Top Selling Authors: Get To Know Them Better

Featured Interview With Kirsten Joy

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I am a foodie and have been ever since I formed my first loaf of mud bread in the backyard at age seven. I wrote my first novel shortly thereafter, a shameless copy Anne of Green Gables. With time, I abandoned the mud and plagiarism and learned to work with real dough and original ideas.

I dream of running an island inn someday, complete with a vintage library, crumpets and cocoa on the veranda, and fragrant linens on all the beds. In the meantime, I am happily landlocked in Kansas with my husband and four sons, all of whom are required to tea party with me. I do enough laundry to compete with any island inn and enjoy writing and baking in my precious moments of free time.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I don’t remember a time when I didn’t write. When I didn’t know how to do it myself, my mom wrote journal entries for me, writing down as I dictated to her.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I love the classics. It’s nearly impossible to match their beauty and depth. In contemporary fiction, I recently enjoyed Kate Atkinson and Helen Simonson. I also like nonfiction, particularly history and psychology.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
It’s a Chic Lit, foodie novel about Adrian Duggs, a girl whose had it with the humiliation of home: the belching van, the sadistic rooster, and her father’s endless exhibition of sweat pants and blazers. She has dreams of becoming a pastry chef, but her family can hardly afford to send her to community college, let alone culinary school.

Away at school, she finds that leaving home isn’t a cure-all; there are new relationships that torment and change her. There are themes of mental illness, based on a good friend of mine who has transformed before my eyes in recent years and has finally been diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

I am a full-time mom and only a nap-time writer, so it was a long process to get the story finished. Five years and nearly fifteen drafts later, my book is finally published and I’m very happy with the outcome. I wouldn’t care if it took my fifteen years, I was not willing to publish until I was proud of it.

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Featured Interview With Jennifer Wells

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was raised in Eastern PA, near Pennsylvania Dutch country. It wasn’t until I left the area that I realized that not everyone is as crazy about birch beer, Lebanon bologna, and pierogies as people in my hometown!

Currently I live in Northern Virginia with my husband of twenty years, John. I also have three ridiculously spoiled cats, Morgana Madison, Luna Lavender, and Pele Josephine. MoMo and Luna are both Scottish Folds and are extremely affectionate. Pele is a sweet little tabby and the baby of the group, having just turned two yesterday.

When I’m not writing or reading, I attend a weekly pottery class, which is my new passion. I’m usually doing something creative like taking photos, sewing, and making jewelry. I’m a sucker for a good purse sale and complicated board games. I’ve been known to spend days at a time binge-watching The Walking Dead, one of my favorite guilty pleasures.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I’ve always loved books! In one of the earliest pictures of me with my dad, he is reading to me. I’ve been writing since I was in middle school. At that time, it was mostly horror or bizarre tragic tales – yeah, I was a weird kid! When I discovered romance novels in junior high, I knew I wanted to write them someday. My writing remained a hobby while I studied biology and forensic DNA science. I worked as a molecular biologist and published cancer research before finally leaving the lab and taking up my laptop full time.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
One of my favorite writers is Stephen King. His book On Writing was a really helpful read for me. He famously had a stack of rejection letters before he finally began to publish his books. I find that knowing even the most popular writers didn’t have immediate success offers new writers hope.

I will read almost everything from non-fiction to historical fiction, to mystery, to romance. My favorites are probably paranormal fiction and mysteries.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest books is called Magick Charm. It’s a story about twins in New Orleans who cast a magick spell to improve their love lives.

I got the idea for the book in a dream about the twins and their relationship with one another. They are as different as two people can be, yet they’re so close. That doesn’t mean they don’t bicker with each other, which they do quite a bit!

I developed the rest of the story starting the next day. I couldn’t get the twins out of my head! I set the novel in New Orleans, one of my favorite cities and a fun background for characters playing with magickal spells!

The book itself took maybe three months to write, but the editing took longer. I am a perfectionist by nature, and knowing when to say when is tough for me.

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Featured Interview With Kathryn Pincus

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Kathryn Pincus honed her writing skills in her law practice, presenting complex factual and legal matters in clear, compelling and persuasive writings. Long Hill Home is her debut novel, and another novel and a collection of short stories are in the works. She was raised in the New York metropolitan area (Long Island and then Northern New Jersey), received her undergraduate degree (B. A., Magna Cum Laude) from the University of Delaware, and her law degree (J. D.) from the Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, D. C. Since her “early retirement” from the practice of law, she has filled her days taking care of a busy household and family, supporting numerous charitable and community causes and writing fiction. When not engaged in all of the above, Kathryn enjoys running, biking, traveling, reading, cooking and watching her sons compete in sports. She lives in Wilmington, Delaware with her family and a large black Labradoodle named Shadow, and they all enjoy part of their summers in Longport, New Jersey (at the Jersey Shore).

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I was the youngest of six children, and so there were many occasions in my childhood where I was expected to “entertain myself.” I loved sports and anything played outside, except, I also loved reading. I was a voracious reader, and I read books of any subject matter and including books meant for older audiences. I also loved any class in school that involved book discussions or the written analysis of authors’ works, and I also loved creative writing.
I wrote as part of the curriculum in high school, college and law school. I also wrote a great deal in my profession as a litigation attorney. The creation of a legal pleading such as a brief is tantamount to writing a story. First I wove together a factual story, and then I added the legal argument– ideally in a manner that drew in the decison-maker (a judge, an arbitrator or a jury), educated them about the issues and the dispute, and then persuaded them to decide the dispute in a certain manner. I began writing my debut novel after I retired from the practice of law, at about age 42. At first I was weaving a story in my head during my morning run on the wooded trails of the Brandywine River Valley, and then that story evolved into a written manuscript and ultimately, a published novel. The novel begins with a woman running in the exact spot where I was running when I created it in my head.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I love to read books by Harper Lee (To Kill a Mockingbird is my favorite book ever), John Grisham, Lisa Scottoline, Scott Turow, Pat Conroy, Anita Shreve, and Jennifer Weiner.

I love thrillers, as well as any general fiction that involves vivid settings, complex characters and interesting story lines. I also enjoy biographical works (such as those by Laura Hillenbrand and Jon Krakauer).

I am inspired by the authors I mentioned here when I write, because I try to emulate their ability to truly bring to life their characters, their settings and their experiences. Like Harper Lee, I also try to inject issues of social justice into my story lines–to prompt debate or raise awareness about those issues.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Long Hill Home is a suspenseful story of three strangers–whose lives collide in the aftermath of a violent crime. Kelly Malloy is a wife, a mother and a successful lawyer whose world is shattered when she is brutally attacked while running along the banks of the Brandywine River. Chad McCloskey, a lonely teenage boy from a dysfunctional home, stumbles upon Kelly Malloy’s unconscious body immediately after the assault. He is falsely accused and imprisoned with dangerous felons, only because he tries to help her. Maria Hernandez, a young woman who emigrated illegally from Mexico, is reluctantly thrust into the role of witness to the crime, putting her in jeopardy of deportation only weeks before she is to give birth to her child.
It is a story of the human condition, intimately examined through the harrowing experiences of Kelly, Maria and Chad. All striving for love, security and a fulfilling life, Long Hill Home’s key players face adversity together in spite of seemingly insurmountable differences – which, ultimately, only serve to underscore their commonalities.
Electrifying readers with suspense and provoking nuanced considerations of timely social issues like criminal justice, class, immigration, and security through compelling and emotionally-charged characters, Long Hill Home is a page-turning exploration of what happens when worlds collide – and the narratives we’ve built our lives around come crashing down in unexpected ways.
Long Hill Home is written about subject matter and places that author Kathryn Pincus is very familiar with, enabling her to write with vivid detail and give her readers an authentic–and vicarious–experience. Readers of Long Hill Home will run through the trails of the Brandywine River Valley, sit in an eighteenth floor office of a downtown law firm, stand on a litter-strewn sidewalk in a poor section of Wilmington, and shudder with fear in the shower room of a maximum security prison. They will also be reminded of the fact that all people, regardless of vast differences in background or circumstance, strive for the same things: a place to feel loved, safe, and to call home.

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Featured Interview With Amy Spade

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I grew up in a small town in western PA where we all say “yinz” and “crick” and you can’t tell the difference between “rule” and “roll” unless there is context. I was unusual and weird and maybe didn’t fit in so well, but I found friends and we all fit in with each other.

I live now in the vicinity of State College, Pennsylvania, where I did not go to college, but migrated to after marriage. I love it here. It’s like living in a young city, and there’s always something going on. Husband and I have four cats that we adopted: Coal, Shadow, Jinx, and Shiloh. I don’t dress them up or call them my babies or anything, but I do talk to them like they’re my friends (ask them what they’d like to eat or if they would like to proof my manuscript), so that might qualify me as half-crazy cat lady, or maybe full-on crazy. I’m okay with that.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I loved reading and being read to. My mother would read to me every night, even when I was old enough to read books by myself (I truly believe you are never to old to be read to). I was probably around seven or eight when I got crazy obsessed with Baby Sitter’s Club. My parents would give my sister and me a little cash to buy the latest book at the mall bookstore every few months, and we’d finish it by nightfall.

I didn’t write too much until well into my twenties. Most of my high school and college studies consisted of research writing, so I really believed I hated writing. BUT, I always put myself to sleep at night by writing stories in my head. I thought that was normal for everyone until I told my husband about it. He was like, “Uhhh, I’ve never done that. Ever.” I started writing fiction shortly thereafter.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I love Curtis Sittenfeld and Laura Moriarty. Their writing style and attention to detail and back-story is amazing. Jerry Spinelli and Sarah Dessen are my favorite middle-grade/young adult authors. I’ve been reading both of them for forever; in fact, I love their work even more as an adult. Julia Quinn, author of a gazillion romances, writes the best and funniest dialogue. Love her, and I imagine her to be hilarious. All of these authors inspire me.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
I love writing coming-of-age stories. I felt like my own, personal coming-of-age story happened in college during 9/11. It was a lot for me to process as college freshman. I remember staring at the television in complete shock, knowing very deep within me that life was never going to be the same again. Reflecting on that time gave me the idea to write a girl’s coming-of-age story while she was in college, rather than high school, because I believe we never really stop “coming-of-age”. The story of Claire in Summer Unbroken is fiction, but inspired by the wide range of emotions I (and my friends) felt back then.

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Featured Interview With Allyson McQuinn

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I’m a Physician of Natural Medicine physically situated in Canada but working internationally by Skype and phone. I grew up in the the Maritimes in New Brunswick, Quebec and Ontario. Right now I live in Saint John, New Brunswick but Winter over in Panama. We had biodynamic farm for years when our kids were younger with 36 animals, but now we’re down to one cat. I’ve written 13 books, including a couple of memoirs, books of poetry and a best-selling series called “The Natural Home Pharmacy …” They’re bourn out of my deep desire to help other parents use natural forms of medicine at home for themselves, their children and their animals.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I started with Ann Of Green Gables and Nancy Drew when I was a kid. I started writing stories and poetry also when I was 8 or 9. Sadly, in my 20’s and 30’s I became very sick, also giving birth to a son damaged by vaccines who was thrown into the Spectrum. I made a pact that if he was ever cured, I’d write a book about it. That is how it all started for me almost 20 years ago. With my own burgeoning health, I just can’t seem to stop. Folks call me prolific!

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I’m deeply inspired by Dr. Samuel Hahnemann, Goethe, Coleridge, Rudolf Steiner, Wilhelm Reich, Henri Bortoft etc. Mostly romantic science. I also love Shakespeare and a whole myriad of classic literature and some modern too. I love classic poetry, but right now reading some David Whyte.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest is celebration of the 10th anniversary of my best-seller The Path To Cure; The Whole Art Of Healing.” It’s being re-released for FREE as an audio/podcast book. (http://www.thepathtocure.com/)

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Featured Interview With Marvin “Knife” Sotelo

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I grew up in East Los Angeles with so many pets I can’t even name em, I have been spending most of my time in Baldwin Park. The culture of Voodoo and HooDoo opened the door to what later became an interest in Satanism. I learned so much from those wonderful people in the “Maravilla” area, which has seen suffering on a huge scale. East Los Angeles is rampant with gang activity.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I have always had a “need” to write; just scribble thoughts, ideas or impressions. I began writing short articles for underground periodicals in the 90s……without much ado. After I became an Ambassador in our church, I began writing short ‘snippets’ for new members to explain the basics of Satanism. The High Priest suggested I share my information on a larger scale and “one thing led to another”.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Michael “The Mad Poet” Margolin was a trailblazing “Searcher” who opened the door of magick to reveal the secrets that had not been, even whispered in the confines of a closet. I have read his poetry and other surviving manuscripts countless times. Margolin’s “The Book of the Goat” is hailed as his best work even though there are other great titles. I respect Aleister Crowley and appreciate his contribution to the Occult, as well as Anton Szandor LaVey who gave the world a guided tour of his new Satanism complete with celebrities, wild animals, rituals, scandals and sex. He was a pioneer who paved the way for writers like myself to be accepted in mainstream society.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
The Condensed Satanic Bible focuses on specific elements of my Satanic belief and magickal practice. I wanted to limit the scope of the book so readers could easily research the desired elements without reading 500+ pages of material. The idea is to make a series of reference guides for easy use.

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Featured Interview With Pamela Crane

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I’m a Pittsburgh native who relocated to North Carolina to escape the long winters. Along with being a mother of three (with another baby on the way!), a wife, and a writer, I’m a horse enthusiast who runs a horse rescue.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
My first venture into writing a full-length book was a Richard Adams’ style talking animal book that I completed when I was ten–fully self-illustrated and all! But my first published book was a fable called “Weedlia’s Fate” that I wrote when I was eight and submitted to the local paper. It even won a prize–and I spent all $200 of my winnings on candy, I’m sure.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I love writing and reading thrillers, but I can’t say that I have a favorite genre or author. I’m inspired by a phrase here, or a description there. Little details about many books spark an idea or a visual, and those nuggets seep into my own writing.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My newest release, “A Secondhand Life,” is about a scientific phenomenon called “organ memory.” A friend of mine had a lung transplant and ended up having memories that weren’t his. Borrowing his experience, my story uses a heart transplant recipient to reveal a murderer’s identity using organ memory from the victim.

After receiving a heart transplant from a young murder victim, Mia Germaine is plagued by nightmares. Are they clues to solving a murder case, or grim phantasms leading her further into danger? More than a page-turning thriller, “A Secondhand Life” weaves a tale of second chances and reclaimed dreams as this taut, refreshing story ensnares and penetrates you.

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Featured Interview With Sasha Pruett

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Born in the mid-west and raised in the south I’m a country girl at heart. I spend my days taking care of my home and husband and trying to convince my cat to get off my computer and let me work. My writing like my life is varied, from horror to poetry, science fiction to comedy and so on. There’s so many good ideas out there I refuse to limit myself to one genre.
Random is the one setting on my mp3 player that’s always active and I bounce around my hobbies like I do my music. I’m very old fashioned and the person I admire most is my grandmother.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I’ve been creating stories and writing since I can remember. It’s always been a part of me, of who I am. I would write even if my stories were nothing more than filled spiral notebooks and doc files on my computer; for me there is no such thing as retirement. I get antsy if I’ve gone too long without writing something, anything really; a poem, a short story or a journal rant (that I usually insert in one of my books). Life is stranger than fiction and by using my personal experiences it enriches the story and adds realism to the characters.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I love to read, always have and it helps me to hone my own craft. I learn from what I like and even more from what I don’t. Some of my favorite authors are Jane Austen- Mansfield Park is my personal favorite, Shakespeare (his words not only make you sigh but he has an amazing sense of humor) Much Ado About Nothing is one of my favorites, C.S. Lewis, Frank Peretti, and Terri Blackstock. I also like the Hunger Games Trilogy by Susanne Collins and the Iron Fey series by Julie Kagawa.
I bounce between genres depending on what mood I’m in sometimes bingeing on one book after another until my eyes scream at me to stop.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Costly Obsession: Unleashed, the final book of the Costly Obsession Trilogy was released a few months ago, featuring a detective, a supernatural serial killer and an eleven year old boy. It takes place in Medford Oregon where the skinned bodies of seemingly random victims start popping up in unbelievable locations, but the victims aren’t so random and the murderer will be much harder to capture than Detective Sloan Massey could ever imagine. What can eleven year old Timothy Hawthorne do to stop a psycho who filets his victims then leaves a suit of skin for police to discover like a fleshy riddle? Who would believe Timothy’s tales of angry spirits when Detective Massey refuses to see anything but a human killer in his midst no matter how impossible the evidence.
The Costly Obsession Trilogy has taken me more years to write than I ever thought, but considering that half of that time my writing has been packed in moving boxes from one move after another I try not to be too hard on myself. It took fifteen years to complete the trilogy, but it was so worth it and I’m not done there. I have a binder under my couch right where I can grab it easily, filled with over 120 ideas for future books so thankfully I’ll be busy for a very very long time.
Now I’m working on From Darkness- Aging rocker Bane Bronson never thought his trip through Hell itself would have been the easy part.

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Featured Interview With Shameeca Funderburk

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was raised in Pennsylvania and South Carolina. I currently reside in Pennsylvania. I’ve always enjoyed reading and writing. As a small child we use to have a candy store that was inside our home . Whenever it was my shift to work in the store, I would make sure I had a book to read behind the counter.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I became fascinated with books at age four, by the time I turned six years-old I was reading on a sixth grade level. It was in the first grade when I fell in love with writing. I was sent to the sixth grade for reading, it was during this season in my life I started writing stories.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I love Maya Angelou, and Terry Mcmillan. I love to read all kinds of books. If I had to pick a genre it would be romance and poetry.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book is a poetry chapbook titled Coco’s In The Wind: Short Love Poems. This book was a challenge for me because I could not just sit down and write the poems. If I did not feel a certain rhythm than I could not produce a poem. It took me about nine months to write the book. It was important for me to express the poems from a deep part of my soul. Coco is the main character featured in the poems. Coco inspires me because her strength lies in every woman. There’s a poem titled a Cold Rain that features a man named Kyle, I wanted to portray the pain a man feels in his heart for the love of his life.

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Featured Interview With Laura Trentham

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born and raised in a small town in Northwest Tennessee. Although, I loved English and reading in high school, I was convinced an English degree equated to starvation, so I chose the next most logical major-Chemical Engineering!? I worked for several years in chemical plants, before moving to South Carolina with my husband. I write while my two kids are in school, but am constantly getting distracted by our dog and two cats.

I write both Regency historical romances and Southern-set small town contemporaries, drawing on my own experiences growing up in a small town.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t carrying around a book. My parents told me at one point I couldn’t spend all of my allowance on books. (Yes, I was that big of a nerd:) But, I had never written anything but school papers until my kids started school and I had time on my hands. After reading several so-so books in a row, I thought, I can do better than this. Instead of leaving it at that, I actually tried. That book, a Regency historical, will be published in August! This has been a dream come true for me. I encourage anyone out there with the writing itch to sit down and go for it!

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I read across all genres. Literary, romance, sci-fi/fantasy, mystery, young adult… The most recent book I’ve read is Girl on a Train by Paula Hawkins, which I would recommend. On my keeper shelf, I have Lisa Kleypas, Mary Stewart, Janet Evanovich, and JK Rowling.

For my Southern contemporaries, I am inspired by the places and people (sometimes family…shhh) of my youth across Tennessee and Alabama.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Although, the first book I wrote, An Indecent Invitation, will release in August 2015, the first book I’ve had published is actually the fifth book I wrote. I took me about four months to write Slow and Steady Rush, but once it went on submission with editors, I had a three book deal within a few weeks. It was very exciting!

Released in March, Slow and Steady Rush is the first book of the Falcon Football trilogy. It’s a cross between Friday Night Lights and Sweet Home Alabama. RT Book Reviews named it a TOP PICK and said it “…is a marvelously funny, engaging, and memorable romance in a place where everyone knows your name.”

Librarian Darcy Wilde was thrilled to get out of the small, football-obsessed hometown where everyone remembered her mother’s wild antics. But when her beloved grandmother needs her help, Darcy packs up and heads back.

After a childhood in foster care and a career in the military, Robbie Dalton has his own share of difficult memories to face. Now, he’s more than ready to settle down and make champions out of Falcon’s high school football team. Neither is looking for anything long-term, but life in Falcon has a way of changing even the most set of plans.

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Featured Interview With Ashley Moore

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Ashley Moore, one of the experts in the field of nutrition, fitness, women health provides the helpful strategies you need in simple and affordable ways. What separates her from other experts is her ability to demonstrate very complex concepts in an easy-to-understand and straightforward manner. She does not promise the world, but she always provides organized, clear instructions that are constructive, feasible and easy to put into action.

She specializes in assisting people who struggle with weight, health and energy levels reconstruct their bodies – and transform their lives – without going hungry doing extreme exercise. In addition, she holds a certification in clinical hypnotherapy and has over 8 years of experience dealing with psychological health. Her work with the medical hypnosis has freed people from addiction, ceased the torture of never-ending stress, and helped many people getting over phobias and building self-confidence.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
When I was in College.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Non-fiction

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Want to shed the unwanted fat and lose weight rapidly and extremely?

This book comprises of a 7 day hormonal diet plan for quick and extreme weight loss, followed by a set of delicious, quick and easy recipes that will guide your way through the plan.

It contains strategies and tips to improve your hormonal imbalance, shed unwanted fat, and thus, eventually your overall health. Moreover, the book focus upon the food which is essential for you to keep your body healthy.

The book reveals how to burn your extra unwanted fats without cutting off your food intake by following the 7-day hormonal diet plan, and the tips and tricks mentioned in this book.

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Featured Interview With Barry K. Nelson

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born on July 10th, 1959. I’m 55. Soon to be 56. (But I’ve often been told that I look a lot younger.) I was born in McKeesport. But I live in a town called Clairton. It’s just a few miles from Pittsburgh. My interests are X-Box 360 gaming, gardening, movies, writing, reading, Marvel comics. I have no pets.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I’ve always had an interest in books. Even at a very early age. And when I was younger I was always good with writing. I started writing on a professional level when I was in my late 30’s. That was when I finally took myself seriously as a writer.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
My favorite authors are Stephen King, Ray Bradbury. My favorite genre is science fiction and horror. And I’m also a long time Marvel comics fan. I’ve been reading and collecting comics since I was in my teens. My inspiration for my writings are Rod Sterling, Gene Roddenbury, George Lucas, and Stan Lee.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book is called Obliteration. McKenzie Files book Three. It’s the third book in my McKenzie Files science fiction series. In this latest installment my three main characters, Colin McKenzie, Diane Christy, and Kelly Lytton are sent off to a far off quadrant of space in search of a missing task force of explorer ships. That’s where they face an insectoid race of aliens called the Tritians. As well as a military force of hostile humans. And a being who proved to be their most powerful enemy yet. A being called Deevor the Destroyer. I will be concluding this current story in the next installment, which I expect to have completed by the end of this summer. I’m planning to put out a total of 30 books in my series.

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Featured Interview With Iffix Y Santaph

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I grew up in Hibbing, Minnesota. As any of my peers would tell you, there was not a lot for excitement there, so I made my own fun with writing stories. I recently relocated to Marlboro County, South Carolina. In truth, there’s not much here, either, but it’s definitely warmer, and I’ve really been enjoying the area.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
As anyone would tell you, there was not much by way of excitement in Northern Minnesota. I started writing stories for my own enjoyment when I was seven. I lost my grandfather at an early age, and I found it very therapeutic to deal with the loss. My first favorite books were written by the British author Beatrix Potter. My favorite story of hers was Squirrel Nutkin. The title character taught me a lot about mischief, something I have endeavored to include in a number of my own characters over the years.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I have enjoyed a great many stories over the years. Some of my favorite authors include Brandon Sanderson (Mistborn Trilogy, Elantris, The Reckoners), Eoin Colfer (Artemis Fowl), Patrick Carman (The Land of Elyon), Terry Pratchett (Discworld), and Lemony Snicket (A Series of Misfortunate Events). I tend to gravitate toward Science Fiction and Fantasy.

I admire that most of these authors share their writing experiences very freely so I have been able to learn a lot from their advice. I also would like to mention K.M. Weiland as an inspiration. Her advice has been invaluable. (Find her on YouTube.)

I have also been inspired by music and artwork when developing my stories. For example, while I was first developing the story-arc for my current series Forgotten Princess (still largely under development), I contacted a number of artists I had met online and asked if they would be willing to share their artwork to inspire my characters and settings, and they readily agreed. So a whole group of artists helped me to imagine the settings.

Also, at about the time I was starting to write my series, Evanescence released their self-titled album, and the music inspired the attitude of Jendra, my main character in Impulse (Forgotten Princess, Book 1). I am not pleased to admit that I blared my stereo during her breaking point scene and now I have slight hearing loss. I would also mention the group Two Steps from Hell, who writes mostly Movie Scores as a tremendous inspiration. I listened to a lot of their album Skyworld as I was developing the sequel Deception, which is currently under editing.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
What if the quest for happiness was forbidden? What if you just knew that paradise was out there and no one wanted you to find it?

Three friends stand at the edge of their underground city. It is said that stepping into the unknown world is suicide. And anyone who leaves the city will surely be exiled.

Will they risk everything they’ve ever known, even their lives, for a chance at happiness? And if they do, will they ever find paradise?

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Featured Interview With Cyndie Shaffstall

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was raised on a cattle ranch in northwestern Arizona as the middle child. I have always been a natural introvert, so even then, books were my best friends. I always wanted to be a writer, so living remote, I was able to foster that pursuit. Though I grew up in AZ, I was born in Colorado and came back here in 1990. I cannot imagine leaving. I now live in central Denver with two boxers, Felix and Oscar, and think I have led a charmed life.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I am a voracious reader and have been since very young. I read as much as a book a day. I was also very young when I first started writing and won a state-wide poetry contest when I was 11 or 12. I think winning that contest gave me the push I needed to consider writing as a serious pastime.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I cannot say I have a favorite author, my interests are too varied to narrow it down–the same can be said about genre. It depends upon the day. Some days I’m in need of a good mystery, and other days I need to read about the latest coding trends for websites. I am inspired by every author, and always look to their style for ideas to incorporate into my own.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
I am currently working on Willows, which is book three of a series. It’s about the Creole and free people of color in Louisiana around 1790 to 1880, or so. I’m enjoying it immensely because I am learning about the area and how New Orleans, specifically, dealt with racial issues differently than the rest of the country. I’m hoping my book will be unique and something everyone will enjoy reading—no matter their race.

I typically spend a month or two writing my books, but Willows is taking longer because there is so much more research involved. I want it to be accurate–to transport the reader to the era, so they, too, learn what it was like. The timeframe was a busy one for the New World and the south in particular. There was the abolishment of slavery, women’s suffrage, and the world’s fair, to name a few important events, making the book much longer than my others (I suspect).

All of my novels, so far, have been written in a narrative style. I want the reader to be able to imagine themselves as the person experiencing the settings.

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Featured Interview With Jennifer Frank

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was raised on the East Coast near Washington DC, went to school and Boston, and eventually relocated to the Midwest. When my husband coaxed me to move closer to where he grew up, I didn’t realize that I should’ve listened better when he warned me about the winters! However, life in all other ways is wonderful in Wisconsin. In my day job, I work as a family physician. While this may seem a far cry from being an author, I get to spend my entire day hearing people’s stories in the exam room.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
My biggest treat as a kid was going to the library and checking out as many books as I could carry. I have always loved reading and still read constantly, including while I brush my teeth. I started writing as a physician and my first publication was a scientific article on Syphilis! Since then, my writing morphed into medical essays that explored the delicate balance of emotions that play out in the hospital and between doctor and patient. A few years ago, I used a novel contest to motivate me to start and finish my first novel. I’ve been going strong ever since.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I have eclectic tastes but I have always enjoyed a good murder mystery. My favorite author in that genre is Mary Higgins Clark. As a writer of “chick lit”, I certainly have many favorites in this category as well – Sophie Kinsella, Kristin Billerbeck, and Julie Garwood top the list. My all time favorite author, though, is Dean Koontz who combines suspense and creativity with beautifully crafted language.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Getting it Right the Second Time Around explores a chance few of us ever get – going back to choose the path not taken. In this story, Alison is compelled by the terms of her eccentric aunt’s will to go back to law school. In making this choice, Alison is forced to rediscover herself and the choice she once made to determine if it was the wrong choice after all. In the midst of deciding what to do, she meets and falls in love with Ryan and wonders if he will support or discourage her from picking up where she left off several years ago.

I started writing this novel in 2010 when my youngest child was still in diapers. It took about four or five months to write the first version. Since then, I’ve completed one major rewrite and multiple little rewrites to hone the plot. Every time I go back to re-read it, I realize how much I like the story, the characters, and the setting.

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Featured Interview With Chele Cooke

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I’m a Sci-Fi, Fantasy, and Paranormal author currently living in London, UK. I actually grew up in Warwickshire (Shakespeare country,) in the middle of nowhere, so lots of tree climbing and making your own fun. I know, I know, sounds very ‘back in my day’, doesn’t it? I was fortunate enough to spend two years of my teenage life living in San Francisco, and the city remains my favourite place. If I could go back there to live, I would, though it would be a horrible commute to my current job.

Outside of writing, (actually, including writing) I’m a bit of a dork. I wear the title proudly and one way to seriously get into my good books is to get into an in depth discussion about something completely geeky. I live in a house share with four other people and two ferrets. Would love to have a dog, but until I have more time at home, that isn’t a good idea. I cross stitch, I knit, I marathon television shows when I’m not trying to write (and sometimes even when I am.) Mostly, admittedly, I’m a bit of a hermit.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I’ve always loved books. As a child, I adored Roald Dahl books, my favourites being ‘Fantastic Mr. Fox’ and ‘Matilda’ (I can’t stand the movie, but love the musical of this one.) I am one of those people who, if I love a book, I can read it over and over and find new things to love with each reading.

Admittedly, it wasn’t until I was about 14 when I started writing. I was living in San Francisco and admittedly was a little homesick. I moved out there with my mum and step-dad whilst my dad, step-mum, and two sisters remained in the UK. My dad bought me copies of the first 4 Harry Potter books for Christmas one year (also the year they played the Stephen Fry read audiobook of Philosopher’s Stone from beginning to end on the radio in the UK,) and I just fell in love. I read them over and over and lamented the wait until the next book. With no new material in the series, I started writing fanfiction. (I wouldn’t recommend anyone reads that early stuff.) Soon, writing was a huge part of my life. I was still writing fanfiction by writing missing scene stories and writing well known scenes from other character’s perspective (apparently I write an awesome Dumbledore,) but I was also beginning to write my own fiction.

It carried on from there, and now I’m sitting here, three books published, a degree in creative writing, shortlisted for the Wicked Young Writer’s Award, and featured in the Bookseller. It’s all going pretty well.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I’m still a sucker for rereading Harry Potter! It has so many of my roots in there that I comfort read the entire series about once a year.

I’m rather eclectic when it comes to books. I love reading Science Fiction and Fantasy. Let’s face it, it’s my genre. But I also love other stuff. One of my favourite books is ‘My Sister’s Keeper’. The depth in that is incredible (don’t watch the movie, it’s nowhere near as good,) and Jodi Piccoult has done a wonderful job of making you fall in love with all of the characters at different times, so your perception of the issues raised in the plot is always changing.

I love epic fantasies like ‘Song of Ice and Fire’ by G.R.R Martin and ‘Sword of Truth’ series by Terry Goodkind. I also love YA books such as The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.

Basically, I’ll read anything put in front of me and see whether I like it. I find inspiration everywhere, and you never know what could spark a new idea, so might as well search through everything.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
TEETH is the first book in a paranormal series. It’s not paranormal romance, but more a general paranormal series… kinda like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, except without the slaying or chosen one. (I love Joss Whedon too, so that is a great comparison for me.) The book follows three vampires at different stages in their Unlife. You have August, who has been a vampire for over a century, Spencer, who is half a dozen years undead, and Thomas, newly turned and very confused.

I started writing this book as a bit of fun, truth be told. I’d had ideas for a couple of scenes in my head for a long time, (the now famous among readers of the book ‘Munchies’ scene was one of them,) and I decided to just start writing. I’m a member of the website Wattpad and I wanted to make something new and exciting for my readers there. I posted Teeth week on week, a chapter at a time and didn’t have a plan for the book until around chapter 10. I was just writing something fun. However, I think it was about week 12 that I realised I really had something. Readers were commenting and telling me how much they loved the characters and the story, that they couldn’t wait until the next chapter went up.

I was also falling in love with the characters. Spencer – who started out as the secondary character to the main plot of Thomas learning how to be a vampire – was quickly growing into my main character. He has such an interesting backstory, and has deep seated issues that alter how he views everything. It’s so much fun to write him. Then there is August, who started out somewhat as the antagonist, but the further I looked into him was becoming a hero in his own right. Discovering these characters organically was wonderful.

In total, it took 25 weeks (6 months) to write the first draft. By the time I’d finished it on Wattpad, I knew this was a book I would release to the general public. I spent another three months in editing, reviewing, beta reading, and cover design before I released it on the 8th of January 2015.

Honestly, I never thought I’d be a paranormal author, but this story just swept me away.

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Featured Interview With Angel M.B. Chadwick

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born in Jackson, Mississippi and raised in Rolling Fork, Mississippi. I live in my birthplace for now. No. I have an eight year old son, who is very rambunctious.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
When I was five, I read the New Testament in its entirety. Yes, I could read at age five. I started writing when I was thirteen, when I wrote my first short story for a class assignment.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Edgar Allan Poe, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Bret Harte, Alice Walker, Gwendolyn Brooks, Sylvia Plath, to name a few. All genres. Reality inspires me.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
“Corridors of My Mind” is a nonfiction-memoir written in the form of lyrical poetry. It took me twenty years to write it. I start telling my adulthood, motherhood, teenage years and marriage.

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Featured Interview With R Weir

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was raised in Des Moines Iowa, and now live in the Mile Hi City. I’m married with a teenage daughter who is a writer as well, and dog named Emma. We love the outdoors, travelling as much as possible in our MotorHome. My wife and I also own motorcycles and I try to ride mine every day I can. Being an IT Professional is my day job, while I write in whatever free time I have.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I wrote quite a bit of poetry in my teen years, as an outlet to any problems I was dealing with. I wrote three novels in my early twenties which I never published, but hope to maybe update and publish down the road. As I mentioned it seems to run in the family as my teenage daughter loves to write as well, and posts to WattPad.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I’ve always enjoyed Robert B Parker, Ian Fleming and Robert Ludlum. I’ve also enjoyed mysteries and political thrillers. Mostly I write as an outlet. Ideas come to me, roll around in my head until I can write them down. I’ve been able to imagine places and situations, and turn them into an idea and finally a working story. It can be quite relaxing creating and relaying these visions in my head.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
I have a series of books, starting with a short story “The Case of the Missing Bubble Gum Card” now permafree on amazon, followed by “Tracking A Shadow”, both featuring my detective Jarvis Mann, who is a normal detective doing unsavory work to pay the bills, but who get’s mixed up in unusual cases, with unusual clients. In “Tracking A Shadow” he is hired to find out who is stalking his sexy client Emily White, which leads him into a quagmire of lies and danger. The third book in series hopefully will be out in late May 2015 and is titled “Twice As Fatal” with Jarvis returning this time working two cases leading to twice the business and twice the danger. Jarvis is a wise cracking detective whose own personal failings get him into trouble with those around him, his clients, the law and the woman he dates. Writing goes quickly for me but since I work full time it can take me many months to finish my books. I often wonder how quickly I could write if I could do it full time.

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Featured Interview With Tracey Lampley

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I’m a graduate of Miami University of Ohio. Currently I am a graduate student in American history. I am also an avid fan of football, basketball and politics. I was raised in Hamilton, Ohio. Currently I reside in Georgia with my Yorkie mix, Neo. When I am not writing, I am reading and writing for my graduate program in American history. Occasionally I take in an action-packed movie such as Furious 7 and Run All Night.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
My fascination with books started earlier than kindergarten. But it was in kindergarten when I realized I wanted to write and publish books. So, at the tender age of five, I punched three holes in ten sheets of typing paper and bound it with my hair ribbons. I sold the book to my doting uncle for a nickel. Now I’m selling my novellas for $3.99.

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 romantic suspense, but I also like crime fiction. My favorite authors are Terry McMillan, Christopher Reich, David Baldacci and James Patterson. My characters actually inspire me in my writings. They sometimes speak to me.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
It took me about two months to write Kept: Book Two, but the editing stage dragged along. Here is the blurb for Kept: Book Two:

Sex, lies, murder: After surviving attempts on her and her unborn baby’s life, Kate delivers an heir to a fortune. Now sexy former mistress Kate Mercer is back! So is murder! The flawed, insecure character finds herself inviting trouble in the form of murder. This time Kate is alone in her fight for survival, in her fight for her family. Meet the characters impacting Kate Mercer-Burton’s life.

Anita Spencer: After a great loss, the woman has a score to settle with Kate.

Derrick Angel: The heartthrob threatens to ruin Kate’s family. Will he kill to win her heart?

Detective Garnett: Out of his jurisdiction, he tries forcing Kate to reveal the whereabouts of his kept mistress. When Kate refuses, he issues a chilling threat.

Carrington Grant: He’s more powerful than any of the previous three, and he indicates that he wants to become a part of his and Kate’s daughter’s life. Will he be the one to ruin Kate’s family?

Kept: Book Two is a stand-alone novella. It is not necessary to first read Kept, which is the first novella in this series. I brought Kate back because the character urged me to keep her alive. New and old supporting characters surround her. But one of them is out to destroy her and her family. Here is the link. www.amazon.com/dp/B00V52XOJG.

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Featured Interview With Jane Biran

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born in South London but due to the military bombardment of the city during World War two, I was evacuated to north east England where I was raised and educated. I continued my education at Liverpool University where I studied English Language and Literature, made life-long friends and became devoted to Everton Football Club, before moving back to London to do post-graduate studies at the London School of Economics. I met my first husband, also a Liverpool graduate and the father of my three children, when he recruited me for my first job. We moved between London and Liverpool until he became the Member of Parliament for an Essex constituency while I worked briefly in the fashion industry, then in journalism until I settled down in a public relations job in London. Shortly after marrying my second husband, Israel’s Ambassador to London, we moved to Jerusalem where I have lived ever since. The move coincided with a career change for me to fund-raising and reporting for two international charities.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I cannot remember a time when I was not fascinated by books. I do remember relatives chastising me for always having my head in a book when I should have been listening to them. It was therefore on the cards that I would study literature and that I would always divide my leisure time between reading and writing. In fact, every job I have ever had has involved an element of writing. Even my brief sojourn in the fashion world included writing promotional descriptions of items of clothing. I started writing fiction only when I moved to Jerusalem and my work for the city’s flagship charity involved frequent air travel. I began writing novels to fill the hours when many of my fellow travelers were sleeping. I have so far completed five books and have started work on a sixth.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Jane Austen has remained my favourite and most inspirational writer. I consider ‘Emma’ possibly the most perfect novel ever written in the English language. But I also love Edith Wharton and Anita Shreve from across the Atlantic and Anita Brookner, Penelope Lively, Ian McEwan and Sebastian Faulks among many others from contemporary British writers.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
“Hope Street’, my third published but fourth completed novel, was inspired by the tragic life of a friend from Liverpool University. A good deal of the book is fictional; most of the situation and almost all of the dialogue is, by the very mature of things, culled from my own imagination. But the starting point was this particular friendship which lasted her entire life time to which she actually asked me to try to write her a happy ending. It took me some time to do anything about it because I was concerned to honour her memory without compromising any of the other characters in the book or any confidences, by no means an easy task and I am still not sure if I have succeeded. I nevertheless hope that the story as I present it will keep my readers wanting to know what happens next.

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