Top Selling Authors: Get To Know Them Better

Featured Interview With Denis Scott writing as E.D. Robson

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I spent my (very) early life travelling as my father was an English flight engineer (no two members of my immediate family were born in the same country) before settling in the English East Midlands around the area where Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire meet. I still live in that general area. My main hobby over my working life has been studying part time at under and post-graduate level, from mathematics to history and the social sciences finishing up with a general honours degree, a degree in psychology and a M’Ed in training and development. i also obtained teaching qualifications and since going into earlyish semi-retirement have taught occasionally in schools and a college. I have now added my lifelong ambition of writing

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I have been fascinated by books since I was 7 years old when, as a new pupil at a village school having missed most of my schooling before then because of travelling and childhood illnesses (plus an intense dislike of what education I had been given up to then), my classroom teacher called me stupid and slapped me across the face for struggling with reading. When I told my mother, as well as storming down to the school made me spend the entire summer holiday learning how to read while my friends played outside. This led to an addiction to the Narnia stories and books such as War and Peace by my teens. However, with the usual cliches of life getting in the way etc. I have only begun to write my own stuff this year.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I have mainly followed a fantasy and science fiction route, although I will read most types of fiction. I don’t like to discount anything because you never know what you might be missing. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis are my long standing nostalgic favourites but as a young man I read most of what would be considered science fiction and fantasy classics today. I also read a wider range then I tend to nowadays, from my mother’s Agatha Christie to cowboy western paperbacks (Louis L’Amour) as well my early favourite, Dostoevsky’s ‘The Idiot’ which should have taught me how people can manipulate other’s emotions, intentionally or otherwise, but unfortunately didn’t. Michael Moorcock’s Eternal Champion series was a particular favourite. I have also had a guilty secret of being a superhero comic book fan from my teens, particularly D.C. but also Marvel long before the films came out.
Currently, Ian Sainsbury, another fairly new author has caught my eye and I have read both his initial series of science fiction books, ‘The Halfhero’ and ‘The Worldwalker’. His road to working as a full time author has inspired me to persevere with self publishing.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
I have actually published three books in quick succession. They are a light hearted series under the title of the Irrelevant One Saga. The first, The Drunken Weed explains how a mediocre unhappily married call centre worker escapes an assassination bid while driving home from work. The would be killer is a woman he subsequently discovers is his sister-in-law and from a species treated as gods by early civilisations. He and this woman (Gesh the drunken weed) then flee across the multiverse in a series of adventures which continue in the following two books.
I got the idea for this when driving home from work myself in torrential rain one day. I was generally feeling sorry for myself and my mind began to drift into one of my imaginary worlds. I wrote the first page and then left it for perhaps two years or so, until circumstances allowed me to follow my dream (drat another cliche). Once I started writing the ideas just seemed to flow, but I have to work quickly before the enthusiasm dims. I have always worked in fits and starts which has sometimes made me a very difficult employee. I remember one ‘staff assessment where my line manager commented that it had taken him six months to realise that I actually work quite hard. Rather belatedly I have discovered that self-employment is my best path.

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Featured Interview With Forest Blackwood

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
My journey into writing and books in general started quite early! Already when I was in elementary school, I started to take books stealthily from the city library, and it was in a small Polish town! It was our parents who have infected us, that is my siblings, with reading books, it is such an unwritten tradition in our home that we love books and have practically been always reading them. Then I started to write myself, as if by the touch of an angel! Initially, they were short stories and poems, which after many, many years were transferred to the War of Light and Darkness, this is a trilogy by a decision of the royalhawaiianpress.com publishing house. To whom I am very grateful for giving me the chance to appear on so many international markets. It is impossible not to mention my brother Robert Przybylski and his Order of Ahava, which is currently a bestseller on the Spanish Amazon!
The idea for the book was born after keeping my writing in a sock drawer for many years, one day I decided to organize my poems and short stories and turn them into a book! This is how the War of Light and Darkness came into being, which really has been taking shape in my head all these years! One day I sat down at my desk and never stopped writing which after a few pages produced War of Light and Darkness! I did not think about the literary genre in which I would set the story of the book, and it turned out spontaneously that this is a fantasy with a bit of high fantasy, horror and dark, ending with heroic fantasy! I was also inspired by the environment I live in, the farm our family runs is located among the woods, and the angels who have always accompanied us, their figurines and paintings inspired me to pay special attention to them, because they have always been at our home, now I don’t remember exactly if they were watching us or I was watching them! One of my first poems was dedicated to them and it sounds like this:

A city the angels fly over them!
Powerless is their singing. A city without a soul, shadows without clear shapes flow monotonously along the street.
And so lies a city – a rock. The last cry of despair of the fallen angels!

This poem was written in the years of my youth, when I attended the first grade of high school in Poznan an old and beautiful Polish city! I hope that with my short story on how and when I started a beautiful journey with a book I will be able to attract the interest of the future readers at least a bit. I am thankful to Mrs. Vanessa Oloughlin for giving me the opportunity to join the writing Ireland. It is impossible not to mention Mrs. Maria Cowen from the Royal Hawaiian Press publishing house, who transformed the War of Light and Darkness from Polish into English, translating the entire book, which in the future will also be released on international markets in Spanish.

Yours faithfully
Forest Blackwood
Links to the book below:

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
In age 14

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
So many for example Steven King or Michael Andreas Helmuth Ende Never ending story 🙂

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Story begins in whone of 7 magical lands in Draxban! Count Artis discover some magical artefact…….

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Forest Blackwood Facebook Page

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Featured Interview With Sheryl Green

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born and raised on Long Island in New York and lived there until I was 26. I now live in Las Vegas and love it! My baby girl Akasha is a Beagle/Lab mix that I rescued from North Shore Animal League before I left New York and she’s been with me ever since.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I got into reading when I was around 10 years old. My grades were slipping so my parents took away my television privileges. I started reading The Baby-Sitter’s Club and Sweet Valley High and they sparked a life-long love of books.
After my divorce, I turned to writing as a cathartic practice. I wrote 3 novels and then began writing nonfiction books and content for businesses.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
My degree is in Forensic Psychology so I’ve always loved Mystery. My favorite authors are J.D. Robb and Harlan Coben. I also read a lot of nonfiction books for personal development and business. My favorite books I’ve read this year are “Start Something That Matters” by the founder of TOMS Shoes, “You Are a Badass” by Jen Sincero, and “Unfu*k Yourself” by Gary John Bishop.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
“Do Good to Do Better: The Small Business Guide to Growing Your Business by Helping Nonprofits” is all about how standing for a cause in your business will help you differentiate yourself from the competition and make more sales.
I’ve spent years begging for donations for animal rescue. When I discovered Cause Marketing, I realized that nonprofits can help businesses, not just stand there with their hands out. I’ve used the techniques in this book with the animal rescue I volunteer with and have had friends double their business since they started supporting a nonprofit. It’s good for business and the soul!

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Sheryl Green’s Website

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Featured Interview With Tricia McGill

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born in London, England and relocated to Australia years ago with my husband and two poodles. I live near Melbourne and have done since I arrived here. My current pets are a male fox terrier cross and a bossy female shih tzu. Writing is a solitary indoor activity so I enjoy our walks every morning. I write romance across several genres including contemporary (set in Australia) historical, time-travel, family saga.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
One of my earliest memories was receiving a copy of Alice in Wonderland for Christmas when I was probably about five or six, and so began my love of books. The local library was to me like stepping into a wonderful world of imagination, and I spent as many hours as I could there and then reading. According to my family (I was the baby) my written stories were excellent, and congratulated on and shown around and I did well at school in English, mainly I think because of this love of creating stories. I have never been able to understand how someone can go through life admitting they don’t read.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I have many favourite writers, mostly those who write romance, especially time-travel, and historical. Catherine Coulter was a great influence to me when I began writing in earnest. Lisa Kleypas, Jude Deveraux, and LaVyrle Spencer also were among my favourites. I love Juliet Waldron’s historicals which are rich in detail.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Challenging Mountains is Book 3 in my Settlers Series. Set in the 1840s when Australia was a budding colony. Originally this was only to be two books, but then the son of Tiger and Bella who featured in Book 1 began to tell me I should write about his journey down to Port Philip, which had just been declared a town, that was to become Melbourne. This series seems to be popular as readers enjoy learning about the old days of settlement. The journey south took a month across land on horseback and there were many dangers to face along the way including bushrangers and runaway convicts. A young female decides to join Tim on his travels and proves at times just how headstrong she can be. When they reach their destination there are still many problems to be faced.
I guess this book took me about 10 months to complete as historicals (as time-travels too) require lots of research. Thank heaven for Mr. Google.

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Tricia McGill’s Website

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Featured Interview With Colleen Eccles Penor

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I’m a Wyoming girl – I was born and raised there, in Sheridan. However, my parents tried living in many other places before their divorce when I was six: Buffalo and Casper, Wyoming; Circle, Montana; and Kennewick, Raymond, and Pasco, Washington. After the divorce, my dad was granted custody but my mother kidnapped us and took us to Story, Wyoming, until my dad kidnapped us back and took us to Carlsbad, New Mexico. I attended school for only 7 days in Carlsbad and probably even less in Story. I give credit to all of this moving around and the tension in my parents’ marriage for my shyness and PTSD. We finally settled with my dad and his parents in Sheridan, and that’s where I grew up. I now live in Casper, Wyoming with my husband, Rob.

We did have pets before we were married: I had a black lab and a chocolate lab, and Rob had a mixed breed. They all died from old age and we don’t plan to replace them in the near future because we travel a lot when Rob is off work, and I’ve grown allergic to dogs.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I was only two when I started to read. I was lucky that both parents enjoyed reading to me and I picked it up quickly. I received a lot of books for my birthday and Christmas and was always elated to get them. When we had reading challenges in grade school, I always read the largest number of books. My mother gifted me her dozens of Nancy Drew books when I was in fourth grade, and I devoured them. When I was 13, she gave me her copy of Gone With the Wind and I’ve read it every year since. I can quote passages and I know where the typos and other errors are, and it still draws me to it each year. My biggest pet peeve is when she calls people Scotch or Scotch-Irish rather than Scots or Scots-Irish, which is a large part of my heritage.

I started writing stories when I was very young too, although the first book I wrote and illustrated was The Rubber Ducky, which I wrote at age seven. In high school and into my early twenties I wrote lots of bad poetry. I’ve written a few short stories, an essay, and a 10-minute play. My husband told me, in his marriage proposal to me in 2013, that I could leave work as an accountant and write that book I’d always wanted to write. So I wrote the book, which I didn’t know at the time was to be a dystopian thriller. It’s the first book I attempted and took me about two years to write, although I did go in and revise the last section some time after that. I now take a break from writing each year to work tax season at a local accounting firm.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I like many authors, but those that come to mind are Margaret Mitchell, Tana French, Suzanne Collins, J.R.R. Tolkien, Dennis Lehane, Sara Gruen, John Green, Jo Nesbo, Lionel Shriver, and Jodi Picoult. I used to read a lot of Stephen King but haven’t read any of his books in some time. If I had to pick a favorite genre, it would be psychological thrillers, but I read widely and don’t pay much attention to the genre of the book I’m choosing. I’m inspired by many of the authors I like, and DAEIOS was also inspired, in part, by The Handmaid’s Tale.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
DAEIOS: 140 FEET DOWN is a dystopian thriller with overtones of The Handmaid’s Tale. It’s got many issues in it that we’re dealing with today: climate change, racial tensions, abortion rights, drug addiction, men assaulting women, and the MeToo movement. Although this isn’t a political book, I took these issues and imagined what they might look like in 2034.

Shea Donovan, a snarky 22-year-old with bipolar disorder, tells her chilling story with self-effacing irony and evolving cognizance. It opens with a killer storm approaching and the need for Shea’s family, a group of survivalists, to evacuate immediately due to an impending mudslide behind their home and the ferocity of the storm. Her parents call Shea to help them find Jace, her drug-addicted brother who is missing, so they can all escape to Daeios, an underground shelter for the Elite. They find Jace and fear drives them to the shelter as the killer storm worsens. They reach the shelter just before permanent lockdown. Now they’re 140 feet down, protected from the storms to live out their shortened lives until the food runs out and they starve to death. It buys them about a year.

But it soon becomes clear that they’re trapped in a nightmarish existence.

When the Elders who run Daeios announce their plans to breed with all fertile females to repopulate the earth, Shea knows they will force her to breed. She plans to fight off her seed-bearer.

The punishments of the Daeiosians begin, including long periods of total darkness with the Daeios song blaring repetitively. Each time the darkness and music finally stop, several more people are missing. It’s especially clear that the Elders are getting rid of the other men. What happens to the people who disappear into the total darkness of Daeios?

Shea’s time for her breeding arrives. She must make the gut-wrenching decision whether to breed with an elderly, sadistic man and bear his child, or to fight the breeding, knowing that defiance will endanger her life and that of the other Daeiosians. She vows that her family must not vanish into the darkness.

My first idea was to write a dystopian story with humor, because don’t people use humor even when they’re in the direst of circumstances? We see it in horror movies, action movies, thrillers. But the darker Shea’s story became, the less the humor made sense, although I did leave Shea with some sarcasm. The humor is the reason I rewrote the last one-third of my book, to remove the most humorous part and some additional characters that took the book off on a tangent, away from Shea’s dark situation. The book is now mostly dark from cover to cover, a thriller, and is a much better book than the way I first wrote it. I do miss the character Norman, a giant Daniff puppy.

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Colleen Eccles Penor’s Website

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Featured Interview With Morgan St James

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I have often called myself an accidental writer. Several years ago I was the partner in a Los Angeles interior design firm and we were approached to write an article for a prestigious interior design magazine about a unique floor my partner designed. We were delighted. The magazine sent out photographers, posed the two of us sitting on packing crates on the subject floor and all that remained was to submit our article. A few days before the deadline we faced the realization that we were not writers and had “zip” to submit. However, after taking the edge off our sorrows with a few glasses of wine, we decided to take a chance and write the article along the lines of a noir mystery rather than a techie article. The editor loved it, and my second career as a writer was launched. I wrote several more articles for that magazine, even had the cover for one issue, and went on to write for other magazines as well.

I literally had one foot in LA and one in Las Vegas until 2013, when I moved into my Las Vegas home full time. I’m very active in the Las Vegas writers community and am on the board of Writers of Southern Nevada. My faithful rescue dog Dylan, an adorable Golden Retriever/Cocker Spaniel, features himself as my associate editor and spends lots of time under my desk while I’m writing.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I was an avid reader from the time I was a little kid. I was reading at 8th grade level in the 2nd grade and literally devoured books, never thinking that some day I would be writing them. You never know what the future holds. I now have 18 books in publication. 5 of them are the books in the Silver Sisters series. Another is Writers Tricks of the Trade, a book for writers at all stages of their career, and I publish a free quarterly online magazine of the same name. Find links at http://writerstricksofthetrade.blogspot.com.

I wrote magazine and newspaper articles on diverse subjects for several years after that first magazine article. Then in the late nineties my sister Phyllice Bradner (also a published writer) and I decided to launch our own humorous mystery series. We were published in 2006 and the award-winning book, “A Corpse in the Soup,” launched the Silver Sisters Mysteries. I lived in LA and she lived in Juneau, Alaska, so before email was the norm, everything was done by fax or phone. Now I live in Las Vegas and she lives in Oregon, so it is still long distance writing. However, we try to get together for a week or so of sister time and plotting when we begin a book. Through our writing together, we have become best friends. By the way, no surprise that although we are not twins, the Silver Sisters are, Godiva Olivia DuBois, a wealthy widow who writes a syndicated advice column lives in Beverly Hills and the other, Goldie Silver, is an over-the-hill flower child who owns an antique shop in—guess where? Juneau, Alaska. They are identical on the outside, and as different as possible when it comes to their personalities.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I always loved mysteries, even before I was an author. They are my favorite genre to read and to write. My tastes are pretty diverse, though. I love the funny or sarcastic ones and I also love thrillers. Opposite ends of the pole. Some of my favorite authors are Robert Crais, Michael Connelly, Lee Child, Nelson DeMille, Jeffrey Dever, Janet Evanovich, Mary Daheim, and the list goes on. As I said, from the funny to the thrillers.

My original inspiration when it came to writing comical crime capers were the writings of Mary Daheim and Janet Evanovich. However, Phyllice and I didn’t want to set our series in one small town where one or more residents get killed in every book. So we gave our sisters the ability to travel, and they also live thousands of miles apart, just like we do.

I also write the Revenge is Fun series as well as other genres including two true crime books.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
The time it takes me to write a book always depends upon what else is going on. Sometimes it is as short as 6 to 9 months. “Murder on the Menu” took 2 years. “Scammed” has an element that I’ve wanted to use for about 14 years, but never had the right plot. It revolves around an unscrupulous HOA President, because I had an awful experience with one, and it cost me grief and $40,000 in attorney’s fees to get it settled. As a writer, you can kill someone in print and not worry about going to jail.

The latest book is the 5th book in the Silver Sisters Mysteries, “Murder on the Menu.” Goldie’s daughter Chili Pepper leaves her TV cooking show job to become the star chef at a new restaurant in Portland. She joins her old friends from Juneau as a roommate in the fancy mansion they rent. Before the new restaurant can open Chili finds out there’s murder on the menu!

Here is a Peek:
The ornate entry door was ajar. As the officer pushed it open Chili’s gaze swept the expanse of the paneled foyer with its the polished oak floor and rested on the pool of blood at the foot of the swooping staircase. She peeked through the arched doorway and saw Roscoe sitting on the sofa, his head in his hands and his tee shirt streaked with blood. When he looked up at her, his big blue eyes were filled with tears. A second officer stood over him and appeared to be getting his story. The officer who escorted Chili into the house had gone back out and now he burst into the room. He was holding a large object encased in a plastic bag. “You were right, Jake,” he shouted. “Looks like we have a murder on our hands.” It will release on November 26 and the Kindle and eBook are available for PreOrder.

Two books were released very close together. In October, Scammed, the 5th book in the Revenge is Fun series was released.
Life in the upscale Los Angeles community of the Venice Canals takes an ominous turn when the Vice President and Treasurer of the HOA appear to have been kidnapped, and the cops are looking in all the wrong places. Cameron Harson and her neighbors, former FBI agent turned author Dan-ny Garrett and a retired Army Colonel, plus her friend Kate Steele and Danny’s friend Margaret Stanton join forces to investigate. What appeared to be kidnapping turns out to be so much more including murder.

Here is a Peek:
They walked south along Grand Canal towards Sherman Canal. The earlier dark indigo sky had darkened to a blanket of black velvet. Away from the city glow of LA, fields of stars sparkled like diamonds. A light, warm breeze made the normally still water in the canal break into a series of ripples. A sweet scent floated on the night air. Someone’s courtyard must have been filled with jasmine or other fragrant flowers. All in all, it was a lovely night for a walk.

The conversation turned to Al Shady. “What do you suppose happened to him? Barbara never called back,” Garrett said. “Has anything like that ever happened before?”

Cameron thought for a moment. “Not that I can remember. It is strange. I mean if he was home, surely Barbara would have let us know everything is okay. Maybe he had a heart attack or something. Oh, Lord. I hope not. He isn’t a very likable guy, bad superiority attitude and all, but I wouldn’t wish that on anyone.”

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Featured Interview With Merve Yazicioglu

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born in Istanbul, Turkey but I currently reside in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. I grew up in Istanbul living with my family until I went to Denmark to study for a year at Roskilde University. Then, I moved to Groningen, The Netherlands to finish my studies in English Language and Culture where I focussed on Women studies. I love animals but I do not have any pets as I do not have a plan on where I will live or which country.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
My Mum is an avid reader who then passed onto me. I would constantly read books in school between classes and would go home to read more in my free time as I did Ballet at the Istanbul Conservatory and gymnastics in a total of 16 years. In high school, I continued my piano lessons for ABRSM but I still had time for reading books. I had no plans on what to study at university but writing and reading have always been a part of me since childhood. That is when I decided to study English Literature and discovered my passion for poetry. I probably was writing as a kid but I started writing properly when I was 14. We all had a time where we were reading fanfiction right? However, I was introduced to Tupac Shakur’s poetry by Jameson Kismet Bell during my first literature studies in Istanbul. From there on, I started writing poetry. The last year of my studies in English Literature at the University of Groningen, Dr A.C. Hoag helped me immensely to understand the literature of migration better. That encouraged me to compose more works in the nonexistent world of exile Literature.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I am a classic literature reader as well as experimental and post-modern works. I also am fond of gothic literature and historical fiction. I have several favourite authors that I religiously read, so it is quite challenging for me to make a selection. But I will always read Emily Dickinson, Marie de France, James Baldwin, and Arthur Conan Doyle. I can list so much more but these are the ones that I constantly end up studying. They inspired me to arrange the segments in my first poetry book. Everything I had studied so far from Ancient mythology, Old English, to the Modern English literature, being different and feeling melancholic were disregarded and were seen as weak in nature. I desired to give the people, who were outcasted were seen as “too feminine or weak”, a voice to be heard. I hope the readers can feel some connection to these anonymous characters.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
I would say it is mostly about displacement, feelings of nostalgia, and being a woman. The poems are about my personal experience but also about the personalities who felt like outsiders in a society they found themselves in. I recognised their sufferings and it was a shame no one addressed them in an emphatic light. Only a few writers attempted to portray them accurately without constant whining. Around the time I moved abroad, there were similar feelings in my life when I was hopeless. In my poetry, I want to cast a light into their emotions rather than defining who they are or what they are. Hope can only be found when we encourage each other to discover the light within the desperate times.

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Merve Yazicioglu’s Website

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Featured Interview With Jordan Church

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
First and most importantly I have three pets, two cats and a dog. My emotional pillars along with my spouse and children.

I reside somewhere in the western hemisphere. I have to be shy about location to avoid stalkers. There, this should make those Mongolian stalkers give up. Sorry ladies!

I was raised much like Doctor Evil if you’ve ever seen the Austin Powers movies. We may well have been classmates. Meat helmets in Rangoon. I’ll never forget those!

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
In my very early years, grades 1 and 2, I was good at math and poor at spelling and reading. I was placed in a sub-class for the reading deficient.

The nun teacher there liked to regale us with tales of good obedient children who were so good and disciplined that, when the school burned down and they were trapped in the classroom with the school burning around them they each patiently sat at their desk with hands crossed as the fire engulfed them one by one. (Good times!)

My parents noted by reading/spelling deficiency and told me to read anything and they would buy it all no questions asked, unlimited books. Even comic books! So, I started with comic books, went on to books told from a horses perspective (I know, right? Weird.), then Louis L’Amour westerns, then lots of Edgar Rice Burroughs (Tarzan (26 books!), John Carter of Mars (11 books), and then all sorts of fantasy and sci fi and history.

Sheer saturation from reading all the time brought my spelling and reading and grammar into line. More than actually. My senor year of high school I took an experimental extra test that measured how many words you knew how to spell, define, and use correctly in a sentence. The top possible score was 10,000 words. That was my score even though I was then barely functional due to an ongoing medical problem since treated that more or less robbed me of 8 years of my younger life. Not Rangoon though! I’ll always have Rangoon!

I started writing — badly — stories and fantasy books in grade school.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
At the risk of sounding too typical and mainstream I love reading Stephen King, Lee Child, and Michael Connelly. My favorite genre though, is actually fantasy. My favorite authors in fantasy are Glen Cook and, a newer one, Marc Turner.

In erotica the best writers are JJ Argus and silkstockingslover in my opinion. There are many other good ones but those two are the King and the Queen of the genre respectively.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
“Too Together” is the 4th and final book in the “Lesbian Seduction Conspiracy”. The book is based in the world of Hilland College. It is a typical middle of the road college where crazy atypical lesbian seductions and dominations occur. Four friends who are poor students but excellent seductresses attend the college as freshmen and begin reshaping the campus in their own image.

The four dominants are sort of underdogs in that they are freshman, have no authority, and aren’t too good looking. The books surround an ongoing theme of what happens when youngsters with underdeveloped or nonexistent senses of right and wrong gain control over smarter better looking straight-until-then women. Very creative very wicked youngsters!

There is the overall Hilland College series which encompasses several series within it.

The first three books are the “A Lesbian Orientation” series. The story of one dominant seducing and sexually controlling her “perfect” roommate.

The are five books in the second series “Teen Lesbians Take Over” in which the dominants seduce and tame a number of pretty older adult female administrators at the college.

There are three books in the third series “Lesbian Stalker’s Pets” in which one of the dominants stalks to sexual submission a few “victims”.

“Lesbian Seduction Conspiracy” is the fourth series and has the four books. This series is mostly about one of the dominants, having sexually tamed a mother, wanting and seeking to acquire the mother’s young adult daughter as well. And her best friend as well while she’s at it.

Next I’ll be adding onto to the “Lesbian Stalker’s Pets” series several more books starting with “Lesbian Stalker Stalks Again” which should be available in another ten days or so. One of the dominants has a problem with the young woman managing the dorm floor getting too nosy. This will eventually lead to the dominant sexually taking over her, her little sister, and the entire dorm floor of freshman girls.

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Featured Interview With Barbara Baldwin

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
My dad was in the Air Force so every 2 or 3 years, sometimes less, we moved. We lived mostly in the southern states but did spend 3 years in Japan. I think this is why I still love to travel and it seems each of my novels is set in a different locale. If I haven’t already been someplace, researching a book is definitely a good reason to visit.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I have always loved to read. When young, it was anything about horses, including all the Black Stallion series. I then graduated to Perry Mason Mysteries. One of my first efforts at writing was a mystery called “The Jewel Filled Jar” and it was written on blue lined notepaper with a crayon cover in about second grade. Most of my early writing was for family — journals about our vacations and poems about my sisters and parents. At one time I started writing Christmas stories and turned them into story cards for family and friends. After the first ten, my publisher took them all and created “Christmas Quilt Anthology”, a short story collection with everything from holiday ghosts to lumberjack elves.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I fell in love with romance after reading Kathleen Woodiwiss. I enjoy all the romance genres, whether it be contemporary or historical. My inspiration comes every time I enter a bookstore. I see all those wonderful adventures on the shelves and think “I want to be there!”

Tell us a little about your latest book?
“Loving Charlie Forever” is a time travel romance set in Stone, South Dakota. I love writing time travel because I get to incorporate the best of two worlds. My time travels always have the character going back in time, thus they could also be considered historical. While we have all studied history at one time or the other, do you think you could live in the 1800’s without your phone, car or a microwave? Charlie manages in some rather unique ways. This book came about in a rather unusual way. I was in a pre-panic mode wondering what I was going to write next. I started researching the Black Hills area during the gold mining era and looking at outlaws when I had a thought. Why not write a story about an author researching this era and looking for a story. Thus, “Loving Charlie Forever” became sort of a story within a story.

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Barbara Baldwin’s Website

Featured Interview With Mystqx Skye

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
My name is Mystqx Skye and I am a Zürich-based writer, a hobby photographer and a lover of archery. In my former life, I was a savvy Marketing Communication Strategist at travel and retail companies. My writings are more on life’s beautiful contradictions, rebellious hearts and mystery romance.

I am from an Asian descent and lived half of my life enjoying the tropics. Now I am basking in the four-season climate of Central Europe.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
It was one sunny afternoon during my early teens when my mom decided to clean up her stacked boxes in the attic containing – what I believe – her fond memories. In one of the boxes are piled up papers, torn up magazine pages, cards and those standard looking envelopes with blue and red lines. Like an oppositely charged magnet finding its half, my hands immediately took it and I experienced one of the most exciting things in life – feast of the senses. I skimmed my fingers on half torn postage stamps, dried up smudged stamp inks, the sensual flow of spiral embossing on cards and the rough feel of patterned-cut paper edges. My eyes feasted on beautiful calligraphy handwritings and typewriter printed letters. The smell of old paper and dried flowers on handmade papers was slightly intoxicating but everything was addictive. I sat there the whole afternoon reading and my heart spent its time falling in love. There were love letters exchanged with a half stranger from somewhere across oceans, unforgettable quotes from famous movies and books and there it was… my first love – poetry writings about love in all its hues.

Then my love for writing began as well. I wrote and answered love letters for my friends. Then I started writing a few lines that rhyme, then some dialogue exchange that turned to short stories. The rhythm in words, the feelings it evokes and the impalpable aura of influence it emanates are some of the things that keeps me hooked on writing.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I always fall for the romance genre. My favorites are Oscar Wilde and Anais Nin. Their words are powerful, inviting, sensual, and both are unconventional. I like their spirit and style.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Bared – Beneath a Myriad of Skies is my first published book. It is a 117 page poetry book that inspires and encourages love for self and others, inner self-discovery, understanding relationships and appreciating the beauty of life. The book has mandala art coloring pages and includes blank stationery pages that can be used to write your own thoughts or use as a journal.

There were these days in my life last year when everything was too much to handle. Talking to someone did not alleviate the anguish so I caved in and started to write more and more about it. Writing created my breathing ground and it carved my way out of that darkness. One might think that I am too busy to be depressed but that is not the case. I nearly didn’t have time to breathe and yet every sigh that escaped my body was that of giving up. Then I decided to collect all my writings, musings, ramblings (some even dates back to 20 years) and put it together in a book, which is Bared.

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Featured Interview With Liz Flaherty

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I grew up on a farm in Central Indiana, fully intending to move to the big city the very minute I reached adulthood. Instead, I live five miles away from the family farm. We are owned by seven grandkids (the REAL Magnificent Seven) and three cats.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I was always fascinated. I still remember “Look” being the first word in the first reader in first grade. That same week, I sat in the barn while my parents milked and read the book aloud. By the time I was 10, I was determined I would write books of my own. It only took me about 40 years to get one published!

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I love reading Nan Reinhardt, Kristan Higgins, Cheryl St. John, Kathleen Gilles Seidel, Mary Balogh, Holly Jacobs…oh, way more than I can think of. I love romance, but my heart is with women’s fiction. I am fascinated by the woman’s journey.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book is THE HEALING SUMMER. The story takes place in Peacock, Tennessee and revisits many of the people from ONE MORE SUMMER. Carol, the heroine, is a beautician. Steven, who thinks he’s no one’s hero, is a cardio-thoracic surgeon. Their story has a place so deep in my heart I don’t even know how to describe it. They are a couple, it is a romance, but it’s also…more. A teenage girl named Reese becomes a part of the family they don’t even know they are. The blurb says, “When Steven Elliott accidentally rides his bike into Carol Whitney’s car at the cemetery, the summer takes on new and exciting possibilities. Long friendship wends its way into something deeper when their hearts get involved. Feelings neither of them had expected to experience again enrich their days and nights. But what happens when the long summer ends? When Carol wants a family and commitment and a future, Steven isn’t so sure. He’s had his heart broken before—can he risk it again?”

Oh, yes, he’ll risk it again. Will it be worth it? I’ll leave that for you to judge.

I’m not sure how long it took me to write this book. Some stories are so much a part of you that you don’t know where the start or where they end. This was one of those.

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Featured Interview With Diane Scott Lewis

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I’m from the San Francisco Bay Area. I joined the navy as a radioman at nineteen, and met my husband in Greece. We traveled the world with our two sons, living in Puerto Rico, California, and Guam. I worked for the navy in administration in Virginia, while my husband was stationed in Washington DC. Now he’s retired and we live in Western Pennsylvania near our two beautiful granddaughters. We own, or she owns us, one naughty puppy the grandgirls named Lilly-Scout.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
As long as I can remember I’ve been a reader and a writer. At age five I illustrated my first story; my mother wrote down the words I dictated. I wrote my first novel at age ten, a story set in ancient Egypt and Rome. My father was always interested in history, our house was filled with books, and this fueled my own passion. My main focus has been the late eighteenth century, England, Canada, and America. I’ve walked in these places to absorb the history. I love to research, get my facts right, create unique characters, and spin adventures set in the past.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
My favorite authors are Susanna Kearsley, Kate Morton, Kate Quinn, Juliet Waldron, Eileen Charbonneau, Katherine Pym, and Olivia Hawker: anyone who writes lush historical novels you can get lost in. I love to read historical fiction, with or without romantic elements; but I won’t pass up a good contemporary thriller. I also enjoy the classics, such as Mary Stewart, Jane Austen, Thomas Hardy, and the Bronte sisters. I want to taste, feel, and imagine living in the story. All these authors have inspired me to enrich my prose.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
While researching for a previous novel, “On a Stormy Primeval Shore”, part of the Canadian Historical Brides series, I became interested in the Loyalists. These people fought on the British side during the American Revolution. Their story is seldom told. This inspired my current novel, “Her Vanquished Land.” Young Rowena Marsh spies for the British, but the rebels are winning. Her family must flee Pennsylvania. Derec Pritchard, the mysterious Welshman who is her contact, draws her affection. But he seems a man beyond her reach. The war could destroy them both. It took me a year to research and write, to understand why the loyalists fought for the king and not the burgeoning new country called America.

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Featured Interview With Vijaya Schartz

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born and raised in France, and I traveled a lot, lived in India for a while, then in Hawaii. I now live in Arizona (I like the heat) and, of course, I’ve had many cats in my life. My current kitty girl is Jasmine and I believe she is telepathic… like many cats in my books.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I started writing at six, but I didn’t have much to say then. At eighteen, I thought of writing detective novels and non-fiction books but didn’t get very far. It’s only after I settled in Arizona that I revisited my dream of writing novels. I now have thirty novels published.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I always loved sci-fi and I grew up reading Jules Verne and Frank Herbert (DUNE series). I also read a lot of history and fantasy novels. King Arthur, Celtic legends, and any kind of mythology. I love Diana Gabaldon, as a writer and as person. My inspiration comes mainly from dreams. I also watch lots of movies and I’m a fan of Star-Trek, Star Wars, Avatar. I have so many ideas for books and series that I will never be able to write them all in one lifetime.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My November 2019 release is AKIRA’S CHOICE. The idea started as a short story a long time ago, but after I wrote the first two books in the Azura Chronicles series, I decided to write a sister series set on the space station Byzantium, featured in the Azura universe. All the books in both series are standalones, but some characters re-appear in multiple books.
Akira is a strong heroine, a Samurai, and a bounty hunter. She also has a deep sense of honor… and recently acquired a cheetah retriever who follows her everywhere. Not your run of the mill cat, mind you. But a genetically engineered, titanium reinforced and specially trained animal… or so she’s been told.
As her ship is thrown upon the Byzantium space station by a singularity, Akira’s life is about to become interesting, exciting, and dangerous.
Of course, there is a brave hero in the mix… although Akira is no damsel in distress and can take care of herself. But she isn’t prepared for Kazmo, the Resistance fighter she is supposed to bring to justice.

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Featured Interview With N. Annette Knight

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I’m a military child and my father retired in Georgia when I was 16. I’m still there! I have two cats. One is very smart and hyper active. The other is the opposite in every way (we try not to tell him to his face).

I consider myself a Jane of All Trades, while excelling at not a one! I wanted to be a concert pianist as a child. Now, I simply want to play in a rock band for one night. I wanted to be a great painter when I was a teenager. Now, I just want to illustrate a few children’s books. In my twenties, I wanted to cook French and Italian dishes with flare. Now, I just stir my mug of perfectly brewed Earl Grey and sip contentedly. I wanted to be a figure skater when I was about eight. Now, I enjoy walking up the stairs without my heart bursting from my chest. Small blessings.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
My fascination with books began when I was 6 years old and was allowed to order my very own book from the scholastic catalogue from school. I told my mother I wanted to have Norman The Doorman and I took special care of it for 28 years. I have written stories ever since. I tried my hand a writing spy novels when I was a teenager. The world thanks me for never trying to publish those! They were awful! The very first book I completed was written only to make my sister laugh. I called her at work every time I added to a chapter and she would laugh hysterically as I read it to her. Life got harder and I stopped writing. She moved to Italy. Then, one year as her birthday approached, my finances refused to allow for anything other than life support. I was desperate to show my appreciation to her. She had helped me so much while we were so far apart. I wrote every night for weeks, at my evening job, to complete my story. I borrowed money from someone (I forget who) to order two copies from a print-on-demand website and sent her a copy just in time for her birthday. She tells me she reads it twice a year and that it’s her favourite book. And that was my start to the writing life.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
My favourite authors to read are Agatha Christie (I’m inspired by her way of infusing humanity into the traits of her characters and this influences my own writing), MC Beaton, and Barbara Michaels…just to name a few. I love the language in books written prior to 1980 and I read more vintage books than current. I enjoy books like Devil’s Dictionary by Ambrose Bierce, Fables in Slang by George Ade and The Superior Person’s Book of Words by Peter Bowler. If you can say it sarcastically, ironically and with an immense command of language and poise, I will read your book and wish to be you.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book started out as a nightmare, or as a sudden horrifying thought upon waking in the middle of the night. I was fascinated by the idea of a girl lost and alone in a wide expanse of red rock, red dirt, a setting sun and a race to get to help. She is spurred on to help by her mother, whom she has called for comfort and advice. The book ended up with slightly different details and I swear it wrote itself using my hands on my laptop. My heartbeat was pretty rapid as I wrote it and I felt chills from my own creation (Is this how Frankenstein was birthed). My husband got chills. My sister got chills. My friends got chills. It’s a chilling situation to write about and read! My motivation and clarity of the story was so strong and complete that I finished it in two weeks.

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Featured Interview With Cheryl St.John

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I grew up in Nebraska, where I still live. When my kids were young and at home, we had dogs, cats, rabbits, birds, hamsters and gerbils. When my youngest daughter and her kids lived with us, we had dogs and cats, but now that we’re empty nesters, we enjoy our kids’ pets.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I have always loved the exciting and diverse worlds available between the covers of books. As a child I wrote stories and drew covers, then stapled them into little books. I cut all the tiny book images from the book club advertisements in the Sunday newspaper and glued them to bits of cardboard so Barbie® had a full library. I submitted my first story to Redbook Magazine at age 15. It was a romance! I still have the half-page form rejection.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
As a young adult I read Stephen King, Dean Koontz, Louis L’Amour, Victoria Holt, Catherine Cookson and true crime. Once day by chance I picked up LaVyrle Spencer’s Hummingbird, read it and went back for Lisa Gregory’s The Rainbow Season. I was hooked on romance from that day forward. After that I read Jude Devereaux, Alexis Harrington, Megan Chance, Jill Marie Landis, Lorraine Heath and many more. I still love American-set westerns and Americana, but I enjoy a lot of contemporary romance as well.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
I wrote more than 50 books for Harlequin lines in 25 years. Years ago, my critique group was helping me with a particularly difficult thread in a continuity series contrived by my editors—and we got the grandiose idea to create a continuity series of our own.

We threw ourselves wholeheartedly into developing characters, fashioning families, family dynamics, and a setting, which evolved from one member’s love of all things Colorado. We created family trees, character profiles, detailed maps, brainstormed titles and themes. We collected photos and researched and even started the stories. We proposed our idea to a few publishers and got no traction. So, after a time the contracted books came first, two members dropped out of the group, a couple new ones came and went. But the core group remained.

In a tragic turn of events we lost a beloved friend and co-writer. Grief took the remaining wind from our sails. We recovered slowly, welcomed a new friend to our critique group. Then came a day when we got together and said, “We’re going to get serious and do this!” Energy built, and the series took on new life. A previous co-creator joined us again. Now, years after the initial idea, we’re publishing the finished stories and hoping readers will feel the same intensity and appreciation for this project as we do.

Dancing in the Dark is an idea I developed a long time ago, but then I took over a year off from writing to recover from burnout and regroup. During that time, I promised myself I would only write stories I love from now on, and so Dancing in the Dark came to life. I loved every minute of writing it. I’m now writing my next book in the series, titled Whisper My Name.

ABOUT DANCING IN THE DARK:

He’d had his own baby. Without her.

Dusty Cavanaugh has loved Kendra Price since she walked into the school cafeteria and captured a dozen boyish hearts with the sweep of her stormy gray-green gaze and the lift of her chin. College, marriage, and children had been the plan. But then Dusty made a mistake.

Kendra Price had never wanted to be rich, but she’d wanted to be comfortable, which she was. She’d never wanted to be famous, but to live her passion to the fullest and dance, which she did. She’d wanted to marry Dusty, have babies and live happily ever after. It would never happen.

She’d wanted to dance, get married and have babies…all she had left was dance.
He had everything a man could want–except her forgiveness…

There had been no road map for life apart. Will love be enough to guide them back?

You can follow the Aspen Gold Series page here: https://www.facebook.com/AspenGoldSeries/
Thanks for letting me share about this special experience!

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Featured Interview With Victoria A. Morton

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I grew up in the UK in the Midlands, and I was raised in a family of artists, musicians and authors, we are a quirky bunch!

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I received my first box set of Beatrix Potter books as a child and that is when my fascination with storybooks began. I only really started putting my ideas on paper when I was in my 30s when I began a career as a Primary School Teacher. I think I could see the direct impact stories could have on children, and I wanted to be a part of that, plus I love drawing and creating the illustrations!

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I personally love a good romantic comedy, Jenny Colgan, Cecilia Ahern and Sophie Kinsella come to mind. When it comes to my own writing, my nephews and my school children inspire me.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Hugo’s Adventure was released last month and is inspired by my 1 yr old Nephew who loves to adventure! He got me thinking about who he might want to be when he grows up. So the story is about a mouse who explores who he wants to be when he is older.

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Featured Interview With Eileen O’Finlan

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born in Springfield, Massachusetts, grew up in Holden, Massachusetts, and currently live in the central part of the state near Worcester. Both of my parents are from Vermont and many of my relatives live there. Vermont is a “home away from home” for me. Maybe someday it will be just plain “home.”

My mom who just turned 93 lives with me. We are joined by two cats who allow us to remain in the house with them at least as long as we serve their needs. Actually, they are very sweet and rather amusing. Smokey is a gorgeous Russian Blue and Autumn Amelia is an adorable calico Maine Coon. I’ve had at least one cat since I was six years old. I can’t imagine life without cats. As long as I have cats and books, I’m good!

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I don’t think I can pinpoint a specific age. Before I was able to read, I loved having books read to me and would ask for my favorite ones time and again. Thankfully, I come from a family of avid readers spanning the generations. Not only were my parents more than happy to read to me so were my grandparents. My maternal grandfather, in particular, had a passion for books. He died when I was only four years old, so I have only vague memories of him, but most include books as he was constantly reading. He read to me often and never minded reading the same book over and over again.

The first book that I really fell in love with was Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. To this day that remains my favorite book. I also devoured the whole Nancy Drew series when I was young. In junior high school I developed a fascination with the Salem Witch Hysteria and couldn’t get enough of books on that subject. At the same time, I had a wonderful literature teacher, Mrs. Heroian, who had a lending library in her classroom. I think I read almost every book she had. As long as all our work was completed during the week, she would spend the entire class time on Fridays reading to us. She was instrumental in continuing my passion for books and taking it to a new level.

As for writing, in a sense I’ve done it nearly all my life. Even before I put words on paper, I would make up stories in my head. Some were inspired by something as simple as a picture in a magazine. I also did a lot of day dreaming as a child. This got me into a little trouble now and then when it happened in school. I was supposed to be paying attention, but instead my mind was busy concocting stories.

English and literature classes in school often had writing assingments of short stories or essays. I loved those assingments. Whatever I wrote was almost always chosen by the teacher to read aloud. That was a huge affirmation of my writing. This is probably what convinced me that I should continue writing. I’ve been doing it ever since.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
My favorite authors cover a wide range of genres and time periods – Louisa May Alcott, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Charlotte Bronte, Stephen King, Anne Rice, Jodi Picoult, Alice Hoffman, Robert Ludlum, Sue Monk Kidd, Martha Hall Kelley, and Eileen Charbonneau, to name a few.

Historical fiction is my favorite genre, but I also like paranormal, some horror, thrillers, memoirs, biographies, and historical non-fiction. I’ll read almost any genre as long as it’s a good story.

All of the authors listed above inspire me. Eileen Charbonneau has been the most important to me, though. We are both published by the same publishing company. Eileen did the editing for Kelegeen. She and I do author talks and book signings together. She’s an award winning novelist with a wealth of experience and knowledge and has been a fantastic mentor for me. She’s also one heck of a good writer. Her latest book, Seven Aprils, is the first in her American Civil War series. It’s fantastic!

Tell us a little about your latest book?
At the moment, I only have one book published. My debut novel is Kelegeen. It is set in Ireland during the Great Hunger (aka Potato Famine). The book came about because while I was working on my undergraduate degree in history, my Irish history professor gave me an assignment to write a diary as if I was a parish priest in Ireland during the time of the Great Hunger. I loved that assingment. When it was completed I realized I had the outline of a novel. After several years , a lot of hard work, and many rewrites it became what is now Kelegeen.

The title comes from name of the fictional town in which the story is set. My original title was “The Hungerdance”, but that was back when I first started writing it, long before the Hunger Games came on the scene. To avoid confusion, I decided to change the title. Though there are very definite main characters (Meg O’Connor, Rory Quinn, Father Brian O’Malley, and Dr. Martin Parker), the story delves into the lives and hardships of all the people of Kelegeen including how they pulled together trying to help one another survive. So naming the book for the town seemed appropriate.

Here is the blurb for the book:

Ireland 1846

Meg O’Connor, daughter of poor Irish cottiers, eagerly anticipates her wedding to Rory Quinn. Her dreams of marriage and family vanish along with Ireland’s potato crop when Kelegeen’s inhabitants awaken one morning to find their sole source of food destroyed by blight.

At first Meg and Rory are able to use their skills, hers of sewing and his of wood carving, to provide for themselves and their families. But tragedy and a costly mistake end those means of survival forcing them into more dangerous ventures.

As An Gorta Mór, the Great Hunger, continues to churn through Ireland ravaging the country’s peasantry with no let up in sight, Meg is compelled to make the most difficult decision of her life. What she chooses could be the salvation of the O’Connor and Quinn families or it could separate her forever from all she knows and loves.

I am currently working on the sequel to Kelegeen which will be titled Erin’s Children. It will follow some of the characters from Kelegeen who came to America to escape the Great Hunger. Erin’s Children is set in Worcester, Massachusetts. I’m having a blast researching the history of my city during the 1850s for this book.

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Featured Interview With W.D. Kilpack III

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I’m a Utahn. I was born in Salt Lake City and raised in West Jordan. I graduated at the top of my class from West Jordan High School, and served as editor-in-chief of the high school newspaper and twice as editor of the school literary/art magazine. After, I attended Westminster College of Salt Lake City, where I earned an Honors Program bachelor of arts degree, double majoring in communication (with a journalism emphasis) and philosophy (Western traditions emphasis). I graduated cum laude and served as editor of the college newspaper. After, I earned a master of professional communication (writing emphasis), also at Westminster. I was also an athlete. I played just about every sport you can imagine, but wrestled for 12 years and qualified for international competition in Greco-Roman wrestling.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
For as long as I can remember, I’ve been a writing and telling stories. Before I learned how to write, I would draw pictures of space ships, then act out the battles, drawing in the laser blasts and explosions after erasing parts of the ships that were blown away by enemies. I’ve blown up the U.S.S. Enterprise 10,000 times. After learning to write, I had his first poem published at the age of 9 and was first hired to write professionally at 15. I originally wanted to be a cartoonist and start my own line of comic books. That was my dream until I wrote my first book, when I was 12.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I love science fiction and fantasy. My influences include Homer, J.R.R. Tolkien, Terry Brooks, Stephen R. Donaldson, George R.R. Martin, Robert Jordan, David Eddings, Piers Anthony, Robert Holdstock, Robert Adams, John Norman, Melanie Rawn, Shakespeare, Aristotle and Robert Frost. The most inspirational writers would be Homer, Tolken, Martin and Artistotle.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Crown Prince is the first of an eight-book series called New Blood. The main character is Natharr, who is a great warrior and adviser to kings, due to his own intelligence, as well as because he has Sight. He can see into the future, as well as the past. He is also the Guardian of Maarihk, a post that has existed since the Olde Gods walked. Natharr is tasked with protecting the future, continuing the work of his father to continue the line of the kings of Maarihk, the place where the Firstborn were created.

It took a couple years to write and edit the first book, but the other seven are already close to being ready for release.

The kernel of the idea for Natharr came to me years ago. When I was an undergrad studying philosophy, I was fascinated by Socrates, who would go into a trance-like state, then emerge with new answers to questions. He called it being seized by the Daemon of Philosophy. Natharr has something similar in his makeup.

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W.D. Kilpack III’s Website

Featured Interview With Ray Wilson

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born on the outskirts of London. I was bitten by a bulldog in 1966 and hated dogs until Billy “the lurcher cross” came into my life in the mid 80″s. After that dogs became a huge part of my life.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I couldn’t actually read until I was almost seven years old. I taught myself to read and found I really enjoyed the “Just William” books. After that, I started writing.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I like books in all genres. H.G. Wells, Philip K Dick to William Blake.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
I decided that all in all I had had a “blessed” life and wanted to share some of what I had learnt.

Featured Interview With Nolon Savas

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I have been a journalist, soldier, enumerator, roughneck, roustabout, prospector, blaster, doodlebug, security guard, and a convict librarian in a New Mexico prison. Fact is, I’ve done many more jobs just to stay afloat than the ones mentioned. I worked the deeprock mines after graduating high school. I joined the Army to escape Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, a diagnosis I would not learn of until I was sentenced to a halfway house for six months in 2004. I weighed 110 pounds after the ravage was done. I started writing again while a resident in a homeless shelter following the halfway hotel experience, placing it aside to take care of my mother in her dying days. How long did it take to write “Shadowdancer”? About forty-two years. It cost me a great deal more to research the substance of the book than the reasonable cover price to buy it.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I started reading by age five to escape the madness of home life. My father was a veteran of three wars and my mother was a jitterbug with firecracker blood. By age twelve I was clearing out entire sections of the public library with reading interests covering every topic but organized sports. By the time the folks stopped with their knock-down-drag-out free-for-all performances, my psychopathic brother took over in the beatings department. Like they say, another day in paradise. I went underground as a miner to finance college at the University of Utah. When that money ran out I joined the Army and became a combat engineer. It was the United States Army or the French Foreign Legion. I took the path of lease resistance.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
William Faulkner, Flannery O’Conner, John Steinbeck, William Shakespeare, the Holy Bible, Gilgamesh, you get the idea. There’s not too many contemporary writers I have read, although I helped Christopher Moore with his second book, “Coyote Blue”, and currently work with an autistic author who publishes historical fiction, Bonnie Barrigar. She’s quite an imaginative writer.

My favorite genre, or rather sub-genre is the one I write in–Southwestern Gothic. Never heard of Southwestern Gothic? You will. As an abbreviated explanation, Southwestern Gothic takes most of the traditions of Gothic literature: mystery and fear, omens and curses, dreams and nightmares, supernatural or paranormal experiences, villains, and emotional distress, placing it in a southwestern setting. Because I am writing in first person narrative, and because all of my books are based upon a true story, further lends to reader involvement. I am the anti-hero you would prefer to sit next to in a dinner party.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
“Shadowdancer” is a journey of discovery. Our protagonist ventures into a remote Native American cliff dwelling an takes some souvenirs–desiccated corn cobs from a stone granary. From the start strange things happen, bad things that only get worse with the passage of time. Our protagonist returns to the Silver City, New Mexico area after losing his geoseismic job in Oklahoma. A strange letter arrives in his general delivery box days after his arrival. The letter, from an elderly man our protagonist doesn’t know, says that there are gold and silver deposits in the Bootheel of New Mexico worth investigating. A map is included. What the protagonist can’t explain is how this elderly letter writer knew of him at all. Off to the sticks goes the protagonist and in doing seals a course of events that would change his life forever…

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