Category: Author Interview

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Interview with authors Bobby R. Patton, Rusalyn Andrews & Jennifer Daily

Q1. Hello, can you please introduce yourself? Readers would love to know more about all three of you.

A1. The three authors knew one another socially, but live in different communities. They first met in early 2017 to share concerns over the many factors influencing the nation’s alarmingly declining health. They realized that the choices made in communication, often reflexively and habitually, make a difference whether the results are healthy or unhealthy. They decided it was time to create a book that identities detrimental communication practices associated with unhealthy outcomes and suggests healthy communication alternatives.

The authors come from diverse backgrounds. Their ages span three generations; their academic resumes differ, and their life experiences both professionally and personally are varied. Bobby R. Patton (Ph.D., University of Kansas, 1966) has been a communication scholar, a professor and an administrator at four major public universities, including serving as President at the University of Central Missouri. He has co-authored sixteen highly regarded college textbooks in the area of interpersonal communication and decision making. In 2021 he received the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award. Rusalyn H. Andrews (Ph.D., Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, 1989) is a professor emeritus of Cottey College, a private women’s liberal arts institution. She has taught courses in communication, theatre, and women, gender and sexuality studies. She has rich international educational experiences, including a Fulbright Award to do research in Russia, and specialized training in Deaf Culture. Jennifer Page Daily, (M.D., University of Nevada, 2007), the youngest member of the team, is a Board-Certified Family Practice Physician with a Certificate of Added Qualification in Primary Care Sports Medicine. She is a Professor at the University of Louisville in the Department of Family and Geriatric Medicine. She serves as director for the Introduction to Clinical Medicine, a pre-clinical course for all university medical students. In 2018, Dr. Daily was the recipient of the Department’s Excellence in Teaching Award and Outstanding Faculty Award. She also was named a 2018Inspirational Physician by the American Medical Association Women Physicians Section. In 2020 she received the Exemplary Teaching Award from the Kentucky Academy of Family Physicians, and in 2021 she was named a member of Alpha Omega Alpha National Honor Medical Society.

Q2. What were the key challenges you faced while writing your book “Keys to Healthy Communication”?

A2. The key challenge consisted of accurately reporting the daily events involving the COVID pandemic and reconciling the contradictions.

The five years spent preparing this book obviously included the COVID-19 pandemic as it spread across the globe. The authors began their project with the intent to avoid politics, but the crisis became political from the outset. While the authors did not know each other’s political beliefs at the beginning of the project, they were united in their belief in truth and science based on verifiable evidence. They utilized consensus to maintain a shared view of reality. Sadly, by the end of 2021, over 800,000 Americans had died from the COVID-19 virus.

Q3. What books or authors have most influence your own writing?

A3. The following scholars greatly influenced our data base and writing: Carl Rogers for providing the theoretical grounding for this work and, additionally, Kim Giffin (trust). Sidney M. Jourard (humanistic psychology), Daniel Goleman (neuroscience; multiple intelligence), Steven Pinker (cognitive psychology and human nature), Michael Marmot (health determinants), Jonathan Page (neuroscience and cognitive control), Dr. Harriet Lerner, an expert on relationships, and a staff psychologist at the Menninger’s Clinic; as well as numerous others who are noted in the endnotes to each chapter.

Q4. What part of the book did you have the hardest time writing?

A4. As stated in the book, the authors followed closely what was happening as the COVID-19 virus spread around the world, and they attempted to avoid politics. When our political leaders made what appeared to be major important decisions, they had difficulty remaining non-partisan. The authors did their best to rely upon truth and science, as they maintained a shared view of reality. They had difficulty remaining impartial while over 800,000 died for the COVID-19 virus by the end of 2021, some needlessly. Hopefully we can avoid the choices in the future.

Q5. What inspired you to write the book ‘Keys to Healthy Communication’?

A5. The authors were moved to write the book by their questioning why the U.S. health treatment is declining (compared to other economically leading countries) while spending the most of any other country in medical costs (National Center for Health Control and Prevention, July 2, 2021 – Report was the latest we saw.) A key for the authors was the median age of the deceased population reported on an annual basis. Until 2016, the U.S. population had the oldest median age at death. Since then, the U.S. average age of death has decreased annually, while other countries have been rising. During this same period of time, the U.S. expenditures for healthcare continued to rise in comparison to other leading countries.

Q6. How long did it take you to write ‘Keys to Healthy Communication’?

A6. We began our research in 2017 with writing beginning in 2018. Chapters started to be exchanged in early 2019. By the end of that year, the COVID virus made in-person meetings difficult, forcing the authors to rely on electronic communication. They worked out the responsibilities and a project schedule. A full draft was completed in late 2021 and the submission of the complete manuscript, approved by all three authors, was submitted for a February 22, 2022 release (2-22-2022!)

Q7. On what platforms can readers buy it?

Our distributors platforms were Ingram Spark and Amazon for worldwide distribution. We elected a print-on-demand availability to permit sales without forcing dealers to order stocks in advance. We have promoted sales on an international basis. Among our purchase links are all major bookstores (internationally), including:
Nook on B&N and Barnes & Noble
Waterstones
Booktopia
Kobo
Booksamillion
Walmart
Indigo
AbeBooks
Bookshop by Indiebound
eCampus

Q8. Tell us about the process of coming up with the book cover and the title ‘Keys to Healthy Communication’?

A8. Three artists were selected to prepare first drafts of the cover. We all liked the one selected for its reflection of our book’s content and attractiveness. With minor suggestions, the first cover was selected and approved. The title for the book was determined by reactions of early readers to describe the contents.

Q9. When writing a book how do you keep things fresh, for both your readers and also yourself?

A9. We had no trouble “keeping things fresh” due to the rapid occurrence of new facts virtually daily. We are pleased that the facts as we reported have been verified by time and long-term results. We, at this time, see no depictions that need to be changed.

Q10. What is the most valuable piece of advice you’ve been given about writing?

A10. We repeatedly told one another to keep writing and rely on our co-authors to question and offer suggestions. We believe we had a good team and truly practiced “healthy communication!”

Buy Keys to Healthy Communication on Amazon

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Interview with author Lee Alexander

Q1. Hello, can you please introduce yourself? Readers would love to know more about you.

A1. I am from Louisville, KY and now live in Virginia Beach, VA with my wife and four children. Most of my children are adults now and one still in high school. I’m a veteran of thr US military and work full time as an IT professional contractor with the US military. D&D, dark fantasy, horror movies, and odd history are things I enjoy.

Q2. What were the key challenges you faced while writing your book “Shadows of the Past”?

A2. I write my books with pen and paper, so one challenge is when I begin to type them out I have to decipher my own handwriting. Also, I tend to have a lot of ideas for the next book while writing and have to refocus myself on the current book.

Q3. What books or authors have most influenced your own writing?

A3. Edgar Allan Poe, Topher Metcalf, and Stephen King

Q4. What’s your favourite spot to visit in your own country? And what makes it so special to you?

A4. Louisville, KY. It is home and no matter how far I traveledor how long I have been gone, my foundation is always there. A specialspot in Louisvilleis Zachary Taylor cemetery. I grew up playing in the cemetery and had a lot of supernatural experiences there.

Q5. What inspired you to write the book ‘Shadows of the Past’?

A5. I was actually working on a D&D based novel and was stuck at one point. The idea of Damien came to me as I sort of see myself, not a demon slayer, but with inner demons to battle.

Q6. How long did it take you to write your book ‘Shadows of the Past’?

A6. From pen to paper and typed out it was about ten months. Hopefully book two is quicker.

Q7. On what platforms can readers buy your books?

A7. Barnes and Noble, Amazon, and it is coming to Target and Apple. It should be available world wide on mist platforms soon.

Q8. Tell us about the process of coming up with the book cover and the title ‘Shadows of the Past’?

A8. I wanted something simple and defining of the book. I came up with a basic idea and my editor, Em , helped with some ideas also. We had three ideas and I asked my familyand close friends to tell me thier favorite, which matched my favorite, so Damien with hos back to us made Sadows of the Past feel like it was behind him.

Q9. When writing a book how do you keep things fresh, for both your readers and also yourself?

A9. I do whatever I can took keep the story moving and introduce new characters and leave small openings for the characters to reveal more about themselves as I go.

Q10. What is the most valuable piece of advice you’ve been given about writing?

A10. My friend and mentor, Chris M., told me my opening paragraph sucked the first time he read my writing. He explained the old used up, it was a dark amd stormy night, type of writing was not what people wanted anymore. Make that opening paint a picture of the story not just the scene. I have taken that to heart and appreciate his bluntness very much.

Buy Shadows of the Past on Amazon

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Interview with author Lucas DeAndreis

Q1. Hello, can you please introduce yourself? Readers would love to know more about you.

A1. I was born in San Mateo, California in 1996. Growing up, surprisingly, I wasn’t the biggest writer or reader. In fact, It was my worst subject. My mother would put me in extra reading classes in elementary school every year in hopes of getting me interested but it just wasn’t clicking. I only liked sports, especially soccer, which was my passion during childhood. It wasn’t until my mother bought me the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan for Christmas one year before things began to turn. And that created the domino effect for getting me interested in other books and authors.

Q2. What were the key challenges you faced while writing your book “Light Of The Mortal God”?

A2. One of the challenges I faced was the constant changing in story from when I created the idea of the novel. At first I thought it would just be a simple dystopian science fiction novel. And then more and more as I got into it the path of the story and the depth of the characters kept changing that I had to rewrite it a few times. But once I finally got it right, it is without a doubt my favorite book out of all the stories I’ve written.

Q3. What books or authors have most influenced your own writing?

A3. Growing up I was a huge fan of the Percy Jackson novels by Rick Riordan. He created a really compelling character that I related with plus the world building from start to finish was second to none. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings is another series that is so immersive and jaw dropping for me. The sheer scope of the story he created is incredible. I’m also an avid manga and comic book reader. Akira Toriyama’s Dragon Ball is something I probably read every other year. I definitely have been influenced by these author’s world building techniques and likeable characters that are full with personality. I think that’s the main ingredient to delivering a compelling novel. Interesting worlds that get more vast and complex, interesting and likeable characters with personality, and an engaging plot that doesn’t stop.

Q4. What’s your favourite spot to visit in your own country? And what makes it so special to you?

A4. My favorite spot to visit is probably Los Angeles. I love Disney Land and have been so many times. It’s special just cause of the all stories I grew up with being live and all around you. It’s something to admire that one studio could create so many ingenious stories and to keep going till this day.

Q5. What inspired you to write the book ‘Light Of The Mortal God’?

A5. Before writing novels, I was actually writing screenplays. I’m a big film fanatic and so I wrote a few scripts which I would do on my free time after school. One day my mom said why do you only write screenplays and why don’t you write a novel too and just threw that idea out there. I hadn’t thought about it but I actually took a script idea that I was going to write for a screenplay and adapted that idea and that became the basis for my novel ‘’Light Of The Mortal God’’.

Q6. How long did it take you to write your book ‘Light Of The Mortal God’?

A6. It took me almost 2 years. I had to juggle school and it was hard to stay consistent. But over time I finished and it was such a good feeling.

Q7. On what platforms can readers buy your books?

A7. Readers can buy it on many different platforms but Amazon is the one I recommend.

Q8. Tell us about the process of coming up with the book cover and the title ‘Light Of The Mortal God’?

A8. Towards the beginning of the book a tragic event happens that sets the main character, Roy, on a path so terrible from his former life. Roy gets taken from his mother arms and has to live with the convicts on Pluto. But, one day everything changed, he meets a friend. A creature of mystery who’s feared by everyone except Roy, who finds the goodness in him. I wanted to showcase this scene that sticks out which sets up the rest of the story. Light of the Mortal God, without spoiling too much, refers to Roy, from not only his divine past but mainly the light and goodness from his heart that separates him from any immortal God.

Q9. When writing a book how do you keep things fresh, for both your readers and also yourself?

A9. I’m someone that gets bored really easily so I need a lot of interesting things to happen. So that’s one of my techniques is to always have a compelling plot point happening to move the story at a brisk pace. Pacing is key in stories. But not only that, the main thing is the characters. If one makes great characters readers don’t care what happens really. Harry Potter can go on for 7 books and 8 movies because we love the characters so much, they can be doing anything and we’ll still tune in for the next book or movie. That’s my strategy. Great characters with personality and engaging plot ideas.

Q10. What is the most valuable piece of advice you’ve been given about writing?

A10. To just learn the craft and keep writing. I remember my first screenplay I sent into a big Hollywood contest. I paid for judge feedback and surprisingly the script was in the top 10% of scores. The script was a mess though and not formatted right and I had no idea what I was doing but the judge gave me some great advice that even though you’re talented you need to learn the technical aspects of writing. Being a great writer isn’t just having a great idea but there are rules and you need to understand these rules and grow. So that was a big piece of advice I received.

Buy Light of the Mortal God on Amazon

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Interview with author Michael Scarlett

Q1. Hello, can you please introduce yourself? Readers would love to know more about you.

A1. Every introvert’s worst nightmare, but now that we have that out the way…I grew up in Knoxville, Tennessee where I spent most of my life. I am married with three wonderful kids. Our twin daughters have blessed us with seven grandchildren and now the pressure is on our recently married son. But seriously, we moved around some after the breakup of our church in’97, but that’s a story for another day and another book. We were in Florida for eight years and now happy to be back in Tennessee, residing in Hendersonville.

Q2. What were the key challenges you faced while writing your book “The Quiet Kid”?

A2. Balancing time between a full time job and family and still carving out the time to write.

Q3. What books or authors have most influenced your own writing?

A3. There are so many. The first was probably Harper Lee ~ To Kill a Mockingbird. Kurt Vonnegut got me hooked and then came Cormac McCarthy ~ All the Pretty Horses. I love the way he handled dialogue.

Q4. What’s your favourite spot to visit in your own country? And what makes it so special to you?

A4. Anna Maria Island. So many good times with family there. My wife and I took a road trip out to Bryce Canyon a couple of years back. I’m itching to get back out there to see more of the state and more of the Rocky Mountains.

Q5. What inspired you to write the book ‘The Quiet Kid’?

A5. Conversations with my son about my high school days, which stirred his curiosity. I became acutely aware of my lack of knowledge about my Dad’s early years, so I just started writing things down

Q6. How long did it take you to write your book ‘The Quiet Kid’?

A6. I wrote for almost thirteen years before concluding that I actually had two books going simultaneously. I spent another year or so breaking it apart before self publishing The Quiet Kid.

Q7. On what platforms can readers buy your books?

A7. Amazon

Q8. Tell us about the process of coming up with the book cover and the title ‘The Quiet Kid’?

A8. I wanted the cover to reflect the times, so I drew up a rough sketch of me flashing the peace sign out the window of the first car I owned and pitched it to a friend with the idea of some Peter Max style pop-art. Kudos to Brad Smith for the brilliant job! As for the title, it was how I was known, especially to those who didn’t know me well.

Q9. When writing a book how do you keep things fresh, for both your readers and also yourself?

A9. I always try to get inside the moment and draw the reader in with me. That’s the goal.

Q10. What is the most valuable piece of advice you’ve been given about writing?

A10. “Write to please just one person. If you open a window and make love to the world, so to speak, your story will get pneumonia.”
Kurt Vonnegut

Buy The Quiet Kid on Amazon

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Interview with author Paula Stahel

Q1. Hello, can you please introduce yourself? Readers would love to know more about you.

A1. I’ve been a Tampa-based writer and editor for decades, working primarily in non-fiction and memoir. For more than 20 years I specialized as a personal historian, and am proud to have been a pioneer of the profession. But when covid made it impossible to conduct in-person interviews, I concentrated on editing fiction—I really enjoy helping authors improve their work. My mantra is “Every writer needs an editor,” which applies to my own work, as well!

Q2. What were the key challenges you faced while writing your book “Undone: A Novel of Betrayal”?

A2. First was making the time to write. Then there was the fleshing out the characters—both the ones who were planned and the ones who literally walked themselves onto the page! Also, a lot of research was needed for the more “technical” issues, such as the financial situations Lydia dealt with, and the medical situation at the end of the story.

Q3. What books or authors have most influenced your own writing?

A3. Oh my gosh, where to begin?!? The two writers who made me think I should pull a Lillian Hellman and toss the keyboard out the window are Pat Conroy and Rick Bragg. Conroy is, in my estimation, the greatest writer of Southern fiction of the last half of the 20th century, and Rick continues to be the greatest writer of Southern non-fiction. Both write such poetic, lyrical sentences—but Bragg makes you laugh a lot more.

Other than those two, if I started listing, it alone would turn into a book!

Q4. What’s your favourite spot to visit in your own country? And what makes it so special to you?

A4. Again, not an easy question to answer. I do love visiting Michigan and the Upper Peninsula in the summer but no more winters there for me! So, my real answer is again a two-fer: San Francisco and New Orleans.

Q5. What inspired you to write the book ‘Undone: A Novel of Betrayal’?

A5. After experiencing a betrayal myself, I read so many books about betrayal. None of them were what I was looking for—a story where a woman got her due. So I took Toni Morrison’s advice and wrote the book I wanted to read. And while living well may be the best revenge, so is publishing!

Q6. How long did it take you to write your book ‘Undone: A Novel of Betrayal’?

A6. I started in late 2016 and finished the first draft three years later—I was writing only on weekends, as clients took precedence on weekdays. In the summer of 2019 I made a trip to the Upper Peninsula for the first time in decades, and oh how that impacted my revisions! Then it went to my first readers, whose input led to further alternations.

I began searching for an agent in—drumroll, please—February 2020, and we all know what happened then, right? Agents closed up like everyone else After more than a year I ultimately decided to go with a hybrid. The book was to have been released in 2023, but production problems delayed it until May of this year.

Q7. On what platforms can readers buy your books?

A7. You name it! Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop dot org, Walmart, online retailers such as The Ripped Bodice, and through brick & mortar bookstores such as Skylight Books in Los Angeles, Schuler Books in Michigan, or Tomobolo Books in Florida.

Q8. Tell us about the process of coming up with the book cover and the title ‘Undone: A Novel of Betrayal’?

A8. Titles and headlines have never been my strong suit, so I didn’t even bother considering one until the book was nearly complete. Then I took a workshop on crafting the necessary logline required for submission to agents and/or publishers. It was in the process of reworking and distilling that over several months that the title presented itself. After all, it is the story of a woman whose world comes undone, and who ultimately undoes the world of those who betrayed her.

Q9. When writing a book how do you keep things fresh, for both your readers and also yourself?

A9. The only way I know to keep things fresh for the reader is to keep it fresh for myself. Here, it was beneficial that I only write on weekends and holidays, as that allowed the story and characters to develop more before I took up my pencil again. But I do not plot—that’s something I’ve never been able to do successfully. I find, for me at least, it stymies the serendipity that can take place.

Q10. What is the most valuable piece of advice you’ve been given about writing?

A10. From Natalie Goldberg: Puke it on the page. In other words, just write and don’t give a fig if it’s any good or not. Because odds are the first draft won’t be. It took me years to accept that, and not try to craft “perfect” sentences and paragraphs as I worked. I used to love drafting a story. No longer. Now I just want to get that first draft over and done with so I can get on to the real fun and what I love: revision!

Buy Undone on Amazon

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Interview with author Ann Schreiber

Q1. Hello, can you please introduce yourself? Readers would love to know more about you.

A1. My name is Ann Schreiber and I am the owner of Copywriting For You, a content writing and copywriting services for small to mid-sized businesses. While my company just formally launched in March 2023, I have been a writer all of my life in some form or fashion. It started in grade school working on the school newspaper and continued with writing opportunities here and there until I got more formal with a side hustle in 2019.

Q2. What were the key challenges you faced while writing your book “Perseverance. Reinvention.”?

A2. Perseverance. Reinvention. was my first venture into writing long-form content, most specifically about me and my experiences. The book talks about my divorce in 2019 and some other set-backs and traumatic experiences throughout my life and how I really struggled to figure out who I was and what I was going to do in this new and changed life I was in. 

So, to answer your question, the biggest challenges were about determining how much to share and how much to leave out. Plus, it was emotionally taxing to share what I did, and to determine how to convey to readers that there is more to the story than what I chose to tell.

Q3. What books or authors have most influenced your own writing?

A3. Up until my divorce, I was an avid reader, sometimes reading two or three books a week. Some of my favorite authors are Jodi Picoult, James Patterson, Nicholas Sparks, Kristin Hannah, and Nora Roberts.

I love a book that evokes emotion. I call them “cryers.” Maybe that was part of what influenced me to write my book.

Q4. What’s your favourite spot to visit in your own country? And what makes it so special to you?

A4. I love to travel. It really doesn’t much matter where I go, as long as I am on the go. I thrive on experiences more than possessions. I always tell people that if they want to get me something, to take me somewhere. 

As far as favorite places, I love big cities like San Francisco, New York City, and Seattle. I also absolutely love Key West and the Black Hills. They’re totally different places, but I love them.

Q5. What inspired you to write the book ‘Perseverance. Reinvention.’?

A5. I started over in life and remarried in February of 2023. And my business is thriving. So life is going pretty good these days. But I do have triggers every once in a while that take me back to that dark place. That said, I had so many people tell me to use my writing skills to take my story and do something to help others. That was really my inspiration. If I could share my story with even one person and give them hope that they can come out better on the other side of whatever trauma they are experiencing, writing the book will be worth it. 

Q6. How long did it take you to write your book ‘Perseverance. Reinvention.’?

A6. It actually didn’t take my very long—only about four or five months. But, because I am a writer by trade, it was easy to switch back and forth from client work to my book. Each day, I sit down to write about what is inspiring me for the day. And the book just poured out of me.

Q7. On what platforms can readers buy your books?

A7. Right now, it is available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Walmart, and Waterstones out of the UK. I am also working on relationships with local booksellers as I really want to support small businesses in my area.

Links to online platforms:

You can also order directly from the distributor (Ingram) here: https://shop.ingramspark.com/b/084?gCyrj4RUdSJEnQwa75wQTBAVrD83Vq9g0bxA7GlHw5B 

Q8. Tell us about the process of coming up with the book cover and the title ‘Perseverance. Reinvention.’?

A8. I worked with a hybrid publisher to help me with the editing and formatting process, and one of their designers helped with the cover design based on my direction. The company is Performance Publishing and they were absolutely wonderful to work with.

For this cover in particular, I wanted something simple that represented growth. Plus, my favorite color is green (and my company’s brand color is green). The result with the leaves was exactly what I was hoping for. 

Q9. When writing a book how do you keep things fresh, for both your readers and also yourself?

A9. My goal with my first book was to write about something that would resonate with others.  And unfortunately, divorce is far more common than we like to think. While I never wanted to become a divorced person, I’m now part of that club. And I wanted others going through the same thing and starting on their own new path in life to know that they’ll be okay.

Q10. What is the most valuable piece of advice you’ve been given about writing?

A10. To write from the heart. It’s as simple as that.

Author’s Website

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Interview with author M T Meiklejohn

Q1. Hello, can you please introduce yourself? Readers would love to know more about you.

A1. M T Meiklejohn, born Michelle Meiklejohn, resides on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, Australia. Her online business, Energy In Balance, has allowed her to delve deeply into the realms of crystals and energy work. Her passion for travel and exploration has taken her to over 40 countries, enriching her life and her writing with diverse cultural experiences. Michelles’s love for the outdoors, combined with her profound knowledge of energy work, has culminated in the creation of her debut fantasy series, The Return of the Dragons.

Q2. What were the key challenges you faced while writing your book “The Dragon Prophecies”?

A2. Time. Running a business, household and family while finding the time to write. It can be very difficult to find the time, particularly when the ideas are swirling around in your mind and you have a million other responsibilities to attend to. I am happiest when I’m being creative, so finding the time every day to write helps me deal with everything else life throws at me.

Q3. What books or authors have most influenced your own writing?

A3. I don’t think there’s a fantasy writer out there who can’t say that one of the most influential books they have read is The Hobbit. Being a young girl around 10-11 years old and fully immersing myself in this extraordinary adventure was a life-changing read for me. Being taken to a different place through such brilliant writing really started me on my fantasy book journey.

Q4. What’s your favourite spot to visit in your own country? And what makes it so special to you?

A4. I’m an avid hiker. I love getting out in the hinterlands around the beautiful area of the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, where I live and hitting the trails. I also love going down to the beach and going for long walks beside the ocean.

Q5. What inspired you to write the book ‘The Dragon Prophecies’?

A5. I own and run a website that sells crystals and looks at them from a metaphysical point of view. Over the years, I have had the privilege of meeting a lot of genuine souls who work within the alternative health/spiritual industry. I amalgamated all I had seen and learnt over the years into a heartwarming story that everyone could relate to: The Dragon Prophecies.

Q6. How long did it take you to write your book ‘The Dragon Prophecies’?

A6. The idea had been brewing in my mind for a while, but I officially put pen to paper in January 2024 and had it released in July 2024. I am currently working on the second book in the series, which is very exciting.

Q7. On what platforms can readers buy your books?

A7. It’s available in both eBook and Paperback from Amazon.com, Barnesandnoble.com, Target.com, Walmart.com, BooksAMillion.com, Chapters/Indigo and Thousands of Other Online Retailers Across the Globe.

Q8. Tell us about the process of coming up with the book cover and the title ‘The Dragon Prophecies’?

A8. As the first book in the series, I wanted a simple but striking cover and a template that could be easily used and adjusted for the coming books. When I saw the fire dragon photo, I loved it and worked with the designer from there.

Q9. When writing a book, how do you keep things fresh for your readers and yourself?

A9. With everything I have seen over the years I have a range of different ideas to work with. I never have any problem developing the next new and fresh idea.

Q10. What is the most valuable piece of advice you’ve been given about writing?

A10. With such a busy life, make sure you make the time to write each day. That’s why I have started on book number two and committed to adding a little every day.

Buy book on Amazon

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Interview with author B.L. Bruce

Q1. Hello, can you please introduce yourself? Readers would love to know more about you.

A1. My name is Bri Bruce, writing under the name B. L. Bruce, and I am an award-winning poet and two-time Pushcart prize nominee from California. I hold a bachelor’s degree in literature and creative writing from the University of California at Santa Cruz, with work that has appeared in dozens of anthologies, magazines, and literary publications. My poetry has most recently appeared in The Lakeshore Review, Red Wolf Journal, Bivouac Magazine, The Sunlight Press, Riverstone Literary Journal, and Gone Lawn, among many others, with haiku widely and internationally published. Blue California Sky is my fifth book and first collection of prose poetry. When I am not writing, I am curating the literary magazine Humana Obscura and work as a marketing director in the renewable energy industry.

Q2. What were the key challenges you faced while writing your book “Blue California Sky”?

A2. Blue California Sky was an emotional book to write, but it was also very therapeutic. It is very raw, and based on my own experiences during the pandemic as a follow up of sorts to my last book Measures. I was struggling with my own mental health as well as with insomnia. The constant barrage of terrible news, both in my personal circle and of the state of the world, was weighing heavily on me. I have certainly channeled my emotions into this work, and have found that readers are relating to the more universal themes I touch on in this collection.

Q3. What books or authors have most influenced your own writing?

A3. Having studied post-modern American literature with a poetry concentration in college, I was introduced to a number of poets that were part of the Beat movement. Writers like Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, and Richard Brautigan influenced a lot of my early writing but it wasn’t until the end of my schooling and in my early adulthood years that I found my reader’s niche in nature poetry. Gary Young, a prose poet, former Poet Laureate of Santa Cruz County, and a former professor of mine at UC Santa Cruz, first introduced me to prose poetry. Mary Oliver is—and will always be—at the top of my list as far as authors whose writing influence and inspire my work. I discovered and continue to enjoy the work of May Sarton, Maude Meehan, Ellen Bass, and Robert Hass. I’ve also come to enjoy the work of haikuists and short-form poets like Issa, Basho, Tu Fu, and Li Po, among others, which has me experimenting with the American haiku form, and I am currently working on a book of haiku.

Q4. What’s your favourite spot to visit in your own country? And what makes it so special to you?

A4. There are so many beautiful places in the US, many of which I have yet to visit. So much of my work is rooted in the place I’ve lived my whole life in California, and I am fortunate enough to live somewhere where people from all over the world visit. It holds a special place in my heart, as it has for generations of my family before me, and I don’t see leaving any time soon. My whole life is here, family and friends, and anchored by the natural beauty—the ocean, mountains, countryside, and wildlife that heavily influence my work.

Q5. What inspired you to write the book ‘Blue California Sky’?

A5. The biggest driver for this latest collection was my need to channel my own emotions and experience into something during the early days of the pandemic, in a way that was different from Measures. The challenge of writing in a new form also helped propel this collection forward.

Q6. How long did it take you to write your book ‘Blue California Sky’?

A6. I wrote Blue California Sky over the course of a year or so while I was also writing my last book Measures. While it is a short collection, it was very intentionally written and I took my time to edit and perfect it before submitting to publishers.

Q7. On what platforms can readers buy your books?

A7. Blue California Sky is available for pre-order on Finishing Line Press’s website: https://www.finishinglinepress.com/product/blue-california-sky-by-b-l-bruce/

After its release in October, it will be available on Amazon and a few other select booksellers. My other books can all be found on Amazon.

Q8. Tell us about the process of coming up with the book cover and the title ‘Blue California Sky’?

A8. The title is an amalgamation of several phrases taken from multiple pieces included in the collection. There is also a stark contrast between the title and the book’s subject matter and themes. Contrary to what the title might lead readers to believe, it is not all blue sky and sunshine, though California and its natural landscapes and life give the collection its sense of place and provide a grounding, common thread.

The artwork on the cover, “Everywhere Blue Sky,” is by talented Cuban American artist Sasha Jimenez French, whose work was featured in the Spring/Summer 2022 issue of Humana Obscura, a literary magazine I curate and publish. I am incredibly grateful for her interest in collaborating on this cover and feel her work was a wonderful fit for the mood of the collection.

Q9. When writing a book how do you keep things fresh, for both your readers and also yourself?

A9. This is my first collection of prose poetry, so that in and of itself is new and fresh for both me and for my readers. Exploring this new form proved to be a welcome challenge and tested my capabilities as a writer and as my own critic and editor. While I still don’t typically write longer-form prose, this collection was a way to very intentionally make the most of each word, saying as much as I can without over-telling and using brevity in a way that is helpful rather than hindering.

This collection is also a little more raw and darker than my typical work and incorporates events that happened during the unprecedented and at times tumultuous early days of the pandemic.

Q10. What is the most valuable piece of advice you’ve been given about writing?

A10. Seek new experiences. Traveling and getting out of my comfort zone are always very creatively triggering for me and gives me a fresh perspective when returning home to where I do most all of my writing. I draw on a lot of personal experience when writing, and whenever I am feeling stuck or am hit with writer’s block, I always come back to this piece of advice.

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Interview with author Ashley M. Hardy

Q1. Hello, can you please introduce yourself? Readers would love to know more about you.

1.) I’m Ashley M. Hardy from Western New York, also known as the Greater Niagara region.

Q2. What were the key challenges you faced while writing your book “Scandalous Hoe Fiction”?

2.) The biggest challenge for me with writing this story was how much of each incident I wanted to reveal. I didn’t use real names of course, I wanted to bring awareness to how abuse is perpetrated against women by women. I felt that this is something that is never discussed and that doesn’t make sense to me. I have witnessed much of what I describe in the book and I have heard stories long after things happened. The truth behind what I heard and was within ear shot disturbed me, I didn’t want to stay silent. There’s a lot of discord amongst different intersections of life paths, and judgment is rampant. I’m also a daydreamer, you may be able to recall that from the writing.

Q3. What books or authors have most influenced your own writing?

3.) I’ve gathered inspiration from all over, but thinking back to certain writings that stirred my interest can be summed up with socio-political works that focus on liberation, societal structure and political intrigue. Toni Morrison and Richard Wright, John Grisham and Vince Flynn among others.

Q4. What’s your favourite spot to visit in your own country? And what makes it so special to you?

4.) My favorite place is Philadelphia, Mississippi which is the hometown of my family. Whenever I get the chance to visit it is peaceful, and people are very friendly. A small town situated on the eastern border close to the Alabama line, it has no light pollution, The stars are visible and the sky is illuminated by a bright moon. The air smells clean and traffic is minimal, there is much space to roam or relax.

Q5. What inspired you to write the book ‘Hoe Fiction II’?

5.) Hoe Fiction II. I call it “Rage and Rhythm” since there are different stories of close interpersonal relationships tested and others who struggle in various aspects of life. Whether it be their orientation, preference, a drug habit or any other addiction, I wanted to depict that in different stories in the book.

Q6. How long did it take you to write your book ‘Hoe Fiction III: The Saga Continues…’?

6.) The third installment of the “Hoe Fiction” series was written in a short time, because there’s a lot of musings in it, mixed with the continuation of previous stories. It took about six months to write.

Q7. On what platforms can readers buy your books?

7.) I am on Amazon.

Q8. Tell us about the process of coming up with the book cover and the title ‘Scandalous Hoe Fiction’?

8.) I wanted the cover to stand out, while keeping it tasteful. I searched for days to find an image that was suitable and sexy.

Q9. When writing a book how do you keep things fresh, for both your readers and also yourself?

9.) I use comedy as my boon to keep my readers engaged. I think that humor brings down some of the realness of certain situations, so I’ll write conversations that are crazy and place characters in a hilarious circumstance to put a break in between emotionally intense parts of the story.

Q10. What is the most valuable piece of advice you’ve been given about writing?

10.) Keep at it. The story tends to build itself in a particular way when I jot things down and come back for them later. I find sticky notes to be most helpful because I can put them in places that will always stand out, like the fridge, my laptop or TV stand.

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