Top Selling Authors: Get To Know Them Better

Featured Interview With J. A. Jackson

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Hi, my pseudonym is J. A. Jackson, my real name is Jerreece Ann Jackson.
Here’s a little about me.
I was born in Arkansas and come from a family rich in storytellers. My family (my mother, father and us kids) moved to Chicago and pretty much I grew up in Chicago, going to school there. I spent many summers visiting my grandmother in Arkansas. As well as spending time, as a child visiting relatives in Louisiana, Texas and Oklahoma. Some relatives, from my family, moved west to California, and I lived one year of my childhood in Redwood City California, after which I returned to Chicago until I made California my home later in my life. Because I grew up in Chicago and have a lot of my family there, I have a fierce love-hate affair with this fabulous ruthless city.
Regarding my writing, all of my book’s settings have taken place in California. Except my book, Diamond At Midnight. It takes place in Chicago.
I was married for a very long time to my editor, and five years ago my husband passed away.
I am a dog lover. However currently I have no pets. I do have a neighbor’s cat who visit my backyard daily. Miss Cat and I love to sit on my back patio and enjoy the water fall feature in a corner of my yard. She and I find the cascading sound of water falling to be very soothing.
Over two years ago, I also endured the passing of my Big Sally. She was an American Hound Dog, from the German Scent dog breed. She was beautiful with a white coat, floppy ears with huge dark brown spots. She is greatly missed.
Prior to my Big Sally, German scent dog, I had two other dogs at the same time. A German shepherd named Lady Chance and a mixed breed Golden Retriever/Collie dog named Bear. Sad to say they passed this earth many years ago. They too, are greatly missed.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
My love affair with books probably started around age 4, because I had to go to preschool, as one of my older brothers had to start kindergarten and rather than leave me with the sitter, my mother put me in the preschool at my brothers kindergarten school. Also, I started writing at a very young age. When I was a child I had very vivid dreams, I would tell my parents and grandmother when I woke up. My first recollection is of being given a tablet to write my dreams on. After that, I wrote, everything from dreams to poems, etc. The first book I wrote was in sixth grade. It was a very short novelette.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Favorite genre romance suspense with a touch of paranormal charm/magic.
I am inspired by many of the authors I have read. Many things inspire me. I also get inspiration from tidbits of odd knowledge that I pick up while reading throughout the day. While reading, something I may have that “what if moment,” that inspires me to write about it. Other times ideas for my books can come from places that I have visited. I’d like to say that I am always inspired by the grandiose landscape of the magnificent State of California. For example, for my book the Grand Hotel my inspiration came from walking past the regal old Sir Drake Hotel on Powell Street in San Francisco one night. The flickering lights coming from welcoming door gave me a “what if “moment. From there the ideas for The Grand Hotel was born.
First on my list of favorite authors is Jane Austen, Pride, and Prejudice. Next, I know why the caged bird sings by Maya Angelou.
Favorite books I have read are Goddess of Vengeance by Jackie Collins. Juliet Blackwell In a Witch’s Wardrobe, Tony Dunbar Lucky Man, Diary of a Groupie by Omar Tyree, Love Potion Monica Jackson, Mistress Inc by Niobia Bryant, Sharyn McCrumb – The Song Catcher & Ghost & She Walks These Hills and The Jasmine Moon Murder by Laura Childs.
Let me just state for the record these are just a few of my favorites. I love so many other authors too. I’ll just name a few other others. Harold Robbins, Cathy Yardley, Nora Roberts, Madelyn Alt, Cecily von Ziegesar, Jude Deveraux, Beverly Jenkin, Stuart Wood, Sidney Sheldon, Zora Neale Hurston, Tina McElroy-Ansa Sharyn McCrumb, Mia Caldwell, Laura Bickle, Lucinda Rosenfeld, and many, many, many others

Tell us a little about your latest book?
I am currently working on that hasn’t a title yet. It is about a young lady named Mia. I may title this book the Lost Love of Mia, I’m still working on the book and the title.
I just released Book III of Lovers, Players Seducer – The Betrayal of Nicholas La Cour. It is about:
A Betrayed man, a bride left at the altar, and a plan for revenge.
Discover if love can transform even the best-laid plans.

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Featured Interview With Ivan Nossa

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born and raised in northern Italy where I have studied and got a degree in English Literature. Here I started my own business 25 years ago which I loved and was successful till the day I felt a different call and my life turned upside down.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
At the age of 47 everything started to change for me. It is a long story that I love to tell in my books and at my events. I started to believe in myself and the power of life, I started to feel loved and understood that I had to follow my dream that has always been that of becoming an author. Miracles happened, I gave up my business, found a publisher and wrote many books most of which have sold very well in Italy. I overcame the fear of writing for the public, fear is what holds us back from our dreams.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I did not know anything about inspirational and self-help books till the age of 47, but now those are the books I cherish the most as they give me the will to believe in my dream and achieve them. Of course Dr Joe Vitale, from the bestseller the secret, that now is a friend and co-author. I would also like to mention Anthony De Mello, Neale Donald Walsh, Kahlil Gibran, Mike Dooley, Eckart Tolle, Dalai Lama but there are too many that have touched my life to mention.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
This is my first title that I decided to publish in English, a language that I love. It is also my most successful book, gratitude has been a great start for my career at it dates back to my childhood times where the mother that adopted me taught me gratitude in a wonderful way, it is a story I tell in details in this book and that has touched many hearts. I am deeply grateful for that. Here in Italy I have done many events trying to spread gratitude and love for life. We always have to be grateful, it changes our look on life and creates miracles, even in our difficult times.

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Featured Interview With S.K. Grunin

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I grew up on a farm in Michigan and went to college and graduate schools in Michigan, Indiana and Chicago. After working for as a Federal criminal investigator I went to work for the headquarters of the Federal Courts in Washington, DC. I have a doctorate degree in Public Policy Analysis and hold 2 masters degrees. I taught at several universities including the University of Virginia for over 10 years. I have been a coach, a CEO, a law enforcement officer, and after retiring took up my new careers of writing books and oil painting. See my website: www.SkgCreations.com for my works.
Note: That during Covid the profits from the masks that I am selling with my artwork on it are being donated to the SW FL farmworkers foodbanks. Besides masks and the artwork you can purchase other items including puzzles, mugs, yoga mats, bath towels of my artwork and of course of my book, Life Lessons and Tales of Little MisFit – Book 1: Life Isn’t Always What It Seems.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
From the age of 7 I wanted to be a mystery writer. I loved books from the time in Kindergarten when I wouldn’t take naps and the teacher let me look at books while the other kids took their naps.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Roald Dahl, Dr. Seuss, Agatha Christie, JK Rowling, Falkner, Steinbeck, Dostoyevski, Hilton, Tolstoy,
Dickens, and so many others!

I like many genres – including: Children, Young Adult, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Biography, Educational and Humor

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Life Lessons and Tales of Little MisFIt, Book 1: Life Isn’t Always What It Seems is the first in a series of 7 planned books. These books are designed to provide through humorous tales some life lessons – book 1: Life Isn’t Always What It Seems – is Little MisFit’s first life lesson (from age 3 ½ – 9). She provides numerous examples in her tales that allow the reader and adults to have a conversation about their own life experiences. It is a great media for adults to share their own personal life stories without coming off preachy and at the same time getting kids to talk about their own experiences. There is a life lesson for each of the 7 books in the series that LMF learns as she grows up. I believe that Life Lessons and Tales of Little MisFit is a great media and especially book 1 – Life Isn’t Always What It Seems is a good way to explain to grandchildren on Zoom why they can’t visit and give hugs and kisses at this time. It also provides a great way to stay in touch and to share stories with one another during this challenging time.
THIS Book’s main character – Ivy Sue Klutz is a lot of fun her humorous tales gets us all laughing out loud. As one reviewer put it: “This is a book for the child in each of us!” If you want to have some fun times reading a book with your children, grandchildren or even elementary school students, this book is for you. See Amazon five star reviews – even the one by the man who is in charge of triplet 9 year old boys who said how these boys were reluctant at first to read this book but after they got in to it they all really enjoyed it and began talking about their own life experiences and asking him about his.

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Featured Interview With Carly Dober

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I am a 30 year old psychologist from Melbourne, Australia who deeply values our natural world. I love the beach, surfing, hiking, animals and exploring beautiful new pockets of the world.

I write books that focus on sustainability. As a lifelong animal and environmental activist, I thought I would write books for children that champion these values.

I wrote and published my first book, ‘The Beautiful Place’ in 2020 during the covid-19 lockdown we had, which went for many months in Australia. I had always wanted to write a book and thought it would be the perfect time to work on a project like that, my sister helped me out with the illustrations.

I have two adopted cats, one is deaf, both beautiful fluffly white girls with big blue eyes. My family also has an adopted Alaskan Malamute. Did I mention I love animals?

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I have loved books as long as I could remember. My parents always had Golden Books where I would ready my favourite Disney stories from age 5, which graduated to me buying all the Goosebumps books and devouring them all, to getting my first library card and spending time through very difficult periods of my life reading. I have always loved to spend time reading a book, and I always will. I started writing this year (2020). I always wanted to, I just never thought I was talented or ‘had it’, which is still up for debate!

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Too many to count! I am nowhere near as talented as the following authors, but please check them out:

Gillian Flynn, Steven King, Celeste Ng, J.R.R Tolkien & André Aciman.

Books:

A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
Invisible Women by Caroline Criado Perez

I also love psychological thrillers, such as Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larson and Room by Emma Donoghue.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Three friends get together for a sleepover at Darius’ house looking to have some serious fun. Darius’ family eat a plant based diet, which is something Miguel and Hina never considered before.Miguel and Hina do not really know how eating plants could be filling, so Darius and his parents go on a road trip to show how the food we eat makes it’s way to our plates.With contemporary food production being largely outsourced, many children are unsure about how the food they eat is made or where it comes from. Making the link between the planet’s resources and how we interact with all species is important to facilitate children’s understanding of eating sustainably. Switching to a plant-based diet not only benefits your health — it can help protect the environment as well. People who follow plant-based diets tend to have smaller environmental footprints. It’s a simple story about some friends going on a journey to understand food production and sustainability.

Featured Interview With Roy Youldous-Raiss

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I am 40 years old, married to Or for the last 12 years and a proud father to Elya and Liri, twin girls who were born via surrogacy. I live in Israel and like to read, write, travel and family time. Writing has been a hobby of mine for as long as I can remember myself, but ‘A Day of Pride’ is my debut children’s book.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
Ever since I was a young kid, I liked reading – all kinds of genres. From adventure stories to thrillers. I started writing professionally when I was 25 – at the beginning mostly poems in Hebrew. Shortly after I wrote articles and short stories. A Day of Pride is my first chidlren’s book.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Ever since I became a father I really enjoy children’s book. Dr. Seuss, J.K Rowling, Eric Carle. However, I still enjoy fiction for adults and prefer the Classics such as Vladimir Nabokov, Orwell and more.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
A Day of Pride was written from my personal experience. Growing up gay in the closet for many years, I was looking for approval that I was ok; For a sign that I should not be ashamed of who I was. Shortly after I fulfilled the biggest dream of my life and became a father, I started writing A Day of Pride. I wrote it for my girls and for all kids, in order to encourage them to be who they are, and be proud of who they were, be proud of their family and their heritage. I believe educating kids at a young age to accept themselves and others – as they are, is very important in creating a plural and tolerant society.

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Featured Interview With Shawna Hunter

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born and raised in Hamilton, Ontario Canada with a brief period in Guelph Ontario completing my B.A. in Sociology. I now live, work and write in Hamilton with my dog Duke and black cat Bernie.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
From a young age I would entertain myself by jotting down short stories and presenting them to my mom. These were mostly horror and not very good. As I grew I fell out of writing, for a time, but after University I got into fetlife and started writing short stories on the site. One of those intended shorts grew and grew. Before I knew it I had the manuscript for Their Wild Little Girl and other authors on the site directed me to where I could submit it. The rest, as they say, is history.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I loves the Darth Bane series by Drew Karpashyn and The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty by Anne Rice. Above all, however, I have to shout out the famed philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. In reading his biography I learned about how he was advised to avoid mental strain but would still write for hours on end, often collapsing into seizures and being bed ridden for days…then getting back to work. Every time I hear myself say “I’ve no time to write” I think of that crazy Prussian and get back to it.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My lates published work is called Love Taps. Its ab anthology of naughty short stories that touch on sci-fi and horror themes. My latest WIP is the tale of an actress/public speaker who becomes disillusioned with her public image as she sinks into a submissive sexual relationship with her bodyguards. I hope to publish this, The Kinky Destruction of Chantelle Sinclaire, by the end of the year.

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Featured Interview With Glynnis Campbell

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born in Chico, California, a town that stood in for Sherwood Forest in the original “Robin Hood” film, and raised in Paradise, California, which was famously destroyed by fire in 2018. I moved from my quiet home town to bustling Los Angeles after college. My household is patrolled by a fierce 7-pound Maltese, and my yard is critter-friendly, so we get visits from doves, squirrels, feral cats, a hawk, possums, and raccoons.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I’ve been reading since I could hold a book, and I started writing not long after. Books were always a great and safe adventure for a shy little girl. I still have some books of poetry from 1st grade.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I grew up on Howard Pyle’s King Arthur and Robin Hood stories, and I loved Ray Bradbury’s science fantasy stories as a child. My first romances were by Kathleen Woodiwiss. Now I read an eclectic variety of authors, ranging from Malcolm Gladwell to Dean Koontz, from Joseph Campbell to Tess Gerritsen. I like to get lost in edge-of-the-seat thrillers, but I also appreciate thoughtful reflections. As far as inspirations for my own historical romances, I reveled in Jude Deveraux and Julie Garwood books, which combined drama with humor, and nothing delights me more than the screenwriting of Joss Whedon.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
BRIDE OF ICE is Book 2 of The Warrior Daughters of Rivenloch. So many readers enjoyed my original series, The Warrior Maids of Rivenloch, and I didn’t want to abandon their favorite clan. So I decided to write about the adventures of their daughters, who are just as intrepid and courageous as the originals.

In BRIDE OF ICE, Hallidis Cameliard is a cool and commanding warrior lass with a clear destiny—a husband appointed by the king and eventual reign over Rivenloch. When her cousins are imprisoned by a Highland laird, she naturally takes charge, seizing the laird’s right hand man as a counter hostage. Captive Colban an Curaidh knows his clan cannot win a battle against the legendary Rivenloch army, so he must rely on his honor to keep the peace, charming Hallie’s clan and eventually melting her heart. But when he offers her a more permanent arrangement, fate snatches away her last chance for love. Only the desperate act of a champion with nothing to lose can give them the happiness they deserve.

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Featured Interview With E Jean Simpson

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
E Jean Simpson, BEd, BA, MA, Indie Author of A & J PEI Treasures. We are a husband and wife team. I was born and mostly raised in Bathurst, NB. My Husband, myself and our Dog (Sam the Wonder Dog) and cat (Ramses the Great) all live on Prince Edward Island, Canada. There are a number of things that drew us to the Island…one of which was the natural beauty of the area. Somewhat retiring and reclusive, we enjoy constructing things and renovating our home, upcycling, fashion upcycling, photography, writing, and a simpler lifestyle.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
My mother was a teacher and even when we (myself and my brother) were babies, she used to read to us. Books were considered a reward. Writing, I’ve played with over the years, but never seemed to have the time. Then the pandemic struck. I have lots of time, but no budget. Because of the lots of time, I was determined that I would do books and I was attracted to the new format of e-books. I’ve done a lot of learning and exploration along the way and really enjoy a wide variety of books that I write. My husband is my co-photographer and proof reads my work and challenges things that might not make sense.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
My favourite books are historical fiction. I also read some DIY and business.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
I had been noticing that most children’s books are either stylized pictures or drawings and I know how children love to be more grown up. So, it was a wonderful way to bring Prince Edward Island and it’s beauty to children and families by using photographs of flowers, birds, scenes and insects from the Prince Edward Island area and bring them to counting. It is revolutionary as it uses more realism than most children’s books.

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Featured Interview With Michael Jack Webb

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Grew up in South Florida. My wife and I live in North Carolina with our Sun Conure parrot. We love travel and watching movies, especially the old classics. My one weakness is soft chocolate chip cookies. Favorite time of year is early fall when the leaves are changing.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
Started reading at a young age, in junior high. Read The Source by James Michener and The Lord of the Rings by Tolkien and never looked back. Started writing short stories and poetry in high school and college. Got serious about writing novels in my early 30’s. Have written one non-fiction with two more in the works, and just released my 7th Supernatural Mystery/Suspense Thriller. Hope to have numbers 8 and 9 out next year. All pare of two series: The War of Men and Angels and The Justice Chronicles.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I read ecclecticly. Daniel Silva is a favorite, along with James Byron Huggins, James Rubart, Robert Whitlow. Favorite genres are Political Thrillers set in the Middle East and fast-paced, well-written Supernatural Thrillers with interesting characters. I also read extensively about archeology, paleontology, astrophysics, ancient history, mythology, physics, forbidden history, and Egyptology. My main inspirations are J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Victor Hugo, Ernest Hemingway, and James Byron Huggins. Favorite quote from J.R.R. Tolkien, “A story must be told or there’ll be no story, yet it is the untold stories that are most moving.” Kate’s story was begging to be told and I hope I was faithful to her in Ghost (The Justice Chronicles Book 1)

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Best-selling, award-winning author and master storyteller Michael Jack Webb weaves a Supernatural Serial Killer tale like none you’ve ever read.

Enter a world where nothing is what it appears to be, and every clue leads an extraordinary young woman deep into the heart of darkness and beyond.

Kate Justice, FBI’s youngest Profiler, is assigned to find a serial killer with supernatural abilities.
The killer is elusive, cunning, and seemingly invincible.

Kate races against time to discover who or what is behind the gruesome murders and prevent another brutal killing.

She soon fears she’s in over her head as stunning revelations about her mysterious ancestry surface.
Hunter becomes the prey as the Ghost in the Darkness killer plays a vicious cat and mouse game, drawing Kate into a deadly confrontation.

Uncovering the truth will challenge her beliefs about the world around her and her understanding of what is real, what is a myth, and what is something in between.

Book 1 of The Justice Chronicles will leave you breathless, wanting more…

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Featured Interview With Jason Hein

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
My name is Jason Hein, and I am a self published author of medieval fantasy books. I have a 4 book series as well as a prequel to the series, two short companion books to the series with poetry and short stories, a stand alone novel set in the same world, and an unrelated poetry book.

I live in the central US out in the country and have a couple dogs, a cat, and raise goats and sheep. I enjoy the country and would love to travel more, specifically to Ireland as a large part of my ancestry came from Ireland.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I started writing around 10 or 11 years old. I remember watching a movie where a girl, at the end of the movie, decided she was going to write a story about her experience that summer. It was as if it suddenly clicked in my head that, “Anyone can write a story.”

I got up from that movie and went to grab a paper and pencil. 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?
Tolkien and C.S Lewis are definitely some of my favorite authors and big inspirations. Andrew Peterson’s Wingfeather Saga is an amazing literary work as well.

As far as genre goes, I definitely enjoy Fantasy the most, but science fiction is a close second.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book, The Axion, A Varsian Kingdom Adventure, is a medieval fantasy about a human Phoenix, a dwarf, and a wyvern that go off in search of an ancient artifact of great power. Legends from the after life tell of the Axion Orb, and a staff that houses it, being capable of transporting people not only across realms, but from one planet to the next.

On their journey of exploration the trio discovers the Realm of Duality, but the land is dying. Setting their own exploration aside they are quickly swept up in a race against time to try and save the kingdom. As it turns out, the Axion itself, is the only hope for the doomed kingdom.

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Featured Interview With Bill Felker

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I grew up in Marshfield, Wisconsin, a small town in the middle of the state. I pretty much wandered free as a child. My parents let me follow my inclinations to hunt with a slingshot, fish in the river, explore the adjacent park. I think that if I hadn’t been convinced to enter a Catholic seminary at the age of 14, I would have continued in that vein. But I did become a seminarian and learned Latin and entered an academic world in which I remained for decades. Although I didn’t become a priest, I stayed disconnected from my childhood pursuits until my 50s – when I stopped smoking and began, once more, to wander in the woods.

These days, I live in Yellow Springs, Ohio, am retired from almost 50 years of teaching, and am slowly returning to childhood. It’s a long road; I follow it with one old cat and one old dog, and we are trying to figure out where the road is leading.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I started writing on April 14, 1956. I was just beginning to emerge from seminary piety and said to myself, “I think I’ll write, maybe be a writer.” I started with a poem in a school notebook and have kept writing ever since. Most of my early writing was journaling, graduating to a really bad novel, then to a regular bad novel, then to a novel that I haven’t finished. By the time I got to writing for newspapers, both as a feature writer and columnist, I had put aside most of my fictional fantasies and settled in to contemplate the real world of plants and people.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
My favorite author right now is David Hinton, a scholar/translator of Chinese poetry. His latest book, Awakened Cosmos, is an exploration of life and work of the 8th-century Chinese poet, Tu Fu, and, at the same time, a rich commentary on Taoism.

Non-fiction is my favorite genre: I am always in search of ideas for my weekly radio and newspaper essays. Well, then I also read poetry. Mary Oliver and Wendell Berry are my favorites in that genre. I feel lucky to be/have been alive during their writing careers.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
One of the problems with being able to self-publish is that there is always another book to write and publish. I have just completed my annual almanac, Poor Will’s Almanack for 2021, which contains, among other things, essays on the 48 seasons of the year, a S.A.D. Stress Index (which provides a numerical value for the likelihood of stress on each day of the year), as well as farm and garden notes, weather forecasts and Americana stories from the readers of my weekly newspaper almanacs.

My latest collection of essays, Deep Time Is in the Garden: Almanac Essays in Search of Time and Place and Spirit, came out this past spring and anthologizes 40 of my favorite nature reflections that were originally written for radio and my newspaper columns, I continue to update my Daybook for the Year in Yellow Springs, Ohio, a memoir-type collection of all my nature and almanac notes from the past 40 years, published in twelve volumes (700,000 words about), and in which I write almost daily, describing what I see and feel about nature in my yard and neighborhood. As a self-publisher, I update my published Daybook annually, editing and adding at will.

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Featured Interview With Whitney Metz

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
My name is Whitney Metz, and I am currently writing a magic realism series called Black Magick. I am a vegan, living outside the town of Mannington, West Virginia with Riley and Petunia, two pigs I adopted after my first internship with Farm Sanctuary. I have tried many different career paths in my life, but writing has always been a constant for me. It’s my outlet, my escape. I care deeply about animal rights and environmental protection, and like to reflect those things in my writing.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I’ve always loved books. My mother has told me that when I was a child, before I could read for myself, I would memorize the books that she read to me, so that it was like I was reading along with her. I’ve been writing almost as long as I’ve been reading. I wrote stories and poetry as a kid, and I’ve started multiple blogs over the years. I even published a book of poetry many years ago. It was only in the last few years though that I started thinking about writing as a career, and started writing novels.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
The authors who have influenced me most are Neil Gaiman and Stephen King (especially his Dark Tower Series). I also get a lot of inspiration from comics and graphic novels. Gaiman’s Sandman really changed the way I think about writing, and Hellblazer is probably my favorite thing to read. I love reading anything that has to do with magic or the supernatural, even non-fiction. I’m always trying to learn as much as I can about different belief systems and mythologies, both for my own enjoyment and to make my writing as accurate as possible.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book is called Myths &Music. It is the second volume in my Black Magick Series, a story about the world behind the one we see everyday, the importance of the connection we all share with each other and with the Earth, and about finding our true paths. At the time that I started the series, I was actually trying to write short stories. I had this image in my head, of a guy chain-smoking outside an apartment building, in the middle of the night. The story grew from trying to figure out why he was there. It turns out that I’m not great at writing short stories; I always need to know what happens next.

In the first book, Sigils & Secrets, we meet Ben Harrison. He was well on his way to having the life he always wanted. He had a high-paying job, a great apartment and, most importantly, he had Carrie. She was fun, exciting, creative, beautiful, and a bit eccentric. Carrie had a fascination with the occult, which Ben found irrational, but not particularly troubling.

Then one night, during what Ben assumed was just another of Carrie’s standard ghost-hunting expeditions, something went terribly wrong. Now Ben must find a way to navigate a world that he never believed existed, in order to save the woman he loves. Soon, he begins to realize that he didn’t know Carrie nearly as well as he thought.

To make matters worse, Ben’s encounter with the supernatural has left him with a mysterious infection ravaging his body and mind, further blurring the line between what is real and what isn’t. He is forced to leave everything he knew behind and seek out a healer to cure him of his illness. In the process, he learns the truth about Carrie, about magick, and about himself.

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Featured Interview With John Smale

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I grew up in the West of England and went to University in Newcastle upon Tyne, where I studied business and marketing. I worked for large multi-national companies until I realised my life was about convincing people to buy things that they did not really need.
I realised I needed a change in my life. I trained as a therapist and helped many, many people to overcome their problems.
I now live in the South West of France among the vineyards where I have continued my writing and enjoying a peaceful and satisfying life.
I also run a small publishing company that enables authors to get their books set up and printed at an affordable cost. I do not like companies that do the same work as I do, but for huge amounts of money, and profit.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
A major part of being a therapist was constructing metaphors to give my clients a ‘different view of life’. And from those I wrote a series of short stories and metaphors which were published in three books, and have sold well. The aim is to both entertain and help the readers.
I like to look at life in a different way, hence THE BOOK THAT READS THE READER, my idea of writing short stories as if they were the stories about people who were read by the book they are reading. This surreal style changes the perspective of the teller of stories away from the first and third person to that of an inanimate and emotion-free entity. This makes the stories ‘outside-the-box and enables humour, sadness and entertainment.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
My early influences were French authors who used different approaches to writing.
Now, I enjoy reading the books that are submitted to me for publishing. I avoid certain types of books but the range I have is very wide including fiction to biographies, sort and music.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
A great summary of the THE BOOK THT READS THE READER was given in a review by the editor of Mensa magazine.
REVIEW IN MENSA MAGAZINE

What if your book could read you…
Imagine, if you will, that you pick up a book and start reading…and the book starts reading you…
It knows instantly your story, all your secrets, your thoughts and deeds, right down to your very soul.
“You think you are reading me. You are, but I am also reading you. I am inside your head. It’s a strange place to be, to be honest.”
That is the surreal and engaging scenario created in this quite wonderful work, penned by Mensa member John Smale.
It is a vehicle that allows the book (writer) to tell a collection of what could be seen as short stories but definitely with a twist.
There is the battered wife and a happy ending…the innocent man in jail, framed by his wife and her gangster lover…who get their just desserts…the old man with dementia in a care home who knows more than most people think…and the priest who dies in a very surprising confessional moment…
This is a brilliant book. The stories would very much have stood up as a collection of work in their own right but the extra and imaginative addition of the idea that there is a book that reads people adds to the brilliance.
If you like stories with a twist, ones that reveal the vagaries of life in all it many forms then this is definitely for you.
Very highly recommended.
Brian Page editor

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Featured Interview With Robert R Randall

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
As the title of my memoir attests, I was born and raised in the deep South. After a stint in the Air Force (ours), I got just enough education to be dangerous (an MS in Mass Communications from the University of Louisiana-Lafayette) and took my show on the road–literally. For ten years I was an itinerant disc jockey and sometimes TV sports anchor. When I came to my senses, I became an advertising copywriter (okay, scratch coming to my senses).

I live with my lovely wife, two cats (Nicky and Zeus), and a Sheba Inu dog named Lucki in an Antonio.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I discovered reading for pleasure in high school and became a daily reader in my 20s. But I did not begin to write seriously until I was in my 40s.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Mostly, I read novels. I still love Faulkner, Fitzgerald and Robert Penn Warren. More recently, I’ve been reading Richard Russo, Kate Atkinson, Donna Tartt, Richard Ford, Annie Proulx and many others.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Lost in the 50s: In Meridian, Mississippi is a memoir about growing up in The Fabulous 50s: It was the era that gave us Brando and Marilyn Monroe, Elvis and Fats Domino, Grace Kelly and James Dean. Not to mention the Cold War and hula hoops, the exciting new medium of television, and a new kind of music called ‘rock ‘n roll.’ As if that weren’t enough, the 1950s also brought us fallout shelters, the Korean War, sack dresses and ducktail haircuts.

For a kid like ‘BobbyRandall,’ (in the South, they liked to tie your first and last name together) coming of age in the deep South of the mid-twentieth-century meant colorful characters, charming venues, and an unforgettable way of life. From the legendary black bottom pie at Weidmann’s Restaurant to ‘making out’ at the Royal Drive-In–from a pool shark named Lenard to the mad dentist, ‘Doctor Death,’ Lost in the 50s is a fun book to read.

It was also a fun book to write–my first memoir, and it practically wrote itself in about a year.

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Featured Interview With Michele Scott

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I grew up in the foothills of San Diego county where we always had horses and I started riding as a little girl. I was also a competitive gymnast for seven years as a kid and give credit to the sport in providing me with the skill of tenacity and determination. I think it’s one of the reasons why I can write under the gun!
I went to college at The University of Southern California and studied journalism. But, I always wanted to write fiction. Soon after I graduated I had my first son and wrote my first novel! That was 1991 and I have been writing books ever since. I love it!!
I’m a mom to three amazing, grown children. I love to cook! I’ve written 36 books….7 of them were co-authored projects. I just recently moved from my hometown of San Diego to San Francisco where I am brewing a new mystery series or two in my head!

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
Let’s see…I’ve been writing since I can remember! I always loved to read and write and wrote my first “book” when I was 12..of course it was about horses. Horses are my other passion and outside of writing I am the Vice President of our family business where we manufacture sports medicine products for horses. If you read my books you’ll find a few have an equestrian theme or background to them.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
James Patterson, Stephen King, PD James, Dean Koontz, Sandra Brown are all authors who have influenced me in some way or another. I love the scary stuff, anything mystery, thriller…a little romance is always good, too.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book is DEADLY AFFAIRS and it’s the fourth book in my Holly Jennings Thriller series. DADDY’S HOME is the first book in this series! Holly is a San Diego Homicide Detective who has been through quite a bit, which you know if you’ve read the series and if you haven’t.. I won’t spoil it. This particular book was inspired by The Ashley Madison scandal that broke a few years ago where cheaters were basically called out due to hackers. So, there’s a lot of that in the book. I started writing it right after the third book (THE PREFERENCE) but life got messy and I went through a divorce, which threw a curve ball in my writing process. When life settled down again I knew I had to get back in the saddle so to speak and start writing again. It’s out now and I’m doing the work to get the series back in front of my readers and the word out to new readers.

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Featured Interview With Sharon Krasny

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Sharon Krasny has worked as an educator for over sixteen years in Virginia and abroad teaching in both Hungary and the Czech Republic. She discovered a love of oral history, from the people’s enthusiasm in retelling their knowledge of old.
As an Advanced Placement English teacher and adjunct professor, she has spent years encouraging students to take risks, look closely at the smallest details, and determine hidden meaning found within the text. Her own writing reflects these values.
Sharon lives and writes in Northern Virginia with her husband Prokop and their rescue pets: Labrador Rupert and cat Bonnie Rose.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I have always enjoyed comfort reading. Dr. Seuss Put Me In the Zoo was a true go to many times. It showed many possibilities with words and individuality of character. My language arts teachers starting in fifth grade with Mr. Baccus up through Mrs. Joan Fisher, my eleventh grade American literature teacher all reaffirmed and identified in me a writer’s spirit. It’s taken numerous years to finally find the courage to embrace my dream and put some time into crafting my writing.
I have spent the past thirteen years teaching literary analysis. I have fallen in love with the many layers and different approaches to the same stories. My students have taught me so much about the power of meaning two or more can build when bridging hearts of imagination.
To me reading and writing is the most powerful conversation two people can share. We enter a vulnerable spot and think about what in life perplexes, hurts, confounds, and challenges us to become better people. There’s a special magic when a reader or a writer begins to recognize themselves in a book.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Currently I spend more time in international authors or American authors of ethnicity. Stepping outside of our own culture and understanding is a great way to get a better view of daily reality. I am currently reading Through The Waters And The Wild by Greg Fields due out in January. His look at the struggle of Irish immigrants once again brings many current conflicts into a more complete perspective. For not enjoying history too much in high school, I do enjoy historical fiction as my genre of choice. Khaled Hosseini’s A Thousand Splendid Suns did a lot to encourage the writing of my novel. Mr. Hosseini’s choice to embrace the voices of women and deliver a compelling and moving drama from within the characters of oppressed gave me a lot of freedom to explore my writing through the voice of Ötzi the Iceman, who lived 5300 ago in the Chalcolithic era and was found murdered in the Italian Alps thirty years. I can’t get further removed from myself than a frozen dead guy from five millennia ago. It was a fascinating experience and I am very thankful for the example successfully navigated by Khaled Hosseini.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Forgotten and frozen for 5000 years, the most studied corpse in the world known as Ötzi was found emerging from a glacier on the Italian Alps. Murdered, shot through the back, his story creates a haunting need to understand how he got there.
Young Gaspare tells his story as the Iceman, as he faces the rites of passage of an ancient tribe, the longing for love and deepening friendship, and the scars of cowardice. Gaspare’s four challenges will test his wit, strength, and the love of a mother for her son. If he is to find his place in the changing tribe, he must understand his greatest fear.

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Featured Interview With Anna Finch

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I am an Australian-Uruguayan, teacher of English and Humanities from Melbourne, Australia. I love writing in the fantasy, sci-fi and coming of age genres in both YA and Adult categories. ‘Voiceless: A Mermaid’s Tale’ is my debut novel in the YA, urban fantasy and coming of age genres. Prior to my debut novel I worked mainly on poetry and short stories in both English and Spanish, which I plan on eventually publishing. I have two Jack Russells – Brooke and Crowley.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
My fascination with books started in primary school when I began noticing that I was losing my language (Spanish) and started reading every book Spanish story book I could get my hands on (I had to teach myself how to read Spanish first). Eventually, I ran out of Spanish books and migrated towards the English novels/novellas in the library. Writing, on the other hand, I didn’t really start doing it for fun until about year 8 as an escape from the bullying and to deal with my emotions (I mainly wrote poetry).

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
My favourite authors are Neil Gaiman and Sarah Henning, I really love ‘Good Omens’ and ‘Sea Witch’. Some of my favourite genres are urban and historical fantasy, sci-fi, coming of age, crime, thriller/suspense and dystopia. The writing styles and themes of Suzann Collin’s ‘The Hunger Games’, Kalinda Ashton’s ‘The Danger Game’ and Louis Lowry’s ‘The Giver’ inspired the themes/style of my debut novel ‘Voiceless: A Mermaid’s Tale’.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
What inspired me to write ‘Voiceless: A Mermaid’s Tale’?

‘Voiceless: A Mermaid’s Tale’ is my debut novel. The initial idea for the story came to me as I watched writing videos by my favourite authors on YouTube and listened to Poor Unfortunate Souls on repeat.

I always loved The Little Mermaid growing up. She was different, an outsider who sacrificed everything for love. She struggled with her identity and finding her place in a world that eventually silenced her. But there were things in both the original fairytale and the Disney version that made me uncomfortable as I grew older.

As I wrote Voiceless, I thought about the choices the little mermaid made in the original tale and knew that I wanted her to make different choices, to grow as a person rather than a damsel in distress. There were moments in both versions where the little mermaid stood up for herself and made choices of her own. I wanted my little mermaid to be more than a mermaid who fell in love with a human at first sight.

As a coming of age story, I explore and mention many serious issues that affect young people today through the eyes of Moriah as she discovers who she is and what she wants.

While that was what inspired me to write that story, not many people know the reason why I wrote my debut novel. ‘Voiceless: A Mermaid’s Tale’ was actually my NANOWRIMO 2019 project but I decided to participate in NANOWRIMO, and actually write the novel, last year because my Year 9 English students were writing their own coming of age/dystopian stories for an assessment so I decided to plan, write and edit the my own story alongside them so they could have an example for when they wrote theirs. That, and I hoped it would get them interested in writing their stories. I actually promised my students that I’d publish my subverted little mermaid novel. Adding additional character development and editing in general was like pulling teeth but I got there eventually.

What is ‘Voiceless: A Mermaid’s Tale’ about?

A heartless king sits on his throne, weaving his cruelty like a web that chains all within his reach. Under his reign freedom is a lie and love and compassion are forbidden.

A loving yet powerless father and prince must overcome his grief to protect his only daughter that is free from his father’s web of cruelty. But Moriah isn’t making it easy for him.

Soon, Princess Moriah’s desperate desire for power and freedom conflicts with the forbidden love she has for the human, Michael, putting her father and kingdom at risk.

The star-crossed lovers must defy the odds in order to keep their relationship hidden from the cruel king of Zoara-Bela. But this won’t be easy.

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Featured Interview With Erik Daniel Shein

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Born in Northfield Ohio, and at eh young age of 7 my family moved to Arizona where I still reside.
I have always had and still have several pets. A lot of them are rescue pets that I came across neglected or abused and now have cats and birds, snakes and turtles and maybe even a crocodile

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
At the age of 8 i would walk to the forest and stare at turtles and frogs for long periods of time. It was at that time where I started creating stories about them. To this day I can go to the zoo, watch animals such as elephants and in my mind turn the thoughts into “The Lion King”

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
My favorite authors are Dr. Seuess and also Michael Crichton. I enjoy reading Children’s books and have been and still am inspired by Legends such as Walt Disney and Mickey Rooney

Tell us a little about your latest book?
The Forgotten Ornament came from my grandmother. Every Chrismas she would tell me how the animal ornaments on the tree would come to life for a brief moment just to say that they were thinking of me.
All the characters in The Forgotten Ornament represent all the animals that I have rescued from abuse and neglect.

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Featured Interview With Argyro Graphy

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Argyro Graphy was born and raised in Toronto, Ontario Canada and since the age of 16 relocated a few times, has returned and settled in Mississauga. The family pets have always been birds, budgies, canaries, and lovebirds.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
From a very young age Graphy wanted to write or illustrate children’s books. Bullying, discrimination and harassment scarred her as she questioned her self-worth. It was after 40 years and a recent life-changing trauma that she decided to write. She created an adorable hippo character, Bentley that children would be able to relate to and who is now inspiring children around the globe

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
A huge fan of Walt Disney from a young age, loved children’s books, middle grade as well as some young adult books. Walt Disney’s “magic” was a huge inspiration though recently she has been reading a lot of Erik Daniel Shein’s novels as they have underlying lessons and important values to better the world.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
The most recent book The Forgotten Ornament was co-written with Erik Daniel Shein as well as the 3rd book in The Bentley Hippo: Inspiring Children Series – The Adventures of Bentley Hippo: Inspiring Children to Never Give Up, in honor of her late friend who always inspired her to never give up.

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