Category: Author Interview

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Interview with author Craig Weidhuner

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

My name is Craig Weidhuner, I’m from Toronto, Canada. I’ve always been gifted with imagination since I was a child. I inherited from my father a love of science fiction and fantasy. Everything from Star Trek, to Star Wars, to Godzilla as well as comic books (just to name a few). I would often play a fantasy role as a child and I was fortunate that I never grew out of that. I’ve been writing for years, creating my own fictional worlds as a way to escape the real world. After years of working in various warehouse jobs, I began worrying about my finances and how I would support myself. One night in my dreams I saw what they call “angel numbers” telling me not to worry about my finances but to follow my dreams, or “do what you love and the money will follow”. Also around this time I read a book called “Conversations with God” and I remember one line in the book which said, “Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.” Having been held back by fear for far too long, I finally decided to take that leap and actually write Mystical Force. Ironically I originally planned it as an anime series, or even a manga. However, having limited finances, not to mention artistic (drawing) talent, I decided it was easier to start by writing a book, those adaptations may come at a later date. The advantage of spending years writing synopses of my various stories for leisure means that I already have a vast back catalogue of material from which to draw from. That’s how I write so prolifically. I’ve written basic plot synopses (like the kind you’d find by looking up a book or movie on Wikipedia), so I just take those and modify/expand them into a full fledged manuscript.

Q2. What were the key challenges you faced while writing your book “Mystical Force: Vol. 1 Stranger in a Strange Land”?

Having never written a novella before, I was in unfamiliar waters. The hardest part was letting go of my ego when I first got back the notes from my editor. As the author, I know why my characters think and do what they do but you as the reader don’t. Thus when I get notes back asking me to better explain things/actions or pointing out basic plot holes/inconsistencies (“Why does Bob have blond hair and blue eyes in chapter 1 but dark hair and brown eyes in chapter 3?” for example). As such I had to remind myself this wasn’t criticism of my writing but my editor helping to make my story the best it was. Now I am extremely grateful for my editor Tereza who has done a fabulous job of turning my work from a rough manuscript into the book you’re enjoying right now. In fact, when I got back my notes for Mystical Force Vol.5: Shadows and Darkness, she said she was becoming emotionally invested in these characters. What greater compliment could an author receive that that?

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

Honestly, it’s not so much other books or authors that have influenced my writing but more movies and television. My two biggest inspirations were:

  1. Shinichi Sekizawa, screenwriter of many of the classic Godzilla movies (such as my personal favourite “Mothra vs. Godzilla”) for the way he turned the Toho kaiju (giant monster) genre into a genre of its own. I like the fact that he made the monsters flesh and blood characters rather than the typical plot devices/obstacles for the human characters to defeat. As someone once said “In monster movies, monsters threaten people and people resolve the problem. In Toho monster movies, people threaten people and monsters resolve the problem.” I also love how in the movies “Mothra”, “King Kong vs. Godzilla” and “Mothra vs. Godzilla” not only are the real villains of these movies people, but they tackle the theme of self destructive greed and this was decades before issues of wealth inequality became popular talking points in society.
  2. Star Trek. I’ve always loved how Star Trek uses sci-fi as a way to explore deeper themes of humanity such as poverty, war, racism and such. I love using my work to tackle such issues. Especially the theme of conformity vs. individuality. Are you one of the types of people who thinks for yourself or are you the type to simply blindly follow the crowd and let others do the thinking for you.

Though if I must choose a book which influenced my writing it would have to be “Conversations with God”. It was that book which confirmed what I already believed to be true, that we don’t need religion or anything/anyone else in life to tell us what to do. That fate and free will are NOT polar opposites but fate is simply God/the universe (call it whatever you like) providing us the means to choose our own destiny. But most importantly, it showed me that “Hell” is something we create ourselves by our negative thoughts and actions toward each other and ourselves. We can either surrender to fear and live our lives in misery and anger, blaming fate/others for everything bad in our lives, or we can embrace love, choose our own fate in life and live according to the principles of our higher self. Your thoughts determine your reality, so you can either dwell in negativity and see the world as a terrible hostile place, or you can be grateful for your blessing and see the wonder and beauty in life, thus you’ll no longer see life as a constant struggle for survival. This is the highest truth in life, this is what I try to convey through my writing.

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

The banks of the Saugeen River in Walkerton, Ontario (where my mother grew up). We used to go up there all the time to visit Oma (my grandmother). My brother and I would often go for walks beside the river. Away from the cities/towns, away from other people. Just being alone with nature, alone with my thoughts. These were the moments in my life when I truly felt at peace, when I truly felt at one with nature, with mother Earth. Moments like these bring me closer to God than the church ever did.

Q5. What inspired you to write the book ‘Mystical Force: Vol. 1 Stranger in a Strange Land’?

It was a character who will be introduced later in the series, so I don’t want to give away too many spoilers. Though if you’re specifically referring to other works like “what tv show/movie/character inspired this work?” Then I would have to say there were many. It’s one of those cases where I had the basic premise of the series kicking around in my head probably since I was in my 20’s (I’m 40 as of writing this), so I honestly can’t say I remember what exactly inspired this series; that and the fact that like any story, it evolves in the writing process. In this case, the original idea I came up with decades ago is vastly different from what the series is now.

Q6. How long did it take you to write your book ‘Mystical Force: Vol. 1 Stranger in a Strange Land’?

I believe I first started writing around October of 2019. I think I finished around the spring (April or May) of 2020. I debated writing a full fledged novel but I decided to break up the various story arcs I had come up with into various short novels or novellas and they’re called. I look at it like a TV series, each book is an episode in the series. Honestly I was so excited to publish my first book I didn’t want to wait until it was a 400 page novel. The great thing about novellas is that you can churn them out more quickly, thus readers are left waiting years for “when will the next book in the series come out?”

Q7. On what platforms can readers buy your books?

Amazon, Barnes and Nobel, Chapter/Indigo, Rakuten kobo, Smashwords, Walmart (online) just to name a few. And waaaaaaaay too many regional/local book retailers to list here. 😉

Q8. Tell us about the process of coming up with the book cover and the title ‘Mystical Force: Vol. 1 Stranger in a Strange Land’?

My publisher Tellwell has a team of great illustrators under contract. I just came up with a cover image in my mind, then wrote down in detail what the characters would look like, what they’d be doing, the mood and feelings I’d wanted to convey then gave that description over to the illustrator (in my case a wonderfully talented artist named Shen Li) who came up with the great cover that adorns my book, not to mention all my other books.

As for the title, “Mystical Force” came from my brother. Originally I called it “Mystical Three” referring to my characters Shi-ria, Mystic and the mysterious “descendant of the darkness” hinted at in the book. As the series progressed and other characters were added, the “three” part was no longer accurate, thus my brother suggested changing it to “Mystical Force”. That’s where the whole idea of “All beings radiate a life force, but some have an additional ‘Mystical Force’ – a force that grants them special gifts, be it magical essence, demonic aura or spiritual power.” came into being. It was one of those cases where changing that one little word caused all the pieces to fall into place.

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

Honestly, I don’t think about that. I don’t really focus on such things. I just do my own thing, and let my story flow naturally and organically. I think it helps that the themes of my writing like conformity vs individuality, fate vs free will, spirituality, philosophy and exploring humans nature are ideas that stand the test of time. These are themes that people will still be debating long after we’re all dead and gone. I’d rather write something that will withstand the test of time and still be enjoyed long after my time in this world has expired, instead of just churning out something based on whatever the current trend du jour is. As my old high school English teacher Mr. Sulman once said, there’s no story out there that hasn’t already been told, but it hasn’t been told from YOUR perspective.

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

It would have to be the words of my late Screen writing professor Michael Monty, when I studied film and television at Seneca college. He said what makes a story work are interesting characters. If you don’t have interesting or relatable characters, then no amount of action, sex, violence (or in the case of movies/TV) special effects are gonna save your story. For me, one of the problems with a lot of blockbuster movies is that it’s all about the spectacle. With CGI today, you can create action scenes, alien threats, monsters, alien worlds just as realistic as anything out there. Everyone seems to focus so much on this that the characters seem unimportant, or at the very least they’re created simply for cool stuff to happen to. Going back to earlier about how Godzilla and Star Trek influenced my writing; sure the monster may have looked like a guy in a rubber suit. The space ship may have looked like a model on a string over a ping pong ball painted to look like a planet, but what they may have lacked in special effects budget/technology they made up for in writing with their themes about the horrors of nuclear war or humanity learning to overcome our prejudices and working to better ourselves. For me, I love to go into my characters heads. I’d rather ask “What are they thinking? Why do they feel this way? Why do they do what they do? Say what they say? Believe what they believe?” That’s more important than “What kind of powers do they have? Can they fly? Can they shoot lasers from their eyes? Can they bench press a dump truck?”

Amazon Author Page

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Interview with author Nicola Elise O’Shea-Korbut

1. Please introduce yourself so that the readers will get to know you better. 

Hi everyone, my name is Nicola and I’m the author and illustrator of Pengu & The Fox. I’m from a beachside town in Melbourne, Australia. Until 2021, I had been on the pursuit to become a doctor, gaining my undergraduate degree in Biomedicine. During my studies I took an elective in poetry – something very different to my usual science subjects . It was then that I  truly fell in love with the power of words and writing. Since then I’ve swapped career paths and am in my final year of a masters in education. Pengu & The Fox is my first published book, but I have many more ready to go. 

2. What is your inspiration behind your book “Pengu & The Fox”?

My inspiration for Pengu & The Fox really stemmed from my own personal experiences. I struggled to find my people, and in the pursuit, felt so much loneliness, fear and worry. I never changed myself to fit in with others. And I did find my people, and my own fox. I wanted to let children know, all over the world that it’s ok to struggle, it’s ok to be scared. But never let your fear let your world grow small – and always be yourself.

3. When did you realize you want to be an author?

Since my final years in high school I have always used writing as an outlet to express and process my emotions. The more I wrote, the better I became at it. I never really thought I’d be an author, but as I grew older and entered the adult world, I decided happiness is following your passion, and inspiring others as you do so. So I was brave and submitted a draft to AM publishers and the rest is history

4. Please tell us something about your book “Pengu & The Fox”?

Pengu & The Fox is a story of friendship, hope, love and loneliness. It aims to encourage us all to be ourselves, follow our hearts and step boldly. People assume penguins and foxes cannot be friends. But I re wrote the story, and predator and prey became an unbreakable bond of love and friendship

5. For which age group is your book “Pengu & The Fox” suitable for?

With the help of a parent many children, even younger years can get something out of Pengu & The Fox. It’s a rhythmic read, with poetry embedded throughout the whole story. Therefore, older years ages 9-12 were my intended audience.

6. What is your favorite Quote?

Favourite quote: Good friendships have no bias,instead they see your soul.See not body, size or colour.Because your soul is so much more.

7. What do you like the most about your country?

What I like most about my country is where I live. A small town called Williamstown , nestled in port Phillip Bay. My home brings me happiness. I love exploring the beaches, walking my doggos and being in beautiful nature around me.

8. What suggestion do you want to give to parents of little readers regarding a reading habit? 

Reading habits suggestions for parents: : As a youngster, I didn’t have the best reading habits. But it was only because I hadn’t found the books that I LOVED. We all have different tastes in books. As a child mine, ended up being dragons and the fantasy world. I encourage parents to expose their children to a range of genres and see what inspires them to read more.

9. What does literary success look like to you?

Literary success: to me literary success is having a love of reading. Finding books that speak to you is most important.

10. Lastly, who is your inspiration in life and why?

My inspiration in life: this is a hard one . My family always inspire me and support me. I couldn’t be here without them. But Pengu & The Fox wouldn’t be here without my partner, Cameron. He inspires me to be myself, and always be courageous. He is the fox of my dreams.

Buy Pengu & The Fox on Amazon

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Interview with author Shelley Jinks Johnson

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

I am a poet, creator, performer, and brand builder from Alexandria, LA. Any number of creative projects keep me busy at any given time, and I stay actively engaged in our local arts scene. From organizing poetry readings and workshops to performing spoken word, community theatre, or with my band. As a side hustle I freelance logo designs and help build marketing plans for small businesses, non-profits, and local campaigns. My most passionate calling is speaking to groups on living with grief and re-building a life of meaning and purpose after devastating loss. I live amongst the lush greenery of central Louisiana with my somewhat neurotic dog Jackson.

Q2. What were the key challenges you faced while writing your book “Pretty Little Widow”?

I wrote the poems for “Pretty Little Widow” in the span of the last days of my husband’s battle with brain cancer and the 2 years after his death. So the struggles were less about the act of writing and more about the challenges of learning to live with the ever-present grief. In truth, writing was my life-line. It was therapy for me. 

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

Anne Sexton was an early favorite poet of mine, and her raw confessional style of poetry influenced my own writing. And then I discovered the beautiful hopefulness of Mary Oliver and the fierce honesty of Brene Brown and Elizabeth Gilbert. 

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

Kisatchie is a national forest that stretches through most of the center part of Louisiana. Filled with blooming azaleas and dogwoods in the spring, it is my favorite place to hike or do some trail running. And Kincaid Lake, nestled in the midst of the forest, is the tranquil place for paddle boarding in summers oppressive heat. I have spent many of my years here, marking the passage of time by the changing of the seasons.  

Q5. What inspired you to write the book ‘Pretty Little Widow’?

I did not set out to write a book, actually. Instead, as I mentioned already, I was using writing as a coping mechanism or therapy tool to figure out how to live with the grief of losing my husband. After I had written several poems (mostly dealing with grief as the subject matter), a couple friends suggested that compiled together, they may be helpful to others going through a similar ordeal. So I began pulling the poems together and grouping them into common themes. And at that point I could see a cohesion in what I had been writing. And I thought “maybe this could be helpful to others.”

Q6. How long did it take you to write your book ‘Pretty Little Widow’?

I wrote the poems over the course of a couple years. I compiled them and organized them into a collection and gave them to a few friends to read and critique. Then I set it aside for about a year. I attended writing workshops where other writers critiqued some of the poems, and I would take the workshop notes and make more edits. Finally, after a little over 3 years from the time I wrote the earliest poems in this collection, I organized them into the current form and published them. It was truly a learning experience and a process to get it to the book that it is today. A book I am very proud to have my name on.

Q7. On what platforms can readers buy your books?

Currently, “Pretty Little Widow” is available as an ebook on Kindle and as a paperback on Amazon.

Q8. Tell us about the process of coming up with the book cover and the title ‘Pretty Little Widow’?

This is one of my favorite stories. I have a friend (who was barely an acquaintance at the time) who is an artist. A painter. I had been following her work on social media for a few months and liked her style, but nothing had really grabbed my attention yet. One day she posted a picture of a painting she had just completed, and it was unlike any of her other work I had seen up to that point. I was immediately transfixed by it! It was as though she had seen into my mind, into my very soul and painted what she saw there. There was an instant, electric connection for me to that painting! I had to have it. So I messaged her and ultimately ended up with painting, which now hangs on my bedroom wall. (See poem “Lost Wanderings” pg 75, “PLW”) But even after all that (falling in love with the painting and writing a poem about it), it wasn’t until I had the book compiled and ready to publish that I realized I had the perfect cover for it. That painting. Once I could visualize the physical manifestation of the book, cover and all, the process of finishing the book and publishing it all happen very quickly.  

The title “Pretty Little Widow” comes from a poem within the book that I wrote shortly after my husband passed. It is a poem about feeling pitied and pandered to as new widow. How people who did not understand the loss of spouse grew impatient with my ongoing grief and just expected me to “get over it.” 

Q9. What is the most valuable piece of advice you’ve been given about writing?

Keep writing. Even if you think you have nothing to say. Even when you aren’t motivated or feeling inspired. Sometimes you have to write a lot of throw-away pages before you get to the stuff worth keeping. Just keep writing. Develop a discipline, a habit. That discipline will carry you through when motivation and inspiration fail you.  

Buy Pretty Little Widow on Amazon

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Interview with author Patrick E. Horrigan

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

1. I taught literature for 30 years at the Brooklyn campus of Long Island University. Though I have a PhD in English, I never did what you might call “academic writing.” My work has always been narrative, whether fiction or non-fiction. I was born and raised in Reading, PA but have lived for most of my adult life in New York City. I love the energy, diversity, and cultural richness of New York.

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

2. The key challenge I faced when writing American Scholar was finding the critical distance needed from the subject matter to writer about it with lucidity. The book is based on personal experience, and that both fueled my creative energy but also made it difficult, sometimes, to stay focused on the essential story I was trying to tell. At times I had to alter the facts of what actually happened in order to get at the higher truth I was searching for.

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

3. The author that has most influenced my writing is Virginia Woolf. Her novels are puzzles that I love to solve, though they are so poetic and profound that they can never be totally solved. Woolf minimizes plot in favor of character. She mines the consciousness and unconsciousness of her characters even as she shows them going about their daily business. She creates characters who are engaged in the lifelong struggle to find meaning in existence, and she often depicts people who are disappointed with their lives. All of this I find enormously interesting, and it has influenced the way I write fiction. Perhaps the novel that is most important to me is Woolf’s 1925 masterpiece Mrs. Dalloway, about one day in the life of an upper-class wife and mother and, parallel to her story, the life of a shell-shocked war veteran.

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

4. My favorite spot to visit in the US might be The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. The Met is an encyclopedic museum with more than 1.5 million objects spanning over 5000 years of art and culture. It contains the whole world. I particularly love looking at painting, and the Met has a stupendous collection of paintings from the Middle Ages up to the present. I feel sane and safe and free in the Met.

Q5. Is there lots to do before you dive in and start writing a book?

5. Before I dive in and start composing a book, I do a lot of reading and outlining. I write in my diary about my ideas for the project. I create mini biographies of my characters, which help me get to know them. I make timelines of characters’ lives, which also help me flesh out their stories in my mind before I start composing. Sometimes I travel to places that are relevant to the book I’m working on, taking photos to help me capture the spirit of the place.

Q6. How long did it take you to write your book ‘American Scholar’?

6. American Scholar started out as a memoir. I began working on it in the late 1990s. But I wasn’t entirely satisfied with it as a memoir, so I put it aside and turned to writing fiction. Then about eight years ago, I decided to tackle the project again, but this time as fiction. I completely reconceived and rewrote the book. So all totaled, I’ve been working on this book on and off for about 25 years.

Q7. On what platforms can readers buy your books?

7. Readers can buy my books on Amazon and through my website, www.patrickehorrigan.com. You can also ask your local bookstore to order it.

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

8. The title “American Scholar” was inspired by Ralph Waldo Emerson’s famous 1837 essay “The American Scholar,” which is referenced a couple of times in the novel. It’s often been called America’s “declaration of cultural independence” from Europe and the Old World. A brilliant, stirring essay. The title also refers to the novel’s protagonist, who is a professor and writer; it refers to the subject of the protagonist’s latest book, the real-life Harvard professor and American literature scholar F.O. Matthiessen (1902-1950); and it refers to the primary love interest of the protagonist, who is a budding scholar himself. So it works on multiple levels. As for the book’s cover: I supplied the book’s designer with a detailed description of the book along with some ideas for images (men reading books, brains, marginalia). He came up with a handful of designs, and I and the published made our choice. We then asked the designer to tweak it—to try it in different colors, to adjust the image, and so on. I’m really happy with the design we finally came up with!

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

9. I keep things fresh for me as a writer and, I hope, for my readers by choosing subjects that I find challenging to understand. I hope by writing about them, I will reach a better understanding, and this intellectual and creative endeavor will communicate itself to readers and appeal to them. I try never to stay on the surface of things but to dig down deep into my subject. I create characters who on some crucial level do not know themselves, a psychological phenomenon that interests me and, I hope, my readers. Also, each of my books revolves around a specific artistic medium (film, painting, architecture, literature), and I do research on that medium as part of the composing process. I think this also communicates itself to readers. I am pushing myself up to and beyond my cutting edge.

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

10. This isn’t exactly a piece of advice, but one of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned as a writer is that revision is always possible and it can really improve a piece of writing. Sometimes we fall in love with our words, with the way we write something on the first draft, but usually that’s not and cannot be the end of the story. There is usually a lot more work to be done. That work can be daunting, and you do have to cut things, get rid of things, change things, rethink things, but doing so almost always leads to a better outcome. I’ve come to love the process of revision. For me, that’s when the real pleasure kicks in.

Buy American Scholar on Amazon

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Interview with author Amelia Cole

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

Hello! I’m Amelia Cole, and I’m an award-winning fantasy author. My stories have been featured in magazines and in a soon-to-be-published anthology. I’m a huge history nerd, and so I always try and incorporate mythology or ancient stories into my own writing (with a personal twist, of course). When not writing or reading, I play TTRPG games, hike and camp in the mountains of the Pacific Northwest, and binge-watch CW shows.

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

One of the most obvious challenges of writing Bridge of Eternity was describing places in the world that were and still are too dangerous to actually visit. And while in popular tourist areas, there are great resources available online, in conflicted regions, I was lucky to find photos newer than five years old. I also worked actively to incorporate and accurately represent the Arabic culture and language with some very generous forum posters that were from the Middle East with whom I could bounce questions.

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

This is so tough, but I’m a big fan of Madeline Miller’s delicious prose (Circe has a million highlights), I love Raven Kennedy’s world-building and writing love interests with the Plated Prisoner series, and I love all of Patricia Briggs’ stories, she really has figured out the sweet spot of urban fantasy.

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

I’m obsessed with a lakeside campground next to Mt Adams in Washington state. It’s like a postcard, and the looming mountain is breathtaking. Some of my best writing was done there as I sat at a picnic table under the watchful gaze of the snow-covered peak.

Q5. What inspired you to write the book ‘Bridge of Eternity’?

I’ve always had an interest in human civilization through technology and culture. I can’t pinpoint exactly, but I was watching a History channel program or a Youtube about Mesopotamia and came across the Vela supernova. Instantly it fascinated me that the people alive back then were able to witness a real live supernova. A star so bright that they could see it during the day and lasted for months. I can only imagine what they assumed it was, sign from gods, prophecies, literally anything. And then, the real fun is that shortly after, like a handful of years, the Sumerian technology exploded. Writing, metalworking, medicine, all of it seemingly overnight, evolved. While it’s all speculation about a connection, I found this mystery a great inspiration for my story.

Q6. How long did it take you to write your book ‘Bridge of Eternity’?

Two years total.

Q7. On what platforms can readers buy your books?

Its available on Kindle as an ebook, paperback through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Bookshop.org, and other online retailers. Also, an audiobook is currently in production and will be available soon on Audible.

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

I knew I wanted Ella, my main character on the front of the book and there was an earlier where I had Jason, but decided it really should focus on her. My illustrator was so experienced and made some great suggestions like showing Ella’s magic and dramatic color scheme. She truly was amazing to work with and the cover turned out better than I’d envisioned.

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

I used to outline heavily when I first started writing, but have switched to lighter outlines, letting more organic and creativity slip in. I also have a habit of writing down specific scenes when I’m inspired, that are out of order for the story, but I know I’ll add in later. It’s an awesome motivator to have say, chapter 16 and 19 mostly finished and encourages me to fill in the rest.

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

Oh this is a tough one! I think the biggest hurdle most writers face is self doubt. Doubting if you’re good enough, doubting if the scene should be longer, shorter, or altogether cut. And so I’ve found the best way to overcome this is to connect with other writers. They’ll be your sounding boards, your first beta readers, your cheerleaders, and your shoulders to cry on. They keep you grounded and give you perspective. I’m very fortunate to have a writing tribe (love you, llamasquad!) and wouldn’t be where I am today without them.

Buy Bridge of Eternity on Amazon

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Interview with Dr. Avril Bingue

1. Please introduce yourself so that the readers will get to know you better. 

Please introduce yourself so that the readers will get to know you better. I am an Army Veteran, having served ten years and reaching the rank of Captain in Military Intelligence. I have been teaching for over 20 years, from elementary to university level. My discipline has been Special Education and English. I have one son, whom I’m very proud of, and who is currently serving this country in the Army. I absolutely love gardening and have a happy, although very overrun garden, which I enjoy watching grow. I am a Trekie and enjoy going to the annual Star Trek convention in Las Vegas, NV each year. I have two dogs, both named after Star Trek characters – Data and Saru.

2. What is your inspiration behind your book “Tempus Fugit! Time Flies”?

During my youth, I would often hear Latin phrases as a way to pass on wisdom to me. Once such a phrase was tempus fugit – time flies. Children of all ages seem to struggle with the concept of putting first-things-first. They usually believe there is always time to get things done, but in truth, time flies and oftentimes, there is not enough time to complete all tasks, such as homework and chores. My son is my inspiration for this book, EJ. He was a carefree child, who was so happy and believed he could get his homework and chores done after play. Oftentimes, his response to me when I would remind him of tasks to be completed was, “No problem. I got this!” He eventually learned that this was not always the case and the need to put first things first became evident.

3. When did you realize you want to be an author?

As a child, I loved reading and entertaining the imagined worlds the words took me, and understood the power of the written word. I have been writing stories and poems from early childhood. My dream continues to be able to touch many hearts with my words, and perhaps, pass on life lessons.

4. Please tell us something about your book “Tempus Fugit! Time Flies”?

EJ looked stunned. He had put off completing his project and had forgotten that he still had the presentation to do, and it was due tomorrow! He knew if he didn’t complete the assignment, he would not have the grade he was hoping for, and his mother would be very disappointed. The reader will see that it is better to put first things first as the main character, EJ, eventually learns this important lesson. EJ always feels that he will have time to get things done…later. Even after missing the bus, forgetting to do chores, and letting down his best friend, Juan, EJ does not learn his lesson. Finally, after feeling that he let his mother down, EJ learns that time does indeed fly and it is better to have a plan and complete tasks as they come along, rather than wait until the last minute to get things done.This is a book that I hope sibling will pass on to sibling as they learn the importance of not procrastinating.

5. For which age group is your book “Tempus Fugit! Time Flies” suitable for?

I wrote this book for elementary-aged students to help teach them this valuable lesson at a young age, so that they may realize early on that Tempus Fugit! -time flies, so put first things first!

6. What is your favorite Quote?

To succeed, jump as quickly at opportunities as you do at conclusions. Benjamin Franklin.

7. What do you like the most about your country?

I like that no matter who you are, the country still offers an idealist possibility that one can achieve their dream.

8. What suggestion do you want to give to parents of little readers regarding a reading habit? 

As a parent and educator, it is vital to have books and reading material available to children. I was always saddened when students would tell me they had no books at home. I used to have my son read everything he saw when driving to the store. Reading must be part of children’s daily life. Remember, children should learn to read by the third grade; then they read to learn for the rest of their education.

9. What does literary success look like to you?

Literary success would be for my books to be on bookshelves when I walk into a book store. I want my name to be synonymous with children’s book author, kind of like Dr. Seuss!

10. Lastly, who is your inspiration in life and why?

All that I do is for my son. I want to show him through my own actions that he should always pursue his dreams… no matter how long it may take.

Buy Tempus Fugit! Time Flies on Amazon

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Interview with author Randy Richardson

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

I’m an attorney, former journalist, and a die-hard fan of the Chicago Cubs baseball team. I’m also a founding member and president of the nonprofit Chicago Writers Association. I’m the first male recipient of the National Federation of Press Women’s Communicator of Achievement Award and was named to NewCity’s 2019 and 2022 ‘Lit 50: Who Really Books in Chicago’ list. My essays have been published in the anthologies ‘Chicken Soup for the Father and Son Soul’, ‘Humor for a Boomer’s Heart’, ‘The Big Book of Christmas Joy’, ‘Storytellers’ True Stories About Love’, and ‘Cubbie Blues: 100 Years of Waiting Till Next Year’, as well as in numerous literary journals including Hypertext and Memory House. I’m the author of three novels, ‘Havana Hangover’, ‘Cheeseland’ and ‘Lost in the Ivy’, and coauthor of ‘Cubsessions: Famous Fans of Chicago’s North Side Baseball Team’. To learn more about me, visit my website: randyrichardson.co. 

Q2. What were the key challenges you faced while writing your book ‘Havana Hangover’?

Perhaps the biggest challenge was writing during the pandemic. I started writing the novel in 2019, after my fourth November visit in as many years to Havana, Cuba. It’s a thriller/adventure inspired by events and people I encountered on that island nation. In many ways, it’s my love letter to the country and its people. There is so much beauty and history to be found there, but what kept bringing me back was the people I met. 

When I started writing the novel, I had every intention of returning to Havana. But then COVID-19, the inspiration-killer, struck. The pandemic and the US embargo and political changes in Cuba all came together like a perfect storm to close the doors to Cuba yet again. My plans for traveling there in November 2020 were put on hold. At the time, I told myself, as well as my friends there: Next year. 

Life became even more turbulent in Cuba, forcing some of my best friends there to move to other countries – in some cases, separating themselves from their loved ones just so they could make money to send back home.

Like many a writer, I had a tough time finding the inspiration to write during the pandemic. My home office used to be the place where I did the kind of writing that was an escape from the writing I did for my day job. But during the pandemic, it also became the office of my day job. It no longer seemed like an escape.

What I came to discover, however, was that it wasn’t the home office space that was the escape. It had nothing to do with the walls around me or the computer in front of me. The escape was all in my head. 

While writing this novel, stuck at home, I was traveling to Cuba, this place that I love but could no longer visit. The inspiration was within me to go there whenever I wanted to. 

When I wrote The End on the final draft, it came with a lot of joy. I’d crossed that finish line after a marathon like none I’d ever run before. But it also came with a little sadness. Because I was saying goodbye to the place that had helped me get through all of this. 

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

Anyone who reads ‘Havana Hangover’ will see that Ernest Hemingway has been my biggest influence. I’m 100 percent a Hemingway fanboy. I’ve read just about anything he wrote, have all of his books and Life magazine covers, and followed his footsteps to just about anywhere he lived and wrote about. My favorite book of all-time is Hemingway’s ‘The Sun Also Rises’, which, to me, is literary perfection.

Other authors who have had a profound influence on me include: Larry McMurtry, Nicholson Baker, Jay McInerney and Scott Turow.

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

That’s an easy one: Wrigley Field, the home ballpark of the Chicago Cubs baseball team. As I previously noted, I’m a die-hard Cubs fan and there’s no place like the bleachers of Wrigley Field on a hot summer day in Chicago. I love the history, the smell of the steamed hot dogs, the energy of the crowd. It’s my second home.

Q5. What inspired you to write the book ‘Havana Hangover’?

All of my writing is, to some extent, inspired by pieces of my life. For ‘Havana Hangover’, that piece begins in November 2016, the first time I traveled to Cuba. Two historic events collided during the time of my travels. On the same morning I left for Cuba, my favorite baseball team, the Chicago Cubs, won their first World Series in 108 years. On the same morning that I returned to the states, the U.S. presidential election results had just been decided. Those two events served as a springboard for the story that becomes a runaway adventure with many twists and turns where little is as it seems. The characters behind it were mostly inspired by real-life people, including me and my travel companion, a friend whom I’ve known since law school, and our tour operator and tour guide. But the real seed for the story was planted on our second trip to Cuba, the following November. It was on that trip that my friend and I had been out on the town and, at some point, we were separated. I went back to our casa particular, a Cuban bed-and-breakfast, and went to bed. The following morning, I woke to a string of text messages from my friend. The last of those messages said: “Help Me!” I won’t go into what actually happened – it’s a long story – but as you can imagine I sprung out of bed and fortunately found my friend asleep in the other room. But that little jolt became the starting point for my story of a disoriented narrator. From there, the story is all fiction, including the back story of the complicated history between the protagonist, Tanner, and his missing friend, Jackson, who, it turns out, might not be his friend at all.

Q6. How long did it take you to write your book ‘Havana Hangover’?

It took about three years to write. Most of that time was during the pandemic. After the first draft, I worked with a developmental editor, Katherine Don, who saw things that I couldn’t see and helped me fill in all of the plot holes and get the story back on course whenever it veered. There were, I think, four drafts in all before Katherine told me that she thought it was ready to be released into the world.

Q7. On what platforms can readers buy your books?

‘Havana Hangover’ is available on Amazon.com in Kindle and in Trade Paperback.

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

The credit for the book cover goes mostly to my publisher, Dan Davies at Renegade Press. I love the little details: the mojito on top of the classic car; the Cuban flag for the license plate; and the publisher for the bumper sticker. As for the title, it fit the story where the characters consume way too much rum.

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

My books are written organically. I don’t work from an outline, and I don’t think that I could. That’s not how my mind works. For me, that keeps the writing fresh. Like the reader, I don’t know where the story is going or even how it will end. That’s what makes writing fun for me. I plant a seed and watch it grow. 

Most of the characters I write are inspired by real-life characters from my own world. I think that helps to make them feel authentic. But then of course, I put them into situations that ordinary people would not typically find themselves in. It’s fun to play with them, to see how they react. 

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

Don’t think about publication. Just write. Write the best damned book you can write. Then start thinking about publication. If the book is good, really good, they will come.

Buy Havana Hangover on Amazon

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Interview with author Belle Jay James

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

As an author, being cloaked in the shadows has been my goal. I emerged from a divergent path in life. Being creative was what helped me navigate the intricacies of a hard childhood and careers that eventually I couldn’t love. It was during this ruff patch that I discovered a dormant passion for literature. I had only found I loved reading in my early twenties. As I read more and more I yearned to take stories of suffering and make them into fiction. Hopefully releasing trauma for those that bear it. Not only from those who would share their stories with me, but also for those who would read them. I want to weave captivating tales that transport readers to uncharted realms where reality and imagination intertwine. For this reason I chose to use my pen name Belle Jay James, to be able to draw freely from my past and those willing to share theirs as well. 

Q2. What were the key challenges you faced while writing your book “Hearts Redress Series: Undesirable”?

While writing the Hearts Redress Series: Undesirable, one of the key challenges I faced was accurately portraying and bringing to life the experiences of Luna suffering from PTSD. As someone who personally suffers from PTSD, I wanted to ensure that these paragraphs reflected the harsh reality of living with this condition. The reality of living with PTSD is a burden many people carry, while many people do not understand. The emotional weight and intensity of these scenes often took a toll on me, and there were times when I had to take breaks from writing for a few days to prioritize my own well-being. However, it was crucial for me to capture the authenticity and depth of Luna’s struggles.  I persisted in order to create a genuine and relatable portrayal of PTSD within the narrative.

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

My bookshelves today are stuffed with hundreds of books and Authors.  Several have had a significant influence on my own writing. The first book that ignited my passion for reading was “Push” by Sapphire, which exposed me to the power of storytelling and inspired me to explore the written word further. Additionally, Christine Feehan’s “Torpedo Ink” series captivated me with its blend of romance, suspense, and paranormal elements. These influences, along with my personal experiences and aspirations, motivated me to combine the realms of fiction and non-fiction in my writing. I aimed to create narratives that not only entertained and transported readers but also touched upon real-life issues and emotions.

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

My favorite spot to visit in the United States is Florida. While i dont not live there, it holds a special place in my heart. It has been a destination where my family and I have often vacationed, creating countless memories together. Florida has become even more meaningful to me because my favorite relative now resides there. Going to spend even a day with them brings me so much joy. The state’s peaceful ambiance and slower pace of life are often overlooked in our fast-paced world, but they bring me a sense of tranquility and allow me to unwind. Florida is a place where I can escape the daily hustle and bustle, enjoy the beauty of its beaches, and savor the simple joys of life.

Q5. What inspired you to write the book ‘Hearts Redress Series: Undesirable’?

My inspiration behind writing the book ‘Hearts Redress Series: Undesirable’ stemmed from a deep desire to explore and shed light on the themes of overcoming trauma and raising awareness about PTSD. Showing that the stigma behind mental illness needs to be overcome. Drawing from personal experiences and a passion for understanding and advocating for mental health, I embarked on this writing journey with the intention of creating a narrative that not only resonated with individuals who have endured trauma but also fostered empathy and understanding among readers. By delving into the struggles, triumphs, and complexities of Luna’s life, I aimed to bring attention to the realities of PTSD, breaking down stigmas and fostering a greater sense of compassion and support for those who face these challenges.

Q6. How long did it take you to write your book ‘Hearts Redress Series: Undesirable’?

Writing the book ‘Hearts Redress Series: Undesirable’ took longer than I initially anticipated. I began writing it during a period when I was also beginning to address and treat my own traumas. This presented challenges and made the writing process more difficult at times. As a result, it took me three years to complete ‘Undesirable.’ However, after experiencing the sense of triumph and accomplishment upon finishing ‘Undesirable,’ writing the sequel, ‘Unconquerable,’ has been much smoother. I expect to finish ‘Unconquerable’ later this year, building upon the momentum and growth achieved during the creation of the first book.

Q7. On what platforms can readers buy your books?

Currently ‘Hearts Redress Series: Undesirable’ is on pre-order on Barnes and Nobles. The official release date is June 30th 2023.  The link is https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hearts-redress-series-belle-jay-james/1143613020?ean=9798369259566

I will be announcing other platforms in the coming months on my social media @bellejayjames and website https://authorbellejayjames.com .

 I also plan on selling books from my website that will be signed. 

Q8. Tell us about the process of coming up with the book cover and the title ‘Hearts Redress Series: Undesirable’?

The process of determining the title and designing the book cover for ‘Hearts Redress Series: Undesirable’ was a journey that evolved alongside the writing process. It wasn’t until I completed the book that the title finally crystallized. I went through numerous word combinations, searching for a title that truly captured the essence of the story. In ‘Hearts Redress Series: Undesirable,’ Luna, the main character, embarks on a journey of healing and rediscovery, learning to mend her heart. This theme of the heart redressing resonated deeply, and it became the perfect title to encompass the book’s core message. Once the title was settled, finding a suitable cover picture became relatively straightforward. The cover needed to portray the initial state of Luna’s heart, setting the stage for subsequent covers that would depict her and many other characters’ transformative journeys throughout the series.

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

To keep things fresh for both my readers and myself, I would love to say something smart like, “I employ various strategies: constantly challenge myself by experimenting with different writing styles and techniques, exploring alternate perspectives, and even playing with unconventional storytelling methods.” The reality is that I just write from the heart. What feels right to me as I pour words into google docs. The characters and plot come to life in my mind.  One thing that I did enjoy was putting in little surprises on the first page of each chapter. If the reader looks closely they will find something hidden on each chapter’s first page. Most importantly, taking breaks to recharge was key. 

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

Early on, a friend from “The Suffering Podcast” graciously offered to read my book. It was still a very rough draft. His advice was the most valuable piece I’ve received about writing. He told me that there is never too much detail you can put into a book. While writing I had been holding back, thinking people wouldn’t want to read every little thing in a scene. When he told me that, I took that advice to heart and embraced it fully. Letting go of any concerns about overwhelming readers. This liberating perspective allowed me to dive deep into the intricacies of not only the suffering, but also the steamy, raunchy scenes as well. I was able to start painting vivid scenes and providing rich descriptions without hesitation. It empowered me to create a fully immersive experience for readers, where no detail was deemed insignificant. This advice has been a guiding light throughout my writing journey, reminding me to embrace the power of a writer. 

Buy Hearts Redress Series: Undesirable Book One on Barnes&Noble

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Interview with author Courtney Boyer

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

I am a relationship and sexuality educator. I was trained as a mental health and sex therapist, life coach, and Reiki practitioner. I am a mom of 3, lover of sports, and have been married to an amazing man for 18 years. 

Q2. What were the key challenges you faced while writing your book “Not Tonight, Honey”?

Not getting discouraged when I felt stuck. Sometimes the words just didn’t flow and I wanted to give up. I also ended up breaking my leg playing soccer when I was about 90% done with the book. I was so depressed from having surgery and being on crutches for 3 months that I didn’t even open the manuscript for 4 months. 

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

Brene Brown, Father Richard Rohr, Paul Conti

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

The U.S. is so big and has so many beautiful places. But as someone who grew up in the Pacific Northwest, I’m definitely enchanted by the water and the mountains of the Puget Sound. 

Q5. What inspired you to write the book ‘Not Tonight, Honey’?

I’ve been in the sexuality field for 15 years and I’ve been asked these two questions probably a thousand times: what’s wrong with me and am I broken? Usually I get asked this after I’ve spoken to a group so I don’t have ample time to really address their underlying concerns. So I decided to write a book about why women are asking these questions and offer them practical solutions so they feel more empowered sexually. 

Q6. How long did it take you to write your book ‘Not Tonight, Honey’?

11 months

Q7. On what platforms can readers buy your books?

Amazon, Barnes and noble, apple books, pretty much anywhere

Q8. Tell us about the process of coming up with the book cover and the title ‘Not Tonight, Honey’?

I had no idea how hard deciding on the book cover would be! I agonized over it for weeks. I wanted an image that expressed the (primarily sexual) frustration of a woman. Her feelings of isolation and resentment. But I didn’t want her to be angry. I worked with a phenomenal cover designer who was able to capture my desires beautifully. Two feet under the covers pointing opposite ways conveys so much. It’s a powerful picture. 

The title came to me one day while I was meditating. “Not tonight, honey,” is a quintessential phrase that captures a lot of women’s honest answering that reflects their disinterest in sex.  

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

I tried to find a rhythm and a pattern in my writing. So I don’t know if I would describe it as fresh, but more of getting into a groove. 

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

“Don’t sink the ship.” My book coach said that to me. I would go back and wonder if I didn’t include enough information. Enough scientific evidence. Enough anecdotes. Enough content. And she told me about a prince who filled a boat with treasure. And he kept filling it up and up because he just wanted to pack it all in. Then when he went to leave the harbor, the boat sank. She would remind me “Courtney, if you put too much in, you will sink the ship. Sometimes less is more.”

Buy Not Tonight, Honey on Amazon

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Interview with author Karima Andrea Eames

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

Hi, I am Karima, a holistic therapist and meditation teacher. I have been working with people for the past 35 years and have a successful practice in Sydney, where I live with my husband.

My passion is to ignite a person’s fascination with their inner world.

I love to support people in getting to know themselves on all possible levels.

My understanding is that a better world starts with healthy fulfilled individuals.

The work I do allows people to live a balanced life on all levels.

I was born in Germany, twelve years after the end of World War II into a country that had suffered the complex trauma of defeat, physical and psychological damage to the country, and damage to its sense of nationality. 

The exposure to the ‘after-war-darkness’ created the drive in me to wake up and find the light. 

In my early 20’s I left Germany and a promising career path as a psychologist to uncover the mysteries of the inner world. My search took me to India, where, for 20 years, I lived in a spiritual commune and joined their Mystery School where I was initiated into the Art of Inner Alchemy.

These last 44 years of my inner work and journey have had one singular focus; they have been all about searching for truth. I was born with the longing to find out how we tick and explore the true answers to the questions: Who am I, really? What, actually, is truth? What is the meaning of life? What is true nature? What are universal laws? What are the laws of transformation? What is real? 

Of course, these are not small questions! Yet, I have a passion to make transformation and metaphysics simple and understandable. 

My book is the outcome of 4 decades of inner exploration. It is designed to help a new client learn the art of inner transformation skilfully without wasting time. All the mistakes I made and misunderstandings I suffered led to how I am now presenting the tools in the book.

My author name is  consciously chosen and reflects the 3 significant stages of my life:

Andrea reflects my first 21 years. My birth name is Andrea Hinterleitner. The most relevant information about my first two decades is that I had no idea of an inner world, I was only oriented towards the outside. In other words, I was in the world and unconscious.

Karima reflects my 20 years in a spiritual commune where I was given a spiritual name: “Prem Karima” meaning “bountiful love”. I kept the name when I settled in Australia and all my clients and friends know me as Karima even if this name is not in my passport. In this second stage, I was away from the world and becoming conscious.

Eames reflects the third stage of my life, my time in Australia and it is my married name. My husband is from New Zealand and I love the sound of Eames. People in Australia often struggle with pronouncing Hinterleitner. The third stage is about being back in the world consciously.

Q2. What were the key challenges you faced while writing your book “Becoming Whole: The Art of Inner Transformation”?

I had never written before. I was used to speaking in my work with clients not writing. I didn’t even journal much in my life.

I had to find my “writing voice”. I had been thinking about writing a book for about 7 years without it happening. It was obvious that I needed help and a friend recommended a writing mentor. I did different courses for 2 years, the last one being “Write your first draft masterclass” with Joanne Fedler. The outcome of that was my first draft.

After that, I engaged an editor for about a year to make the first draft into a finished manuscript. 

I’d collected many different documents filed under chapter titles. It was a conglomeration of pieces that were never written in any specific order. We worked step-by-step on making the chapters coherent in themselves, joining all the separate pieces and resolving repetitions, allowing each chapter to “become whole”. 

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

Most importantly Joanne Fedler, my writing mentor. She is a wordsmith and masterful writer.

Eckhart Tolle’s “The Power of Now”

“Soul Without Shame” by Byron Brown. The structure of his book inspired me to mix real-life stories with teachings and exercises. 

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

The beach! We live 15 mins from the beach. The moment I can see the beach my heart opens and I feel a sense of expansion. Sitting anywhere close to the beach or swimming in it makes me happy.

As a child, I was always dreaming of living close to the ocean. When I arrived in Australia, I couldn’t believe my luck. Our beaches are magnificent. 

Q5. Is there lots to do before you dive in and start writing a book?

I did a lot of research with clients before I started writing to find out what would make the book relevant. I made a whole list of questions and asked all my regular clients to answer. I received a lot of valuable input. Some of their feedback helped with the structural design and some of it ended up in the book as quotes.

Q6. How long did it take you to write your book ‘Becoming Whole: The Art of Inner Transformation’?

7 Years of thinking about it, 2 years of writing the first draft, 1 year to have the final manuscript and another 9 months till the book was published.

For the three years of creating the book, I witnessed myself in sessions. The writer in me watched what I did, named the tools and made sure they were in the book. 

In the gathering process – the first two years – I would take notes at the end of the session about what needs to be in the book. And write a piece about it later. In the final year of writing, the inner witness was more like a secretary going through a checklist making sure all the important tools were mentioned. 

Q7. On what platforms can readers buy your books?

I am self-publishing with BookBaby and as an E-book it is available on all platforms like Amazon Kindle, Booktopia, Apple books, Barnes & Noble and more.

Printed copies are only available in Australia at the moment as I first worked with an Australian publisher and then moved to self-publishing. I still have 100 printed copies for sale. 

Q8. Tell us about the process of coming up with the book cover and the title ‘Becoming Whole: The Art of Inner Transformation’?

In a nutshell, the process of becoming whole is to

  • understand and befriend the mind 
  • the right attitude for inner exploration 
  • to develop a healthy relationship with your physical body 
  • to connect with your heart and use its intrinsic qualities for inner transformation 
  • to understand and transform your emotions 
  • to heal the inner child 
  • to start trusting your inner guidance systems. 

This is the part we can do to come out of fragmentation, separation and disconnection. 

All of this is preparation for the most important discovery of inner work: knowing that we are already whole. Being whole. 

True nature is always whole, undisturbed and indestructible. But all the steps to becoming whole are prerequisites to discovering and enjoying the truth of being whole. 

That’s why we tried in the design of BECOMING WHOLE to show that BECOMING contains the word BEING by designing the letters ‘COM’ differently from the letters BE…ING.

The book cover was designed by a professional. We had a few different designs and this one spoke to me. 

The designer chose a visual Mandala, which resonated with me as the book is like a written Mandala. The definition of the word mandala is:

“A mandala is a symbol of the universe in its ideal form, and its creation signifies the transformation of a universe of suffering into one of joy.”

The art of inner transformation is exactly that: to transform suffering into peace or joy or freedom, states of non-suffering. And it is an art as it needs to be learnt and practised. 

The golden symbol we chose for the cover is the Celtic knot of discovery, which fits with the territory as this work is about discovering who we really are.

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

That’s all the stuff I learnt from my writing mentor: Don’t make your sentences too long, keep it distinct. 

The book is an interplay of teachings, quotes, meditations, exercises and session transcripts. My personal story is woven into the book too. The research with my clients beforehand helped a lot to make the book relevant. They all said they don’t just want teachings, they want personal stories and applications too. 

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

This might sound a bit crass, but the best advice I got from my writing mentor, was to start writing without thinking too much about it. 

The analogy she gave was like “vomiting into a bucket”. Let it pour out and throw the words onto the page. That helped me tremendously and the words started pouring out.

Sometimes in that outpouring some beautiful pieces of writing were born that didn’t need a lot of editing.

Buy Becoming Whole: The Art of Inner Transformation on Amazon

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