Top Selling Authors: Get To Know Them Better

Featured Interview With Ari Sims

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born and raised in Neptune, NJ. I’m still here, living at the same place I grew up. I live 8 blocks from the beach so it’s no coincidence that there’s a beach scene in all of my fiction books. New Jersey is okay but I think I’m getting ready to see the world. I even made one of my character’s dialogue in my upcoming book, “Jersey can be a lonely place.”

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
My grandfather used to read to me every night. My grandparents raised me and without them I’d have nothing nor would I be the person I am today. I have to credit my grandfather for getting me into reading and writing. I started writing in the second grade. My first “story” was written on one of those old waxy, ruled-line papers and there was one period at the end. I wish I still had it. I forget what it was about. But on my second grade report card, which my mother still has, my teacher wrote on it “Encourage Ari to keep writing.” That was in 1997.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I grew up loving RL Stine. Given the nature of my books I don’t think that’s a surprise. I’ve read some mainstream stuff, like Harry Potter and I enjoyed A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snickett (Again, no surprise given the nature of my work). Lately, though, I’ve been reading a lot of work by fellow indie authors. These days I’m into urban, romance, street-life kind of stuff. My grandfather compares me to Stephen King. As he put it, I take “normal, everyday people” and throw them into twisted events.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
The Gulick House, my first self-published book and one that I’ve been promoting for a while, is…well, it’s something else. It’s not for everyone, let’s put it that way. It’s about a man who is so desperate for love that he’ll do anything and just when you think he’s got his life together, he just snaps and does the unspeakable. I’m working on another full-feature novel called Abandoned and it’s so weird because it’s JUST like The Gulick House but the premise is so different. Basically, both books go like this: Sketchy guy meets innocent girl who is too young for him on a Jersey Shore beach. Everything goes great for a while until everyone starts revealing their secrets. An ex comes along to ruin everything and then the big grand finale that leaves everyone with a pit in their stomach occurs.

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Featured Interview With Cara Swann

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I have lived my entire life in the southeastern USA, and as a result, all my novels are set in this region. I’m a widow of 9 years, and have 2 dogs presently; I’ve also had cats in the past. A former reporter/Lifestyle editor for a newspaper, I now devote my time exclusively to writing fiction.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I’ve been scribbling since my first years in school. As a teenager, I started writing stories on an old manual typewriter (which shows my age!). Life intervened though, and I didn’t get back to fiction writing until my late 30s. There have been periods of time when I couldn’t write, and those were the darkest days of my life. I love having readers, but the writing also is a saving grace for myself.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
My favorite novel is “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald. I suppose the first book I loved was “Charlotte’s Web” by E.B. White when it was read to my third grade class. “Tom Sawyer” by Mark Twain made a great impression as did “Gone with the Wind” by Margaret Mitchell. As an adult, I like mysteries/thrillers and those do influence my work to some extent, although a love story is always in my fiction as well.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
I’ve written and indie published over a dozen novels, but one of my favorites is “The Secret of Crybaby Hollow.” It is a mystery/love story set in the North Carolina mountains. I’m currently working on a novel “Where Whippoorwills Call” which will begin ten years later with the same couple who met and married in “Crybaby Hollow.” The “Whippoorwill” story will involve a missing girl in the same mountain community setting, but both novels are stand-alone stories.

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Featured Interview With Paul Zunckel

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born in 1957, in Rhodesia., and spent a lot of my young years moving from Game Park to Game Park, which has had an influence on my writing. My parents moved to South Africa a few years later and I was raised in a small town called Amanzimtoti, which is Zulu for “Sweet Water”. I now live on the South Coast of Kwa-Zulu Natal in a holiday town called Margate.
Apart from writing novels, I have tried my hand at music as well, and play the guitar. Apart from my wife being my pet, I have a wonderful cross breed that does not let me out of his sight, and is my constant companion when writing.

I am very lucky enough to have a wonderful wife who not only proof reads my work, but does all the editing work as well.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I have always been fascinated with books, and have always loved to read. I only started out as a writer quite by accident.
I had an idea running around in my head, and my wife challenged me put it down on paper, so thinking that it would be a two or three page short story for a magazine I climbed in and 43000 + words later, Blood Moon Over Africa was born, and it has been like a running water tap ever since.

The ideas just flow, and I love every single day, as writing comes so easily. To date I have written six novels, and I only started writing in August 2014, and am at present busy with number seven.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I started out with Edgar Rice Burroughs and his Tarzan series. I enjoy Stephen Kings early work, as well as Dean Koontz, although I do not have one author that stands heads above the others. I enjoy a wide rage of genre, although I have always enjoyed Horror, but if it catches my eye, I will read it.

What inspires me is the mystery of Africa, the people, their superstitions and beliefs. I like to take fact and fuse it with fiction and take my reader on a roller coaster ride filled with sharp turns and the unexpected, I try to paint a picture with my words and leave the reader wanting more at the end.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book is titled “Man in the Shadows”, and this is where my dark side comes out, and I must admit, surprised even me as to where I found myself going, and I promise, I have never killed anyone in my life. Here is a bit more about it, and I hope it catches your attention.

Gordon Brown, head of a major publishing company, family man, use to making his own decisions and not being pushed around finds himself moving headlong into a living nightmare, where he is left feeling powerless and helpless, with no one to turn to by the arrival of one brown manila envelope that turns his stable organised life upside down with the words, “PUBLISH OR DIE”
Meet “The Teacher”, a master at playing mind games, and a serial killer who wants his exploits published, a killer who’s kills have gone on to be filed into the UNSOLVED file’s of law enforcement for “The Teacher” leaves no trace behind, and kills on a whim with no pattern.

“The Teacher” takes Gordon Brown to the very edge of darkness, not knowing who to trust and when his family are pulled into the nightmare, Gordon must make the decision to publish or to die.
Will Gordon Brown publish, or will he die?

A shock ending that will leave you breathless.

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Featured Interview With Sarah Kennedy

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
My name is Sarah Kennedy. I live in the little town of Delta, PA where I was raised. In fact, I live in the same house still! I have four cats, each as unique as can be and all have been rescued from somewhere or other. Two are boys: Master Shakespeare (because he is VERY dramatic); and Faith (my newbie) who befriended me. Faith and I are just getting to know each other but it is clear he has some baggage despite his young age but nothing a little patience and love can’t heal. The other two are girls, fraternal twins to be exact. Their names are Princess Wigglebutt and SillyNut. They are like two halves of a whole cat. I have a great soft spot for animals.

I play four instruments: the piano, flute, Feadóg( Irish whistle) and Bodhran Drum. I love to read, take long walks and spending time with my family.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I started writing young. I wrote my first “book” at the age of four. It had a red construction paper cover, a yellow yarn binding, a ton of misspelled words and poor artwork but every author has to start somewhere! My writing has improved but unfortunately my artwork hasn’t. Oh, well…

My fascination with books began at the beginning. My parents (especially my mom) were really awesome about reading. Mom would read whole books to my brother and I, a chapter or two at a time. C.S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia were among the first I remember very clearly and I was pretty little then. Honestly, I can’t remember a single day when books were not a big part of my life, and for that I am extremely thankful.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I will read just about anything! My favorite genre to read really depends on the kind of mood I am in but fantasy and mystery definitely make the top of the list. I love books for the sake of books. I love stories. I don’t care who wrote them! Just tell me a good story and I’ll be hooked!

As far as my own work is concerned, the Prophecy of Hope Saga was conceived in 2007 out of a personal tragedy. The story is a bit more complicated however. Many of the characters in the Prophecy of Hope Saga have been “carried” with me through childhood, through tumult, sorrow, and joy. One, however, had a name that was never written, a story arc that was never acknowledged, and quite frankly was never meant to exist. I never intended to write the Darkness. Writing was survival . . . Light and hope in a season of unimaginable heartache. In 2001, I began working on an untitled novel which was to be the beginning of a series with these long enjoyed characters. Darkness was in the story obviously but only on the fringes and impersonal. Of course, I knew of this character’s existence but it was not until 2007 and the hard, abrupt, unexpected (in some ways) and at the same time inevitable death of my brother, Isaac, that in a haze of grief this character broke through and called himself Sgarrwrath, The One Whose Name is not Spoken, the one who was never meant to exist! Once again, writing was a form of survival. Only this time I resisted it. I wrote other things without much success; always dreaming of writing this fantasy series even submitting it for publication only to be rejected! Finally, in 2010, I did away with my original first book manuscript and began again. The end result was Sgarrwrath, Prequel to the Prophecy of Hope published in August 2011. Mostly for me, but also for those who love books for the sake of books.

I can’t say things have gone as planned since then but if there is one thing this author is sure of, it is that writing is not what I do it is who I am because after the emergence of Sgarrwrath from the shadowed halls of my imagination and the publication of the Prequel in 2011, I discovered that the characters and story had arched beyond just mere survival into something much richer and deeper than ever before. I began work on Arising, Prophecy of Hope Book 1 almost immediately. The story took about a year and a half to write, and was published just this year in January 2014 following immediately upon the high of three honorable mentions! But being an art, the road is never easy and there have been days when I thought, “You can’t do this! Just give up!” I even tried to quit yet the story refuses to be silenced, and for that I am thankful.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Introducing the Prophecy of Hope Saga, a new and emerging fantasy series!

Sgarrwrath, Prequel to the Prophecy of Hope —

winner of three honorable mentions: Halloween Book Festival Fantasy category (October 2013), New England Book Festival Science Fiction category (January 2014) London Book Festival Genre Based Fiction category (also awarded January 2014).

Cast down from the Kingdom, cursed, condemned, stripped of flesh, bone and identity for his crime, Sgarrwrath has become The One Whose Name is not spoken, the bane of the Light. He has long existed in formless Darkness, held in check by the Guardians’ dominion, but he has never forgotten the object of the lust that first birthed him into being, Sanctus’ Orb of Power. Within the Orb of Power is contained the Source, hidden in Flame, the most mysterious and

powerful entity in the universe. This treasure is the one thing Sgarrwrath craves above all else and it is the one thing that has always been beyond his reach, until now. Even the Guardians, in whose

hearts Flame burns, who breathe and wield its power, have never seen its Source nor harnessed its full potential. They are content to serve the Light. Arawn is not like the others. He is young, untested and he seeks more power though a prophecy reveals the predominance of the Flame belongs to another yet to be revealed. Arawn is easy prey for Sgarrwrath who lures him into Darkness to corrupt Arawn’s Flame to his will in the hope that Flame alone is the key to life, power– everything! Arawn’s brothers, three powerful, incorruptible Guardians

refuse to abandon hope. They journey into Darkness; how far will they go to save him? Will they have the strength to do what must be done even if they are forced to turn the full extent of their power upon Arawn? Or will Sgarrwrath destroy them all?

Arising, Prophecy of Hope Book 1

From Time’s conception the Guardians have led the way. Theirs is a position and a duty given by Sanctus, earned by Trials and kept by Right. They are a force beyond the confines of nature, immortal, wise, just and fair in their ways, and above all, powerful. Their supremacy has been a Golden Age when every Race, nation and living thing were united into one great society led by the wisdom and Light of the Guardians. But that glory has been breached from within by Arawn’s choice. Now Darkness comes.

In secret Darkness has festered since the dawn of time but with the shields of the earth crumbling, bringing chaos in the wake of the Great Guardian Exodus, everything is changing. A world hangs in the balances. The earth has turned against its inhabitants; its seasons have been wrung out of their courses and the Sun grows weaker by the hour. A Resistance gathers yet who can tell friend from foe, reality from illusion or even hope from despair? Time passes—its measure diminishing with the Light as both fade more and more into Darkness. Generations rise and fall too soon. No one is safe. Not even the timeless wielders of the Light whose access to the eternal Flame is at the heart of it all. Flame—the most mysterious and valuable substance in the universe. It is life, power, and the promise of so much more yet it is not the prize, but the tool.

A new age has dawned. For Darkness too has access to the Flame so begins the Time of the Prophecy of Hope. Only with the Light fading away, Hope is just a word. All life is bound up in a new kind of war; its only front is the soul; its only weapon is temptation, and there is only one way out, survive the illusion! No one is immune. Not even the Guardians themselves…

Cadclucan—

A Guardian—one in whose heart this treasured Flame burns, one capable of breathing and wielding its untold power. He is the first son of the Mother and Father; Head of Sanctus’ noble legions of the Light who are by their Flame linked irrevocably to the Source. Cadclucan is the creature of Light who once led three of his brothers back in Time to rescue one of their number from the grip of an ancient evil. When the hope of that journey failed, his brother, Arawn, willfully chose to defy the laws of the Light and not even the Flame could withstand the infection that followed. By Arawn’s fall, the Guardian bloodline was broken; the Flame divided and a great war was fought talon to talon, brother against brother till blood rained from the heavens. Now, following the Exodus in which the Guardians retreated into their secret realm, Cadclucan is the last of his kind remaining in the world. He cannot stay; he cannot leave till Mhorag, the Promised Guardian King comes to claim the key to immeasurable power—the Stone of Existence of which he is the Guardian. No peace and no rest remain. Hiding and hunted, Cadclucan faces fear unlike any known to his kind before. It is a fear that comes from within his mind—a mind that is plagued by memories of a black future yet unmade.

Lorshin—

He is the eldest offspring of the fallen, Prince of his race, but he is tortured by his own existence. He lives with his people in a remote and nameless forest to keep all life safe from the insanity brought on by their uncontrollable hunger. It is the curse of all Samhail to hunger for the Flame, which is their lost birthright as the dreaded children of Arawn. Traces of Flame are hidden in the life blood of every living thing. No longer under the protection of the Guardians the monster within has come unleashed. Always hungry, never quite in control, Lorshin stalks the night, and fears the Sun all the while silently harboring the torturous memories of the past. Seeking peace in all the wrong ways, the predator soon becomes prey to the Dark One’s illusion. With a single kiss he enslaves his people to Death.

His crime and its price was foretold in Prophecy, yet he failed to heed its warning. Now Lorshin, as the lover of Death, undertakes a desperate attempt to redeem himself and free his people from everlasting Darkness. Through his bond with his twin, Isentara, who alone escaped slavery, he still knows Light, and Light is a powerful defense, but also through their bond Isentara knows Darkness. Two halves of a whole, separated by forces greater than themselves, they each must ultimately face the Darkness alone.

In the Darkness, strength becomes weakness. Anyone who gets in the way of the Dark One’s will faces a horrible end, and the Dark One wants Lorshin to be his Weapon more Worthy.

Playing dangerous games with the Dark may cost Lorshin more than he knows.

Sgarrwrath—

That dark entity who emerged from the heart of the first created life when Time was still unmeasured. Despite his stolen existence, he is a being who was never meant to exist. Cast down from the Kingdom, stripped of flesh, bone and identity, he remains becoming The One Whose Name is not Spoken, the bane of the Light. Existing in formless Darkness long held at bay by the Guardians’ dominion, Sgarrwrath has never forgotten the object of the lust that first birthed him into being, Sanctus’ Orb of Power.

Within the Orb is contained the Source, hidden in Flame, who is the most incomprehensible and powerful being in the universe and the one thing Sgarrwrath craves above all else. The Source has always been beyond evil’s reach, yet Time has a way of changing everything.

Sgarrwrath never forgot and he never surrendered. His lust, like the Darkness, festered in the recesses of world in love with the Light. Now the ways of the Light lay in ruin and Flame is within his grasp. The time is fast approaching when either Light or Darkness will have to rise and lay claim to the soul of the Source by whom both are now uncomfortably linked. But all moments bare a price.

Darkness grows out of the East, sweeping inch by hard won inch across the world. The Resistance falters until a Prophet, branded by Flame emerges to proclaim the Hope of the Promised.

Sgarrwrath has not grown so strong that he is beyond doubt, and when something not of his making burns into the encroaching shadows of his Void, all his plans come to disruption.

Disruption—

Comes in the form of a mere Human. He was born to this time, and bred to this destiny, being of a pure descent in a long concealed line of Men whose purpose is shrouded in mythology. His name is Armahad. Marked by a Guardian, bearer of the crown of the royal house of Caladrius, he is a man whose face shines like the Sun. Armahad soon finds himself at the center of the war. The Resistance gathers to his throne for refuge, yet he is endowed with all the weaknesses of humanity, and the weight of the world and the Prophecy have come to rest upon his shoulders.

Darkness follows, forcing Armahad to decide whether he is as noble as his ancestors to suffer that others may have Hope or whether he will choose another way.

Four lives bound in Prophecy

A world oppressed and on the brink suddenly embrace the coming of the Colorless.

The Colorless–

Young, unproven Guardians find themselves alone in the face of unimaginable testing, in the grip of ancient evil.

And

There is only one choice for all: Absolute Surrender or Despair.

Who will rise and who will fall? Who will live to fight another day, and what will be the price of this Darkening Age? Trust no Hope.

An epic, dark fantasy saga continues…

The series will continue soon with Mhorag, Prophecy of Hope Book 2.

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Featured Interview With Sharlene Almond

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I live in Auckland, New Zealand with my two dogs. Although I have had

training in Beauty and Spa therapy, editing, journalism, animal behavior and photograpy, criminology and counseling, my main interest lies in writing novels which allows me to explore and learn about other eras and countries, creating characters that have deep rooted flaws, but uses those to achieve the end goal. My inspiration for novels came by accident, when finishing writing my first novel and starting to edit it, I stumbled across a conspiracy theory, in which some believed the Freemasons were involved in the Jack the Ripper murders. From there, the historical aspect took shape, continuing throughout all the novels I write. I hope that each novel I write doesn’t necessarily cause a person to believe in the conspiracy or myth, but challenges what they really believe could be possible. To everyone reads my books, I hope they can transport themselves back in time, learn more about the world around them, and maybe even question certain things they believe in.
As an author of historical/present day international thrillers, my books can challenge readers, as well as taking the reader on a journey throughout Europe and abroad.

Having studied in Criminology and Neuro Linguistic programming, in addition to doing a diploma course in body language, enables me to give an authentic feel to my characters, and the crimes committed. Because I’ve always been fascinated with human psychology, especially criminal psychology, I always include that element in every book I write.

My books don’t just cover the crimes committed, but what drove that person to commit those crimes? Examining their history, their weaknesses, childhood; all building up to why some of the most infamous crimes were perpetrated.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
Since I can remember I loved to read. In primary and high school I dabbled with writing, but never pursued anything. Life circumstances meant I couldn’t work, so I wanted to do something from home. And that’s when I took writing to the next level – writing a novel.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Dan Brown, James Patterson, Kathy Reichs…

My favourite genre is thriller/suspense; books that are full of excitement, action, and keeps me on my toes.

Inspiration comes from a variety of people and things that I watch. Sometimes it’s just a little something I’ve heard that triggers of a whole set of ideas.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Initiated to Kill took me about one year to write. But four years to finally have it published. I’ve editing it so many times, and each time I’ve changed quite a bit. Hopefully the end result people will like.
Two men from different generations, both initiated into a powerful organisation that throughout history has sought control and uses their power for destruction. They leave behind a wake of murder, manipulation and ancient secrets.

The first man wreaks havoc in and around the Whitechapel district of London, England in the 19th century. While the other stalks his victims in the cosmopolitan city of Seville, Spain in the 21st century; knowing that only he could uncover the true motives of one of the world’s most infamous serial killers – Jack the Ripper.

Annabella Cordova quickly becomes embroiled in the conspiracy involving the university she studies at. When her roommate goes missing, it becomes very personal. Her past gradually unveils, as she is closer to this than she could have possibly imagined.

A childhood accident causing permanent deafness enables Annabella to use her other senses to read facial and body language; detecting lies in people, including suspects.

Andres Valero, the troubled detective, returns from forced leave, only to be faced with horrific crimes that brings his memories to the surface.

With Annabella and Andres combined, they must stop this person at any cost, and reveal a conspiracy hidden for centuries.

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Featured Interview With Darrell Case

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I live on 40 acres my parents purchased in 1948. I began writing 20 years ago at age 49. So far I have published 6 books with the 7th to be released 2015. We have a dog and a cat. A Sheltie named Abby who accompanies me to my office when I write, and a cat named Ginger.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
When i was 4 year old my mother saw me looking at a magazine with my eyes so close to the page they realized I needed glasses. In high school I was so fascinated with books I neglected my classes, henceforth my problem with English and usually read 2 or 3 at the same time

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I have several authors I read widely from contemporary to classics

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Deadly Justice

Washington D C is under siege. A killer is stalking women of the night 18 women have been found floating in the Potomac. Their bodies slashed weighted down by a concrete block. Abruptly the killing stops. Law enforcement speculates the D C Killer is dead or incarcerated.
He is imprisoned …in the White House. Jerold Robbins is handsome wealthy and single. At 35, he is the youngest president in American history. Jerold Robbins is the D C Killer.
As president he establishes a network of corrupt persons in law enforcement.

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Featured Interview With K.T. Hunter

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born in Fort Worth, Texas; but I was raised and currently live in Arlington, Texas. I love dogs but I don’t have one. I have terrible allergies.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
When I was 12 my mother wrote children’s books and she inspired me to write so I began with poems. Later I began writing songs and at 19 Brooklynn’s Bridge was a television idea that transformed into a book. After my mother passed in 2012 I knew that I had to follow my dream. So I began seeking a publisher and found one in 2013.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I have so many I love. Zane, Maya Angelou, Christine Feehan, R.L. Stine, Kristin Hannah, Joss Whedon, etc. I would have to say Joss Whedon is my favorite I loved his characters on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and how he made them come to life. I hope readers feel the same about my series because I definitely put in the effort to make them feel apart of the story. I think its important as a writer to capture the reader and place them in the world you created.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Brooklynn’s Bridge is about a teenage girl that is psychic. She runs into trouble in Edmonds, Washington and is forced to move to Mansfield, Texas. Brooklynn struggles to have a normal teenage life because she hides her secret. She has visions of terrible things happening to others and races against time to save them and all the while protecting her identity and dealing with her adversaries and their impending threats of revenge.

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Featured Interview With C.C. Wall

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I grew up in Orange County, California. I was raised on horror and mystery, watching everything from The Munsters to Murder She Wrote with my grandmother. My mom had Agatha Christie books all over the house as a kid and I would thumb through them. Ten Little Indians was my first dabble into the written mystery.

I live in Hollywood, California now. I spent the last ten years working in screenwriting and film. It has only been the last couple years that I really decided to be a full-time author. I home school my daughter and am a slave to my six year old, lap dog.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
My dad always had books everywhere. He owned a used book store for a while when I was growing up. He had a lot of rare and first edition stuff that he would never let me touch. As I got older, I was able to, but I had to do it after I washed my hand throughly and made sure my shirt was clean. That gave me a weird outlook on books. They weren’t just books, they became special tomes that hand to be handled with great care.

I have always written as far back as I can remember. I would make up awful comic books and try to sell them to my friends at school. Then I would Xerox drawings of my characters and glue them to a shoebox and cut them out and try to sell them as action figures!

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Right now, I have been reading a lot of Grant Stockbridge (Norvell Page) who wrote the 1930’s pulp classic, The Spider. It’s really exciting. I absolutely love it. I have also been reading a lot of the Nick Carter, Killmaster Spy Chillers from the 1960’s. Those are just sleazy James Bond type spy books. They are a lot of fun. I love mystery, horror and satire. Those are my favorites for sure.

What inspires my writing more than anything, I think are good televised serials, like Twin Peaks, Breaking Bad, Lost, things like that. That leave you with cliffhangers and that make you want to scream when the credits roll. That’s why I think I fell in love with writing serials.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
I just finished the third season of Black Star Canyon, my mystery serial thriller. It’s about a small town that filled with secrets. The mayor of the town finds a corpse of a young woman on his property and that starts a chain of events that threaten to tear the whole town apart.

They come out in weekly episodes for 5 weeks, then I put out the complete season book and that usually comes with some extra material as well.

The next season starts June 2nd!

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Featured Interview With Sheila Dalton

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born in Hillingdon, England, and came to Canada when I was six. I live in Newmarket, a small town near Toronto, Ontario. I am the proud slave to two cats.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I started reading before I went to school, and never stopped. I found fiction so fascinating, and also consoling. My childhood was difficult. Books were an escape, but they also taught me about people and the world. I started writing very young. I was encouraged at school, so I kept at it.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
My favourite authors write historical fiction – Sarah Waters, Sara Dunant, and Lisa See. They all both inspire and intimidate me, they are so good!

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book is my first historical fiction. The tile is Stolen. It’s about a young woman in 17th century Devon, England who comes home from market to find her village in ruins, all its inhabitants captured or killed by Barbary Corsairs. This includes her parents, taken off to be sold in the slave markets in Morocco. She is determined to find and help them but as a woman alone her sphere of activity is severely limited. There are many detours – involving a mysterious French privateer and an English pirate – in her quest. She manages to reach the fabled courts and harems of Morocco, despite all. The book is based on true events, and took me two years to research and write. I visited both Devon and Morocco, which is where the idea for the book originated.

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Featured Interview With AF Henley

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born a poor boy, in a poor country, on a poor street… wait… That’s not true at all. Let me try that again.

I was born in Vancouver, B.C. but only lived there for a short time before my family moved out to southern Ontario. I’ve been here since, and while I can’t say that I love it in the winter, I do take a great amount of pleasure from living here in the summer months. I reside in St. Catharines, quite close to the lake, and while Lake Ontario’s beach is no North Carolina shoreline, it still makes for a pleasant place to spend one’s time.

After an unexpected move back in 2013, my plethora of animal companions are gone, however, I do still share my apartment with a tiny little bit of an almost-dog (a Chihuahua) named Penny, and a introverted hedgehog named D.J. In time before now, though, I played foster-parent to just about everything from mole to fawn, including a sassy raccoon, a variety of fresh and salt-water fishes, an opinionated cockatiel, and an evil squirrel.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
My fascination with books has been strong since time before memory. My mother couldn’t read to me enough to keep me satisfied. (Darn life and it’s constant pressure for people to do things like work and clean and cook.) I have no clear idea of when I started writing, but it’s been just about forever. I was published for the first time when I was eight, in a religious circulation wherein I wrote a poem on how awesome the country of Canada is. I couldn’t tell you the title of the poem if my life depended on it, but I do recall that it won me twenty dollars. I was pretty sure that made me all kinds of important.

It didn’t. But it did fuel a desire in me to keep going, and keep going I did. I started writing boy-loves-dog stories that I would punch and bind myself, complete with hand drawn covers. (I have no doubt that my mother still has some of them tucked away someplace safe.) I had what my teachers called a “creative mind” in “constant need of stimulation” which, I’m pretty sure, means that I was a pain in the you-know-what if I wasn’t immersed in something that held my attention, and novels and writing were about the only things that managed that. I was lucky, schoolwork was never a challenge for me and I had no trouble maintaining good grades, so rather than truck me off to a counselor and stick me on a prescription to settle my brain down, I was more often than not excused from the tedious and given “special projects” to work on. Thank the heavens for teachers that see potential instead of problems, because that’s where I feverishly practiced the art of writing. I knew I was going to be an author before I knew anything else about myself.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Stephen King and Chuck Palahniuk are, and probably always will be, my favorite authors. I’m in love with the way their imaginations work, and in awe of they way they lay words on paper. They are both storytellers of epic proportions. That doesn’t mean I’m solely a horror and shock fan, though. I still have my entire collection of Dr. Seuss books, and I wouldn’t give them up for the world. I like William J. Mann, Lewis Carroll, and Oscar Wilde, and I’m a huge fan of Kelly Wyre. And I suppose that list blows the heck out of the favorite genre question. I like a good novel, with strong writing and relatable characters, regardless of the genre it rests in.

As for inspiration, there is very few whos and much more whats when it comes to answering that question. I’m inspired by connection beyond the understandable, divine intervention, and the concept of lifelong romance.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest novel, “Road Trip” is an erotic, gay, contemporary romance that tells the story of Boyd Matthis, a thirty-five year old mechanic who finally gets to realize his dream of road-tripping across the United States in his very own ’69 Road Runner. Boyd’s at a point in his life where he’s resolved himself to the idea that he’s not going to meet his Mr. Perfect and probably not even a Mr. Perfect For Now. During a stopover in Las Vegas, Boyd meets up with a young man named Oliver who’s desperate to get out of the city and get back home to Towson. Against his better judgment, Boyd offers to let Oliver hitch a ride with him, and they take the trip together. All is not what it seems with Oliver, however, and there’s more waiting in Towson for the the two of them than either man could have suspected.

I started this novel back in 2013, but it got shelved for a whole pile of reasons — the strongest one being I wasn’t really sure that I was interested in the main character anymore. They probably would have stayed locked away in their unfinished file on my desktop if it wasn’t for one of my amazing friends who kept reminding me of “Road Trip”‘s existence. When “Road Trip” started coming up in conversation, another one of my friends suggested I take my own road trip (something I’d never done but always wanted to) in the name of inspiration. I decided that was a great idea, if not for the novel itself, than as a chance to stroke something off of the old bucket list.

During the four weeks it took to plan the trip, “Road Trip” got taken out and dusted off (figuratively, of course), the main character was revamped into somebody that I could work with, and Boyd and his new friend Oliver went on my road trip with me. Less than a month after returning home, “Road Trip” was done and ready for submission.

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Featured Interview With Ace Wall

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was raised in North Carolina. I’ve been living overseas for the past five years. I’ve lived in Korea, Thailand, Saudi Arabia and Taiwan. I am currently in the US but plan to move to Japan soon. I love art books, zines, coffee and good conversation. I’m into the paranormal, bigfoot and the unknown. I try to not take life to seriously.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I loved picture books at a young age. I started writing my book because I wanted to help other people.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Now days I like self-improvement books, paranormal, novels and biographies. I like Charles Bukowski, Henry Miller and Celine.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book The Quick Guide to Teaching ESL in Thailand, Korea, Taiwan and Japan is a general guide to teaching and living in Asia. Since I lived in Asia and taught ESL there. My book talks about the best jobs and what to watch out for because employers can take advantage of teachers.

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Featured Interview With Marian Exall

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I write mysteries. Like my heroine Sarah McKinney, I was born and raised in the UK, and moved to the US. I lived in Atlanta for nearly thirty years before moving to the Pacific Northwest in 2006. Also like Sarah, I was a lawyer before I took up writing fulltime. I am married with two adult children and one large dog.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I have always been a voracious and even indiscriminate reader. There was never a time I didn’t have my head stuck in a book.

According to family lore, I asked Father Christmas for exercize books in which to record my stories when I was five years old. I don’t remember. I took up writing again — articles for professional and trade periodicals, a blog on human resources compliance — about fifteen years ago. Since retiring from the practice of law, I have written only fiction

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Favorite authors: Ian McEwan, David Mitchell, Hilary Mantel, Kate Atkinson, Tana French, Sarah Waters.

Favorite genre: mystery! Next favorite genre: historical fiction

PD James and Ruth Rendell have been my inspirations for mystery writing. Also the Scandinavians: Henning Markell, Jo Nesbo, Steig Larssen

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My debut novel “A Slippery Slope” is set in London, Atlanta and on the high seas. Sarah McKinney, lawyer and international mediator, is struck by a stray bullet. When she meets the intended target she is drawn into a search for the hidden assets of Middle Eastern strong men.

Kirkus Reviews called it a “well-paced engrossing mystery” and a “suspenseful, intelligent debut.”

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Featured Interview With Jacqueline L. Landry

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Jacqueline L. Landry was born in Houston, Texas and grew up along the Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast. She showed a talent from a young age for writing, drawing and music. Early literary influences included Frank Herbert, Colleen McCullough, Jack Kerouac, and Robert Heinlein.

She attended Parkland College in Champaign, Illinois, and the University of Houston, earning a degree in Criminal Justice with minors in Pathophysiology and Psychology. She is a trained death investigator. She has also had a number of jobs that include medical records clerk, graphic artist, web developer and a short stint in the U.S. Navy.

She’s spent the past twenty-seven years as a freelance writer and journalist. She started her career as a newspaper and magazine features reporter, specializing in the arts and entertainment. She also worked as a foreign correspondent for Reuters Wire Service while living on Guam, covering the arts and politics.

Over the River, Through the Woods is her debut novel.

Today, she lives in the beautiful, rainy Pacific Northwest with three very spoiled cats named after Star Trek characters.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I began reading at age three and wrote my first poem at four. I have had a life-long, passionate romance with books and writing.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Frank Herbert, Jack Kerouac, Colleen McCullough, Maya Angelou, Iyanla Vanzant, Patricia Cornwell, Stephen King, and Phillipa Gregory. My favorite genres are thrillers and historical fiction. Of all my favorite authors, the two who inform my writing the most are Frank Herbert and Patricia Cornwell.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Life is made up not of days, but of moments.

What if, in one moment, everything you knew about your life changed forever?

Jennifer and David Brookehouse have an ecstatically happy marriage and thriving careers. She, a noted photographer, and he, an anesthesiologist with University of Washington Medical Center in Seattle. She performs in musical theater and he competes in bicycle races for charity.

Jenny could never have foreseen how her life would change when she sent her husband off to a race in Vermont. In a moment, his body and mind are shattered by a drunk driver. He nearly dies and spends weeks in a coma. When he awakes, he is a changed man. Just when things seem to be getting back to normal, David disappears without a trace.

Jenny must swim a sea of red tape just to get the police involved in a search with no clues and no witnesses. When no one believes he can be found and brought home alive, Jenny has faith and refuses to give up.

As her life begins to fly out of control, Jenny meets her childhood crush, British actor, Karsen Langford, at the musical theater where she volunteers. Their growing friendship will cause tongues to wag, and the press to link them romantically. Though innocent of any wrong-doing, Jenny will face judgment and scorn, all while desperately searching for the husband she loves.

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Featured Interview With Aleena Stark

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
As a military brat, I moved around quite a bit as a child. My home town is a little spec on the map in the middle of Texas.

Now, I live in Maryland with my patient, loving husband and a very burdened cat. Every morning, though I’m sure he would love nothing more to sleep in and enjoy a life of leisure, my timid, black cuddler wakes me without fail at four o’clock, often with a triumphant whooping meow having acquired breakfast for me of some poor unsuspecting mammal who could weigh up to and including his own body weight.

I have published twelve erotic romance novels, and am eagerly working on four other projects. Although, hectic, and busy, I love putting my stories to pen and creating my own little world.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
The first book I ever read in its entirety was Stephen King’s Carrie. I was around fourteen, and the next novels I ventured were his series The Gunslinger. Loved all of them. At one time, long ago, I could boast I had read everything by Stephen King. But that was a very long time ago. I’m afraid after I read my first Harlequin romance around age eighteen, King lost me for a time.

I started writing very young, but never had the courage to publish until much older. Now, having published twelve novels, I am excited about upcoming projects and eager to hear feedback from both critics and fans.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I absolutely love Gena Showalter, LaurannDohner, and Nalini Singh. My favorite genre to write and read is erotic romance, but I enjoy a good fantasy like any adventuresome girl. R. A. Salvatore’s D&D Forgotten Realm stories aboutDrizztD’Urden, are a favorite.

Singh’s Desert Warrior is such a perfect story. I loved the instant tension, unwavering male presence, and magical world. Every scene in that book made me feel something, and I could not put the book down to save my life. As I write, I ask myself, what did this chapter make my audience feel? If I feel the scene failed to draw out some strong emotion from my audience, I start over.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book Sirius, The Cursed Series, Book 5, releases Feb 13. It is available for pre-order now at Amazon.com.

The concept of angels, and magical protectors always intrigued me, and the idea that divine beings existed without flaw bothered me. Why would they be exempt from secret desires and carnal needs? And if they harbored such feelings what would happen if they gave into their cravings?

After condemning an ethereal being with the most horrid act imaginable, I asked why he would commit such a crime, and what happened next? How would it change him, and to what course of action would it lead? I followed the idea of a disgraced angel and it brought me to the Cursed warriors. Who would be affected by the actions of an angel turned rogue? Who would suffer with the angel, and how? The answer: All of his sons, and their sons, and theirs.

Sirius shared in the punishment handed down to his angelic ancestor. The product of the union of a Cursed warrior and a gypsy woman, he would possess more power than any other Cursed brother, and know much more suffering, intimately. Until this book the only super human abilities in the series came from angels and angel kind, but Sirius’ mother possessed magical affinity before meeting her mate, a magic inherit in her blood. Sirius faced challenges none of his Cursed brothers were equipped to handle while hating himself and the monster that lied in wait under his own skin.

Until Sirius, the warriors in the Cursed brotherhood coveted true mates. The blessing of a mate brought an eternal lifetime of fulfillment and happiness to the lonely suffering warriors, but Sirius knew a darker side to mating. His parents were destined mates, and his perception of what taking a mate produces varied diversely from other warriors old enough to have remembered mates. Sirius was the only Cursed warrior who wanted absolutely nothing to do with a mate. So I asked myself, why is he the most suffering tortured warrior? What would compel him to who refuse love, deny bloodlust, and avoid to falling victim to a destined mating?

Abandonment is a common theme among the Cursed brothers. Due to Ornias’ war on mates, most were orphaned young, but Sirius, like Caleb, knew his parents. While Caleb, book 4, was adored by loving parents, Sirius experienced the exact opposite family life. He was abused, emotionally and physically, and could very well have followed in his father’s footsteps, but Sirius refused.

Sirius’ life took an entirely opposite turn. He never even tasted human blood, and knowing what happened between his parents, vowed never to take a mate. And then he met Olivia.

Olivia didn’t subscribe to the whole Cursed warriors, mates, and super human army. Her introduction to the Cursed world ensured she would never trust any of the warriors and take the first opportunity to escape their clutches. Broken and hopeless, she bided her time, but fate finds a way of setting the course.

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Featured Interview With Denver Batiste

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I’ve always had a strange fascination with vampires, and wanted to write a story that steered away from the traditional “I vant to suck your blaaahhhd” genre that has sorely been played to the extreme. Being from a small town in Tennessee, the Bible was a significant part of my life, and I especially enjoyed the New Testament and the stories relating Christ’s life. Always curious, I never understood why the Bible didn’t go into more detail about the life of Jesus as a youth or the lives of His beloved apostles after his crucifixion.
So, I decided someone needed to write a story about them. Not the traditional non-fiction drivel, but a new kind of book. With my brain working overtime, I began creating a story– a different version of what’s been told for centuries. I asked myself “What if the Apostles were punished for abandoning Jesus and leaving Him to be crucified? What if they were doomed to live forever with the knowledge of their betrayal?” That’s when it came to me.
I was going to write a book, merging my two passions, vampire lore and Biblical characters to break away from the humdrum, biting on the neck, look into my eyes, nonsense that has been the staple of all vampire tales. Instead, I developed a story using a different method of transformation. After 10 years of laborious fact checking and meticulous reading, The Vitandi, my first novel was born.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
As an adolescent, I spent my afternoons going to the library and reading anything and everything. Mostly books on Roman and Greek mythology, Egyptian folklore, anything that had to do with the strange and unusual. At 13, I began writing my own short stories, and developed a unique style by using actual events and changing them into fictional form.
When my aunt, Mary Curtis Bowers, wrote a series of romance novels in the mid 80’s, I knew I had found a kindred spirit. The inspiration from my aunts novels opened up the writer lurking inside, encouraging me every step of the way.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I am a huge, huge fan of writers who like to push the envelope. Ann Rice, Dan Brown, etc. But I also like the more traditional thriller and suspense writers. James Patterson, Patricia Cromwell. But my favorite genre to read is Criminal Fiction–you know, serial killer/slasher novels. I am just fascinated by the genre for reasons I don’t even know myself!

Tell us a little about your latest book?
The best way to tell readers about my novel is in the synopsis:

Nestled high atop a mountain range in his father’s mansion, vampire Kellan Donnolly is living a life of carefree immortality. The son of the apostle Simon, Kellan is bound by an ancient prophecy decreed by God, one that must be fulfilled or the entire vampire race will be destroyed. Kellan must find a distant niece of Christ and father a child with her to keep their species alive.

In New York City, spunky Nicole Erwin and her friend, Mia, work part-time at Harbor Way Children’s Home, and soon discover working part-time in a big city doesn’t pay the bills. When Mia sees an ad in the paper offering two hundred dollars for blood donations, she presents the idea to Nicole, who reluctantly agrees to go for the extra cash, unaware her donation will change her destiny. When Kellan learns The Daughter of Christ’s descendant is in New York City , it is up to him to win her trust, while The Apostles try to keep Lucifer’s demon scout, Arius, from destroying her. Kellan reluctantly pursues Nicole. To his amazement, he discovers Nicole means more to him than just the salvation of his people, and together they embark on an adventure full of suspense and drama, with an unexpected ‘Savior’ who will aid Kellan and The Apostles on their journey for survival.

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Featured Interview With Frankie Bow

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Like my protagonist, Molly Barda, I’m a big city mainland girl who ended up living in rural Hawaii. I never saw myself living in a small town, but I love it here!

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I write the kind of book that I want to read. I started writing The Musubi Murder when I was in the middle of reading another cozy, and thought, “I could do better!” (And no, I’m not going to name names!) You could call The Musubi Murder a “cozy mystery” in that it doesn’t have explicit sex or gruesome violence, but it’s definitely on the non-sweet end of the cozy spectrum.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
My writing is very American, but many of my favorites are British: P.G. Wodehouse, E.F. Benson, and the criminally under-appreciated Sarah Caudwell. I also love the campus crime novels of KK Reardon and Joanne Dobson, and I read everything by Charlaine Harris and Gail Carriger.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
“Our guest of honor, Jimmy Tanaka, may have been The Most Hated Man in Hawaii, but he was also the biggest donor in the history of the College of Commerce. We were in no position to be picky about the moral character of our benefactors. Not after the latest round of budget cuts.”

Molly Barda just wants to keep her head down and stay out of trouble until she gets tenure, but there’s a problem. A grisly prank at a donor breakfast pulls the introverted Molly into a stew of corruption, revenge, and murder. Along the way, she finds herself drawn to a local fast-food entrepreneur, the too-good-to-be-true Donnie Gonsalves, who seems to like her for all the wrong reasons–and has a few secrets of his own.

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Featured Interview With Kim Taylor Blakemore

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born in Denver, Colorado, but raised on the Monterey Peninsula on the Central Coast of California. After college and a short theatre career in Los Angeles, a long stint teaching orientation and mobility to blind adults in Denver, an 8 year stint back on he Peninsula, I now call Portland, Oregon home. And yes, I love the rain. As much as I loved the fog and the bay in Monterey. I consider both Monterey and Portland my home towns. You know – those places that pull at your, call to you when you’re away, and fill your soul when you’re there.

I love history and research, and spent many many hours in the Colorado History Museum. I wrote a novel, Cissy Funk, about the life of a girl during the Depression in Colorado. I was also fascinated and haunted by the story of the Sand Creek Massacre – and some day will write about it.

Monterey is not only one of the most beautiful places on earth, it is also John Steinbeck’s haunt. He is a treasure to residents, which is rather ironic, as he was driven from his home town of Salinas (the real east of Eden) after writing The Grapes of Wrath. I know the real location of his books, and once toyed with running a tour operation to point out each and every spot mentioned. Doc Rickett’s lab? I know how to crawl under the canneries and point it out. Flora’s from Sweet Thursday? Check? The Red Pony? A small valley to the west of Soledad, with sun fluttering on the California oaks and the fog crawling over the Santa Lucias.

Did I mention that I love New York City history? Let me walk you through the Lower Eastside.

But I digress from the questions…I have 2 dogs and 2 cats, all rescues, as my spouse is a veterinarian and that is the required form of adopting.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
My parents were, and are, avid readers. When I was a child, my father would come home after grueling hours at the hospital where he was a radiologist and read aloud to my brothers and me. I remember the roll of his voice, how he could act out every character. And will never forget the long time it took him to read Lord of the Rings to us. I don’t need the movies: I have his voice. My mother was the mystery buff, and read so much she knew the murderer and why they did it within the first 20 pages. Yes, including Agatha Christie. At the movies, we’d stick our fingers in our ears, because she knew who and why and when and how within the first 10 minutes.

And then there is the memory of holding my mother’s hand as she walked me into the Monterey Public Library. Standing there. Looking up at the shelves that went on forever. Breathing in the smell of books and paper. I asked her, “Where do I start?” But before she could answer, I saw the AB shelf, and the very first topmost book and said, “I’ll begin there.”

I started writing many years ago. Of course, the short stories as a child. I was then enthralled with theatre and acting and tried to write (very bad) plays. Even into my adult years. But my first book that was published was written because I was bored. It was a snowy day, work cancelled, walking around the house and then I thought: I hated my time in L.A. The memories of it always had a bitter taste. Sit down and find the humor in it. And so I did. It was a small book, from a small publisher. But I was hooked. On words, on characters that never acted as I asked. On plot that went haywire.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Wow. Favorite authors. There are so many for so many different reasons. Steinbeck: for his love of not so loveable people. Hemingway: for the art of telling just enough that the reader engages in the story and fills their mind and heart into the blanks. Virginia Woolf: for her precise prose and how she can peel away the humanity of each character. Sarah Waters: the best dialogue I’ve ever read – power struggles over small picnic lunches and the ability to drop me into another time. Jeanette Winterson: language as sex (no, not erotica, just visceral language, words that fill the palate, ideas like a hand on my skin). Terry Pratchett: I hate fantasy. But his worlds and stories are like bites of life and laughter and crazy situations in an alternate world. If you don’t like fantasy but like old movies, then read, well, Moving Pictures. You’ll be hooked on Discworld.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Bowery Girl, just re-released, is set in the Lower Eastside of Manhattan in 1883. I think the blurb speaks for itself:

“NEW YORK, 1883: Gamblers and thieves, immigrants and street urchins, Do-Gooders and charity houses, impossible goals and impossible odds. The Bowery is a place where you own nothing but your dreams. And dreams are the only things that come cheap for pickpocket Mollie Flynn and prostitute Annabelle Lee.

Pleasure is fleeting – and often stolen. Nights at Lefty Malone’s saloon, sneaking into the Thalia Theatre. Then it’s back to their airless, windowless tenement room and the ongoing struggle to keep a roof over their heads and bread in their stomachs.

The Brooklyn Bridge is nearing completion, and things are changing in New York City. The two women fantasize of starting a new life across the East River. Nothing but a flight of fancy, perhaps, until wealthy Do-Gooder Emmeline DuPre, who has opened the Cherry Street Settlement House, steps into their lives with her books, typewriters, and promises of a way to earn a respectable living. Despite Mollie and Annabelle’s fascination with the woman and what she offers, is Emmeline helping or meddling?

Is it really possible to be anything other than a Bowery Girl? Mollie and Annabelle will have to decide exactly who they are, and what sort of women they want to be.”

It was tremendous fun to write and research. Particularly finding primary sources. I was fortunate enough to see the original Jacob Riis glass plates from his photography for “How the Other Half Lives”. And I was amazed at the sheer tenacity of the denizens of the Bowery – how to survive, particularly as a woman with no prospects and nothing but wits to keep food in your belly.

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Featured Interview With Jenice McAlevy

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Jenice McAlevy grew up in Southern California. She graduated from LA County Medical Center School of Nursing and returned to college to earn a BA in Psychology from CSULB. A Registered Nurse for 35 years, she worked in Hospice for over 15 years.
After a three-plus year stint in Nebraska, she honed the short story format out of desperation to stay connected with friends. A series of unpublished short stories for her granddaughter helped cement her love of the short story genre.
Plus, she’s a bit ADD. That might have had something to do with it. Maybe. Perhaps. No, it definitely had something to do with it.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
Was there ever a time where books were not as essential as bedtime snacks? My mother took me to libraries and bookstores and I fell in love with the smells, the colors and the stories. At eight, I got in trouble for reading by nightlight. My mother heard the pages turning under the covers. I read entire bookshelves of Cherry Ames, fairy tales of every country and version, and stories of Clara Barton–nurse.
By 8th grade I had pen pals and just kept writing. One pen pal and I exchanged 5-10 page letters about things dear to a teen’s heart. She was also an artist, so I was often in receipt of fabulously decorated letters that arrived in overstuffed envelopes.
When my husband and I moved to Nebraska to take care of his ancient mother I felt the 1500 mile distance acutely. I began what would now be considered a blog: Letters From Nebraska. They chronicled my transformation from a complete city gal into one that lived in the midwest. My three and 1/2 years there impacted my life in many ways: the people were REAL, there was weather, I saw snakes, I finally got to have a huge garden, I discovered the internet, I played piano for churches, and curled up with local women on Saturday morning for a chai or coffee. It afforded me with rich images that I could easily tap into when writing. At the beginning I commented on the nice deer on the edge of our property. By the time I left they were simply “the damn rodents.”

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I’m currently deep into the world of Diana Gabaldon-book 6 of 8. “The Stand” by Stephen King and “Heidi” are the two books that I’ve re-read the most. “The Stand” and it’s good vs. evil themes combined with a plot that just kept giving…ah. And “Heidi?” My dad was German, what can I say?Brandon Sanderson’s “Mistborn”, Brent Weeks’ books. Christopher Moore’s books, Orson Scott Card. Isaac Asimov, everything Anne McCaffrey wrote. I loved the Pern Series. And, of course, Patrick Rothfuss and Robin Hobb.
I enjoy a good fantasy, but that takes many forms. “Dialogue with Death” by Eknath Easwaran changed my life. And “Man’s Search for Meaning” by Viktor Frankl haunted my thoughts with prison images for decades.
I like books that provide me with new metaphors: whether it’s a physical super-power or a sci-fi quality.
This very partial list excludes all the books on “higher consciousness” stuff. ..that’s a whole other story.
My husband assures me that I have a “rich interior life.”

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Thought-Spoke Diary and Four Other Stories.
I was attending a writing workshop with a small group of folks in Vilcabamba, Ecuador. Jane Brunette hosted “writing from the soul” sessions with us. She’d provide us with a prompt and we’d write without judgement or critique for 20 minutes or so. Towards the end of the day she gave us the prompt “bitten by the madness,” and my pen hit the paper and wouldn’t stop.
I saw the main character, felt her craziness, could see where she lived, who was in her life, what she thought and what others thought of her. It was as if I was dropped into her world of young adult schizophrenia.
I pictured one of the coasts of Sylvan Lake in South Dakota but the rest was completely fabricated. I could see how the small town nurtured her, and supported her despite her differences. I could see how some city-slicker might wish her harm. Oh, there’s blood, but not gore.
There are 4 other short stories: Bucky’s Redemption is about an alcoholic who finds sobriety through the “Bikers for Jesus.”
Sumára tells the stories of three bad boy kings a few hundred years apart.
Maria, Orphan Gardener speaks about the affects parental death on a 9 year old. Modern tale.
And, Shifting Sands, 1972. San Felipe Mexico is the backdrop for a missing Gringo.
I wrote them during the rainy season. I woke in the morning and wrote late into the evenings. Then we edited the heck out of it.

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Featured Interview With Bryan Sobaire Schroat

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I have written 3 books. Two, Skeletal Remains & Abandoned Memories, are available at Amazon.com. As a recovering alcoholic and addict, digital photography is my program and rehab. It is my art and all consuming passion. Nothing else has ever shown me my own potential and allowed me to express myself so completely. Nothing else has been so personally gratifying and rewarding. I spend days searching for places to explore..drive hundreds of miles to get there..push myself hard mentally and physically. When I am exploring and taking photos..its MY TIME MY WAY. No distractions, no interference , except for avoiding the occasional run in with a security guard or policeman LOL!
I don’t care about technical perfection, it tends to make art boring, predictable and sterile. I care about conveying a moment..a mood..and showing my version of it. I am owned by a feisty Calico named Nora.
Take a look at my Youtube Urban Exploration channel…Creepy Crawl with Sobaire . Enjoy and subscribe! https://www.youtube.com/user/creepycrawlsobaire/videos

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
Before kindergarten. Archie comic books!

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mocking Bird is my all time favorite book and movie. I read a lot of true crime. What inspires me is all the abandoned places I haven’t been yet!

Tell us a little about your latest book?
The last time I was in Kentucky, I was too young to remember being there. So when Mom suggested we take a trip there, I was excited about seeing family…and exploring abandoned places. In California, anything abandoned is either quickly torn down, covered with graffiti or pointlessly vandalized. The places I photographed in Kentucky & Tennessee were almost completely untouched, except by time. It was so amazing!! I spent 4 solid days exploring and photographing, it was pure Heaven to me! I can’t wait to go back!!!

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