Top Selling Authors: Get To Know Them Better

Featured Interview With Dan O’Mahony

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I've self-published four books so far, and as of this interview will be releasing two more. I write mostly middle-grade fantasy, but one the books I'll soon be releasing, Death's Fair Maiden, will be my first attempt at young adult, not to mention my first fantasy-romance.
I grew up in California, mostly in So Cal. Currently, I live in Phoenix, Arizona but have plans on moving back to Cali' in the near future. Oh, and I am the proud father of two beautiful cats, Luna and Shyanne. They are in fact sisters.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
As far back as I can remember, I've enjoyed losing myself in a book. Fantasy has always been my jam. I loved reading Edgar Rice Burroughs when I was young. I've also enjoyed writing stories too, ever since grade school. I loved writing fantasy and was heavily inspired by Greek and Norse mythology.
As I got older, I veered away from fantasy. I was convinced that if I wanted to write "seriously" I needed more "sophisticated" subject matter. Eventually, I smartened up and found myself drifting back toward the fantasy genre. It felt good. It was like coming home.
I also found that, despite what others might think, fantasy stories can be deep and meaningful. I enjoy creating characters that possess fantastic abilities but are still very human at their core. One of the best compliments I have ever received came from someone in a writers' group who told me she didn't read fantasy but would STILL read one of my stories.
I also proudly tell people that I write for younger readers, although my stories have been enjoyed by adults too. It always reminds me of a quote by C.S. Lewis that a good children's book that cannot be enjoyed by adults is NOT a good children's book.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I've been a big fan of Neil Gaiman ever since I discovered The Sandman. In fact, that helped inspire me to get back into writing fantasy. I do read mostly fantasy. I love Terry Pratchett's wit and satire. I still read a lot of mythology, mostly Irish/Celtic as well as Irish history. In Death's Fair Maiden, there are flashback chapters that cover key events in Irish history. As a fantasy writer, and this is going to sound weird, but Chuck Palahniuk — Mr. Fight Club — had a big influence on writing, namely on how to capture a character's voice.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
As I already mentioned, Death's Fair Maiden, is my first attempt at YA, not to mention a fantasy-romance. I playfully refer to it as "Boy Meets Banshee." I decided to make it YA, because banshees are associated with death and it seemed fitting. While my banshee can be scary at times, she is also very loving and protective of the mortals in her care. Much of the content may be mature — language, sex, and violence — I made sure it was not graphic or exploitative.
I do have another book I'm releasing at the same time. It's a MG fantasy entitled Illumina. I think of it as my love letter to the fantasy genre. It's about a young boy who suffered a horrible tragedy and is inspired by a mysterious substitute teacher to write fantasy stories. This proves to be very therapeutic. I include the actual stories the boy writes within the body of the book, and there comes a point in the main narrative where his fantasy world begins to invade the real world.

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Dan O’Mahony’s Website

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Featured Interview With Scott Allen Benkie

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Scott Allen Benkie is a graduate of the Indiana University McKinney School of Law and a practicing trial lawyer (Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers, martindale.com) for 35 years in Indianapolis, where he lives with his daughter and fiance. He has coached high school basketball (Bishop Chatard State Champions 2003) and is a certified strength and conditioning specialist. He is a frequent speaker for lawyers in litigation seminars and has written several articles and manuals to assist lawyers in their cases.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I started writing a book in 1989 after a reckless homicide jury trial. Unfortunately, I got away from it, and at that time, no one had really entered into the legal thriller genre except Scott Turow. I think I missed a real opportunity there.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Charles Dickens, Victor Hugo, Earnest Hemingway, J.R. Tolkein, William Faulkner, James Joyce.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Attorney James Crosson is in the grips of despair, blaming himself for his wife’s death. A widow hires him to pursue a wrongful death case on behalf of her late husband who died in a seemingly ordinary car wreck. Crosson must confront his own tragic loss and gambling debts as he unravels the plot hatched by a deranged corporate tyrant who will stop at nothing to conceal the truth, take down the lawyer, and preserve his empire. With Vegas goons closing in and everything at stake, Crosson goes all in one last time with no realistic chance of winning the case or surviving the evil arrayed against him.

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Scott Allen Benkie’s Website

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Featured Interview With Dr. Britney Caruso

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I am originally from the suburbs of Chicago. I have always been a very hard worker. In fact, my second grade teacher told me that if I did not stop working so hard, I would burn out. Almost 40 years later, I am still running 100 mph. I am a single mother by choice with a boy who means the world to me.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I started writing immediately after I achieved my Fellowship in Anti-Aging and Regenerative Medicine through the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine (A4M).

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Ralph Waldo Emerson. Honestly, hated writing in high school. I have a terrible imagination. However, I had such a clear mission in my head and my subpar imagination skills were not going to get in my way of writing Beyond Carrots.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
In my book, Beyond Carrots, I tell a brief story about the scariest day of my life. I then talk about eye diseases and how they can be so dramatically influenced by food and lifestyle. Diseases like cataracts, macular degeneration, and dry eye that affect so many people can be positively impacted by the methods discussed in my book. Next, there is a detailed discussion of what to eat and what to avoid. I try to keep things light and cheerful so that Beyond Carrots is anything but boring because I am an anything but boring. I also hit on the lifestyle changes that can impact eye health from meditation and prayer to simply moving more. Beyond Carrots closes with a step-by-step plan for reversing eye disease that follows the steps that I followed when I reversed my own disease in 30 days. If I can reverse my eye disease, then my reader can too.

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Dr. Britney Caruso’s Website

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Featured Interview With Isioma Jemimah Okonicha

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Isioma is the founder of Dovelyisi, a company that focuses on media, art production, consultancy, and health, and is a writer of fiction, non-fiction, and poetry.
Most of her works are published online and in print in magazines, anthologies, and journals. Isioma is also the author of 1001 stories of greatness and continues to build her interest and skills in writing.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
2020

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
TD Jakes, Chimamanda Adichie, Dan Brown, John Obidi

Tell us a little about your latest book?
SOLE is a collection of poems for thinkers

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Isioma Jemimah Okonicha’s Website

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Featured Interview With Rivan V. King

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I am a fantasy author and an artist. I love creating! That includes writing, painting, singing, editting and more! I've written the fantasy book El: What is evil in a world that is all good? so far and can't wait to write more!

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I've been reading ever since I could recognize letters! I've always been fascinated with stories and I started writing at a very young age. However, my first step towards being an author was when I was 14 – when I named my main character El. I was eager to read a good fantasy book with fleshed-out characters, captivating plotlines – everything I liked about a book… It was on that day that I figured I hadn't yet read one quite like that, so I decided to write my own and put my spin on my favorite tropes!

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I have a deep connection to the fantasy genre because it feels unreal as much as it feels real. It's a magnificent feeling for me, when I start seeing an image of what the writer has put into words!

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Before I go into the world, I'd like to say that this book was my safe escape from real life. And I want to provide a space like that for others as well – that's why I published it! I hope reading it gives readers as much joy as it brought me writing it!
This is the short description of the book: With unique traditions, ruled by the twelve Stones – gods, who nobody has seen or heard except for the Messenger – thrives the Communion, hidden away from the unsuspecting humans.
The mythical creatures of the Communion – sirens, vampires, fairies, werewolves, spirits and mages – are quite particular about following their ancestors' traditions…
And since El is a Light mage with some… undesirable traits, who is also struggling with her magic, she has trouble fitting into the beautifully perfect picture the Stones had created so many centuries ago.
Fate has ordained she would have to find out, through hardships and unexpected adventures, what the evil is in a world where all is good…

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Rivan V. King’s Website

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Featured Interview With J. M. Hochstetler

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I’m the daughter of Mennonite farmers and grew up on a farm in central Indiana. I’ve had a lifelong interest in history, fostered by the inspiring story of my German Amish ancestor, Jacob Hochstetler. He and his wife and children emigrated to Pennsylvania in 1738 and in 1757 were swept up in the brutal raids of the French and Indian War. Three members of the family were killed, and he and 2 sons were carried off by the Indians. I and bestselling author Bob Hostetler closely based the award-winning Northkill Amish Series on their story of captivity and eventual return home.

My husband and I currently live in Elkhart, IN, after more than 20 years in the Nashville, TN, area. In addition to researching and writing historical fiction, I enjoy gardening and crafts such as scrapbooking, counted cross stitch, and cooking up herbal salves.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I discovered an intense love for reading when I encountered Dick and Jane in first grade, and it turned into a voracious reading obsession. I started writing while working on the newspaper of the Indiana University Kokomo campus where I began my college career. But I didn’t write fiction until I had a dream one night that was so intriguing I knew I had to write the story of the people in it in order to figure out what in the world they were doing! It turned out to be a medieval epic tragedy, which has been languishing in my files while other projects have taken priority. But someday I’m going to finish and publish it!

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Favorite contemporary authors include Laura Frantz, Lori Benton, Shannon McNear, Louise Gouge, Julie Klassen, Susan Meissner, Mimi Matthews, and Mary Kingswood, among many others. Favorite classic authors include Shakespeare, Jane Austin, Charlotte Bronte, Rafael Sabatini, Betty Smith, James Hilton, Margaret Mitchell, Elizabeth Goudge, John Steinbeck, Ernest Hemingway and too many others to list.

My very favorite genre to read is historical fiction/historical romance. I found the greatest inspiration for my own writing in Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre, Betty Smith's A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Elizabeth Goudge's Green Dolphin Street, Jams Hilton's Random Harvest, and Rafael Sabatini's Scaramouche and his swashbuckling Captain Blood series.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Forge of Freedom is my latest release, publishing October 1. It’s the seventh and final book in my American Patriot Series on the American Revolution, which started with Daughter of Liberty. Elizabeth Howard is a beautiful young woman who is not only a trained doctor, but also—unbeknownst to her Loyalist parents and the British military establishment occupying Boston—a shadowy spy, courier, and smuggler for the Patriots known only as Oriole. Jonathan Carleton, who harbors his own secrets, is an officer in the British Seventeenth Light Dragoons assigned as aide-de-camp to British General Thomas Gage. The attraction between Carleton and Elizabeth is immediate, powerful, and fought on both sides in a war of wits and words. And when Carleton is assigned to ferret out Oriole, Elizabeth can no longer deny that he is not only her most dangerous foe, but also the possessor of her heart.

The series follows the triumphs, travails, perils, and passionate love story of these two as well as those of a compelling cast of secondary characters. I intensively researched the fortunes of the Americans and the British from the war's beginning at Lexington and Concord in April 1775 to its end following the crucial battle of Yorktown in 1781 and endeavored to portray them accurately. The story's characters interact with real historical figures involved in the war at the highest and lowest levels. The volumes span the North American continent from Massachusetts to New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, among the Shawnee in Ohio Territory, and into Virginia and the Carolinas as well as across the ocean to Paris, France, and epic battles on the high seas.

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J. M. Hochstetler’s Website

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Featured Interview With S.G. Blaise

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born in a faraway land of castles, monarchies, and fallen dictatorships, aka Hungary. Hollywood movies were largely forbidden under Soviet oppression during my childhood, but my dad smuggled them in any way, risking his life so that his children could experience the magic and hope inherent in those stories. I watched rebellions unfold in real-time and journeyed across the Atlantic Ocean for love. I ended up in sunny southern California, where I'm living my dream — writing stories, annoying family members, and playing with my lovely dogs.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
From a young age, storytelling has been a part of my life in every way you can think of, from the history around me to the stories I would create in my head to soothe myself to sleep. I wrote my first story at the age of ten, inspired by a nightmare that I had to take control over. Despite that experience, I wasn't an avid reader until age thirteen, when I picked up the book my dad had been recommending to me for years. Through this, I've learned the importance of exploring our emotions and feelings through reading and writing.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
There are many authors to choose from, but I adore Ilona Andrews and Brandon Sanderson's work. They craft their stories in a way that pulls the readers in and keeps them wanting more! My favorite genres to read are Science Fiction and Fantasy. There's something unique about sci-fi fantasy keeping me coming back for more. In some ways, this inspires me with my writing. Reading other stories and immersing myself in another's world encourages me to bring my vision to life.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Immerse yourself in Lilla's next adventure in Proud Pada!

Lilla is on her next mission as a Sybil, when she must travel to the Pada world following the trail of a ruthless murderer.
Navigating deadly politics turns increasingly difficult, when the Teryn emperor goes missing.
Now the Teryn empire is heading towards civil war, and Lilla must uncover who is behind the conspiracy before it's too late.
Unfortunately her success depends on the Proud Pada.

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S.G. Blaise’s Website

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Featured Interview With Terry Birdgenaw

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was raised in Ottawa, Canada's capital and I now live in Montreal. In my picture, I am holding Sheeba my 7-year-old Morkie, who has more personality than many humans.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I have been fascinated with books for as far back as I can remember. My mother used to substitute teach in a kindergarten class and would bring me along when I was 3 or 4. My favorite part was when she read to the class, and let me pick the books from the ones she read to me at home. Although I excelled at English and creative writing in school, I ventured into the sciences for my university studies and my career. I didn't start writing fiction for almost 60 years since those kindergarten classes with my mom.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Although I enjoy thrillers and fantasy, my writings have been largely influenced by classic dystopian novels like Animal Farm and 1984 by George Orwell, Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, and The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
I wrote my latest book during the Covid-19 pandemic and it got so long that I broke it into three. My trilogy, The Antunite Chronicles, was written between January 2020 and August 2022 and was released between May and September 2022. (see: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B1JNBCTK?binding=kindle_edition&searchxofy=true&qid=1664475447&sr=1-1)
The first book, Antuna's Story A Watership Down-like story about surviving a big upheaval, with a struggle between altruism and aggression within insects transported through a wormhole to another planet. A timely allegory in which the joy of friendship, between a small ant Antuna and her bee, termite, and spider friends, is eclipsed by the horrors of war, where a Putin-like character puts his own glory above all else and destroys entire communities.
The second, book, The Rise and Fall of Antocracy, is an Orwellian allegory where a fledging democracy is derailed by a Trump-like character with autocratic tendencies who allows a planet to die while ignoring an environmental crisis. The dictators' greed results in a climate catastrophe that a young cyborg ant, Gretant, and her insectoid bug friend, Thunbug, desperately try to circumvent.
The third book, Antunites Unite, is a dystopian tale in which spies from its moon must liberate the society on the mother planet, where the leaders have used histrionics, bionics, and socionics to subjugate their citizens. Tiny ants, Rose and Jasper, infiltrate the Antalone colony, where they are transformed into cyborgs, and work with other chameleon cyborg ant spies to overcome the oppression of black and brown cyborg ants by the dominant red cyborg ants.

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Featured Interview With Hugh Saddler

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born and raised in Milwaukee Wisconsin, and I currently live here now.

I have 2 Airedale Terriers named Polo, and Roxie, and I have 2 cats but I am not really sure what their names are. I just call them "spitty tats"!

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I realized my fascination with books when I was about 6 years old. My mother would have all her children praying and reading the Torah for approximately 5 hours per day. I always had a voice that wasn't going to be suppressed, but I didn't really start to write until I attended the University of Minnesota.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I am really passionate about biblical research, and I get great joy and satisfaction while collecting the fragmented pieces of scriptures and putting them together to make sense of the Torah. I really love explaining historical phenomena, and I am overjoyed with clarifying scriptures.

I personally don't have a favorite author, but I love everything associated with black people within the scriptures.

The forgotten history of the black man in the holy scriptures is what inspires me to continue researching the scriptures in order to tell our stories.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
In Concealed in Sight, I get to tell the story of the bloodline Israelites and how they described themselves within the scriptures, where they were dispersed to after the fall of Judaea, and where they are today. I feel that this is my necessary contribution to humanity. This book leaves no stone unturned in order to seek and flush out the truth.

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Featured Interview With Matthew Paris

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born and raised in Houston, Texas. Growing up, I never really thought too much about writing. I come from a sports family. I played football and ran track in high school. English was my favorite subject and I did well in it. However, I didn't realize that I might have a talent in this before my sophomore year in high school. I was sitting in English class and my teacher put this A paper on my desk. she said, Matt, I think this is a talent and you should explore this. I thanked her, but I didn't really get serious about writing until I went to Texas Tech University.

After I graduated college I went to Austin for 15 years. While in Austin I wrote several short films that won accolades at festivals and was distributed over the United States, Europe, Middle East, and Africa. Since, I have a background in sports I contributed articles to The Sports Column and wrote four books. My latest book is "The Passing of Time". I recently, moved back to Houston to be closer to the family.

I don't have any pets at the moment, but I grew up with three dogs in the house and I miss them.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I've always been into stories at an early age. As far back as I could remember. My favorite authors are Stephen King, Richard Matheson, and Chuck Palahniuk. In college, I took a British Literature class where we read "Frankenstein", and "Bram Stoker's Dracula". Those are interesting stories to study, but I also like a sports books. "Friday Night Lights" by H.G. Bissinger is the ultimate book of high school football.

I've been writing my whole life. But, I didn't get serious about it until college.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I like Stephen King, Richard Matheson, and Chuck Palahniuk. My favorite book is "I am Legend" by Richard Matheson. Matheson is an interesting writer because he did a little of everything and every form. Matheson also wrote episodes of the original "Star Trek". However, in "I am Legend" he really captured the loneliness of the main character, Robert Neville. How do you live with none around? No love ones? The book goes into fine detail with that.

I like thrillers, but I also like inspirational stories. A lot of sports books focus on that. It really depends what I'm in the mood for. John Grisham is another fine author who's work I admire.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book is called, "The Passing of Time". It's much more of an inspirational, motivating, and spiritual book. The book focuses on problems that one may need to handle in a positive manner. I have written a bunch of little short stories in each chapter with a problem and how to solve it, positively. Readers who have read it seem to really love it. There's one reader that told me the book made her cry.

The book took me about three months to write. With each book, the writing process becomes quicker. When you have it mapped out in the mind or on paper. The biggest thing is to sit and do it. Always keep writing.

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Featured Interview With Gail Daley

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
A writer of Fantasy and Science Fiction stories, Gail has received high praise for her beautifully interlaced, imaginative worlds. She populates her universes with vital and interesting characters, skillfully intertwining their everyday lives with world changing events.
An omnivorous reader, she was inspired by her son, also a writer, to finish some of the incomplete novels she had begun over the years. She is heavily involved in local art groups and fills her time reading, writing, painting in acrylics, and spending time with her husband of 46 plus years.
Gail has a background in business and used this expertise to develop a series of pamphlets (lumped together under the title “The Modern Artist’s Handbook) advising artists and authors about how to improve their bottom line by applying business practices to the development and sale of their work.
Currently her family is owned by two cats, a mischievous young cat called Mab (after the fairy queen of air and darkness) and a mellow Gray Princess named Moonstone. In the past, the family shared their home with many dogs, cats, and a Guinea Pig, all of whom have passed over the rainbow bridge. A recent major surgery on her stomach, a bout with breast cancer, and arthritis in her hands have slowed her down a little, but she continues to write and paint.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I think I was about three when I became fascinated by books. I started writing in middle school.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
My current favorite authors are: Jayne Ann Krenz, Anne McCaffrey and Nora Roberts in sci-fi, Andre Norton in Fantasy, PNR: Amanda M Lee Western: Louis L'Amour and Zane Grey. This list is subject to change at any time.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My next release is book 2 in my Outlawed Colony Series. It's called The Heirs of Avalon. The theft Top Secret technology is the catalyst for a lab tech's murder and plunges two couples into a web of criminal activity on the colony of Barsoom, a hybrid of advanced technology and Renaissance Culture.
Returning home to Barsoom after a successful mission to earth, Randal brings an unexpected dividend with him: A data crystal with the formula for finding earth-type planets. When the data crystal is stolen and a lab tech murdered during the break-in, his father and his fiancée's father come under suspicion. It's up to him, his fiancée Judith, and some new friends to clear their fathers of murder and find and retrieve the stolen crystal before it falls into the wrong hands.
Devon Morton and Tash Higgens came to Barsoom to help set up new programming for the colony's Portal to Laughing Mountain and the other Outlawed Colonies. When an important data crystal is stolen from a lab owned by Randal's father, they join forces with Randal and Judith to clear their fathers' names and recover the stolen technology.
The name Barsoom which is used as the name of a colony in these books, BARSOOM(R) is a registered trademark of Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc. And Used by Permission.

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Featured Interview With John James Minster

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
John James Minster was born in Norristown, Pennsylvania. He commenced a successful international business career since the 1980s in the technology sector, all the while publishing horror short stories in major magazines and horror anthologies since 1990. In July, 2018, his first middle-grade full-length horror novel, Dreamjacker, which met with five-star reader reviews, was born of nightmares.
As a child he walked in his sleep; his parents found him at the top of the stairs about to leap down, dreaming that he could fly. Every night since childhood he still talks and punches walls in his sleep during nightmares, which he describes as "Nightly mini horror movies. Terror is feeling dread at the possibility of something frightening; horror is the shock and repulsion of seeing the thing: hello! This is my head every single night of my life—so no writer's block on the horizon or chance that I’ll run out of stories.”

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
By age, 1971, I was well-read. I read everything I could find. The entire World Book Encyclopedia. Every Hardy Boys novel. I once read the entire dictionary. As a young teen hungry for fiction especially horror and sci-fi, I jumped straight into Poe, H.P. Lovecraft, Mary Shelley, Jules Verne, Jerzy Kosiński, Geoffrey Chaucer, William Golding, Jonathan Swift, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ray Bradbury, Isaac Asimov, Stephen King…it’s a very long list. I also read everything my parents had on shelves: Reader’s Digest compilations and such. Today, I rarely miss anything by Nelson DeMille, Lawrence Block, or Lee Child. I read at least one hundred books a year.

A major magazine publishes twelve lead fiction stories per year; in 1990, they bought three of those from me, my first time getting paid for writing. Then tech business took up all my time, though I published (unpaid) pieces in various print and online newspapers and such; also creative writing every day for business. Not until 2018 did I decide to start writing books.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
99% of what I read is horror, true for fifty years. Edgar Allan Poe. Best writer ever. Brilliant, disciplined, gifted mind. Whenever in Baltimore, I go touch his grave and have a little talk with him. Brother from another mother, he is. Don’t ever think that dark horror stories come from dark horrible people. His life indeed was dark and yet his was a loving, sweet, and tender heart. I love the man.

Today, best of all I think is probably Neil Gaiman. The man can turn a phrase like nobody else. I would describe many of his sentences as ‘delicious’ with an almost musical quality. Like most writers I love to read and buy just about everything published. Erin Morgenstern nailed it with her debut novel, Night Circus. J.K. Rowling’s Potter books are labeled Kid’s Lit, but no, they are simply excellent literature for the ages. Of those active in my lifetime: Stephen King, Clive Barker, Cormac McCarthy, Anne Rice, F. Paul Wilson, Isaac Asimov, Lawrence Block, Mario Puzo, Nelson DeMille…I love their product and always learn a little something from each. And who doesn’t love Lee Child’s Jack Reacher books?

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Adult horror novel, The Undertaker's Daughter, is due to hit bookstores in about a month, from publisher Hellbender Books. Anna Dingel, raised in the family funeral home, turns eighteen. Israeli archaeologists unearth an ancient stone fragment; on it, a name missing for millennia. Anna’s best friend Naomi uses it to piece together old Jewish magic. The exceedingly creepy, supernatural, violent eldritch power the two friends unleash takes dark and unexpected turns. Children learn about love, forgiveness, consequences—and never to play with dead things.

I decided to write a story about a golem, something I've wanted to do for a long while. Deep research turned up a treasure-trove of fascinating Old Testament magic. When I sat before a formatted Word .doc on my screen, the entire story (characters, plot) came to me in under a minute. The author job involved writing down the 'movie scenes' in my head, which sometimes come from nocturnal nightmares but in this case a powerful, detailed daydream. It took about 100 hours to get it down, polish it up and make it submission-ready.

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Featured Interview With Vickie L. Adams

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Vickie’s love of writing began in middle school. Her short stories have been included in several anthologies. Out of the Shadows is her second with Wicked Publishing, following Heartland.

Born in Knoxville TN. She grew up in southeast Michigan. During the Vietnam war, she enlisted in the U.S. Air Force. Her most memorable assignment was 45 days on Wake Island during the fall of Saigon. Following twenty years in the United States Air Force officer, she retired in 1992. Following her military retirement, she served another twenty years as a Veterans Service Officer, retiring a second time in 2016.

Education includes a B.A. in journalism from Southwest Texas State University and an M.A. from Chapman College.

Vickie is married to Lisa Marie. They love to travel and have taken several cruises. She has a son, Alex. Together they have two fur babies, Oliver and Nietzsche.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
Writing stories began in middle school. I had English teachers who encouraged me. Then I got interested in journalism as well.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I love Rita Mae Brown, Kurt Vonnegut, Dawn Carter, Harper Bliss, Jae. I love fiction, mysteries, and horror. Stephen King and Dean Koontz are two of my favorite authors.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
An explosion. An injured bartender. A dead woman. Accusations of arson and murder.
Staff Sergeant Martha Richards, Air Force Military Training Instructor, fights to clear her lover, Tess Beck, and Jennifer Nichols, the bar’s owner. As she confronts and questions other suspects, Marty experiences accusations of her own. Her commander fires her from her Military Training Instructor duties for allowing Tess, a former trainee, to live with her. Being openly gay is not an option. She finds herself at a crossroads. Should she reenlist? Or separate from the Air Force, the only career she’s ever known? She loves her career, but she also loves Tess. During her quest, she experiences self-awareness and personal growth.

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Featured Interview With Sandy Hanna

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I’m a BRAT, an acronym that stands for British Regiment Attached Transfer, an identity that dependents of military families proudly use to identify themselves with. We are a nomadic tribe resulting from a life of moving across the globe and country every two years. To say where I was raised is to say ‘everywhere.’ When I was six months old I went to England for three years and the moving around didn’t stop until my father, the Colonel, retired from military service in 1964. Vietnam was our most memorable posting from 1960-1962 and it was there that I had a zoo of sorts. The Vietnamese officers brought rabbits, roosters, an elephant, a blue-belly monkey, a stork, cats, and dogs as gifts. I couldn’t have been happier. After all this travel and more when I was on my own, I finally settled down, as best a BRAT can, in Lambertville, New Jersey. It is in this small river town, situated along the Delaware River, I have finally found home.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I became fascinated with books when I was ten-years-old and we were stationed in Saigon, Vietnam. There was no television and books were what I gravitated to for entertainment and knowledge. I will say that I would read almost anything in those days; sports books, biographies, horse stories, mysteries, it really didn’t matter. I just loved to read. I didn’t start writing until I was in college, preferring to paint the images of the stories I had in my mind. Today, I do both, write and paint.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I remember the day I wanted to find something to read and I was working in a small drug store in the town my parents finally landed after the military life was over. Above the store was a bookstore and I was asked to work there one evening as the employee who was normally scheduled was ill. As I wandered around I looked at the titles and the covers, selecting two that stood out to me for both: The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner and Tolstoy’s War and Peace. I was hooked and to this day I think William Faulkner is one of my favorite authors.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
When my father was in his eighties, he slid a document across the kitchen table to me that he had been carrying with him for many years and told me it was time. I asked him what it was time for and he asked me if I remembered our stay in Vietnam in the early 60s. I did. He then told me that what he was giving me was an expose on the Diem regime, supported by the United States, written by his Vietnamese counterpart, exposing the corruption and the anti-American sentiment of that regime. He asked me to write a book. When I asked why now so many years later, his response was ‘that in not understanding history we were destined to repeat it and were doing so in the Middle East.’ When I asked him if he wanted an accurate documentary, he said no. He wanted a compelling story written because American’s don’t like to talk about Vietnam. So, under orders from the Colonel, I wrote me memoir. I describe “The Ignorance of Bliss: An American Kid in Saigon” as “To Kill a Mockingbird” meets “The Great Santini” with “A Year of Living Dangerously” thrown in.

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Sandy Hanna’s Website

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Featured Interview With T.E. Ridener

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Hello, everyone! I was born and raised in Southeastern Kentucky, home of the original recipe for KFC – NOT to be confused with the original KFC that opened, as that is in fact in Utah. But, Colonel Sanders roamed these parts when he was making that chicken, haha.
I still live in the same town – boring, huh?
I have a cat (Christine) and dog (Cujo) – notice a theme? I love my fur babies.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
Oh, probably around 9 is when I realized both. I loved reading. I still love reading. I actually started writing way before I could technically write. I’d cut people out of magazines and sales papers to paste onto new paper, thus, telling my stories.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I love anything by Ashlyn Chase, Nancy Straight, Marie Hall, Shona Husk, and of course, my 3 OGs: Stephen King, Anne Rice, and R.L. Stine.
Every day people. Life. Nature. Sometimes, just something I hear or see while I’m out and about.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
The Ice King’s Heart is book 3 in my series The Descendants ( I promise I knew nothing about the books or movies when I originally wrote these ), and it follows Heidi (The Fire Princess) and Isaiah (The Ice Prince) as they return to Earth for one final showdown against the Darksygg.
Dun dun dun!
It’s been in the works since 2013-ish. If I don’t have it done by October 12th, I may just cry.

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Featured Interview With Olivia Nicol

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
My name is Olivia Nico. I am a self-published author and poet. I was born and raised in California. i moved to Texas when i was 19 or 20. I fell in love with the state and have lived here since then. I’m 30 now. I am married, I am a mom. I have no pets but my favorite animals are wolves and horses.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I have been reading since I was a little kid. I did not start writing until I was in high school.it was mainly silly little love poems about whoever I had a crush on at the 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: Shakespeare, Dacre Stoker, Bram Stoker, Edgar Allen Poe, and Chaucer. Reading Shakespeare’s work in school was what made me want to write poetry more seriously and influenced my current rhyming style. I don’t have a favorite genre; I will read anything that catches my eye. My husband and son are my main sources of inspiration. though, this current book was inspired by my favorite wrestler.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My current book is a book of Christian poetry. The title is Words the Angels Speak. It is inspired by my favorite wrestler and the story of how he turned his life around and became a Christian. The poems are all about God, Christianity, especially being a Born-again Christian. They are short, rhyming poems that are meant to be entertaining and uplifting.

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Featured Interview With Shirley Goodrum

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was raised and educated on two continents and four countries, South Africa, Britain, Zimbabwe (then Southern Rhodesia and Zambia ( then Northern Rhodesia, traveled on two Union Castle Liners, steam trains and cars with canvas water bags hanging on the front fender. My now home is forty-five minutes from any significant town and three generational. It has a magnificent view of no so distant mountains which I watch at sunset with a glass of red wine. I share the double storey space with four other adults, a teenager, a preteen, three dogs, three cats and two rats. The rats terrify me, and I haven’t ventured upstairs since the preteen brought them and their kit home.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
Thanks to my late parents my life has never been book free, I’ve always loved reading and became the family scribe as soon as I learnt to write. When they died, I recognized my mother’s handwriting on the label of a plastic packet. It read ‘Shirley’s Writing.” Inside the packet I discovered a newspaper cutting of me winning a prize in a bra competition and all the stories, poems and articles I’d written as a girl. Mom had kept them all. The very next day I noticed an advert for a creative writing course, signed up and promised her I would write a book about the newspaper photo.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I read all genres, heck I read anything, even the back of cereal boxes and whatever else catches my eye. From a lifetime of reading it’s impossible to list my favourite authors, there are simply too many who have grabbed my attention, introduced me to marvelous characters and captivated my heart; they all inspire me, they all have apiece of me.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My book, Baggage in a B Cup is the story behind that yellowed newspaper cutting. I took sample chapters to London and after three exciting ‘please send us the manuscript’ and the following disappointment of ‘sorry it’s not for us’, I took the proverbial book by the spine and published it on Amazon in January 2019. It’s the story of ordinary people facing extraordinary challenges, their good, their bad, their loves and belief, it’s sprinkled with humour and dedicated to my late mother and my family.
Pam Richards takes centre stage in the book. Small-busted, she wears unnecessary size 32B bras, and is smug in a strong twenty-year-old marriage. As the mother of three teenagers, one of them chronically ill, and a part owner of a fledgling company, she’s practiced at getting back on her feet when life whacks her behind the knees, but she’s devastated when depression hijacks her husband, Alex, and their seventeen-year-old daughter runs away with a convicted LSD dealer. Her jelly legs are too weak to support her and, as Alex withdraws into himself, cracks appear in the foundation of their loving marriage. Fear and loneliness tear at her sanity and topple her into a romance. She’s relieved when the runaway daughter returns, albeit pregnant, and thrilled to win a trip to Rio in a bra competition, but Alex can hardly get on his shrink’s couch let alone board a plane. She loves her husband, hates his depression and is a date away from a full-blown affaire. Does Alex get better, do they go to Rio, or will she slip between the illicit sheets?

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Featured Interview With Kelvin Bueckert

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I grew up on a family farm in Manitoba, Canada. While on the farm I enjoyed many walks with my dog in the forest near our home. However, times change and now I’m living in a small rural town.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
At a young age I enjoyed listening to books being read to me. As soon as I could read, I did and did a lot of it. I can’t remember when I started writing…but it was soon after I started to read.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I like to read Agatha Christie when I need a mysterious puzzle to ponder. I also enjoy the works of Stephen Lawhead. I find inspiration in many genres and writers actually.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book is a work of historical fiction. It is a broad overview of the history of my home province of Manitoba. It is also the story of a family and their struggle to survive through the massive changes coming their way.
It began as a theatre script. The original idea was to celebrate 150 years of Manitoba in 2020.
However, lock downs happened…frustration and gnashing of teeth followed, and long story short, I turned the story into a novella.

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Kelvin Bueckert’s Website

Featured Interview With Michelle Murray

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
A native Texan, I still reside in Texas, but have been blessed to travel the world. After a career in the United States Army, I decided to pursue my passions. These include writing, acting, traveling, camping, SCUBA diving, horsemanship, volunteering and spending time with my adult son, Kendal. I am also a host of talk radio program, Chelle’s Three Cents, on Blogtalkradio. I am the writer and Executive Producer of the KMP production “Mendacity.” You may also know my work from shows like “Man With a Plan” on CBS, or “Crazy Ones” with Robin Williams, or other broadcast shows like “The Cleaning Lady”. Additionally, I am the 2019 Miss North Hollywood California Plus America title holder. I hold an undergraduate degree in Entertainment Business and a Master of Fine Arts degree in Creative Writing. I am currently pursuing her Doctorate.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I have always had a fascination with books, even before I could read! I started writing, on a small scale, in kindergarten. I remember writing a little “daily newspaper,” and even making “books” from stories written and illustrated on notebook paper.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
My absolute favorite author is John Grisham. He has a knack for blending procedure, adventure and thrill into quite intriguing tales. I also enjoy reading Herman Wouk and even Danielle Steele. All of them present vivid imagery which make their stories more attention grabbing to me. My favorite genre is a tie between historical fiction and crime/legal thrillers.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book, due out November 22nd, is Book Four of my Stoic Souls series. Each book of the series features relatable, but incredibly strong female protagonists. This book, Two Junkies and a Demon, depicts the thrilling adventure of what happens when the drug culture of a desert town intersects with the literal forces of Heaven and Hell.

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Featured Interview With Melanie Sypherd

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Hi, my name is Melanie Sypherd and I from California, raised in the heart of Los Angeles. I grew up with a love for anything and everything entertainment. In elementary school I was a member of the choir and orchestra classes and the local girl-scouts. Back then, I was sure that I would find a place in music, but when I was promoted to Thomas Star King Middle school, all of that changed. I auditioned for my first part in the school play and landed a role in “Tootsie” a comedy musical. It was in that performance that I stole the show and was bitten by the showbiz bug. Subsequently, I was voted “Most likely to pursue a career in entertainment” and started writing poetry and short stories.
In high school, I enrolled in a creative writing classes to help develop my writing techniques and the stories poured from my creative imagination. After high school, life really picked up, and I laid my pen down and put my story telling on the shelf until I created an after-school program to help promote the arts. I do not have any pets currently because life is too busy.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I started my love affair with books when I was 8 years old, asking my parents for nothing else for Christmas.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Yikes thats a tough one, I like many different authors. Off the top of my head, I like Alice Walker, Toni Morrison, Emily Bronte, Langston Hughes, Maya Angelou and many more. Currently, I am a fan of the Spirituality genre but am genuinely inspired by my own life experiences and my imagination.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My book “The Patio” tells the story of Andrea Pierce, a reasonable, responsible woman whose life has been a concentrated effort of staying out of sight and out of mind. However, being nearly 6’ tall and drop dead gorgeous makes that a nearly impossible feat, not to mention she just so happens to be the one and only child of one of the most influential Hollywood movie directors/writers. Up until now however, she has done an excellent job and has found contentment in focusing on educational goals and her future career options despite her mother Maggie’s constant nagging about finding a man. Tonight however, Maggie may get everything that she has ever wanted for het daughter and Andrea just may get everything that she thought she never wanted.

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