Top Selling Authors: Get To Know Them Better

Featured Interview With Nathan Wall

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I’m from Texas and I live in the DFW metroplex. I spent my formative years in Europe. It’s given me a unique perspective and helped instill a deeper appreciation for my home.

I’m married. Have two kids. Somehow my 7 year old daughter is closer to being a senior in high school than I am by rewinding my life. That seems strange. I still have dreams that I’m in school. Doesn’t feel like it should be 12 years in the past, yet it is.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I started really writing in high school. I’d write stories on dares. I’d use my friends as characters and kill them off in messed up ways. There was a running bet as to who would live the longest. It ended up being the shy, never talk to anyone kid.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Robert Frost changed my writing the most. After taking a poetry class at TCU, I saw prose differently.

Tell us a little about your latest book?

Artificial Light deals with the aftermath of coinciding events in Evolution of Angels and The Descendants. A new figure has thrown the galactic truce off balance and his presence threatens to bring the millennia of peace to an end. Assassins from Heaven look to take him out while the remnants of the old Corners weigh the options of future war, brittle alliances, and abstaining from conflict.

Sometimes you risk becoming a villain in order to be the hero.

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Featured Interview With Kellyn Roth

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was raised (and still live) in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains with my parents, two little brothers, cats, dog, and various farm animals. I’m a homeschooled highschooler who loves … well, I love a lot of things, but writing is one of my favorites. 🙂

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I think I’ve loved books ever since I can remember. Back then, it was only picture books and fairy tales, but even then I loved a good story. I used to make up songs and bit of poetry even when I could barely talk. My mother and big sisters wrote some of them down for me, even. 🙂

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 Gene Stratton Porter, Charlotte Bronte, Maud Hart Lovelace, and Jane Austen. Those are all classic writers, but I also enjoy modern books, primarily in the historical fiction or light fantasy genre. Carrie Turansky, Shannon Hale, Jeanne Birdsall, Tamera Alexander, and Julie Klassen are some of my favorite authors who are still alive.

I think everything I ever read inspired (and inspires me)!

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My soon-to-be-published novella, The Lady of the Vineyard, is a historical romance novella set in 1938, London and France.

It’s the story of a little girl, Judy, who has lived her entire life with a rather neglectful though never cruel mother. Adele, Judy’s mother, divorced her husband, Troy, when Judy was a baby and left him to return to her life in London, England. Now Troy returns, intent on taking Judy away from Adele.

I started writing this book around April and finished it … oh, was it early July? It must have been. Of course, I didn’t really start working hard on it until June.

My beta-readers really enjoyed TLOTV (my nickname for this novella), and I promise you they aren’t all biased (which was a mistake I made with my first novel). 😉 I’m hoping that I’ll be able to share it with a lot of people this September.

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Kellyn Roth’s Website

Featured Interview With Rebecca Forster

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Even though I grew up in Southern California, I’m still a Missouri girl at heart. I was born in St. Louis, moved to Alaska when my dad was in the service (I was jut a few years old) and finally my family (my parents, me and five siblings) settled in Long Beach, California. I now live on the Palos Verdes Peninsula, a beautiful suburb of Los Angeles where you can still see horses being ridden down the eucalyptus shaded paths. No pets at the moment, but I have a granddog, Tucker. I adore him. I’m also trying to train my thumb to be a little green in the garden. I love to sew and quilt and play tennis. I love traveling, the more exotic the better. I often use travel in my books.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I loved reading from the minute I learned how, but I didn’t always want to be a writer. I was a student so I went to college and then to graduate school and earned my MBA. I worked in advertising for fourteen years. During that time I was introduced to my client’s wife and learned that she was an author. I made the mistake of saying that I thought I could write a book, too. My secretary dared me and the challenge was on. I loved both the writing of my first novel and the excitement of contacting editors and agents. I have now been writing for over thirty years and have published thirty-five books. I write thrillers but I love reading many different genres. Oh, and my client’s wife? Her name was Danielle Steel.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I like so many authors but if I had to list favorites I would say Stephen King, Wilkie Collins (he wrote Woman in White, this book is considered the first legal thriller), Erik Larsen for nonfiction, Neil Gaiman magical realism, and Frederik Backman who wrote a wonderful book, A Man called Ove. I also like indie authors like David Weishart (Devli’s Lair) and Eric Czuleger (Eternal L.A. and Immortal L.A.). Both write fantasy and Eric also writes science fiction. All writers who put their heart and soul into their work inspire me but the ones I admire most are those who are masters of characterization. That takes such a fine hand. Regarding my own writing, I am inspired by my family. I am lucky to be surrounded by people who have encouraged my writing from the minute I announced I was going to try my hand.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
I just started a new series featuring detectives Finn O’Brien and Cori Anderson. The debut novel is Severed Relations. This series is a bit grittier than the Witness Series (7 books featuring attorney Josie Bates) but I think equally as intriguing because of the complex relationships between the protagonists. I think there are many reasons people love and respect one another, when you throw in the added conflict of being a partnership and reponsible for another person’s life, well that’s when things get really interesting. Characters are incredibly important to me and I’m always thillered when readers comment on the depth of my characters. Each of my thrillers takes about nine months to write but Severed Relations was ten years in the making. It was an idea I had long ago but it wasn’t until I hit on the character of Finn O’Brien – an irish immigrant tortured by both the murder of his kid brother and Finn’s own killing of a fellow police officer – that the story gained not just heart but soul. Cori, Finn’s partner, is a Texas gal who has had her share of troubles but meets them head on. She’s a single mom and now her eighteen year old unmarried daughter and two year old grandson live with her. Cori is torn between her desires as a woman, her obligations as a cop, and her responsibilities as a mom. What I love about Finn and Cori is that they are so honorable – human but honorable.

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Featured Interview With Bryan Kelsey

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I spent my days teaching others to follow their dreams until finally one day I decided to follow my own. I quit my job as a teacher and set out on my own path to become a writer. Setting daily writing goals that have increased from a 1000 words a day to 5000, yikes! When I am telling stories I feel most alive. I am also a former rugby player and coach. I have overcome many obstacles in my life to get here, but the best views are after a hard climb anyway. I am just a East Tennessee boy who grew up in way to much humidity. Skye and the One Republic was the book that really made my dreams come true and now everyday is something amazing.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
Writing was actually always a challenge for me growing up. My imagination was amazing, but I had a learning disability. I make no excuses though because I managed to overcome and even got my Masters degree from grad school. Now I love to write, something that finally matches my love for reading.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Tolkien, that name says it all. Lord of the Rings is why I fell in love with reading. Of course Stephen King is as good as it could ever get when it comes to writing. Last one is easy, I mean who doesn’t love Harry Potter?

Tell us a little about your latest book?
I just finished recently going back to a book I wrote a few years ago and doing a complete rebuild like you would on a house you intended to flip. I deleted over 30,000 words! It was painful, but now the story is great! The Wilted Flower of the Streets, a heartwarming story that will pull on your heart strings!

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Bryan Kelsey’s Website

Featured Interview With Ray Flynt

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was raised in Western Pennsylvania, about an hour north of Pittsburgh. I lived in various places throughout Pennsylvania until 1997 when my work took me to the Washington, DC area. I retired in 2013 and now live in Central Florida. In addition to writing, I’ve had extensive experience in theatre and perform a one-man show based on Ben Franklin. Creating roles in theatrical productions was good preparation for writing, where developing characters for the printed page is important.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I fell in love with classic mysteries during my teen years. I started off with The Hardy Boys, an inspiration for so many mystery writers. Graduated to Ellery Queen, Perry Mason stories, Nero Wolfe adventures, and Agatha Christie’s Poirot. I fount that I enjoyed whodunits and the effort to solve the puzzle. I didn’t start writing until 1987. It was at a time in my life when my work schedule precluded my involvement in theatre, and so I was looking for another creative outlet.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
My favorite contemporary author is Michael Connelly. I also enjoy Robert Crais, Lee Child, David Baldacci, and the late Michael Palmer. In addition to mystery and suspense, I enjoy reading biographies. Life’s twists and turns are the inspiration for my writing. I’ve written six novels in my Brad Frame series, and am currently working on my second suspense novel, COLD OATH, which will come out later this year.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
EMBALMED is the latest in my Brad Frame series. Brad lives in suburban Philadelphia. He was born to wealth and led an aimless life until his mother and sister were kidnapped and murdered. He joined forces with the police to help solve their crime and later formed his own private detective agency to help bring justice to others. In EMBALMED, he is stymied when one of his client’s is found murdered and “already embalmed.” In this story he is also helping his friend and mentor, police captain Nick Argostino, who is being framed. Although part of a series, each of the books can be read and enjoyed independently.

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Featured Interview With Crystal Holdipp

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
My name is Crystal and I love to write, sing and work in evangelistic and outreach ministry. I was born and raised in the island of Bermuda. I currently live in my home island Bermuda. No, I don’t have any pets these days, but in the past starting from my childhood years and upward, I’ve had fish, turtles, hamsters and parakeet birds.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I realized my fascination with books at the age of 5 years old. In primary school and at home I always loved reading books. They were and still are a source of enjoyment to me. I started writing in my teen years as a form of therapy and as an outlet to express myself. During those times in my teen years, I didn’t see it as a calling or career. Naturally, I would write my expressions down on paper, write poems, write letters to others and kept a spiritual binder/journal of writings.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
My favorite authors to read are Karen Kingsbury, Beth Moore, John Bevere, and Renee Swope. Their writings and ministries have touched me and impacted me much. My favorite genre is spiritual. There is nothing that compares to anything that glorifies God and is used to minister to others. Jesus Christ is my greatest inspiration in why I write and who I write for.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
The latest book I have written and that has been published is titled ‘Resilient: Rise Above The Ashes’. Resilient is a book of poems, reflections, prayers, scripture meditations and declarations to empower, educate and inspire those that are facing any kind of difficulty, challenge, or struggle. I’ve worked on this project starting from 2012 up to 2016.

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Featured Interview With Kristi Bradley

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born and raised in Memphis, Tennessee. I have since defected across the border into Desoto County Mississippi. I am a wife, mother of three, step-mother of one, grandmother of three, owned by three dogs and three cats. I write paranormal, mystery and suspense, and romance.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I wrote my first book when I was about 11. Found it not long ago written on notebook paper, self-illustrated and bound with masking tape entitled the Adventures of Mortimer and Matilda mouse.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
My favorite authors are Kim Harrison, Charlaine Harris, JR Ward, Janet Evanovich, Chelsea Cain, Stephen King, Jeff Lindsey, Susan Brockman, JA Jance, Patricia Potter, Carolyn McSparren and James Paavola.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
The powers of the mythological Valkyrie spirit began to emerge after an attack by an obsessed fan that nearly killed Mysta.

While recuperating, she reunites with an old high school friend, Kieran, who encourages her to explore her new memories, assuring her that he was her former love. She longs for the passion they shared, until his brother Garik arrives. A strange and overwhelming attraction plunges her into a bizarre sibling rivalry as the men begin a deadly competition to win her heart.

Unknown to Mysta, for condemning him to the Underworld, a demi-god seeks revenge on her Valkyrie spirit. Rather than face her, he exploits the men in her life to achieve his evil goals. As the young woman continues to recover and her relationships develop, she discovers that one of the brothers really was her past love, but is he already possessed by the very fiend she must destroy?

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Featured Interview With Eston Swaby

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Well, I consider myself to be a motivator. I love to motivate or inspire people to be their best, to overcome their challenges and to live a victorious life. I am a Christian, been one from I was a child and that helps me to deal with life challenges.
I have written only one book so far, An Empowered Life, but I have other books in the pipeline I hope to complete by the end of 2016

I was raised in a small community in Jamaica known as Cold Spring. I am currently living in Jamaica in a town call Savanna-la-mar, some miles from from tourist spots in Negril

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
Actually from a very early age. I have always love to read but I first started writing when I was around 18, but nothing became of that book as writing fiction books are not very easy for me to write, I prefer non-fiction books

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
My favorite authors to read are Joyce Meyer, Joel Osteen, John Grisham (thinks he is a great author), Tony Evans and few others. In terms of genre I would say Non-fiction but I also like fiction books on law and spies. also like a little detective work

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book An Empowered Life is a daily devotional, motivational and transformational book. The idea for my book was base on my own life challenges, negative words, dealing with hurts of my past and so forth. I realise that I am not the only person facing these things and so I decided to write An Empowered Life to help readers live a victorious and empowered life despite their challenges and to use these challenges to rise higher, to be stronger and better.

In this book I set out to talk about a different issue people face each day, everyday readers can get something out of the messages and before the 51 days are complete, readers will be able to relate to most, if not all, of the daily messages.

It took around 6 months to complete An Empowered Life with the help of few of my friends, and of course people who wanted to see me fall. I came to understand that your haters, those who speaks evil of you, those who do not want to see you excel, those who belittle you are actually not your enemies, but they are your greatest motivators. Without them, I wouldn’t be where I am right now. And without my mistakes, failures, setbacks I wouldn’t be as strong as I am today.

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Featured Interview With Eston Swaby

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Well, I consider myself to be a motivator. I love to motivate or inspire people to be their best, to overcome their challenges and to live a victorious life. I am a Christian, been one from I was a child and that helps me to deal with life challenges.
I have written only one book so far, An Empowered Life, but I have other books in the pipeline I hope to complete by the end of 2016

I was raised in a small community in Jamaica known as Cold Spring. I am currently living in Jamaica in a town call Savanna-la-mar, some miles from from tourist spots in Negril

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
Actually from a very early age. I have always love to read but I first started writing when I was around 18, but nothing became of that book as writing fiction books are not very easy for me to write, I prefer non-fiction books

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
My favorite authors to read are Joyce Meyer, Joel Osteen, John Grisham (thinks he is a great author), Tony Evans and few others. In terms of genre I would say Non-fiction but I also like fiction books on law and spies. also like a little detective work

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book An Empowered Life is a daily devotional, motivational and transformational book. The idea for my book was base on my own life challenges, negative words, dealing with hurts of my past and so forth. I realise that I am not the only person facing these things and so I decided to write An Empowered Life to help readers live a victorious and empowered life despite their challenges and to use these challenges to rise higher, to be stronger and better.

In this book I set out to talk about a different issue people face each day, everyday readers can get something out of the messages and before the 51 days are complete, readers will be able to relate to most, if not all, of the daily messages.

It took around 6 months to complete An Empowered Life with the help of few of my friends, and of course people who wanted to see me fall. I came to understand that your haters, those who speaks evil of you, those who do not want to see you excel, those who belittle you are actually not your enemies, but they are your greatest motivators. Without them, I wouldn’t be where I am right now. And without my mistakes, failures, setbacks I wouldn’t be as strong as I am today.

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Eston Swaby’s Website

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Featured Interview With Becky Doughty

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born in Washington State, but I was raised on the island of New Guinea where my father was a missionary bush pilot and mechanic, and during my high school years, I attended a boarding school in the Philippines. Like military families, we returned to the US every couple of years for furloughs. Needless to say, traveling is in my blood! My husband and I now live in sunny Southern California about an hour away from everything – Los Angeles, the beach, Palm Springs, the desert, San Diego, Disneyland, our glorious mountains….

I’m a dog person – our favorite dogs are rescue pups and we currently have two, Vito and Betsy. Most of my books will have dogs as supporting characters…sometimes they really steal the show. We also have two ducks, Spencer and Susan, seven chickens (yes, they’re named too) all who lay eggs about every other day, and a horse who doesn’t like to be ridden or told what to do or bathed, even after rolling around in the mud (she likes being brushed though!), and she can’t figure out why no one wants to just hang out with her.

I write commercial fiction, primarily Women’s Fiction with strong elements of Romance and Magical Realism. I also write Contemporary Christian Fiction, and some Coming of Age/YA/NA that’s clean, or rated PG-13 due to subject matters like date rape, teen pregnancy, and domestic violence. I’m currently writing my tenth full-length novel, but I have a few novellas under my belt as well. Some of my books are in series, but most of them can be read as standalone novels, although they’re better read in order. I’m not a big fan of cliffhangers, although I’ve been known to throw them out there every once in a while.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I was that kid who read everything she could get her hands on. My older brother taught me to read when I was four (he’s another bibliophile – remind me to tell you a story about Big Brother Mine in a minute…) and by the time I started school, I was reading at about a 6th grade level. We didn’t have television; what can I say? Then I started writing when I found myself imagining what came after “the end” of the stories I read. Once I started writing, I couldn’t stop. Most of the time it was just for pleasure, just documenting my own version of life, but when the kids were finally old enough to be more independent, I started seriously thinking about writing for a living. It’s only been in the last five or six years that I’ve actively pursued a writing career.

The big brother anecdote: I ran into walls and stuff. Read with a flashlight under my pillow. Snuck the book into the bathroom and got in trouble for staying in there too long. Hid up in trees so I could get away to read. You know what I’m talking about. Big Brother Mine, though…he has me beat. One time, he was so absorbed in his book (he was maybe 9 or 10) that he turned on the shower—the shower, mind you, NOT the tub—and sat on the toilet seat to wait until the water got warm. And sat. And sat. Until my mother walked by the bathroom to see water gushing out from under the bathroom door. BBM sat on the toilet, his feet ankle deep in the flooding water, completely unaware of the chaos around him. Now that’s focused reading, my friends! He makes me very proud. 

Although I wish I had started on this path much earlier, I do feel like my life experiences have really contributed to the scope of what I write. I write commercial fiction – primarily published in women’s fiction and contemporary romance – and much of what I write about I’ve either experienced first hand, as a supporting character, or as a bystander, at least in part. I “catch” life moments in mental snapshots, so to speak, and build my fiction around those moments. In other words, the stories are fabricated out of a kernel of truth, which is what makes them, I believe, resonate with my readers.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Asking me who my favorite authors or books are is a bit like asking which of my kids is my favorite. I’m a sucker for authors like Sarah Addison Allen who write about “real” women with unique gifts – I do love believable magical realism, the more subtle the magic, the tastier the tale – you’ll find bits and pieces of it in several of my books, too…although I attribute it to spiritual gifting or ability rather than magic. I have been a fan of Diana Gabaldon since she first published Outlander over twenty years ago, and perhaps it was that twist of magic, the impossible happening, that drew me to her and has held me there for all these years. I’m so thrilled we FINALLY get to see these remarkable books in film. I’m kind of an Outlander snob, though – I haven’t read any of her other work except the Outlander series. I also love a good Stephen King novel now and then – his more literary work rather than the pulp fiction. Who doesn’t love a little Misery?

As far as inspiration goes, I tend to find it in life around me. Most of my fiction is contemporary, so all it takes is for me to catch sight of an unusual scene, a newspaper article, an exchange between me and someone else or one I witness between strangers, etc., and my mind spins off into a story. It could be because I’m adopted. Let me explain. I have a fantastic relationship with my adopted parents, and it was really only during my teenage rebellion years that I wanted to find my birth parents, mainly because I thought he and/or she would be soooooo much coooooler… But I’ve always played this game about my adoption. Any time I’m at a public place, I find someone who might possibly be my mother, father, sister, or brother and I create reunion scenes about them. I give them a back story, give them a reason to be wherever we are at the time – at the airport, at the mall, at the restaurant, at the dentist, etc. – and then come up with some poignant moment when our eyes meet and we KNOW, we just KNOW that we’re connected. Silly, I know. But basically, I’ve spent my whole life giving complete strangers made up backstories, to the point where I feel like I know them. The downside? If I do happen to get to know them and learn they’re not an deep sea treasure hunter but a data entry clerk at Xerox, I tend to be a little disappointed in them…. So you see, LIFE is the inspiration for my stories!

Tell us a little about your latest book?
I have two books that have released almost simultaneously, and both are third books in two different series:

1) PHOEBE AND THE ROCK OF AGES is Book 3 in The Gustafson Girls, a series of 4 (possibly 5) books about a family of sisters orphaned by a drunk driver. The books take place fifteen years later when the girl (who happened to be the eldest Gustafson girl’s classmate) is up for parole and is preparing to return home, forcing the four sisters to deal with their collision course past. These are Women’s Fiction/Christian Romance novels.

2) A LONG WAY HOME: Book 3 of the Fallout Series actually completes the series – the box set released August 13! About the box set: At an ancient olive grove in Tuscan Italy, behind the scenes of a rock and roll band, on a Gypsy stage at the Renaissance Pleasure Faire, or back home on Maple Avenue in Midtown, California, three friends discover what it means to fight for love. Book 1: ALL THE WAY TO HEAVEN – Anica Tomlin cashes in her graduation gift to herself a little early―a trip to Tuscany―but from the moment she boards the wrong train in Pisa, her plans for solitude and self-indulgence begin to unravel around her. Sometimes help comes from the most unlikely of hands, and sometimes getting lost is the surest way to be found… Book 2: A LIGHT IN THE DARK – Tish Ransome thinks she knows all about passion and pain – she sings about it on stage – until she comes face to face with the real thing behind the scenes. When volatile turns to violence, Tish gets an unfiltered view of the dark and learns to recognize how beautiful the light can be. And Book 3: A LONG WAY HOME – Savannah Clark lives her life as a modern-day bohemian, hiding her identity behind her beaded scarves and swirling skirts. But an unexpected encounter with her first love tears open old wounds. Will she run again, tethered to the lies she’s come to believe about herself and those she left behind, or can she trust her heart enough to embrace the girl she once was as the woman she has become? The Fallout Series is a collection of clean Contemporary/Coming-of-Age Romances about college age characters and experiences. Some of the issues are difficult – domestic violence, teen pregnancy, sexual abuse, etc., but because the abuse is more off the page, and the issues are extremely relevant to today’s teens and young adults, they are suitable for YA readers. “Romantic settings, irresistible men, and loving family relationships make these beautiful, memorable stories.”

I typically write a full-length novel in about 6-8 weeks. I prefer to “stay in the story” from start to finish, so if I take longer than that, I tend to get distracted by life or even another book idea, and then it’s extremely difficult for me to go back and finish it. If I’m independently publishing a book, it takes me about another six weeks to go through the editing/formatting/cover creation process to publish the book; the same process takes my publisher about six months or more. Which is why I ended up with two books releasing around the same date!

I also narrate and produce audiobooks under my audiobook production label, BraveHeart Audiobooks, almost all of which are available on Amazon, iTunes, and Audible. I’m a “clean reads” narrator, so with a few rare exceptions, most of my audiobooks are maximum PG-13. I narrate and produce 1-2 audiobooks a month so those take a huge chunk of my time – a full length novel typically takes about 60 hours to narrate, edit, master, produce, and publish start to finish.

I typically write around audiobook gigs, so I’d like to think that if I didn’t produce them, I’d be able to write more books more often…who knows?

I’m currently neck deep in a new book (and series) about triplet sisters with a much younger brother and aging hippie parents who still aren’t quite sure what they’re doing with their lives. The setting of the book is Nettles and Nests, an herb shop and garden owned and operated by the eldest of the sisters, where a lot of love and a little magic go hand in hand to keep the family together.

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Featured Interview With Anniks Milisic-Stanley

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was raised in the UK in a green and pleasant Dorsetshire village complete with thatched cottages and a village public house.
I live in Rome, Italy.
I have a rescue dog named Bea. Abandoned as a puppy she was picked up in a nearby town and I got her from a rescue center.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I have always loved books and read avidly as a child and as a teenager. I studied English Literature until university, and was lucky to have some amazing teachers. Later I studied social anthropology and went to work with humanitarian organisations in the developing world. I always wrote creatively as an artistic outlet and wanted to publish someday. When I had children, I decided to pursue this dream and turn it into reality.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
My favourite authors include Barbara Kingsolver, Anne Tyler, Margaret Atwood, Chimamanda Ngozie Adichie, Angela Readman, Kurt Vonnegut, Dennis Potter, William Boyd, T. S. Eliot, Jonathon Franzen, Arundhati Roy, Jane Austen, Doris Lessing, Alice Munro, Fay Weldon, Daniel Keyes, Maya Angelou, Isabel Allende, and many, many others.

I like literary fiction and rarely, science fiction. I love fiction about diaspora and culture clashes. I love reading short stories as well as novels. I am inspired by the magical stories of ordinary people that I meet every day on the streets of Rome, or wherever I may live at the time. I live a life on the constant move so I never run out of inspiration.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book is called ‘The Disobedient Wife’. It is the first novel in English to be set in contemporary Tajikistan, a Republic formed after the collapse of the Soviet Union. The book is about cross-cultural friendship, women, drug trafficking, infidelity, local and expatriate life in Central Asia.

In 2008, there were a series of small explosions in Dushanbe. No one claimed responsibility.
Dedicated to the women of Tajikistan, The Disobedient Wife intertwines the narratives of Harriet Simenon, whose journal portrays a darker interior world than that of the rich wife of the powerful Henri Simenon, and Nargis, her local nanny and maid, struggling with poverty, yet with a strength that Harriet comes to admire as her own life unravels against a backdrop of violence and betrayal.

This book is completely fictional, but based on experiences that I had when I lived in Tajikistan from 2006-2009. It took me over four years to write, with many drafts. I won the Cinnamon Press Novel Award for 2014 and got published in late 2015. It is available on kindle and in paperback from all online stores as well as in bookstores around the world.

From Cinnamon Press: ‘Rich with sense of place and deeply humane, Milisic-Stanley brings the acute observation of an artist and social anthropologist to bear on this moving and compelling story of how two women survive and thrive in difficult circumstances’.

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Anniks Milisic-Stanley’s Website

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Featured Interview With Amie Irene Winters

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Originally from the San Francisco Bay area, where I met (and later married) my high school sweetheart, writing books never entered my mind until I completed my bachelors in anthropology and religious studies, masters in environmental leadership, and an eight-day wilderness solo in the Rocky Mountains. After having tried a variety of unique jobs – from park ranger, grant writer, natural history curator, to archaeologist – did I start experimenting with writing fiction.

A few moves around the country, and some long international trips later, I published my debut novel, Strange Luck. The conservationist in me still lives, which is why I always include elements of nature (e.g., hiking, animals, camping) in my stories.

These days, I spend most of my time writing novels, blogging, and traveling. I live in a small western PA town with my philosopher husband and a mischievous pug appropriately named Loki. When not conjuring up other worlds, I can be found hiking, painting, playing music, traveling, or antiquing. Oh, and baking desserts.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
Creative writing was my favorite subjects in school. It was the only thing I ever did that didn’t feel like work. Strangely, I didn’t become a big reader until I hit college. I had no idea on what I was missing out on all those years.

I still have all of my old writing journals, and each month I incorporate the stories I wrote (and funny pics) in a Throwback Thursday post I call #TBTWriter. You can check it out here: https://golden-cricket.blogspot.com/search/label/tbtwriter

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
My favorite authors are H.P. Lovecraft, Neil Gaiman, and J.K. Rowling. I love stories with magical elements where anything can happen. The stranger and more imaginative the better. Any author who can completely transport me into their story inspires me.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
The Nightmare Birds is the newest YA Horror story in the Strange Luck series. It’s about Daisy Darling’s quest to uncover the truth about the mysterious Theater of Secrets – long thought a dark legend by many, but known as a frightening reality to those who truly know its powers. Only the invited may find it and once they do, they cannot go back. What Daisy doesn’t know is that this mystery will forever change her life and her future.

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Amie Irene Winters’s Website

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Featured Interview With A. L. D. Chalom

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Raised in Sweden, but feel like a foreigner there after having spent almost 12 years abroad now. Even my dog is foreign (he’s Catalan:)

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I probably started writing as soon as I could hold a pen. Not sure the writing made any sense to people back then (not even sure it made any sense to me either for that matter). I used to write on post-its. I had a deep and inexplicable fascination with them. I was basically a weird kid.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I love love love reading funny books. And funny is so hard to write. So I respect funny authors even more for that reason. Right now I’m reading “The 100 year old man who climbed out of a window…” by Jonas Jonasson. It’s just brilliant!

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book “ONE” is a poetry collection. It was mainly inspired by my writing account on Instagram (@printpoetics) where I share snippets and poetry for free with my audience. I realized there was a demand for a collection, and that’s how it happened.

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A. L. D. Chalom’s Website

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Featured Interview With Alva v.H

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I am very honoured to be part of this wonderful community of authors & be able to present myself and my work here on your site –
‘THE GLAD GAME REVISITED’ series – a trilogy which represents the sum of my personal spiritual journey for many years now, has been patiently waiting to be put on paper and published, is now finally out and with it another dream come true for me.
This series is actually my debut as a self-published – Indie Author and I am enjoying this new found independence immensely.
My spiritual path & my creative writing, have always been part of my life and as such intertwined since I can remember myself…
In essence I have always been both creative in different fields of the arts as well as on a personal spiritual path continuously.
My spiritually creative or creative spirituality journey started very early on in my life – I can literally remember special experiences related to this path already as a 9-year-old…
At that time however, Pollyanna still did not symbolically represent all of which I talk about in the Book series – ‘The Glad Game Revisited’.
At that early age – she was a figure I secretly loved to hate in a sense, and only later along my journey did she make her very impressive comeback …

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
My book came to life initially as an attempt to put in order piles upon piles of writings I have gathered through the years – these notebooks filled with years of my research along with documentations of my personal experiences – were waiting for the right moment I suppose…
And the moment came about a year ago – sometime during this reconstruction work I came across an old book which was one among my favourite reading repertoire as a young girl – ‘Pollyanna’ –
… and right there and then I was privileged to experience what is known as an epiphany moment.
Standing there in the cellar of my home with this book in my hands – I realized how close and wonderfully clear & simple the whole of it is…
From that moment on MY book started writing itself in a way… I was just typing the words and basking in bliss with every new page.
Reflecting upon the message and the means with which I received it I am constantly reminded of Santiago the protagonist in Paolo Coelho’s ‘The Alchemist’ who discovers that the answer to his question had been actually nearer than originally believed – which is in essence the reason for his decision to set on a journey in the first place – and then again without the journey he may have not recognized the answer in its full true sense…

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
There are so many wonderful writers who accompanied me throughout the different phases of my life and have provided me solace as well as inspiration when I most needed it.
My books are in a way my best friends and have always been there for me as long as I can remember myself through & through – they are as such an inseparable part of my journey.
Among those which influenced me most as a young girl are: Lev Tolstoy, Jane Austin, Louisa-May Alcott, Romain Gary, Henry James and Ann & Charlotte Bronte.
Later on as I was growing up I fell in love with: Oscar wild, Virginia Woolf, Max Frisch, George Sand & The poet Tennyson to name but just a few…
I have kept all original books and still in reasonably good shape too (…at least most of them) – considering the fact that they have been traveling with me all over the world for decades now – (Yes, I have always travelled with my books when a longer stay was planned…
Today, however thanks to Kindle I have all the digital versions of my favourites for that purpose as well…) – so that I can still enjoy them from time to time.
Each and every one of them carries so many emotional memories with it and just holding them in my hands for a few moments or reading a small passage in them is always very rewarding.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Since I can remember myself I have always been on a spiritual quest, and still am.
My quests however have been and still are for the most part inwardly oriented, as it is my strong belief that, that which we spend a life time searching for is in us waiting to be tapped on and RE-kindled, at all times.
We all carry this magical potential of everything we are really meant to BE. We are so designed!
My ‘Epiphany! – Moment’ revealed itself unexpectedly as I was going through long forgotten personal belongings in my cellar one day and stumbled upon the book – ‘PollyAnna’ a best-selling 1913 novel by Eleanor H. Porter.
But actually the Story of events has little to do with the essence of the revelation, and the immense effect it had on me at the moment I rediscovered it so many years later. In this very Single moment the answer to everything I have been searching for, for decades, was wonderfully made clear to me.
Experiencing long periods of deliberate alignment, during which life seemed to FLOW in perfect synchronisation, with my visions and Aspirations – The universe presenting me wonderful gifts of Joy, Love and Abundance with absolutely no effort on my part, and then again, times when all but the above was present. Thinking I must have made a wrong turn, somehow, somewhere, I would then set upon trying to put some more effort and force myself back into reaching this lost state of BLISS.
Each and every time going through the process of RE-calibrating myself anew, with a growing sense I was missing something, some elusive ‘detail of utmost importance’ that which brings it all about so perfectly in place.
And so it came to be that at that moment, holding that book in my hands I recognized beyond any doubt this truth revealed to me in its full magnificence yet simplistic genius.
The pattern I was following only intuitively for years became real and tangible for the first time.
That was IT. You see, up until this moment I was not fully aware of this ‘Waltz Dance’ I was performing for quite some time now as being an indicator – and as such pointing – in the direction of my visions all along.I must admit I was neither as a child nor later on, a great fan of ‘PollyAnna’. But fortunately for me as it happened to be, the MESSAGE of it had been subliminally delivered all along. So as I was intuitively led into following her footsteps, I was secretly initiated into this magnificent Ritual so as to later on be able to recognize the life force it carries with it and turning this Message into a Conscious Decision to live by.

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Alva v.H’s Website

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Featured Interview With Jan H Pieterse

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Jan H Pieterse is the founder of NextCEO, a member of Mensa, serial entrepreneur, specialist software engineer and the author of various business and information technology related articles. He has authored various other articles under pen names. He lives in Centurion, South Africa with his wife and two sons. With almost two decades of hands-on experience, he is a veteran in the information technology field. Entrepreneurship, business management and leadership have always been at the forefront of his aspirations. He was a co-founder of various companies and has contributed and consulted on business development and strategic processes of several of organisations.
Learn more about Jan H Pieterse at NextCEO.co.za

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
This only occurred recently when I was studying and realised that so much research was going to go to waste, thus I felt it would be a great attempt to translate all the research into books

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Tony Robbins
Zig Ziglar

Tell us a little about your latest book?
The Simple Side of Human Resource Management

Managing People Should Not Be Difficult, Boring or Scary
Learn how to understand some of the some of the more complex aspects of human resource management in a simpler context.

If you are interested in understanding human resource management in greater detail, but you are just not in the mood for those stale academic written, hard to understand, boring textbooks, then this book is just for you.

If you are simply looking for additional information and wish to supplement your existing knowledge on human resource management, well then this book is for you.

For the sake of covering both angles, this book includes the academic writing, as well as simpler written interpretations of the same information. The non-academic people amongst us, or simply those who will benefit from a simpler side of things can benefit none the less.

With a pinch of salt, a dash of garnish, this book will help you understand some of the in-depth parts of the human resource management paradigm.

You may at some parts feel that you have completely lost your way, but fear not. As I have, and many before us, you will survive the journeys into the paradigms of the business management empire.

You will learn about Human Resource Management Functions

Topics in this section deal with:

Roles and Responsibilities of a human resource manager

The purpose of developing a human resource plan

Recruitment techniques during recruitment and selection

Stages of team development

Effective communication in leadership and management

Developing and implementing a training plan

Performance appraisal feedback methods

You will learn about Human Resource Management in perspective

Topics in this section deal with:

Human Resource Lifecycle

Human Capital Management

Differentiate Workforce Planning vs. Human Resource Planning

Importance of Workforce Gap Analysis

Succession Planning

Link between Strategic Plans and Job Description

Difference between Remuneration and Reward

Appropriateness of reward systems for motivating employees

Benefits of a Well-Functioning Performance Management Process

Links between Performance Appraisal and Career Development

I have no doubt you will find this book of significant value. Grab a copy now.

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Featured Interview With Iain Reading

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Originally I am from Canada (who am I kidding? I will ALWAYS be from Canada).  Specifically, I am from a place very close to where the heroine of my Kitty Hawk book series lives – on a magical and beautiful island called Vancouver Island.  That’s where I lived until I was six, at which point I was moved to the prairies, to a small city south of Calgary called Medicine Hat, Alberta.  But now…I live in Holland.  The Netherlands, if you prefer.  Why here?  That’s where work is.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I have always been an avid reader, although I must admit that I usually read non-fiction books.  But I didn’t really get around to trying my hand at writing until the last few years.  I didn’t have any stories to tell, I suppose.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
As I said above, I usually read non-fiction.  I love history and science books in particular.  But when it comes to fiction I have two favourite books, always and forever: The Mosquito Coast by Paul Theroux and Contact by Carl Sagan.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My most recent book is called The Dragon of the Month Club and it is the first in a series of possibly five or seven books.  It is really a great adventure that starts with two friends who have discovered a magical book in their local library that allows them to conjure different dragons.  Each month on the 13th day a new dragon spell appears and they can take a shot at trying to conjure it.  But then one day a spell goes wrong and they end up being sucked into a fantastical world of books (real books!) and have to use their wits (and the dragons) to find their way home again.

Here’s the official synopsis and more information about the ongoing art contest on my website:

The Dragon of The Month Club is the exciting first installment in a new book series that tells the story of Ayana Fall and Tyler Travers, two best friends who stumble across an extraordinarily magical book and soon find themselves enrolled as members of a very special and exclusive club – The Dragon of the Month Club.

On the thirteenth of every month a new dragon conjuring spell is revealed and the two friends attempt to summon the latest Dragon of the Month. The varieties are almost endless: Air Dragons, Paper Dragons, Fog Dragons, Waterfall Dragons, Rock Dragons, Tree Dragons – not to mention special bonus dragons for all the major holidays, including a particularly prickly Holly Dragon for Christmas.

But one day when a conjuring spell somehow goes wrong Ayana and Tyler find themselves unexpectedly drawn into a fantastical world of adventure based on the various books scattered all across Tyler’s messy bedroom. Travelling from one book-inspired world to the next with nothing to rely on but their wits and a cast of strange and exotic dragons at their disposal they must try to somehow find their way home again.

Drawing inspiration from some of literature’s most memorable stories – from 19th century German folktales to the streets of Sherlock Holmes’s London – the adventures of Ayana and Tyler bring these classic stories to life in delightfully strange and unexpected ways. Filled with fascinating detail and non-stop action these books will spark the imaginations of readers of all ages to inspire a life-long love of reading and seeking out books that are just a little bit off the beaten track.

Praise for The Dragon of the Month Club:

“No other book bonds together so many stories in such a fashion that is actually readable and enjoyable at the same time. With the title being The Dragon of the Month Club, many might think this is a book strictly about magic and dragons, yet you will find that what’s inside this book will leave you awe struck.” – Red City Reviews

“Iain Reading has quickly become one of my favorite authors. I started reading his Kitty Hawk books and now I’m introduced to a fantastical world. This is the type of book I would have spent hours in my room, wishing I could slip into the pages and have an adventure.” – Sandra Stiles

“The Dragon of the Month Club is a very enjoyable read. I’m a grown adult and I enjoyed it. It reminded me of a Harry Potter meets Goosebumps (the part where the books come alive) meets Sherlock Holmes. I found the book to be engaging and kept me wanting to read on. This is a wonderful series for any young reader.” – sgebhard

Contest:

There is an ongoing contest for readers to win a one-of-a-kind hardcover version of The Dragon of the Month Club with their artwork as the cover.

“Draw a picture! Write a story! Take a photograph! Bake some cookies! Mold a dragon out of clay! Knit one out of yarn! Make one out of LEGO! Whatever you want! Just let your imagination run wild because anything goes – the more creative the better! Send your dragon in and then on the 13th day of every month one entry will be chosen at random and featured on the official Dragon Of The Month Club website. Each month’s lucky winner will also receive a free one-of-a-kind personalized hard-cover edition of The Dragon Of The Month Club book featuring their winning artwork (or other creative content) on the cover or inside the book itself,” says Iain.

To learn more, go to http://www.dragonofthemonthclub.com/

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Featured Interview With Eli Celata

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was raised in the suburbs of Rochester, NY. The unique set up of the city and its eclectic mixture of architecture inspired my debut novel, High Summons, which is a YA urban fantasy set in Rochester. I currently live in Binghamton, NY where I am working on my PhD in Biological Anthropology. Though I don’t have any pets myself, I do spoil my “fur brother” Abner who my parents rescued 5 years back.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
As I was the youngest of three, my parents introduced me to chapter books at a young age; however, my love of fantasy took off after reading Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. My sister and I often told each other stories role playing with whatever toys we had. However, my sister’s love of happy endings fought against my desire for realism and well-rounded antagonists, so I broke off and began to write on my own to satisfy my literary sensibilities. My first solid attempt at a novel happened when I was 11 years old, but it’s still incomplete. I knew the ending and beginning but hadn’t mastered how to get there. By the time I did, I already had moved on to a story arch that’s now five books long which – though I love them dearly – will likely never be published.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I love a writer who makes me reexamine the world. In fantasy, J.K. Rowling, Garth Nix, and Neil Gaiman were my top three growing up. As a kid, I waited obsessively for the next Harry Potter, and I do much the same with the Dresden Files by Jim Butcher. I lean heavily towards fantasy and science fiction though my nonfiction and historical fiction have expanded thanks to my doctoral work. Not surprisingly, everything I read inspires me, but if I’ve recently read a cultural anthology, I’m more likely to dive into a world-building plot where a fictional adventure sends me on a character development streak.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
High Summons is my debut. It’s basically an ode to everything I love about my native city but also about YA literature in general. My main character, Jon Blythe, is a multiracial college kid from Boston who has relocated to Rochester for college. Raised by his mother, he has only one thing from his father – magic. Well, he has the monsters too. The dark and devilish figures that he sees out of the corner of his eyes. The ones who horrify his mother.

When Jon comes across a man setting one of the monsters on fire with his bare hand, he jumps in blindly hoping for the answers he’s been denied. However, the man – Jordan – might be a wizard, but he’s also a demon-hunter, and if Jon wants to keep his magic, he will have to risk everything and track down the rogue magic users set on burning Rochester to the ground.

I actually wrote a first draft of High Summons in high school. In that draft, Jon and Jordan traveled all around the world fighting demons, but when I went to college elsewhere, my love for Rochester shifted the story. Honestly, it took the wanderlust mess and pulled each character into the third dimension. Between drafts and periods where I focused on other works, High Summons took five years from its first draft to finally being accepted for publication.

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Eli Celata’s Website

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Featured Interview With Eze Eke

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born on October 21, 1979 in a remote town in Imo state, a very poor region in the south-eastern part of Nigeria, West Africa. My family moved to Lagos where my father was offered a teaching job in 1981 and there I grew up, attending the prestigious Nigerian Navy schools, form nursery to secondary. He attended the Nigerian Navy Secondary School for only two years then moved on to the Lagos State Government College, Ojo, Lagos from where I finally completed his secondary education in the mid-1990 while doing part-time studies at the Lagos State University. A sinister supernatural incident almost destroyed my life in May, 1996 but certainly cut short my proposed trip to the United States for advanced studies the following year.
Today, I am self-educated to lofty levels in several academic fields and possess a vast wealth of intellectual knowledge from which I draws to accomplish my works. I am a gifted author, freelance writer, blogger and a non-profit Gospel worker. i am currently unmarried and lives a very quiet life in the city of Lagos. My hobbies are writing, reading, cycling, watching intelligent movies and helping the poor and needy.
i love to write and my ultimate goal is to tells stories in all their color and glory.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I realized my fascination with books at age 14. I began to write very recently at age 32.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
My favorite authors are Stephen King and James Harley Chase. i was inspired to write because i felt i could do much better than most of the sub-standard works i came across so often. Once i go my first glowing reviews, i never looked back,.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
.In 2015 the extremist Islamic sect BOKO HARAM was declared #1 in the world, rising above Islamic state, ISIS. But fighting a full-fledged war with the military forces of the four African countries around the Lake Chad region, leaving thousands of innocent people dead or homeless, BOKO HARAM had occupied that position long before then…
Against all advice, a beautiful young lady travels to Maiduguri, a chaotic city in the BOKO HARAM ravaged north-eastern Nigeria, in search of her missing businessman father. She soon disappears, the four corpses of her bodyguards turn up in a canal and a mega ransom demand is sent to her billionaire uncle by a faction of the BOKO HARAM terrorist group. Since neither the Nigerian Army nor the other elements of the JTF had been any help in the search his missing elder brother, the girl’s billionaire uncle quietly puts together a team of mercenary soldiers led by an ex-special forces lieutenant to negotiate with the terrorists and rescue the girl. Everything goes wrong from the beginning because everyone had a hidden agenda. The terrorists looking to keep the ransom and the girl as wife for their commander, laid a deadly ambush for the mercenaries. Three influential billionaires, led by the girl’s treacherous uncles, want her dead in order to get at her father’s vast business empire and fortunes to which she is sole heir.
None of them counted on the massive obstacle a single man could pose against their formidable resources. The ex-special forces lieutenant became a one-man army as he fights night and day to keep the beautiful heiress safe from her enemies. She soon learns to cling to him for protection, and then also for love. She is smart, determined to find out what happened to her father and to rule his business empire in his absence……
Reaching from the highly populated urban city of Lagos in oil rich southern Nigeria, to the high luxury capital city of Abuja where billionaire business moguls rub shoulders with powerful politicians, top military generals and bureaucrats, some good, some bad, most corrupt, they plot the future of a great nation over a few drinks even as they kill time with high priced prostitutes in overpriced hotel suites and huge luxury mansions. And then on to the war thorn cites and remote countryside of the north-eastern lands where the Islamic terrorist group, BOKO HARAM hold away, wetting the soil daily with the innocent blood of thousands of helpless they kill and many more thousands they render homeless and they battle the combined military forces of four countries.
This story unfolds with an explosiveness never seen before. It is the first novel ever written about the activities of the terrorist ravaging the Sahel Savannah region around the famous lake Chad and yet it is much, much more….

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Eze Eke Facebook Page

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Featured Interview With Paulette Harper

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
As a bestselling, award winning author, and coach, Paulette has authored six books, including her award winning book Completely Whole. She is a gifted inspirational speaker and workshop facilitator. She has appeared on Television and countless radio shows sharing her faith and her expertise to the listening audience. She has been a contributing writer for Real Life Magazine, Black Pearl Magazine and CBN. Paulette currently resides in Northern California

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
My writing journey started in 2007 with my first non-fiction book, That Was Then, This is Now which was published in 2008. I would have to confess, I’m a late bloomer when it comes to writing. I didn’t grow up with a passion or desire to write or to become an author. In fact, I didn’t have any author friends, who I could get words of wisdom from, or advice. But with a nudge from the Lord and plenty of experiences about life, I accepted the challenge and begin writing. Nine years later, I’ve written six books and I write in various genres including Christian nonfiction, fiction and a children books. My spiritual roots enables me to write books that inspire, encourage and strengthen readers, while the desire to write fiction has enabled me to write stories that entertain.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
As an inspirational and fiction writer, I write to inspire and empower readers. I write because I feel I have message to share with readers not only to entertain readers but to help them grow spiritually. I love to mix real life stories into my fiction. Although each story is unique, we experience some of the same feelings, situations and challenges in life in which the reader can identify.

My favorite genre to read is Christian fiction and nonfiction

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My work in progress is my first inspirational fiction romance novel, Secret Places Revealed. I love reading romance books and writing a story that brings two people together for the sake of finding love was something I thoroughly enjoyed. Aaron Blackman is not looking for love, in fact the only thing he has on his agenda is adding to his real estate development portfolio, while Simone Herron has her own internal battles with trust and abandonment. One decision on her part leads her to meet the eligible bachelor who is smitten by her, but has made a vow to himself not to get involved.
I’ve always wanted to write fiction and the idea behind Secret Places Revealed came from a desire to write my own love story.

Teaser:

A broken man, a woman on the run, a love that won’t be denied.

Single—and very content–real estate developer Aaron Blackman is determined not to be in another relationship. He’s experienced enough drama to last a lifetime. The only thing garnering his attention now is his growing business. And he plans to keep it that way. Then Simone Herron waltzes into his life, beautiful and confident. Fighting to keep his promise to himself—to remain single– he soon discovers that when it comes to love, some promises must be broken.

After losing her fiancé in an untimely death, Simone Herron relocates. She desperately needs to put the past behind her and start a new chapter in her life. While love is the farthest thing from her mind, she experiences an attraction to the handsome Aaron Blackman that frightens her. She’s built a wall around her heart, but can she find the strength and courage she needs to welcome love again? To do so, she must conquer her fears and allow God to put all of her broken pieces back to together.

It took me about 6 months to write Secret Places Revealed

Released date Sept 27, 2016

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Featured Interview With Jonathan Mitchell

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born in Florence, Alabama in 1973. I lived in Everett, Washington–just north of Seattle–for a brief period before drifting back to my hometown. Currently I’m living in Madison, Alabama. I’m an ex-musician and songwriter; now I write fiction. I’ve self-published one novel (e-book only) and am working on another.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
Books fascinated me even before I’d learned how to read. I would look at comic books and try to guess what was happening based on the facial expressions of the characters, which is fundamentally the same thing that any writer does when he or she sees two people gesticulating to each other at the opposite end of a restaurant: you go home and write a sketch or a story based on your impression of the scene. I was about seven years old when I made my first conscious attempt to write.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I’m a big fan of horror and vintage crime fiction, so that’s primarily what I read. My favorite authors are Peter Straub and Raymond Chandler, and my first novel is–I hope–a synthesis of those styles (with a pinch of Beckettian existentialism thrown in for good measure).

Tell us a little about your latest book?
It’s called “The Agent”, and it’s about a drifting loner in his late twenties who–through supernatural means–becomes aware of a series of unsolved murders which occurred 25 years earlier. Eventually, he is tasked with avenging those murders. There are ghosts and drugs and a smattering of bloody violence; there’s even a car chase. Ultimately, however, “The Agent” is about human nature and the things people are compelled to do when deprived of reasonable choices.

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