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Top Selling Authors: Get To Know Them Better

This is a list of our featured author interviews. These authors take a few minutes out of their busy schedule to sit down and answer a few questions. Get to know what they are working on next and what types of books they like to read.

Featured Author Americus Dotter

Soul-Sale-from-AmazonFeatured Interview With Americus Dotter

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was raised in Boise, Idaho in a very loving and stable home life for the greater portion of my life. Pursuing an education took me to three different Idaho universities. Eventually I married and had a child, one of three now. I was so excited to be a mother and I could not imagine not being able to have a baby so I went into infertility as an egg donor for a number of years. I traveled a lot for this and eventually landed in the Portland, Oregon area because of a job that my husband was promoted to but currently I live in Idaho again. “Soul Sale” takes place during our time in the Portland area.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
The book began as a journal. I really did not know I was a writer. I have heard of writers disappearing into their work before…? I just did not expect it tom happen to me but “Soul Sale” was written as it happened. It is not a reflective story.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I enjoy a number of local authors whom I have come to know and appreciate. I have been inspired by the following books, “Babies by Design”, “To Heaven and Back”, and “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks”. Writing “Soul Sale” was a very lonely experience. I was experiencing something that no one else could see, hear, or feel. Plenty of people were telling me what was wrong with me but no one really understood until I released the book which I did not do for a couple of years after the events took place.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
This is what it looks like when the devil attacks. Americus Dotter, a human egg donor for Yale University, discovers that many of her embryos have gone to stem cell research. Unknown to her she has contributed to an industry that is at the center of our generation’s greatest moral and ethical debate. Her story begins when she purchases a vehicle off of Craigslist that was involved in a highway shooting of a local hero. When the case explodes into an FBI investigation Amy finds herself at the center of suspicion and a torturous battle for her soul ensues. Discover how it is that she keeps her soul intact and how she responds when she is called to the Court of Heaven and must testify as to her true intentions.

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Americus Dotter Facebook Page

 

Featured Author Melanie Jackson

UntitledFeatured Interview With Melanie Jackson

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I live in Littleton, NH with her husband wonderful Corey and my cat Salem. My job as a licensed nursing assistant is very rewarding and gives me the opportunity learn every day. At birth I was diagnosed with a rare medical condition called FFU (Femur, Fibula, Ulna Dyspepsia); and dyslexia. I was born second oldest of seven children, was raised Amish until my mother got up the courage to leave my abusive father. My wonderful mother raised us alone and continued to home-school us straight through high school. Having dyslexia meant that reading and writing were not easily subjects. But, my mother never gave up and cultivated in me a great imagination and love of literature. I have just finished and self-published my first book: Jaden’s Heart and I am currently working on the next installment in the series: Jaden’s Choice.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I think I was around twelve years old. I started off with small poems, short stories and school essays. It is a whole different world writing novels.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I don’t have a specific genre that I read. I just love a good story. Mark Twain, J.K. Rowling, Tamora Pierce, Jane Austen, Aaron Allston, Laura Ingalls Wilder, and Anne Rice only name a few. I have read every Star Wars book out there and every vampire book I could get my hands on. Anne Rice’s work is truly inspired.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Jaden’s Heart is a thrilling modern romance novel about. Jaden Hawk, a lonely, nine hundred year old Immortal, abandoned by her lover and creator. My story begins with Jaden hiding from her responsibilities in the crowded city of Los Angeles, where she meets Alexis, a homeless teen. However, as their love begins to blossom, Jaden’s old lover and creator returns and whispers of war threaten the Immortal world. Jaden’s Heart, came to me in a dream – No really – an actual dream. When I woke up, I started writing, and continued writing for a whole year and three months. The weird part is every night scene I have dreamt the same dream each a different part of the whole story. It never leaves me just like a shadow it fallows me everywhere.

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Melanie Jackson’s Website

Melanie Jackson Facebook Page

Melanie Jackson Twitter Account

Featured Author Stella Marie Alden

sueFeatured Interview With Stella Marie Alden

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Hi Everyone!

I’m Stella Marie Alden. Actually, that’s my pen name because there was already a romance author using my real name. How did I decide on a new name? I’m a descendant of John Alden who came over to the new world on the Mayflower as a cooper. My middle name is Marie. And when I was trying out first names on my my husband, he responded, “Stttteeeellllllaaaaaa…” in a Brando voice. Done and done.

I grew up in a small city in Vermont but now live about an hour outside of NYC. That was a bit of culture shock, at first, but now I’m pretty immune. I can remember rehearsing my lunch order, as a young woman working in Manhatten, hoping to get it out fast enough, like a Seinfeld soup Nazi episode.

My two girls are in their twenties and incredibly successful. One owns a bar, and the other gives tours in Italy. My editor husband and I live quietly in the burbs with our two adopted cats. He’s studying to get a degree in holistic nutrition. Needless to say, I eat very well.

I have a day job as a software architect, which I love, but do dream of the day when I earn enough as a writer to do it full time.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
My mom took us to the library as babies and read to us every night. Around twelve years old, I started working in the children’s room. The two hundred year old courthouse became my second home. I loved exploring the meeting hall with balcony upstairs and jail cells in the basement. I would often find a book, a corner, and hideout.

Although an avid reader, I didn’t start writing until a couple years ago. I guess I finally had all the right ingredients; time, a good heart, and the desire to tell my stories.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I must say, I love to read any well-written romance. As a kid, I read fairy tales. I crave that happily-ever-after like a crack addict. I love other books as well, but there’s nothing like that inner safety net of knowing what your’re reading will not make you cry at the end, unless with joy.

Who has inspired me most? I always answer with Shakespeare and Tolkien. Who weaves better tales?

Tell us a little about your latest book?
I get up every day at 5:30 AM and write until 8:00AM, pausing only to refill the coffee mug and feed the cats. The story’s dialog comes first, then I go back and fill in the rest, like a virtual coloring book. It takes me about three months to write a book. It takes my publisher another three months to edit it, create a cover, and get it to market.

My latest book is the second in a series but stands alone, as well. In it, my hero is a former Templer knight-turned-merchant with an endearing sense of humor. His wife, despite her efforts, is forced into marriage and seduced by his charm. They must travel together from London to Hadrian’s wall in the late thirteenth century. The road is full of perils and misadventures. During that time, they learn about each other, and fall madly in love.

You can read the blurb, here.: http://www.amazon.com/Marry-Your-Stella-Marie-Alden-ebook/dp/B017KPHKVO

Excerpt:
My lord, your castle awaits to the north and your relatives may be held captive. We must turn back.” The words were spoken by Harold-the-Younger who would be forgiven, just this once, for his impertinence.

“And my wife is missing. Thank you for stating the obvious. If you can’t be more helpful, I suggest your mouth be best used for taking in breath.”

Jacob pointed down the river. “There. What’s that?”

Thomas’ heart sank. A flat bottomed boat lay bobbing upside down against the bank of the river. A woman’s body lay beside it in a pool of blood. He swallowed hard and dug spurs into Demon’s side. His charger tossed his head, snorted, and veered, but Thomas gained control and raced toward the grisly scene.

A dog chewed at a headless mass of flesh and snarled. He kicked the animal away, squatted, and cursed. Pieces of Merry’s bloodied tunic twisted among the innards. He dropped to his knees and shouted with first raised into the air. “Be ye damned forever.” Part of the curse was for whoever had just killed her, the other for God, and lastly for himself.

Assessing the gore was the hardest thing he’d ever done. What was left of the flesh had the length and breadth of his wife. One arm was cleaved at the wrist. His soul refused to acknowledge the scene in front of his eyes and he refused to mourn. Not yet. He’d find the bastard who’d done this to her, cleave him in to small bits, and let the vultures feed.

A horse whinnied behind him and Jacob’s flat voice spoke, “The head is gone.”

“Let me be. I’ll bury her. Alone.” He gathered stones and placed them beside the body.

“It’s way too opportune that the poor woman’s head and hand are missing. I smell a ruse.”
The blackness that threatened to devour his soul wouldn’t let in one ray of hope. “Do as you will. I’ll bury what’s left of her.”

Thomas scoured the flood plain for a sign of her. Was it possible? Crows circled above, but other than that, the land lay bare. All signs and tracks around the body had been swept away. The coward was clever. About a mile beyond, a forest loomed. Perhaps the woman-slayer trembled there.

Having no shovel, but many a stone, Thomas moved the body parts to a central area and covered them. With none to watch, tears came unbidden as he placed the last round stone atop what was left of her body. He gasped for air, knowing not how to go on, but knowing he must for his little son.

“What say you, lass? You were right. Better that I should’ve stayed dead.”

Memories, detecting the flaw in his mail, attacked without mercy. Six years ago, he’d spied her across the room with the devil in her eyes. She’d smiled boldly at him and giggled with her friends. The first time they’d sat together at table, he’d fed her like a baby bird and cut her food. All in the great dining room watched, knowing that in the doing so he’d claimed her.

He recalled that fateful night, when they’d hand-fasted before God. She’d begged him to take her and he’d been too weak to resist completely. He’d promised to come back after trading in London and marry her. How was he to know that Marcus would send him abroad at the king’s request? His soul howled, never to be consoled again.

He sobbed, falling upon his knees, with his hands covering his face.Forgive me. He’d loved with her that night as much as he’d dared. So beautiful her lovely sighs, so bountiful her breasts. She’d opened her legs and accepted his hand until she’d come undone. Mayhap a holier man could have resisted her offerings, but oh no, not him. Nay. He took all but her virginity and remembered how sweet the agony to spew his seed between her legs.

He allowed one more moment of self-pity, planted the final rock upon her grave, and squeezed his eyes as they burned. He apologized for his blasphemy and prayed God to take his angel into heaven and allow him to meet her there anon. First, he would seek revenge and see to the welfare of his son.

His eyes popped open when the grasses rustled in front of him and the ground opened up. A muddy black demon arose with shiny eyes and yellow teeth. Grinning, it exited the hole with a most ordinary sword held high. Then there was naught, but darkness.

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Stella Marie Alden’s Website

Stella Marie Alden Twitter Account

Featured Author Jerold Last

JL-PhotoFeatured Interview With Jerold Last

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
We currently live in Northern California. I grew up in New York City, Pasadena, California, and Madison, Wisconsin. Pets: Yup. We live with a family of German shorthaired pointers, including Great Grandma Viñia, Grandma Jolie, Daughter Schóne, and Jolie’s puppy Kona.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I became an avid reader at age 10 or so, with Sherlock Holmes and The Hardy Boys.

I wrote my first short story in a college English class. My first novel was published in 2011.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
My favorites are mystery novels—James Lee Burke plus lots of new talents from Amazon’s e-book collection.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
The book is Hunter Down, available from Amazon Kindle.
A high-powered rifle shot rings out in California’s early morning stillness launching Roger and Suzanne into another suspenseful mystery thriller. For a change, someone shot a hunter rather than a bird. In a complex whodunit set against a backdrop of pointing dogs and canine hunt tests, private detective Roger Bowman has to solve a murder case with no clues, no suspects, and no apparent motive. There’s lots of action as the dogs hunt birds and the humans hunt for a cold-blooded killer. Can be read as a series entry or a standalone novel. Free from Kindle Unlimited.

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Jerold Last Twitter Account

Featured Author Paige Hill

DSC_3165Featured Interview With Paige Hill

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born and raised in Austin, TX but now call Oakland, CA home where I live with my two furry, cattledog children and my furry husband.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I started writing movie scripts in elementary school. I wrote a my first 200 page movie script (mostly Buffy the Vampire Slayer fan fiction) in 8th grade.
My fascination with books took time and development of attention span. I’ll admit that until the end of 9th grade, my mother and I took turns reading aloud my required English reading to one another, until I was hooked enough by the characters to finish reading on my own.
But come to think of it, I loved reading them slower and aloud with my mom. So many shared memories we have of amazing literature.
I only began writing novels in the summer of 2013. But I’m completely hooked!

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Jodi Picoult. I like anything with any suspense and strong characters. I’m inspired by anything dystopian. Wool. Hunger Games. Divergent.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Compliant is set in a near future with social issues that are very relevant today. It paints two very real worlds, the gritty world of Non-Compliants and those who have a few strikes against them in this harsh 3-strike criminal system juxtaposed with the clean, proper world that Abigail comes from, a world she was fortunate to be adopted into. When Abigail meets Daemon, there’s no more keeping her world clean and tidy… And that’s when Abigail’s journey begins to get interesting, when Abigail finally makes a decision for herself for once: to save this Non-Compliant woman’s life… Then she is thrust into the dark underground container society where she is dubbed “Compliant.” Suddenly, she’s on the outside of society for once.
Compliant dares to raise questions that need to be asked in this society and our own: Who gets to decides who’s life is worth saving and who’s is worth dying for? And what happens when these systems that are set up to correct society are abused and turned into away for the “haves” to ensure their health and welfare over the “have-nots”? And what if…? What if Abigail hadn’t been adopted into a wealthy family? Would she have already died of cancer as a child, her birth-parents unable to afford treatments? Or perhaps worse, would she be Non-Compliant like her birth mother?

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Paige Hill’s Website

Paige Hill Twitter Account

Featured Author Allyson R. Abbott

13140503Featured Interview With Allyson R. Abbott

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Although I have lived most my life in England, I am now a committed traveller. I recently married, Eric, a lovely man who I met 6 years ago, and he swept me of my feet. After a year or so of dating, I sold my house to fund our adventures. We have travelled many continents together and last year spent 10 months in a purposely bought motorhome, visiting 32 US states. We had a great time. We are now in South Africa, near Cape Town, until February, when we head to Spain.
I started writing, while in the States, as a means to help fund our way of life and to supplement our income. It was going to be a hobby, but now it has taken over our lives, and we spend many hours, writing, formatting, publishing and promoting. We are a great team in work and in life.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I have always been an avid reader, ever since Enid Blyton wrote The Secret Seven books. I think like most people I have often thought about writing a book, but waiting until now, when in my upper 50’s to take pen to paper. I write about people I can relate to, people of my own age.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Although, most of my books are romance or about relationships, I love reading thrillers, detective tales, mysteries or books that make me laugh. It is a funny combination really! One of my favourite authors is Lee Child and I have read most of the Jack Reacher series, although the film did nothing for me. But, my favourite author of all time is Charles Dickens, I just love his subtle humour and between-the-line messages. I would really like to be able to tell a tale like he did.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Slaving Over Christmas, which is available from the 8th Dec, is a little spicier than my normal books, but even mature people have sex! But the story (and the series that will follow) is about a couple, after 20years of marriage that find there love life in the cold rums, when Tom cannot fulfill his duty to his wife. Jill, is now at her sexual peak and is becoming a little put out. I read an article that stated men, when they get older, like the idea of being dominated and having a mistress. It triggered an idea and I intended to write a short, read in one sitting book, but ended up with a novella. Because I wanted it out for Christmas, I wrote the whole thing in a week. My keyboard is still steaming.
The story sees Tom and Jill swapping their small $5 Christmas gifts and finding that they have the best day ever, after discovering hidden secret fantasies.

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Allyson R. Abbott’s Website

Allyson R. Abbott Facebook Page

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Featured Author Joan L. Scibienski

Joan-reshoot-000006Featured Interview With Joan L. Scibienski

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I lived the first 23 years of my life in Indianapolis, Indiana. One autumn evening there was a tornado alert; three tornadoes descending on Indie from three different directions. That cinched it for me. No more snow, black ice or tornadoes, I was off to Phoenix, Arizona for the sunshine and heat. To quote my partner of 21 years, “You don’t need to shovel sunshine.” I remain here still with my soulmates: my significant other, Christopher, and puppy, Sammie. During a meditation I asked for my soul puppy to come into our family. Within a week I was contacted by a local shelter. He truly is our soul puppy as he is quirky, sweet, and very funny. He is a ball of grey and white fur with feet that point to either side rather than forward and expressive black button eyes. His favorite thing is to sit on his “daddy’s” head and lick his hair.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I’ve always loved books. I was a very lonely child and books provided me with an escape into new lives, new potentials, and strange, unique locales. I started writing in high school, continued into college where I was the feature editor of my college newspaper, and in adulthood I’ve written for trade newspapers and magazines. My three published books under “The Ariana Series,” are my first foray into fiction.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Kurt Vonnegut, Jr, has always inspired me. I love his work and enjoy his unique take on the world. I would have loved to meet him. Currently, my tastes run more toward YA as I find that genre to be the most inventive and imaginary. My favorite authors vary and are eclectic but my preference right now seems to be John Green, John Irving, Stephen King, Suzanne Collins, JK Rawlings, and George RR Martin if he’d ever finish his next book.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
In “The Ariana Series,” I have written three novels that center around a group of unusual college students. The main character, Ariana Abrams, had an extremely difficult childhood. Yet, for as long as she can remember, Ariana Abrams has felt the presence of loving spirits around her. Invisible to everyone else, she hears their thoughts and feels their love. They are her teachers, friends, and protectors who kept her alive during an abusive childhood. Deciding to put distance between herself and her violent family, Ariana moves to the desert of Arizona to attend college. Determined to heal the wounds of her childhood, she seeks help from a counselor at her new university. Taking her counselor’s advice, she joins a therapy group full of people her own age. There she discovers seven new friends who will give her the love and companionship she has never known.
This is no ordinary group of teenagers. Each one of them has unlocked psychic abilities that are at first frightening. With the support of each other and spiritual teachers in this realm and others, they learn the importance of their power and the need to share their knowledge with the world. Their powers force them to truly see the world’s problems: fear, judgment, hate, violence. Their spiritual skills emanate from a source of absolute love. Yet powerful negative forces threaten to stop them. Their survival depends on developing their inner power and teaching others to do the same. In fact, the survival of the world may depend on it…

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Joan L. Scibienski’s Website

Joan L. Scibienski Facebook Page

Joan L. Scibienski Twitter Account

Featured Author Anthony Avina

2015-10-06-22.06.54Featured Interview With Anthony Avina

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
My name is Anthony Avina, and I am an author. I was born and raised in Southern California. I lived here in So Cal for thirteen years, but then moved to North Carolina for eight years before finally moving back here. I now live just a couple hours away from Los Angeles, CA. I have a Yorkshire Terrier named Sammy and a Golden Retriever named Clark. I work as a journalist and reviewer for the online publication On Request Magazine, and I also work as an internet personality on the YouTube channel, Avina Vlogs. When I’m not working on those projects, I am working on my next great writing project.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I really got into writing when I was twelve, but didn’t start considering it as a career until I was fifteen years old. I have been an avid reader since I was a young child, and I wrote my first poem when I was twelve years old.

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 over and over again are Stephen King and Dean Koontz. I’ve been reading Mr. King’s works since I was a teenager, while Mr. Koontz has been a favorite of mine for the last five-six years or so. I love horror, science-fiction and mystery/thriller types of stories the most. I’ve always been fascinated with Stephen King’s style of writing. The voice he speaks in through his words, the imagery he uses and the focus on telling these fantastic stories with really grounded, easy-to-imagine characters is something I’ve always been interested in putting to use in my own work.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book is actually a contemporary romance/drama called VOID. It’s a novella that takes place in modern day Los Angeles, and focuses on a group of six friends who are each going through some sort of hardship or struggle that mirrors a lot of issues facing our society and the younger generations, (i.e. the 20-something age group). Together, they must overcome their struggles to find happiness, friendship, love and hope once more. The issues they face include abuse, sexuality, loss, marriage and more.

I think people who are struggling in their lives and want to escape into a world where similar issues are able to be overcome might be interested in this work. It’s a very realistic story, and yet tells a story that is not often heard. It’s a message of struggle and of hope at the same time. It’s about traversing the VOID in our lives to overcome trouble and find the light once more.

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Anthony Avina’s Website

Anthony Avina Facebook Page

Anthony Avina Twitter Account

Featured Author Susan Elizabeth Girard

susie-wong-christmas-2010-001Featured Interview With Susan Elizabeth Girard

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was raised in a little fishing village on the Sunshine Coast in the Pacific Northwest and I still live there today with my little rescue doggie ‘Becca Marie’ aka Holly in the book. You will fall in love with the Temperate Rainforest.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I have loved books and reading all of my life and started writing poetry and song lyrics when I was seven years old. I then ventured into short stories and plays when I got older and now my first spiritual fiction novel.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I love all the old Classics that have stood the test of time like Little Women, Gone With the Wind, To Kill a Mockingbird, Shakespeare, Hemingway, to the Bhagavad Gita, the Bible, the Qu’ran, the Talmud, the Torah, Mark Twain, Robert Louie Stevenson, right up to JRR Tolkien and JK Rowling. I love spiritual, fiction, sci-fi, mystery, intrique, World travel, nature, you name it.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
The book is a fiction novel based in the Temperate Rainforest in the Pacific Northwest and follows a young woman, Savannah’ as she soul searches for answers through meditation and visualization. Journey with her to a remarkable place where through ‘soul flying’ or astral travel she finds herself in the forest where she meets a Wise Old Sage, Ratiffa, and many other very interesting characters. You will not be the same person after reading this book. You will find peace, love, enlightenment and a lot of knowledge about the World we live in today and how you can contribute on a global level.

IN THE LIGHT OF THE FULL COLD MOON

Discover a whole new Reality where healing love and energy rule the day. Learn how to live and contribute on a global scale in today’s Society, as a participating member of the human race, finding your special uniqueness to give back along the way.

Unearth the source of your longings in a World of hope, of peace, of love and enlightenment as you spend time with some of the most amazing characters. You will meet Ascended Masters, Sages, Goddesses and Spirits from the Heavenly Realm who will give you messages to sustain you and help you in your own Soul search, Earth walk and evolutionary pilgrimage.

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Susan Elizabeth Girard’s Website

Susan Elizabeth Girard Facebook Page

Susan Elizabeth Girard Twitter Account

Featured Author Niquenya D. Fulbright

niquenya_nobackgroundFeatured Interview With Niquenya D. Fulbright

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I am a small business consultant, executive coach, corporate trainer, motivational speaker, ordained minister, and author from Chicago, Illinois. I wear many hats such as wife, mother, grandmother, foodie, and chocoholic. Due to her extreme love of language, I write across several different genres including business, self-help, poetry, paranormal, science-fiction, and erotica. My works draw from aspects of my own topsy-turvy life as well as experiences shared with my by friends, family, and clients. I am also a talented watercolorist and self-proclaimed gourmet chef. When I am not writing nor working on my next project, I can be found busy in my kitchen whipping up a new culinary creation.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I was a gifted child and learned how to read just after turning two years old. I literally absorbed every book I could get my hands on, no matter how mature the content. My elementary school also contributed to my love of language by introducing me to Latin, Spanish, French, and American Sign Language very early on in addition to our class requirement to learn twenty new vocabulary words every week.

I have been writing since I was about five years old. I started with a diary in which I journaled the most fantastic stories. I then moved on to poetry and eventually short stories during my early teens. In college, I began writing nonfiction works about business, entrepreneurship, and personal development.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Zane, Terry McMillan, Dean Koontz, Stephen King, and Stephen Covey. Favorite genres are self-help and erotica. My writing is not inspired by a who but rather a what. All of my writing stems from crazy dreams I have had.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book is called Madame Broussard’s Incredibly Disturbing House of Whores: A Sick and Twisted Adult Short. This is not a book for people who are offended easily. It is an extreme hardcore adult erotica title that pushes the edges of morality and perversion. The content would offend most adults actually because it includes the most brutal of BDSM and dark edge sex play including zoophilia. The description is as follows:

Leoanny is a young woman on a mission – to stretch her sexual deviancy as far outside morality as she possibly can. Her older, more experienced boss is more than willing to help her achieve the goal. On Leoanny’s birthday, he surprises her with an invite to a swinger’s club party in a haunted house on Halloween night. Together they undergo an erotic adventure filled with sex, power, and mystery.

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Niquenya D. Fulbright’s Website

Niquenya D. Fulbright Facebook Page

Niquenya D. Fulbright Twitter Account

Featured Author Sheridan Jeane

Edmondson_2829RP-4x6-300-dpi-not-flattenedFeatured Interview With Sheridan Jeane

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I grew up just outside Dayton, Ohio in an unusual household. My dad was a nuclear engineer and my mom was an artist. Quite a pair! I thought everyone converted their garage into an art studio and had a potter’s wheel and clay at their disposal! I also never thought it was unusual when I climbed on the roof of our NEW garage at the age of seven and hammered shingles into place. In our family, if you wanted to do something, you simply DID it. I never realized what a special family I had until I met people fettered by limitations they placed on themselves. I was a lucky girl!
I now live outside Pittsburgh. I have two sons plus a step-son and a step-daughter, and they mean the world to me. Pets have always been a part of my family. We’ve had gerbils, guinea pigs, … even tree frogs! But now we have three cats and a dog.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I’ve been fascinated by books since I was very young. Money might have been tight when I was a child, but there was always enough for books. I was surrounded by them. During recess, a teacher would regularly kick me out of my quiet space and force me to go play when all I really wanted to do was curl up with a book! When I studied computer science in college, I also minored in English. I always wanted to be a writer, but I wasn’t able to see a clear path to success. After a couple of bad attempts at writing a novel, I set aside that goal and focused on being a computer programmer. After leaving work to raise my sons, I finally returned to my first love… books! I’ve been writing with the goal of publishing since 2009, and I just released my fourth book!

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I’m all over the place with genres. I want a happier ending, but a hopeful ending is good too. I’ll read romance, science fiction, fantasy, YA, mystery, suspense, superheroes… I’ll run the gamut! My favorite authors are all over the place as well. I love Neil Gaiman, Madeline Hunter, Marissa Meyer, Nora Roberts, Patrick Rothfus, Jodi Picoult, Maria V Snyder, Karen Marie Moning, and many, many more!

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My newest book is the third in my Secrets and Seduction series. It’s called Once Upon a Spy. I’m very happy with how it turned out, but I have to admit, this book gave me conniptions! (Yes, an old word, but I DO write historical romances, so I get to use old words!) It has a complex plot, and I had a hard time making the ending come together in a satisfying way. I’m really happy with the way it turned out, but it took much longer to write than I anticipated… by about three months!

Once Upon a Spy begins when Robert, Earl of Wentworth, is obliged to assist his injured brother in stealing a book from the Russian Embassy! Everything goes wrong when a beautiful young women seduces him and steals the out from under him before he even has a chance to escape with it. Worse yet, that book is the key to stopping an impending war between England and Russia!

But Antonia, the thief, needs that book as well. Without it, she and her sisters can’t recover their inheritance.

Who will win in this dangerous game of nations, especially when love is at stake?

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Featured Author Adrienne Thompson

me-shortcutFeatured Interview With Adrienne Thompson

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born in Cleveland, Ohio, raised in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, and now reside in Conway, Arkansas where I am a brand new empty nester since my youngest child went off to college this year. I am the mother to three young adults, grandmother to two precious children. I am an art enthusiast, a foodie, a music fanatic, and a huge Michael Jackson fan. Oh, and I’m a former Registered Nurse turned full time author/independent publisher.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I fell in love with books from the time my mother began reading those Little Golden Books to me when I was just a tot. From there I moved on to Dr. Seuss, Beverly Cleary, Judy Blume, and Francine Pascal to name a few. By the time I was 18, I had amassed a collection of more than 300 paperback Sweet Dreams and Sweet Valley High series books.

I began writing in the fourth grade with a failed attempt at writing a novel. I wrote poetry throughout my life, but did not approach writing fiction seriously until 2009 after a time of introspection and the epiphany that my nursing job was not my true calling. I’m so glad I discovered the gift of writing fiction. It has been life-changing for me.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
My favorite authors are James Patterson, Terry McMillan, Nakia Laushaul, Bernice L. McFadden, and Barbara Joe Williams to name a few

My favorite genres are realistic inspirational fiction, suspense/thrillers, Harlem Renaissance fiction and poetry, and dystopian fiction. But I can read most anything that holds my attention.

Life inspires me to write and I also have a heart for broken people, especially broken women, and I strive to write things that can bring them hope and help foster healing.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book is a novella prequel to my novel, Ain’t Nobody, entitled Sedução (Seduction). Here’s the blurb:

A sexy Brazilian man. An insatiable older woman. An indecent proposal…
Young, handsome, and aptly able-bodied Victor Castro is every woman’s fantasy. When propositioned by the insatiable Myra Jennings, will he take the bait, step onto a new path, and escape his life of poverty?

I wrote this novella for the wonderful fans of Ain’t Nobody who fell in love with Victor Castro. I wanted to give them a bit of his backstory.

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Adrienne Thompson’s Website

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Featured Author Angela Shori

unnamedFeatured Interview With Angela Shori

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I grew up in a tiny town in Southeast Texas outside of Beaumont and lived there through college when I moved to Austin. I’ve since bounced around from Austin to Dallas and back. I now live in Austin with my husband and two daughters and our ancient cat. She’s 18 years old and still going strong.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I’ve always loved to read. I can remember sneaking off into my grandmother’s room on family visits and poring through her bookshelves. I would save up my money and buy books instead of toys. When I moved out, my sister and I had accumulated hundreds of books that we had to split between us.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I love to read chick-lit. It’s so light and easy, but I also love the classics. My all-time favorite book is The Three Musketeers. It’s the perfect example of the Romantic movement in literature (not to be confused with Romance!) I’ve read my share of those too, and while the guaranteed happy ending has something to be said for it, I’ve moved away from that genre in both reading and writing as I’ve gotten older. My favorite authors are Sophie Kinsella, Helen Fielding, Marian Keyes, Jennifer Weiner, Jane Greene, Emily Griffin, and an Indie author I recently discovered, Lindy Dale.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest release is a holiday short story titled “The Cabin: A Christmas Short Story” and it’s available exclusively on Amazon. It follows two characters, Tressa and Chris who were struck by tragedy years ago and find themselves stranded in a mountain cabin, forced to confront their feelings for each other and find forgiveness in themselves and each other. It’s a pretty short read, but one that is filled with the magic of the holiday season. It was first released several years ago as part of an anthology, and I decided to make it available this holiday season in honor of my grandmother who recently passed away.

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Angela Shori’s Website

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Featured Author A.C. Efverman

A.C.-Efverman-headshotFeatured Interview With A.C. Efverman

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I am a Swedish crime fiction author: I was born and raised in Stockholm, Sweden – where I lived for most parts of my life. I am a graduate of Stockholm School of Arts; I am also an artist and I paint with oils and acrylics. I started travelling when I was seventeen: I worked in south France in a winery first, and a few years after that I worked in bars and restaurants in Cyprus, Spain and Israel. A few years later I worked in Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore on a boat as a chef. I travelled for many years by myself and lived in many different countries until I finally settled in Australia where I live now.
I write crime fiction novels set in my adopted home town Sydney and my books are available world-wide in both English and Swedish.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I have always written; I started writing short stories and poetry when I was about seven. And I started reading real life murder stories in my grandmother’s lifestyle magazines (!) when I was about seven years old too. And then I read books by Agatha Christie at about the same age. When I was fifteen I travelled to England to study the English language, and I stayed in Torquay where Agatha Christe was born and lived.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I mostly read crime fiction and my favourite authors in this genre are Ake Edwardsson, Henning Mankell, Mo Hayder and Patricia Cornwell. I sometimes read chick lit humour novels when I’m in the mood.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest novel ‘GAME’ is my first novel written in English, and it’s the first in a series. It took me years to write and perfect this book, as it has many layers. I summoned up all my experiences and visions of Sydney in this story.

GAME is set in my home town Sydney, and it’s a dark mystery/suspense/police-procedural thriller. The story takes place just before Sydney is about to host the soccer World Cup, and it follows the main character DS Morgan Callaghan closely as he is assigned to investigate the murders of three dead women who have been found in central parts of the city.
Morgan’s mother is dying and his family is less than understanding of the pressure that Morgan has been put under by his superiors and the FIFA committee.
The hunt for a serial killer leads Morgan into a darkness he has never experienced before – and in this darkness he will lose more than he ever thought was possible…
– GAME has received great reviews by readers. And the Swedish edition of this novel was recently listed as #1 Best Seller in Swedish Language Fiction on Amazon.com

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A.C. Efverman’s Website

 

Featured Author T. K. Jones

AlaskaFeatured Interview With T. K. Jones

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I am currently a professional archaeologist living in Yuma, Arizona, but I was born in Whittier, California and lived most of my young life along the Snake River in Southern Idaho. In my twenties, I moved to Las Vegas, Nevada and worked on the Las Vegas Strip in an Italian clothing shop selling fur coats and accessories to celebrities like Johnny Depp, Celine Dion, James Brown, and B. B. King. While working in that shop, I caught the travel bug and visited Central America extensively. It was during these trips that I fell in love with archaeology and decided to go back to school and get my degree. I’ve been digging up cool stuff since then.

I now live in Yuma with my wife of nearly 15 years and my kids. They keep me busy.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I came to writing in my thirties, but my fascination with books began in high school when I started to read the short stories of Hemingway and de Maupassant. The turn towards writing really began when my brother signed me up for a Yahoo account and used the author Wilkie Collins as a username. I bought in to the name and fancied myself a writer.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
As I’ve aged, I’ve been drawn to the great mystery writers. My first real loves were Wilkie Collins, Arthur Conan Doyle and Charles Dickens, but then I found Robert Ludlum, Stephen Hunter, and Lee Child and liked the action. I am still a big mystery reader, but I also like nonfiction that focuses on survival. I recently read Skeletons on the Zahara by Dean King and found it to be totally engaging.

While I love the books of the authors I mentioned above, the inspiration for my books comes from my experiences as an archaeologist all over the West. I have met so many interesting, quirky, delightful people in my wanderings, and I find that they are the best inspiration.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book, Down the Mine Shaft: A Quartzsite Mystery, follows Officer Jim (Mac) MacDonald, a small-time cop in a dusty Arizona town called Quartzsite, as he discovers a faceless body in the bottom of a mine shaft just outside of the town. Without any clues, Mac turns to the quirky townspeople of Quartzsite to help him. In particular, he singles out a crusty old miner named Clifton Orb who doesn’t exactly like the idea of wearing any pants. Together, they set out to solve the crime and stay out of harm’s way.

The feedback I’ve received on the book has focused on Clifton. Apparently people like old men with no clothes. I knew that Clifton would be a fun character, but I had no idea he would be so beloved by the readers. When I started to write this book about five years ago, Clifton was the only character that I knew just had to be in the book. I’m so glad I made that decision early on.

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Featured Author Lauren Suval

100_3981Featured Interview With Lauren Suval

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I’m a twenty-something writer living in Long Island, NY (though my roots and childhood are in Brooklyn, a place that will always be a part of me).

After I graduated from Hofstra University with a degree in print journalism, I began freelancing for Psych Central, an online psychology publication. Recently, I have been writing short fictional and creative nonfictional narratives. (Fiction is definitely a medium I’d love to explore more.)

I truly value family and relationships (relationships are definitely a theme that seeps into my writing). I’m an avid tea drinker, listener of Springsteen, and lover of all things French.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I became immersed in the world of books at a young age, particularly with fiction. I have memories of going to the library during my summer breaks and taking out STACKS of novels to read — I went through a phase where I gobbled up Sarah Dessin’s books — such great ‘coming of age’ reads for those teenage years.

I started writing when I was seven — that’s when I had my first journal — such a cathartic outlet. It’s always been an interest I wanted to cultivate more and more.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
In terms of favorite authors, I probably gravitate towards the ‘women’s fiction’ genre. I love to read Elin
Hilderbrand (and virtually travel to Nantucket), Emily Giffin, Allison Winn Scotch, and Cathi Hanuer.

I’m also inspired by Internet writers who boldly wear their hearts on their sleeve and write incredibly raw and thought provoking narratives. (Violet Young, Chloe Caldwell, Stephanie Georgopulos)

Tell us a little about your latest book?
“Coping With Life’s Clutter” is an ebook that features a compilation of previously published articles that deal with the stresses of life — research and personal insight included.

In a way, this book served as a sense of ‘closure,’ since it’s writing I’ve been working on for the past few years; I was happy to have it all under one theme, so to speak.

Many of my ideas are rooted in personal truth; it’s me simply trying to sift through my own experiences in order to make sense of the world. I sincerely hope that this short guide can inspire that in you, too.

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Featured Author Dave Riese

DaveRieseFeatured Interview With Dave Riese

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Born in 1946, I grew up in Arlington, Massachusetts. I attended Bates College in Lewiston, Maine, majoring in English literature. During my junior year, I studied English Literature at Oxford University and travelled in Europe.

After graduating in 1968, I enlisted in the Air Force one step ahead of my draft board’s invitation to join the army and travel to Vietnam. I married Susan, my high school girlfriend, during leave between tech school and my posting to the Philippines at Clark Air Base.

Discharged from the military in 1972, I was hired by Liberty Mutual Insurance to attend their three-month computer training course. I learned later that the major reason I was hired was my writing and communications background. An English degree can be a valuable asset!

After 35 years in information technology, I retired from Massachusetts Financial Services in the spring of 2012.

My wife and I moved north of Boston in 1974. Our daughter lives in Ireland with her husband. Our son and his wife are pediatricians working in Rhode Island. We have four grandchildren.

Echo from Mount Royal is my first novel.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I’ve loved books for as long as I can remember. Since I was 7 or 8, I’ve dreamed of writing a book. I began writing at Bates College in Maine. While studying abroad at Oxford University in England during my junior year, I travelled throughout Europe during term breaks. For my B.A. thesis, I wrote stories, essays and poems based on my travel journals.

Like many young writers, I was ‘bitten’ by the poetry bug in my twenties. I was cured, mercifully, within two years. Three poems were good enough to escape the shredder.

In my mid-twenties, I began writing short stories. An early story, submitted to the University of Massachusetts literary magazine, was not accepted, but the editor wrote a personal note praising the story and encouraging me to continue writing. I have always treasured that ‘rejection.’

While studying for my MBA at Suffolk University in Boston, I entered stories in the university’s annual short story contests and won a couple of cash prizes. I knew I had to keep my day job. In my thirties, I began writing a novel off-and-on over several years. I finally finished the 400-page novel. It hides in a cardboard box under my desk.

When I decided to retire in 2012, I sat myself down for a serious talk. “You’ve always thought of yourself as a writer,” I told myself, “but you spend more time thinking about publishing a book than you do sitting down and doing the hard work to write one. Don’t die before giving your dream a real chance.”

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
My favorite Irish and English authors are Sebastian Barry, William Trevor, Colm Toibin, Frank O’Connor, Jaime O’Neill, Edna O’Brien, Jane Gardam, Brian Moore, Peter Ackroyd, John LeCarre, Patrick McGrath, Ian McEwan, Magnus Mills, John Mortimer, Roddy Doyle, Virginia Woolf, Michael Frayn, Graham Swift, Graham Greene, Elizabeth Taylor, Hilary Mantel, Charles Dickens, and Evelyn Waugh.

My favorite American and Canadian writers are Edith Wharton, Pat Barker, William Maxwell, James Cain, Jim Thompson, Willa Cather, Stewart O’Nan, Bernice Rubens, Mordecai Richler, Alan Furst, Muriel Spark, Patricia Highsmith, Ernest Hemingway (short stories), Scott Turow, Henry James, Eudora Welty, and Tobias Wolff

I’ve especially enjoyed Colm Toibin’s novel Brooklyn which has several themes in common with my book, Echo from Mount Royal.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
It’s 1951 in Montreal. Rebecca Wiseman, 18-years-old, from a Catholic-Jewish family, lives with her parents. At a dance, she briefly meets a handsome young man, but has little hope of seeing him again. When Sol Gottesman tracks her down and asks her on a date, her happiness mingles with disbelief when she learns he is the son of a wealthy businessman. She believes her romantic dreams have come true.

She soon learns that, despite Sol’s outward charm, he lacks self-confidence. On a visit to Mount Royal overlooking the city, Sol reveals the simmering conflicts in his family. Rebecca’s wants to protect Sol, but helping him stand up to the pressure from his family, puts her squarely in the midst of it all.

Class, religion, family secrets and sexual inexperience test their love and Rebecca wonders if the relationship can survive. And then, a late night telephone call changes her life forever.

The genesis of the novel:

Before going to work, I’d often meet an elderly Jewish woman in the coffee shop downstairs from my office. We talked ‘books,’ sharing a similar taste in fiction. When she learned that I was a writer, she told me many stories about her experiences growing up in Montreal before and after WWII. But it was her story about her engagement as an 18-year-old girl that astounded me. She invited me to ‘write it up,’ thinking it would make an interesting short story. Over the next ten months, I gave her chapters to read. When the 300-page manuscript was finished, she hefted the pages laughing, “This weighs more than a short story!”

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Dave Riese’s Website

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Featured Author Connie Jordan

IMG_0763Featured Interview With Connie Jordan

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Born and raised in Cleveland Ohio but lived in a couple of states as an adult. Currently living in California and although I keep leaving this area something always draws me back.

I recently retired from the state of California and I am enjoying my retirement. I have two children, five grandchildren and two great grandchildren – makes me sound old but I will always have a young spirit. I enjoy writing poems/prose discussing world events, life, love and whatever moves me in the moment.

I am a sensitive, thinking, feeling person and I do a lot of critical, analytical thinking and even though it brings me down sometimes I have not yet learned to turn my mind off – maybe that is what death is about – no more thoughts.

I will post my Facebook page below although I have not been active there in a while I keep saying I am going to start back posting.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I have always been a reader. Reading takes me on journeys my life may not, it gives me insight and sometimes understanding of the world around me as viewed through another’s eyes. I have spent days so caught up in a book that I just could not put down and did nothing else but read for days.

I started writing in high school but later gave it up to live life and raise children but now that I have nothing but time on my hands I have returned to my passion of writing poems/prose.

Sometimes life and the things I see in the world make me so sad, so hurt that I often say writing is my therapy and it does help to have a venue to express certain things and get them out of my system allowing me to move beyond the experience.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I love true crime, mystery, suspense, romance, slave stories, poetry and although I do not like the thought of vampires, I did read Ann Rice’s vampire books and truly enjoyed the flow in her writing!!

Terry Mcmillan is another writer I enjoy reading along with Nora Roberts, but then again I like a lot of authors. I sometimes go to the library and just read the backs of books to choose a book that way even if I have never heard of the author, I have read some pretty good books that way. If it sounds good, I will read it!!

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book is ‘Matters of the Heart’ which deals with ‘love’ and domestic violence and that inner spirit that eventually will make you realize domestic violence is not love.

Being a victim of domestic violence, I understand that you can justify that act on many different levels and people do and they stay in the relationship but at this point in time I know that staying only increases the attacks because if you allow that by staying, nine times out of ten it is not going to change.

When I was going through my drama, I realized domestic violence was almost an accepted practice as I was asked by police ‘what did you do to provoke this action’ – me with black-eyes, swollen body parts and then to be asked that question…

No one should have to endure violence in their home and that violence has lasting effects on children in the home. Effects they will carry with them throughout their lives.

I have published three poetry/prose books in the year since my retirement and will continue to write for the rest of my days!!

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Connie Jordan’s Website

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Featured Author Bette A. Stevens

Bette-Crop-2015Featured Interview With Bette A. Stevens

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I am a writer inspired by nature and human nature. As a retired elementary and middle school teacher, a wife, mother of two and grandmother of five, I live in Central Maine on a 37-acre renovated farmstead where I enjoy reading, writing, gardening, walking and reveling in the beauty of nature. I advocate for children and families, for childhood literacy and for the conservation of monarch butterflies—an endangered species (and milkweed, the only plant that monarch caterpillars will eat). My husband and I raise our own fruit and vegetables organically and share the bounties of our labor with family, friends and neighbors. We retired in 2005 after spending several years working at traditional jobs in Maine, California and Virginia. My childhood years were spent in California and New York, enjoying daily life and holiday events with family, including dozens of cousins. Now that our human children are grown, we have had the privilege of being the adoptive parents of a delightful black feline named Midnight. Life is good and adventures abound.

• Stevens is the author of AMAZING MATILDA, an award-winning picture book; The Tangram Zoo and Word Puzzles Too!, a home/school resource incorporating hands-on math and writing; and PURE TRASH, the short story prequel to her debut novel, DOG BONE SOUP, a Boomer’s coming of age novel published in January 2015.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
My fascination with books began at the ripe old age of four. Nursery rhymes, fairy tales and “Golden Books” were primers for this early reader. I started writing when our daughters were young. I wanted to capture memories for them in verse and prose clips of family life and so I began journaling.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
My favorite genres to read are historical and literary fiction. Mark Twain, Harper Lee, M.M. Kay (The Far Pavilions), Eugenia Price (Savannah series) are on the top of my list. Contemporary writers Amy Tan and Khaled Hoesseni are first to come to mind. However, I enjoy books and authors of many other genres including non-fiction, memoir, fantasy, romance and mystery as well. My writings are inspired by my surroundings–the people I meet, the books I read, local and world events, and nature itself.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
DOG BONE SOUP is my latest book, and my first attempt at writing a novel. Compared to writing children’s books and short stories, writing a novel was a daunting task. It took a year and a half of outlining, writing, rewriting and editing before I felt confident enough to find both a professional editor and enlist the help of my local librarian, who is also an author, to help with the critique. Then came more editing and a handful of readers to give the manuscript a go. Extremely grateful to a dear and patient author friend, who took the time to me suggestions chapter by chapter. By this time another six months had elapsed and I was finally ready to publish DOG BONE SOUP.

DOG BONE SOUP is a coming of age story that follows the life of a poor boy growing up in a New England college town. Shawn Daniels’s father is the town drunk. Shawn and his brother Willie are in charge of handling everything that needs to be done around the ramshackle place they call home—lugging in water for cooking and cleaning, splitting and stacking firewood…But when chores are done, these resourceful kids strike out on boundless adventures that don’t cost a dime. DOG BONE SOUP is the poignant tale of a dysfunctional family struggling to survive in America in the 50s and 60s, when others were living The American Dream.

DOG BONE SOUP is not only the title of my debut novel; it ranks high among the paltry meals that the book’s protagonist, Shawn Daniels, wants to forget. Plodding through mounting snow and battling howling winds, Shawn is ready to leave it all behind—living in poverty, Dad’s drinking, life in foster care, the divorce, the bullies…. Travel with Shawn Daniels through the guts and the glories of life. You’ll find them all in DOG BONE SOUP, a Boomer’s coming-of-age saga.

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Bette A. Stevens’s Website

Bette A. Stevens Facebook Page

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Featured Author Karen Cogan

A-Relative-Matter-cover-image-from-johnFeatured Interview With Karen Cogan

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
A native of Houston, TX, Karen spent her early years enjoying life along the Gulf Coast. After high school, she attended Texas A&M as well as the University of Houston where she obtained a B.S. in early childhood education. She has written numerous articles and stories, books for children and novels for adults. She particularly enjoys writing contemporary and historical romance.

She now lives in the Southwest with her family and assorted pets.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
My fascination with books began at a young age. By the time I was four years old, I was dictating stories I made up to my older sister. When I learned to write, I began to write stories for my teachers. The love of writing never left me.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Though I have favorite writers from several genres, I love to read historical romance and read every book Janette Oke wrote. Laura Ingalls Wilder was a childhood favorite. I suppose my all-time favorite is Jane Austin.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book is a free-read on Amazon. It is a Regency romance with a twist of mystery that took me six months to write. I loved researching yet more details about customs of the Regency era.
In this novel, In this sweet Regency romance, life in India is idyllic for Anne Tyler and her younger brother, Jeremy until the deaths of their parents shatter their world. They are sent to England to live with a grandfather that neither remembers. However, as the years pass, the kindly man proves a balm for their wounded hearts. His death, when it comes, is a cruel blow.
Though his will leaves the estate to Jeremy, the boy is not yet of age. His grandfather’s nephew, a man with a mysterious past, is named guardian of the property
and soon arrives to take up his duty. Unfortunately, the man has a son who is both evil and cunning. Since he stands to inherit the estate should Jeremy die, he will stop at nothing to get his hands on the property.
Murder and threats of murder soon haunt their every move. Standing between them and disaster is the handsome Lord Westerfield, a man who promises to defend Anne and Jeremy, even at risk to his own life.
This novel can be found at http://www.amazon.com/RELATIVE-MATTER-SWEET-REGENCY-ROMANCE-ebook/dp/B00Y5ZTKSY

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Karen Cogan’s Website

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