Top Selling Authors: Get To Know Them Better

Featured Interview With Joshua Danker-Dake

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born and raised in Saint Louis, MO. I came to Tulsa, OK 15 years ago to go to school and I’m somehow still here.

Beyond books/writing, I enjoy games of most kinds—I’m the Strategy and Tactics Editor for Diplomacy World, the flagship publication of the Diplomacy hobby. Other things I get excited about include old-school He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, bombastic European power metal, and St. Louis Cardinals baseball.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I’ve been fascinated with books since before I could read. I started dabbling in writing in childhood, always enjoying it, but didn’t figure out that I wanted to make it a serious pursuit until college, after it was too late to change my major and graduate on time.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I read to relax, to engage my imagination, and, fundamentally, to be entertained; my favorite genres tend to be science fiction and fantasy.

Generally, I have favorite books rather than favorite authors: White’s “The Once and Future King,” Orwell’s “1984,” Dick’s “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep,” Moore’s “Watchmen,” Miller’s “The Dark Knight Returns,” Farmer’s Riverworld series, Lewis’s Narnia series. And, of course, Tolkien.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
THE RETAIL is contemporary fiction, a comedic everyman satire of the depersonalizing big-box retail grind.

Aspiring writer Penn Reynard has just joined the ranks of America’s fifteen million retail workers: fresh out of college with an English degree, he can’t find a job anywhere except at the local big-box hardware store. Working returns, Penn experiences firsthand the often comical absurdity, chaos, and shenanigans of the retail world. At least he has a new romance with a coworker going for him—if he doesn’t screw it up. The constant pressures of dealing with hostile customers, oblivious coworkers, and overbearing management begin to take their toll on him, though, and as his desired career path threatens to fall out of reach, Penn struggles to break free of retail’s clutches.

If you’ve ever worked retail, hated retail, or hated your life because of retail, this is a book that feels your pain.

Buy the book on Amazon.

Connect with the Author on their Websites and Social media profiles

Author’s Website

Facebook Page

Twitter Account

Featured Interview With Mz. Modesty

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I am a Chicago Native born and raised. I am the second oldest of 6 kid. I

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I have loved books since I was 10 years old. I first got introduced to books and reading for fun when I was in a tutoring session for Summer School. Reading Huck Finn, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, and other books were good to read but my Writing came when I was given my last assignment for the Summer. My Mother never believed in just going to school during the school year and we were told to do our best at all times.. At the end of the Summer I wrote my first book called Danny the Dinosaur. I got the first place ribbon and we made a play and preformed it for the end of Summer School. After that I did not stop writing. My Summer School teacher gave me a Strawberry Shortcake journal and told me to not stop writing. I wrote my first my very first 350 page story when I was 13 years old. My Mother and older Sister read what I wrote and they both cried, laughed and got angry at the characters I made up and told me to publish it. That’s when I knew I had something to say and maybe people would like to read it. Especially if My Mom and Sister liked it.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I love a lot of different Authors and different Genra’s. I try not to limit myself to just one Author or type of books. I really like a good story. I love to be able to picture and read a story like a movie. I get excited to read a book from the description of the books. My inspiration for my books come from everything I never see on TV, in Books, on Magazine covers or just in my daily living. I write for the Sisters, Women, Daughters, Aunts, Mothers, Friends and lovers of Women! I like to say I write about the Positive side of Big Beautiful Women but now I say I write about the Positive side of Beautiful Big Medium and Small Women who love, support, and uplift each other. I love the idea of unconditional love and acceptance but I am realistic I know that there are issues that need to be addressed and I do that in all of my books. Being from Chicago I address a lot of things that are going on in my Hometown but I do it in a way that allows the Women to take the lead and show how our Strength, Determination, Power, Unity and Love could save the lives of our youth and show the Men in power what the Strength of one Woman can do and show women what Sisterhood can do that

Tell us a little about your latest book?

Buy the book on Amazon.

Connect with the Author on their Websites and Social media profiles

Author’s Website

Facebook Page

Twitter Account

Featured Interview With Peter J Story

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I grew up in San Antonio, Texas, where I had planned to attend college with a vague notion of majoring in something to do with literature. But my goals changed, and I decided instead to spend seven years as a missionary (mostly in Mexico City). The time paid off, though, and taught me a great deal about human nature and the art of telling a subtle, character-driven story.

Now I’m living back in San Antonio, Texas with my wife and our two pugs, writing code by day and fiction by night.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I’m told I was always a reader, and I really can’t remember a time when I wasn’t reading. Not that it was a passion when I was tiny, but it was always a part of me. And I think that contributed to my eventual love for books.

Around the age of six or so, I remember coming to a realization. I noticed that I was shyer than the other kids, so I fell back to what I knew: reading. I also found a new hobby in studying people and found both pastimes equally fascinating.

Among my favorite characters at that age were Encyclopedia Brown, Sebastian the Super Sleuth, and Sherlock Holmes. When in search of new mystery stories, I read Murder on the Orient Express and found the tale intriguing. Unfortunately, I felt that the name “Hercule Poirot” was unseemly, and abandoned any further inquiries in the character’s direction.

Then one day, at the age of ten or so, my uncle introduced me to the work of J.R.R. Tolkien, and my world changed forever. I was carried away by the story and tried my hand at mimicking the epic. Unfortunately, due to an existing love for Star Trek: The Next Generation, this took an unholy turn toward a hybrid of the two worlds. But I enjoyed it, nonetheless, and isn’t that what matters most? Of course it is.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
As I grew up, I learned to enjoy a variety of new writers and their characters (even those with unseemly names). I hesitate to pick a favorite author, as I’ve often found it to be highly subjective and fleeting. But among the authors I’ve enjoyed most are George Orwell, Leo Tolstoy, Herman Melville, Ernest Hemingway, Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Stephen King, Dave Barry, and C.S. Lewis. And they’ve all had a tremendous impact on my writing style.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Things Grak Hates has been a work in progress for the last year. The concept is based on my observations of human nature. We humans have a tendency to play nice with each other, but we also have a real knack for being self-absorbed. And the thing about being self-absorbed is that my smallest desires become far more important than your needs at such times. We all do this at least a little, but my protagonist, Grak, does it with flare. Of course, he has a bit of tragedy in his past, but I leave the question open as to whether his narcissism existed before the tragedy or was caused by it.

Things Grak Hates is categorized as literary fiction / satire / dark comedy, but it’s so much more than that. It has strong political elements, portrays how ideas are so easily disseminated, shows how silly our best moments can often look in hindsight, and is laced throughout with a commentary on religion. And, of course, every element is portrayed through the eyes of a very selfish Grak.

And here’s a bit of a confession. In order to capture the selfishness of human nature, I had to write myself into Grak. Of course, I took his character off the deep end, far beyond who I am or have been. But I think his path isn’t so far-fetched when we allow ourselves to run wild and unchecked. In some form or another, it’s a potential for us all. I find that sobering and freeing at the same time.

Buy the book on Amazon.

Connect with the Author on their Websites and Social media profiles

Author’s Website

Facebook Page

Twitter Account

Featured Interview With Sheila M. Cronin

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I am a native Chicagoan, south side. My book is actually dedicated to the people of South Shore, the neighborhood where I grew up. I live on the north side now but still root for the White Sox.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
At age 8, I came down with a terrible bout of the flu. My new mother and I were still getting to know each other. She was a professional writer and avid reader. While I was sick, she gave me one of her favorite books from her childhood to read called The Little Colonel. It looked as thick as a bible and the pages even had gold edging! But once I got started on it, I couldn’t put it down. I’ve been hooked on books since then. I began writing around that same time.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
My favorite authors are updated as soon as I read a new good book. Recently I read Liane Moriarity: The Husband’s Secret and can’t wait to read more. I love mysteries and just discovered K.K. Beck so I’m going through all of hers. Leslie Meier and her series in Maine, too. However, some standards are: Harper Lee, To Kill A Mockingbird, P.G. Wodehouse, Charles Dickens, and I’ll leave it there because I don’t want to leave anyone out.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Do all gifts have strings attached? My novel explores that question. The Gift Counselor is set in Southern California where I live for 16 years. Jonquil Bloom a single mom and UCLA graduate student, has a knack for helping people choose gifts. Yet, her ten-year-old son Billy longs for a dog which she won’t allow him to have. Into their lives comes Claude Chappel, a general contractor, who uncovers the paradox of a gift counselor with giving issues and he resolves to remedy the situation. A Catholic priest, a collection of department store employees and customers seeking gift counseling for a variety of reasons, round out the characters. The book took over 15 years to write.

Buy the book on Amazon.

Connect with the Author on their Websites and Social media profiles

Author’s Website

Featured Interview With Tristesse Genevieve

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was raised in a Alton, Illinois. Moved around quite a bit throughout my younger years. I am now living in Michigan. Photography is another passion of mine. It is an art that truly fills my spirit. I enjoy life and nature in its organic form.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I was probably a teenager when I started really getting into reading. I had been writing since I was a child. Just little short stories. It was my teenage years when I really began expressing my feelings through poetry.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
When I was younger I read a lot of true crime, biographies, fiction, etc. As I have gotten older I have found that I am no longer really interested in those genres. I find myself a lot more drawn to spiritual, inspirational, self-help, and non-fiction genres.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
It is a poetry book with a sort of story line. Poems of my darkest days, and tragic love. Followed by poems of my passage into light, and finding true love.

I had always wanted to publish my own poetry book. A few years ago I became inspired to create not just a book with all my best poems, but rather a poetry book with my story. So I sectioned it into three chapters. I wanted to put my story into the world, and hope that others could connect with it, and/or become inspired by it.

It is an inspirational read for anyone who has or is going through a dark time, or for anyone who just loves poetry.

Buy the book on Amazon.

Connect with the Author on their Websites and Social media profiles

Author’s Website

Twitter Account

Featured Interview With L. Nahay

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born and raised in Chicago- but lived in Colorado and Wisconsin for half my life before returning.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I was always writing stories and reading others’. I remember my second grade teacher having me read them aloud to the class. I cannot imagine not being able to write. Think I’d go mad.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
My favorite author remains Victor Hugo, though I haven’t read him since high school. I loved how he tied everything and everyone together. I typically stay in the fantasy genre for both reading and my own work, though. I think my boys are my greatest inspiration. They are my biggest motivation and my truest supporters. Even if they can’t read what I write!

Tell us a little about your latest book?
I just released a short story called THE DRYAD, about a woman’s first attempt to take her son camping. It’s available only on Amazon.

My main thing, though, is Red Moonglow on Snow, a fiction-fantasy novel about a woman’s return to her parents’ place of birth. This book took me my whole adult life to write (17 years!). It was my guide and comfort and companion through high school, college, dating, marriage, children (biological, step, foster), divorce, and single parenthood. It is about mothers and daughters, about the definition of home, and what truly constitutes as love. Red Moonglow on Snow is available on all major ebook platforms, and as softcover on Amazon.

Buy the book on Amazon.

Connect with the Author on their Websites and Social media profiles

Author’s Website

Facebook Page

Twitter Account

Featured Interview With Arabella Sheen

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Arabella Sheen is a successfully published British author.

Her novels – Blinded by Desire and Temporary Bride – have been well received and are acquiring excellent reviews from her loyal following of romance readers.

Arabella likes nothing more than the challenge of a blank page.

Starting a new novel, with new ideas and new plots, she aims to excite her readers, drawing them into the sparkling, elegant world of romance, love and passion.

Her novels are for the true romantic where readers are able to escape with jet-setting billionaires, be flown to exotic locations and cosmopolitan destinations, only to be caught up in the heartbreaking decisions and emotional conflicts her sophisticated strong alpha hero’s and equally strong resourceful heroine’s have to make.

One of the many things Arabella loves to do is read and when she’s not reading or writing modern romantic novels she is either on her allotment, sowing and planting with the seasons, or she is pandering to the demands of her attention seeking cat.

Having worked and lived in the city of Amsterdam in the Netherlands for nearly twenty years, she now lives in the South of England with her family.

As well as constantly developing and promoting her writing career she also works in a busy international hotel where she is able to meet lots of interesting people from various parts of the world and from whom she often gains inspiration and ideas to include and incorporate in her contemporary romance novels.

She hopes her readers have as much pleasure from her ‘easy reading’ ebooks and paperbacks as she has in writing them.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
At an early age my parents encouraged me to visit the local library where I used to find a quiet corner in which to sit and read.

I’d then take home three books (three was the limit) and devour them at bedtime, hopefully finishing them before they were returned the following week.

I had lots of books to read as a child, but my very first ‘grown-up’ book – a book which had no pictures in – was The Borrower’s by Mary Norton.

Since then I’ve become an avid romance reader and now every opportunity I get I’m scribbling away in notebooks or typing up ideas on the laptop for my next romance novel.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
In literature I’m torn between two genres.

Modern contemporary fiction is the genre in which I write. It is also the book genre I read the most.

But . . . my all-time favourite author belongs to another genre. The author, who transports me to places I would love to be, lets me meet people I would love to see, and takes me to a time in history that is so romantic I could swoon, is regency writer Georgette Heyer.

So if conditions were ideal . . .

On a sunny afternoon I’d be in a quiet corner of the library, reclining gracefully on a chaise lounge with a genteel regency romance novel in my hand, enjoying the moment.

Or . . .

I’d be relaxing on a hot tropical beach, flicking the pages on my kindle whilst reading a passionate, sexy, sizzling romance novel about a jet-setting billionaire hero and a strong feisty heroine.

If conditions were ideal . . .

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest novel is . . . TEMPORARY BRIDE

Max Jordan is one of America’s most powerful, leading corporate layers. He is also the major stockholder and head of the billion dollar corporation – Jordan Diamond Empire.

Max must marry soon to keep the business safe and secure from a takeover.

Returning to England in search of the only woman he knows and trusts to help him in his moment of need – he tracks Amy down, and asks her to marry him.

Amy Denver wants nothing to do with Max Jordan . . . and she certainly wants nothing to do with his marriage proposal. Five painful years have passed since Max disappeared from her life and a lot has happened to her in between. Amy has a secret she’d rather Max didn’t discover . . . her secret is Jake . . . their son. Once again Amy finds herself surrendering to Max and his demands as he whisks her and Jake off to Waterfront, his private, secluded

Home in the Hamptons.

I really enjoyed writing TEMPORARY BRIDE and the novel took me several pleasurable months to produce, from start date to publication.

I found a wonderful editor/proofreader who helped tremendously and also my the Romantic Novelist Association Bath/Wilts Chapter has been extremely supportive, giving me lots of advice and great tips.

There were moments during my time writing TEMPORARY BRIDE when I was emotional torn and nearly in tears because of the struggles and difficulties Amy had to face when dealing with Max.

She had to make some tough decisions. Decisions not only about Jake, their child, but also about her career and life. Quite frankly I don’t know if I could have faced or coped with the choices she had to make.

Buy the book on Amazon.

Connect with the Author on their Websites and Social media profiles

Author’s Website

Facebook Page

Twitter Account

Featured Interview With Linda Thackeray

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born and raised in Singapore but moved to Australia in my teens. I’ve spent some years in country Australia and then moved to the big city, being Sydney, for work. In recent years, I’ve decided that the city is too much for me and have moved to a coastal town called Woy Woy (yes, that really its name – it means big water) and have been there since.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I was always fascinated by books. My mum tells me I started off with comics as a three-year old and read the children’s illustrated version of the Count of Monte Cristo when I was eight. Yes, such a beasts does exist! I loved to real but didn’t really start to write after going to see Star Wars when I was seven years old. That movie and the world in it filled me with such a sense of wonder that I wanted to read more about it and upon learning there wasn’t much about back then. Mind you I was seven and knew nothing about fan fiction and the internet was still some William Gibson dream.

As a result, I started writing my own stories. I wrote a shocking Star Wars story when I was ten and then decided I could actually create my own characters and I guess that’s where it started. I have stopped since.

My writing though has always been very private. I wrote under a pseudonym ‘The Scribe’ for many years and my original work remained shelved. Recently, I decided that it was time I took a step at going public and am dabbling in self-publishing. We’ll see how we go.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
My favourite authors are Stephen King, Frank Herbert, Marion Bradly Zimmer, Arthur C Clarke and Neil Gaiman.

IT and Mists of Avalon are my biggest influences as a writer.

In IT, one of King’s characters asks ‘Why can’t a story be just as story?’ when confronted by a teacher who wants to know what point he was trying to make with a short story that was written. That is why drives me to write because sometimes a story just wants to be told, it sits inside you and demands to be heard.

Also one of King’s famous line in the Gunslinger is why genre writers do what they do (to me at least).

“Go then, there are other worlds than these.”

Reading Stephen King has also taught me that characterisation is key. If you don’t care about your characters, chances are neither will your readers.

Marion Bradley Zimmer was also an enormous influence because of her potrayal of female protagonists. Powerful women dont have to be queens or shield maidens. They can be strong just by rising to extraordinary circumstances. That’s how I have tried to write my female characters, making them strong but also vulnerable and flawed, like that other gender.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest books was actually written about 12 years ago during my Lord of the Rings craze. While I loved the books, I found it was a little lacking in the feminine side of things. I wrote a series of stories based around the females in those books and recently went back to them, I realised that they were so far removed from the fandom they were based that it would not take much to make them unique.

So Queen of Carleon is a story about Arianne, an elf queen who married her beloved king after a lengthy war and discovers upon falling pregnant that an ancient enemy has arisen with designs of taking over the kingdom by implanting itself into her unborn baby. What follows is Arianne’s quest to find and defeat this enemy before the baby is born and ensure the safety of her mortal husband. She’s helped by her friends, the warror maid Celene and Keira, an ordinary woman she’s befriended.

Buy the book on Amazon.

Connect with the Author on their Websites and Social media profiles

Author’s Website

Facebook Page

Twitter Account

Featured Interview With Mark Gummere

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born in Hollywood, California, and raised on the east side of L.A. I moved to northern California to attend college, and never left, earning my BA and MA degrees from San Francisco State University in Cinema Studies. While teaching and working on a post-graduate degree at U.C. Berkeley, an opportunity came to join the San Francisco Giants new Video Production Department, and I jumped at it. After seven years with the Giants, I returned to teaching, while also working as a private investigator in San Francisco. I currently teach Cinema Studies in the Bay Area, while writing. I lives in San Francisco with his my Rena and have an adult son, Cole. There are currently 4 novels of my Lucas Lucas Series detective/mystery in circulation with the 5th book scheduled for a release in December 2015.

.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I have always been a reader. My earlier recollection of writing is at the age of 7, when I wrote a ten page story about a baseball player (in longhand, in pencil!).

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
The writers i like to read are also the ones who inspire me. Crime fiction is my favorite genre, so of course I admired Chandler, Hammett, and Cain. More contemporary writers I read regularly include Elmore Leonard, James Sallis, Danielle Woodrell, and Dennis Lehane. Also Denis Johnson and George Pellacanos. I also have read all of Robert B. Parker’s Spenser novels and thoroughly enjoyed them.

Outside the genre I can easily re-read the work of Don DeLillo, Mark Twain, Michael Chabron, and Donna Tarrt.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
From the back cover of Nola’s Future:

Young women who make bad choices seem to find a friend in ex-cop Robert “Lucky” Lucas so when a new college grad looks to him for help in ending an abusive relationship with an older man Lucky’s instincts and skills come out of retirement. A college campus is revealed as not only a place for education and discovery, but one where sexual exploitation, deceit, and murder have become part of the curriculum.

Meanwhile, close friend and San Francisco P.I. Jesse Santos, kills a bail jumper in self-defense and becomes a target of the dead man’s family.

Lucky discovers that maneuvering through the academic world can be as dangerous as tracking criminals on the streets and he is once again at the center of unexpected trouble with unforeseeable results.

Buy the book on Amazon.

Connect with the Author on their Websites and Social media profiles

Author’s Website

Twitter Account

Featured Interview With Kenneth J. Janssen

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born in St. Louis, MO, but did most of my growing up in New York, including earning a BS in Logistics from NYU.

I married Jeannette, the love of my life forty years ago and we raised two very successful children. My career moved us around to five different states and we finally settled in Ohio as empty nesters.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I started writing short stories about space travel when I was ten. During my acedemic years I contributed to school newspapers including a spell in high school as the editor of the school’s literary paper.

My career included much travel and my writing went to the back burner. I’m retired now and the day after I stopped work I started writing a novel.

I’ve published two Mark Matthews Mystery novels “Blood Money” and “Fatal Dose”as ebooks with Untreed Reads http://bit.ly/10TPLjN or at Amazon.

Three additional novels “The Path Taken”, “Siblings” and “Family Matters” are currently being reviewed by potential publishers.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
John Sanford
Stephen Frye
Carlos Ruiz Afon
Stuart Woods

My favorite genre is Mystery/Thriller/Suspense.

“The Path Taken” , however, is a Spiritual/Inspirational novel. and “Siblings” could well be classified as a romancde novel.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Counterfeit prescription drugs are being distributed in every American city, killing thousands. Behind this pandemic is a cartel run by the mob.

When the FBI sets up a Pharmaceutical Drug Squad of Special Agents to close the cartel’s operations down, the members are immediately in danger as the antagonist, Marco Vennuti, takes measures to protect the cartel from the deepening FBI probe.

Special Agent Mark Matthews is assigned to the squad and is teamed up with Special Agent Wendy Farrell who becomes his new love interest.

The danger to Mark is amplified when, Mel Tarkington, responsible for the death of Mark’s former lover, Susan Harrigan, comes out of hiding bent on killing Mark.

Fatal Dose has numerous sub-plots that will take you down dark and sinister paths.

This is Mark Matthews at his best.

Connect with the Author on their Websites and Social media profiles

Author’s Website

Facebook Page

Twitter Account

Featured Interview With Adrian Pelzer

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was raised in Richmond, B.C., Canada (a multicultural suburb of Vancouver) and studied English literature and Biblical Studies at Trinity Western University and Regent College in the Vancouver area. I enjoy movies and books, especially science-fiction and humour; I also enjoy soccer, golf, skiing, and hiking. I currently teach high school English and Bible in Vanderhoof, B.C., Canada, where I live with my wife and children. This is my first published work.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
When I was in sixth grade, I began reading the sports page of the daily newspaper on a regular basis and eventually began reading books about hockey. I enjoyed writing for English classes in high school and won second place in a young adult writing contest put on by the public library in grade 12. That was a thrill, for sure.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
My favourite fiction authors are Douglas Coupland and Fyodor Dostoyevsky. Their novels are full of memorable and quirky characters and accurately portray the human condition.I especially enjoy the Christian memoir-style writing of Donald Miller and Frederick Buechner. I love science-fiction and enjoyed the Hunger Games first two books. I am also greatly inspired by the Bible.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
This is the first volume in a series of hilariously re-told Bible stories called The Bible for Aliens. Its aim is to connect the stories to current culture, making humourous references to popular movies, classic books, and well-known current issues. There are four stories in this volume, all based on the first few chapters of Genesis, with many more to follow. I have been working on these stories on and off for ten years; as a teacher and dad I don’t have that much time to write!

Buy the book on Amazon.

Connect with the Author on their Websites and Social media profiles

Author’s Website

Facebook Page

Twitter Account

Featured Interview With Jo Ann V. Glim

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was raised in the beautiful Pacific Northwest on the island of Fidalgo in a town called Anacortes, Washington. It was an amazing place to spend a childhood in the 1950s. Today, my husband and I live on the Suncoast of Florida (gulf side). Both communities “live the outdoors,” considering both are surrounded by water and beach style living. A portion of the book, Begotten With Love” is set in Anacortes.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I was about 9 years old when I discovered a book about Amelia Earhart. From that point on, I was hooked on reading adventures about real people.

I was always scribbling notes about something and being an only child, I had a head full of characters. The one that got me in trouble was the church mouse family I imagined during Sunday service. I think it was the giggling that caught me a “Mom talk” that afternoon.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
There are the established writers like McCullough (John Adams) and Indie writers like children’s author Mariana Llanos (Tristan Wolfe series and her latest “Staircase on Elm Street”) that have recently become favorite reads for me.

I love biographies and memoirs; adventures and history but I also like fiction: Dune, Harry Potter, The Hobbit. When I need to unwind, I prefer something lighthearted. Right now, I’m following a series of liturgical murder mysteries set in North Carolina where the sheriff is also the church choir director. My favorite so far, “The Tenor Wore Tweed.” Still laughing.

As far as my own writing goes, I am inspired by our ancestors. Their courage and faith to leave everything: family, fortune, and homeland, to follow the dream of a better life not only for themselves but for us leaves me in awe. They truly understood the meaning of American ingenuity and lived it.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
“Begotten With Love” is a sometime turbulent, sometime rollicking true story spanning one hundred fifty years of American history and five generations of family. It’s based on 30 years of genealogical and historical research and brings to life each generation letting the reader live the experiences as the characters and plots unfold. As one of our fan’s put it, “It reads like fiction, but it’s not.”

Following is a portion of a critique I received from Writer’s Digest. “The author does a great job in capturing time, place, and character, with enough history thrown in to help readers place themselves in time. The book is nicely written, and the hard work the author did both with her research and getting the book just right shows . . .” Excerpted from the commentary — Judge, Writer’s Digest 21st Annual Self-Published Book Awards

I also received very exciting news last week. “Begotten With Love” is a finalist in the Florida Writers Association 2014 Royal Palm Awards competition. The outcome has already been determined, however we won’t know the outcome until the banquet in October. Very excited to just enjoy the moment.

Buy the book on Amazon.

Connect with the Author on their Websites and Social media profiles

Author’s Website

Facebook Page

Twitter Account

Featured Interview With Dean F. Wilson

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born and bred in Tallaght, Dublin, and I still live here, albeit on the other side of the suburb now. I am happy in Ireland, so I can’t really imagine living anywhere else.

Aside from writing fiction, I have done some non-fiction work, including many years of technology journalism. I am always interested in new developments, and am a strong advocate of the use of technology for the advancement of humanity.

In my (far too limited) spare time I enjoy computer games, including RTS, RPG, and MMO games. The more complex, the better.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I was fascinated with constructing unusual sentences in early childhood (I think there’s still a school report card to that effect), but I began writing in earnest at around age 11, when I began my first novel, entitled The Power Source. It has never been published, and it’s not particularly good, but it was great experience. As for books and reading in general, I think that has been virtually a lifelong love.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
A few favourites include J.R.R. Tolkien, George R.R. Martin, Neil Gaiman, Terry Pratchett, Charles Dickens, and William Shakespeare. I primarily enjoy the fantasy genre, thanks to the sheer variety of things that can be done there, but I try to read as widely as possible, and will enjoy any book that shows mastery of the English language.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book, at the time of this interview, is The Chains of War, the finale to my epic fantasy trilogy, The Children of Telm. It took around half a year to write, but the ideas behind it were planned for many years, some of them even with the earliest drafts of my first novel, The Call of Agon.

The Chains of War sees the release of the Beast Agon from his prison, and a last-ditch effort to destroy him with the powerful Last Words of the dead god Telm. It is battle after battle as the good people of Iraldas throw everything they have at the Beast.

Buy the book on Amazon.

Connect with the Author on their Websites and Social media profiles

Author’s Website

Facebook Page

Twitter Account

Featured Interview With Lathish Shankar

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I am from India. I was raised up in a place called Gonikoppal, in Kodagu district, Karnataka State of India. My parents are from Kerala and my mother-tongue is Malayalam. I have been working here, in Karnataka, as a teacher for about 16 years. Writing is my hobby. Apart from writing, I play chess and musical instruments.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
From my childhood 🙂 I started to write, right from my childhood. I was fascinated in reading horror novels like Dracula. Though I was scared to read it, I still read and used to wonder the creative writing style of the author. I wished if I could make my readers thrilled by my style of writing. Earlier there were many who laughed at my writings, but I still continued to write, till I became confident.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Brahmstocker’s Dracula (the first book that I’ve read) Chinua Achebe’s “Things Fall Apart”, Henric Ibsen’s “A Doll’s House”. All these novels inspired me a lot. Really! I stick on to horror genre.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book is the story that describes the diary entry of a ten-year-old school girl written in Indian slang. The story describes a summer vacation that Ashitha, a ten-year-old girl had with her friends. Their good time, friendship, love and affection are described in the story. Once a new neighbour called Abinav, arrives. Ashitha became very close with that boy, and when he had to leave after the summer vacation, she feels as if something is lost.
I have written this in Indian slang, not in much hopes, but somehow I managed to write from a child’s point of view. I think I have succeeded to some extent.

Buy the book on Amazon.

Connect with the Author on their Websites and Social media profiles

Facebook Page

Twitter Account

Featured Interview With james lee nathan iii

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
The number 1 bestselling author of erotic crime dramas on leanpub.com;James Lee Nathan III grew up in Corona and East Elmhurst NYC and graduated from the HS of Art and Design in 1979. He entered the US Air Force shortly thereafter,serving 20 years and retired in 1999. He was stationed overseas for 18 of the 20 years and has been to 40 states and 10 different countries. He loves pugs, jazz, beer, and the company of an intelligent and pretty woman. James is single and resides in Severn, Maryland

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
Oh my goodness, I started to read books (purely for the joy of it) sometime in 1970. First book I devoured was Gangsters and Gangs, and no I do not remember the author, it was over 40years ago! (inserting smile right here) But that book launched me into books as a whole. Prior to that I had only read comic books.

A few years after in intermediate school (back then thats what they called middle school) my English teacher wanted me to take an additional course in creative writing. That course helped me in HS as I continued writing for my very own comic book characters. That was 1974, I stopped writing altogether in 1980, and resumed in 2010.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
My favorite authors and influences are L A Banks, Elmore Leonard, Michael Crichton, and JRR Tolkien. I absolutely love fiction, especially speculative fiction. However my sweet tooth is fantasy and paranormal 🙂

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Robert Manis The Carnal Conspiracies
When sex becomes easy love is lost. Imagine a world without sexually transmitted diseases, as long as the inhabitants ingest a pill once a month for the rest of their lives. Here is the complex yet simple truth of the world in 2110. Where a super drug Nomescula, emerges as the new spice for the remaining civilized Peoples. This drug in 20 years has wiped out all sexually transmitted diseases, cured AIDS but also increases population by 15%. Unbridled sex led to unwanted pregnancies, which in turn led to abortions or abandoned children (The Forgotten). With promiscuity abound many have left their morals by the way side, forcing legislatures across the globe to enact various Carnal Control laws. These laws segregate single and married people but open the door for criminal elements to offer sexual liaisons to all who can afford them. New types of crime emerge, Love Control is one of those illegal activities that quickly alarms the NU FBI. As the power of Love Control grows they seek to not only restrict the access of Nomescula, but to absolutely control those left in its wake as well. Their pursuit of political influence and Pulse weaponry make them a menace to society. However their abduction of the Vice Presidents daughter takes their diabolical machinations to another level. Enter Robert Manis, independent consultant to the NU FBI. Robert’s mission will be to subdue these criminal elements wherever he finds them, in a quest to save the VPs daughter, and seek his own retribution in the process. Political intrigue, seduction, sadism, deviant debauchery, espionage, and ritual killings will stand in his way, but Robert Manis is perfect for this time and especially this mission. He has 72 hours to acquire the daughter before the kidnappers go public with an incriminating video of the daughter and other members of the executive cabinet engaged in various sexual acts. Robert Manis has two clear orders; get the girl; and of the rest “Kill them ALL”

Buy the book on Amazon.

Connect with the Author on their Websites and Social media profiles

Author’s Website

Facebook Page

Twitter Account

Featured Interview With Stephanie Workman

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born and raised in New Hampshire, the youngest of five. I consider myself lucky because I’ve been fortunate enough to spend a lot of my life exploring the United States and other countries. I currently reside in Exeter, NH.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
Books have always been a huge part of my life. I’ve been fascinated with books since the day my mom started reading to me. I’ve been writing stories since I could pick up a pen but it was around the age of fifteen when I realized I wanted to make a career out of it. My first published book is a children’s story but I also write adult fiction, personal essay, poetry, and screenplays.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Wuthering Heights, Jane Eyre, and Less Than Zero are some of my favorite books so the Bronte sisters and Bret Easton Ellis are included as some of my favorite authors. I don’t particularly have a favorite genre because I will read almost anything as long as it captivates me within the first few pages.
Lately I’ve been inspired by people I have met. For example, over a year ago I went to a reading at RiverRun Bookstore for Ellen Walker who wrote Bringing Up John. She wrote a memoir about raising her son John, who lives with autism. It wasn’t until shortly before the reading I found out my husband Tim was friends with John in high school. There is a section about Tim in her book about the impact he made on John just by being his friend. Tim had no idea. To him, John was just John. That night at the reading “Lucy’s Amazing Friend” was born.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Lucy’s Amazing Friend is a picture book about eight-year-old Lucy who befriends Daniel, a boy living with autism. The kids at school thinks he’s weird but Lucy thinks he’s amazing. It’s not just a story of autism but also one of friendship.
The character of Lucy is actually from other stories I have wrote but not yet published. The idea of Lucy’s Amazing Friend came to me in one night, took about a week to write, and a few weeks to edit. The illustrations by the fabulous Tim Raynes took about eight months.

Buy the book on Amazon.

Connect with the Author on their Websites and Social media profiles

Author’s Website

Facebook Page

Twitter Account

Featured Interview With Olga Toprover

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I am pretty much international author: was born in Russia, lived in Canada for a few years, but currently reside in Los Angeles. I hold Master Degree in Computer Science from Moscow State University. I am also a published media author.

So I got scientific education and gained journalistic experience. Living in different cities and countries also contributed into my desire to write. I believe that true literature is about people. My stories, above all, are about us.

Besides writing and creating new worlds, I love swing dancing, swimming in the ocean and spending time with my children.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I was dreaming about being a writer once I started to read. But this path didn’t seem to be a practical choice, so I chose Math as a major. Strange, but I got the degree and it didn’t stop my desire to write.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I love to read women’s fiction. Guess why? Because I am the one.
One of my favorite authors is a french writer Francoise Sagan. I love her books, because she is writing about emotions and feelings. For instance, she wrote: “A dress makes no sense unless it inspires men to take it off of you.” So she mentioned a dress, but in reality it was about emotions, not clothes. This is how I want to write 🙂

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book is ‘Seventeen shades of Love”. It is a collection of romantic short stories. It is a team work with an artist Larissa Makeeva. Her art helps to color the stories and the characters in the bright colors. In the seventeen shades of love. My goal was to connect the words with emotions, desires, dreams and even with colors.

“Just think of the color and vivacity that love can bring back into your life. You know, they say there are seventeen shades of love!”
“Seventeen shades?” Julia sobbed even louder. “What am I supposed to do with that?”
(A quote from the story with the same title as this book).

Buy the book on Amazon.

Connect with the Author on their Websites and Social media profiles

Author’s Website

Facebook Page

Featured Interview With Patrena Miller

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born in the great state of Illinois; currently I am living off the coast of Georgia/Florida.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I always loved to write, I started out by writing poetry and drawing; which I am really good at. It wasn’t until later in my adult life that I put my pen to the paper to write a book. I began by merely challenging myself to write and be creative.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I do not have a favorite author; however I have read JJ Murray / Ryan Henry & Matthew Heilman recently and these books are really interesting to me. Any genre that I feel has meaning or purpose, I will put my nose in it to read that particular book. There are many possibilities with books and I choose not to settle just for one. My inspiration to write was my sister when I began, because she always had her nose in a book. Now my inspiration is just to create and develop a good, fun, interesting book.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest and newest release SHE’S NOT WORTHY came about during a dare from a guy back in 2011. I listened to his ramble on about how men are portrayed in relationships and he practically dared me to do something different. So I began the book in 2011 and I completed it recently. I began a new book as I am writing another one and when I make it to that book to write, I try to think back on the energy behind it.

Buy the book on Amazon.

Connect with the Author on their Websites and Social media profiles

Author’s Website

Facebook Page

Twitter Account

Featured Interview With Daniel P. Coffman

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born and raised in rural Pennsylvania, where I would meet my future wife, author Brenda Weis Coffman. We lived in Pittsburgh for nearly ten years, then in six states over six years, before settling here in northwest Kansas. We’ve gone rural once again.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I read voraciously from as early as I can remember. There were always books in our home growing up, and weekly trips to the library as well. I was writing short stories, comic strips and keeping a journal from the age of seven, although it was never taken seriously. In eighth grade, an English teacher took an interest in the assignments I handed in, praising my work and giving me helpful pointers, as well as constructive criticism. From then on, my confidence in my writing only grew. I plan on dedicating my next book to that teacher, wherever he is now.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I tend to find different “favorites”, in authors, movies, music and television, so that’s a trick question. Currently, and for many years now, I find Stephen King to be my favorite. Others include Neil Gaiman, Margaret Atwood, (early) Clive Barker, and I’ve recently discovered Donna Tartt.

As a kid, I read sci-fi exclusively. My late teens saw me delving into fantasy. Lately, it’s horror. I’ve always loved drama throughout the years, as long as it’s well written.

My wife inspires me to write and gives me the confidence to do so, and knows when to tell me “no” when reading over my first drafts. The authors I named above, especially King, inspire me with his style and character-driven stories.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
It’s a mixture of science fiction and horror. It begins with the “end of the world”; aliens descend from the skies and wipe out nearly every human life. It’s a story about the survivors, their struggles, and their reaction t an offer of salvation from a very unlikely source. I don’t want to say much more than that, other than it has taken up over a year of my time and I’m STILL typing up the first draft from my notes. It looks to clock in at around 125,000 words before edits.

My previous book, which is also my first published novel, is “Four From Below”. It is a collection of four horror tales, the first a novella followed by three short stories. Each involve an ordinary person faced with the supernatural. They are dark stories with heavy themes. Some readers found them upsetting, but I don’t see a problem with that…

Buy the book on Amazon.

Connect with the Author on their Websites and Social media profiles

Author’s Website

Facebook Page

Twitter Account