Top Selling Authors: Get To Know Them Better

Featured Interview With Aprel Phelps Downey

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
My hometown is Cape Coral, Florida. It is located in Southwest Florida and comprises of beautiful beaches, warm sunshine and easy access to other major parts of Florida including Tampa, Miami and Orlando. I lived in Florida from the age of five until shortly after my college graduation from the University of South Florida in Tampa. From there I moved to Illinois where my husband grew up. After spending seven years there, I now live in Tennessee with my husband and our daughter.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I became fascinated with books in elementary school, somewhere around 4th grade. One of my favorite school events was the Scholastic book fair that would set up in the library each year. Browsing the shelves of new books, finding that perfect one and diving into the endless world of imagination that could be found within its cover was heaven to me.

In 5th grade I entered an essay writing contest where the topic was what you wanted to be when you grew up. Through my contest entry I realized the power words had to express the thoughts and emotions in my head that I could not verbally express. It was through that realization that my love of writing began. Since then I have let my passion for writing be the driving force behind everything I set out to do in life.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
As a child my favorite authors where Judy Blume and Beverly Cleary. I identified with Beverly Cleary’s character of Ramona because she often didn’t quite know where she belonged in life. When she tried to find her place at school or in the neighborhood, things always seemed to go wrong for her. I felt like this often as a child so in many ways Ramona was my best friend. I have taken much delight in being able to introduce my daughter to these classic books as well!

As an adult I enjoy John Grisham and Danielle Steel novels. These authors have written incredible books that provide a relaxing escape from life when needed. I am also a fan of Toni Morrison, having been introduced to her book ‘The Bluest Eye’ through a literature course I took my senior year of college. I instantly identified with young Pecola and her insecurities about her looks. Maya Angelou is an absolute favorite of mine! Anything she writes is inspirational and often motivated me to chase that dream that often times felt as if it was slipping away from me.

I draw inspiration for my writings through quotes, hearing stories of others who overcame challenges in life and from my own experience as a child abuse survivor.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book, ‘Mending the Broken Parts’, is an inspirational look at how to overcome the obstacles and challenges life throws your way and still find a way towards a happier, healthier life. I utilize personal experience as a child abuse survivor to illustrate how a painful past does not mean you can not move forward and let the healing begin. All you need to start fixing what feels broken and start living again is 20 seconds of courage. That’s it! With that simple 20 seconds you can make a small move that can change your life. It can put you on the path of recovery and pave the way to a much brighter future!

It took three months to put the book together. I relied upon journal entries I have kept through the years and an inspirational desire to show other abuse survivors how much better a post abuse world can be. Withing that three months I went through roughly four to five ‘drafts’ of my book. Each time I read through a draft, there was something that needed to be reworded or added to achieve a finished product I could be proud of.

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Featured Interview With Adam Ingle

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born and raised in The South. Notice the proper noun treatment? The South, whose border is constantly up for debate, is like a country of it’s own. It has a language, an attitude, and a culinary culture of it’s own. I’ve never really fit in here, no love for NASCAR or collard greens here, but I’ve learned to realize that it’s a good home base for my travels and it’s got no shortage of interesting stories and characters to be found. A midnight drive through the countryside is great for clearing the mind, working out story problems, or just enjoying the quiet isolation.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I taught myself to read in kindergarten and I was immediately hooked. I was always reading several grades above my peers and had an innate ability to spin a yarn. I may have struggled in math and science, but I soared without even trying in my literature and writing classes. I wrote stories and made my own comic books as a young kid, won a few school awards, and published in school journals (though I was incredibly shy so it was usually anonymously). Although I never had intentions of sharing any of my work with the public when I was young, I wrote and saved volumes of short stories and novels in various stages of completion.

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 cut my teeth on the fantasy novels of Lloyd Alexander and sci-fi worlds of Orson Scott Card (including but certainly not limited to the Ender series). It wasn’t until college (all three times I went and dropped out) that I feel I developed a well-rounded appreciation for things beyond the comfortable books I knew. In addition to anything new by Neil Gaiman or Chuck Palahnuk I read and loved Geek Love by Katherine Dunn, Wise Blood by Flannery O’Connor, Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess, and a whole host of edgy (to me at least), counter-culture novels. I also learned to go against the grain and hate some well loved greats like The Great Gatsby. and Catcher in the Rye

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Necessary Evil and the Greater Good is my first published novel. I have written complete novels before, but I never intended for them to see the light of day. This was the first time I felt like I had something fun, interesting, and worth sharing. It took a ridiculous amount to go from idea to published novel, which includes trashing half a novels worth a material because I wasn’t happy with the direction it had taken.

The story follows Mestoph, a demon, and his angelic best friend, Leviticus. They have both worked boring, unrewarding jobs for thousands of years and are sick of the monotony. Mestoph comes up with a plan to take advantage of the prophecies and omens that float around heaven and hell in abundance and get themselves kicked out of the afterlife without spending eternity in Purgatory. Their plan quickly goes awry and they find themselves globe hopping and hobnobbing with gods and creatures from various mythologies. It’s a satirical, fast-paced, darkly comedic look at religion, mythology, and the afterlife.

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Featured Interview With Ben Herr

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
My biggest passion besides writing is social justice. I’m always volunteering, and I love lacing modern issues into my books.

My parents played ping-pong on the east coast between, Atlanta, and Philadelphia. After eleven moves between the two cities I finally decided to stay put in Atlanta.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I really have to give my mom and dad credit for my love of books. One year for Christmas they gave me a treasure chest filled with all the classics, Swiss Family Robinson, Tom Sawyer, The Three Musketeers, just to name a few. Every Friday during dinner I had to give them an oral book report. This continued all the way through high-school.

I wrote my first short story in the third grade, it was titled, The Bad Dream. My classmates loved it so much I turned it into a trilogy. From there I never looked back.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Hands down Douglas Adams, he is snarky, and funny, and genius. My all time favorite book is Faust. I read it at least once a year.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
The story revolves around a young Native American girl named Alynia Sky. She likes to neglect her responsibilities to hangout with her avian friends and daydream of flying. On the eve of her fourteenth birthday she receives a vision to seek out The King of Birds to ask him to teach her how to fly. Unknown to her, the vision has a higher purpose, she has to save the world!

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Featured Interview With Lynn Lamb

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Did you ever wonder how you would survive a global nuclear apocalypse? Lynn Lamb imagined it into existence on the written page!

Lynn Lamb is the author of The Survivor Diaries Series of novels. Lamb was inspired by the characters in her hometown of Monterey, California. She was both fascinated and saddened to turn her beloved city into a torn and broken place that her characters must learn to navigate and pilfer in order to survive. Lamb is also an independent filmmaker and scriptwriter. Her dream is to produce the Great American Documentary.

Lamb’s debut novels in The Survivor Diaries Series, have made a splash in the post-apocalyptic genre scene. Be on the lookout for more Lynn Lamb titles, coming soon!

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I can’t remember when I first became fascinated with books. We always had all sorts of books around the house and we visited the library often.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I was inspired by the characters in my family and hometown of Monterey, California. Living in Steinbeck Country, I was raised on his works, and throughout my books I pay homage to the amazing John Steinbeck.

I love so many genres that I don’t think there would be room to list them all.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Bonus Materials: Giveaway, Sneak Peek at Book III and Author Q&A

FOR EVERY END, THERE IS A BEGINNING

Growth must happen— so says Darwin, anyway. I’m Laura, and my Villagers and I continue to make our way through the decay of post-apocalyptic Coastal California during the nuclear winter and fallout of the Last War.

THE EARTH IS ENRAGED AND SEEKING REVENGE FOR OUR TRESPASSES— WITH LEFTOVER SURPRISES IN THE RUBBLE OF OUR CITY, DORMANCY CAN’T LAST FOREVER.

When the Plague runs murderously through the Village, and lives and psyches continue to be pushed to their limits, I’m faced with a gut wrenching decision. But are the Villagers ready to take the risk and leave this catastrophic reality for what could be a worse unknown? Should we follow the ambiguous motives of Colonel Jackson?

GROWTH IS HARD, BUT STAGNATION MEANS CERTAIN DEATH.

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Featured Interview With Christina L. Barr

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born in Pontiac, MI. I’ve moved to other cities in Oakland County, but now I’ve moved back to Pontiac to try and build up the community that I was born in.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
We had some great reading programs in school, and the teachers that read to us really made a big impact on me. “The Giver” still remains one of my favorite stories. I’ve always been a good writer. I preached my first sermon at 9. I’ve been song writing since I was 12. At 18, I finished my first novel. Now that I’m 25, I’ve completed 10 and published 5. I’ve always been ambitious, and I would like to finish 30 books when I hit that age. Lord knows I have enough ideas!

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I like to read non fiction books that will somehow better me as a person and increase my success. I read faith books, books about finances, and biographies. As far as fiction goes, I read pretty mainstream stuff, because I do like to study successful stories and I wanna know how I can achieve that level. However, I do give indie books a chance, because I know I’ve written a lot of undiscovered gems, so somebody else probably has as well.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
The latest book that I finished writing was the sequel to “Almost Alive”, but the latest one that I published is called, “The Queen”. It’s a story about an inhuman girl that’s cursed to be the queen of her colony. The Elders that rule it see her as a tool to breed, but after they murder her mother, a dark power within her awakens and gives her the advantage. She takes her life into her own hands and leaves to find love on her own terms so she can start a family, get rid of The Elders, and change her dysfunctional world. It’s a dark romantic story that’s really a lovely tale about an innocent girl discovering love while surrounded by a twisted society. It’s genuinely a very unique tale. It’s different from everything you ever read and inspired by something you see all the time: bees.

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Featured Interview With Maria Ortega

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was raised in Venezuela and I still live there. It is a country where getting to know people is pretty easy. In certain way, people here have influenced my writing. Their experiences, the ones that are somehow striking, have help me create characters and stories.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
My fascination with books… I guess it all began with the popular Harry Potter Series. I loved the story and the way I felt immersed in it. Reading became a passion, then. And writing, well, I started to write when I was fourteen. I was in History class. A friend and I were bored, so she took this little notebook and started to write something. At the beginning she did not tell me what, but then she let me read it. It was a paragraph; a short story, There was no beginning and no end, yet it fascinated me. “How did you do this?”, I remember I asked her. I also wanted to know the end of the story (and the beginning) but she did not write more, I never knew! I decided to write a story by myself and that is when it all began.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I like to read about everything: fiction, non-fiction, adventure, suspense, and so on. My favorite author is J.K. Rowling. She awaken my fascination with books. I also like John Grisham and most recently, Veronica Roth, because she has a particular way of writing that captivates me. My writing is not inspired by someone but by something. Music inspires me, personally. I like to listen to Coldplay while writing. It helps me get lost in the story and the characters.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My most recent book is K-14. It is a story about a man, Roy, who buys a new product that takes people to their past lives. It turns out that Roy’s wife died a while ago, but he sees her every time he goes into a past life. She wants him to stay with her in the program. One day Roy’s daughter gets trapped in K-14 and he has to go find her before it’s too late.

It took me like 6 months to write this book. Roy’s past lives were quite a challenge, because I wanted to reflect different realities. I did a lot of research, especially in that life he had in Japan. His past life in Venezuela was more personal to me. It shows the situation currently happening in my country and I felt the need to reflect that in my book. I really enjoyed writing K-14.

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Featured Interview With Chariss K. Walker

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Chariss K. Walker, M. Msc, writes fiction and nonfiction books with a message. Her books are sold worldwide in paperback, eBook, and many are in large print. Chariss uses many life experiences and stories heard from her youth in the Mississippi Delta, an area that stretches from Memphis to Vicksburg. Author of a dozen books, she laughs and agrees that she has even more to tell as new book inspirations and ideas unfold. Chariss currently lives in Amarillo, Texas with her teenage daughter.
Nonfiction books:
Make a Joyful Noise: Searching for a Spiritual Path in a Material World
Make a Joyful Noise Study Guide
Chakra Basics: Fundamentals for Spiritual Growth
The Spiritual Gifts: Understanding for the Great Shift and Beyond
Love & Sex: A Personal Journey (co-authored with David A. Britner, M. Msc)
Fiction books:
The Retreat
The Journey
Kaleidoscope (The Vision Chronicles, Book 1)
Spyglass (The Vision Chronicles, Book 2)
Window’s Pane (The Vision Chronicles, Book 3)
Windows All Around (The Vision Chronicles, Book 4)

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I began to read at a very early age, long before I went to school. Books opened new worlds, far away from a dry, dusty homeland. I always knew I would become a published author and even though I encountered many delays, that became a reality in 2008 when my first book, Make a Joyful Noise: Searching for a Spiritual Path in a Material World, was published and won several awards. That was the beginning of a writing career that had been many years in the making. Nothing is wasted, everything has its own time.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I love both self-help, nonfiction books and mystery/suspense fiction books. I guess that’s why I write in both genres.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
The most recent book is Kaleidoscope (The Vision Chronicles, Book 1). It’s a story about Mike who has a supernatural ability to see the future through a kaleidoscope. There isn’t any pretty colored glass in this kaleidoscope–Mike sees images of horrifying future events. He is confused and very human. I like that he is a dichotomy and suffers from the human condition, like his readers and author. Successful in his profession and yet insecure in relationships, Mike is handsome, but doesn’t know it. He isn’t aware that he has always had a sixth sense. He only knows the gift as this distorted version and feels that he must keep it a secret. That secret is behind utter chaos as those who have been watching him decide to take more drastic measures. They want to study this extraordinary gift–I mean, really, who can see the future, right? They’re determined to find out and Mike must learn to protect himself. The book was inspired from my own dream and has evolved into a series.

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Featured Interview With Aditi Chopra

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born in India and now live in Texas with my family. I am passionate about writing and helping others succeed. I write NRI (Non Resident Indian) fiction and non-fiction books.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I have been reading fiction all my life and I consider that as my investment. However, I started writing fiction only couple of years ago and published my debut story(LOST IN LONDON) in 2013.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I grew up reading variety of genres – romance, mystery, suspense etc. I do identify with the romance genre a lot since it is inherently positive. Portraying human emotions is my inspiration for writing fictional stories.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book is titled “Arranged Marriage (Mr. Imperfect Series)”. This series is exploring lives of three friends, Nikki, Sonali and Maya who are based in Dallas, Texas. This particular book explores the intricacies of a conventionally arranged marriage.

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Featured Interview With Mary L. Ball

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Mary L. Ball is an inspirational fiction author and lives in North Carolina. She writes about real life problems, blended with romance.
Mary hopes to encourage people to see the wonder of love and a divine guidance.
Her novels include, Escape to Big Fork Lake, Stone of Destiny and Redemption in Big Fork Lake (coming soon).
When Mary’s not working on her latest story, she enjoys fishing, reading, and singing with her husband at functions.
Readers can connect with her on Face Book and Twitter. https://twitter.com/inspires4mary
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Inspirational-author-Mary-L-Ball/200478210087932?ref=hl

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I’m always enjoyed books, to me their special. It all stared with the Nancy Drew mysteries (oops, I told me age) It seems I have read all my life, but didn’t begin writing fiction until about six years ago.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I read inspirational and clean fiction books. One of my favorite authors is Nicholas Sparks, but I read the works of several other wonderful authors. Although they haven’t made the NY best sellers list these authors are awesome and I hope that soon the talent they have for weaving stories gets universal attention.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book is titled, Postmarked Ever After. It’s my first novella. Escape to Big Fork Lake, Stone of Destiny and Redemption in Big Fork lake are all novels.
Let me tell you a little about Postmarked Ever After

A delayed letter and a message from afar unite two hearts.

Recently widowed, Serena Gray battles the daily drama of the Emergency Room, as well as her grief. When a mysterious letter arrives, it raises questions about a past she’d only heard her beloved husband speak about.

While on hospital rounds, a child has a brush with death and recounts a vivid dream that bears a message.

Will she risk happiness for the truth or keep a secret from the past?

I hope you’ll visit may Amazon author page and peek at the other novels

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Featured Interview With Andrea Downing

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I like to say that when I decided to do a Masters Degree, I made the mistake of turning left out of New York where I was born instead of right to the west, and ended up in the UK. I eventually married there, raised a beautiful daughter and stayed for longer than I care to admit. Teaching, editing a poetry magazine, writing travel articles, and a short stint in Nigeria filled those years until in 2008 I returned to NYC. I now divide my time between the city and the shore and often trade the canyons of New York for the wide open spaces of Wyoming. Our family vacations have often been on various types of ranches out west, and, to date, my daughter and I have been to over 20 ranches. Loveland, my first book, was a finalist for Best American Historical at the 2013 RONE Awards. Lawless Love, a short story, part of The Wild Rose Press ‘Lawmen and Outlaws’ series, was a finalist for Best Historical Novella at the RONE Awards. Dearest Darling, a novella, is part of The Wild Rose Press Love Letters series, and comes out Oct. 8th and Dances of the Heart,, another full length novel, comes out in the next few months.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I remember going into the local library when I was around 7 years old and deciding to read every book there–a decision with which I didn’t quite follow through. But I soon started writing–about age 8–and wrote my first novel in one of those black and white speckled notebooks for school. I’ve been writing ever since.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I have very eclectic taste really and read everything from literary fiction to historical biographies to westerns and romance. I have no real favorite genre, any good book is enjoyable whether it’s Nora Roberts, Julie Garwood or Maggie Osborne or Ivan Doig, Margaret Atwood or Donna Tartt. And every one of them inspires me.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
. When I returned to America, I was reading a biography of the Jerome sisters; Jenny Jerome was Winston Churchill’s mother, but her sister Clara was married to Moreton Frewen, who owned one of the first ranches on the Powder River in Wyoming. One thing led to another and my research began into the British in the west. It turned out there were numerous cattle ranches in the mid to late 1800s owned by British companies, more able to get funds than Americans in the post Civil War years. Most of the Brits who came out were lesser aristocrats, on allowances, or remittances, from their fathers or older brothers who had inherited titles. This gave rise to the name, ‘remittance man’—and gave me the idea for my book, Loveland.
Lady Alexandra Calthorpe returns to the Loveland, Colorado, ranch owned by her father, the Duke, she has little idea of how the experience will alter her future. Headstrong and willful, Alex tries to overcome a disastrous marriage in England and be free of the strictures of Victorian society –and become independent of men. That is, until Jesse Makepeace saunters back into her life…
Hot-tempered and hot-blooded cowpuncher Jesse Makepeace can’t seem to accept that the child he once knew is now the ravishing yet determined woman before him. Fighting rustlers proves a whole lot easier than fighting Alex when he’s got to keep more than his temper under control.
Arguments abound as Alex pursues her career as an artist and Jesse faces the prejudice of the English social order. The question is, will Loveland live up to its name?

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Featured Interview With K.Z. Morano

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Hi! Thanks for having me. I’m K.Z. 🙂 I’m a beach bum, a chocolate addict, a self-confessed shopaholic, a lady with a weird sense of humor and a flair for the eccentric. Oh, and I’m also a horror writer. Actually, I write anything from romance and erotica to horror and SF, F and WTF. I’m also very passionate about micro-fiction.
I get bored easily and I crave for a constant change of environment.
I currently live in the Philippines but you can connect with me through my blog where you can read some of my stories and follow my adventures and mishaps. 😉

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I fell in love with books at a very early age. Like so may others, that love began with fairy tales. I was the kind of kid who preferred books over toys. 🙂 Growing up, I didn’t have the best relationship with my mother… However, she did have a very impressive library. She loved collecting books of various genres but didn’t get the chance to read all of them. So I did it for her. I would climb the shelves and pick the ones with really nice covers and intriguing titles. As a result, I even got to read books that I wasn’t supposed to read.lol I read romance novels, thrillers, books about mythology and poetry. Our common love for books was the best thing that my mother and I ever shared.

I used to write dark, melancholic poetry during my early teenage years. Then came the need to get noticed… Ridiculous, I know. But it was looks vs books… and I was a teenager, if that’s any excuse. For a while, I stopped reading books for fun, replaced novels with beauty and fashion magazines. The kind of crowd that I used to hang out with was fun– for a while. But I suppose you can’t really hide who you are. Not for long. I’m an introvert. I’m a bookaholic. And yeah, I’m a little weird. 🙂 I’d rather stay home, drink tea and curl up with a book than party until dawn.
I started writing fiction on my blog, The Eclectic Eccentric Shopaholic and several months ago, with the encouragement of my blog friends and readers, I submitted my first horror short to a publisher and I’ve been published in various anthologies ever since.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
My favorite genres include Horror, Romance, and Fantasy. My favorite authors are Clive Barker, Neil Gaiman, H.P. Lovecraft, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Ursula K. Le Guin.
I love writers who pay as much attention to the words as they do to the story.
These great authors and several talented indie authors, as well as my awesome readers and blog followers inspire me to keep writing.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
100 Nightmares by K.Z. Morano is a collection of 100 horror stories, each written in exactly 100 words, and accompanied by over 50 illustrations.
Inside, you’ll find monsters—both imagined and real. There are vengeful specters, characters with impaired psyches, dark fairy tales and stories and illustrations inspired by bizarre creatures of Japanese folklore.

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Featured Interview With Joy Tremay

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
When Joy Tremay isn’t reading romance novels, she’s busy using her over-active imagination writing them. A graduate of Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, Joy enjoys dancing, especially Hawaiian hula, kayaking and swimming. She lives with her husband in northern California and would love to hear from her readers.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
My mother taught me to love books at a young age. At fifteen, she bought me a collection of Barbara Cartland’s romance novels and since then, I’ve been reading mostly contemporary and historical romance. I began writing my own romance books several years ago and have just recently published my book “Passion Never Dies”.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
My favorite authors are Madeline Hunter, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Deborah Simmons, Julie Garwood and Amanda Quick. My favorite genre is historical and contemporary romance. I’m inspired by strong, independent women who are never afraid to stand up to their men.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My heroine, Diana Mulroney, is a caring and devoted preschool teacher, unaware of her own allure. Content in her life and her career, she doesn’t find anything lacking until she reunites with an old flame capable of arousing her senses. Her usual routine is shattered the moment she sees Jake Redmond again and she can’t resist the sensual lessons he’s eager to teach her.

My hero, Jake Redmond, is a successful and sexy businessman who has never felt the urge to commit – until now. Reuniting with Diana throws him into an emotional tailspin and now all he wants to do is claim her as his own. Jake’s laid-back ways with women are now part of his past as he concentrates on pursuing the one woman he never truly forgot.

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Featured Interview With Keely Brooke Keith

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born in St. Joseph, Missouri, but my family frequently relocated. By graduation, I lived in 8 states and attended 14 schools. Aside from a few long-term stays in Australia, I’ve lived in the Nashville, Tennessee area for about 20 years.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
Someone gave me a blank journal when I was 8 or 9 and I immediately started writing a book in it. I’ve been writing stories ever since.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I enjoy the classics, but I read mostly non-fiction because I love to read about writing and literature and history and… oh my, I get excited just thinking about it! I’m a nerd. I was that kid in school who liked homework.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My debut novel, The Land Uncharted, is an unusual mix of science fiction, historical fiction, contemporary, and romance. Some call it a genre-blender or a mash-up. I wasn’t out to break genre rules; I simply wanted to take what I love about several genres and use those elements in an original story.

I started with a question: What if an uncharted land existed but was undetectable to modern technology? That’s the science fiction element.

I was inspired by my family history research. My ancestors migrated to the American West during the mid-1800’s. I thought: what if during that era a few families wanted to find a whole new land instead if going west? What if they packed a ship, ran aground on an uncharted land, and founded a new society there? That’s what gives The Land Uncharted its historical fiction feel.

Instead of writing the story of the settling of that land (which I may do some day) I decided to start the story in our era. The Land Uncharted begins seven generations after the settlement of the Land. I actually set the story a couple of years in the future, but it’s otherwise contemporary.

Finally, I believe romance is truly one of the most magnificent parts of life. One of. I also like to give these women cool jobs, big adventures, and some character development so they are ready to love when the time comes.

It took me a few months to get rolling on The Land Uncharted, but once I did, I wrote the bulk of it in about 4 months. The second book in the Uncharted series, Uncharted Redemption, was complete in 3 months. The third book, Uncharted Inheritance, is almost complete, but I’m lingering in the process because I just don’t want it to end.

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Featured Interview With Melvin A. Taylor

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Melvin A. Taylor earned his BA in marketing management from Bernard M. Baruch College
and now works for a large brokerage company. He is also the author of The Kindred Spirits:River’s Return, the first book in his Kindred Spirits series. He currently lives in New Jersey.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
One month before 9-11

I heard the message

that saved my life:

“As you are exiting the Path Train,
if you see your connecting train, run and catch it,
because there may never be another one after it.”

One month later I saw that train in the station. I ran and caught it. It was one of the last trains to leave the World Trade Center before it was destroyed. Another month later I heard a second message. And, these are the books The Kindred Spirits River’s Return and The Kindred Spirits Life After Death.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I am inspired by my little sister:

Carol Taylor, a former Random House book editor, has been in book publishing for over 16 years and has worked with many of today’s top black writers. She is a freelance book editor, ghostwriter, and editorial consultant, a bestselling author of 7 books and an award-winning book editor.

She is the editor of the best-selling, BROWN SUGAR fiction series: BROWN SUGAR, BROWN SUGAR 2: GREAT ONE NIGHT STANDS, BROWN SUGAR 3: WHEN OPPOSITES ATTRACT, BROWN SUGAR 4: SECRET DESIRES and WANDERLUST: EROTIC TRAVEL TALES, and her debut novel THE EX CHRONICLES (March 2010). Her fiction and non-fiction have appeared in many publications.

http://www.brownsugarbooks.com

Tell us a little about your latest book?
About my latest book

The Kindred Spirits:Life After Death. The second book in the series.

River Jordan is a restless soul who refuses to surrender to his destiny. A spirit trapped between heaven and hell, he awaits his fate in a black hole ruled by a group called the Gatekeepers and by Ivy, a tortured yet powerful soul who has made it her mission to uphold the laws of the universe. Despite the voices who try to stop him, River manages to escape and follow a dream back in time into his living body—unaware that someone else is following him.

It is 2021 as River arrives on Earth for a second chance at life—to relive critical turning points and reconnect with those he loves. As he awakens in his old apartment and realizes he is not dead, he promises himself to pay more attention to the world around him. While he goes about his former life and happily reunites with his brother and the beautiful woman who has captured his heart, River attempts to change his past—before it is too late once again.

In this tale set between two parallel worlds, a determined spirit returns to Earth for one last chance to alter a chain of events and bridge the gap between past and present—and, if he is lucky, between life and death.

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Featured Interview With Christina Yother

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born and raised in what my grandfather referred to as a “quarter-pony” town in Ohio where the corn on the dinner table was likely picked locally that morning and, despite my indifference to sports, yelling at the TV during football season was a staple. I could usually be found with a journal under my arm writing some nonsense or other. It wasn’t until I moved south during college that I felt like I had found my home. I married a true Southern gentleman, became a mother to three wildly amazing children, and felt myself take root. I now live in a small suburb of Atlanta, Georgia that is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records for the town with the most scarecrows.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I started writing on a regular basis in middle school. I kept journals, quote books, and wrote terrible short stories I shared with my best friend. I continued writing in one form or another for many years after that. Years ago I gave up the glamorous life of a high school English teacher to become a stay-at-home mom. From there I discovered the world of social media and blogging which led to some amazing freelance writing experiences and, eventually, a PhD that I’ve never actually used. It wasn’t until about a year ago that I finally decided to pursue my dream of writing romance full time. I’m still at the beginning of the process and the learning curve is steep, but I’ve never been happier or more fulfilled than I am in my roles as writer, wife, and mother.

When I’m not writing or carpooling my children to their various activities I spend my time reading, cooking, blogging, and irritating my husband by changing up our Netflix profile. You can also find me at Project: Underblog, where I run a submission-based collaborative writing blog that celebrates the smaller voices in the blogging community.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I love the romance genre and I read a variety of books from more sub-genres than I can count! When I’m not reading romance I love to read anything by John Green or Flannery O’Connor – they are two of my favorite writers! I find their stories to be humorous, raw, and full of emotion. The way they string together the words so delicately inspires my own writing. Sometimes I can read a single phrase and be completely in awe of how perfect the words flow together.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Reverie (Historical Romance) – Orphaned at a young age Hetty is convinced that her circumstances make her unworthy of having a family of her own. When a job opportunity as a housekeeper presents itself, Hetty accepts, believing that working for Isaac Wheeler and his family is a welcome, if not temporary, surrogate for her own family dreams. As she’s faced with learning to trust she discovers that wanting a family and building a family are two very different things. Will she learn to see herself as worthy of God’s gifts? Or will she return to the solitary existence that defined so much of her life?

Isaac Wheeler, successful furniture maker and dishonorable bachelor, finds Hetty’s presence in his home to be disturbing and a haunting reminder of his past sins. As he struggles with his growing and unwanted feelings, he can’t help but torment himself with mistakes from his past. Can he navigate the family tensions, infidelity, and sudden choices destined to keep them apart? Or can Isaac endure each struggle and seek forgiveness before discovering what truly makes a family?

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Featured Interview With Suzanne Cowles

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I hail from the Deep South and have lived all over the Gulf Coast, where the weather is as wacky as the people are colorful.

My writing has the flavor of gumbo; spices, textures and aromas laced with hospitality. I’m a very visual person and enjoy the images in movies born from a great story. My plots are complicated with detailed descriptions and lots of character interaction.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
My grandmother read to me children’s stories, although I really did not enjoy reading myself.

My favorite books were The Velveteen Rabbit, Ferdinand and There is a Monster at the End of This Book.

In middle school, I loved to thumb through the J. C. Penney’s catalog. There was something about the vivid images that appealed to me. I noticed the small things in each set design; lighting, perspective, colors, shapes.

I’ve been a technical/business writer all my career, but only recently started working in fiction.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I review both fiction and non-fiction books, but really gravitate toward technical books. Any kind of science, fringe or otherwise is interesting for research and I try to incorporate some reality in my stories. DNA, gene manipulation and viruses are great for Horror/Sci-Fi and work well with monsters. I also love aliens because universally people seem to be afraid of being probed.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest publication is a short story under 4000 words for $0.99. The Eclipse of a Black Sun was written for a fiction contest.

Conspiracy shadows a Medical Examiner in a new thrilling science fiction short story. Dr. Singer races against time to solve an intriguing mystery – why are healthy people suddenly dying?

Meanwhile, local beauty queen Dracilla plots revenge against her philandering husband Neal, who runs a powerful pharma corp selling miracle dreams.

A secret cult and an unidentified substance wreak havoc on a quiet city during a rare solar eclipse, while a mysterious voice on the phone guides the good doctor toward a shocking conclusion.

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Featured Interview With Sarah Lane

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I’m a Canadian author, born in California, raised in British Columbia. I’ve done some traveling in Central America, Western Europe, and Central Africa. I wrote my first novel The God of My Art while living in Annecy, France, and edited it while living in Seattle, USA. Now a mom to two, I’ve put down tentative roots in Vancouver, Canada, for the time being.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
Television wasn’t allowed in my house as a child, so I developed an early love of reading. After one of my poems was published in my high school newsletter, I knew I wanted to write more.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
So many different authors, as my tastes are eclectic. I loved Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s masterpiece Half of a Yellow Sun. I get goose bumps just thinking about that book. It’s that good.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
The God of My Art is a psychological novel about a young woman from a small northern town in British Columbia who can’t decide what she wants most: to escape poverty or be an artist. She ran away as a teenager to Vancouver, and she has since managed to finish high school and get into university. That is when the trouble begins for her, however: she feels like a fake and an outsider amongst the more privileged middle-class kids. And then she meets Matthew…

The God of My Art is contemporary women’s literary fiction. It is a coming-of-age story of a young woman and artist, so it is both a female bildungsroman and a kunstlerroman. As the story of a young woman coming into her own, it emphasizes dialogue and internal thought over action, and focuses on Helene’s psychological growth and changes to her character. As an artist’s novel, it shows Helene’s sensitive and unconventional nature as she struggles to fling off the welfare class values of her impoverished background, where art has no place, while refusing to conform to the new middle class values that surround her at university, where art is held in higher esteem.

It is not a religious book but rather a philosophical novel. Another word for the artist’s muse is the goddess of art: the eternal feminine who inspires the enamored male artist to great works of art. Helene’s muse is a man, so the title makes reference to the male source of her inspiration.

The novel is not autobiographical. I get this question a lot. I think it is because of the first-person point of view. The “I” telling the story is a fictional character. Her name is Helene, and she’s a somewhat naive, unreliable narrator.

In terms of what inspired me to write The God of My Art, the short answer is that I wanted to figure out what this weird impulse is to be an artist. The long answer is that I wanted to figure out where the balance lies between freedom and responsibility and between necessity, fate, and a lack of choice. I was particularly interested in how class, gender, terrible childhoods, other people’s decisions, and random accidents could influence my characters’ choices and limit their freedom to decide their lives.

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Featured Interview With Kristen Houghton

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was raised in California until I was seven then my family and I moved to NYC. I love California for the weather and laid back lifestyle but find New York City a fascinating place to live for a writer. When not spending time with the made up characters in her head, Kristen enjoys ballet and jazz, spending time with her terrific husband, swimming, diving and trying to live an endless summer.

Kristen is a philanthropist and tireless advocate for BroadwayBarks, North Shore Animal League,a no kill shelter, Shelters With Heart, a safe haven for victims of domestic violence and their pets, BroadwayCares Equity Fights Aids, and St. Jude Thanks and Giving. She is also involved as an empowerment mentor for the International Women’s Health Coalition.

A California girl at heart, she and her husband, Alan reside in the New York City area which is “magical”.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
“I was always a story-teller and that’s what writers do; we tell stories. I was the little girl who could keep her friends interested for a couple of hours by telling all different types of stories. I wrote my first story, “Bobby Jones and the Little Boat” when I was nine. My imagination was, and is, very fertile and active. In high school I created a sort of soap opera and, each day during study hall, I would hand out the next part of the story. I made sure to always leave a cliffhanger of sorts with each new part to stir up anticipation. I love the magic in writing and reading a good story.

I began my dream of writing while still actively teaching Linguistics on the secondary level.

My first book, And Then I’ll Be Happy! was published in 2009. No Woman Diets Alone-There’s Always a Man Behind Her Eating a Doughnut followed in 2011, and Welcome to Hell was released in 2012. She hopes her novels will touch readers with humor and poignancy, suspense and delight.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I read just about everything. My book shelf is eclectic: everything is there from the classics by Shakespeare, Austin and Dickens, to Victorian English dramas such as John Galsworthy’s The Forsyte Saga, up to the classic horror of Stephen King and Anne Rice. I also love The Number One Ladies’ Detective Agency series and anything written by Amy Tan especially The Bonesetter’s Daughter. Reading, and writing, is my escape and my pleasure.”

Tell us a little about your latest book?
I wanted to take the ongoing scandal of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church, which has been very much in the news over the past few years, coupled with the cold case of a boy gone missing ten years ago to weave a story that would become a thriller with several twists and unexpected turns. I also wanted to create a strong woman private investigator with a wry sense of humor who plays tennis to alleviate the stress in her job.
My character of Cate Harlow is very good at what she does; she’s tough, relentless, and goes by a strong “gut instinct”. At the same time, she is also very human. She’s involved with two men, her ex-husband NYC homicide detective Will Benigni who can’t understand why the two of them can’t get back together, and her current interest, the city’s top-notch, Medical Examiner, Giles Barrett.

Cate’s loyal to her best friend, upper class “lady-of-the evening”, Melissa, gives twenty dollars a week to Bo the homeless man in the hopes that he’ll buy food along with his beer, and allows herself to be slightly mothered by her part-time secretary, the prim and proper Myrtle Goldberg Tuttle. Cate’s compassionate too; she can’t say no to the sad-eyed woman who asks her help in finding her missing brother even though it has been a decade since he has been gone.

This was a work of love and passion for me and the two years it took to create flew by.

Here is an advance review and summary of FOR I HAVE SINNED
“ A masterfully woven story about the horrors of the sex abuse scandals rocking the Roman Catholic Church and the impact on both victims and their families. A missing boy cold case, three murdered priests, and a PI who finds the bizarre connection between the two.” Greg Archer, The Huffington Post

Private investigator Cate Harlow finds herself involved in two cases that seemingly have nothing to do with each other; she soon discovers they may be bizarrely connected. While working the cold case of a boy who went missing ten years ago, she receives an early morning call from her ex-husband, a homicide detective, informing her about a recent murder; the horribly mutilated body of a priest, wearing only a clerical collar has just been found off of Interstate 95 in New York. The murder is eerily similar to a troublesome and unsolved case that Cate worked on less than a year ago. The only difference between the two victims is that the second dead body has a hand-written message in Latin scrawled across the inside of the priestly collar; a message from Dante’s Divine Comedy, “Abandon hope, all ye who enter here.” With the priests’ murders heavily on her mind, Cate’s investigation into the missing boy leads her to the august office of a New Jersey archbishop who, she strongly believes, has been hiding pedophile priests for years by transferring them from one parish to another. When Cate discovers that there may be a solid connection between the priest murders and the missing person cold case, she puts her own life on the line to not only solve her cold case but bring a pedophile to justice.

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Featured Interview With Y. Pushkin

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was raised in Florida where I spent most of my childhood but I am originally from Russia. I live in Connecticut in the small rural town of Lebanon.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I was first fascinated with writing at the tender age of 10. Well around second grade (I honestly don’t remember!) I remember doing an assignment that required us to write a paragraph about anything we wanted. I ended up writing two pages! I professionally started writing about a year ago.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
My favorite author to read hands down would be J.K. Rowling and J.R. Tolkien. I really got inspired by the Harry Potter series and this fueled my idea to start a teen fantasy series, Sig Woods. When I read Harry Potter, I became engrossed in the magic and adventure that J.K. Rowling provided and this ultimately led me to start my own series.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book, Sig Woods and the Book of Elements is published by Light Switch Press. This is a story about a young boy who discovers he can control nature. With the help of his neighbor, Ellie and a mysterious mentor, Sig embarks on an adventure to learn more about his power. Sig and Ellie must go on a mission to find the all-powerful Book of Elements. This is a great read for pre-teens/teens/young adults. I first attempted to self-publish but I found that this was not a good avenue for me so i decided to submit my book to Light Switch Press which then was accepted and published.

It took me about a year and a half to fully write my first book. In doing so, I learned a lot about myself, the process it takes to become an author, and the joy of sharing my story with the world.

My goal is to allow readers of all ages to become reconnected with nature and to treasure the connections they make throughout their lives. In reconnecting with nature, readers can become closer with their families, explore the great outdoors, get in shape, and maybe learn something about themselves along the way.

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