Top Selling Authors: Get To Know Them Better

Featured Interview With Cathy MacRae

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Growing up in the hills of Tennessee, I backpacked along the Appalachian Trail and canoed nearby rivers. I now live in the foothills of the Arbuckle Mountains, many miles and a climate away. It’s pretty clear I’m more of a mountain than beach person, though I love both. I enjoy taking the dogs (three German Shepherds) along when my husband and I go on vacation. Last year we only had 2 dogs, so this summer looks to be rather interesting.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I have always been an avid reader. Getting sent to my room as punishment was never a hardship, lol! I could spend hours with just a book for company. My second favorite place to read was sprawled on my sturdy pony’s back, book propped on her wide rump. She never minded.
I’ve always been a story-teller, but put pen to words when I was in high school. There my best friend and I re-wrote such classics as Romeo and Juliet as Julian and Ramona. It gave us a cool way to read and interpret Shakespeare’s story without simply hitting the Cliffnotes. And our classmates enjoyed it, too! Years later I would start writing with an eye to publishing my own works.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I love reading historical fiction. I tend to gravitate to more medieval books, but really enjoy WWI and WWII stories as well. Just recently, my husband introduced me to the urban fantasy genre, and I have to say I’m intrigued. Some of these new-to-me authors include Patricia Briggs, JR Rain, and Faith Hunter. A few of my comfortable favorites are Grace Burrowes, Kathryn le Veque, and Margaret Mallory. I’ve been known to toss back a few romantic suspense and thriller novels, too.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book, co-authored with long-time critique partner DD MacRae, is The Highlander’s Crusader Bride. DD has a knack of picking out a period in history that has an intriguing turn of events and suggesting a story based on this. In The Highlander’s Crusader Bride, DD had been studying the Crusades, and wanted to know how a young woman raised in the Holy Land would fare in Scotland. More than clothing and climate differences, we wanted to explore culture, food and religion. How would the Scots perceive her? How would she perceive them? Could we take a dyed-in-the wool Scotsman and entice him to fall in love with a hard-headed woman who’d grown up on adventure and intrigue? What on earth would have to happen before she fell in love with him? And, to tell you the truth, after creating Arbela MacLean and Caelen MacKern, I was a bit unsure either would change their prejudices enough to enjoy their HEA.
But I absolutely love this book. So much, that it took a little over three months to complete this book. That’s a record for us that might never be contested, lol! As Arbela grew emotionally from a confidant (perhaps arrogant) warrior into a woman who was not afraid to give her life to another, Caelen lost his narrow-minded view of women and learned his wife was strong and honorable–and he possibly was unworthy of her.
I’ll leave it to you to read how this happened. I think you’ll enjoy their journey.

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Cathy MacRae’s Website

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Featured Interview With C.J.S. Hayward

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I’ve lived in the U.S., Malaysia, France, and England, and have letters after my name from three out of those four. I studied French at the Sorbonne, a mixture of math and computers at UIUC, and a mixture of philosophy and theology at Cambridge, with brief treatment of languages and cultures at the local Institute for Cross-Cultural Training at the end.

Those eclectic interests are part of the picture, but not nearly as central as that I am working to enter Mount Athos in Greece, the Holy Mountain, to enter monastic repentance for the rest of my life. This is along lines I discuss in “A Comparison Between the Mere Monk and the Highest Bishop” at cjshayward.com/monk, which I wrote after failing to track down a North American library able to loan St. John Chrysostom’s comparison between the monk and the Emperor.

As far as pets go, I’m an animal lover, but it’s not responsible to adopt a pet when you’re hoping to leave in a few months. I do however visit one pet shelter to socialize with the pets.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I scarcely remember a time when I was not involved with books.

I wrote numerous megabytes of text in high school that are to my knowledge lost, and I don’t think much was lost. I was slowly working on how to make a point that normal people can understand, and it took me a whole lot of practice to start making progress.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
C.S. Lewis, more than anyone else, formed me as an author. I’ve read almost everything he wrote apart from an academic textbook on 15th to 16th century literature. And really, C.S. Lewis is a terrific starting point even beyond writing well; one piece of advice that’s been given is, if you are going to choose a first author, choose one who will take you places.

There are other authors I’ve liked, including Madeleine l’Engle and more recently the authors collected in the Philokalia, plus St. John Chrysostom (his “last name”, as it were, is a nickname, “Golden-Mouth”). Through C.S. Lewis one imbibes the rhetoric included in the Middle Ages’ seven liberal arts; through St. John Chrysostom one imbibes the classical pagan rhetorical tradition. Both authors have much to share, and much to show about writing well.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My newest book, if you will, is not exactly a book: it is a meta-book or website at https://eBook-Maker.gifts, and creates both Kindle and ePub.

This website, like a product configurator, lets you see which of my works you would like in a book: you can collect categories and topics such as “Short Stories” or “Humor,” or drill down in something like 200 individual offerings. You can also set your collection’s title as you want, an introduction and dedication if you so desire, and a cover image if you have one. This creates more options than the stars in the sky: many times more! And the books are licensed CC0 (“No rights reserved”).

I invite you to visit at https://eBook-Maker.gifts!

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C.J.S. Hayward’s Website

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Featured Interview With Robert Bartram

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born in Edmonton, London, but I speant several of my early years living in Cornwall. I now live in Hertfordshire, where I’ve speant the best part of my life.
Apart from writing, I’m interested in collecting antiques (mostly books) going to the theatre and eating out.
I’m passionate about history, particularly women in war situations, which is reflected in my books. I’ve had a variety of jobs, including Typewriter mechanic, Health shop Manager and Taxidermist, yes, you read that correctly. Writing has always been at the centre of my life. I can’t think of a better way to spend my time than by creating worlds populated by exciting characters.
I’m a single semi-domesticated male and I guess that’s the way it’ll stay.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I’ve loved books for as long as I can remember. I’ve first began writing at the age of seventeen. I experimented with various types of genre, including science fiction and horror, with little success. Believe it or not science fiction wasn’t very popular in those days. Not until “Star wars” turned it around.
Funnily enough it was writing science fiction that first got me published. I sent a few of my short stories to an agent. She refused them and suggested I try romance. After a few trys, she finally accepted my work and I was published.
By combining that with my love of history, I finally found my preferred genre, historical romance.
My first novel “Dance the Moon Down”, was set against the background of the First World War. I perfer a strong female protagonist as my lead character. There were some reservations amoungst reviewers about a man writing about women. Would it be authentic? Well, after more than thirty five star reviews and being voted book of the month on “Wall To Wall” books, I guess they’ve changed their minds.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Writers like Herman Melville. He was so ahead of his time and so unappreciated in his own time. The psycological themes in “Moby Dick” are outstanding.
Ernest Hemmingway is another. His understated style of writing packs a real punch.
I must also mention Shakespear, not that I compare myself to him in any way at all, but his ability to create both colourful and memoreable characters is well worth studying. Also he’s written some of the finest love scenes in all of litriture.
Perversely, one of my favourite genres is ghost stories. I love them, it’s pure escapism. Strangely enough, I’ve never tried to write one.
I suppose I’ve been influenced by just about everything I’ve read, but above all I have to say that it’s
life and living it, that has had the greatest affect on my writing.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My new novel “Whippoorwill” is an historical drama set against the background of the American Civil War. It’s about Cecile Prejean, a southern belle who falls passionately in love with handsome young northerner, Trent Sinclaire. Trent is a cadet at the West Point military academy. They begin a torrid affair, even as the southern states begin to sucede from the Union. When war breaks out, Trent goes north to fight for the Union, leaving Ceci in the south. After the death of her family at the fall of New Orleans, Ceci meets with infamous spy master,Henry Doucet. He initiates into the shadowy world of espionage. Infiltrating the White House, she comes face to face with Abraham Lincoln, a man she’s sworn to kill. Forming a reckless alliance with actor John Wilkes Booth she is drawn deeper into the plot to assassinate the President of the United States. A Confederate spy in love with a Union officer, her next descision will determine whether she lives or dies.
Believe it or not, there were hundreds of women spies in the American Civil War on both sides. After many months of research, their courage and determination couldn’t fail to impress me. That’s what inspired me to write the book. It took about eight months to write and about three months setting it up for print.
Ceci’s character is based on a number of women I have known, all of them with their own little quirks and foibles. Together they have produced my heroine. I think she’s one hell of a woman.
You can find out more by checking the book’s site at Troubadour. www.troubador.co.uk/book_info.asp?bookid=4722

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Robert Bartram’s Website

Featured Interview With Phillip Strang

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born in England, although I’ve lived in Australia for over forty years. Until the last couple of years, I travelled extensively building the infrastructure for cell phone networks.

I’ve written 12 books, the last 9 have been British Detective Thrillers. Good reviews, reasonable sales.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I’ve read since young, mainly science fiction, always the masters of the genre. I started writing terrorism-related books 3 years ago, but moved away and into detective thrillers.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I rarely get time to read, other than to listen to audiobooks by the best author in the thriller genre. I still hold that the ancient Greeks, Sophocles, Aristophanes, Plato, Euripides, are hard to beat, as well as Shakespeare. Modern authors: John Grisham, Ken Follett, Ian Rankin.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Death and the Lucky Man. A man wins the lottery, sixty-eight million pounds. The book is set in Salisbury, not far from Stonehenge. The man is lazy, undeserving. Three years later, he’s dead, his throat cut, but why? and by whom?

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Phillip Strang’s Website

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Featured Interview With Roger McEwan

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I’m just about to turn 52 and I grew up and still live in Palmerston North, New Zealand, which can be charitably described as a great place to raise children and uncharitably as dull. It’s not as bad as John Cleese (UK comedian), who was probably having a bad day, made out when he called it ‘the suicide capital of New Zealand’. It’s relatively small, with a population of around 80,000, but it’s big enough to have all the amenities you need for a great family life – quality education, affordable housing and space in which to run and breathe. What it lacks is the dynamic pulse of a large city in which sports events, theatre, historic sites and the general hub-bub make you feel you’re in the centre of the world.

Compensating for this, Palmerston North has few of the issues that plague large cities – pollution, over-crowding, lack of living space, unaffordable housing unless you’re a millionaire, traffic, crime and, more recently and alarmingly, terrorism. Ordinary and typical are probably words that sum up Palmerston North.

I have two children, Rog who is now 17 and then Liv (Olivia) who is 16, and I share their care with their mum (my Ex) Rose. To find out more about how all this works, you’ll need to get a copy of my book!

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I have always loved books and reading. My children now tell me – dad, you don’t need any more books or bookcases. I should “recycle” some of my books but I just love being surrounded by books, it has an old world feeling of charm and peace that my tablet and phone will never provide!

I needed an event to start writing and that was initially my divorce and then when my next relationship terminated suddenly.

When I became a single dad I felt the urge to capture what was happening in my life but not for a book, just so I had a mechanism to help me understand. When my plans were once again thrown into disarray I started writing what became The Single Dad’s Guide to the Galaxy. It was a cathartic way for me to come to terms with everything and I found writing incredibly liberating.

My luckiest break came when I first approached a literary consultant with my early chapters. Geoff Walker had a wealth of experience in the book industry and provided invaluable help throughout my first book writing journey. He was wonderful and I’ll never forget his initial words – there is some great stuff here but it’s a little clumsy! At that point it would have been easy to be put off but Geoff’s well chosen words inspired me to carry on.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
My taste in books is eclectic and I’m just as happy reading one of the latest thrillers from Lee Child or Michael Connolly as going through a history of Word War I. Time is always my enemy when it comes to reading and I have become addicted to audio books which I play in the car (except when I have the children who insist on “their” music).

Many authors have inspired me and it is almost impossible to single out particular authors. If I had to name one then it would be George Orwell. A man not only ahead of this time but incredibly in tune with his time. Some of the lessons in his work have been missed by generation after generation.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
The Single Dad’s Guide to the Galaxy was a project that started to help me come to terms with my single dad status and then blossomed into a book as my journey continued. The title suggests it is just for single dad’s (maybe a marketing error) but the book has been written so that any parent, male or female, can stand in my shoes and through understanding a little of my world, reflect on how they may change their world for the better.

As an “indie” author getting the word out has been very difficult but I was fortunate to secure a distributor in New Zealand and now my book proudly sits in most book stores and libraries. I don’t have the marketing clout to rival the big 5 but I try and make up the difference in enthusiasm. It gives me great pleasure to check out a library and see copies of my book have been borrowed, it may not help make me a fortune but it does mean the world of one parent and their children may improve. That alone all the effort worthwhile.

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Roger McEwan’s Website

Roger McEwan Facebook Page

Roger McEwan Twitter Account

Featured Interview With Marion Sinclair Simpson

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Author Bio/Marion Sinclair Simpson/Christian Author

Marion was born in Scotland into a family of six children. Four girls and two boys. Marion has been writing since the age of four when she received her first toy typewriter as a Christmas gift.
Words have always been her passion. Using those words to inform and entertain others was always her true destiny. Making a difference with her gift for words brings her true fulfillment and joy.
Marion emigrated from the United Kingdom, to Canada with two young sons in tow. In Canada her family expanded by one more son and a daughter, bringing the family to a total of six.
Whether Marion is writing fiction or non-fiction the subjects she chooses to write about are always close to her heart. Marion has been an advocate for Social Justice all her life which has been reflected in her many volunteer projects, ranging from feeding the homeless to advocating for victims of violence. Helping others through difficult times has been regarded as a privilege.
• Favourite author from the past: Somerset Maugham
• Favourite author from the present: Michael Connelly
• Favourite quote: To thine own self be true, and thou then cannot be false to any man. – William Shakespeare
• Favourite food: Chocolate
• Favourite hobby: Walking in nature
• Favourite inspirational saying: She needed a hero, so she became one.
Books by Marion Sinclair Simpson:
Love Letters from God (Christian/Catholic/Inspirational/Encouragement).
Forbidden Fruit – Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing – Marion Sinclair Simpson (historical fiction/romance/Medieval times).
Mindshifting Mindfulness – Marion Sinclair Simpson (non-fiction/inspirational).

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
My parents read books to me when I was very young, I was always a highly imaginative writer. My first typewriter was given to me when I was four. It was the most thoughtful gift and I could not wait to write stories to share my words with others.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
When I was much younger I loved Enid Blyton books, when I grew a little I fell in love with the writings of Agatha Christie. I also read Graham Greene, he was one of my Father’s favourite writers. We had the entire collection of Charles Dickens works in our house so I ploughed through them all. I had a voracious appetite for books. Somerset Maugham, Raymond Chandler, now I enjoy Michael Connelly as my current favourite author. Though I read a huge amount of non fiction books also on my journey to learn and share wisdom with others. To write, one must always read.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Forbidden Fruit – Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing is a Historical Fiction with some Romance and Mystery included.
FORBIDDEN FRUIT – Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing introduces the malignant and venomous creature, known as Father Jasper Kaminski, the Rector of the local Cathedral, who goes head-to-head in an equally matched dark power struggle with Monsignor Iain Hartley-Jones, who is next in line to become Bishop of their local Diocese. Kaminski and Hartley-Jones once more battle for control, when long hidden documents containing information damaging to those in power, are brought into the light. Both dressed in religious vestments, yet determined to win at any cost and destroy anyone who gets in their way.
We meet Father Robert Spencer, former Parish Priest, now a Benedictine Monk who is struggling with his own vows of celibacy and obedience, which he had made to a seemingly cold passionless church. Father Robert becomes caught up in the intrigues of power and treachery that exists in the highest echelons of the church, as he learns the newly discovered documents may reveal dark and disturbing acts from centuries past. Unwittingly he is dragged into the struggle for power that threatens the peace and sanctity of the life he has retreated to. His life is already in turmoil when Sophia MacLean a woman from his past causes him to re-examine some life altering choices.
FORBIDDEN FRUIT gives the avid mystery reader an insider view into the secrecy of the modern-day church. Our hero is trying to right the wrongs of the past, while battling the dark and disturbing forces inhabiting the highest places in the Roman Catholic Church which creates tension, mystery and suspense to keep the reader engaged. We learn about Thomas de Kempis the author of the best-selling book, Imitation of Christ, Thomas lived in Medieval Germany. The newly discovered vellum manuscripts, written in Latin speak of Thomas’s suspicious death, the manner of his death cost him being elevated to the status of sainthood. It appears that a grievous injustice may have occurred.
The novel explores the dark and light side of human nature and the battles we all must face in life. Themes explored in the novel involve, romance and mystery, unrequited love and loss, abuse of power, betrayal of trust and treachery in high places; all these themes combine to take the reader on a thrilling journey of suspense.
FORBIDDEN FRUIT brings into the light matters only before whispered about among those in power in the Vatican. There are those in power who do not want this story to come out because it sheds light on the abuses of power that have long been tolerated and often condoned by those in powerful positions in the Church. This novel shines a light on the abuse of power that corrupts in so many areas of society today.

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Marion Sinclair Simpson’s Website

Featured Interview With Salman Aziz

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I am Salman Aziz a.k.a. AKA$H. I am an indie writer, artist, indie filmmaker, model and entertainer. I was born in Pabna city, Bangladesh. But most of the time I grew up in Kushtia and Dhaka city. I was born in December 19, 1993. At present, I am living in Dhaka city, Bangladesh. I’ve completed my Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and Engineering. I am also known for my symbolic short film “Bloody Dark Dream” and realistic blogs. I had so many pets long time ago. But now I don’t have any pets. I wish I could have one!

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I’ve started to write on my very young age. When I was only 8 years old, I invented my writing power. So I started to write small rhymes and stories on our local newspapers and also for my school magazines. In that time, I had written all my things in Bengali my native language actually. When I was about 11 years old, I began to write in English. One thing I must say that my home tutor helped me a lot to develop myself and that was the beginning of all. He inspired me a lot. Cause he invented my writing skills on my early age. In 2014, I officially created my own blog site on google blog spot. There I got huge response from the people. And now in this year I debut as an indie author. My first book is “6th September: A Very Unknown Mysterious Story”. With this book I began my book writing journey.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Honestly, I respect all the authors in this world. Cause writing is not so easy task. I admire all the writers who create their own things, not steal others stuff as their own. If you want to write something new and creative then you have to be patient and focus on that topic! This thing very few people can do. So all the writers with good writing skill influence me much. And yes, I always try to read good books that give me inspiration to write. Because reading can gives you the knowledge to realize anything. And one thing I must add that I don’t have any specific genre to read. Cause I love to read every kind of books to know about the fact.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Well, my latest and first book is “6th September: A Very Unknown Mysterious Story”. The book is the first book of its sequel. The story is based on a Bangladeshi teenager boy named Aabrar Rahman who killed himself by taking sleeping pills for several pains inside his mind and depression. But the reason of his suicide remained unknown because his diary goes missing. The story actually reflected how Aabrar killed himself and how the things went so wrong when his parent knew it. And some people took the advantage of his death and so many interesting things. The story is based on real event and this is my first English book. Some people may think why I chose this kind of story, where I should write happy things. The reason behind of this story that I want to raise the public awareness on teen suicide. Because we can see that around us there are so many teenagers who are suffering from depression which people don’t try to understand. But when the things go so wrong then a person kills him/her self only for this depression which we don’t want to realize or offer them help. Also family members are so busy in work that they forget their children are suffering from depression and problems. Through this story I wanted to reflect it. But I don’t know how much I have made. You can’t understand the story until you read it. Because there is much suspense in the story you will get.

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Salman Aziz Facebook Page

Salman Aziz Twitter Account

Featured Interview With Jennifer S. Alderson

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born in San Francisco, raised in Seattle and currently live in the Netherlands. I came to Amsterdam in 2004 to study art history and never left!

Growing up we always had pets around. I named the protagonist of my mystery series (the Adventures of Zelda Richardson) after my favorite cat, Zelda.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
Growing up, my parents had an extensive library and read to my brother and I daily. As a child, my father and I used to write stories together, usually mysteries. I wrote my first novel when I was twelve, a predictable mystery a la Syndey Sheldon (my favorite author at the time). Out of high school, I studied journalism and worked as a newspaper editor and reporter for several years.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I love to read all sorts of fiction, though mysteries and historical fiction are my favorite genres. I also enjoy reading non-fiction travel stories written by adventurers, explorers and backpackers – especially if it is about a place I want to visit someday.

Choosing a favorite author is impossible; there are too many wonderful writers out there to pick from! I do tend to read more indie and small press books than those published by the ‘Big 5’. I find their stories are often fresher and the styles of writing more invigorating.

Books that I read as a young woman that still inspire me are Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, On the Road, The Beach, The Color Purple, Westing Game and Island of the Blue Dolphins.
My love of travel fiction starts with The Beach. I picked it up at a second-hand bookstore in Kathmandu, Nepal a few days before flying to Bangkok. Alex Garland’s descriptions of Thailand combined with his fantastic story, made me realize I could use my experiences traveling as the basis for a novel. Several years later, Down and Out in Kathmandu: A Backpacker Mystery was born.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
I am thrilled to announce the release of The Lover’s Portrait audiobook! It is an amateur sleuth mystery set in present day and wartime Amsterdam. The book uses the context of an art exhibition to examine issues surrounding the restitution of looted art and the intrinsic worth of artwork, as well as core values such as integrity, perseverance and sacrifice.

After completing degrees in art history and museum studies at the University of Amsterdam, I worked for several museums before the economy crashed and the cultural sector imploded. If I hadn’t lost my job, My son was born soon after I stopped working and I had the luxury of staying home to raise him. Writing became a way to connect with ‘grownup’ life, and gave me an excuse to visit several museums I’d always wanted to check out. I wrote during his nap times and researched online archives at night. Soon after his fourth birthday, The Lover’s Portrait: An Art Mystery paperback was released!

Right now, editing my current work in progress is consuming my time. I am weeks away from finalizing my third novel in my mystery series, Rituals of the Dead: An Artifact Mystery, and am getting quite excited to share it with the world! Art, religion and anthropology collide in this exciting third installment of the Adventures of Zelda Richardson series. It is an art mystery about Asmat bis poles, missionaries and anthropologists. I hope readers will join Zelda on her journey to discover the truth about a missing anthropologist and rumors of a smuggling ring dealing in ancient artifacts.

The storyline was conceived during my time as a collection researcher for a fascinating exhibition of Asmat bis poles at the Tropenmuseum. While searching through photographs and film fragments of Asmat tribes, missionaries and anthropologists working in Papua New Guinea during the 1930s through 1960s, I discovered a well-known Dutch missionary was one of the last people to see Michael Rockefeller alive. During their meeting they’d made an appointment to meet again after Rockefeller returned from an acquisition trip upriver. The young American disappeared days later, resulting in one of the most famous unsolved mysteries of our time. That little detail about his un-kept appointment stuck with me and eventually inspired this novel.

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Jennifer S. Alderson’s Website

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Featured Interview With Heather LeRoss

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I’m a mom, superhero, wife, ex-wife, daughter, and all around messy human. I’m a military kid so I spent time all over the world: Oklahoma, Washington, Holland, Germany, California. I live in Washington state (again now) with my two sons, step-son, husband and cutest dog ever. I spend my days flushing toilets, turning off lights, and wondering what the funny smells in my house are (pumpkin from last year left in closet? Old pee in one of the toilets? Teen boys? – All true stories) I write mainly for women. Women who feel alone, who have lost their tribe. Women who have a child with extra needs. Women who struggle, hide in their closet when it is all too much, and who sometimes just need to hear a kind word. I see these women, I celebrate these women, I am these women.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
When we moved to Holland I was 8. As an only child in a foreign country with no kids nearby who spoke English, I began to lose myself in the world of books. My mom would take me to the American military base bookstore and I would buy everything they had. I would start a book on the way home (it was almost an hour away) and sometimes be halfway done by the time we got home. Once I cleaned out the store of all the kids books, I started on adult books. I was reading the spine tingling stories of John Saul by age 10. Appropriate? Not by today’s standards but I inhaled everything I could get my hands on. I started writing my first book at age 8 – Rhoney and Me – about a girl and her horse. It was genius but alas, I lost it so the world will never know how genius.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Oh, this question always stumps me because there are so many and so many have been a huge part of my life at different times. I started with John Saul and Dean Koontz. I moved into anything that Oprah picked for her book club. I love Lianne Moriarty, Toni Morrison, Maya Angelou, Diane Chamberlain, JK Rowling, Frank McCourt, Christopher Pike, I could go on and on. I have a range of genre’s I enjoy – pretty much if it has words, is well written and engaging, I’ll read it. I’m inspired by anything published. I know the time, the heart-ache, the passion, and commitment that comes from writing. I know how the authors poured their love into each word, agonized over every line, and how scary it is to put your word baby out into the world. I admire that and so authors/writers in general inspire me.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Just Tell Me I’m Pretty: Musings on a Messy Life is a humorous book about all the joys and heart-feels that come with being a woman today. From being a mom of all boys to being a woman who is faced with the changes that come with hitting 40 (good-bye pee-free sneezing), my book is open (VERY open), honest, and relatable. I have no problem detailing how I embarrass myself like in the chapter titled, I Soiled Myself in IKEA. I have no problem talking about the hard stuff like the chapter about raising my son with ADHD and the tough decision I was faced with on whether or not to medicate him, My Biggest Lie. I also have no problem embarrassing my family (in a kind way) like when I talk about Why I Like My Mom Better When She’s Stoned. I relate how hard I find it saying goodbye to my babies and working to get to know the young men who are now living in my house. I share my experiences with hard things like my hysterectomy earlier this year, the guilt I have over … ummm, everything that comes with being an imperfect mother, and the intense love I feel when my son says, “I love how squishy everything is on you.” I bring it all – the good, bad, ugly, hard, and joyous. This book is over 2 years in the making. It is my life, my labor of love, and my legacy to my boys. Advanced readers have told me they laughed, cried, and silently said, “Yes! She gets me!” while reading my book. THAT is why I write.

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Featured Interview With Dakota McElhinny

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Well, I was born in Columbus, Ohio (Go Buckeyes!); but when I turned ten, my family and I moved to Morganton, North Carolina. Growing up in both places, I gained the perspectives of the ‘bustling city life’ and ‘rural country life’. I loved living in both places; they’re both home to me.

I live in South Carolina now. I went to college at North Greenville University, gaining my Bachelor of Science degree in Sport Management. I met my wife at NGU, so I stayed in South Carolina. We live in central South Carolina, but it’s nice being not too far from Charleston because I enjoy the area.

I have two dogs. The first is a Maltese/Husky mix, which my wife was given, and she really wanted to name him Gimli because he was always going to be a small dog. Gimli has definitely lived up to his name though, being a small but loyal dog; and he’s super protective of my wife and daughter. Our second dog is a chocolate lab, and it was my turn to pick the name, so I went with Strider. Both dogs love each other and get along really well, though it took Gimli a moment because he was spoiled rotten before Strider joined the family.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I was always fascinated with books. I don’t think there was ever a moment, when I picked up a book and was like, ‘Woah! I love books!’. Most of that is because my mother was a librarian, so books were part of my life at a young age. In first and second grade, I can remember my teacher having us do book contests; the concept was to see how many books you could read over a period of time, usually two weeks. Most students would come back with twenty to forty books read, but I would come back with sixty to seventy because all I did was read.

Fun fact, when I was in the sixth grade, my teacher had us take a test; the test was to see where we were with our different classes. Most of my tests came back average, except English which came back placing me at an 11th grade level; that was definitely an encouraging moment for me.

Ironically, the summer before sixth grade. I was starting a new school, and they wanted me to write in cursive, but my cursive writing was horrid. So I did what any child would do *laughs*, I sat down at wrote short stories. The discipline I have always had for writing, even at the young age, is kind of crazy because no one forced me to sit and write; I did it to do it.

My early writing included a lot of western cowboys and medieval knights short stories. Another theme that I dabbled in was super heroes, and I would take those super hero stories to school and I would read them to my friends at lunch. They enjoyed the goofy, quirky stories, and all of them wanted to be included in my stories; so at lunch time during sixth grade, I always had a new short story involving my friends. The joy they had from my writing, mixed with my own love for writing, really propelled me into wanting to be an author.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
When I hit seventh grade, I read two different pieces that would influence me for life. I read Alexander Lloyd’s The Book of Three and I read The Lord of the Rings trilogy. I was definitely blown away by both. I read Lloyd’s work first, and I was intrigued by how he created a fantasy world. Then I read Tolkien’s work, and I knew I wanted to be a fantasy author; so I began focusing less on western cowboys and super heroes, and more on my passion of fantasy.

Entering my sophomore year of high school, I began reading Robert E. Howard’s Conan series, and I loved his descriptive writing nature. It paints an image in your mind, and it’s almost like you’re there watching it unfold. Lastly, when I was in my final semester of college, I read Rowling’s Harry Potter series; I was addicted to them, reading the books in all my spare time. I love how she takes something big, and perhaps complex, and she makes it fun and not complex.

Inspiration? I don’t know. I know I always wanted to be an author and write. When I was young, my parents and best friend encouraged me; I kept my writing a secret because I was nervous about critiquing and what not. I knew I was a decent writer, but I wanted to be better, and I wanted to hone my craft, before I let everyone read.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book would be, The Realm: Rise of the Demon Prince, and it’s the second book in The Realm Trilogy. The first book, The Realm, was published in 2016 and the second book was published in September of 2017.

With the first book, it was all about introducing the characters, having them play off one another, and creating their world for he reader. The Realm is about a wizard, Telezzar, and his four unlikely companions: Dar Caine the Malobathron Giant Prince, Troy Red-Dragon an elf of the paladin order, Leda a dwarf and ranger, and the happy go-lucky Lars the leprechaun who is a fisherman. Their journey takes them all over the realm, as they find themselves battling spidermites, meeting Odie the gneiss who is a rock creature, and taking up the task of finding the precious metal electrum.

The Realm: Rise of the Demon Prince builds on The Realm. I had written the first drafts of the second book in 2013 and 2014, but when I sat down to write the final version, I found the drafts repulsive. I decided to use some of the original draft outlines and ideas though, but over the course of six months, I wrote a brand new book draft. Writing the second book, it was so much fun, and I really enjoyed it.

The second book is split into two parts. Part one focuses on the companions’ journeys to find electrum on the Plain of Zinzinc, a snowy, winter plain, and the Plain of Delirus, a sickly, warped plain. There’s unusual peril in both adventures, and if the companions don’t keep a quick wit about themselves, things could turn deadly. Mixed with the high tensity, there is some sobering moments, as the companions open up themselves revealing more of their pasts. That was an important aspect of this book, I wanted the characters to be flawed and have their own troubles; no one is perfect, and it was important to me to make realistic characters, who understand hope and pain.

Part two of The Realm: Rise of the Demon Prince focuses on more secondary characters, that you meet in the first book. Part two takes place solely on the Plain of Prixem, where all the main characters are from. There is also a chapter in part two revolving around the antagonist, Dentar the Demon Prince.

To me, providing a backstory for my antagonist and showing how he thinks, is instrumentally important. Why have a bad guy and never talk about him? He’s the villain, yes, but what motivates him? I answer some of that in his solo chapter in The Realm, but I go more in-depth in the second book about his motivation and wishes. I think it makes him more haunting and threatening; it shows how he is cruel, conniving, and manipulative, but he has feelings and his feelings drive him to fill a certain void in his life. I do have a plot twist in mind for book three, involving why he came to Prixem, and I think it’s brilliant and I am really excited for readers to find that out.

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Featured Interview With Mya O’Malley

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Mya O’Malley was born and raised in the suburbs of New York City, where she currently lives with her husband, daughter, and step daughters. The family also consists of a boxer, Destiny, and a ragdoll cat named Colby.
Mya earned an undergraduate degree in special education and a graduate degree in reading and literacy. She works as a special education teacher and enjoys making a difference in the lives of her students.
Mya’s passion is writing; she has been creating stories and poetry since she was a child. Mya spends her free time reading just about anything she can get her hands on. She is a romantic at heart and loves to create stories with unforgettable characters. Mya likes to travel; she has visited several Caribbean Islands, Mexico and Costa Rica. Mya is currently working on her eleventh novel.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I devoured books for as long as I can remember. I loved reading and writing all kinds of stories from when I was a young child. As an adult, I continued reading for enjoyment and then decided to write my first full-length novel. I’m currently at work writing my eleventh full-length novel and still learning so much.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
There are so many talented authors out there. Some of my favorites are Judy Blume, Nicholas Sparks, James Patterson, and Liane Moriarty. Each author brings magic to their specific genres.
I’m inspired by watching the world around me. My daughter also inspires me to give my all to everything I do. She’s a wonderful writer and I would love to see her write her own book one day.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
If you love paranormal ghost thrillers, you might want to check out my latest: The House that Adelia Built. Inspired by the setting of many places I’ve visited, including Block Island, RI, this tale spins a ghost story touched with romance.
Spiraling back from the 1800’s to modern-day time, the characters are complex and unforgettable to me, as an author.
Check it out:
It all started with a woman and a lighthouse. The House that Adelia Built spins a tale full of love, lies, and betrayal at the hands of a man Adelia calls Augustus—her own husband.
In the late 1800s, Augustus finds a job as lighthouse keeper on a beautiful, but isolated island. He can’t wait to bring his new bride home to the lighthouse, set on majestic bluffs, which have laid claim to many shipwrecks.
Augustus soon suffers from the effects of self-induced isolation, as Adelia watches him slowly lose his grip on reality until he turns mad, bringing forth dire consequences.
Meet Hope, a modern day quiet, quirky young woman with a case of agoraphobia—or so it would seem. She feels an inexplicable pull toward the lighthouse and the bluffs beyond. Hope struggles with her internal battle and seeks to find the truth about her unsettling, recurring nightmares. Maybe then she can discover why she has always felt so alone and unusual.
Enter Clooney, a handsome, unassuming stranger who soon becomes so much more to Hope. The very woman who has guarded her heart in the past will soon find herself wrapped in a web of denial, leading to a heart-wrenching reality.
For every truth she exposes, more heartache is found. Hope must come face-to-face with her worst fears as she uncovers the mystery surrounding her spellbinding connection to the lighthouse.

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Featured Interview With Angela Wren

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I’m an actor and director at a small theatre near where I live in the county of Yorkshire in the UK. I did work as a project and business change manager – very pressured and very demanding – but I managed to escape and now I write books.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I’ve always loved stories and story telling and became an avid reader when I was still very small. So it seemed a natural progression, to me, to try my hand at writing and I started with short stories. My first published story was in an anthology put together by ‘Ireland’s Own’ in 2011. That was the spur I needed to start writing a novel and that was when I began to take writing seriously.
Very quickly, I realised that I particularly enjoyed the challenge of plotting and planning different genres of work. Now, my short stories vary between contemporary romance, memoir, mystery and historical. I also write comic flash-fiction and have drafted two one-act plays that have been recorded for local radio. My full-length novels are set in France where I like to spend as much time as possible each year.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Wow that’s a tough question! I read very widely – anything from romance to sci-fi to the classics, mystery, comedy, non-fiction – just about anything really. I suppose authors such as Conan Doyle,
Agatha Chrisite, Dorothy L Sayers, Allingham and more recently, Peter James, Michael Connelly and C J Sansom have influenced my writing a lot because murder mystery/crime is my favourite genre to read. But my own books are set in France and the scenery, the culture and the history are very much a part of my own writing too.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Set in the Cévennes, in south central France, Merle (book 2 in my Jacques Forêt series of mysteries), begins with a body being found in a suburb of the city of Mende. The time frame and the action then moves back about 3 weeks and Jacques – a former gendarme turned investigator – finds himself being asked to undertake an internal investigation at a large commercial organisation, the Vaux Group. In this story he delves into the murky world of commercial sabotage – a place where people lie and misrepresent, and where information is traded and used as a threat. As he works through the complexity of all the evidence, he finds more than he bargained for, and his own life is threatened.
Jacques is steely and determined and an absolute joy to write, and he always gets the culprit. However, this story, because of its business context – and I am using my own expeirence of working in a large office organisation to create the reality of the Vaux Group – was much more difficutl to write than book 1 and it took nearly 18 months to complete. It was published in July and I’m currently working on the next story in the series.

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Featured Interview With LJ Evans

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I grew up in a little town in Northern California called Kelseyville. My big sister and I used to write all the time. Sometimes together, sometimes in competition. We used to write soap operas and record them (with all the voices) on our own tape decks.

Now I live in the Central Valley of California with my husband and our 3 crazy cats. Our college aged daughter comes home occasionally, but we miss her. The cats often try to stop me from writing, and one of them is routinely trying to edit my work by stepping on my keyboard.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I started reading and writing really young. My first grade teacher used to put me in the classroom library by myself with a stack of books. I fell in love with Dorrie the Witch by Patricia Coombs and Nancy Drew novels, but I soon branched out into a variety of genres including fantasy, historical romance, and dark suspense. I wrote my first novel in 6th grade. It was a fan fiction about John Schnieder from Dukes of Hazard – before fan fiction became popular.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I read a wide variety of genres and books, but I find that I one-click anything by Amy Harmon, Jessica Park, CJ Archer, and JoJo Moyes. I gravitate to stories that have a touch of romance, because I’m a huge believer in fairy tales come to life, but I also like to shake it up with suspense, mystery, and fantasy. The people that have inspired my writing are those authors who made the indie author community come to life and write Young Adult / New Adult books like Amy Harmon, Jamie McGuire, Colleen Hoover, and Jessica Park.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book was inspired by the old Taylor Swift songs. My daughter and I have been fans of hers since she first started putting out music. We were going to her Red concert and had her songs on repeat in the car. Slowly, a whole novel emerged in my head surrounding many of those songs. I’m also a teacher, and Cam was inspired by a student I had at the time who was all tomboy and never could sit still. That student made you a huge mark on my heart.

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Featured Interview With Bruce Deitrick Price

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Born in Norfolk, lived 30 years in the middle of Manhattan, and am now back in Virginia Beach.

I have always been primarily a novelist and artist. But along the way I became fascinated by our public schools and how they seemed incapable of doing a good job. That perspective led to the new book “Saving K-12 — What happened to our public schools? How do we fix them?”

So this is non-fiction, and I’m an education reformer. I’m not writing think-tank analysis. I’m telling the public how to fight back.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I knew roughly at 16 I would be a novelist and that’s a dream I still pursue. I’ve always been self-employed in the arts. I work six or seven days a week.

About 30 years ago I wrote my first big article on education. By now I’ve probably written 500 articles. These are intended to explain some anomaly, some weirdness, that I see in K-12 education. We have 50,000,000 functional illiterates. What else does anyone need to know? Our self-appointed experts at the very least are incompetent. They are probably subversive. If education were part of the business world, all the people at the top would be fired.

Read this book to find out all the dirty secrets that the Education Establishment doesn’t want you to know.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Sad to say, I’m busy writing virtually all the time, so I’m not much of a consumer.

In non-fiction I’m inspired by the sense that an author has something to say and expresses it decisively.

I read articles about education where I can hardly figure out what the guy is saying. Blah blah blah. I’m not that kind of writer. It’s time, as a lady doctor once said to me, to kick ass and take names.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Samuel Blumenfeld said that “K-12 education is a criminal enterprise from top to bottom.” I understand his analysis completely. The Education Establishment has a responsibility, I feel, to educate each child to that child’s potential. What we have in the US, instead, is millions of children who are under-educated. I think this is shameful and unacceptable.

The latest book is intended as an antidote or counterattack. The title says it all: “Saving K 12.” That’s the job before us, the mission, the challenge. The Education Establishment has created a tangled web indeed. They can’t say out loud what they’re trying to do (mainly, that would be social engineering). Instead, they pile another sophistry on the other ones. I’ll tell you how bad it has gotten. If they tell you that they are going to teach children to do X, you can bet that children won’t know any X.

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Featured Interview With J.N. McGhee

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was raised in Mendenhall, MS, and I still live in Mississippi. I have 3 dogs: Twyla is a white, female German Shepherd, Sadie Mae is female Pitbull, and Little Bit or Prissy is a female bugle. I love my babies. Different characteristics, different personalities.
I love to be outside in nature. I enjoy reading manga, watching anime, listening to music, and playing video games. I’m just a southern, country lady who appreciates the little, simple things in life.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
Every summer, back when I was a child, my mother enrolled my siblings and me in a Summer Reading Program. That’s when I discovered my love of books. I started writing when I was in 5th grade. I was going through a terrible time, and I lacked the ability to verbally express myself. That’s when I started writing. I wasn’t aware that it was poetry until my junior year in high school. I’ve been writing poetry ever since.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I have too many favorite authors; but just to name a few: Edgar Allen Poe, Tananarive Due, Emily Dickinson, Countee Cullen. My favorite genre, of course, is poetry. I also love to read suspense, thriller, mystery, horror, and a few others. Other than poetry, I don’t have a specific, favorite genre. I just like to read. However, I tread lightly with erotica books. I don’t know what or who inspires my writings. There are often sporadic and spontaneous.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
“Little Girl Blues: Existence of an Image” is my first published book of poetry. These poems take the readers on a journey through the eyes of a child to adolescent years. The child starts by questioning the familial molds while struggling with her identity. Transitioning into the teenage phase, the individual continues to break not only familial but societal conjectures as well. You will empathetically witness the emotional rainbow of emotions. Creating and discarding multiple masks and personas, the individual searches frantically for the purpose of her existence.

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Featured Interview With Remy Blue

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I am Remy Blue a paranormal romance writer. I write all typical genres but with a twist of mythology at the core of each story. I strongly emphasis on the mythology on my works because I believe that the stories of the past bring light to the present. I was raised in Southern California. I live in the same place and haven’t really left. I don’t have any pets currently but I love dogs.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I had a large fascination with books when I was a small child. I loved to read and wanted to know more. I started writing at the age of five years old.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I enjoy to read many authors but some of my favorite authors would be Stephen King, Ann Rice and etc.. I like to read horror and fantasy which are some of my favorites read. Some of my writings that are inspired are pop culture, mythology, classic literature and etc.. I have a strong background i the works that I am deeply rooted to.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My book The Swan Dancer is about a young woman, named Aileen moves to a dance academy with her three cousins, Ferris, Fiona and Ciar in Dublin. The cousins involve themselves in new experiences, for they grew up in a remote part of Ireland. As they settle into their lives, the people around them see that the four cousins are beyond naturally gifted dancers. They move in elegance, grace, mystery and divine beauty like swans. Some of their classmates become enthralled with their exquisiteness, dance and supernatural attributes that spellbound them in different ways.

Aileen gets caught up in her new-found life, finding love and her swan song. Each one of the cousins have a secret hiding away from another. Aileen’s love life becomes a division that soon circulates to a chain of events that connects each one of her cousin’s down a different path. Aileen follows her swan song and it brings her to choose between two men, she has fallen for. At the same time, a deep-rooted darkness from her family’s ancient past about their origins soon befalls them and creates a dark swan amongst them. Now the light and dark must come out in a special dance to save or destroy the family from within and the love that is found.

Amazon Link for The Swan Dancer: https://www.amazon.com/Swan-Dancer-Remy-Blue-ebook/dp/B076Y7QTRN/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1509842691&sr=8-1&keywords=remy+blue+the+swan+dancer

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Featured Interview With Dabria C.

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I am Dabria C. and I write romance contemporary. I write erotica blended themes and style stories into the works with drama. Where there is love there is drama and romance. I write from the heart and other things around me. I believe in things that are progressive and strong with hints of everything inbetween. I was raised in Southern California and haven’t really left but lived in Northern California. I have no pets currently, but I love cats.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I realized that the written word had took advantage of me was when I was a child. I would find myself reading fairytales and other stories that showcased the romance. My mother took me to the library a great deal and I enjoyed it. I started writing early on because I had so much to say.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I can’t really say who is my favorite author because I am neutral. I can’t one person or even a few. I would be undecided. I would go back to say Shakespeare and Maya Angelou. Let’s just start from there. I would read romance books a great deal. Anything really inspires me to write.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
About my latest book, Rules of 2, is about on a vacation, a woman, named Lin meets a handsome surfer Noah, who soon challenges her in many ways. Already unhappy with her current relationship with Tyler, Lin decides to place rules in her life to get what she wants. Lin begins to change and get closer to the hot Noah who reciprocates her feelings. She lets one man go and follows the rules of her heart to another.

Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.com/Rules-2-Dabria-C-ebook/dp/B076XWQHVB/ref=sr_1_2?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1509843767&sr=1-2
Publisher Link for Kindle: http://www.eternaldiamondpublishing.com/store/p30/Rules_of_2_-_Kindle.html
Publisher Link for Ebook: http://www.eternaldiamondpublishing.com/store/p22/Rules_of_2_-_Ebook.html

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Featured Interview With J.A. Roth

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born in San Francisco, CA, and raised in Sonoma County, where my husband and I still reside to this day with our family. I have three kids, two sons and one daughter. We have two dogs, a boxer named Bella and a long haired chihuahua named Cody.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I became interested in writing later in life, only a few years ago, when I started my first book in a trilogy. Now it is my passion. I finally finished my trilogy and I am currently writing my first stand alone novel.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I’ve always enjoyed reading romance novels, like Danielle Steele and Nora Roberts. But after Twilight, I became hooked on YA and felt inspired to write my own YA novel. I love to use my daughter as my muse in my writings. Having teenagers gives me great insight for my YA novels.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My trilogy is about a girl who falls in love. Only, it’s not your typical love story, the boy, Ryder, has a past that makes their world turn upside down. The girl in my novel is much like my daughter, not only her physical description, but her personality traits, as well. It took me four years to finish the trilogy and I am very excited to start my new stand alone novel about a kidnapping.

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Featured Interview With Sierra Luke

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Sierra Luke is the pen name used by Alecia Campbell and her minor children.
We write books for kids because we are kids!
We live in Jamaica and have a beautiful bull mastiff named Lucy.

I’m Sierra and no my last name is not Luke. Luke is my brother’s name. My brother, Mom and I write stories. I am in grade 4 and love to read. I just read Anne of Green Gables and think that she and I would have been great friends.
Check out my blog called Kids Who Write for tips and ideas for other kid writers like us!
http://sierralukebooks.weebly.com/kids-can-write

I’m Luke, I’m 8 and I love Lego. After our Mom writes the story I edit to make sure that kids like us would like to read it. We check for errors and choose the pictures. Check out our website for our books, fun activities and cool free stuff.

Our Mom Alecia does most of the writing, but my brother and I come up with the characters, the ideas and the stories, it’s a real team effort. We also work with great editors, illustrators and narrators to bring our stories and all our characters to life.

Start your Sierra Luke library with E.C. Max, Kid Genius, Oh No! and Travel with Andy Airplane books. More books and series are always coming soon.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
Books have always been a part of our lives. Our Mom read ‘My Book of Bible Stories’ to each of us while we were still in the womb. We were all taught to read very young and always have a book nearby.

Currently Sierra is focused on reading Exodus as part of her personal daily Bible reading goal.
Luke has been watching a lot of Youtube videos on Minecraft and Legos and is planning to dig into the latest Diary of a Wimpy Kid ‘ The Getaway’ as soon as he gets a copy.
Mom has been motivated by Sierra to reread Anne of Green Gables so she can join in Spirited conversation with Sierra who just loves the book.

Sierra has kept a diary since grade two, Luke has been writing short illustrated stories since age 5 and Mom has been a prolific journal writer since high school.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
We currently love the ‘Diary of a Wimpy Kid ‘series by Jeff Kinney. The ‘Junie B. Jones’ books by Barbara Park are also very close to our heart, since they were read to us since we were babies. We also adore classics, like ‘Call of the Wild’, ‘Anne of Green Gables’, ‘Tom Sawyers’ and more. We also read books from different cultures.

As avid animal and nature lovers we watch and read tons of National Geographic, Blue Planet and anything about the planet. We devour books on how stuff is made, what makes things work. We each have our own interests whether it is Barbie, Lego, dogs, learning French, baking or so many other things

Everything we watch, read, listen to or do influences what we write.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
E.C. Max, Kid Genius: Critter Camp is one of our most recent books.
Max relates his misadventures as he tries to solve everyday problem using science and technology. In Critter Camp, he has to figure out have an enjoyable camping trip with his father free of pesky, creeping, crawling bugs without hurting or killing the little critters.

There is a bit of everyone in Max, our lovable kid genius.
9 year old Sierra calls herself the ‘everything’ girl.’ Being a scientist is just one of the many things she plans to become. Her notebooks are full of experiments and ideas, just like Max.
8 year old Luke is a bit of a know-it-all especially when it comes to nature and marine life. He is also a Lego genius and makes creative gadgets every day. He and Max talks the same way using big words and terms. They are both inspirations for Max.

No one really likes pesky bugs so dealing with critters is definitely a problem for Max to solve at Critter Camp.

We love Max, because although he is a certified genius and does a lot of advanced college and post graduate level courses, he is still just a kid. He is not stand-offish. He plays basketball, has friends, spends time with his family and does all the things a regular child likes to do. These qualities make him relatable and simply adorable.

Ok, so don’t tell anyone this ….
We have created a Giant Idea book that we add every single idea we think of no matter how small. Well it’s not really a book it’s more like a database of every idea we have.
When we think of a character we sketch him, talk about the stuff he likes or can’t stand. We imagine how he would talk, his age, how tall he is, what he likes to eat, wear, read, watch and do. We picture his room, his pets, his school, his work, his town. We talk about his family, their names, jobs, jokes they would make, the color of their hair. We think of name for his friends, teachers, pets, boss….

After thinking about E.C. Max this way, we were able to write Critter Camp in less than four hours early one random Tuesday morning.

Find out what E.C. stands for and why he prefers to be just be called Max!
Learn about Max’s ‘experi-ventions; and help him to name them.
Find out about KITS and how Max researches each project he works on
Read the Post Experiment Notes to find out what happens after the adventure is over
Connect with Max online and get your FREE cool bonus material like posters and info-graphics.

You can read Max’s next misadventure which he relates himself. Check out Max in Mighty Magnet. Max has to race against the clock to find a special toy in time. His nuclear-powered electromagnet may be just the gadget he needs to find what he is searching for or is it just a little too powerful. Find out in Mighty Magnet.

Connect with the Author on their Websites and Social media profiles

Sierra Luke Facebook Page

Sierra Luke Twitter Account

Featured Interview With Mikel J. Wisler

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born in Brazil, South America to America parents living abroad. I now live on the south shore of Boston, Massachusetts with my wife, daughter, and tiny dog.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I was quite young when I fell in love with stories, both movies and books. I recall seeing and then reading Jurassic Park and being so sucked into the possibilities of what science fiction had to offer. So, I started writing my own stories.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Well, definitely Michael Crichton. But also Ben Bova, Stephen King, Andy Weir, J. R. R. Tolkien, C. S. Lewis, Ray Bradbury, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and a whole host of great short story writers like Frank Wu and Robert Reed.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Unidentified is a twisted tale of UFOs and alien abductions that harkens to my love of The X-Files and the work of thoughtful horror filmmakers like Scott Derrickson. So my novel blends the genuine quest for a scientific understanding of the paranormal and a fast-paced plot you might get in a Crichton book with the more horrific aspects of abduction stories in a Stephen King-like approach where the audience really gets to walk with the characters through some pretty terrifying events.

Here’s the quick synopsis:

Troubled FBI Agent Nicole Mitchell is brought back from administrative leave and offered a second chance to solve her most haunting case. A disturbing series of kidnappings has a small town terrified. Mitchell is certain that a serial kidnapper is exploiting local fears of UFOs and stories of alien abductions to hide in plain sight. Desperate to uncover the truth, Mitchell enlists the help of a skeptic who questions even her theory.

In three days, a local girl will vanish for good. As Mitchell rushes to solve the case in time, she uncovers a far more sinister reality than she ever imagined. Mitchell must shake off her own dark past if she’s going to save the girl. But could this case be her undoing?

Interested readers can currently grab a free copy by signing up for my mailing list on my website. The book is also available on Kindle and trade paperback.

Connect with the Author on their Websites and Social media profiles

Mikel J. Wisler’s Website

Mikel J. Wisler Facebook Page

Mikel J. Wisler Twitter Account