Top Selling Authors: Get To Know Them Better

Featured Interview With R.K. Gold

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born and raised in Buffalo, NY. After going to the University of Maryland for 4 years, and earning a bachelors degree in English, I moved to Montana. After a few months exploring the West, I began missing the hustle and bustle of the East Coast, so I worked at Barnes and Noble to earn some more money and moved home.

I currently live with a Plott Hound, who keeps me up most hours of the day in the most adorable ways.

Dog’s are perfect.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I began writing when I was in elementary school, but it was more talking about writing and then occasionally jotting down a story. It was not until February 2014 (the final semester of my senior year) did I realize it was all I wanted to do. I wrote my first book in March that year, though I still have not done anything with it; it’s my first book so I am always trying to add more to it.

Since then I have completed 8 manuscripts, signed with two small presses, and found a life in writing that I hope to continue expanding.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Though I do not write in his genre, the author I would like to base my career off of is Stephen King. His book On Writing has helped me develop who I am as an author, and his ability to produce is the standard I try to hold myself to. Other authors I enjoy are Orson Scott Card, Robert Reich, Kurt Vonnegut, Alan Moore, Ken Follett- I could go on for a while. I read about an hour to two hours a day.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
The book I most recently published is titled Just Under the Sky. It is a magical realism novella. Below is a synopsis my publisher wrote:

You are invited on a ride you’ll surely not forget. R.K. Gold brings us Just Under the Sky, a novella commenting on harsh political turmoil. Jasper and McMichaels work as journalists trying to cover up the looming food shortage happening in their village secluded in the mountains. One day, Jasper wakes up in the uncertain forest lingering by his home and from there has to find his way back through the ever changing landscape. Two friends trudge through this mystical place as they are forced to confront of the importance of their village.

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Featured Interview With Nicole Sorrell

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I currently live in a rural area of the mid-west. After living in various parts of the U.S. and traveling abroad, I recently moved into the very same home where I spent my first 18 years. I love travelling, especially to other countries, and I speak Spanish. I earned a Bachelor of Arts in Hispanic Literature, and a Bachelor of Science in Fashion Merchandising. Home decorating is one of my favorite things. Of course I love to read, and I’m a published poet. I like baking pies. Oh, and I like playing cornhole, and I spend way more time than I should playing computer games. My constant companion is a tiny Yorkshire terrier named Georgie Doodlebug. I call her GiGi.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I’ve wanted to be an author since I was fifteen. I could never think of a good plot for a book, though. I did write and publish poetry for many years.

One day I came up with the basic idea for “The Art of Going Home,” and the more I thought about it, the more it grew.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
My favorite book is Gabriel García Márquez’s “One Hundred Years of Solitude,” which received a Nobel Prize. I’m fascinated with its ingenious complexity and intertwining elements. The line between fantasy and reality is blurred. Solitude is psychological as much as geographical, and time is cyclical.

Some other favorites are “The Power of One” by Bryce Courtenay; “The Chocolate Rose” by Laura Florand; “The Theory of Invisibility” by Aimee Pitta; “The Legend of Juan Miguel” by Anna K. Sargent; “Bottomland” by Trey Holt; the Max Starr Series by Jasmine Haynes; “Brambleman” by Jonathan Grant.

I don’t have a favorite genre. I enjoy mystery, romance, fantasy, sci-fi, contemporary fiction, historical fiction and history. The voice, plot, and pace are what capture my attention, regardless of genre.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
“The Art of Going Home” is a romantic suspense with a touch of the paranormal. It tells the story of a young woman named Maddie and her personal journey of self-discovery.

Returning to her small home town, she rekindles the romance with the high school crush she hasn’t seen in ten years. Going back also evokes unpleasant memories of her childhood, and she is persuaded by her dead twin sister to find out who murdered her eighteen years ago. Both humorous and poignant, it is a touching reminder that ties of blood are not required to experience the true meaning of family.

I’m a slow writer. I have to let the idea germinate in my imagination quite a while before I feel it’s ready to commit to paper. It took about fifteen months to write this book, and another five months of working with an editor and proofreader. Hopefully, my writing process will become faster in the future.

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Featured Interview With David K Scholes

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born in Southampton, England and migrated to Australia with my parents at age 14. I’m married and live now in Canberra, Australia.

I have written seven collections of short stories and two novellas in the 7 years I have been writing speculative fiction. All of these are on Amazon.

I have been a regular contributor to the Antipodean SF, Beam Me Up Pod Cast, and Farther Stars Than These sites. I have also been published on Bewildering Stories, 365 Tomorrows, the WiFiles, and the former Golden Visions magazine.

I have written three sci-fi series: the 12 part “Alien Hunter” series for then Golden Visions Magazine in 2011/12, the “Trathh” series for the Beam Me Up Pod Cast site in 2012/13, and the “Human Hunter” series also for the Beam Me Up site in 2014/15.

Currently I’m working on a new science fiction collection of short stories as yet unnamed.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I became fascinated with books generally and science fiction in particular in my early teens. However I didn’t start writing until much later in life. Initially with Marvel Comics fan fiction and then with speculative fiction (science fiction, science Fantasy, and alternate history).

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Isaac Asimov, Arthur C Clarke, A E Van Vogt, Philip K Dick – are my favourite authors and the people who inspire ME. Science Fiction is my favourite genre

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book is a collection of science fiction and science fantasy short stories.

The book comprises a collection of 14 fast paced, action packed, science fiction and science fantasy short stories. .
In the lead story “Daughter of the High Lords”, Garthhe an enigmatic entity from an equally enigmatic race is enlisted by both the High Lords and the super power empire of the Brell to rescue, Raechelle, daughter of the High Lords, lost among the realities. As Garthhe and Raechelle encounter difficulties a Brell star ship adapted to travel among the alternate realities and with two High Lords aboard goes in search of them.

In “Task Force to Earth XXX” heli-carrier forces from an Earth dominated by Greater Britain are able to re-enter a parallel Earth for the first time in the 30 years since that alternate reality was subjected to alien invasion.

“Trathh – Return to Empire” continues and concludes the Trathh story arc beyond my last book and Paul Cole’s pod cast. The mighty Trathh returns to his part of the Universe to find the oppressive Empire in the midst of a life and death struggle against an even more malevolent enemy. He is accompanied, among others, by the Asgardian gods Heimdall and Baldur. Trathh must determine if either the Empire or its new enemy represent a threat to Earth. .

In “The Search for Humanity” the far flung human race disappears without explanation from the upper reaches of time. The search and ensuing struggle involves The All Place, The Multiverse’s only multi-dimensional black hole, the Infinity Platform, The Infinity Beach, Time’s End and that which lies beyond it, the Melvoranka Deep, the Ethereal Sea lying beyond the Multi-verse and other mysterious locations.

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Featured Interview With Charles A. Pomeroy

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born in Beloit Wisconsin on Nov．6, 1930, enlisted in the U.S. Navy at age 17, and became an aviation electronicsman. As an aircrewman with Patrol Squadron 6, he flew 79 missions out of Japan during the Korean War. A subsequent assignment in 1954 took me to Rome, Italy, where I served with the Naval Attaché and where acquaintance with Japanese diplomats led to my return to Japan as a student in 1957.
After graduating from Tokyo’s Sophia University in 1962, I freelanced as a translator, then became a correspondent in 1966 covering Japan’s healthcare sector until retirement in 2004. My retirement took me to a new home in Otsuchi on Japan’s Sanriku Coast, the town where my wife, Atsuko, was born and raised. There, I returned to an earlier ambition of creating woodblock prints, but that was ended by the tsunami of March 11, 2011. My latest book, “Tsunami Reflections,” provides insights on that disaster. Earlier I authored two books, “Traditional Crafts of Japan” and “Pharma Delegates,” in addition to a number of translated works.
My wife and I now live in a small apartment in Tokyo, where I am working on a book of anecdotes interspersed with haiku-like verse and keeping up with old friends at the Foreign Correspondents Club of Japan.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
Books opened up a new world for me from a young age and I first started writing short stories when in seventh grade. It was not until I graduated from Sophia University in 1962 that I started to get serious about writing. This largely followed my early efforts as a translator of books on such subjects as Japanese toys and woodblock prints. Indeed, my early interest in creating woodblock prints was inspired by this latter book, but I soon discovered that I was not destined to make a living as artist. “Traditional Crafts of Japan” was my first book as an author. As General Editor, I also organized five colleagues to put together “Foreign Correspondents in Japan,” a hisotry of the Foreign Correspondents Club of Japan, published in 1997. This was followed by “Pharma Delegates” and my latest book, “Tsunami Reflections–Otsuchi Revisited.”

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Of the famous authors of novels, travelogues, and history books popular during the 1940s and 1950s, many of which I read during my nine years in the U.S. Navy, my all-time favorie was James Michener. I was even able to meet and chat with Michener at the Foreign Correspondents Club in Tokyo when he visited Japan in the late 1960s. Non-fiction is my favorite genre, with history books in the lead followed by books on healthcare and the arts.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
This book details the fate of Otsuchi, my wife’s hometown where we had retired in 2004. It was one of the many port towns destroyed by Japan’s earthquake and tsunami of March, 2011, and I was inspired to write “Tsunami Reflections” during my first visit there six weeks after the tsunami. While scanning the bare foundations of what had been our home and the vast wasteland stretching beyond, I was struck by the absolute stillness of a now dead town, interrupted occasionally by the distant sound of backhoes moving debris. That eerie silence triggered an overwhelming desire to share with the world the story of Otsuchi and one family’s travails as presented in this book.
To orient the reader, I first position the town geographically and historically, then describe our retirement home, Japanese family relationships, festivals, and other aspects of pre-tsunami local life to provide a sense of place. The disaster itself is then elucidated, including the aftermath and relief operations, followed by a poignant recounting of the search for lost family members and a mass funeral ceremony for missing townspeople, the highest percentage suffered at 9.3 percent of the population. The book concludes with a description of humanitarian efforts and detailed plans for the town’s recovery, accompanied by my own views of future prospects. This memoir views that tragedy on a personal level and provides many photos and maps as visual references.
It was a book written over several years that included numerous visits to the area, as described therein.

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Featured Interview With Elaine Raco Chase

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
If you like sassy, laugh out loud, contemporary romances – some more explicit than others – you have found the right author!

Reviewers have called them: “cat & mouse” – “slow burn” – “hot and steamy” – “highly addicting” – “solid characters & lots of humor” – “amazing reads!”

I call them fun! My heroines are NOT: thin, petite, clueless or submissive. They are strong women who aren’t looking for a man – until the right one comes along!

And those men! Tough-guy, alpha males who don’t know what hit them! But do know they want MORE!

Whether you read my erotic romantic comedies (updated eBooks), my updated ‘steamy’ romantic eBooks, or my classic eBooks – remember there’s never an expiration date on Romance!

And now I’ve switched genres – explicit mystery-thrillers have hit! Dangerous Places just launched book one in the Roman Cantrell-Nikki Holden Mystery Series.

I grew up in upstate NY…moved around the country, now settled in Dulles, VA area. I’m a Schnauzer lover….smartest dogs in the world and a great editor! His ear’s are very yay/nay on a sentence!

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
My mother told me I started enjoying books at age 1 – going page by page thru the Sear’s catalogue! But I’ve always been a voracious reader jumping from Nancy Drew to Mickey Spillane when I was 12! I started writing in high school but worked in radio/TV/advertising after highschool.

I wrote for radio shows; did tag lines for TV shows; then moved onto writing commercials.

I’m a dialogue writer and lasted 4 days working on the pilot for a TV show you might know – Saturday Night Live…yup just 4 days…it was difficult being the only one not drinking or on drugs!

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I read a lot of my friends: Sandra Brown, Donna Fasano, Stacy Juba, Janelle Taylor, Patricia Green – I know eclectic!

I have no favorite genre…love them all.

I write ‘faction’ so I’m inspired by taking ‘headline’ topics, turning them into fiction – sometimes romance; sometimes thrillers.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Let me bring you into Dangerous Places! The first Roman Cantrell-Nikki Holden Mystery…coming in April will be Dark Corners; followed by Rough Edges then Dead Heat!

Dangerous Places is a ‘cut from the headlines’ explicit thriller set in the world of sports and satellite betting. But like Agatha Christie said – that’s seldom what a mystery is about.

She’s so right! Dangerous Places is all about the Seven Deadly Sins – that twist the characters’s lives.

Reviewers have called Nikki & Roman the Nick and Nora Charles for the 21st century! They meet in Dangerous Places….connect up in Dark Corners….but have their own – Rough Edges to deal with.

You’ll also meet other fascinating characters that inhabit the series – Alex Lazarus – Roman’s FBI and Army ranger buddy; Darnie – Nikki’s research asst; Matt & Rebecca Cortlund- Nikki’s boss; Rudy Borgianno – old friend of Nikki’s who’s opening a restaurant in South Beach.

One reviewer posted: Roman and Nikki are wonderful together – from early attraction that is bandied about like a game of hot potato, to their finally coming together to share stories and information, you can see the growth of the relationship and the balance that these two very alpha personalities come to find together.”

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Featured Interview With Raj Singh

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I did my schooling in my home town, Gaya. Later, I moved to Hyderabad and completed my graduation in Spanish language. Writing poems and blogs have always been important activities during my leisure time; in fact, it helped me a lot in my journey to become a writer. Currently, I’m working with Amazon India as a Spanish language resource. and live in Hyderabad, India.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I don’t really remember when I realized when I get fascinated with books. But, I still remember that when I was in my school and I was taught the story of Indian writers, especially, Prem Chand and Fanishwernath Renu, I kept on thinking about them. I think my curiosity about them and their writing helped me to embark my writing journey. As far as my writing is concerned, I wrote my first book when I was in my college, in 2012. And it was about Anna Hazare, the anti corruption crusader, and his movements.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I don’t have any longing about a particular genre to read. I read different types of book, be it romance, memoirs and psychological thrillers. But, I love to read Paulo Cuelo, Gabriel García Márquez, Salman Rushdi as well as Jumpa Lahiri’s works. They all and their writing style and topics have always motivated and inspired me. But, as I think I still have to cover a long journey in my writing career to have my works compared with theirs.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book “Breakup Before Love” is a romance fiction. Basically, it’s a story of Ritu and Anoop. Anoop loves Ritu but never dares to propose her and when he decides to propose her, he got to know that she loves Samuel, one of her classmates. But, soon Ritu breaks up with Samuel and come back to Anoop life, who still has hope that one day he will propose her about his love. But all of sudden, one day something happens which changes their life. They become complete strangers for each other. They completes their studies and left the university forever. After three years, Anoop accidently sees her in a market in Kolkata. But he is confused whether she will recognize him or not. But will Ritu come back into his life again? Will she forgive him? And, will their life start over again? To know all these, one must read this book.

I would like to add one more thing that Breakup Before Love is inspired from a real story of a student I met during my college days but most of the characters and incidents are fictional. So, to give this book a proper shape and make a realistic story that anybody can relate to his/her life, I had to work a lot – from developing the idea of characters to the flow of the story, till end.

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Featured Interview With Venancio Cadle Gomani Jr.

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I’m a 21 year old Speculative Fiction and Historical Fiction writer who loves to try tones of new things. I was born in a little city called Kitwe here in Zambia though I was mostly raised in different cities in Botswana. When I was around 5 years old my dad moved the rest of the family to Francistown in Botswana because he had just gotten a new job there. So from around the time I was 5 years old till the age of 14 years old we mostly lived there in Botswana moving from one city to another before finally moving back to Lusaka city here in Zambia where I currently live.
I’d love to travel a little more in the early months of 2016 and I’d really love to visit the city of Nanchang, China for a few weeks.
I really love being experimental and explorative with my stories and I personally believe my childhood travels are what influenced my writing style.
I’m currently studying for my bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and Engineering at DMI-St. Eugene University.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I started out writing when I was just around 12 years old and at that time I was in my seventh grade.
As a child I was always fascinated by Dr. Sues’ stories and even though I couldn’t really relate so much with stories such as Sherlock Holmes and other more adult reads enough to reciprocate appropriately, to a certain extent I attempted a few cracks at them. I did take a strong liking to novels such as Christopher Paolini’s Eragon, and C. S. Lewis’s The Chronicles of Narnia.
I do recall, however, falling in love with storytelling when we had just moved to Francistown for the first time back in 2000 and I hadn’t made so many friends yet. At that time I could barely write my own name but I loved sketching stories and those were my first attempts at storytelling.
Over the years I began writing picture books as my next attempt at storytelling. I explored so many more avenues of storytelling such as writing music, scripts and plays, making comic books, yet I always went back to writing novels and short stories simply because it gave me more liberty to really just describe in detail the worlds I would create and have my story written as persuasive as I possibly could.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I love Author Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes because Mystery is perhaps my favorite genre to read. I love books by Edgar Allan Poe such as the Raven and The Pit and the Pendulum.
And as for authors who inspire me so much, I side with J. R. R. Tolkien for his Lord of the Rings and perhaps George R. R. Martin for his A Song of Ice and Fire simply because I love how they create whole worlds. Personally I love to create worlds and systems too and create stories within those worlds that I would write about, such as my “Crest of Dreams” world.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My most recent book is Quantos Rising and it is the first in my Crest of Dreams series.
Crest of Dreams is the story of a world that has been split into four colonies after a Great War in which knowledge, civilizations, and time were lost from the world. After five hundred years of recreation civilization is split into four colonies: those that live on the ground call their colony ‘Damiroo‘; those who live in underwater cities call their colony ‘Retarctica‘; those who live in floating cities that hover above the clouds call their colony ‘Anotreshpore‘; and those who live in space cities following the same orbit as the moon around the earth call their colony ‘Centralis‘.
How I love to write books is that I would first create or recreate a whole world before building stories inside, and what takes the longest in my process is the quality of the detail in the world I create so it shouldn’t come as much a surprise to know that it takes me quite a while to fully have a story ready because of the heavy processes involved. I began working on the Crest of Dreams world in the last few months of 2012 and I’ve been working on the story ever since. And since the story is so exciting and detailed, I would love to tell the story of each of the four Domiciles.
Quantos Rising is simply the first and introductory short novel to the Damiroo Domicile and there will be three more short novels to tell the story of the other three Domiciles (T-16 to tell the short introductory story of Retarctica, The Superimposition to tell the short introductory story of Anotreshpore, and Sons of Time to tell the short introductory story of Centralis). After each of these short introductory stories will come full length novellas of each of the stories of the Domiciles.
The book is available on Amazon at: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01958A4VW and on Kobo Books at: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/quantos-rising.

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Featured Interview With Chelsea Flagg

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born and raised in Colorado, wandered all around the world “looking for myself,” as they say, and then ended up back in Boulder where I now live with my husband and three daughters, who are all awesome. I was obsessed with cats as a kid, but my husband has very specifically told me that there will be no cats in our house, so…no pets.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I’ve been writing as long as I can remember. It was around third grade when I became that nerd who started asking my teacher every week or so if I could read my new book to the class. Such brilliant stories as SHARKS IN THE TOILET and THE MYSTERY OF THE PUFFBALLS came out of those days.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Because of my enthrallment in my own funny memoir, I’ve spent the last year reading lots of funny memoirs for inspiration. Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Mindy Kaling…all great minds.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
I’D RATHER WEAR PAJAMAS is a funny memoir about stumbling my way through my 20s in order to find my own definition of “strong.” It’s a humorous, light-hearted book written in a blog-like style, so it’s a quick and easy read.

I wrote the story for my three young daughters to read as they grow into their 20s years from now, but it’s definitely been gaining popularity with people of all ages, and I’ve been getting some great feedback and reviews.

The whole writing to publishing process took me just over a year. Sounds quick, right? As a stay-at-home mom to three young girls, I knew I had to get it done quickly, otherwise it would never happen.

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Featured Interview With Christian F. Burton

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Born in Wisconsin, I’m old enough to remember when gas was less than $1 per gallon. When I was ten, yellow ribbons were tied around the elm trees outside my elementary school during the Iran hostage crisis, and scary pictures of the Ayatollah Khomeini were constantly on display during the evening news. Gas prices rose dramatically. It seemed clear who was at fault.

Although my parents are very conservative, conservation wasn’t a dirty word in our household. When gasoline prices spiked during the hostage crisis, my family made the switch to more fuel efficient cars. I don’t recall this being some kind of political statement on my parents part. It was just a change that needed to me made. We scoured the car lots looking at the MPG ratings of all the vehicles.

Perhaps, this is because they grew up during the Great Depression and World War II. They remembered victory gardens and scrap metal drives. Although my father was an attorney, we had a big garden, we went berry picking, we canned, and we raised chickens. We saved, reused, and conserved. My mother knows how to darn a sock.

My older brother and sister attended college at the Air Force Academy, and I eventually followed. I was at the Academy during Operation Desert Storm. It’s an odd feeling watching a war and wondering if you’ll soon be joining it. As it happened, the fighting was over well before I joined active duty. However, the Middle East was our primary Area of Responsibility at my first assignment.

I spent 90 days in Saudi Arabia in support of operation Provide Comfort II. I was stationed in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia prior to the Khobar Towers bombing, so I actually got to see a fair amount of the country. My time there was insignificant when compared to the number of deployments that our military forces have had to endure since in Afghanistan and due to the 2nd Iraq War.
In hindsight, I never really appreciated the danger that I may have been in. The fact that we’d often have to wake up the Saudi guard when entering the USMTM compound seemed more like an annoyance than something of vital importance. There were two abandoned vehicles located in the compound parking lot the entire time I worked there. Our living quarters were a forty-five minute drive away at Eskan Village. It was common to see civilian vehicles parked just outside the perimeter fence of the village. Notionally, they were just trying to intercept the television signals that were transmitted across the compound. American movies, some R-rated, were often played.

I don’t want to give away too many of my observations about the country because they’re in the novel. Nonetheless, the gap between the haves and the have-not was very stark. In general, I was much more leery of the religious police than I was of the average Saudi Arabian citizen. I even bought Christmas ornaments from a local vendor while I was there. Almost twenty years later, I still hang the ornaments on our tree every year.

After serving in the Air Force for six years, I moved to Colorado. Working as a project manager for a major cell phone company, I caught the tail end of the dot-com bubble. It was a good time to be working for a technology driven company. However, I was downsized a few years later when the bubble burst.

Initially, I wasn’t too concerned. My wife had a good job, and I was preparing to become a stay-at-home dad anyway. Unfortunately, my wife lost her job as well soon after returning from FMLA leave. We were both out of work when the September 11th attacks occurred. Unemployed, with a six month old baby, I remember feeling numb as I walked out to check mail during the anthrax scare. Needless to say, it wasn’t the best time to be looking for employment. Luckily, my wife found a full-time job in October of that year, and I found part-time work as a swim instructor.

It’s strange to think that our nation has been at war practically throughout my eldest daughter’s entire life. Although, if you asked her about it, she probably wouldn’t even know it. While I may be romanticizing the past, the United States fought World War II as a nation. It was a team effort relying on substantial contributions from both the military and civilian sectors. Whereas today, our government tries to insulate the public from war. While politicians often cry for the public to rally behind our troops, true civilian sacrifices are not required, and subsequently, the national debt stands at over $18 trillion dollars.

During my lifetime, the United States has supported the Shah of Iran, Afghan rebels, and Saddam Hussein, all to disastrous effect. Over and over again, we make dubious foreign policy decisions in the name of Middle East stability instead of preparing our nation for the inevitable instability. When Iran’s monarchy fell, the United Sates was caught unawares. Will we be any better prepared when the Saudi monarchy crumbles.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
As a new father and stay-at-home dad, I started writing 14 years ago. My father-in-law had self-published a series of books. If he could do it, I figured I could as well. However, as my oldest daughter grew and became more active, I became frustrated with the writing process and gave up. This cycle repeated itself 5 years later with my youngest daughter. When she entered preschool, I decided to give writing one more try. I purchased a laptop and began writing again. With the laptop, I worked on my book while sitting in the school carpool lane. I typed away while sitting in the bleachers at my daughters’ swim practices. In the fall of 2012, I was finally finished. I sent my manuscript in for a critique by a published author. It was over 200,000 words long. Aside from pointing out that my manuscript was way too long, the critique helped me focus the story on its strongest characters. After chopping, re-writing, chopping, re-writing, editing, re-writing, and editing, I finally had finished product.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
In many respects, my kids were my inspiration. As a parent, you obviously want your children to have safe and prosperous future. However, as I look at the state of our nation, I don’t feel that the members of my generation have been the best stewards. I don’t always feel that my daughters’ futures are necessarily going to be brighter or safer. Our national debt puts future generations at a disadvantage and limits our ability to effectively respond to crises both at home and abroad. While I’m not necessarily a big JFK fan, we are certainly not a nation that asks what we can do for our country.

Radical Islam is a key factor in fomenting violence throughout the world. However, our nation’s inability to reduce energy consumption, diversify our energy mix, and limit dependence on foreign sources, puts a sword in the terrorists hands. Regardless of whether we get our oil from Mexico, Canada, or here at home, unrest in the Middle East still has a huge affect on prices. Yet, instead of doing everything we can to insulate ourselves from Middle East strife, we coddle, cajole, and cozy up to dictators and oppressive monarchs in hopes of maintaining the status quo.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Two countries, different in almost every way, yet bound by the common thread of oil. What would happen if that thread broke? When the turbulent waters of the Arab Spring reach Saudi Arabia—the birthplace of Islam and home to fifteen of the 9/11 terrorists—the United States will need to balance conflicting ideological goals, and learn how to determine when old friends turn into new enemies. Energy Dependence Day weaves a tale through the political, social, and religious differences of the United States and Saudi Arabia, experienced through the lives of two men, both orphaned as children. One has lived his life in terrorist training camps while the other entered the military and then law enforcement. Each is loyal to the world in which he was saved, moving them on a collision course that will affect the future of the world.

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Christian F. Burton’s Website

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Featured Interview With Derek Vasconi

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born and raised in Sharon, Pennsylvania, which is basically a place you go to die and you do this by being bored to death there. So for anyone seeking assisted suicide, the city of Sharon will take care of ending your life for you one depressing day at a time.
I now live in LA, which means I’m going to die waiting for something… whether it’s waiting in traffic, waiting at CVS to buy cough drops, or waiting in a line for another line to go to the ER, but at least there’s celebrities here you see randomly every once in awhile. Meh.
I have a pet, Gachapin, who is a cat that hates everyone and everything. Even me if I leave her to go on vacation and come back after four days. She pretends like we aren’t friends or I don’t clean up her crap in her litterbox everyday and proceeds to swipe at me the second I walk in the door. I also have a beautiful baby daughter who is the love of my life and who I do all my writing for. Though I hope she doesn’t read what I’ve written anytime soon, being that I write horror stories.
Oh, I guess I should say I was in a kind of famous band for awhile? We were called FROM A SECOND STORY WINDOW and played grindcore/metalcore music. Good times.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
Since I could read my first words, books have been my absolute escape in this world. I started writing probably sometime in elementary school. Can’t remember when, exactly. I actually never wrote a huge story or any kind until six years ago. However, I’ve written countless essays, blog posts, and letters to friends that probably could qualify as novelettes. So in a sense, I’ve been writing my whole life.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Haruki Murakami is the best, simply put. I can’t get enough of his weird, insane take on the world we live in, and the worlds he creates for those who don’t want to live in this world and accept everything they see and hear. It’s the Japanese version of magical realism that Murakami is so best at, and it’s my favorite place to stay in while I’m reading any kind of book.
I think other authors worth mentioning are Natsuo Kirino, Ryu Murakami, of course, Stephen King, and I am also a huge, huge fan of Banana Yoshimoto. All these authors are so frickin’ famous I don’t need to really go on about why I like them…pick up any book by these guys and you’ll see for yourself their ability to effortlessly transport you into another world, another perspective, another life entirely. They are also all my inspiration for my writing, though I think I also inspire myself because when I find something that really excites me, I want to write about it, but using my own filter, which means it usually comes out horrific and distorted and just… not what you might think about initially. Like for example, I love Japanese idol music. So I have an idea right now for a book that will deal with idols, but the opening scene of the book will be the biggest Japanese idol getting stabbed to death and then her idol group all fighting over her position as the number one idol. And it only gets weirder and scarier and messier from there.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
KAI is my first book, but definitely not the first book I’ve been part of writing or publishing. I’ve done publishing for many other authors out in the world, as I had founded Sakura Publishing. We’ve been very successful in the past 8 years of our existence, having put out over 30 titles and several of them becoming best sellers. Anyway, not to digress, KAI is about a young girl in Hiroshima who wants to destroy the world because of something terrible that happens to her. At the same time, it’s also about an adopted Korean girl who has mysterious things happening to her while being a counselor living in Chicago. The connection between the Korean girl and the young girl from Hiroshima is at the center of the book’s plot, and the question I hope you’ll have when you’re done reading KAI is, what if your whole life was a careful, choreographed act?
Confused? Don’t be, just have an open-mind, and a penchant for the strange and scary. If you can do this, you’ll hopefully love KAI.

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Derek Vasconi’s Website

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Featured Interview With Ubong Ekpo

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was raised on the shores of West Africa and many childhood memories are from the “National Residency Museum”, a colonial building overlooking the Cross River in Old Calabar where the British governed colonial Nigeria from. I have been living in Europe for over 15 years now and am an author, speaker, consultant and learning consultant. My work with people spills into and drives my writing as one of my main life goals is to help others discover their own life goals.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I’ve always dreamt of writing and publishing books. From comics I created as a child to my first fiction novelettes created around nine years of age on my sister’s typewriter. Being on stage and inspiring people through writing has driven me continuously. My parents had a rich home library and a pile of gramophone records which sat opposite the library shelves in our study.
I think this created a powerful connection in my childhood mind of how knowledge and the beauty of music seemed tied.
On occasion, I do compose my own music and at points where ideas flow, it feels like a piece of music being arranged in my mind. It’s a wonderful experience.
When I conceived the idea of my first book, “The A.R.T of Motivation: Rediscovering Your Core Design”,I had been playing with ideas on how I could get to a global audience. I had led several training sessions on ecommerce in which I had simulated ordering a kindle from Amazon’s website.
When I was ready to find a publisher, I thought to myself: “Why don’t I publish on Amazon’s KDP?”
Throughout 2012, I researched the Amazon platform and publishing capabilities learning a lot from internet marketer Ryan Deiss. In September 2012, I began helping a friend get his book ready for Kindle and in October last year, my wife asked me point-blank:”Why don’t you start writing books?” Yeah I said, I should and I will. A few weeks later as I pondered in this direction, the idea for “The A.R.T of Motivation” sprang to my mind as I commuted and on getting to the office I began writing like crazy. Getting it on Amazon Kindle followed during Christmas holidays of 2012. It’s been on Amazon Kindle for about a month now and is helping a lot of people out there.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I read quite widely. From history and archeaology (thanks to my mother’s influence) to christian topics,business and personal development topics. I would say that my favorite genre is non-fiction.
John Maxwell, Mike Murdock, Seth Godin, Michael Hyatt, Jack Canfield have authored some of my favourite books.
The passion for living, how to live a good life and taking your unique message to the world breathes through their work.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book is called : “If I can Just Focus: 5 Keys to Sanity & Success”.
It was inspired while writing a blog post on the topic during a time when I felt overwhelmed by a lot of things going on. Discussions with friends and trainees from my courses also pointed to the same problem. A lot of people try to apply time management and efectiveness principles without having determined the course of their lives or at least an idea of what they really want. The truly focused life begins with life goals or long-term goals.
The second problem I address in the book is the question of how to connect daily activities with those life goals. Your focus is your life philosophy. Plain and simple.
In “In If I can Just Focus… 5 Keys to Success and Sanity”, I give practical how-tos on achieving a life of balance and success, drawing on up-to-date research and years of coaching experience helping others to find the vital link between their daily activities and their life goals.

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ubong ekpo’s Website

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Featured Interview With George Alexander

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born and brought up in India. I live and work in the Middle East. I dont have pets.

Am a writer, orator, human resource trainer and Pan-orthodox Christian activist. I was instrumental in founding Orthodoxy Cognate PAGE Society, an organization dedicated to pan-Orthodox Christian unity. I hold a Masters in Social Work from the University of Kerala and a Masters by Research in Social Sciences from the Mahatma Gandhi University. I have written several books and numerous articles. My areas of interests include human resources and community development, church management, Orthodox Christian journalism, contemporary orthodoxy, inter-orthodox dialogue and pan-orthodox studies.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I started reading during my school days. We had a small library in our school. I loved it. I wrote my first books at the age of 24. I still remain selective in my reading habits.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I have been influenced by several authors like Chinua Achebe, R K Narayanan, Ruskin Bond, Dr Phillip Jenkins, Fr Dr V C Samuel, Metropolitan Paulose Gregorious, Dan Brown, Professor Alexis Osipov. I also like Gerrard Williams and Simon Dunstan who jointly authored Grey Wolf. Jesus Wars, Malgudy days, The Da Vinci Code, The Crisis of Islam, Grey Wolf are some of the books I like. I love several books, but remain selective in my reading habits. I like non-fictions and some kind of fictions as well.

Am inspired by people, culture, dialogue, personal experience. I try to mix a bit of history, contemporary affairs, and personal thoughts in my work. You can see the same in my current work ‘The Orthodox Dilemma’. I have written this book as an Orthodox Christian faithful as well as an outsider.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
The Orthodox Dilemma consists of personal reflections on global Pan-Orthodox Christian Unity. The work focuses on the need for establishing sacramental communion between the Eastern, Oriental and other families of Orthodox Churches. The author calls to create a common conciliar platform for Orthodox Churches and to establish dialogues between Eastern, Oriental, Old Believes, Old Calendar, Non-canonical, Unrecognized and New Generation Orthodox Churches.The major aim of the work is to provide different and unique aspects of Pan-Orthodox Christian Unity.The book also sheds light on problems, challenges and scope of inter-orthodox dialogue. This may be the first book of its kind to call for the creation of a global platform for all Orthodox Christians.The book tries to provide unique aspects of Orthodox Christianity.The work is a combination of personal thoughts of the author, history, contemporary Orthodoxy, dialogue and Pan-Orthodox Christian approach.

This the first book in the history to call for an extensive Orthodox Christian Unity and global platform.

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Featured Interview With Kelly Proudfoot

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born and raised in Melbourne, Australia and have been living in the U.S. (Nashville, Tennessee) since 2008, with my soulmate (Robert) and two naughty black cats (Vali and Thor).

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
At a very early age! I read voraciously – especially Enid Blyton, Lucy M Boston, etc. I wrote poetry from an early age and have kept a journal since the age of twelve. (I still have my first diary – bittersweet and sometimes painful memories.)

I continued with both forms of writing and became excited when I learned how to write essays – which led to articles. I started my first novel at twenty years of age and considered myself a writer – which evolved into “author” after I self-published the first in my Storming Archives series – Delwyn of the Realms. The Storming Archives is a fantasy series that draws heavily from my experiences with astral projection, narcolepsy, dreams and my vivid imagination!

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I adore Angela Carter, Anais Nin, H.P. Lovecraft, Helen Garner (Monkey Grip was the first novel I became addicted to – in my teens. I re-read it many times). I’m an avid fan of the Beat Generation – especially Allen Ginsberg, Jack Kerouac and William Burroughs. I love reading surrealistic novels (On the Road by Jack Kerouac is one of my favorites), fantasy, horror, erotica, poetry and anything else which strikes my fancy at any given time.

I’m inspired by all the above, as well as music by artists such as Kate Bush, Tool, Concrete Blonde, Soulfly, Pink Floyd and many more. I’m heavily influenced and inspired by Vali Myers (Australian artist), Alex Grey, Mark Ryden – I could go on and on!

Tell us a little about your latest book?
“Totem Shift” is Book 3 in the Storming Archives. We’ve followed Delwyn through the mirror to the world of dreams in “Delwyn of the Realms” then traversed the hellish realm of Nidar in “Portal Stormer”. Delwyn and the Portal Stormers must now face their most difficult mission – to learn how to shapeshift into their totems in order to slip unnoticed into the realm of animal spirits – known as Erankorun.

The Founders are coming to destroy the Realms – including Aletheia (Earth). Delwyn must now lead the charge to Erankorun – through provinces where animal spirits have finally found a safe haven away from humans. Delwyn and the Portal Stormers must do their best to stay in Totem Shift. They need to make their way to the Ural of Erankorun – who must be convinced to join the Realms and create a united front.

Delwyn travels through a variety of bizarre worlds and forges a tighter bond with her fellow Stormers – who are a motley bunch of characters from all over the Universe. She meets a new man who possesses the same “mental afflictions” as herself. Could this be her destiny? Can she avert the destruction of Aletheia – not to mention the Realms? Will Delwyn and Ross need to be the new Adam and Eve?

A percentage of sales will go to various animal rights and protection groups.

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Kelly Proudfoot’s Website

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Featured Interview With Werner Stejskal

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Born in Vienna, Austria, I am now living in the paradise of Perth, Australia with my wife, two married children and three grandchildren. I worked many years in the printing industry and later for the United Nations in Vienna. After an eventful life, now retired, I began to write children’s stories, had them illustrated through Upwork.com and finally published the ebooks on most platforms. My dream is to see “Oliver and Jumpy” animated as a TV series. I have written 62 stories in 20 ebooks and 10 paperbacks.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I read as soon as I could with about seven years of age. I finished all books for my age within a year and never stopped reading. I have always written little stories, but only started in earnest three years ago after retiring.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Currently I love Nora Roberts. I read romances, crime stories, thrillers – most everything! Walt Disney inspired my series. I always loved the illustrations and decided to adopt this style for my series.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
There are lots of fairy tales and bedtime stories around and many of them quite violent. This made me decide to write something different. On a flight from Europe to Australia I watched the movie Magic on Belle Island with Morgan Freeman, where Freeman teaches a little girl to have imagination and write her first story. This inspired me as well and the first stories with the two characters Oliver, the elegant tomcat, and Jumpy, his kangaroo lady friend, made their appearance. Some very capable illustrators have helped to create this picture book series. It took three years to finalize the series to this stage.

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Werner Stejskal’s Website

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Featured Interview With Janie De Coster

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Janie De Coster has published several novels with Gstreet Publications, Frienemies, Love at Midnight in the Anthology A Man for Every Season. She has in the works a 3 part Sister Series beginning with What My Sister Didn’t Know which has been re released with Gstreet on March 19 2015. Part 2 was released on March 25 2015 and she is presently working on part 3. Janie has also spread her wings with her first paranormal Dark Side of Love published in December 2014.

Janie pens stories of real life drama. She wants to connect with her readers on a level they can relate to. And yes she has two cats Missy and Snowball.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I realized my fascination with books as a child maybe around the age of five. When other kids was outside playing I was seated in the middle of my bed surrounded by books. During my high school years I wrote short poems and essays. I wrote my first novel Man of My Dreams? in 2006.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I have several favorite authors but the one who stands out the most is Kimberla Lawson Roby. She inspires my writing. I love the way she portrays her characters making you feel as if they could be your next door neighbors. I strive to make my characters just as personal. My favorite genre to read is contemporary. However I read mystery and romance.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book What My Sister Didn’t Know 2 is a sequel to the first. In it I continue the story of two sisters Saphire and Gade Michaels who found themselves in love with a man they couldn’t resist, Joe Burrels. Saphire and Gade were both in commited relationships at the time which complicated things even more. Now after the love, lust, lies and betrayal has settled, the men comes forward to tell their side of the story. It took me about six months to write the sequel. I wanted to clear up any unanswered questions the readers had in book one.

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Janie De Coster’s Website

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Featured Interview With Stephen J Carter

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I’m a Canadian (from Toronto) living now in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Something about this northern city makes it a perfect place to write. I write SF and Horror because I ‘escape’ faster through those genres, though Historical fiction also appeals to me. I set my horror novels in Thailand probably because Thais have such a rich supernatural tradition. I’ll likely continue writing and publishing ebooks here until they physically drag me away. As for my work load, ironically I’m far busier now with the daily writing, revising, editing, and promoting than I was in the academic world years ago. Frankly, I wouldn’t have it any other way! I’ve written 2 SF titles, 2 Writing skills ebooks, and 1 Horror novella.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
At about age 7 I first binged on reading during a rainy week in a tourist camp. I couldn’t believe there were so many instantly available magic doors that could take me literally anywhere. It was like having my own personal wormhole.

For years I resisted the siren call of the ‘novel’, getting sidetracked with short film production, screenwriting, & teaching to pay the bills.

I didn’t start writing my first novel until age 54!

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I love escaping into books by such as Bernard Cornwell, Bobby Adair, Patrick O’Brian, Hugh Howey, L. T. Ryan. A few years ago it was writers like Bernard Cornwell, D. H. Lawrence, Henry Miller, Peter Hamilton. It seems to shift every 7 years or so. My recent favorite genres have been zombie Horror, hard SF, & Historical.

In horror fiction I’ve been inspired more by filmmakers than writers. In SF it’s been Asimov, Clarke, Hamilton, and Heinlein. My last non-fiction book, STORY CRISIS, STORY CLIMAX 2, in the Writing Skills category, was inspired by Robert McKee’s work on screenwriting. In that I try to help writers map out a 3-Act story arc for their novel, and get a handle on the problem / decision arc the hero faces. I’m always looking for ways to help the process of creating story worlds.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
The book I’m finishing up now is INFECTION DAY, a zombie horror novel set in Thailand, Malaysia, & Sumatra. I was struck by how AI & robotics inevitably will mimic human physiology & psychology. From there it seemed to me a zombie apocalypse would resemble a dystopian tech apocalypse. Both are an attack on what it means to be human, and I wanted to explore that overlap. It took about 6 months to finish. I’m excited about releasing this in three parts simultaneously, with Part 1 free.

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Stephen J Carter’s Website

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Featured Interview With Richard Ayre

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born in Northumberland and now live in Newcastle upon Tyne. I love the North East (apart from the weather!) I’m a biker and like nothing better than riding around the countryside in the sunshine. So that’s about 3 days a year then. I find it clears my head which is always good for writing. I teach History as a day job and I write in the evening and at weekends.

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. When I was younger I always had at least 3 books on the go. One in the sitting room, one in my bedroom and usually one in the bathroom too. The first book I ever finished was a story about a scooter called Popper. I can still remember the feeling of pride when I had read it and still remember the wonderful pictures in that book. I started writing myself when I was in my mid twenties.My first manuscript was a paranormal thriller entitled Point of Contact. I have recently revised this massively and I hope to get it published at some point. After that I wrote Minstrel’s Bargain, a story that combines my love of horror fiction and my appreciation of rock music. Minstrel’s Bargain was published by Bloodhound Books in 2015 and when I eventually held the finished product in my hand I knew that writing is what I want to do forever!

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
When I was young I was an avid fan of the ‘Adventure’ series of books by Willard Price. I think these were the first books I properly devoured. After these I moved on to books that my dad had lying around, mostly Alastair Maclean and Desmond Bagley thrillers. My Grandad used to read the ‘Edge’ westerns of George G Gillman as well and I gravitated to these, borrowing them after he had finished them. These are very violent books and probably where I got my love of bloody realism from! It was also at my Grandad’s where I picked up a copy of James Herbert’s ‘Lair’ and from that instant I was hooked on the horror genre. I moved on to other horror writers after reading all of Herbert’s back log such as Stephen King, Shaun Hutson etc, but have always read and enjoyed lots of different genres, especially historical fiction by the likes of Bernard Cornwall. I particularly enjoy the books of Derek Robinson. I have read ‘Piece of cake’ so many times that my copy of the book has disintegrated. I have to say though, out of all these writers it is James Herbert that has had the biggest impact on my own writing. For me, he was the master of horror.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Minstrel’s Bargain is set in late 1980’s Newcastle and is the story of a small time music reporter who comes across a new rock band, the eponymously titled Minstrel’s Bargain. The reporter, Phil Sturgess is blown away by this band, as is everyone else who listens to them. However, shortly after reporting on their first gig, strange and horrifying murders and suicides start to occur. It seems the music of Minstrel’s Bargain is affecting everyone who listens to it. Sturgess begins to realise that he has to do something to stop the leader of the band, an imposing figure named Kick Bizarre, before his demonic mission can be carried out. With time running short Sturgess, and his unlikely companion, an old tramp, must figure out how to stop the horror before the whole of humanity is destroyed. Minstrel’s Bargain is the first in a planned trilogy concerning Sturgess and the demon called Minstrel. I am working on the first sequel now.
The original manuscript took me about a year from start to finish, with various revisions along the way. But it never got published. I tried and tried but no one wanted it so I gave up and put it away in the loft. It was twenty years before I tried again and Bloodhound books took it on. I can’t thank them enough for taking a chance with me. It is such an amazing feeling holding the book in my hands that has been a part of me for my whole adult life.

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Richard Ayre’s Website

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Featured Interview With Tenisha Dyanne Younger

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Hi, wonderful world of readers. My name is Tenisha and I am a beautiful rainbow of words.I am truly in love with words and adventure. That is how I express my innermost self. I presently reside everywhere! I am an avid traveler. I was born in Jackson, Mississippi;but my main residence is Atlanta,GA. I do not own a pet;but if I were a pet I would be a dolphin. My original quote in the new book is as follows:I can not be a you, because I am a Me. I enjoy embracing my new purple hair and blue lipstick. I am filled with ambition and always up for embarking upon new things. In addition to writing and being an artist manager,I share a photography business. A picture conveys a thousand words at CarieoCrenshaw Photography. We capture visions of edgy portrayals. Life is what one makes of it. This interview is dedicated to my grandfathers, Sterling and Alfred. It is also dedicated to those who thirst for life. Climb the highest mountain and just breathe. I did and it was invigorating.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I acquired a fascination with books at an early age. My grandmother Ora Younger taught me the gift of reading and writing at 3. Books take me on a never-ending journey. Writing plays a pivotal role in my life. My grade school librarian Ms. Jones believed in my literary skills. I attended Pecan Park Elementary. All 7 of my siblings went to Pecan Park. My 7 C’s are Courtney, Corey, Camille, Caleb, Chantel, Candace and Carmen. My mother Daphne gave me the greatest gift siblings. I never desired to be an only child. Most of my time was spent at the library and being a scholar in the spelling bees. She instilled in me that I could pursue writing as a career. I wrote for the elementary paper and began to get poetry published worldwide. Books allow me to be my best character which is myself. I learned as a child that giving back is the greatest reward. What is very amusing is that Chantel and I just got locked up in a university library. The police laughed profusely. The doors were locked shut and we were upstairs with no way out. I warned you that I loved books. Lol!! I love a good party since I am a 5 Star Chic! I believed in a fantasy that actually came true. A good, glamorous function is once in a lifetime. In other words, I am not a #geek.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Some of my favorite writers are as follows:Jackie Collins, Danielle Steel, Alice Walker, Nora Roberts, Langston Hughes, Albert Einstein, Steve Harvey and numerous others. I don’t have a favorite genre. There are several people who inspire my writings. One in particular is my grandmother. She lived so many lives and I see through her mirror of experiences. Reading my new book and the people I mention will further explain who inspires my work. Most of the people are apart of my life and mean a great deal to me.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book is entitled, How To Be A Successful Woman In A Man’s World. I am an author and an artist manager. I am a wise, fun, unique individual. I see myself as a butterfly with wings. This book tells some stories as a female leader in the entertainment industry. It also honors women in certain career fields. It provides advice, guidance, humor, quotes, poetry, honesty and simply a little piece of everything. I re-wrote a second part recently. It listed more up close and personal experiences to give the readers more depth. It is very inspiring and motivational. It will make you laugh, cry, dream and hope. I have met a great deal of people throughout my life. It has rarely been a boring moment because most of them are interesting. This book is a must read and is life changing. It took a year and a half to finish this work of art. The chapters of my life remain unfinished. I spent my last 2 summers in Las Vegas. Those summers were exotic and very Hot! It discusses music tours and lots of eye openers. My book is a learning tool for the soul. It covers several subject matters, all of which are not PG. Lol! It is a timeless classic and will be released in 2016. My advice is to live life to the fullest because it is a priceless gift. Be fearless and take risks. Your destiny is left up to you. Have fun and make yourself happy. Pick up my book because it honors others as well. It is a must read of adventure, a little scandal and simply opening up the door of possibilities. All of the characters are real, this book is real. I have lived 9 lives and counting. Success requires determination and one must not ever give up. Music is apart of my life because it is a song. One of my major clients is Patrickguitarboy. He has created intricate pieces that will last a lifetime. Can’t is a word that cannot exist. I am molding a platform and legacy for my nieces and nephews to follow. These little angels are Sky, Corey, Caleb, Trace, Braden, Malachi and Micah who I simply adore. Children are our future and we must cherish them . Take a walk in my shoes and read. Make your fantasy a true reality. Life doesn’t have to be an open book; but keep your options open.

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Featured Interview With Christina Maharaj

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I am from Mississauga, Ontario. Been living here my whole life. I love to read (novels, manga, comic etc.), write, draw and play video games.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I originally started writing in the 10th grade. It was for a comic book. I kept writing, not really getting the artwork done. I’ve always loved to read. Drifted away from it a bit in high school, mostly reading manga, but still kept at it. Only started back with writing in recent couple of years. I plan to go back to my original comic/novel that I started with.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Recently, I think Cassandra Clare has been my favourite author. I love fantasy, action adventure books. I’ve had a fascination with magic every since I was really little, that hasn’t changed any.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
The Tarot Cards: Major Arcana, my most recent book, is about a high school girl named Clara. She gets thrown into a parallel world by a tarot card that appeared in her house. Her journey starts when she lands on Gaia, where she meets Alex, a magical, friendly talking tiger. He helps her as she traverses through the Kingdom of Burkart, solving puzzles and facing trials, in order to collect the tarot cards that have been draining the planet of it’s power. To get back home and save the planet, Clara has to collect all 22 major arcana tarot cards.

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Christina Maharaj Facebook Page

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Featured Interview With Margaret Millmore

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I grew up in Southern California and moved to San Francisco in the early 1990s and have lived here ever since, I love incorporating our great city in my writing, so you’ll find most of my books take place in the lovely City by the Bay. We have two obnoxiously adorable cats.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I can’t remember a time when I didn’t love reading. Books can take you to faraway lands, introduce you to incredible characters and drive your imagination on. I started seriously writing in 2011 and haven’t stopped since. I currently have 6 published works; (two novels, one 3 book series, and book one of a new series): Doppelganger Experiment (World Castle Publishing, September 2011; republished via Amazon Digital, January 2014), The Four Series – Book I, II and III (World Castle Publishing 2012/13, republished via Amazon Digital Services, Inc. October 2015), The Dragonfly Door (Amazon Digital Services, Inc. October 2013), and What Haunts Me (Ghost Killer – Book 1) (Amazon Digital Services, Inc., November 2014 and re-published with Creativia Publishing, December 2015).

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
For many years, my absolute favorite author was Stephen King, and although I still enjoy his work, I’ve been very fortunate to have been introduced the world of Indie Authors, I’ve discovered some great ones: Wayne Zurl, Tom Winton, Nick Russell, Jen Blood, Carolyn Arnold, and Wendy Cartmell, just to name a few. Although I write in the supernatural/paranormal genre, my preferred reading is more along the lines of mysteries, suspense, and police thrillers.

Every book I read inspires me in some way or another, but life in general is my greatest inspiration. I never know what small thing will spark a story or spur the next chapter in something I’m currently working on.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
What Haunts Me (Ghost Killer – Book 1)

The ghosts that wander among the living do not haunt in the traditional sense; instead, they plague the innocent with disease, deformity and addiction. And once a ghost finds its victim, it will haunt them for a lifetime… or kill them quickly.

After George gets ill, the dreams begin. Suppressed memories are triggered, allowing him to see ghosts, and a deeply buried instinct emerges. George finds out he can kill these monsters, and heal their victims. The ability to save lives is something George cannot ignore, but it soon becomes an obsession and begins to eat away at his sanity.

His quest for understanding leads him to new friends and allies, and exposes him to enemies he could have never imagined. In the end, can you really ever kill something that’s already dead?

I’m currently working on book 2 in this series and hope to have it out by mid-2016

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