Top Selling Authors: Get To Know Them Better

Featured Interview With Wendy May Andrews

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born in raised in New Brunswick, on the East Coast of Canada. When I was 21 I moved to the big city of Toronto. I am now married and happily still living in downtown Toronto. We love to travel all over the world, but we also love to explore our own city. Toronto is a city of parks and there are so many great places to walk. From our house we can walk to fantastic shops and restaurants or to fabulous green spaces. And of course, like all writers, I am an avid reader and am rarely without a book on the go. I love words. I will even read the cereal box in the morning 🙂

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I began to read at the age of four and fell in love with words. With a very active imagination it was very easy to get lost in stories. No one else in my immediate family loved to read like I did, but I have an aunt who really encouraged the addictive habit. She vowed that I would be a writer one day but I never believed it would happen. A few years ago my husband, who doesn’t love when I become oblivious to the world around me when lost in a book, challenged me to write a book instead of reading another one. I worried it would be impossible, but decided to give it a try. Now I’m hooked 🙂

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
My aunt introduced me to Georgette Heyer and I was instantly hooked on the world of Regency era England. To this day this is my favorite genre to read. And so far that is what I have written as well although a few other story ideas are kicking around at the back of my head. My husband is very supportive of my writing which really frees me to progress as a writer.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
The Duke Conspiracy started out as a title idea. I wrote the first 50,000 words of the manuscript for NaNoWriMo 2013. That was exciting! It was my first time to try doing the National Novel Writing Month challenge. Again, I didn’t think I could do it, but I actually work really well with a deadline so it worked for me.
This story was a delight to write. Rose is struggling with feeling that she doesn’t fit in during the social Season in London. She runs into an old friend with whom her family is now feuding and she is torn in her feelings. She feels attracted to her old friend but has very strong reasons to avoid him as well. I didn’t realize it while I was writing it, but I have a lot in common with Rose. Except that she can dance beautifully 🙂
Because her father is a diplomat Rose is a little more aware of things than some of the other debutantes. She discovers that a scoundrel is conspiring against her old friend, the Duke of Wrentham, and possible the government, but because of the feud Rose cannot turn to her father to help so she must seek out the duke and solve the problem herself. Old feelings are kindled as they race to stop the villain.

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Wendy May Andrews’s Website

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Featured Interview With Mark Antony Rossi

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I am a USAF combat veteran. I was raised in Hoboken, NJ. I live in the Southeast, US. I have an Australian Sheppard and two ungrateful cats. (but don’t tell them I said that)

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I was an early reader by the age of 5 reading Shakespeare. I didn’t start writing seriously until High School.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I like Cliver Barker. I enjoy reading history. Huxley and Orwell inspire my writing.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Strength To Be Human is a short collection of essays I have been working on that involve learning to be more independent as a human being rather than allowing science and religion to dictate who we are, what we are and how far we can go.

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Mark Antony Rossi’s Website

Featured 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, graduating from Arlington High School in 1964. 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. During my final two years in the military, my wife and I lived near Andrews Air Force Base outside Washington D.C.

Discharged from the military in 1972, I attended Boston University on the GI Bill for a Master’s degree in Broadcast Journalism. The following summer, I was hired by the University of New Hampshire to script and film videotapes about government social programs for the elderly.

My videotape grant ran out in 1976, but luckily at that time, companies were eager to hire people for their IT departments. Although I had no computer experience, I was hired by Liberty Mutual Insurance to attend their three-month 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!

During my 35 years in information technology, I worked in the financial and insurance industries. I retired from Massachusetts Financial Services in 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 both pediatricians working in Rhode Island. We have four grandchildren.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I have always been fascinated with books.

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. Despite that success, 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 authors are Irish and English, such as 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

Tell us a little about your latest book?
The Inspiration for Echo from Mount Royal came while having coffee one morning with a friend. 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. Her story about her engagement as an 18-year-old girl 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!” After another year and a half editing the book, it was finally finished In October 2014.

A brief synopsis:
In Montreal, it’s 1951. Rebecca Wiseman briefly meets a handsome young man at a college dance but has little hope of seeing him again. When Sol Gottesman tracks her down and asks her on a date, her joy turns to amazement when she learns he is extremely wealthy.

Rebecca, 18 and a freshman in college, lives with her family in a working-class Jewish neighborhood. When Sol takes her in a chauffeured Rolls-Royce to the most expensive restaurant in the city, Rebecca enters the world of upper-class privilege. Her romantic dreams are coming true.

But clouds begin to gather as she learns that despite Sol’s outward charm, he lacks self-confidence. On a visit to Mount Royal overlooking Montreal, Sol reveals the simmering conflicts in his family and his fear that his brother plans to drive him out of the family business. Rebecca loves Sol and wants to protect him, but helping him stand up to his family, puts her squarely in the midst of it all.

Class, religion, sexual inexperience and family rivalry test their love. Rebecca, wondering if their relationship can survive, struggles to control events with humor and forgiveness. But Sol has a secret that threatens their future happiness. And then, a late night telephone call changes her life forever.

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Dave Riese’s Website

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Featured Interview With Brandon Williams “GridironGQ”

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I am a former NFL Player, author, speaker and commentator. I was born in Saint Louis, Mo and I have been around sports my whole life. I have loved jazz music sense i can remember because my paw paw (granddad) used to play it in his car everywhere we went. My passions in life are to communicate the game of football as a commentator, help any and everyone I know create a mindset to create financial freedom and my purpose is to follow the word of God.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
At the age of 13 I began to really like reading. My first full read was The Malcolm X autobiography. I started on the bible as well but still trying to finish that one lol. I started writing when I was in high school I used to like to write poems and rhymes in my notebook.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Favorite authors to are Robert Kiyosaki, Grant Cardone, Lowell Miller, Tony Robbins, Peter Voogd. I love business books and philosophy books. My father actually inspires me in my writing he has wrote several unpublished books.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My book Millionaire Mindset really digs into the core of what it takes to create a lifestyle of financial freedom from an athletes perspective. You see many of the statistics that are associated with athletes going bankrupt or having financial ruin and you hear the stories but we never get to the solutions. To many athletes just share their pain but dont give the future stars any knowledge to implement in their lives. I believe god put everyone on this planet to be a solution to a problem and I am just walking in my purpose. It only took me 45 days to write this book. I had a focused system and I stuck with it.

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Brandon Williams “GridironGQ”‘s Website

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Featured Interview With Sharon Jenkins

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was raised in Hampton, Virginia. I now live in Houston, Texas. I don’t have any pets, but I do dog sit on occasion.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
When I was eight I found out that I was good at writing. I did not have the courage to pursue the dream of being an author until I was “grown.” As a result, I’ve developed an intense love for reading, writing, authors and the authorship process. My desire is to leave this earth completely empty of all the books I have inside of me. Leaving a literary legacy is important to 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 Michelle Stimpson, Deeanne Gist, and ReShonda Tate Billingsley. I love historical romance novels. Although I love fiction, I am a non-fiction author. I am inspired by other authors to develop tools that will help them do what the love successfully.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
13 authorpreneurs that have successfully mastered the art of Authorpreneurship are featured in my latest release, Will the R.E.A.L. Authorprenueur Please Stand Up?. The book features such successful authorpreneurs as Nina Amir, Joel Friedlander, Rochelle Carter, Tyora Moody, Brian Smith, Matilda Butler and W. Terry Whalin. Getting all 13 authors’ compilations complete and edited was an adventure that took six months, but my passion for authors kept me as tenacious as a pit bull in getting it done.

The term authorpreneur is a relatively new term in the literary industry. It combines the words “author” and “entrepreneur” to define the 21st Century author. Jenkins states, “Authorpreneurs are a rare breed. They authentically combine two skill sets, “writing” and “entrepreneurship,” to create a space in the literary marketplace for their creativity.” I invite authors and entrepreneurs to support the July book launch for Will the R.E.A.L. Authorpreneur Please Stand Up?.

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Sharon Jenkins’s Website

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Featured Interview With Susan Louise Peterson

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
My journey as a writer spans from being raised in rural Oklahoma with active participation in the 4-H club to living in inner city Las Vegas, NV for many years. I was raised around animals and often would show pigs in the county fair. I grew up on country music, but really enjoy seeing the variety of shows in Las Vegas. I have worked for more than 20 years in an inner city school district as a school psychologist and formerly an early childhood teacher.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I think my interest in writing started as I was writing speeches for the 4-H club competitions.

I eventually realized I enjoyed writing the material more than presenting material.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I don’t really have a favorite author at this point. I do love to read practical, well organized books that help teach life lessons or give practical and helpful advice.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
One of my most recent books is Questionable Autism. I wrote this book to help parents and professionals see scenarios about autism and developmental delays and then I form some questions that could be asked on these topics. The book is focused upon asking more questions about autism to open discussions on this controversial topic. Questionable Autism piggybacks nicely on my earlier autism book-Is My Child Autistic or Delayed?

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Susan Louise Peterson’s Website

Featured Interview With David Neth

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born and raised in Batavia, NY and, aside from college where I went to Buffalo and then to New York City, this is where I’ve been my whole life and where I plan to stay. I used to think that you needed to leave home to become successful, but I realized that you can stay in your hometown and still be successful.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
Oddly enough I wasn’t an avid reader until about 13 or 14. That’s funny because I’ve been writing since I was 12. So I don’t know what exactly I was thinking at 12 when I decided to write a book when I didn’t even want to read one. I guess I’m glad I did, though!

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Oh man, so many people inspire me. I really love a great story, no matter what the genre is, but I typically stick to urban fantasy, mystery, and really just young adult novels. Those seem to be what grabs me. The last great book I read was probably The Silkworm by JK Rowling’s Robert Galbraith, but on a completely different note, I’m also looking forward to reading Pierce Brown’s Red Rising. One of my favorite authors is Stephen King, but I’m also a huge fan of my lesser-known authors such as Jason Gurley, Sally Green, or Cinda Williams Chima. These writers are especially inspirational for me because they have great books but they aren’t as popular as The Hunger Games or Harry Potter. I guess I look up to them because it’s proof that even though you might not have a standout hit, you can still be successful and write for a living, which is my ultimate goal.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Well I suppose my latest book is my first book, The Blood Moon. I started writing it at 15 after scrapping a not-so-great manuscript and setting aside another that I just recently picked back up (and will be reworked to become my third-published novel). It’s about two brothers, Josh and Chris, who are witches and are suddenly faced with the task of defending themselves against their enemies when their aunt gets put in the hospital. Along the way they meet some other characters whose stories will be fleshed out in other books. My second book, due out in February, focuses on their aunt and the events that lead up to The Blood Moon. I have another prequel planned and then the series will jump ahead ten years. I realized it’s been about ten years since I first started The Blood Moon and it got me thinking about where my characters would be now. So the fourth book will dive into that, but that’s not for a little while longer. Until then, The Blood Moon is a young adult urban fantasy for anyone who believes in magic.

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David Neth’s Website

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Featured Interview With Andres Mann

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born and lived in East Africa until I was 17. My parents were Italian. Eventually, we came to the U. S. I went to college and the university, and received degrees in Political Science and International Relations. I spent most of my military career in Germany. My business career was mostly in New York, although I traveled internationally as well. I was planning to retire in Italy and actually went there, but had to return due to my wife’s severe health issues. So I now hang out in Florida, wishing I was somewhere else.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I have been a voracious reader since I was four years old. As a child, I made deals with local booksellers in Africa to rent books, mostly history and adventure. I was then that I resolved that one day I would write books as well. During my professional career, I wrote three business books. I now find it more fulfilling to write novels that deal with professional women issues and contemporary political issues, both in the U. S. and Internationally.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I love the classics: Shakespeare, Tolstoy, Dickens, and Melville. Contemporary authors that influenced me are Stephen King; Kurt Vonnegut; Joseph Heller, the latter masterfully depicting the struggle of soldiers to maintain the sanity while trying to fulfill their duties. I read most of Tom Clancy’s books and Clive Cussler before he started to outsource writing. I like Dean Koontz, David Baldacci and Daniel Silva. I am a fan of historical books, having read most of Churchill’s works and many other works of history ranging from Roman, Medieval, Renaissance, and the world wars. I remain amazed how humanity keeps making the same mistakes.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book is ‘Tess – Valkyrie Awakening.’ This combines the previous two books into a complete story.

I have been told that Tess is one of the strongest female characters in fiction today. She starts as a military helicopter pilot, driven and relentless, who fights in Iraq believing she is on the right side of history. Gradually, she is influenced by the views of her partner Jake, a brilliant CIA agent, who experienced first-hand the effects of misguided policy and corruption. Both of the characters are distressed at how the war in Iraq and its aftermath was handled by the U. S.

As an author, perhaps I am too bold, but I sincerely believe that the U. S. was directly responsible for generating the current chaos in the Middle East. Our own military casualties are tragic enough, but the loss of life among the Iraqis has been nothing less than appalling. Furthermore, we have created conditions that spawned the emergence of radical Islamists such as ISIS. We will be paying for our missteps for years, and have generated hatred against us that will last for generations.

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Featured Interview With Susan Roebuck

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born and brought up in the UK (down in the soft south). When I was 26 I met my husband, who’s Portuguese, in London and lo! I was exported to Portugal where I’ve lived ever since. I love both countries, but they’re so different in terms of culture and general traditional way of life. The Portuguese are hot-headed (you can tell that when they get in a car) but also very friendly (outside their cars). They don’t follow rules gladly – take a look at the restaurants and cafés where people still puff away on their cigarettes.
When I’m back home in the UK (notice I say “home” for both countries) people do look at me strangely when I’m paying for something and I’m looking at the coins wondering, ‘Is that a 20p or a 10p?’ Obviously, I’m English, but I act like a foreigner, so people must ask themselves whether I’ve been in prison for a long time and only recently released. I haven’t been in prison (yet!), I’ve been at home in Portugal.

I live overlooking the sea, right where the mighty Tagus meets the feisty Atlantic Ocean. I don’t think I could live anywhere that wasn’t near a river or sea. There’s something about watching vessels of all shapes and sizes entering Lisbon harbour, and I’ll never get tired of the different moods the sea throws at us. This has definitely been an influence in writing my new novel, Rising Tide.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
Always and forever. I won a school prize for a short novel I wrote as part of a project when I was 14. The book was called, “It Takes a Soldier” and was set in the Second World War – so much for that old adage that is thrown at authors about only writing what you know.
When the teacher gave out a composition title to develop for homework, I was that nerdy kid who’d shout, “Goody” while the rest of the class groaned.
I was a Teacher of English as a Foreign Language for many years, working for the British Council as well as the Portuguese civil service so I had no time to write. But in 2009 I had to stop work, for health reasons, and that’s when I had all the time in the world to write. Since then I’ve had three novels published.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
We’re a funny (peculiar, not ha-ha) species, aren’t we? Least I am because I’ll read everything. It does depend on my mood, though. I love adult paranormal novels and will devour those: the Dresden Files by Jim Butcher and Patricia Briggs’s Mercy Thompson books are my must-haves at the moment. Otherwise I’ll go for a women’s fiction book and Millie Johnson’s Ladies who Launch was perfect for me the other day when I just wanted to laze about and read. Terry Pratchett’s Disc World series makes me laugh. I love Granny Weatherwax and the way Pratchett catches quirky ways of speaking and creates out-of-the-ordinary characters. But my favorite novel of all time is the Gormenghast Trilogy by Melvyn Peake – a wealth of gothic glory. If you read those books you’ll never forget Swelter the Cook, creepy Steerpike or the Earl of Groan who gets eaten by owls.
I know this is an array of genres and this does affect my own writing. I’ve never written a paranormal book but my stories do tend to have at least one quirky character in it and I try to add a touch of humor whenever I can.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
You’d think from my answer to your previous question that I’d tell you my new novel, Rising Tide, is a paranormal story. It’s not, although one reviewer has said it has a touch of magic mixed in. It’s mostly considered to be women’s fiction, cosy suspense with overtones of romance. Anyone who likes Portugal, is planning a visit or has ever been here might like to read it since it is set on the east coast of the Alentejo, which is the area between Lisbon and the Algarve. Two very different people meet up in a tiny fishing village; Leo Shine is a courageous pollock fisherman in Alaska USA (straight out of the “Deadliest Catch”) and Piper Pines is a feisty young woman who works quietly with her father fishing crabs off the coast of North Norfolk UK. They don’t know each other, but each has come to find answers to questions in their lives which each believes can be found in the tiny fishing village of Luminosa. They experience danger and frustration, and soon become aware that something evil lurks in this sunny village which is seemingly filled with friendly Portuguese. Their quest for answers fills the book, even though Leo is attracted to Piper who has no time for him who she believes to be a dishonest adventurer. The beauty and danger of the sea, pollution, drug trafficking, corruption and fishing are all features of “Rising Tide”set in a peaceful fishing village that time, and most of Portugal, has forgotten.

This is the book I’ve always wanted to write, although it happens to be my third one published. The story has been bubbling away inside me for many years, maybe because it’s set in Portugal (Perfect Score is set in 1960s United States and Hewhay Hall is in current day UK). I do think that little place, Luminosa on the Portuguese Alentejo coast, needs to be seen again (it doesn’t exist, by the way, but villages like it do along that coastline) and so I’m preparing to write another story that will feature it and some of the characters. It won’t be a sequel, but it will be a familiar setting for my readers.

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Susan Roebuck’s Website

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Featured Interview With Matt Minor

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was raised on the upper Texas gulf coast. I now live on a ranch property on what is known as the Mid-Coast region of Texas. I have an apartment in Austin as I work there regularly.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
Around six, I think. The book mobile came to our school and I checked out a book titled: Albert the Albatross. After that I was hooked. Books are like possessions to me.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Graham Greene; Walker Percy; Larry McMurtry; James Michener
All four inspire my writing.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
It’s a forbidden love story set amid a political conspiracy:
A terrorist attack on the Texas border, attributed to Mexican drug cartels, coincides with the federal government’s passage of a sweeping amnesty bill. This becomes fodder for the Texas Legislator, which pressures a weakened governor to create a Select Joint Committee on Immigration Reform.
A handsome, charismatic former rocker and poet, John David (JD) Dothan unexpectedly wins his district when the long term Republican candidate goes down in disgrace. However, JD is not the only rookie at the Capitol. His quickly appointed Chief of Staff, twenty-four-year-old Tryphena Taylor, is drawn into not only his political complications, but also his twisted romantic present and past.
The Select Joint Committee expects him to co-sponsor the controversial immigration bill with Pro-life Republican, Senator Rachel Logan; his “first love,” from a quarter century earlier.
Through a labyrinth of liars, deceivers, egos, and the weight of his own broken heart, Dothan must navigate. But he is being drawn not only towards the ugly reality of power, but his own redemption as well.

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Featured Interview With Michael Ditchfield

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born and raised in northern England where I played professional soccer. I came over to the United States and attended Pennsylvania State University. I wrote my first book here and eventually moved to Denver Colorado where I now reside. I travel around the country speaking about my second book, “Life’s Too Short for Leftovers – 9 Lessons from a Third World Kitchen.” After spending time in Africa I wanted to share with my readers what we can learn from people who are experiencing immense hardship, and how this knowledge can better our own lives, while at the same time helping theirs.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I was 8 years old when I began to explore the world of Beatrix Potter and continued with any author who captured the life and times of Winston Churchill. After college I began to explore my taste for writing and became fascinated with the African people. My first book was published by Simon Schuster on sports, but storytelling about the hardship of these wonderful people in Ethiopia, Rwanda and Sudan became my passion and obsession.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I am drawn to Ruiz and Rumi on a spiritual front and for pleasure I love Peter Mayle and James Herriot. When I was writing my second book, I came across many writers who captured the essence of what it was that I was attempting to emulate. William Easterly and Richard Dowden put the plight and history of Africa into a mesmerizing account of what we can learn and act upon to better this world. I became an extension of connecting the dots through my own experience.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Life’s Too Short for Leftovers is part inspirational rallying call, part first-person, autobiographical narrative and part eulogy for a treasured friend and mentor. I take the reader on a highly personal journey of self-discovery as I convey a singular perspective on what it means to be human, and what is required of us as individuals to be active, engaged participants in humanity. As a storyteller and conversationalist I relate timeless philosophies to contemporary challenges and opportunities that face Third World countries today. I attempt to bring a generous portion of lucid insights and aha moments to the table, leading the charge toward improved, positive outcomes – in our lives and in the lives of others. It is a stimulating and memorable must-read for students of life.

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Michael Ditchfield’s Website

Featured Interview With Laura Monagan

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born in New England and moved to the Washington, D.C. area as a youngster. I was the fourth in a family of five children. I was the kid with all the pets, the one with the broken finger from playing football, the last one out the door. We lived in a friendly neighborhood surrounded by woods, fields, and streams where we wandered until the fireflies told us it was time to go home. My parents enjoyed music and travel and reading. They allowed us a great deal of independence, but they also believed strongly in serving the community. I went to Catholic school and public high school, and I finished college with a degree in education.

I’ve had the good fortune to have lived in several different places in the United States including California and Colorado, and overseas including London, Berlin, and a small town in eastern Slovakia where my husband and I taught English to factory workers after the Velvet Revolution. I lived for three months on a farm that rescued abused farm animals, and another three months on an island in Puget Sound. In 1986, I walked across America on the Great Peace March. For the time being, I live again in the D.C. area, my home base, rekindling old friendships until the next adventure.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
Walter Farley’s “Black Stallion” series, Jean Craighead George’s novel “My Side of the Mountain,” and a biography of Amelia Earhart (the author of which I have unfortunately long since forgotten) were stepping stones to my love of books and reading. These were the stories that made me realize the author’s awesome power to bring her reader on a great adventure.

I have the good fortune to have grown up in a family that encouraged and celebrated creativity. From an early age, my four siblings and I developed our musical, artistic, dramatic, and literary skills. I showed little talent for painting or acting, but I picked up the guitar at age ten and, with occasional help from my brother, taught myself to play. I played at our church folk Mass, on Girl Scout camping trips, and throughout high school. I listened to the music and lyrics of the beautiful, sometimes haunting old American folk tunes being revived by Peter, Paul, and Mary, and so many others. This led me to write my own songs. Over time, I developed a general love for writing poetry, journals, non-fiction, and fiction that continues to this day.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
In fiction, I am drawn to engaging literary devices, a well-timed plot, and realistic characters. My favorite novel of all time is “Moby Dick,” one that I hope to read several times. My love of non-fiction started with “The Long Walk” by Vladamir Radicz, “Kon-Tiki” by Thor Heyerdahl, and “Alive,” by Piers Paul Read, and led to Sebastian Junger’s, “The Perfect Storm,” Nathaniel Philbrick’s “In the Heart of the Sea,” and Rebecca Skloot’s “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks,” all gripping tales that teach about science and history. I find inspiration in the writing of authors such as Anthony de Mello and Oliver Sacks who observe humanity and just know how to tell a good story.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
“The Unaccompanied Tour” takes its title from a term used in diplomatic and military circles to describe a tour of duty in which the spouse and family are not allowed to join the tour. Generally, an unaccompanied tour involves a posting in a war zone or on a dangerous mission. In my story, Evelyn Tucker, the “trailing spouse,” finds herself suddenly thrust into danger as a terrorist attack destroys Washington, D.C. and forces her on a 6,000-mile trek to reunite with her daughter. This “champagne and pearls” type must learn to trust the lower class characters she meets, all of whom seem better equipped to handle hardship than she. Through their stories, she begins to appreciate a wider scope of humanity as she strives to reach her daughter. However, all is not as it seems, and Evelyn soon finds herself involved with a secret society closely linked with the terrorist plot unfolding around her.

Tagline: “Motherhood is a cliffhanger.”

It took me nearly three years to finish writing “The Unaccompanied Tour.” I wrote most days in a process that was not at all what I expected — certainly not what they taught us in school! Writing the novel was organic, unpredictable, holistic. I never imagined there would be so much going back and forth to weave the plot, but that’s what made it so much fun. I was surprised by how much research was required to write fiction. I think it was John le Carré who explained that if the facts of a novel are correct, it lends credence to the fiction.

Featured Interview With Sharon Lopez

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born in Derry New Hampshire. I now live in Phoenix Arizona. I have a boxer named Chie. She is named after a character I like in the Persona games.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I began writing when I was ten. I wrote a play for my class, and then some classmates and I put it on for the class. My teacher was very supportive about my writing, and I caught the writing bug from there.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I am a huge Cassandra Clare fan! I have a few Indie authors I consider to be awesome writers too. (They are featured on my website) The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton is one of my favorite books of all time. I like Edgar Allan Poe and William Shakespeare too!

Inspirations for writing can take many forms; from a conversation, a dream I have, things people I know or I have gone through.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
The latest book that will be published July 10th is a sequel to The World Inside Stephanie’s Head entitled The World Beyond Stephanie’s Head. It starts about a month after the other book ends. Stephanie wakes to find out that she is in an institution, and has been for a few years. Her memories of her life before are gone, and she is plagued by a recurring nightmare. Follow Stephanie on her journey to rediscover who she is, and what events led up to her hospitalization. Stephanie will learn what is real, or part of a story as she steps outside of herself to live the mystery she calls life.

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Featured Interview With C.E. Newsom

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born and raised in the Chicago area and still live there today. We got a dog about seven years ago because my wife wanted one, but since she never leaves my side, she is decidedly my dog.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
My fascination with books started with Harold and the Purple Crayon, and hasn’t stopped since. I remember writing my first short story with my brother and cousins, when we were visiting them up in Wisconsin one summer–I was probably nine or ten. It was a horrible story about a serial killer that made lampshades out of his victims’ skin (think Ed Gein). It wasn’t very good, but I loved the process of writing it.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
When I was a kid, my favorites were Vonnegut, Poe, and Arthur Conan Doyle. I loved the darkness of Poe, the character of Sherlock Holmes, and the wit in which Vonnegut commented on the world. Now, I read a lot of mystery, with Sue Grafton clearly the best out there. If I had to pick one mystery writer I wish I could write like, it would be Grafton.

I also like non-fiction, especially history with a focus on presidential history (don’t try to take me on in a presidential trivia contest!).

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My most recent short story, “The Shapiro Affair” features my Chicago private detective character Jeffrey Sparks. He’s blunt, to-the-point, sarcastic, and a narcissist in denial. He also has a strong moral compass (even if he thinks that the ends justify the means), which makes him incredibly determined. In addition, his biggest fear is Not Knowing, so he’s obsessed with finding the answer to a puzzle. In “The Shapiro Affair,” Sparks is hired to find a man’s missing wife. Upon investigating, Sparks finds that the woman is closer than he first thought possible.

There are other Sparks short stories, and I’m currently working on the first Sparks novel. Without giving it away, it was inspired by news events over the past year or so, and shows the danger that’s possible when ignorance and intolerance prevails.

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Featured Interview With Elspeth Grace Hall

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
My name is Elspeth Grace Hall I currently live in Heanor, Derbyshire with my husband and daughter that is when I am not building a new home on a small farm in Caithness, where I intend to take up the country life rearing geese, chickens, pigs and vegetables. I currently have a cat who hears for me (I lost my hearing 6 years ago).

To support my writing I work with my husband teaching history through costumed interpretation. See us at work: www.history-survives.weebly.com

I was born in the 80’s to Anglo-Scottish parents and grew up on the banks of the Chesterfield canal. I spent the first 7 years of my married life near the junction of the Nottingham, Cromford and Erewash canals.

I graduated from the Open University in 2014 with a BA Open that covered history, languages and creative writing.

After losing my hearing in 2009 I learnt Sign Language and enjoy writing poetry in both English and Sign Supported English.

Examples of my poetry can be found at: http://www.thesigningpoet.weebly.com

I have also recorded a series of lessons in Sign Supported English on my youtube channel : http://j.mp/TheSigningPoetVideo

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
According to my parents I have been obsessed with books since I first read “The cat sat on the mat.” by myself at 3 years old.

Personally I remember spending one new years eve night under my duvet with my Percy the Tank Engine torch reading the “Osborne book of knowledge” from cover to cover all 234 pages. I was either 6 or 7.

By the time I was 9 I was infamous for my reading . Teachers would have to pry books out of my hands prior to swimming lessons, on one memorable occasion I missed a school trip because I had been sat reading. I didn’t notice until I finished the book over an hour later; I got up casually walked past a bemused caretaker into the school library and sat in my class room with of pile of books happy as Larry.

As a teenager I struggled with depression and eventually suffered a mental breakdown thanks to a combination of physical bullying and undiagnosed Autism that left me feeling trapped inside my own head. When I was 13 I wrote the first of many dark poems that have since been burnt on the advice of my psychiatrist. Now that I am no longer mentally ill a small part of me regrets the destruction of the odd gem that was in all that poison but at the time it was the only way to heal.

I started writing children’s books when I was 8 months pregnant with my second child. I had lost my first child to death-in-utro. Despite the foetus dying I didn’t miscarry, in my Autism I didn’t realise there was anything wrong so I carried my dead child for more 12 weeks before the bleeding started. Having carried my first child for so long and being more than a little worried about my second I started talking to the bump, telling it stories, earlier than most. When a cat was abandoned in a plastic bag outside my front door the stories wove the cat into the narrative and I started thinking I should write these down. Simply so I could repeat them to the baby when she was older. A few months later a friend at the baby and toddler group heard my proto-stories and asked if I could jot them down for her. That’s when I got serious about writing.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I’m very eclectic I don’t have a favorite genre as such. My favorite authors are; Terry Prattchet (fantasy), Georgette Hayer (historical romance), G.K.Chesterton (religion/adventure), Gerald Durell (travel/nature/autobiography) , A.A. Milne (children’s) and the chap that wrote the Don Camillo series(boys own adventures).

I take my inspiration from A.A.Milne, Beatrix Potter and Enid Blighton

Tell us a little about your latest book?
It all started when Puss-Puss was young. Puss-Puss was not sure how or why it happened. One night she went to sleep in the box under the bed like she did every night but when she woke in the morning she was by the canal in the big outside. These are the wonderful stories of Puss-Puss as she meets new friends and has exciting adventures in the big outside.

This book has taken roughly 3 years to write.

This first book in the series looks at how friendships are formed as well as addressing the crucial question posed by any 4-6 year old “But mummy what does a stray cat eat when there is no cat food?”

But Puss-Puss is not just a cat. She is a cat that spent her kitten-hood in a small girls bedroom, raised on the same stories as we human children. So as well as approaching her new situation in a practical way she does so with the eyes and imagination of a young child seeing the magic in nature.

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Featured Interview With Michelle Barclay

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I’m the middle of five children. I was born and raised on the South Shore in Massachusetts. I left for a while to live in Washington (the state), but I’m back now. I don’t have any pets, but I would have a litter of dogs, if I could.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I don’t remember when I became fascinated with books. My mother tells me I was reading and writing before I was off to pre-school. I know I started writing with intent when I was about 10.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
My favorite genre to read is classic and historical fiction. I know that is two genres, but they are similar to me. However, my favorite authors to read include modern folk like Stephen King and Robert McCammon.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book is a sequel to my horror novel Morrigan’s Shadows. It’s called August’s Gardens. It starts off where the first one left off, but spends more time dealing with fantasy elements than with the “real” world. It takes place completely in an obviously fictional realm of creatures based on mythology. Well, not all of them are based on mythology. There is Morrigan, who is just a girl who happens to be dead when the story begins.

It took me several years to finish writing August’s Gardens. The problem was that I was planning a wedding and writing all the time for my day job, so I just wasn’t putting in the elbow grease. However, the wheels were always turning in my head. The characters were always there reminding me that it was almost time for them to all try to kill each other . . . or not.

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Featured Interview With Stacy Barnett Mozer

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I am a third grade teacher, an Assistant Advisor for the New England Society of Children Book Writers and Illustrators (NESCBWI), and a mom to two wonderful tweens. I was raised on Long Island, in Merrick, NY. The best part about growing up in Merrick was that it was so close to Jones Beach and other fun things to do. I could ride my bike everywhere, to friends’ houses and to the beach and the pool. It was also close to NYC. Now I live in Stamford, Connecticut, which may not have the best beaches but it is also close to New York City and to my parents on Long Island. And both are close to my favorite sports team, the NY Mets!

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I always remember loving to read. When I was in late elementary school I told my parents that I was afraid of the dark so that they would leave the light on in the hallway and I could place my book in the doorway. That worked well until one night when I was so into the book that I didn’t hear my dad come up the stairs until his foot was standing on my book.

I never thought of myself as a writer when I was younger, though I wrote all the time. I had diaries and journals and would pass a notebook of notes back and forth with some of my middle school friends. I still have all of them and sometimes reread them to connect with the younger me.

I started writing “for real” after spending a summer at Teacher’s College learning how to teach writing using a writer’s notebook. My instructors had us keep our own notebook and from then on I collected words and stories. Eventually one of those stories turned into my first finished manuscript. That story is still unpublished though because I still had a lot to learn about writing at that point. I continue to go back to it between writing other novels. Hopefully one day it will be ready for the world.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
While I will still pick up a new Stephen King book every now and again, for the most part I avoid adult books and read middle grade and young adult. I read all the time and very quickly, in a wide range of genres. To give you an idea so far this week I read three realistic fiction young adult books: ANY WAY YOU SLICE IT by Kristine Asselin, THE ABSOLUTELY TRUE DIARY of a PART-TIME INDIAN by Sherman Alexie, and I WAS HERE by Gayle Forman. I have three more realistic young adult books on my two be read list. Once I finish them, I am sure I will be looking for some new middle grade fantasy book series so I can get lost in an imagined world or I have a list of new middle grade novels that I will read before September so I can recommend them to kids in my class.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
THE SWEET SPOT is the story of Sam Barrette, a thirteen-year-old baseball player. When her baseball coach tells her that her attitude’s holding her back, she wants to hit him in the head with a line drive. Why shouldn’t she have an attitude? As the only girl playing in the 13U league, she’s had to listen to boys and people in the stands screaming things like “Go play softball,” all season, just because she’s a girl. Her coach barely lets her play, even though she’s one of the best hitters on the team. All stakes now rest on Sam’s performance at baseball training camp. But the moment she arrives, miscommunication sets the week up for potential disaster. Placed at the bottom with the weaker players, she will have to work her way up to A league, not just to show Coach that she can be the best team player possible, but to prove to herself that she can hold a bat with the All-Star boys.

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Featured Interview With Jonathan Cragle

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born the youngest of five sons, to Arthur and Lenore Cragle, both smart, humble and hard-working parents. I was raised in the state of Iowa and grew up with three brother’s as great role models and it’s where I learned a strong work ethic and was encouraged to explore and try new things. My inquisitive nature and lifetime of learning mentality was flamed into a fire and forged in the cold winters and hot summers! 🙂

When I”m not writing, I enjoy competing at CrossFit, reading, listen to music, watching sports, drinking great coffee, spending time with friends, and following my families events & successes.

I’m the proud father of five, Samuel, Caleb, Joel, Micah and Tirzah Joy. They are the good in his life and the hope of a great, future generation.

When asked his greatest hope, Jonathan replied, “As you read my writings, I hope that my books and words will inspire your change, growth and a better life for you and your family”.

I live and write surrounded by the beautiful lush greenery of the Pacific Northwest near Bellingham, Washington.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I loved going to the library at a very young age and always had the maximum number of books borrowed that I could. I spent many weekend days there, especially during the cold, Iowa winters.

I read everything I could get my hands on and was especially taken with how-to books, crafts, and fiction. I read until the wee hours and anywhere I had a spare moment.

I didn’t start writing until I was in high school and mostly just a journal I kept. It wasn’t until I was in my 30s that I started writing professionally.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Jon Land, John Grisham, David Balducci, Tom Clancy, Brad Thor in Fiction.

Steve Scott, Dale Carnegie, Tim Ferriss, Steve Windsor are a few of the many non-fiction writers I read.

I love action thrillers and mysteries, but love to learn new things too.

Jon Land first inspired me to write when I was just out of high school with his stories of intrigue and suspense with Blaine McCracken as his hero.

I’m inspired by writing friends, as well as friends who have stories that deserve to be shared.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
“YOU, UNLEASHED!: Mastering the Success Mindset, Overcoming Obstacles, and Living a Life That Matters!” is a life-long book that I had wanted to write. Of course, I didn’t know it over the years, but I needed the experiences, good and bad, before I could write it. It’s a book filled with information I wrote to remind myself of how to overcome obstacles, as well as how to live a life that really matters.

As I had children I started writing notes about things to teach them or what is important. Over time I had enough scraps of paper and notes that I could write multiple books. I took the information that seemed strongest and wrote it down to help others, even it was just one person who changed for the better.

I include stories of the struggles that exist in people’s lives, including my own, into easy to understand and powerful stories that take us from the 1964 Olympics, to the daily life of a single mother and her son who lives with Spinal Muscular Atrophy; from a CrossFit gym to a woman who has fully lived and persevered with Parkinson’s disease for 42 years and more!

Each of us has the ability to make a profound impact for good on our world and this book is focused on helping people get rid of the obstacles and helping them live incredible, outrageous, helpful lives.

I wrote this book as a re-usable guide to life and being the best you can be. It should be referred to over and over, since we are continually changing, struggling, getting better and becoming fully who we were made to be.

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Featured Interview With John J. Zelenski

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was raised in beautiful Northeastern Pennsylvania, and still call valley city of Scranton my home. I live with my wife and two children and we have a long-haired grey cat named Princess and a Shih Tzu/Yorkie mix dog name Dusty (they do not get along too well.) We also have two Betta fish – one named “Thomas” and the other called “Prince.” The do get along well – each in their separate bowls.

When not writing about ghosts, angles, demons, or anything supernatural, you just may find me doing chores around the house so that in my free time I can write about ghosts, angles, demons, or anything supernatural.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I have loved books from an early age. True, they were comic books, but still books nonetheless. I have been writing off and on since about sixteen. That would make me…….years old. I suppose converting my age to dog years would mean that I should be looking at nursing homes! My first novel, Walker’s Vale was published in 2012, and it’s prequel, The Journal of Ezekiel Walker, was just released a few months ago. Both stories are told from a Christian/ paranormal view which I can certainly relate to – literally. Strange occurrences began to happen when my family moved into our then new home in 1977. But that’s a story for another time…..

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
My favorite authors have all passed on as I find the Bible to be the greatest work of literature ever created. However, Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights is my favorite classic piece of literature as well as her rarely seen, yet hauntingly beautiful poems. On a contemporary level, I enjoy reading Mr. Ted Dekker and Mr. Frank Peretti.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
While my first novel, Walker’s Vale is presently in pre-production with Allegentsia Productions to become a feature film, I decided to give a background to the Walker’s Vale story by releasing the prequel, The Journal of Ezekiel Walker. This story give the backdrop to the eerie town of Walker’s Vale, Pennsylvania and further clarifies the unusual happenings of the even stranger preacher named Ezekiel Walker. Do all “bad guys” wear black? I’ll let you the reader decide that one.

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