Top Selling Authors: Get To Know Them Better

Featured Interview With Marguerite “Markie” Madden

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born in Midland, Texas, though I grew up in Flushing, Michigan from the time I was ten. I currently live in Fisk, Missouri, a small farm town of about 326 people. I’m married with two teenage daughters, three rescue dogs, and a horse. I’m also a leukemia survivor. I’ve published three books: Keeping a Backyard Horse, Once Upon a Western Way, and My Butterfly Cancer, and am currently working on Triple Heist (a crime novel), and Fang and Claw: Book One of the Undead Unit series (a crime/paranormal series).

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I’ve been an avid reader since I was able to read, at a very young age. The first time I can remember writing creatively was in grade school, maybe 4th grade. I had a teacher who gave us each a spiral notebook, and she would come around to us and put a squiggle on one page. Our assignment was to finish the squiggle into a drawing, and write a short story about it.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I love anything by J.D. Robb, Nora Roberts, Kay Hooper, Patricia Cornwall. I also still have a huge collection of Star Trek paperbacks and the entire Black Stallion collection fron when I was a kid. Often, my pets are the inspirations for my stories, though my first novel was inspired by a game that my best friend and I used to play.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Which one? I guess my latest one (though all three were published in print in the same month) is My Butterfly Cancer. It’s the inspirational story of my battle with leukemia and how the butterfly effect helped me to overcome all that I had struggled with. It didn’t take that long to write, but for the fact that my brain processes more slowly than it used to (before cancer). And my memories of part of the ordeal were obscured from pain medication, so I had to ask my family a LOT of questions!

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Featured Interview With Yza-Dora

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
We’re a mother and daughter writing team. I was born and raised in Las Vegas, and my mom was born and raised in New York City. We have 7 cats and 4 pet pigeons and we both currently live in Las Vegas.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
In the 5th grade. The teachers encouraged alot of us to read and write well. I started reading Scifi-Fantasy-Young Adult books and always got good grades in my essays. My mom is into poetry and writes short stories. I started writing 2 years ago and it’s become a real passion.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
My favorite authors are J.K. Rowling and J.R. Tolkien. Favorite genre to read is Scifi-Fantasy and my mom is my biggest inspiration for she’s my co-author and tells me to never give up.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Our latest book is the second installment of our KEEPER OF LA TECLA (The Key) series and continues the story, where book one left off. It took us 2 years after editing and re-editing and revision until finally we came up with the finished product. I decided not to deal anymore with trying to find a literary agent and chose self-publishing. Alot less headache and stress. Our books contain vampires, werewolves, magic, action and adventure. And even a slight love story thrown in the mix.

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Featured Interview With Vivienne Diane Neal

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Born in 1946, I live in New York City. I am a writer, blogger and author with a wicked sense of humor, have been writing articles for over thirty years and started penning fictional short stories in 2007. My fifth book, Retribution Unleashed, ranked No. 66 on UBAWA’s (Urban Books, Authors, and Writers of America) top 100 Books of 2013.

Now, semi-retired, I continue to write short stores and articles on love, romance, relationships, and other topics of interest on my One World Singles Magazine Blog at http://www.oneworldsinglesblog.net.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
As a child, I was not a bookworm, but became interested in books when I went to college at age 28. Being exposed to various authors and genres fueled my appreciation for reading.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
There are so many, but I will name a few: Maya Angelou, James Patterson, Walter Mosley, Terry McMillan, and Tananarive Due. My favorite genres are fictional crime stories, political, psychological and espionage thrillers and mysteries.

I get my inspiration for writing by observing people, places and things and watching true TV court cases and talk shows.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book is Deception in Plain Sight, which centers on the character, Christina Bailey, a young and naive woman of wealth and privilege. She meets the handsome and charming Awesome Petté, whom she believes is her true soul mate but will soon discover that she has been living in a fool’s paradise. He will not only awaken her sexual inhibitions but will draw her into his sinister plot, leaving her asking, “What type of monster did his parents create?”

It took me almost a year to write the book.

Following is an excerpt:

Awesome Petté and Christine Bailey were destined to meet. Both of their families were successful. Although, her family was more prosperous than his was. His family could not hold a candle in their world. Old money carried more standing than some Johnny-come-lately, which was what the Pettés were, arriving too late to the billionaires’ ball.

The community center, where Christine worked, provided preparation and assistance to people who wanted to start their own venture or make improvements on an existing business. Volunteering her expertise in this area was one way to give back to the community.

Her parents would say, “It is your duty to help those who are less fortunate than you are.” Whether it was out of guilt for having so much given to her or just being altruistic, Christine would become a non-paying consultant to potential or current entrepreneurs at the center.

When she first walked into the classroom, a feeling of ecstasy took control of her body. She could not comprehend why these emotions were starting to overpower her. She was never one to allow anything or anyone to distract her from her work.

What is going on here? Christine asked herself. What is happening to me? My panties are moist; my nipples are hard. I had better start meditating before I end up embarrassing myself. Finally, those feel-good sensations subsided.

Scanning the room, she took a deep breath and introduced herself. “Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. My name is Ms. Christine Bailey, but you may call me Christine.” She had to pause for a second. “I will be your instructor for the next twelve weeks. Before we begin, please, introduce yourself. Tell me why you are here; what do you hope to get out of this course, and what are your plans for the future.”

There were eight students taking the course. Each person gave some information about him or herself.

“I would like to open a daycare center.”
“My intention is to start a tech company.”
“Opening a clothing store has always been a dream of mine.”
“We can always use more eating establishments in our community.”
“I am very good at styling hair. My goal is to open a hair salon.”

Suddenly, a voice interjected. “Hello, Christine. My name is Awesome Petté. I am taking this course because I plan to become a millionaire before age thirty.”

Christine was in a state of amusement. “Mr. Petté, are you trying to be funny? Did someone say you were awesome, and you could not take a joke?” Everyone roared with laughter.

“No! I am not attempting to be a comedian. My first name is Awesome. If you check your roster, you will see. My parents bestowed that name to me for reasons I do not wish to discuss. Perhaps, over dinner, I can tell you why they gave me that name,” he responded, gazing at her vertically.

By now, some of the students were beginning to dislike his attitude and saw him as an arrogant little man and a butt kisser. If Christine had those same thoughts, no one in the classroom would ever know, because Awesome Petté had her completely under his control.

She now understood why those hidden sentiments exploded inside of her when she walked into that classroom. That fine-looking hunk was transmitting telepathic vibrations to me. Lord, deliver me from temptation.

While talking, Christine had trouble concentrating. She was fumbling over her words. At times, she was repeating herself. Students were beginning to notice her eyeballs fixated on Awesome. It was as though no one else was in that room but the two of them.

The class was supposed to meet for two hours, but Christine decided to end the lecture after sixty minutes. Everyone got the message: Awesome Petté was going to be her little pet.

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Featured Interview With Harry Patz, Jr.

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I grew up in New Rochelle, NY in Westchester County and went to college in Boston. I have had a twenty year successful corporate career in media and technology. I returned to Westchester and live here with my wife and daughters.

I love to spend time in Nantucket, MA with my family.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
As far back as I can remember, I’ve loved reading. I was an editor on the literary magazine in high school. After graduating college in the early 1990s, I wrote some sketches, but remained focused on my corporate career. In the early 2000s, I wrote the first few chapters of what would become The Naive Guys, but put it down due to my professional focus. In the last few years, while undergoing a career change, I had to time to focus and write and complete the novel.

I’ve also been a participant of the Nantucket Atheneum Writer’s Group since October, 2013. I contributed a short story, “Off Season” for the group’s published anthology collection, The Moving Pen: A Nantucket Atheneum Writer’s Group Anthology, published in June, 2014.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I love the classics including Ernest Hemingway and JRR Tolkein. For comtemporary authors, I’m a big fan of the historical bent from Joseph Kanon and Erik Larsen. But I am most in awe of Richard Ford. Ford, as well as David Chase (“The Sopranos”) and Matthew Weiner (“Mad Men”) are tremendous storytellers.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Against the historical backdrop of New York City in the 1990s, The Naive Guys: A Memoir of Friendship, Love and Tech in the Early 1990s is a hysterical yet poignant coming-of-age novel. Mark Amici embarks on a challenging journey through the postcollege world, where he struggles to emerge from his sheltered upbringing to a life of sex, love, friendship, and career success.

Fighting through the bad economy of 1991, Mark takes an entry-level sales role at a growing tech company, Fishsoft, at the dawn of the Internet Age.

Living at home with his gruff uncle, mother, and older sister, Mark pursues his aspirations with a trio of wingmen, Pete, Sally, and Kostas. His quixotic search for love, his desire to truly understand his family, and his pitfalls through corporate machinations all provide a humorous glimpse during an uneven period of life transition.

Interwoven with key moments of the times, including the Bill Clinton and Rudolph Giuliani electoral victories, the first World Trade Center bombing, OJ Simpson, and New York’s NBA Knicks and NHL Rangers simultaneously in their respective finals, The Naïve Guys tells the story of one man’s journey to uncover and fully understand his identity.

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Featured Interview With Scott Hayden

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born and raised in Toronto, Canada and still live there. It’s funny how much you appreciate and miss your hometown when you spend an extended time away. I lived in Asia for three years and Europe for almost four years and even though it was memorable and exciting, I was glad to return home. I spend my time reading, writing, staying in shape, and, of course, networking. It’s just as important to connect with other writers as the act of writing itself.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
My fascination with books began in primary school way back in the early 80s. Where The Wild Things Are was one of my favourite books. I loved Green Eggs and Ham and The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss. Later on in high school my class was required to read The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger. The book was so funny, irreverent, rebellious and tragic. I started writing in high school, but my life took many twists and turns and there wasn’t a chance for me to get back to it until many years later. In 2007, I started writing articles online and published my first book in 2014.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
My favourite genre is non-fiction. History books have appealed to me since I was a teenager because diving into the past teaches so many valuable lessons. If we don’t learn from the past we will repeat it, isn’t that so? I have more than one favourite author. Michael Palin, John Grisham, Paul Ham, Stephen King, Rick Bragg, S.C. Gwynne and Rohinton Mistry have written immensely enjoyable books. I don’t think it’s possible to name just one author who inspires me to write. I have tried to put a little bit of everything I read into my work.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My book is titled Why Were They Built? Six Man-Made Wonders of the World. It talks about the biggest and most recognizable monuments in six countries, and the reasons they were built. After visiting several corners of the world it made sense to put everything I had seen into a single book for younger readers to inspire them. It was one of those ‘Eureka!’ moments and I began writing. The book talks about the Giza Pyramids, the Great Wall of China, the Colosseum, Machu Picchu, the Taj Mahal and the Eiffel Tower. It took ages to write, edit, re-write, re-edit, and illustrate my book. I started at the end of 2012 and it wasn’t until late August of this year that everything was polished and ready. So, nearly two years had passed. The illustrations took the longest and the person who did this for me was fantastic.

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Featured Interview With Nancy Klann-Moren

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Over the years I’ve had two husbands, two sons, 5 grandkids, and a whole mess of cats. I suffer from the wanderlust gene and travel as often as possible – for therapy.

I learned to handicap the ponies and take no prisoners at the poker table, from my bookie Grandpa. On my eleventh birthday Gramps took me to the track, where I ate my first pastrami sandwich and then picked the daily double, to win $657.

I make primitive wall hangings from found objects collected on walks. I gather pods, and seeds, and palm cloth from trees, and sea glass and driftwood from the shore.

I live near the ocean with husband number two and our cat Ella.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I don’t remember having a fascination with books as a young child. I found a love for reading in my late teens. I’d lose myself in the stories and pull all-nighters to finish.

The joy of writing came later, after kids and career. I love to make up stories and have been writing fiction for over 15 years.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Ray Bradbury, Flannary O’Connor, Pat Conroy, Susan Cisneros
From these skilled pros I learned that writing can be playful. I’m drawn to the rhythms throughout their work. For me, they transform writing from the craft of storytelling, to fine art.

My favorite genre to read? I like a good old-fashioned, fast-paced spy novel filled with exotic locations.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Distant remnants of the Civil Rights Movement and the Vietnam War, intersect in the rural town of Hadlee, Mississippi, during the 1970’s and 1980’s. Jason Lee Rainey is the son of a civil rights activist who was later killed in Vietnam. He never knew his father and feels he won’t be able to live up to such a man.

From the first pages of this coming-of-age novel, the story builds around Jason Lee Rainey’s friendship with Samson Johnson, two young boys harassed by the others because Jason Lee is white, and Samson is black. Despite the bigotry their friendship grows strong.

Jason Lee lives with his mother, Cassie, who never came to grips with being a young widow, and her brother, Uncle Mooks, a Vietnam vet who returned with significant psychological problems. Uncle Mooks holds a strong influence on Jason Lee, as an example of how war stripped some men of their true potential. After years of being a stable single mother and caregiver for her brother, Cassie’s strength gives way to her deep sorrow and she winds up in a treatment center for a month-long stay, leaving Uncle Mooks and Jason Lee on their own.

During her absence, Jason Lee discovers, and reads for the first time, his father’s hand-written journal of the 21 days he spent during the Selma to Montgomery march. The accounts of his dad’s convictions and bravery in the civil rights movement inspired Jason Lee and Sampson to dream of a better life, with purpose.

Jason Lee’s childhood ends when a tragedy for which he blames himself strikes. He copes with the overwhelming grief by helping another character, Mr. Otis, who has never trusted white people since his own tragedy, years ago, perpetrated by the KKK. Jason Lee’s persistent kindness overcomes the man’s mistrust and what Jason Lee is able to do for the man, helps him forgive himself.

These events inspire Jason Lee to create a goal for his adulthood, and to the ultimate realization that he is indeed, his father’s son.

The Clock Of Life is about friendship, inequality, and doing right for others, just because it’s right.

It began as a short story. One morning while in a writers conference I read a portion of the short story. The workshop leader asked what I was doing for the next couple years because, “What you have written isn’t a short story, it’s a novel.” After a good deal of foot dragging, I took up the challenge.

Book Awards and recognition for The Clock Of Life:

2014 – Finalist, Best Kindle Book Awards, Literary Fiction
2014 – Second Place, Writer’s Digest Self-Published e-Book Awards, Fiction
2013 – Finalist, Next Generation Indie Book Awards, Fiction
2013 – Finalist, Readers’ Favorite Book Awards, Southern Fiction
BRAG (Book Readers Appreciation Group) and five-star review
AIA (Awesome Indie Approved) Gold Medal and five-star review

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Featured Interview With Z Halferty

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I am a father, husband, student, author, artist, weapons enthusiast, and much more. I was raised all over the country (“military brat”) but, I consider southern Missouri “home.” I now live in central Missouri, have no pets but, would like to get a dog one day. I am currently seeking a degree in Business and Management Systems and Computer Engineering.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
My grandmother and various other claim that I began writing around the age of two. I realized my fascination when I was in the second grade and continued to advance my level of to a college by seventh grade. I began writing seriously in the fourth and fifth grades.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
My inspiration growing up were Edgar Allan Poe and H.P. Lovecraft. It was solidified when I began reading Stephen King and Dean Koontz.
My favorite genre to read has to be horror. I am a complete and utter horror buff.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
A Saunter With Death Book 1: Kmoeneithe’s Saga is one man’s journal about his decent into insanity while enduring the zombie apocalypse. It is a psychological thriller with a sense of horror, mystery, adventure, and more.

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Featured Interview With Kallen Diggs

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I am a non-fiction author currently living in Austin, TX. I am an avid learner and enjoy participating in the learning process through books, documentaries, and podcasts.

I do not have any pets.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
21

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Jack Canfield, Stephen Covey, Wayne Dyer

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Reaching The Finish Line

In the book, readers will learn how to reach their finish line.

-How to Bulletproof Your Goals
-How to Land a Great Career Without a High School Diploma
-How to Land a Great Career Without a College Degree
-How to Go To College for Free
-How to Graduate With A Bachelor’s Degree in 1 Year
-How to Change Careers Without Going Back to College

And much more……

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Featured Interview With Lela E. Buis

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was raised in East Tennessee, but I’ve lived most of my life in Florida. I worked at Kennedy Space Center for 15 years, but I’m back in East Tennessee now and enjoying the experience of seasons. I have a part time dog and three part time cats. That means I get to take care of them, but they don’t live with me all the time.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I started reading before I went to school. I didn’t really get caught up in it until I discovered Andre Norton in the elementary school library. I’m still pretty much stuck in the fantasy/science fiction genre.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Fantasy and science fiction, of course. I’ve enjoyed a lot of authors over the years, including Andre Norton, Roger Zelazny, C. J. Cherryh, Barbary Hambly and Patricia Briggs. I’m inspired by all these people who write such wonderful books.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
The latest book I’ve published is a collection of fantasy and science fiction short stories called Competitive Fauna. It was inspired by editor a few years back who asked me if I could write lesbian stories. The results were pretty decent, and I ended up with some engaging characters. I’ve recently written a couple of longer stories to add to it and now these are available as an e-book on Amazon.

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Featured Interview With Stephen Andrew Salamon

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was raised on the Southside of Chicago and presently live on the Northside… of Chicago. I live with my soul mate and we have one perfect dog. My blood thrives with Chicago passion, and though I was asked to move to places like LA, or for some reason, a farm, my feet are so deep in the Chicago soil, that I don’t think I can ever leave.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
My fascination with books began when I was probably 8 or 9 years old. I was in a Walden Books store with my Mom and I saw a thick novel called “Swan Song”. I opened it and saw all these words and just thought how amazing and impossible it was to create such a thick book with only words. Then I closed it and saw the book cover; it painted a picture for me. Then I opened it again. Closed and opened, closed and opened; it was mindboggling to think that all of these words came out of one person. To me, it was impossible. Then when I was around 12, we were given an assignment in school to write a short story. And I LOVED IT. It didn’t seem like homework to me, and my teacher gave me an A. I still have that book. But… even though I didn’t connect the dots that the Universe was trying to point me in the ‘writers’ direction, at about 13 I had my first seizure. After that, I had 20 seizures a day till it was controlled by medicine. It… opened up something in me. A floodgate. I turned 14, and I just started writing, writing and writing. I kept it a secret though. This, to me, was just a passion, a hobby, a way of pleasing my mind. 100 pages later I wrote my first short story at 14. I wrote another book after that, right away, till each story’s page numbers grew larger and larger to the point where a thousand pages seemed like nothing to me, because I loved it! I love the trance I enter into where my fingers are typing so fast that all I hear is silence and see the story only. It’s funny, because I was taught, subliminally of course, to never speak about my seizures. But through it all, even though they are horrible, paralyzed my life in so many ways, it was a gift. Even my doctor told me he didn’t want to raise my medication dosage anymore for fear that it would mess up my creativity. I still remember that day. A doctor asking me to choose between having some seizures, or writing, what he saw and thought was, great stories. I love him for that. And if he reads this, “Thank you for giving me that hard choice to make.”

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I enjoy reading spiritual non-fiction, new age, anything that has curious writers with the bravery to express their brilliant ideas on life. I really have no favorite author. It’s amusing, even though I enjoy reading, I fear sometimes that when I read a fiction story, it will somehow interfere with my writing style, get infused with it.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book was really my first book I wrote at 18; long story about it. I am bringing them out again, and getting the new ones and old ones ready for the read that they rightfully deserve. Being humble has its downfalls, one of which is feeling uncomfortable talking about myself or my stories, but my latest book is called “Sugar Valley (Hollywood’s Darkest Secret). It’s about that drive, passion, that invisible urge that we all have, especially at a young age, to do something that we were never taught to do. The main character, Damen Schultz and his friends, though hard working farmers, have an urge to become famous movie stars and attempt to become that by heading to Hollywood. It shows a story on their survival when hunted by the metaphorical wolves and how innocence can be altered, defined and even changed by temptation of getting things the easy way. Yes, deceit, rage, murder, suspense are all included in their journey. And only one can and will win the Oscar, the one thing that they coveted back home in their valley they grew up in. “What’s more important?” is the theme out of many themes attached to Sugar Valley. The strange thing about Sugar Valley is, in a way, I was going through the same thing trying to get this book published; leaving out the murders. Call it the Law of Attraction, but here it is, finally. On my own terms.

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Featured Interview With Suzanna J. Linton

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I have lived in South Carolina for most of my life. In fact, a lot of my writing that takes place in the “real” world has a setting similar to a place I’ve lived or am currently living. Being a country girl, I love being close to nature, so I rather doubt I’ll ever move to a large city. In fact, my dream home is down a rutted dirt road and behind a screen of trees.

When I’m not writing, I love to crochet, garden, read, and spend time with my pets. We have two dogs and a cat, all of whom my husband and I rescued. Our animals are like our children and, just like kids, they get up to some hilarious shenanigans!

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I’ve been fascinated with books since I was a little girl. My mother taught me to read and I still remember following her around with her copy of THE SECRET GARDEN, asking her to help me pronounce the Yorkshire words. I started writing when I was about eight years old. At first it was poetry and then the Cryptkeeper show inspired me to write my first long story, which was a horror story. I’d like to find that manuscript one day but I think it got thrown out during one of our moves.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I love to read Anne McCaffrey, Dean Koontz, Robin McKinley, and Charles de Lint. My favorite genre is fantasy but I’m trying to branch out (hence the Koontz). I’d like to start reading more horror and I really loved a short story by Aaron Dries. I have to remember to get my hands on one of his longer works!

Tell us a little about your latest book?
WILLOWS OF FATE is an urban fantasy in that it starts in our “real” world. Desdemona could be any of those quiet, reclusive people you see in coffee shops or at work. And then her world gets turned upside down when she’s hit by some close family deaths and the revelation of a family secret. Nothing causes chaos than taking the ordered universe you thought you knew and then finding out it’s something completely different.

Desdemona also has to face some tough choices and deal with issues of fate and free will. Would doing the right thing mean she has to stop being herself or will it allow her to be more herself than she ever has been before? And then there’s the fact that there are people who want to kill her, which puts a damper on anyone’s day.

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Featured Interview With Tash Bell

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
A London girl originally, I went to Oxford University (to study English). After diverting briefly to Australia (to study men in surf-shorts) I returned to London, where I worked in TV for several years.

I’m now living in Salisbury, a beautiful cathedral town in the Wiltshire countryside. I’ve got three exhausting children, two enormous eye-bags and one over-worked husband.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I’ve always read a lot. As a young child, I read most of Dickens – not understanding a lot of it, but loving the bits I did! I also became a great fan of the Nancy Drew and Hardy Boy mysteries, which is probably why I’m such a fan of ‘whodunits’ now: anything from Agatha Christie to Agatha Raisin is good by me!

That’s why – when I decided to try and write, but worried I had nothing ‘special’ to say – my husband suggested I stop trying to be deep, and just attempt a cracking good murder mystery instead. “Write what you read,” was his (slightly exhausted) advice, so this is what I’ve done! If DEATH ON DAYTIME keeps a bright reader even halfway hooked, I’ll be so chuffed.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
My favourite authors are a mix of old and new: I love Dickens, Austen, Trollope and Oscar Wilde – but I’m also a big fan of Jilly Cooper, Lee Child, Helen Fielding and Caitlin Moran.

When it comes to detective fiction, I’m a great fan of the Victorian writer, Wilkie Collins – he’s really gripping and I love the period feel. I also enjoyed Tony Parson’s first attempt at the genre – “The Murder Bag” is a real page-turner – and was hooked by JK Rowling writing as Robert Galbraith.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
DEATH ON DAYTIME is the first book in my Tess Darling Mysteries – and took me several years to write – hopeless, I know! As a first-time mystery writer, however, I kept getting tangled up in my plot, and killing off characters I then needed to ‘raise’ from the dead (or re-write furiously, at least!) I was also producing three children in between drafts, which meant I was permanently knackered and fitfully deranged. Hopefully the plot benefited as a result! Here’s an upsum –

Tess Darling is a feisty blonde TV producer, who solves media murders with the help of her hunky (but hapless) cameraman Miller. In this first adventure, Tess is forced to investigate when a ruthless presenter is murdered – live on TV. Digging up the dirt on daytime, can Tess outwit devious TV stars, bristling talent agents and vicious competition from her own (very famous) father?

When the killer strikes again, Tess finds her own life threatened. As the stakes rise, inhibitions drop: Tess may have Miller by her side, but it’s hunky Detective Selleck she’s got her eye on…

I hope DEATH ON DAYTIME is a funny, fast-paced read – a bit of escapist fun that will have readers rooting for Tess (and looking forward to Book Two!)

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Featured Interview With Hattie Holden Edmonds

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born in London, UK, where I still live – in Notting Hill, after forays to Berlin, Sydney and Paris. I also have a fisherman’s shack by the sea in Whitstable, Kent. I used to keep ferrets as a child, but now I am very broody for a British bulldog.
I adore cinemas, especially quirky independent ones – and my first novel is about a cinema with one seat where you are shown a film of your life.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
The first book I remember is The Waterbabies, which my mother would read to me when I was about four. At school I would write lengthy stories about my ferrets (Felicity and Frankenstein) for which, I suspect, the English teacher thought me quite strange. At twenty five, I became a music journalist, writing for the London office of a German pop magazine. After that I got the job as the in-house comedy writer for Richard Curtis (Notting Hill and Four Weddings) at Comic Relief. Best job ever!

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Favourite authors include Nick Hornby, David Nicholls, Audrey Niffenegger and David Sedaris. My favourite genre is dark comedy, but I need a little bit of a love story in there too! Ben Okri inspires me, a poet with a great vision.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My first novel, Cinema Lumiere, was inspired by a true life story of a woman who had a near-death experience and was shown a film of her life. I started to wonder what would happen if we could see a preview of our Life Review, before we die and if so, what would we change. I had been writing a fictional column for the Huffington Post UK, and the main character, Hannah, was the perfect candidate to see a film of her life – mainly because she had messed up so spectacularly!
The book took me seven years to write (ouch!)

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Featured Interview With Lorraine Bartlett

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born in Rochester, NY where I continue to live with my husband and three cats. The winters are brutal, but that makes one truly appreciate the other three seasons.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I was a bored 12-year-old when my mother handed me a book called Ammie Come Home by Barbara Michaels and said, “Read this.” I was hooked on mysteries and romantic suspense from that day forward. But I actually started writing Star Trek fan stories when I was in my teens. I moved on to cop stories, and finally to writing mysteries. But I still like a little SF and fantasy, and write the Tales of Telenia adventure-fantasy series, too.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I loved just about all Barbara Michaels books because they featured a paranormal thread. My mother also introduced me to the books by Dick Francis, and they held me spellbound as well. I read a lot of mysteries and women’s fiction, but I also read a lot of non-fiction. I just enjoy reading.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Evolution: Jeff Resnick’s Backstory. It’s a collection of short stories chronicling my series character, Jeff Resnick’s (and that of his brother, Richard Albert) back story. What forces molded these men into the people they are today? Eleven thought-provoking tales span from their first meeting, until two years before the first book in the series, Murder On The Mind. My readers have told me they found it enlightening.

I wrote most of the stories as I was writing the first four books in the series. When I mentioned the stories in a blog post, I was inundated with requests from readers to publish the stories. So, I polished them, and wrote a couple of new ones to fill in the gaps.

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Featured Interview With Patricia Watters

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I had an interesting childhood. As the daughter of a psychoanalyst, I always wished my dad had an ordinary job, like selling insurance, but in later years I came to realize that all the psychobabble at the dinner table, almost every night, was a blessing in disguise as it’s helped me (more than I’d ever want to admit to my father), in understanding human nature, which it critical when creating characters. But to back up some… I was born and raised in the middle of the city of New Orleans, and all the time I was growing up I dreamed of living in the country. It took me a number of years to finally make that dream a reality.

Now, I live in a log house in the middle of thirty acres of evergreen forests in Oregon. I share my life with my husband, Ed, our cat, Izzy, and our German Shepherd, Maggie, whose sole purpose in life is to play ball. I love the quietness that comes with living in the woods. We have beautiful trails and I get good ideas when I take a break from writing to walk in the woods. My laptop sits on a coffee table in the living room so I can look out the window and see squirrels, chipmunks, and birds at the feeders just outside, so I have little desire to go to the city, which is about 35 miles away.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
My fascination in books came at an early age, when my dad would read to me. I was also a very overactive child, so when I’d get out of hand, my mom would give me some paper and a pencil and tell me to write a story, which I loved to do. This carried over into school, and when we got a writing assignment I gave it my all.

At this point in my life I’ve been an author for over thirty years, and I still write every day, all day if I can. I currently have 21 romance novels and 3 non-fiction books available on Amazon. All of my books, including their covers and descriptions, are posted on my website. I also posted some photos of my little house in the woods, along with a house belonging to a family of tiny stuffed bears (3″ tall), so wear hand crocheted gowns, and with sterling silver utensils and on bone china. I’ve loved miniatures since I started collecting them at age five, and I invite everyone to go to my website and see the miniature Tudor house that the Ted. E. Bear family live in. I guess it’s my lot in life to live in a fictional world instead of the real one.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Some of my favorite authors are Kay Nolte Smith and her book, A Tale of the Wind, and Susan Kay and her novel about Queen Elizabeth I, Legacy. The thing is, all of my author friends read constantly, and the best kept secret (except that it’s about to come out) is that I rarely read fiction at all because I’m too busy writing it. When I take time away from writing it’s to read research material for my current book, or what’s coming next. Still, my favorite genre is romance. I enjoy reading and writing both historical and contemporary romance, but for my last twelve books, I’ve been writing about cowboys and living vicariously on the Dancing Moon Ranch, which I set not far from where I live.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
The book I’m working on now is entitled, Imperfect Magic, and it’s Book 11 in my Dancing Moon Ranch series. Being part of a series, my hero and heroine had already been introduced to readers in earlier books, so the inspiration for the story came out of the series. However, the inspiration for the first book in my Dancing Moon Ranch series was based on an actual lawsuit over a botched procedure at a fertility clinic, when two women got sperm from the wrong men. That book is entitled, Righteous Lies. My heroine’s sister, who popped up toward the end of Righteous Lies, prompted me to write the second book in the series, which is entitled, Pandora’s Box. That story brought in the twin brother of my hero in Righteous Lies, and things just kept going from there. The 13-book series ended up spanning thirty years and two generations, and the books are intended to be read in sequence.

I started writing the series in 2011, and it’s been a great experience. I always wanted to live on a working guest/cattle ranch and be surrounded by cowboys, and now I am. It’s like the couples in the first three books, and all of their sons and one daughter, are my family. My series is getting great reviews, and a couple of reviewers equated it to the “Dallas” TV series, but without the sex. There is some sex, but it’s PG-13.

Because readers were excited and wrote to me as if these characters were real, I put together what I call, The Dancing Moon Ranch Family Album, and posted it on Amazon. In it are over 600 photos of the heroes and heroines in all of the books, including photos from the stories, the weddings, the houses my heroes and heroines built, their children, and what life is like on the Dancing Moon Ranch. It helps bring the entire series to life, and readers love having the “Family Album” accessible when they’re reading. I show samples of it on my website, along with covers and descriptions of all of the books in the series, so I invite everyone to check out my website and drop me a note, and I’ll respond.

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Featured Interview With Laura May

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I grew up in Tasmania, Australia, and after more than ten years of travelling am currently living in swelteringly-hot Sydney. I have an awesome flatmate and friends who are always happy to go along with my crazy adventures and flights of fancy – and it’s thanks to their support that there’s now a whole published book full of silliness out there (so it’s all their fault, is what I’m saying).

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I can’t remember any time in my life when I haven’t been in love with books and the worlds they can take you to. When I started school I would go through several workbooks a week just with my writing – and things haven’t changed! However it was only when I lived in Russia and started blogging about my experiences there that I realised it was finally time to write my debut novel.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Who can choose just one favourite author?! I love Diana Wynne Jones, Douglas Adams, Kurt Vonnegut, Yasunari Kawabata, Piers Anthony, Jennifer Vale, Wilbur Smith, Sarah Maas, Coelho with ‘the Alchemist’, Goldman with his Princess Bride, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Carlos Ruiz Zafon, and of course Saint-Exupery with ‘The Little Prince’. My favourite genres are fantasy, magical realism, sci-fi, comedy, literature, and any mix thereof!

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My debut novel is called ‘Pickles and Ponies: a Fairy-tale’, and is a comedy/fantasy for adults and young adults alike. It features Vanya, a prince born with a voiceless heart; his horse, ‘Horse’; the brain-washed princess Melodia, and a whole host of others. It’s a fairy-tale that is traditional in many ways but still reflects modern thought, and includes valuable life lessons while giving readers a whole lot of laughs.

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Featured Interview With Dorchelle T. Spence

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Growing up poor in the inner city neighborhoods of Memphis, Tennessee has given me a special story to tell. I have faced challenges, fought battles, and struggled mightily. I have watched others do the same. Now I’m sharing these experiences with you through a powerful new novel, No Less Worthy. It’s one that will touch you profoundly.

Although I love to travel, I have lived in Memphis my entire life. It’s a soulful city where great food, awesome music, and topnotch basketball soothe us and feed our spirits. This central authenticity, this inner tenacity, comes through in No Less Worthy.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I have always loved to read. Initially, books provided an escape from my daily challenges and allowed me to see the world beyond my neighborhood. After a time, these stories started to speak to me, to motivate me, to show me that people in situations like mine – or even worse – could not only escape their circumstances but overcome them. These characters inspired me to be the best that I could be. That’s what I’m trying to do with No Less Worthy: show you that no matter what you’re going through, if you keep trying, then you’ll make it through and be better for it.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
The author who inspired me most is Barbara Taylor Bradford. Her novel, A Woman of Substance, was given to me the summer between my junior and senior years of high school. It was a pivotal time in my life and that book had a profound impact on me. After that, I read every book in the series. I loved the strong heroine. She faced so many challenges and made some very difficult decisions, decisions that impacted her family for generations. I respected her inner strength in dealing with those challenges – succeeding sometimes, failing others – and still carrying herself with dignity. I wanted to be like that.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Kathy’s life sucks and a fight with her mom confirms that nothing will ever change that. Teased at school and feeling like an indentured servant at home, Kathy leaves vowing never to return. Surviving that night on her own means coming face-to-face with the demons of her mom’s past and the uncertainty of her own future. Can she come to terms with her questionable ethnicity? With being fatherless and completely different from everyone else? Will Kathy continue her spiral toward the destructiveness of poverty, abuse, and low self-esteem? Or will she find a way out? And if so, what will it cost her?

No Less Worthy is a powerful coming-of-age story that has a little bit of every woman woven into the main character. If there is a message in No Less Worthy, it is that we’re all struggling with something – fitting in, measuring up, finding our own voice, something. Whatever that struggle is for the reader, I want that reader to know that she – or he – will get through it if she just keeps moving forward. Never give up on yourself.

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Featured Interview With Ken Doyle

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Ken Doyle was born in Bombay, India, into a family with Portuguese and Anglo-Indian roots. He moved to the USA for graduate studies and currently lives in Milford, Delaware with his wife, daughter, and dog. One of his early short stories, written at the age of sixteen, was selected for inclusion in an anthology of Indian science fiction. These days, Ken’s writing spans several genres, including literary fiction and science fiction for young adults.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I’ve been writing ever since the early years in grade school but started to consider a career as a writer in my teens. I published my first short story at 13, and wrote nonfiction for a few magazines as a teenager. One of my short stories, written when I was 16, was selected for an anthology of the best science fiction by Indian authors. I knew my career would involve writing, but I wasn’t sure exactly what form it would take.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
That’s a tough call. I’d have to say Charles Dickens, as I have enjoyed every novel of his that I’ve read. His characters are masterpieces, and his very immersive description and setting has no equal among contemporary authors. Other favorites include Isaac Asimov, William Gibson, Scott Westerfeld, Jhumpa Lahiri, Vikram Seth–and, of course, JK Rowling!

I read a variety of genres and styles. My early favorites were science fiction and fantasy, but I also enjoy multicultural fiction and literary fiction.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My debut collection of short fiction, Bombay Bhel, was released last eyar. The title is based on a popular street food called “bhel puri”. Like the food, the book blends a variety of ingredients to serve up glimpses of life among the Goan and Anglo-Indian communities–minorities in one of the world’s most cosmopolitan cities. The interlinked stories are set in the late twentieth century, before a wave of anticolonialism crested across India and resulted in the city’s rechristening as Mumbai.

I enjoy writing short stories–they’re a much-underappreciated art form. This collection took me almost two years to write, revise, edit, and polish. I’d love to write full-time but, at present, my writing time is restricted by work and family obligations.

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