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Featured Interview With B.A. White

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
My pen name is B.A. White. I use a pen name to distinguish my books from other authors with the name of Barbara White. I was born in Iowa but have lived in Illinois, Massachusetts, Missouri, Minnesota and Colorado. I now reside back in a small town in southern Iowa once again with my husband, two of my four children and a yapping Miniature Pinscher.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I have been an avid reader since I first started reading in first grade. I always had a book to read when I wasn’t involved with other activities. I actually started writing short stories as a teenager but as my interest grew so did the length of my stories. I didn’t seriously begin writing my first book which was titled Underdark Awakenings until I was in my mid twenties. Over the span of several years, while raising my children and organizing a home, I wrote a series of 5 books which unfortunately will never be published since they were lost due to unfortunate circumstances. After a few years, I began writing again and have published two out of the three books I have completed in the Shadow Lords Series. The third is set to be published in May of 2020.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
My favorite genre to read and to write is fantasy. I prefer epic, urban and some dark fantasy. My first favorite authors were Weiss and Hickman and the Dragon Lance Series. After that I went on to read Terry Brooks’ Shanara series. Through the years I have enjoyed the writings of Terry Goodkind, Robert Jordan, David and Leigh Eddings and especially R.A. Salvatore and the Dark Elf Series. Just recently I have discovered a promising Indie author named Richard H. Stephens and his Soul Forge Saga.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book that is published is Shadows of Light, which is the sequel to the first book Shadows of Night, and is the second book in the Shadow Lords Series. Book three, Shadows of Twilight will be published in May of 2020. The fourth in the series, Shadows of Midnight, is in progress and hopefully to be ready for publication in 2021.

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Featured Interview With Nicole MacCarron

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I’m from the Fraser Valley of BC, Canada. I love to travel and even lived in Ireland for a time, but I always return back home. I love that we’re surrounded by mountains and nature. I have a cat, and what she loves is to distract me from my writing. Her name is Amelia, she is grey and white, and she’s just the right amount of chunky for a good hug. I sometimes need that hug because I write thrillers and am great at creeping myself out.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I was five or six years old the first time I remember telling someone I wanted to be a writer when I grew up. When I was 12 I persevered through my first novel, and I was determined to publish it. It was heartbreaking when my age prevented me from accessing the next step. I did manage to publish a poem, and I kept on dreaming about being a writer. In university I wrote five more novels (thank you, National Novel Writing Month!), and each was better than the last. I’m beyond excited to stand where I am today, with Hazel’s Shadow about to be released!

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I enjoy reading anything that gets my heart pumping, really. For this reason I steer towards Young Adult adventures, thrillers, and lately Stephen King books. When nostalgia wins over, I re-read Harry Potter. It’s difficult to pin down my taste because I like to shake things up. I often throw in a classic such as Pride and Prejudice, or a contemporary like The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah, or a historical fiction like The Book of Negroes by Lawrence Hill. I think it’s important to read diverse books so you can learn to empathize with people different from yourself. I feel this is an important skill as a writer as well as in life.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Hazel’s Shadow is about a 17 year-old girl who escapes an attack of the undead by barricading herself inside what turns out to be a haunted house. The central story revolves around how Hazel tries to survive the attack with a few classmates, while also suffering the psychological torment of an evil shadow-figure. The book is dark for a Young Adult novel, and it was an absolute thrill-ride to write. It took me four years to reach the point of publication, although only a little over one month to write the initial draft. I wanted to make sure I was presenting a polished product, and I’m confident I have finally succeeded!

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Featured Interview With Esraa Yousry

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I have been a writer for three years, I’m best known for writing Mystery/ Fiction and Poetry. I won multiple awards for Mystery/Horror writing and Poetry. My most famous books include (In Your Absence Series, Madre) I recently won the reader’s favorite book and nominated for the African Book Fund Awards. I was raised in Cairo, Egypt and still living in Egypt. I don’t have any pets and I have Ailurophobia which means the fear of cats. Not a very good thing.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
At 13 exactly. I started writing in 2014.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Maya Angelou for sure, I have so much love and respect for this woman. My favorite genre to read is Literary.

My loved ones Inspire me in everything that I write, my African roots also for sure. It makes me so proud.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book is ” In Your Absence: Emerald Lover” We are the sum of experiences that we encounter as we go through life. Day-to-day struggles and triumphs are experienced by all the world’s creatures. As human beings, when we encounter a challenge, we have the freedom to choose how to react. Every decision that we make leads us down a different road. We will never come to exactly the same crossroads. Every decision that we make has significance. The tiniest choice that we make reverberates throughout the entire universe.

This book is inspired by my African roots, a culture which is so beautiful and rich. And again by my relationship with everyone around me, my loved ones.

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Featured Interview With Dr. Lynda Mubarak

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I am a Texas native, retired teacher and US Army veteran. I love writing stories for children that emphasize early literacy, community service and career exploration. I enjoy crossword puzzles, painting birdhouses and live plays. My Stations for Kids Books includes the Detective Maxine Hill Series. Maxine is a 5th grade reading detective who loves solving challenges for her family, school and neighborhood. Maxine is currently investigating careers in forensic science, architecture and forestry.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I fell in love with books in kindergarten and had a huge collection of books by age nine. I loved listening to detective stories on radio as a child and I tried to solve the mysteries as each story progressed. My formal writing did not begin until after retirement, although I think I was writing mentally in elementary school.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
My favorite authors are Anita Bunkley, Ralph Ellison, Walter Mosley, President Barack Obama, James Baldwin, and Langston Hughes. My favorite genre is always Detective!

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book is Maxine’s Hands, Book 3 in the Detective Maxine Hill Series. Maxine is preparing for a special project in her community when she discovers another local unique situation that requires her investigative skills. Maxine Hands is due for release in June 2020.

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Featured Interview With Laurel Hosking

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was raised in South Australia in a region called the Adelaide Hills. The town I grew up in was smallish, I still remember when the first supermarket opened up. My home was an old Australian colonial style, with five acres of gardens and forests. I was very lucky to have that, and it fed my imagination.
The family were very matriarchal, with the history of the women in the family taught with pride.
I’ve always lived in older 19th-century homes. My current home is a historical property on 12 acres, which we are restoring. It is a labour of love. I live here with my husband of 25 years, and four children, 2 cats, a dog, plus one guinea pig. My family are my inspiration. The traditions given to me by my mother I have handed down to my children, stories, and imagination and history.
My eldest has a severe disability and I am a full-time carer. My writing, helps me unwind and walk different paths in my mind’s eye.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I can’t remember a time when books were not in my life. In the same way, I can not remember a time when I was not creating stories. As a child, I had a love for Ballet, so my first story creation would be story ballets. Eventually, I put this skill in my career as a Ballet Teacher, creating three or four-act story ballets. Now, my stories are more detailed and have found their outlet in writing.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I love puzzles and mysteries, and history, Therefore anything along those lines will interest me. Dan Brown, Barbara Erskine, Clive Cussler, Agatha Christie.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
The Rosemary Labyrinth came to me with an idea of generational memory. What would happen if we inherited memory from the past? What would drive that? Why would it be important? How could it be resolved?
I don’t want to say too much about the mystery to be solved, as Act one of The Rosemary Labyrinth is working out the mystery. I will say, I tried to avoid this particular mystery, as I considered it too cliched, but the more I investigated it, the more inconsistencies I found and the more intrigued I became.
Over the two years, it took to write this, I would find myself excited, as a wild idea would suddenly have strength in historical fact. That gave me a huge buzz of excitement. I love hearing from people which section was their favourite, and then communicating an anecdote about the writing of it.

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Featured Interview With Sheryl Grace

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Sheryl is a contemporary fiction author, radio host, and mental health counselor. I am a native of Louisiana and currently resides in North Texas. Ive

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I have been fascinated with with books since childhood and started writing poetry in my teens. I did not get the courage to publish my book until 2015.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Some of my favorite authors are Mary B. Monroe, Kimberla Lawson-Roby, Carl Weber, and Reshonda Tate-Billingsley. I love to read poetry, contemporary fiction, and history. I am inspired by the people I encounter in every day life. I’m also a “people-watcher”.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book “King, Duke, and Prince” is about 3 half-brothers who have the same father and different mothers. The father have not been in their lives due to being incarcerated. The brothers navigate their way through manhood while dealing with their mother’s decisions. Meanwhile, they are unaware that their father got released early and has re-invented himself as a motivational speaker and best -selling author with a new family.
King works sporadically and relies on his looks, charm, and sex appeal to attract women who will provide for him financially. Darius has a penchant for choosing the wrong type women while coping with Depression. Prince is a socially awkward teenager whose academic skills lead to a scholarship to one of the country’s prestigious institutions but someone wants be repaid for helping him get there in a way he is unwilling to accommodate.

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Featured Interview With Cornelia Fick

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I’m a South African writer. I live in Johannesburg with my family and two dogs. My debut collection of short stories was published in 2017. I’m currently writing a historical novel about slavery at the Cape. In my spare time I like to go to the movies, read and play the computer game ‘Plants and Zombies’.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I’ve always been an avid reader and told stories to my siblings on cold winter nights while we waited for my parents to arrive home from work. I started writing in primary school, mostly songs, which was, unknown to me at the time, an induction into poetry.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I read anything I can find but my favorites are the classics. I like the work of Tolstoy, Hemingway, the Bronte sisters, John Steinberg and Jane Austen.
My late father, who also wanted to write but never got around to it before he died, inspires me to keep going no matter how many rejections I collect along the way (and there has been many)

Tell us a little about your latest book?
I’m hoping to have my historical novel published next year.
My collection of short stories Eye of a Needle: And Other Stories https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LWLPHTS originated in the MA Creative Writing at Rhodes University. As an older writer this course lifted me out of depression and put me in touch with who I was. I found my voice and I’ll always be grateful for that.

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Featured Interview With Cornelia Fick

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I’m a South African writer. I live in Johannesburg with my family and two dogs. My debut collection of short stories was published in 2017. I’m currently writing a historical novel about slavery at the Cape. In my spare time I like to go to the movies, read and play the computer game ‘Plants and Zombies’.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I’ve always been an avid reader and told stories to my siblings on cold winter nights while we waited for my parents to arrive home from work. I started writing in primary school, mostly songs, which was, unknown to me at the time, an induction into poetry.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I read anything I can find but my favorites are the classics. I like the work of Tolstoy, Hemingway, the Bronte sisters, John Steinberg and Jane Austen.
My late father, who also wanted to write but never got around to it before he died, inspires me to keep going no matter how many rejections I collect along the way (and there has been many)

Tell us a little about your latest book?
I’m hoping to have my historical novel, The Weight of Bodies, (working title) published next year. My research took me to the archives but also to tourist attractions which seem to omit the slave element. For example, long before Nelson Mandela was imprisoned on Robben Island, there were other political leaders -exiled royalty from South East Asia forced into slavery, chiefs of the local Khoi, etc.
The book is about Amberike from Abyssinia, an 11-year-old girl who catches the eye of a hardened slave master.
My collection of short stories, Eye of a Needle: And Other Stories, originated in the MA Creative Writing at Rhodes University. As an older writer this course lifted me out of depression and put me in touch with who I was. I found my voice and I’ll always be grateful for that.

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Featured Interview With Richard Skorupski

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
After a 21 year career in the Navy, I returned home to my native state of New Jersey. Following my passion for the open waters, I started a second career in the recreational marine parts business. After ten years of dealing with the dense population of New Jersey and its high cost of living, we had had enough. My wife, Cheryl, and I sought to find a peaceful, friendly environment for our second retirement. We now happily reside in Spink County, South Dakota.
We live on a 17-acre hobby farm. We have a lab mix dog. Buddy is the fifth dog we have had in our thirty years of marriage. We also maintain a clowder of barn cats. Some of the cats are friendly, and some are feral. Regardless, my wife has a name for each one.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
When I was in grade school, I was fascinated with submarines. In high school, it was science fiction. Robert Heinlein and Isaac Asimov were my favorites. That was when I became a faithful reader.
I started my first attempt at a novel when I was in my thirties. Unfortunately, it was a murder mystery. Why unfortunately? I couldn’t figure out “Who Done It,” so I gave up.
In 2009 at the age of fifty-seven, I took up the pen again (okay, the keyboard). It took me two years to write Flyover County. I have been writing ever since.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
When I was young, it was all about science fiction. Robert Heinlein and Isaac Asimov were my favorites. Later in life, I tended toward action books by James Michener, Clive Cussler, and Dale Brown. I even took a short side trip into fantasy with Hitchhiker’s Guide by Douglas Adams.
Recently I am more into stories in my genre, Rural America and small towns. Debbie Macomber, Carol Cox, Vickki Kestell, and Jillian Hart top my list. They are all terrific storytellers. I can get lost in the worlds they create.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My most recent book is River Of Destiny. It took me five years to get this one right. I had started it, didn’t like the way it was going, so I put it down and wrote The Frank Stanbauer Story. I took it up again and started reworking the plot. I removed the parts I didn’t like. That left me with too little of a storyline. I set it aside again and wrote a collection of short stories. I published them in a book called Whiteout! And Other Stories.
The first three books in the Flyover County Series tell stories of city folks moving to a small Midwestern town. River Of Destiny goes the other way. I tell the tale of a boy raised on a rural farm and his adventures in a big city college. There is a subplot in the book about the girl he left behind. Too much more would be a spoiler.

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Featured Interview With Candace Lott

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Hi there! I am Candace Lott. I was raised in a two parent home. I live in Tennessee. No pets!

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
At the age of three! My mom would always read to me and whenever she finished reading, I would always ask her to read it over again. I was six years old when I first started writing.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I have always loved Mary Higgins Clark, Stephen King, Omar Tyree, and a new author, Jasmine Guillory. My favorite genre without a shadow of doubt is Romance. My big brother is my sweet inspiration, however, he is no longer with us. He served his country for well over 30 years as a Marine, and he taught me the real meaning of hard work. My brother read everything and I wanted to be just like him in that sense.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book is an anthology of short stories, written by several authors and myself. It is a mixture of horror, comedy and holiday cheer. It is like being on a roller coaster ride for those of you that like roller coasters. It is a real page turner! And it will leave you wanting more.

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Featured Interview With Laurie Boulden

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Hi. It’s lovely to be here. I am a creative person. As a teacher, I love to engage students with active learning experiences they will remember. As a writer, I love the power of story and the way it becomes part of who we are, both individually and collectively.
I come from Pennsylvania and currently live in Florida with my adorable cockapoo Sandy and a couple of cats. The cats love to spend their time hanging out nearby. Right now, Maylee is asleep on the bookshelf above my computer, silly girl. The other one is meowing because she wants me to turn on the water for her.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
There was nothing super special about learning to read. I trudged through kindergarten and got the skill down pat by first grade, (Although, truth be told, that doesn’t apply to spelling. I’m still horrible!) Then there was this story about a girl with an evil stepmother. The girl ran away into the woods. The evil stepmother tried to murder her several times, but in the end, Prince Charming saved the day. I fell in love with Prince Charming, and all these wonderful fairy stories. By the time I was eight, I realized other books were just as fascinating. I gobbled them up.
One day, I wrote something myself. It wasn’t even a full story, only a description of something happening. Between those lines on the paper I wrote words. Those words flowed from something in my imagination. By high school I was dabbling in stories and poetry. I was too shy to do anything much with them at that time. But I’m not so shy now.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Geek alert! I am a HUGE Tolkien fan. I love the Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. I appreciate the Silmarillion for the depth it brings to Tolkien’s Middle Earth Universe. Next would be the Narnia series. I’ve been sneaking into the wardrobe since I was a little girl. A few summers ago I got to stand beside the CS Lewis Wardrobe Statue in Belfast. Crazy excited!
There are some more traditional things on my list, or should we say classical? I love Jane Austin and Louisa May Alcott.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
The newest release is Jewel of Jericho, Rahab’s Story. Strong female characters in the Bible are not easy to find. The ones who are there are bent and broken, just like many of us today. Jewel is the first of the series The Fruit of Her Hands. As we read this remarkable love story, we realize all of us have been called by God. All of us have gifts and talents to be used for His glory.
I started writing Rahab’s story probably five years ago. I’ve won contests at the Florida Christian Writers Conference. I’d work on it, then put it away, then work some more, then put it away again. Recently, I’ve felt the urge to make it happen. I’m so glad I did, because I am super excited about this whole series.
The story of Rahab comes to us through Joshua. Forty years of wandering have brought the children of Israel to their Promised Land, now controlled by the peoples of Canaan. This remarkable story tells of Jewish spies and their unexpected saving. There is a call and a reason to answer. Through it all, the hand of God moves not only nations to war, but individuals to great risks and greater rewards.

My name is Rahab. I am a woman of Canaan. I do not belong in the lineage of the greatest love story, and yet, I am here. Kings have come through me. My people would look in wonder or scorn. It matters not for they are no more. Rahabek is a strong name. I took it to myself and carried my head high. Now it has come down through the ages, the story of a whore who betrayed her people. But I do not think they were my people. The One who called from across the Jordan said I am His. He is mine. As such, His people have become my people. My haughty head I now bow low, for I am redeemed in love and joy.
Listen to my story. Decide for yourself. It is no easy thing to fall into the hands of a fearful God without a willing heart.

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Featured Interview With Hayley Reese Chow

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I’m an Air Force brat so I’ve lived kind of all over: Japan, Virginia, Alabama, Alaska, Kentucky, Indiana… but now I call Florida home. And I do have one wonderful little rescue mutt named Tula.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I remember, in first grade, writing (and illustrating) my first short story about a group of animals that accidentally go to space. It actually won me some kind of award and free book! Also in first grade, I read my first chapter book (Mr. Popper’s Penguins) and absolutely adored it, so I guess it all began there. Even though, I didn’t really start writing consistently until the last year or two.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Currently Naomi Novik, Ilona Andrews, Amie Kaufman, Holly Black and Leigh Bardugo are a few of my favorite go-to’s. So I guess it’s probably an easy guess that Fantasy is my absolute favorite genre. I find inspiration in the every day mostly. I like finding the extraordinary in the mundane, taking something ordinary and breathing magic into it.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
In Odriel’s Heirs I wanted to take the undead into a high fantasy realm. I wanted a protagonist that was coming to terms with the fact that being the “chosen one” wasn’t all that it cracked up to be. And I wanted her to discover a world that was both fantastical and dangerous. Add in a little “fire-bending”, a snarky cat, and a handsome assassin, and you’ve basically got my list of favorite things. In Odriel’s Heirs, I wanted to write the book I longed to read, and the story grew even beyond my greatest imaginings.

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