boat until some crazy mega-yacht got loose and went on a full throttle rampage through the marina squashing everything it hit. Alas, sailing was one of Yurie’s passions, now writing and photography are the main passions in Yurie Kiri’s life along with cats of course like the enhanced, intelligent cats featured in New York Stories…

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
When did you start writing?

In my childhood. I wish I still had the evidence of that but alas, couldn’t keep every scrap…

What was it like to write your first book?

My first book or rather the first book I planned to publish; Tokyo Games was written as a kind of revenge story about the people who unjustly kicked me out of a good job. So instead of moping around feeling sorry for myself I used my new, free time to construct a good story about their destruction. I changed everyone’s name as well as some of the circumstances but that book (like all of my books) are full of real people, people I know and new people I’ve met. The only thing I’d do differently would be to not use a “professional” editor who changed my style a bit and then I’d publish it instantly on Amazon instead of waiting around for all those agents and their rejection letters..

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I read most everything: history, science, business, travel and fiction… I wanted to write about venture business and Asia as a straight up non-fiction, this is how it is book, so I arranged to study and interview some very rich and successful venture capitalists… however the information I gleaned from those studies turned me in another direction and went into parts of my novels, “Moonlight Beach”, “Tokyo Games” and “Osaka Games” all of which feature VCs from California. Names etc. have been changed to protect everyone including me and one subject actually tried to buy “the story” after I let him read it however I didn’t want to sell regardless of his “Hollywood connections” because I’d rather be free (and relatively poor) to do what I want which allows everyone to read those stories instead of keeping them locked away.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
I will soon be releasing Advance Review copies (ARCs) of the latest book in the Moonlight Series called “Moonlight Skull” which won the 2024 Beach Book Festival’s award for Unpublished Fiction…. excerpts are shown below:

“Hey!” Gigi said. “What are you doing?” The sight of the big man carrying a bloody skull freaked her out. She wanted to run, but the horny Archeologist guy was still on top, pressing into her and he kept pumping like he was some kind of sex robot drilling for oil. It now felt like she’d made a big mistake letting the men pick her up at the truck stop.

“Relax,” Bob said. “Señor Ocotillo just wants to watch…” He held the skull carefully and let it watch. “He hasn’t had any in a long while since as you can see…. He’s been dead for some time…”
“You guys are too weird,” Gigi said. “This will cost you extra…”.
“Right,” Bob said with a laugh. “I’ll pay you even more to ignore me…” He held the skull and watched quietly for a while as the moonlight played on the canyon wall. He could almost imagine a ghostly moonlight skull image on the wall.

Margarita stared at the huge apparition that approached her. It was like some kind of evil nightmare had materialized right out of a bad dream. He was even more evil and more dangerous than before. He was someone who was supposed to be dead because she’d watched him die. She started to scream as he got closer.

If you want to get an ARC please let me know…

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Yurie Kiri’s Website

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Featured Interview With Sarah Alserhaid

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
My name is Sarah, I was born in Saudi Arabia to a multi-cultural household. I grew up as both Saudi and American, yet sometimes it felt as though I didn’t fit in to either group. I currently live in Cleveland, Ohio as a scientist studying the molecular triggers of preterm labor.
I don’t have any pets at the moment but throughout my life have had multiple cats, turtles, guinea pigs, hermit crabs, fish, a lamb, various birds, and at one point my brother had a bearded lizard that rode with us in the hot sun everyday to school.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
Telling stories is one thing I have been told I did from before I had memory of it. I would tell my father stories of a little bunny before bedtime to avoid going to sleep. Like most youngsters, I loved being read to.
Although I attended school in Saudi Arabia which was in Arabic, I was homeschooled for my early elementary years and had many writing projects that I took in for show and tell.
By fourth grade, I would translate stories from either language making small bound books for the stories I wrote.
Once I made the connection that anything could be made into a story, even an argumentative assay, academic composition became much easier.
Having a neurodivergent mind, the art of telling a story was what thrilled me. It was difficult to stay still for long durations of time for anything that did not paint a picture. Writing came much easier to me than reading at first, I actively worked on reading to help improve my skills and learn more about descriptive writing.
The first time I thought about the possibility of writing a book was as an undergrad. My sister and I worked on a story about three siblings who breakthrough their mother’s well-established reputation to uncover secrets from before they were born and ultimately save one of the siblings who gets kidnapped. While this story was more fiction that science, it was fun working on all the little details bringing the characters to life.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
It’s hard to choose a single author when there are so many compelling and creative writers. I enjoyed works of art from Alice Hoffman, Adrienne Young, Alix Arrow, Agatha Christie, Holly Black, and Lisa Scottoline. Recently, I like mystery, thriller and low fantasy books, but will take on any good book.
For my stories, I like thinking of matters from a different angle or different perspective. I especially like pushing myself to think of matter from a position I never would have thought of, then try to live through that lens. I often come up with short stories when I think in this perspective and have begun the fun journey of sharing my short stories with others.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Etched in Stone is a book about two sisters who uncover the truth behind their family’s secretive past and discover their powerful heritage. In the process, they come across new enemies that challenge them in ways they hadn’t been challenged before. In the process of standing up for what hey believe in, they must confront the insecurities of their relationship and learn the lesson that everything comes with price. This book brings magic to a normal and busy life for the protagonists showing a little whimsical fun added to an otherwise stressful life.

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Sarah Alserhaid’s Website

Featured Interview With T’Angella

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I write under the name of T’Angella (tea-an-gel-la) and I’m from the exotic island of Jamaica but reside in Florida, USA. I have Bachelor of Science degrees in Business Administration and Fashion Design that I’ve received from two prestigious schools in the US.
I like to read and learn, and I’ve gained knowledge in various subjects and topics. Because of this, I had decided to become an author to give information so that others can improve their knowledge also.
I’m a very innovative and creative person, and my books are written so that adults and children will enjoy reading them while still learning. I like to read, watch various sports, play tennis and also design t-shirts. I sell my one-of-a-kind t-shirts on Amazon under the brand T’Angella Couture.

I’ve written 4 books that you read and 18 different types of journals. I’ve written a book about what I’ve learned from watching the true crime ID channel, a Weight Loss book, Devotionals, and different types of journals.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I’ve always liked reading from a young age. I started to write books a few years ago when I saw an ad that said you could make money from writing books. I’m still waiting for that to happen 🙂

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I don’t have favorite authors now because I write so I don’t have time to read. However, when I was younger in my teen years I liked to read teen romance novels by various authors.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
It is WHAT I LEARNED FROM WATCHING THE TRUE CRIME ID CHANNEL: In this incredible world that we live in, one thing that is very relentless is …EVIL… which … victim. ARE YOU NEXT? And what would you do?

I like watching the ID channel and learning what to do, and what not to do, so that I can protect myself if I were ever in a predicament. I decided to write my thoughts down and share them with others.
This book has OVER 30 RIVETING, GRIPPING, and COMPELLING THRILLERS of MYSTERY, MAYHEM, and MURDER that are loosely based on real life crimes. These help to bring the lessons that I’ve learned to life.

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T’Angella’s Website

Featured Interview With Verlyn Flieger

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
All over the U.S. I was born in 1933, the rock bottom of the Depression. My dad took work wherever he could get it, and we moved accordingly. One year I lived in three different houses, and went to three different schools. I was born in Hanover PA and raised in Westminster MD, Arlington VA, Kansas City KS, Spokane WA, back to Arlington VA.

I now live in Silver Spring MD, where in 1992 my partner and I built a house. Given the history recounted in the first question, it is perhaps not surprising that I have lived in the same house ever since and expect eventually to be carried out feet first.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
At the age of six, which is when I learned to read.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
My favorite authors are Rudyard Kipling, Sigrid Undset, J.R.R. Tolkien, E.R. Eddison, Elizabeth Peters, Dorothy Sayers.

Oddly enough, my favorite genre is not fantasy. There’s too much bad imitation Tolkien out there. I read a lot of biography, usually of people who live more exciting lives than I do—explorers, actors, Lawrence of Arabia, Sir Richard Burton, the other Richard Burton, Noël Coward.

All of these authors and personalities inspire my writing.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
It’s a riff on what might have happened to me if I’d lived in a fantasy world instead of the boring old real one. About a folklore scholar (my graduate degree was a mélange of history, folklore, languages and myth) who gets caught in his own field of study and finds out it’s real.

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Featured Interview With Josiah Akhtab

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I’ve been writing for over ten years and have completed fourteen works, publishing my first novella in 2017 and self-publishing my first novel in 2019. My hobbies include Martial Arts, Calisthenics, Hanging out with my girlfriend, writing poetry for my blog site, and posting content on social media.

I was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY and I’m currently living in Binghamton, NY. I’m planning on moving back to California as that is where my heart and soul are. I’m sorry to say I’m not a pet person but I do think cats are pretty cool and chill. Dogs? Well, I have some mixed feelings about.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
My fascination with writing started in high school advisory class where we were tasked with reading a book and writing a report about it. I stumbled upon Percy Jackson and The Olympians by Rick Riordan and from there my dream was born. The storytelling, world-building, the character development all enthralled and captivated me to the point I would read in my room, on the way to school, on the way home from school, etc.

I started writing immediately after I finished the whole series because it became my mission to do for others what that series had done for me which is inspire and chase after my dreams.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
My top author would be Stephen King without a doubt. He has the most infectious style of writing I’ve ever seen and there was even a point where I realized I was beginning to sound like him in my own work, which forced me to stop reading so much of him for risk of being unoriginal.

Other authors that inspire me would be Leigh Bardugo, V.E. Schwab, Pierce Brown, Rick Riordan, and Tom Elliot

My favorite genre to read is Fantasy and Science Fiction of the dark variety along with horror. I will also read short stories and general fiction from time to time.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest novel, The Adventures of Fleeting Grace, is a work in progress set to come out Christmas this year, making it the perfect holiday gift for those looking for new reads. I started this novel just after college and have been on and off for a couple of years.

The summary, if you will: Fleeting Grace, a child of Moorish descent adopted by European parents, dies at the age of thirteen and becomes a tangible spirit accompanied by a magical cape. She is guided by the cape into the king’s castle across the river where she finds a library and picks up a book, a magical book. This book opens up a portal to another dimension where she embarks on a series of adventures and meets many people, sees many strange places, and gains powers beyond her wildest dreams.

From facing down Wind Gods to being part of a magic group that fights to save their dimension to taking down thousand year old kingdoms, Fleeting Grace becomes an experienced adventurer that goes where the universe takes her and takes the twists and turns and obstacles as they come while journeying through various realms of wonder.

This novel started out as an idea in college that wanted to stick around until I decided to write it. I think it was my second year when I finally decided to put pen to paper and start creating this expansive, massive, adventure filled novel which is The Adventures of Fleeting Grace.

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Josiah Akhtab’s Website

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Featured Interview With Monica Broussard

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Writer, speaker, and certified life coach Monica Broussard is passionate about writing fiction that contains elements of fantasy and keeps the reader intrigued about the lead character’s motives. She also writes an occasional article for her hometown’s magazine, SeaCliff Living. She belongs to Toastmasters International and enjoys attending national writers’ conferences.
Born in North Carolina on a Marine Corps base, Monica now lives in “Surf City,” Huntington Beach, California, with her husband of thirty-seven years. She has enjoyed various occupations over the years, but her favorite job is the one she’s doing now—writing.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
At age 6 or 7, I secretly ordered the OZ series to my mother’s dismay. In third grade my teacher read Doctor Doolittle every day. I lived out in the country and this fueled my imagination. I started writing in my twenties. I would write stories I had in my head just to get them out. 2008 I was diagnosed with stage 3 Breast Cancer and was on lock down because of weak immunity from Chemo. At that time I decided it was time to write. That is how I started my first official book 21 Tattoos. Even though I didn’t know it at the time.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Right now I have been interested in Colleen Hoover. She is authentic in her approach. She writes what comes to her mind. I do not have a favorite genre. I love to read any great story. I am inspired by God and life. Any book or movie that touches upon the human spirit in a positive way inspires me.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
21 Tattoos
What if your deepest, darkest fears were inked on your skin for the world to see?
Famous plastic surgeon Derek Hollinger has it all: money, success, luxury cars, and an L.A. penthouse near the beach. Who cares if he has no friends or lovers? He doesn’t need anyone.
But Derek’s seemingly perfect life is shattered after a chance encounter with a mysterious old woman. When he wakes up covered in tattoos, the shadow of his traumatic past—one he can no longer outrun—looms large.
Aided in his desperate quest for the truth by the young nurse he once scorned, Derek’s only hope for redemption lies within his own damaged psyche.
What can it mean? Are they part of God’s plan for him, a test of his lapsed faith…or a curse brought on by his own arrogance?
And can he get rid of them before he loses everything?

My Second Book, The 7th Dimension, in my Tattoo Series, will be out in September 2024.

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Monica Broussard’s Website

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Featured Interview With A. C. Haydée

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born and raised in Florida, and currently reside in the greater Tampa Bay area. Unfortunately, I don’t have any furry pets (I have a LOT of allergies), haha.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
Since a very small age! I grew up with a very rigorous stutter, and books and reading aloud helped me in speech therapy classes. But even aside from using reading as a fluency technique, I just got invested in the stories. My parents always valued our education, and instilled in my younger brother and I the importance of reading, and would take us to the local libraries often. I would want to be there all day… Every. Day.

I would always write short stories in class, primarily through creative writing projects. But I was always super self-conscious and would hardly ever share the stories with others, maybe a select few friends. But nothing too serious, until I got older and realized I could really write something special. Since I was a kid, my peers have enjoyed my writing, however, it was just about building confidence in myself. Though the community and greater industry can seem intimidating at first (and there’s waves of imposter syndrome), as a young woman in her twenties I’m a LOT more confident now, haha. And lots of fellow readers and writers are SUPER supportive! It’s really a community.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Some of my favorite authors include J. R. R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Suzanne Collins, and Rick Riordan. They hooked me into the fantasy genre to begin with.

I write primarily YA, with primarily young adult/teen characters. I attain inspiration from EVERYWHERE. Literally everywhere, and everything. Family, friends, stories, fairytales, my surroundings. My younger brother influences one of my characters, my public high school experience influenced my writing of public high school experiences, my love of epic fantasy influenced the care I take into my own fantasy worldbuilding and construction of intricate magic systems, etc.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest publication is Eve II: Hiemal Dominion, which is the sequel to my debut, Eve & The City of Yule. While the first novel focused on introducing the characters and building the lore, etc., the sequel takes a more episodic approach. The series as a whole takes heavy inspiration from winter folk tales and Christmas holiday celebrations (such as Santa Claus, Krampus, The Nutcracker, The Little Match Girl, and more), and this book in particular is something I consider a “remix” of Hans Christian Andersen’s The Snow Queen.

My urban fantasy novel Madeline & The Moon Blooded will be experiencing a “remix” of its own. The special edition, called Midnight Edition, filled with detailed artwork, bonus chapters and more exclusive content will release this fall. It’s a vampire novel, so it’s fitting, haha.

Thank you for reading!

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A. C. Haydée’s Website

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Featured Interview With Cortez Law III

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I’m Cortez Law III. I was born in the nation’s capital, Washington, D.C., a long ago! But I spent most of my formative years in Northeastern Ohio in the Portage County seat of Ravenna. I graduated from Ravenna with college prep courses that prepared me for enrollment at Kent State University six miles down the road. I earned a B.A. in Telecommunications or TV/Radio production. I’m back in Northeastern Ohio and remain pet free.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
While I concentrated on getting my degree, the writing bug hit me with the screenwriting course I took in my next to last semester. I kept writing after that through all the employment stops but still couldn’t crack Hollywood for years. Through query letters and cold-calling LA agents, I submitted scripts. I schmoozed those agents to give me shots at submitting scripts for a few rising stars like Halle Berry and Michael Biehn there, but the scripts weren’t good enough. I got better near the time I decided to change mediums to books in the early to mid-nineties. Now, the New Jack Swing was in full effect with the black film renaissance, but at the same time, the publishing industry found out, thanks to Terry McMillan, that black folks read! Say what?! That whole black literary boom did just that, BOOM! Right off the hinges went that door. Again, it takes time to develop your craft. Now we’re talking a 200, 300, or 400+ page book compared to a 100–120-page screenplay. I wrote, studied books on writing, and read numerous novels. It remains a continuous learning process.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I started writing and self-publishing a Christian African American romance novel, My Brother’s Keeper, in 2001. I thought that was my genre. Then, enter September 11, 2001. A light bulb went off. That tragedy galvanized a nation, and many people expressed their patriotism for this country via songs, music, movies, etc. I was no different, and looking back, I wasn’t surprised either. My screenplay offerings consisted of small-budgeted urban dramas but also police/crime stories as well. I like the Hero Myth of storytelling, so I feel comfortable with mysteries, suspense, and thriller stories. The person I miss who filled this niche before he passed in 2001 and was a Chicago Police Captain was author Hugh Holton. I read most of his work. Other favorites I’ve read more than once include Michael Connelly, Lee Child, Walter Mosley, Ridley Pearson, Jeffery Deaver, and Ted Dekker. It’s good to see additional African American mystery/suspense/thriller authors such as Tracy Clark, Rachel Howzell Hall, Kellye Garrett, Aaron Philip Clark, and Charles Prandy. The Christian Mystery/Suspense marketplace doesn’t have many, if any, African American authors. I hope to bridge that gap between the two markets.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
I was looking for the challenge of writing a mystery where mostly the reader wouldn’t know any more than the detectives. Within that framework, I could explore the themes of love, faith, forgiveness, second chances for several characters, and hopefully, a compelling mystery/drama the readers couldn’t put down.

It’s the sixth book in the Atlanta X-Men Homicide Squad series. It tells the story of Sergeant Malcolm Hobbs and his elite X-Men Homicide Squad stretched to their investigative limits to uncover a shocking conspiracy of race, greed, power, and murder during Atlanta’s Civil Rights Era. The book reads or feels like a true crime or historical mystery novel that shifts the investigation from the past to the present and back again.

But I survived a near disaster last August. I cracked open the Atlanta Homicide Squad Book #5 via a read-through. I couldn’t and didn’t resist the urge to do some light editing along the way. Well, that morphed into some semi-major rewriting on some parts. I accidentally deleted 5% of the story by mistake. I didn’t read through the book before I rewrote that 5%. Amazingly, I recalled the deletions! So, that part wasn’t as hard to write as I thought. Plus, some additional story points emerged that made the new pages better! The best part of writing a first draft is getting it done, but also the surprises you encounter along the way.

It takes about three to six months for a first draft. It depends upon how steadfast I am every day with my writing schedule. Then, I could write eight to twelve drafts after that to get it as close as possible to perfection. The key for me to do that is to take breaks from the book between each draft. That may last anywhere from a month minimum to two or two and a half months. A writer needs that separation from the story to get some distance from the words, which surely needs additional editing. So, that’s about nine months on the low end to about 12 months maximum.

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Cortez Law III’s Website

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Featured Interview With Anthony Brown

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I am a retired teacher from a community college and was born and raised in a small town located alongside the Ohio river in Jefferson County called Steubenville until I was 18 years of age. Then I moved to California throughout my entire adulthood. I am currently residing in Mansfield, Ohio.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I didn’t know that I really liked reading until a later age in life (37). However, I always had a fascination with writing. I can remember that in my early 20’s I would carry around a notebook and pen and capture the moments of life as they happened. I guess there was a young writer always in me somewhere that was waiting to blossom.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
My favorite authors are Sue Grafton, Stephen King, and Danielle Steele. My favorite genres to read are action, both fiction and non-fiction. Who inspires me to write? People doing everyday things fascinate me. I find that people being people motivates and inspires me to be creative.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book is “From Park Bench to Park Avenue” and it is my autobiography. It describes in detail what it was like being raised in a single parent household, witnessing violent behaviors, and learning to navigate life with little to non-coping strategies. A change happened once I had a 1:1 meeting with God and my life took on a dramatic transformation that rocked me into an existence that was never known to a person like me before. In the end, I found myself led to develop a program to help other homeless people find their way home.

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Anthony Brown’s Website

Anthony Brown Facebook Page

Anthony Brown Twitter Account

Featured Interview With Danielle Comeaux

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I am from Jacksonville, Fl and I have a leopard gecko named Peach (her nicknames are Peaches, Peachy Girl, & Princess Peach). A huge inspiration for my writing is my culture; I was adopted at a young age, so over the years, I’ve learned more about the Menominee culture & other indigenous communities.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
Middle school. I definitely read a lot in elementary, but I think I had a greater appreciation of books when reaching 6th grade – cue the dystopian era of The Hunger Games, Divergent, & more! I distinctively remember watching the scholastic book fair trailer for The Hunger Games & binge reading it before seeing the movie. This era is also when I began writing – mainly on Wattpad (fanfics & original stories).

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I try to find new indie authors to support & read their books. One of my favorites is A.C. Haydée, who was also one of my inspirations to write again. Some more favorite authors are Michael Crichton, Agatha Christie, John Green, & J.R.R. Tolkien. Genres I enjoy are YA, fantasy, sci-fi, & dystopian.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Mirror’s Epoch is the first book of the Epoch Saga & is a novel that blends my favorite genres into one – YA, fantasy, sci-fi, & dystopian. The story follows a young adult, Satara Alston, as she comes across a family heirloom, awakening her innate ability to time travel. She meets a mysterious person, who helps her on her learning curve. Tara is accompanied by her best friend Andrés, brother Tre, & acquaintance Clarke. There’s plenty of time traveling & visiting other dimensions. This book mentions the astral plane as well as spirit animals. Parts of the book shows indigenous culture – spirit animals, Tektowi Nation, etc.

This book took me a decade to write. I started writing it in middle school! Since then, I’ve tweaked it here & there, leading to where it is now!

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Danielle Comeaux’s Website

Featured Interview With Allison Lee

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born in Huddersfield but spent some of my early childhood living in Singapore, where my father was stationed while he was in the Royal Marines.
I now live on a smallholding in the Yorkshire countryside with my husband of almost 37 years. We have three miniature donkeys, two miniature Shetland ponies, three micro pigs, five pygmy goats, twelve sheep, six chickens and four dogs – life is hectic!
We also have two sons and two granddaughters.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I have loved books since I was a small child and I have always harboured a dream to write a best seller!
I first started reading at a very young age, Enid Blyton was my favourite author and I enjoyed exploring all her books again when our children were little and now that I have grandchildren they are also enjoying the adventures of the Famous Five!
I first started writing about ten years ago when I ventured into writing non-fiction books about my career at the time which was childcare. These books were published by several publishers including Bloomsbury and Continuum International.
More recently I have got back into writing and I have published two novels so far this year with a lighthearted series of books about life living and working on the smallholding due to be released in the coming months.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Stephen King is my favourite author and has been for many years. I have read almost every book he has written, and his work has brought me into a world of horror. I also enjoy thrillers, and lately, I have enjoyed reading the works of Adele Parks. Her books are well written and set a fabulous pace – I can’t put them down!

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book, The Final Chase, was published on 3rd May. It is a thriller set in Snowdonia. Although it is only my second novel, I thoroughly enjoyed writing it, and I have already started writing my third!
The Final Chase is about a young woman who has suffered abuse at the hands of her husband for years. When she finally manages to pluck up the courage to leave him, with the help of her brother, she finds herself in a sleepy village in Snowdonia. However, all is not as it seems in the village, and she starts to uncover disturbing things. As her husband tracks her down, the net closes, and the final chase begins.

My next book, the first in the series, All The Gear, No Idea! will be out shortly. It is a humorous look at life on the smallholding. It will give you an insight into my everyday world and help you to understand the highs and lows of living and working with various animals throughout the seasons in the bleak Yorkshire countryside.

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Allison Lee’s Website

Featured Interview With Elizabeth Hamilton-Guarino

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
In 2008, I left behind an almost two-decade career in the financial services industry in order to open the doors for the Best Ever You Network. Today, Best Ever You is a revolutionary multimedia brand and platform with millions of fans and followers around the world.

Elizabeth is a bestselling author, success strategist, change facilitator, trainer, and speaker focused on helping others root in gratitude and compassion to navigate change and breakthrough to their best success. I am the author of the bestselling, five-time award-winning book, The Change Guidebook: How to Align Your Heart, Truths, and Energy to Find Success in All Areas of Your Life and The Success Guidebook – How to Visualize, Actualize, and Amplify You. I am also the author of PERCOLATE – Let Your Best Self Filter Through published by Hay House.

When I was 25, I was diagnosed with life-threatening food allergies and has nearly lost my life on multiple occasions, once while six months pregnant with her son Cam. These food allergies and stories are documented in my books and children’s books. These experiences have helped me become a food allergy advocate helping people stay alive and thrive with food allergies. I work with multiple organizations including FAACT and MedicAlert Foundation.
My husband, Peter and I have been married for more than twenty-five years and have four adult sons, three rescued cats, and two dogs. We can often be found in Maine in their gardens, in the pool, raking leaves, or, depending on the season, in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I’ve been fascinated with books since Kindergarten. I was one of the kids who could read and write in Kindergarten so I helped the other kids learn. In 3rd grade, my teacher said, “You’re going to become an author.” That has always stuck with me.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I love reading books in the self-help genre and Jack Canfield is my favorite author and success coach. I also enjoy reading books by Lisa Gable and Liz Brunner who write about leadership and success. I am most inspired in my writing by Jack Canfield, as I feel he helps people be their best in all he goes.
I am fascinated by the topics of gratitude, change, success, and compassion and will read most books about these areas.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book is the 2nd in the Guidebook Series called The Success Guidebook – How to Visualize, Actualize, and Amplify You. It’s time for us to redefine success for our authentic selves—a one-size fits-all-concept is not only outdated but unworkable. Success is so much more than data or the dollars in our bank account. True success is reflected in the smiles that brighten our faces and the peace that settles in our hearts. It’s the gratitude we seek in all things and the intention and actions being our very best in each moment.

In The Success Guidebook, readers will find inspiration, motivation, and a pathway to live their best, most fulfilling life. By implementing my unique Ten Factors of Success—the behaviors consistently exhibited by people who stand out and behave with world-class excellence—readers will learn how to finally overcome the stubborn obstacles that have stood in their way and harness the power to move forward with clarity, a renewed purpose, and the personalized confidence to build a life of bold, brave, and infinite possibilities. Included are profiles of 20 people who exemplify these principles. Here’s the secret: You don’t need to be on a national or international platform to be world-class. You can have it right in your own home, to be and feel successful in each and every moment of your life. This book will help you learn how to tap into world-class behaviors and get the results you desire—at last.

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Elizabeth Hamilton-Guarino’s Website

Elizabeth Hamilton-Guarino Facebook Page

Elizabeth Hamilton-Guarino Twitter Account

Featured Interview With Robert J. Emery (pen name R.J. Eastwood)

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Mr. Emery’s career as a Producer, Director, and Writer of motion pictures and television productions spans four decades. At a very early age, he began writing short stories and shared them with one of his teachers, who encouraged him to keep writing. His work in motion pictures and television eventually led him to begin writing books, both fiction and non-fiction, for which he has received many book awards, among them, Pen America, Author’s Circle, Book Excellence, Book Talk Radio, Readers Favorite, Literary Titan, International Review of Books.

His newest novel, “MEGASTAR,” is his 9th publication.

Mr. Emery’s film career began with writing and directing regional and national TV commercials, live local television, corporate films, network documentaries, and motion pictures. His award-winning productions include “Swimming Upstream” (feature film), “For God and Country: A Marine Snipers Story” (MSNBC), “The Directors” (91 episodes Starz/Encore), “The Genocide Factor” (4-hour mini-series PBS)

Mr. Emery was born and raised in Bristol, Rhode Island. He currently resides with his wife in Florida. When not writing or working on a project around the house, Mr. Emery can be found in the kitchen creating great Italian meals thanks to the teachings of his Italian mother and to the delight of his wife, children, grandchildren, and friends.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
Early in my teens I began writing short stories usually no longer than a single hand-written page. I have no idea why, I just enjoyed writing short stories. I had teacher who would read and critique my stories. She said I had a naturnal talent and that I schoud pursue writing. After my 4 years in the Air Force, I had made up my mind that I wanted to be in the film business. I of no training in that field other my time with Armed Forces Radio. I would have to teach myself, soI began by directing TV commercials for the local station. I began writing screenplays and was very lucky to get my first one financed by local investors. The rest as they say, is history. I was very lucky to spend 4-decades as a Producer, Writer and Director in the motion picture and TV industry as a member of the Directors Guild of America. When I retired from active production, I turned to writing books, something I always wanted to do but never had the time for. I have been published 9 times, three of my books are novels, the rest nonfiction. I am a member of the Writers Guild. My current novel is MEGASTAR, which I spent some 20 months writing and working with my editor before my publisher released it on May 1, 2024. Of the books I’ve written, both fiction and nonfiction, MEGASTAR was the most joy of all of my books because of the unique story and characters I created. It has been very well reviewed.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
It is hard to say who my favorite author is because there are many. I read both fiction and nonfiction and enjoy all genres as long as they are well written. I follow the rule that a well-written book captures a reader with a strong first page and first chapter. I strive for that in my writing. What keeps the reader turning pages? That’s the first question every author should ask. As for inspiration, my wife is the first person to read whatever I am working on. She is an avid reader herself, so I trust her to be honest with me. Trust me, she can be brutal, which is why I trust her instincts.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
MEGASTAR came about when I thought it would be great to tell a story about one man’s life from his birth to his death. I finally settled on the idea of a young man – Addison Jordon Stone – who just turned 19. He has an incredible and unique singing voice and sings in the local church choir. People jamb the church on Sunday’s just to hear Addison sing. Through a series of circumstances, he is discovered by a New York talent agent who gets Addison a spot on the international broadcast of Sing America Sing. To his surprise, he wins and his star rises quickly. But because of a traumatic childhood, his demons come back to haunt him, and he is ill prepared for the fan adulation, the demans of stardom, and he is involved in complicated love interest. If I say anymore, I will ruin it for readers, so I will leave it there.

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Robert J. Emery (pen name R.J. Eastwood)’s Website

Robert J. Emery (pen name R.J. Eastwood) Facebook Page

Robert J. Emery (pen name R.J. Eastwood) Twitter Account

Featured Interview With A.M. Davila

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I grew up in Long Island and now live in upstate New York with my husband, two young daughters, and our dog. We live near the woods and a river which is a much less hectic way of life than either my husband or I grew up with, but still close enough to the city for activities and rendezvous. I’m a high school teacher by day, and I dabble in vegetable gardening when I find the time.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I’ve been reading for as long as I can remember! My mom is an avid reader and so was my paternal grandmother. They always read to us, took us to the library, and rummaged through garage sales for used books. It was something I realize now with my own daughters that I associated with love and warmth. As I grew older, reading became an escape as well and a way to travel through space and time without having to leave my house. As for writing, I distinctly remember having to write stories in school often in 2nd and 3rd grade. I even still have one from third grade about a butterfly, inspired by a science activity where we raised caterpillars in class. From there I just kept writing! I wrote in marble notebooks mostly, and when I was in high school I would finish work early so I could sneak some time to write in class. I had an English teacher in high school who encouraged me to keep writing…and I did! So many years later, but I did!

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I don’t have a particular author that I can pinpoint as a favorite, but I do have favorite genres. Historical fiction is my usual go-to, and I’ve been able to actually use quite a bit of what I’ve learned in those readings in the classes I teach. My students might not think so, but I always think it’s pretty cool to connect a novel to my lessons! I also love YA books of different kinds. They can be so well-done, but sometimes overlooked. Within YA I love dystopian and apocalyptic works, but lately I’ve been reading more books involving kids of color or other marginalized groups. I think it’s important to understand different points of view.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
The Undoing is my debut! It’s the first in a 3 book series. I was inspired when I wad stuck in traffic on my way to work in the pouring rain one December. Essentially: the apocalypse arrives on Christmas morning, but few realize that’s what’s going on. They think the recent bad weather knocked the power out. It did! But it also didn’t 😉 . Our six characters happen to be alone or stranded on Christmas, and once they realize they can’t carry on like that, they each leave and their lives intersect. It’s an apocalyptic adventure, but it’s really a story about regular people. There’s no ex-military character or doomsday prepper to save everyone. These characters could be you, me, your friend, or your cousin. Every character is recognizable in our everyday lives, and I believe that’s the beauty of The Undoing. They are raw and real, sometimes a little annoying and sometimes even a little magical! Readers will want to see how they all make it through, especially when they realize who the characters all are and what they are bring to the table: a cantankerous LGBT interracial couple, an impulsive teenage Mexican immigrant, some disgruntled kids, and a strong-willed Black female business executive might seem like they have little to offer at the end of the world, but the characters surprise themselves and the readers.