Top Selling Authors: Get To Know Them Better

Featured Interview With Jennifer Briggs

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I grew up in Philadelphia, PA, in Mount Airy and Chestnut Hill. For the second half of my
growing up, I was also in Wilmington, DE. My parents got a divorce when I was eleven. Each
parent remarried, and it was all extremely amicable. I split my time evenly between my two
homes. I’ve lived in Pittsburgh, PA since I graduated from Swarthmore College in 1999. My
husband and I came to Pittsburgh so he could attend graduate school at Carnegie Mellon
University. By the time he was done, we loved Pittsburgh, and my massage therapy practice
was thriving. Now Pittsburgh feels like home. I have one cat who is very catlike in that she sits
on any new item left on the floor or sofa. She also likes baked goods so we have to be wary of
leaving any food unattended, even when we think it shouldn’t appeal to cats.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I loved the Laura Ingalls Wilder books as soon as my mom read them to me, which was
probably when I was five or six. In first or second grade I was reading them by myself, enjoying
the coziness and adventures of Laura’s childhood.

In kindergarten I remember having a journal that I pretended to fill, wanting to emulate my
mom and her journaling. In first grade, we began our school day by writing a few sentences
and drawing a picture. For weeks I wrote the same story basically every day. It was about a girl
going outside. I think I liked drawing the house and the girl. I’m glad my parents and teachers
allowed me to write what I wanted, without pushing me to change my theme until I was ready.
As I got more accomplished and our stories turned into short books, I remember using the word
“suddenly” quite often to make my stories seem exciting.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I really love kids’ books that have profound life lessons and truths conveyed with warmth and
humor. I adore Mo Willems and his Elephant and Piggie books, Pigeon books, and Knuffle Bunny
books, and I get teary every single time I read City Dog, Country Frog. The Frog and Toad books
by Arnold Lobel are similar masterpieces. My husband and I say that I am like Toad (getting

frustrated and upset more easily) and he is Frog (calmer). Sarah also likes to be Toad, especially
when he is feeling “blah” or sad, so then I pretend to be Frog, and we sit on our porch swing
waiting for the mail.

I love the warmth of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House books and LM Montgomery’s Anne of
Green Gables series. I have thoroughly enjoyed everything by Caroline Carlson, most especially
Wicked Marigold, and by Jonathan Auxier, especially Sweep.

Glennon Doyle, Amor Towles, Maya Shanbhag Lang, Andrea Gibson, and Brian Doyle are the
writers who somehow put things so beautifully into words that I want to eat their sentences. A
Gentleman in Moscow by Towles is one of my favorite books of all time, both because of the
story that kept surprising me, and the writing full of warmth and wit. Whether fiction or non-
fiction, I am most interested in people sharing their full, real, emotional experiences as humans,
especially if they are able to transform those experiences through learning, love, and growth. If
they can do this with love and humor, all the better.

I love everything Glennon Doyle has written, and I love the We Can Do Hard Things podcast.
What I appreciate and find the most inspiring is how Glennon’s books and the podcast delve
into sharing the messiness of being human. It isn’t just sharing the polished ending, it is sharing
the emotional middle and the process of figuring things out. That is what I aim to do in my blog
and my book. It is so easy to be inspired by someone else’s journey but if they don’t put in the
messy parts then I can put them on a pedestal and somehow assume they didn’t ever struggle
along the way. Not that one has to struggle, but I certainly did and do. In that same vein, Maya
Shanbhag Lang’s book What We Carry was one of the most beautifully written memoirs I have
ever read. She shared the tough moments and the beautiful moments, all tied together so
elegantly I was in awe.

Son-Rise: The Miracle Continues by Barry Neil Kaufman inspired me greatly. That, in addition to
his book, Happiness is a Choice, was what led me to sign up for an eight-week course at the
Option Institute when I was in college. Fourteen years after taking that course, I signed up for
the Son-Rise Program Start-Up training, which then changed my life and Sarah’s life so
profoundly. I continue to take courses through the Option Institute and the Autism Treatment
Center of America because they lovingly help people achieve incredible things, beyond the
realm of what some people may deem possible. The hope and freedom that they have helped
me find and create for myself have been and continue to be transformative. All of that is part of
why I was inspired to write Watching Sarah Rise, because I wanted to help other people know
that there are options and different approaches to autism, special needs, and life in general.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My oldest daughter, Sarah, has special needs and was notably delayed in reaching her
milestones. She has also been diagnosed with autism. When she was 4 and still not speaking
aside from making the sounds for each letter of the alphabet, I went to the Autism Treatment
Center of America for a week-long training session on how to run a Son-Rise Program. As soon
as I got home and started interacting with Sarah differently, her language started to increase.
With help from friends and several volunteers that I found in a variety of ways, I ran a Son-Rise
Program for Sarah for five years. I called it Sarah-Rise, and it was by far the most impactful thing
that I ever did to help Sarah – and believe me, I felt like I tried everything! Not only did Sarah’s
language seem to explode into being, but her eye contact and overall ability to connect with
others increased dramatically. She learned to play games, to play imaginatively, to use the
toilet, to eat healthily, to read, and to write. Our home was host to an incredible community of
volunteers who brought their love and creativity to help Sarah thrive. Our whole family
benefited tremendously, and I became more of the parent I wanted to be. If I could go back in
time and change anything, it would be to start my Son-Rise Program training sooner, because it
helped me feel empowered and helped me let go of the parental guilt I had been toting around
for years. In Watching Sarah Rise I describe the early years of Sarah’s life and the struggles to
get her to eat enough and reach any milestone. I then share how I started Sarah-Rise, how I
found volunteers, and how the program evolved over time. I include my struggles and
celebrations because parenting anyone is a journey and parenting a child with special needs can
feel like an even more challenging journey. I want to help other people feel less alone with their
struggles by voicing my own and how I moved through them. I also want to help other parents
know that the Son-Rise Program exists because it was so monumentally life-changing for my
whole family, and most especially for Sarah. The book is inspiring and heart-warming, as is
Sarah.

Connect with the Author on their Websites and Social media profiles

Jennifer Briggs’s Website

Jennifer Briggs Facebook Page

Featured Interview With Janet Constantino

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born in Omaha, Nebraska, which I remember very little about, outside of peering into and falling down storm cellar stairs and watching my grandmother, my mother, and my namesake, Aunt Janet, peeling vegetables – onions, which made my mother cry – in a large, old-fashioned kitchen.
We moved when I was four, from Omaha to Southern California, and then to San Jose, California, where I lived until I graduated from college, at 21. From there I’ve moved progressively north, and now I live in Sonoma California with my husband, my sweet labradoodle, Cassie, and a prankster tuxedo cat named Willow.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
The feel and smell of opening a new library book was very thrilling to me, as a child. I read at a very young age, and memorized the alphabet forwards and backwards because I had pictures on the wall of my room with the alphabet around the borders. And I had a small chair in my room, where I would sit and read. That’s where the world was exciting, inside books!

I started writing in high school, after a highly esteemed teacher, Mr. Bloom, wrote on one of my papers that I had the makings of a writer. Especially, if I would learn to link my observations of people into a story, or a scene. His praise awakened something in me I hadn’t seen about myself.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
My favorite genre is literary fiction, although I do like a good mystery. My favorite authors include Louise Erdrich, John Banville, Elena Ferrante (her Brilliant Friend series set mostly in Naples really inspired me), William Faulkner, Hemingway, Ian Mc Ewan, Ann Tyler, Henry James, particularly Portrait of a Lady. Two of my all-time favorites are Middlemarch, by George Eliot, and The City of Your Final Destination, by Peter Cameron. Jane Austen, of course, and one of the most beautifully written books in the English language is The Great Fire, by Shirley Hazzard. Still Life, by Sarah Winman was inspiring and wonderfully written. I’m inspired by books where the characters come to know themselves and struggle to live true to that knowledge.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
A friend asked me, “If you could write about anything you wanted, what would that be?” I thought immediately of Sicily, (I’m half-Sicilian, and have relatives there), and then of a young Sicilian woman trying to break free from her overbearing mother, and from a culture that has historically kept women in traditional roles of housewife, cook, and mother, even if they’re educated and have or aspire to careers. So Mariella is such a young woman, and with the help of her Nonna, her grandmother, she escapes to San Francisco., where her struggle to live her own life continues. One can leave the culture, but does the culture ever leave you?

I also took inspiration for Becoming Mariella from my psychotherapy clients who have dared to follow their own paths, and from my own challenges along the way.

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Janet Constantino’s Website

Janet Constantino Facebook Page

Featured Interview With Eliot Pattison

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I spent my childhood on a farm on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, in what you might call chicken and crab country. We lived near a remote navy air base, and I used to lie down in the middle of our hayfield to watch the aircraft approaching the base, convinced that they had to be coming from the other side of the world and dreaming about all the exotic sights they had seen. It nurtured my imagination, and my appetite for travel. Today, after experiencing much of that world, I live on a colonial-era farm in the beautiful Appalachian foothills of Pennsylvania. Among our companions are many two and four-legged creatures, including Bernese Mountain Dogs, horses, and a guardian goose We are playing a small part in preserving an endangered breed of gentle giants, Shire horses.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I bonded with books at an early age. As a young boy, I spent three years on crutches with limited mobility and my beloved relatives, including a globe-trotting librarian aunt, kept sending me books. Many were beyond my years but I always eagerly paged through them and treasured them even more as I grew into them. I was seven when I discovered what seemed to be the very height of human civilization, the rural rolling library called the Bookmobile. I became an avid customer, often waiting first in line for its weekly arrival in the nearby village and always leaving with my arms filled with new knowledge and adventure. I was in high school—by then we had moved to Indiana– when my English teacher assigned us to write a short story. He really liked what I produced, and said “You should keep at it.” So I did.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Asking me to pick a favorite author is like asking me to pick a favorite color or food. There are so many great ones, offering up new hues and flavors to suit my varying appetites. I have very eclectic tastes, but overall my preferred genre is literary historical fiction, where British writers excel. My all-time favorite would be Patrick O’Brian, whose maritime novels have often transported me to the early 19th century. Close behind would be Hilary Mantel and C.J. Sansom, For pure escapism—think audiobooks on long drives—no one beats Bernard Cornwell, who opens doors leading as far back as the 11th century.

I had been writing reviews, essays, and nonfiction books for years before attempting a novel. Two books particularly informed that decision—Umberto Eco’s The Name of the Rose and Martin Cruz Smith’s Gorky Park, two very different but very brilliant works. It is probably no coincidence that one was a historical mystery and the other a mystery set in a remote, somewhat exotic location. My Bone Rattler series is of course historical mystery and my Skull Mantra books have often been described as “faraway mysteries.”

Tell us a little about your latest book?
The novel, like the earlier entries in the Bone Rattler series, is driven by my belief that historical fiction can be an antidote to our historical apathy. We suffer greatly from being disconnected to our past. Part of the problem is that our history texts are sterile, presenting the characters that shaped our history as lifeless mannequins. But our past was not lifeless. The DNA that defines each of us was in living, breathing humans centuries ago, individuals who, despite differences in material goods and technology, had many of the same appetites, ambitions, frustrations and dilemmas that we experience today.

Like all the books in this series, Freedom’s Ghost builds on actual historical events and characters, bringing them to life by combining history with humanity. These figures include, John Hancock, John Adams, actual British officers, escaped slaves, and the enigmatic Crispus Attucks; their paths converge and become violently entangled, raising a startling question: was the Boston Massacre a military blunder or a murder plot? My protagonist Duncan McCallum painfully confronts that question. Ultimately the book is about the many dimensions, and perceptions, of freedom. The nature of beauty may be in the eye of the beholder but, as Duncan learns, the nature of freedom is in one’s heart.

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Eliot Pattison’s Website

Eliot Pattison Facebook Page

Eliot Pattison Twitter Account

Featured Interview With Lori Wojtowicz

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Most of my life has been lived in classrooms. I taught in Ann Arbor, Michigan, for 35 years and now work as an Educational Facilitator in schools across the country. Recess from the classroom, allows me time with my family. I am the crazy grandma who loves a good adventure with her 8 grand children. Or you can find me in the woods on my horse or with my dogs.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I have always believed in the power of stories. My life as an educator was all about the literature that teaches and inspires. While I taught writing to my students, it is only in the last few years that I began writing. Now I see what I was asking of my students!!

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I love the classics, Melville and Hawthorne, but now I tend to read more non-fiction and memoir. My passion is equity in education, and I have learned a great deal from Ta-Nehisi Coates, Bettina Love, Bryan Stevenson, and so many others.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Since equity is still elusive in our schools and country, I decided to turn to a new source for knowledge, my former students who are now adults, many with children and grandchildren of their own. They may not have prestigious titles or letters behind their names, but they are the experts of lived experience. I sought out 22 of my former students and their words are captured in my latest book, Listen to the Truth They Bring. Their words may not provide a new theory on race relations or closing the achievement gap; however, they do offer their insights with unabashed honesty. As an English teacher, I taught the literature that inspires and educates. Perhaps the stories of these former students will help heal our educational system and our country.

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Lori Wojtowicz Facebook Page

Featured Interview With Nijas N

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
My name is Nijas N. I born in kerala, India. I am a published author of amazon and google play books and now a verified author of goodreads. I write mainly in free verse and slef help contents. And i am a podcast host of “nijas n podcast ”

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
At the age of 13 to 14 i just started making friendship with books. And slowly it delevops and i search for more generes and read those i like.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Most propbably everyone. Every author try to say something through their works so its mainly based on readersview point. So i like everyones work.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book was “stupid thoughts” and i wrote it after seeing my friend who was suffered in the pressure of career and boyfriend . So i just wrote it to eradicate the stupid thoughts that came to our mind which resist our forward move.

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Nijas N’s Website

Nijas N Twitter Account

Featured Interview With Michael Springer

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I am proud to say that at age 55, my first novel, The Flower Bed, was published on 30 April 2024. I am a practising Barrister-at-Law (I wear the wig and gown to court) who is married and has an 11-year-old daughter. I live in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, where I was born, but have lived in other Australian cities and travelled to distant lands. There must be some unique substance in the water at my home because my dog, Marley (yes, she was named after watching the movie), is in her fifteenth year, and our cat, Be-Be, is in her twenty-second year. I am a trained actor and singer and have had a passion for creativity since my earliest recollection. I am also a mental health survivor, having lived with various mental health conditions for most of my life, and I am a passionate online advocate to normalise mental health.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I have been fascinated with books for most of life, commencing with my grandfather reading to me from when I was about two years of age. I have intermittently written poetry since I was 17; however, The Flower Bed, which I commenced writing in January 2016, is the first book I have written. When I was studying acting in Sydney during the early 1990s I wrote a film script, a document that has been regrettably lost with the effluxion of time.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I find it difficult to nominate a ‘favourite’ author because I love reading fictional and non-fiction books, poetry, plays, essays and letters. However, I am doing my best to answer each question:

1. Ken Kesey, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Mark Twain, Harper Lee and Oscar Wilde are my favourite authors of fictional books.
2. Mike Carlton and Peter FitzSimons are my favourite non-fiction authors.
3. William Shakespeare, Elaine May, Tennessee Williams and George Bernard Shaw are my favourite theatre and film scriptwriters.
3. I like reading any fiction genre; for me, it is more about how engaging the plot is than whether it is a crime story or a love story. For example, I loved reading Dr. Zhivago.
4. Maya Angelou, Blake and Shelley are my favourite pots.

Who inspires me in my writing? My answer is not meant to be obtuse because it is the truth- every single person who has dared to write and been published inspires me. After all, literature is the heart and soul of humanity.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
The Flower Bed is a blend of a psychological thriller, a crime story, and a love story, which spans continents and most of the central character’s lifetime. I otherwise will quote this Amazon review written by a retired educator who lives in Ohio: “As a former educator, I started my career teaching English literature for 20 years. Amidst the standard required “classics”, I always added modern authors to the year’s required reading lists. If I were still teaching those classes and students, I would add Michael Springer’s ‘The Flower Bed’ as a required read for the year. Very few novels have all these strengths overlapping at the same time: intricate, surprising plot turns; characters who are not caricatures; a narrative that reaches beyond the book jacket’s message, and some unique surprise … something that the author did differently than anyone else. Michael’s level of detail, his literal juggling of plot twists and turns, his recircling attention on Louis while veering in multiples of other directions … just, just superb. I would choose ‘The Flower Bed’ as required reading just for its demonstration of a writer’s craft.”

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Michael Springer’s Website

Michael Springer Facebook Page

Michael Springer Twitter Account

Featured Interview With Teni Ayo-Ariyo

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I am a Nigerian-American writer, raised in Los Angeles and currently living in Seattle Washington. Since moving from Lagos to Los Angeles at the formative age of 9, I have developed a thirst for immersing myself in new environments. I’ve since lived in New Hampshire, Texas and North Carolina before landing in Seattle.
I love deep connections, hot water w/ lemon, and the quiet hum of every day life. I am always searching for music and words that shift her heart and feet. Some days, I practice yoga, some days I use my business school degree, most days- I’m just trying my best to be human.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
As most writers do, I started reading extensively before I started writing. During the harsh transition to U.S culture at the age of 9, books were my escape and comfort after leaving all that was familiar to me behind. In contrast to Nigeria , where my days were spent with cousins, family friends, aunts and uncles, I had no extended family in the U.S. so the characters in my books became my family and friends.

For as long as I can remember I have loved words. I love them big and bold. Small and dainty, and everything in between. Words strung together in a way that forces me to put the book down, catch my breath and ponder my entire existence. I am enthralled by strange, surprising ways to describe the everyday mysteries of our human experience. It is the same feeling I get when I eat warm bread or smell a fresh baby. Bliss.

I found my writing voice in college where for the first time, I was allowed and encouraged to have a voice that was different from the conservative religious norm I grew up in.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Lately I’ve been delving into African fiction by women writers. Their stories are where I feel most at home. I’ve enjoyed the works of Imbolo Mbue, Chimamanda Adichie, Buchi’s Emeta. These women empower me to show up exactly as I am into the page. To dig out the parts I think to hide and celebrate them loudly,

Tell us a little about your latest book?
wash between your toes is a book of poetry love letters I wrote as an ode to my college self. This tender poetry collection a celebration of the electric breathtaking power embedded in my nuanced experiences as a Black immigrant woman living in America.

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Teni Ayo-Ariyo’s Website

Featured Interview With Sarah L. Hicks

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
My home state is Virginia, but I’m currently holed up at Fort Bliss, Texas, with my husband. If there’s water nearby, chances are I’ll be on my paddleboard. On solid ground, I’m enjoying the ride on my Royal Enfield Classic 350.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
My love for a good story began when my grandmother read to me as a child. Throughout the years, I’ve dabbled in writing, both academically and for my own enjoyment. Now, in my fifties, my first book is finally published.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I am a fan of mysteries and enjoy reading the books of Arthur Conan Doyle and Agatha Christie. Along with the others, Charles Dickens, C. S. Lewis, and Jane Austen are at the top of my list.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Mystery on Maple Street is a fictional mystery story that highlights the often-overlooked role of women in Jesus’ ministry in a fun and engaging way. The protagonist, Maggie North, continues the work of the Biblical women we’ve often read about. The Magdala League, named for Mary of Magdala (Magdalene), is a modern organization that continues to fund and support Jesus’ revolutionary ministry. However, Maggie works in the Special Operations Section (SOS) which takes her on dangerous and exciting adventures.

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Sarah L. Hicks’s Website

Featured Interview With Amanda Nelson and Lisa-Marie Potter

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Amanda and Lisa-Marie are a co-writing team of best friends who share imaginary worlds, including a short story, Shivers, published in Moments Between. Lisa Marie Potter (BIPOC) is a mom of four who grew up in Nottingham, England, and now resides in Alaska with her husband and golden retriever. Amanda Nelson grew up in Maryland and moved to Arizona, where she attended college and currently lives with her husband and four kids. They review books on their socials, hike the Olympic National Park, and fight over the same fictional crushes.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
Lisa-Marie fell in love with books when she was eleven after reading Five Go to Mystery Moore by Inid Blyton. Amanda, on the other hand, didn’t fall in love with books until her senior year in high school when she read Wuthering Heights and realized she was a hopeless romantic.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Both Amanda and Lisa-Marie love Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight Saga books and Sinner by Maggie Stiefvater. It was the Twilight series that got them into writing in the first place. Something about the first book called to them, and they couldn’t put it down. After finishing the series, they decided to try writing something on their own, and years later, here they are.

As for genres, Lisa-Marie’s go-to is suspense, and Amanda loves romcoms. It’s hard to believe they could agree on a manuscript, right?

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Men In Books took years in the making. It’s actually our second manuscript. When our first didn’t get picked up, it’s a YA speculative novel; we decided to try our hand at romance. Both of us are romantics at heart and love the Pretty Woman movie, so when Lisa-Marie suggested a gender-swapped version, we brainstormed, tweaked the plot, and made it our own.
Here’s the official blurb:
Pressured by her looming deadline and an unfinished romance manuscript, author Molly Covington applies her immersive research skills and goes all in. She hires a male companion for inspiration during three days of research in Las Vegas.

Enter sexy, confident Jared Washington—an extreme sports enthusiast and relationship skeptic who moonlights as a Plus One male companion. Molly’s contract puts him within arm’s reach of buying his own business and making his dreams come true.

The chemistry between her and Jared is surprisingly easy. Before their Vegas rendezvous comes to an end, one of them will need to lay all their cards on the table to discover if they’ll be lucky in love.

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Amanda Nelson and Lisa-Marie Potter’s Website

Amanda Nelson and Lisa-Marie Potter Facebook Page

Amanda Nelson and Lisa-Marie Potter Twitter Account

Featured Interview With Nathan J. Murphy

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was raised in the beautiful coastal region of Cornwall in the UK, but now I am based in Catalunya in the Spanish Pyrenees. The journey from Cornwall to Catalunya took twenty years and went via London where I lived for seven years. It was during these years that the embryonic questions that led to the writing of The Ideas That Rule Us formed; why do we live as we do? and why do we make the decisions we make when there are so many alternatives?

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
To be honest, I have never been deeply fascinated by books. I read a lot of non-fiction and scientific literature because I want to get useful insights from them. I started writing a book in my mid-thirties, sort of, by accident. I originally started developing a set of papers that described how ideologies worked and it got out of control and evolved into a book.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I enjoy non-fiction books that are the result of years, or decades, of research and work to distil very large and complex fields into a book that almost anyone can read. These are not books that are part of a three-book deal, but real labours of love, sweat and tears. Books that fit this category might be Behave by Robert Sapolsky, Loneliness by John T. Cacioppo, A New History of Humanity by Graber & Wengrow, or Happiness by Matthieu Ricard.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
‘The Ideas That Rule Us’ looks at how ideas and ideology works. This sounds a little dry at first, but once you realise that ideas shape who we are and what we become—and impact a vast array of human behaviour—it becomes more interesting.

Ideas are possible because human beings have developed the capability for abstract thought. This ability to imagine what does not exist—including the past, the future—is what defines the human experience. The resulting dichotomy of ‘the emotional’ and ‘the abstract’ leads to untold complication in our lives—a big part of being human is untangling the messy nature of our unlimited minds.

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Nathan J. Murphy’s Website

Featured Interview With Karin Adams

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba and it’s where I’m living now. Winters are long and cold, which is great for getting some writing done! Truly, there’s lots to do here and beautiful places to explore, and you can’t beat the gorgeous summers and the endless prairie skies. I don’t have any pets but I love animals. I know all the dogs in my neighborhood and we always stop on our walks to say “hi” to each other.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I can’t remember a time without books. I remember my mom reading me picture books and taking me to the library when I was very small. When I was a bit older and she started reading “The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe” to me—a chapter a night—I was captivated. I’d say it was then that I knew I wanted to tell stories and write books one day, too.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I still love C.S. Lewis to this day and re-read The Chronicles of Narnia once a year. I enjoy a wide variety of genres, from historical fiction to classic mystery novels (particularly Agatha Christie) to great works of literature like Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. The books that have had the most impact on my own fiction writing are probably those I loved as a child – anything by Judy Blume and Gordon Korman fall into that category. Both authors have such a wonderful way of bringing authentic young characters and young-person situations to life, which is what I aspire to do too when writing for a middle grade audience. But I also love discovering today’s authors. I think that my writing is energized by any and everything that I read!

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book is “The One Week Writing Workshop”. It’s a non-fiction handbook for adults aspiring to write a novel, or those stuck somewhere in the process. The subtitle is “7 Days to Spark, Boost or Revive Your Novel” and that’s exactly the book’s intention! It offers a solid grounding in writing essentials, but is mostly activity-driven, inviting you to “write as you read”. By the end of the book, you’ll have experienced a proven seven-step method that you can use to write your novel and bust past creative blocks.

“The One Week Writing Workshop” took me about a year to complete, but it represents a much longer process than that. It’s based on my own novel-writing method and my many years of experience as a creative writing instructor. I’ve been leading writing workshops since 2010, so in a way the book has been in the making since then!

The activities you find in the “The One Week Writing Workshop” are all things that I do in my own process or have used to energize groups to write. I spent a lot of time figuring out the best order in which to present the writing tasks in book form, and the most inviting way to deliver my instructions. My goal was to energize and guide my readers, but also ensure that they could quickly dive into the writing activities themselves.

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Featured Interview With B. S. Daniels Novelist

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Howdy Partners!

I am not used to or enjoy talking about myself, so the simplest way I can explain myself is like this.

I was raised in the Canyon area of Colorado Springs. Readers might be more familiar with the term Cheyenne Mountain area, where NORAD is housed. Still, we lived close to where the “Broadmoor Resort” is located, and at the split of the two roads leading to the “Seven Falls” attraction which most people refer to as “The Cheyenne Canyon.”

My college years and the sowing of wild oats took place in Gunnison, Colorado, where I had about as much fun as any young man could have riding rodeo bulls, causing mischief with my buddies, and finally meeting my wife, Nancy. After being whipped off the bulls enough times and meeting Nancy, I knew for sure it was time to leave my ornery years behind.

I guided hunting trips into the mountains for friends to experience our vast wilderness and understand why I loved working in God’s country versus the boredom of a desk job. I found owning a tow truck business rewarding at times, helping many stranded people who wanted to enjoy our area but had no clue about how to prepare for winter storms on their visits. It was fraught with danger from time to time when vehicle repossessions were called for.

Deciding I wished for a better home base, we moved to New Castle, Colorado where I later found an interest in the tree and wood industry that I developed into more than one business. I had always cut firewood for our home but found it a lucrative business, which I created and expanded into a vending machine that sold boxed firewood. Later, I turned my hand and knowledge into trimming trees, then expanded into more branches of the wood business by investing in a mill.

My four children kept me busy during that time as well. We enjoyed watching them grow and shook our heads at their antics, recalling our youth as they did so. After they left home, Nancy and I were left with an empty nest, and we decided to strike out again. We moved to a small town in Meeker, Colorado, where we built a tiny home for ourselves and became a part of that community until the wanderlust hit us again, and we were off for a real adventure.

We now live in an exciting new chapter in Fort Laramie, WY, where I enjoy my lifelong dream of writing. I’ve had many four-legged companions, starting with Tinker, the fox terrier, D. O. G. (yes, that was his name}, plus another pup named Dog, then Caller, Buck, Rusty, Coffee, and now Kinder, all cattle dogs. They were my constant companions, always by my side when I cut firewood in the Cochetopa Creek Canyon in Gunnison, working on the ranch, hunting, fishing, or driving into town.
A cowboy can’t be without his dog on the range!

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I started writing for friends in college. I would help them out with love letters to their girlfriends. We had a great time doing that. Now, remember, I did mention earlier about my ornery days.

The problem with writing a book is that one needs to know how to spell. It’s hard to write if you can’t manage the spelling. Sometimes even the computer had a rough time figuring out what I had written on the page. I often had to chuckle at myself.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I like Louis L’Amour’s style. I always enjoyed his writing. He wrote a simple story that was easy to read yet full of exciting events in the cowboys of the West.

Westerns were, and always have been, my favorite genre and will always be my way of living life. Simple, honorable, and full of respect for others.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My book, TRAIL OF FATE, originally began as a one-hundred-page book.
Then, it began to grow as the characters developed. It is a novel suitable for all ages, featuring humor, challenging times, good times, and good old Western shootouts.

The book took about a month to write, but several months to be edited. With every edit, more detail was added and it continued to grow. Steven Spielberg stated, “Don’t develop the characters. let the characters develop themselves.”

I look forward to writing many more novels in the “Arduous Quest Series” to see where my characters will take me. I try to keep my writing simple. and I hope I paint a picture that intrigues the reader. ~B. S. Daniels (or Scott, as most people call me)

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Featured Interview With Mellisha Carter-Linton

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I am an Internal Auditor, Author, Empowerment Coach, Mentor and the mother of two awesome human beings. I have won medals in the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC) Literary Arts competition in 2018 and 2019.

I was raised in the parish of St. Catherine located on the beautiful island nation of Jamaica in the West Indies, where I still live. I have no pets, as yet.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
My earliest introduction to books was at about the age of 4yrs old. My mother had a book with pictures with the names of the images underneath and she would teach me from the book.

I was introduced to story writing in high school, as it was a requirement for sitting the external Caribbean English examination. My English Teacher did an excellent job at teaching the art of story writing, which unearth a talent that I never knew I had. She made me believe I could.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
When I was younger I loved reading mystery books such as Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys. I was intrigued by the stories and the authors ability to hold my interest from start to finish. I now prefer inspirational books. I admire the work of Author Terri Savelle Foy.

My writings are now inspired by my Christian Faith and my life experiences.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My book “From Bitterness to Betterness. Principles to Change Your Outlook on Life,” chronicles the life of a young girl named Genie who was born to a teenage mother, who was unprepared for her arrival. Genie grew up to suffer from severe emotional abuse which resulted in her suffering from low self esteem, as she harboured unhealthy, self-destructive thoughts.

The principles outlined in the book will offer guidance on the power of forgiveness, breaking generational curses, establishing a road map for your life, pursuing your purpose and reassuring your parents that even though you suffered at their hands, they did their best under the circumstances.

The outline for my book was written in 2016 and it was my 1st failed attempt at entering the national essay writing competition. I had some trauma in my life and I picked it up (the script) in 2021, found a publisher and completed it in 2022. I initially had a challenge in writing more than 3000 words (this was the required word count for the essays) but with coaching I was able to complete the manuscript.

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Featured Interview With Rachel Young

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
My motto in life is to have fun. I believe God created us to live life to full—which to me means— to soak in the beauty of every sunset, delight in the giggles of my children, and splash into the deep end of the activity before me.

I met my prince charming in high school drama class, he woo-ed me with poetry and pursued me until I said yes. I moved to Marysville, California in the middle of my junior year where I met him from Sterling, Colorado, a tiny podunk town that was a lovely place to grow up. My fabulous husband is the superhero dad to our four children and the calm to my crazy. Our couple superpower is supporting each other’s dreams to the bitter (and sweet) end. We live at a lake in Northern California where he manages a campground called Collins Lake. We have a golden doodle, 11 chickens and 3 goats.

I’m not a neutral kind of person–vibrant colors go best on me, and one of my friends has described me as a pen of many colors. You can find me serving tea (or wine) in my cabin in the woods of Northern Calfornia, to anyone and everyone who finds themself at my table for rousing and thoughtful conversations.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
My writing journey began in the fourth grade when my teacher read my adjective-infused story aloud to the superintendent. I was hooked. I discovered journalism in high school with delightful Bruce who let me sneak off campus for donuts and gave me behind-the-scenes access to everything with my press pass. I learned some more at Azusa Pacific University and put my skills to work at a small-town publication in Pasadena. Then I told God that I wasn’t meant to be a writer, but a baker and extravagant hospitality giver.

With many tears, I answered the call God set before me to endeavor to write a book. I questioned Him many times if I heard Him correctly. But here we are, to the detriment of my housekeeping, the book he gave me to write is available to anyone who needs its message.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
My all time favorite author is C.S. Lewis. He had a profound way of speaking God’s truths into story. I love any story that captivates me. I have especially loved lately Andy Andrews’ “The Noticer” and Bob Goff. I love theology reading and philosophy. And just a good fun story. Currently reading “Farmer Boy” by Laura Ingall’s Wilder to my 1st grader for homeschool. We are enjoying it. And my other all time favorite author is Francine Rivers. I have also recently enjoyed Lynn Austin.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
About 12 years ago my mother-in-law asked me to write down her story where she met the God who sees her. I started the project by interviewing her several times and even writing what I thought was the introduction. Somehow the project got tabled and I put it out of my mind.

Fast forward 10 years and I am 8 months pregnant with my third child. I somehow stumbled upon a one hour webinar with Selfpublishing.com and when the presenter said “a writer needs to write,” I started crying. I knew right then I couldn’t keep delaying. I had to obey God’s call to write this book.

I went up to talk to my mother-in-law who had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s and early signs of dementia. She did not remember that she had once wanted me to write a book for her. With prodding from her husband, she finally did remember and was thrilled I wanted to take on the project.

Two years later, I am at last publishing God Gave Me Diarrhea, a testimony of faith through impossibly difficult circumstances. It is an interweaving of stories that bring together God’s faithfulness and attentive care.

She suddenly became a full-time caretaker of her 27-year old adopted son when he was severely brain injured. He became like a permanent one-and-a-half-year-old, angry and violent. She had to trust God for the help she needed and saw him answer one prayer after another, the first being in the form of Diarrhea.

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Featured Interview With Ambro Blackwell

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Ambro Blackwell is a Wall Street Journal Best Selling Author for his book “Small Business Loans Made Simple”.

He’s currently a vice president and senior business banking relationship manager at JP Morgan Chase. He helps CEOs, CFOs, business owners, and executives to properly manage cash flow in their businesses and obtain commercial financing for various aspects of the lifecycle of their respective businesses.

He delivers thought-provoking and both conventional and non-conventional methods of strategic planning to help businesses set themselves up for success and obtain true access to capital.
Ambro’s mission is to help entrepreneurs and business leaders lead the most fiscally responsible companies authentically in the 21st Century. He has worked with CEOs and executives for over 20 years.

Ambro holds the designation of a Certified Treasury Professional from the Association of Financial Professionals. He earned a bachelor’s degree with an emphasis in Accounting from the University of California at Riverside, and an MBA in both Finance and Marketing from La Sierra University.
Working as a small business lender and commercial banking officer at some of the largest financial institutions in the world has given Ambro the edge and relationships to quickly analyze and support companies in almost every industry.

As a child of parents who were enlisted in the military, he grew up in several cities around the Air Force bases in Southern California with his siblings when they didn’t live on the military base.
He is actively involved in the community and charitable causes. In his spare time, he enjoys watching movies, jogging, and spending time with friends or family in Southern California.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I first realized my fascination with books when I was studying for my bachelors degree in college at University of California at Riverside. However, I didn’t get started writing until I met a gentleman by the name of Paul Walker at business networking mixer among C-Suite executives in Orange County, California.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
My list of favorite authors are extensive and I don’t think I could possibly list them all. However, some of my favorite authors include David Meltzer, Patrick Bet David, Daymond John, Jack Welch, Warren Buffet, Daniel Priestley, David Goggins, Robert Kiyosaki and more. My favorite genre is a mix between business finance and self-improvement. My inspiration comes from family and that includes my mother in particular. In addition, to my family I draw inspiration from individuals that demonstrate a high level of success.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Many of my peers have told me that they believe this is a help me to help you type of book. The goal in mind when writing the book was to provide the reader or listener with a road map that can serve as a guide to educate the business owner and entrepreneur on many of things that will help them to find success in seeking funding to grow, expand or start their business. A lot of myths are dispelled and resourceful information is packed inside of the book.

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Featured Interview With James Landsaw

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born in Missouri, then we moved pretty much all over the country. I kind of got off the moving bus with Family in West Texas. This is where I finished High School and begin my Career. I now live in Big Spring Texas

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
After working for many years in the country club industry and a few other industries. I worked 65 plus hours a week and was always on the front lines and back of the house. My Wife and children didn’t see me much as I spent long days and nights at work. My wife always says you run the country club, and I run the house!

I’ve since retired and decided to write about some of the gossip I ‘ve seen and heard. This is where I begin my adventure into the next part of my life. It was an area I disliked a lot about people.

I found that gossip and lies can create lots of funny stories and trouble. Gossip about corruption, lifestyles, sex, scandals, racism, drugs, lies, and politics found on all levels and classes. So, I decided to put those stories on paper.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
My wife and family continued to say with all the tails you talk about why don’t you put them on paper?

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Behind The Setting of a Country Club According to Inquisitive Jeff” by James Landsaw is a book that delves into the intriguing and often scandalous world of a country club. The story follows Jeff, a waiter at the club, who uncovers various aspects of life within this exclusive setting. The book explores themes such as gossip, corruption, lifestyles, sex, scandals, racism, drugs, lies, and politics, showing that these issues permeate all levels of society, regardless of class.
Jeff’s inquisitive nature leads him to discover that whether one is rich, middle class, or poor, everyone faces similar problems. The narrative provides a behind-the-scenes look at the lives of the staff and members of the country club, revealing the complexities and hidden truths of their interactions

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Featured Interview With Kizzi Roberts

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I grew up in a small town in Southern Missouri where I raised goats and cattle and showed animals at the county fair. My love of animals led me to study animal science and after college, I ran away with the circus. I joined Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey circus as a veterinary technician and spent two years traveling the country and Mexico. I lived in an RV with my dog and took care of elephants, tigers, camels, horses, and more! It was an amazing experience, but also made me miss home. After the circus, I settled back in my hometown which ultimately led me to meet my future husband. I now live just outside Springfield, Missouri with my husband, our two small children, and our dog. I recently got into beekeeping and I’m looking forward to the day I can have a couple reindeer and maybe a Norwegian Fjord too.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I have loved reading for as long as I can remember. I still have all the books I read as a kid and that includes the complete Animorphs series as well as tons of Boxcar Children, Babysitter’s Club and shelves and shelves of other books. I absolutely loved checking out books from the library as a kid, and my fascination with libraries continues today. My love for writing is also something I’ve had for as long as I can remember. I still have stories I wrote in elementary school. When I was in middle school, my English teacher had a big impact. She was so encouraging of my writing and made me think I could be an author someday. I got away from writing as I got older, but it was always something I dreamed about. While working at the circus, I decided I wanted to get serious about writing. I started taking online writing courses and became involved with SCBWI in 2014.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I love to read fantasy books and my favorite book ever is Sabriel by Garth Nix. In my writing, I’m probably most influenced by books I read as a child (Animorphs, The Island Stallion, Island of the Blue Dolphins), although I continue to read a wide range of books today. I really enjoy middle grade books especially if they are science fiction or fantasy.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
I’ve released a couple books recently. I’ve been working on a new nonfiction picture book series called Animal Clues Guess Who and I’m having a lot of fun with that. The latest release in that series is called Farm Animals and I teamed up with a local farm (Gooseberry Bridge Farm) to take pictures of their animals for the book. These books are basically animal guessing game books with facts about different animals and closeup pictures on one spread and then you turn the page to see the full picture of the animal plus more fun facts. My idea for this series came about while reading books to my toddler. We both enjoyed the guessing game style of books, but I wanted a book with more facts about the animals so I decided to write it. So far I’ve published Farm Animals, Forest Animals and Polar Animals.

My other book that came out recently is the second book in my Critter Camp Kids chapter book series. It’s called Kinsley and the Curious Corn Snake and includes all sorts of summer camp adventures plus lots and lots of animal facts. The series focuses on four girls attending an animal summer camp and they experience lots of problems along the way as well as a lot of fun. I teamed up with illustrator Stephen Gilpin for this series and he is incredible. It was amazing seeing him bring my characters to life.

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Featured Interview With Amere Dozier

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I talked about how I was raised last time we spoke. As of now I live in North Carolina. I do have a dog she’s 2 years old. Haha last time we spoke I didn’t have a dog.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
In elementary school. I would always write stories and read them to the class.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Jaquavis Coleman and Kwan Foye are my top two favorite. I like urban ficition and some non fiction work. The entire Bluford series inspires my writing.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Love’s Pricetag was about the pros and cons of love. My new book that is coming out in December is highlighting addiction, sexual abuse, and violence in the urban community.

Featured Interview With William Matthies

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I live in San Clemente California, raised close by in Long Beach California. Great time to grow up there in the ’60’s. Coulda/shoulda paid more time to school, less time to surfing, but, looking back, no real regrets.

Although I have been back many time since, I managed to get myself banished for life from Catalina Island, aged 13. You can learn more about that at https://medium.com/@coyotewm/my-first-arrest-32d1a840d7b0 if you like.

Three years in the army including 1968 in Vietnam with the First Cavalry Division, I came home, went back to college, graduated with BA’s in Economics and Business Administration, an MBA soon after.

I’ve been a successful entrepreneur in companies of my own (we won’t talk about the ones I started that failed.) I’ve owned more guitars than I can recall, and after more than 50 years of trying, have managed to play today as those I just started.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
My interest in books started for the wrong reasons. After college, I joined the Book of the Month Club, buying books fairly often. I did read most, but my primary interest was in people seeing I owned them, hopefully thinking because I did, I must be smart. That really didn’t work out, so I paid more attention to the reading, developing a habit of doing so every night, I’ve continued to this day.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Jack Kerouac, Hemingway, too many non fiction authors to recall and mention here. Who inspires me? Probably Kerouac’s “On the Road”. I’ve read it many times since the first time, and always feel as though I’m on the road with him.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
The Unlived Lives of Raymond Quinn. The following is the synopsis I used while searching (unsuccessfully) for an agent.

The backstory is, I and three of my friends from high school all ended up in B Battery, 2nd Battalion, 19th Airborne Artillery, 1st Cavalry Division in Vietnam. We arrived December 7, 1967, Steve, my best friend of the bunch, was killed in action six months to the day we arrived, June 6, 1968. My book is dedicated to his memory.

Raymond (Ray) Quinn believes himself to be a middle-aged single man living in downtown Seattle, Washington state, US. Having accepted a buyout offer when the company he worked for was sold, he no longer needs to work. As a result, he has little to do. He is unhappy without knowing why. There is no one in his life, he has no hobbies or activities to occupy his time. His daily routine amounts to little more than going for morning coffee at Starbucks across the street from his condominium and Pike Market.

On the advice of a Starbucks barista, Ray decides to visit Other Worlds Coffee shop near the Seattle docks, where, the barista tells Ray, he will meet interesting people in an environment he will enjoy. Unable to find it on his own, he is approached by an Asian man who offers to take him there. Ray agrees to follow him, beginning a relationship between the two unlike any Ray ever could have expected. Soon after they meet, the Asian man tells Ray he has been dead for 46 years, KIA in the Vietnam war.

“Asian”, as Ray soon thinks of him, explains that he is one of very few individuals caught in a parallel universe between his actual life and death. If he wishes to learn why this has happened to him, if he wants to resolve this dilemma, he must visit alternative lives he might have lived had he made different choices prior to his death. Incredulous at what Asian tells him, Ray, nonetheless, agrees to do as he says.

The lives he visits take place in the US, Antigua, Germany, Switzerland, France, Vietnam, and Rhodesia, at different times, under different circumstances. The one he lived, and some of those he would have lived had he made different choices.

He interacts with people as a young man just graduated from high school. In another, as a college graduate who chose to move to Europe rather than remain in the US, possibly drafted and sent to Vietnam. He meets women he is attracted to, marries one and fathers children. He is forced to recall his violent death in Vietnam as a soldier. After each alternative life, he finds himself back with Asian in Other Worlds, never sure what was real, what was not.

Asian guides him through the process of discovery, always giving him the opportunity to return to what he thought was his real life as an adult in Seattle. Rejecting that, he must choose the one person in the one life he would most like to have lived to be with now.

He chooses Shelly, originally from Rhodesia, who he first meets in Antigua when both are in their late teens. And later, in another life in Vietnam, after the war. Both sense something strange about themselves and each other as a couple. Something that has drawn them together. The final chapters lead them through their discovery of exactly what that is.

Everyone has countless unlived lives, this is Raymond’s story. How different would the life you lead be had you made different choices?

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Featured Interview With Vera Persiyanova

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I haven’t always been a writer. In fact, I’m an artist. But I wasn’t always an artist either. It’s quite a long story, but I’ll try to keep it brief.
I was born in a country that no longer exists, and for the past 10 years, I’ve been living in the Kingdom of Wonder. This isn’t a joke. I was born in the Soviet Union, in Siberia, and now I live in Cambodia, also known as the Kingdom of Wonder.
I spent the first half of my life dedicated to medicine. After graduating from medical school, I worked as a doctor in a small Siberian village. The nearest district center was 65 kilometers away – not very far by Siberian standards, but sometimes in winter, during blizzards when everything was buried in snow, this distance became absolutely impassable.
Then I returned to the city and entered graduate school, and the next 14 years of my life were devoted to science. I completed my Ph.D., though I won’t mention the title to avoid scaring you with microbiological terms. This part of my life gave me a specific view of the world – the perspective of a scientist and logician.
But as I approached 50, I radically changed my life. I moved to Cambodia and picked up a paintbrush, and that’s where I became an artist. This passion led me around the world, and now my paintings can be found in 20 countries.
Currently, I live in a small provincial town called Kampot, but it’s not my first city in Cambodia. The first was Sihanoukville, a city named after a king, but that’s another story.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
Recently, after turning 55, I’ve been captivated by a new passion – writing. My life has accumulated so many incredible events, coincidences, travels, and encounters that I wanted to share them.
Currently, I have two book series, both unfinished. But I’m determined to complete them.
The first is about my journey as an artist, my travels, encounters, and paintings. At the moment, there are three books in this series, with a fourth one planned.
The second series is science fiction and adventure. So far, only the first book in this series has been published, and I’m working on the second. The third one exists too, but only in my mind for now.
What surprised me recently while editing the second book was the realization that it incorporates Kant’s philosophical paradigm of the “thing-in-itself” and some references to Schopenhauer’s “On the Basis of Morality.” These elements are naturally woven into the plot. I used to be seriously interested in philosophy, but I never consciously intended to include it in the book. It happened subtly and organically. Well, I suppose that’s how it’s meant to be.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Ah, here too, it turns out to be a strange cocktail with very different ingredients, but for me, it leaves a long, deep aftertaste, a sense of the beauty of the world and humanity.
The good old fantasy classic – Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings” saga literally consumed me in its time. I don’t know if I’ll reread it, but it left something grand, unusual, warm, and heroic in my memory.
Erich Maria Remarque also made an indelible impression on me in his time.
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry – definitely. But not so much “The Little Prince,” although that fairy tale is wonderful in itself. Rather, “Wind, Sand and Stars” and “Night Flight.” The author was a pilot himself, and he opens up a world from above for the reader, where there are no unnecessary details, and everything comes together in a fascinating picture.
And lastly, I’ll mention “Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality” by Eliezer S. Yudkowsky. At first glance, it’s just fanfiction. But since it was written not by a writer, but by a scientist who was at the forefront of AI, it turned out to be an absolutely amazing work. This book is not for children, unlike the original. You can reread it several times, and each time something new is revealed.
So, my favorite genres now are good science fiction with scientific and philosophical accents, and, oddly enough, adventures and detective stories. But as a writer, I’m still afraid to tackle detective stories, because I believe it’s a special genre where everything must be built perfectly – the mystery, the structure, and the solution. What’s even more surprising is that my former scientific supervisor, a Doctor of Medical Sciences, writes detective stories.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest published book is “Insomnia: Strange Faces and Lost Dreams.” I’m not sure if I can call it a full-fledged book; it’s more like an expanded chapter from the previous book, “Fate and Art: Bridging Time.” I wouldn’t say it was inspired, per se. After all, insomnia doesn’t just steal sleep, but dreams too… it changes one’s personality, and that’s dangerous, not just in a medical sense. This book is more about how insomnia is so exhausting and interferes with living a full life that I decided to write about it, to share my thoughts, feelings, and… paintings. Paintings that were brought to life by insomnia itself, attempts to live through, understand this state, and do something with it.
So, this book also came about on its own, as, in fact, does much of what I do.

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