Category: Author Interview

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Interview with author Jeremy Blain

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

Hi, my name is Jeremy Blain. I’m the CEO of performance works International, which is a company that looks to create leaders for the future. So transforming business, where the digitally the workforce and the leaders themselves, so they have the knowledge, skills and behaviours for modern times, essentially, my background started in career terms in Procter and Gamble, then PepsiCo, then I became a consultant and trainer. And that’s kind of what I’m doing now in my business. I’m from the UK, in Manchester from the north of England. So as is obligatory being from Manchester in the north of England, I am a Manchester United supporter, and I loved the music from Manchester in the 80s and 90s. Particularly.

Q2. What were the key challenges you faced while writing your book “The Inner CEO: Unleashing leaders at all levels”?

In terms of the book, and in terms of being an author, it was something that hasn’t really been a part of my DNA, apart from when I started my business. And that’s when things started. The key challenges when writing this book, really were around the usual I think, being a business book as well, time, not just mine, but time of the people I needed to interview, time to research time to construct the right flow, and time to understand what was being said around the topic out there as well, because this was about a book compact empowerments leading at all levels, which is something that we hear a lot about in business. But with all of that research, I realised that were no books on the topic. Sure, there are leadership and management books out there, but nothing on leading all levels.

So of course, that shares a little bit of capability with some management skills and leadership skills. But actually, it’s a whole change for the organisation first, and the executive leaders and then everybody else in the business too as you flatten the organisation and flatten the hierarchy. So that was a big kind of chunk of time and challenge to do so. And then writing the book, which had never, literally never done this before. And trying to create a kind of language wasn’t me being colloquial or wasn’t too jargony, which I sort of learned from a lot of business books. And making it a very practical, how to action orientated book for anybody in business. Where was another challenge? Because of course, I have the idea. But how do you do it, there’s no book out there no blueprint.

So I find myself creating brand new models to fit into the spaces were where I needed to. So that also gave the challenge there too. And then I have to admit, the motivation Wow, at times, that’s like, it’s like a roller coaster. You know, when you’re on a roll, that’s great, but you know, getting up in the morning thinking, Oh, I’ve got to get to another chapter now. And I’ve got to get to this and I’ve got to finish that. Really, it can be he can be the enemy of progress. But fortunately, I had a great book coach and a couple of great mentors around this and I would recommend that as a fantastic way to start because they kept me going and kept the momentum building and also they kept the feedback coming in terms of flow in terms of content, what didn’t sound right, what needed more explanation, etc.

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

That’s a good question is more business writing of course this so it’s not a particular style in terms of like you would find in fiction models like bit science fiction, horror, or general fiction or, and so on. But of course, based on the books that I’ve I’ve read like from from people like Daniel Pink and Marshall Goldsmith, Paul Hargreaves, Kevin Cottam, all of these things were invaluable to me to make sure that I was writing a book that a meant something and provided insight, but also moved the question from what we need to do to how to do it. So it is really the authors that were that had published How To books and how to manuals in business terms and leadership terms. Were really my guide.

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

Favourite spot to visit in my own country and what makes it special to you actually, my favourite spot is where I live. It’s a region called the Cotswolds in the UK. I lived in Singapore for seven years with my family, and we really missed it. You know, it’s like being an expat. People think it’s a great life and it was it was a great life, but I really miss the outdoors. The Cotswolds is postcard England. It’s rolling green hills, old stone cottages, which is what I live in as well. It’s surrounded by countryside, lots of walking and running biking etc that you can do here. And what makes it special to me is really the people and the countryside, and just how special it is, and unspoiled it is. Which in the modern world is pretty great, I would say.

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

There are lots to do before diving into writing a book yet, per my response before, it is all about Prep, it’s all in the planning. If you just sit down with a pen or a keyboard and think right, there we go chapter one, then you’re not going to get very far you student soon run out of steam, and I realised that I had some, some ideas to start with. But navigating all of those ideas and putting them into some kind of order in some kind of plan. So that you really a can qualify whether you do have enough for a book, or whether it’s going to be a short paper, for example, is, is really critical. So getting all of that in place, but also getting the people in place who are going to support you who can critically provide your feedback, rather than kind of giving you the answers that you want to hear is like really get to it. Is this worth doing? Is this unique? Will it help out there? How it needs to be? All of those things need to be in place first, then that planning process that I talked about before? And lining up all of the examples The interviewees if you’re doing them, which I did, are very, very central success.

Q6. How long did it take you to write your book ‘The Inner CEO: Unleashing leaders at all levels’?

Well? That’s a great question. Well, let’s just say that the idea for the book was 2017. And I was procrastinating for at least 18 months about Yeah, I’m gonna get into the book and to get to the book. But it was really I mean, I must admit, and it’s, it’s not a very nice thing to say, but it was locked down actually, through the pandemic gave me the opportunity and the space to actually do something serious about it. So it took me that three years to 2020 to really get going. And then it took me most of 2020 to get done. And then we were kind of then finalising for the first couple of months of 2021 before it was launched.

Q7. On what platforms can readers buy your book?

All online book sellers and physical bookstores by order. You know, kind of Barnes and Noble. Amazon, Waterstones, you name it, it’s on all platforms out there. It’s also available, of course on ebook on print version, but also audio book. So you can access that through the likes of Apple or audible, Spotify, Google.

Q8. Tell us about the process of coming up with the book cover and the title ‘The Inner CEO: Unleashing leaders at all levels’?

Well, actually, this was thanks very much to my publisher. I and my designers in my business, came up with a design. But my publisher took one look at that and said, No. So they came up with what I have to admit is an absolutely brilliant cover, with a thumbprint, which then has waves emanating from it, making it unique to the individual who’s going to unleash their inner CEO, let’s say, but also impacting the rest of the organisation. As they grow, they grow the team, they grow the organisation. So I have to say thank you to Panoma publishing, which is part of rethink press.Their design, people really nailed it for me. And the feedback about it has been absolutely terrific, which is fantastic, including the colour schemes of the greys and the yellows, which I’ve kept over onto all of my design work my presentations, etcetera, etcetera.

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

Well that keeping it fresh myself is a great question. That’s all about that momentum building or lack of, in some ways, but for me, actually, I approach this as I would approach my customers, I tried to put my put myself in my readers shoes, say what do you need out of this book? So if I were picking this book up, what do they really need? They need the why. Why is this important? Why do we need to be thinking about this? They need the what. What do we mean by it? How do we define it? What needs to happen? All those things and then the majority of it is the all-important how to how do you implement this because implementation is where it’s so often fails. So, in all of the chapters and all of the different component parts, I was constantly asking myself, what can I do here to make it come alive. And I found that actually a very motivating for myself, but it really did keep it really fresh. For the audience, I brought in different people at different levels in the organisations to interviews, I had interviews with a fast food company, with Spotify, to bring in what they think about empowerment, so not just my own ideas, but thinking about how companies do it right now.

The creation of these new models to make it all come alive was I found very motivating as well, and kept it really fresh for the readers because every point even if it was the, the why and the what came with came with something that was actionable or practical that they can apply to their own business. So that was really important. And that was really the key message that I had myself which which took me from the start to the to the finish.

Q10. At what age, did you start reading self-help books?

I would have been a teenager, then kind of probably mid teenager, late teenager and I’m Generation X. And there weren’t so many self help books readily available for our age. You know, there was not the internet, you couldn’t just find things online like you can now so I had to rely on time when I could actually go out without my parents when I have my own money when I could actually buy these things either. Either that you know things that I didn’t want other people to see which were just unique for me or whatever. When I started at university and then into my first job that’s when I really started getting a hunger for self development books, if you like from a business point of view, how to be a better salesperson or a marketeer or manager or leader and broaden my knowledge about the business world and about enterprise. So you know, took a while but I got there

Buy The Inner CEO on Amazon

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Interview with author Mark Snoad

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

Hi and kia ora from Aotearoa New Zealand. I’m a teacher and a debut author. I live in Auckland with my wife, two daughters, and rascal dog Wilbur.

Q2. What were the key challenges you faced while writing your book “Maggie and the Mountain of Light”?

Juggling work and family commitments around writing. Finding enough space and time to work on the manuscript was challenging at times, especially with a demanding teaching job!

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

J.R.R. Tolkien and his immersive Lord of the Rings mythology. Terry Brooks and the magical world of Shannara. Terry Pratchett and his remarkable Discworld series. Robert Jordan and the complex Wheel of Time series. Brandon Sanderson (who finished Jordan’s work) and his own exciting Cosmere series. David Eddings and his magical books. C.S. Lewis and Narnia. And Douglas Adams for the sheer joy he infused in his writing.

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

Aotearoa New Zealand is a stunning country. There’s a reason why The Lord of the Rings was filmed here. It is a natural paradise, with mountains you can be looking at and still think they are computer generated. I love being out in the natural world. One of my favourite places is the Whanganui River, where I went kayaking with my dad. It is a place of natural beauty, as well as challenge. It is also a strong memory I have with my father, who passed away a few years ago.

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

Some authors like to have the whole book plotted out before writing anything, and so they do all of their research at the start. I prefer to make a start and then do my research as I go, but this sometimes means I can divert from writing for quite some time as I discover what I need to know. I usually create a basic plot outline before writing, although sometimes I have an idea and I just start writing it down. 

Q6. How long did it take you to write your book ‘Maggie and the Mountain of Light’?

Maggie and the Mountain of Light is the second book I have written. My first book is a YA fantasy called Redemption’s Fool. I’d written that over several years but was not finding any success when querying agents. I had the idea for Maggie when I was still querying Redemption’s Fool, and I wrote the first scene. I then took the rather unusual step (for me) of writing the synopsis. I think that was to fully cement the idea. I wrote the synopsis in September 2018 but I didn’t really focus on Maggie for another 18 months. When I queried my publisher in January 2022, I did so with the Redemption’s Fool manuscript. My publisher passed on that, but asked me if I had anything else. So I shared Maggie with her and she loved it. So, it ultimately took me a couple of years to complete Maggie and the Mountain of Light.

Q7. On what platforms can readers buy your book?

On all the major platforms, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo (Goodreads), ebook

Q8. Tell us about the process of coming up with the book cover and the title ‘Maggie and the Mountain of Light’?

My initial working title was Maggie Thatcher Saves the World, but I soon realised this was too generic and overused (and possibly might lead people to think it was a book about British political history). The title Maggie and the Mountain of Light is much more unique and specific, and it directly relates to the story. The Mountain of Light hints at mystery and magic, which is a characteristic of the story. For the book cover we wanted to have a scene that readers could recognise when they read the story. And we wanted it to be a scene with the wonderful diverse range of characters, as well as mystery and magic. The cover has been hand-painted, which I still find incredible. And I love it!

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

I found reading my book out loud to my daughters helped a lot. It gave me immediate feedback with their reactions, and helped to keep the book fresh. Likewise having readers who gave me honest feedback. Another important factor is making sure I am reading myself.

Q10. Are there any secrets from the book (that aren’t in the blurb), you can share with your readers?

Sure! One is that, although the book is a fantasy, there are some very real and historically accurate elements in the story. Early readers have found it fun to work out what is real and what is fantastical. Secondly, I can reveal the name of the hidden programme that is part of the Wayfinder Girls. The programme is called Guardians!

Buy Maggie and the Mountain of Light on Amazon

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Interview with author Jessica Kimball

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

Hi! My name is Jessica Kimball. I live in north-central Minnesota with my husband and our three young daughters. I’ve lived here my whole life, and I intend to keep it that way! I’ve been passionate about writing for as long as I can remember; I’ve got some old “books” I wrote from when I was a child, they’re quite comical! I also love gardening, spending time with my family, reading, painting, and meditation. My greatest passion in life is motherhood. 
I am also currently working on building a business as a full-spectrum doula – something our rural community does not yet have. My passion for motherhood drives my initiative to make it a positive, life-changing, fulfilling experience for all mothers. I hope to bring that to our small community so other mothers can embrace their unique motherhood journeys. 

Q2. What were the key challenges you faced while writing your book “Own Your Motherhood”?

I struggled with word count along the way – at first it seemed daunting to write enough content for an entire book, even a bite-sized one like mine. I was worried my readers wouldn’t enjoy the book if it was on the short side, but I quickly realized that it’s about the quality of what I’ve got to say, not the quantity. 

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

I really enjoy anything with a conversational tone and relatable content. I find that it makes it easier to immerse myself in the author’s words if I feel as though we’re sitting down talking over a cup of coffee. 

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

Unfortunately, my family and I don’t travel as much as we’d like – it’s difficult with young children. I do personally love the ocean and Yellowstone National Park. I have fond childhood memories in both places! I’d love to share these types of experiences with my own children someday. Thankfully we live in an area rich with lakes, state parks and forests, and many outdoor activities so we can embrace and thoroughly enjoy the area we live in.

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

I think  you should jump in and start writing! You may need to revise again (and again, and again) but that’s the beauty of it. You can make as many revisions as you want before you share your work with the world.

Q6. How long did it take you to write your book ‘Own Your Motherhood’?

It only took me a couple of months once I finally picked a topic I could talk about for hours.

Q7. On what platforms can readers buy your book?

You can find my book online at Barnes & Noble and Amazon, in both ebook and print! 

Q8. Tell us about the process of coming up with the book cover and the title ‘Own Your Motherhood’?

The book cover was a little project of mine during the writing process. When I wasn’t investing time in writing the words themselves, I was drawing the cover art – inspired of course by my family. The title didn’t come until partway through the book after I’d actually written the words “own your motherhood” down. It clicked instantly!

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

I carry a notebook with me to write down thoughts, blurbs, questions, ideas, etc. on the fly. Writing in the moment allows me to accurately capture my emotions and keep the story relevant. I can look back later on my notes and recall situations and ideas with much more clarity that way. It also allows me to write down passing thoughts that would otherwise float away and potentially not come back – always a risk with small children running around!

Q10. Are there any secrets from the book (that aren’t in the blurb), you can share with your readers?

There aren’t many hidden secrets inside of this book – it’s just stories and experiences from your run-of-the-mill mom. There is a lot of honesty, and I do write about my biggest mistake as a mother; one that almost cost my daughter her life. I hope it resonates with other mothers about the commonality of mistakes in parenthood – it just comes with the territory. I try to maintain a relatable nature so my readers can really see themselves inside of the pages.

Buy Own Your Motherhood by Jessica Kimball

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Interview with author Emeka Enu

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

My name is Emeka Enu. I have a background in pharmaceuticals and business. I live in Connecticut with my wife and our children.

2. What is your inspiration behind your book “Prop and Friends: Prop and Oz the Osprey”?

My inspiration came from my son who did not like the books I was reading to him at bedtime. He loves airplanes and wanted a story about them. He has a toy propeller plane in his room and that’s how the idea came to me.  

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

I do not see myself as an author. I see myself as a storyteller.  It was my wife who convinced me to start writing these stories in the hopes of sharing them with other children like our son.

4. Please tell us something about your book “Prop and Friends: Prop and Oz the Osprey”?

This is a book about an unlikely hero. The protagonist is given a difficult task against great odds even though he does not fit the profile to accomplish it. It is the typical story we have all read in our childhood-David and Goliath, Frodo, Harry Porter, the Ugly Duckling. 

5. For which age group is your book suitable for?

Prop and Friends is suitable for children ages five to eleven years. 

6. What is your favorite Quote?

A quote from the philosopher Seneca, “We suffer more in imagination than reality”

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

I  like that I am given the freedom to write whatever I want. If people like it, great and if people do not like it, they can move on. 

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

We are so busy but taking a few minutes each day to read to your children, especially at bedtime is critical in their development. There is something magical when parents read to their children. Personally, it is a bonding experience where you get to know the character of your children. Ask them questions about the story, ask them to name their favorite character(s) and in turn, allow room for them to ask questions. 

I am currently reading, “How to Train your Dragon” series and I am learning a lot about my kids and we get into discussions on how the protagonists act’s during certain situations.

9. What does literary success look like to you?

As long as people keep reading my books, I will keep writing. My goal in writing stories is to make a kid smile or laugh before they go to bed. My dream is that kids and adults  turn off the TV, put the phone down and pick up a book. 

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

This is a hard question and yet an easy one to answer. My inspiration in life are my family, especially my wife. She brings the best out of me. If someone told me that I would be writing books, especially children’s books, I would say, they are crazy. However, my wife was ahead of me, because she knows me, she encouraged me to put to paper all these stories that are stored and formulated in my head. 

Buy Prop and Friends on Amazon

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Interview with author Dima Dupéré

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

My name is Dima Dupéré. I live in Ottawa, Ontario (Canada). I am a social worker and teach therapeutic writing (journal writing with a deeper purpose).  I also write, draw, and am constantly creating something.  

Q2. What were the key challenges you faced while writing your book “Watching from the Shore’’?  And how long did it take you to write it?

I started writing this story in 2010.  I wrote 11 chapters and then went to Grad school to complete a Masters in Social Work. In 2016, I picked up the story again while at a Novel Writing Marathon.  I rewrote it from the perspective of a different character, in an epistolary style.  I spent a lot of time trying to think about how I wanted to present it so that people would have the feeling of reading actual letters.  I hand wrote  letters thinking I could create a picture book. Then, in 2021, I had a heart attack and that slowed me down quite a bit.  I was able to proofread, make some changes and recently decided the best way to present this story is in an e-book because I can use different fonts for the different characters.  I love this story, especially since it had such a complicated ‘birth’.

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

I love simple story lines written with emotion.  One of my favourite authors is Carol Shields who had a way of connecting deeply with me through her words.  I also love the poems of Mary Oliver.  Generally I tend to read a lot of memoirs.

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

I love Newfoundland (Canada) in particular the small town of Woody Point. They have a spectacular Writers Festival each year that combines authors, musicians and nature.  It’s located in the middle of Gros Morne National Park, on Bonne Bay.  Being by the ocean is very healing to me, and the festival very inspiring.

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

I tend to sit with a story and think about it for a long time before actually writing. I will do some research if necessary to make sure my facts are accurate.  Once I have a sense of exactly where I will go then I start writing.  But often as I start writing the characters tell me where they want to go.

Q6. How long did it take you to write your book ‘Watching from the Shore’?

See question 2

Q7. On what platforms can readers buy your book?

My book is available on the book’s website (watchingfromtheshore dot com) and also at Kobo books. It can be found on OverDrive Library Network – which means you can request it at your library if it offers e-books.

Q8. Tell us about the process of coming up with the book cover and the title ‘Watching from the Shore’?

The title and the book cover have a direct connection with something that happens in the story.  Without saying too much, the last time Melanie and her brother were together as children they were watching their parents canoeing from the shore.

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

This story though relatively short has a lot of twists and turns.  The format of letters makes it fast paced and different from a regular book.

Q10. Are there any secrets from the book (that aren’t in the blurb), you can share with your readers?

Part three will take the readers in an unexpected place.  I have to keep some secrets.

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Interview with author Leilani Taneus-Miller

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

I am a writer, teacher and mother who lives in Edinburgh with my children, husband, cats and dog. Born into a Haitian family, I grew up in New York, however I have lived in the UK for twenty years. I have always been an avid daydreamer and reader. I studied at University of Virginia, American University, Maryvale Institute and London Steiner House. Brown Girl is my first novel.

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

I wrote the book in three months, during the first lockdown between March and June 2020. I was furloughed from my job and all my kids were home learning with their respective school. It was a real full house – Seven people, plus dog and cat in a 1970’s townhouse. Creative writing has always been a solace to me, something I turn to for expressing my secret feelings and innermost thoughts. I tend to gravitate to painting with words. But then I wanted my writing to speak to the anger and frustration that swirled around (not just in my head but in my gut) about my experience of being black and often the only black one. And this absolutely coincided with the George Floyd drama and the Black Lives Matter movement gripping public interest. W.E.B. Du Bois noted that amongst the most corrosive effects of racism was its tendency to make its victims see themselves through the eyes of people who hold them in contempt. So the first major challenge was freeing my voice to speak up (granted on the page), which was a big thing for me as I’d been trained to ignore racism – “don’t let that bother you, just move on and prove them wrong by doing great things”. Well-meaning statements like these are intended to soothe and empower, but they neither mend a broken spirit or broken bones, and they certainly don’t bring folks like Stephen Lawrence back to life. But it really is impossible for your whole being to ignore the repetitive verbal and physical abuse that is doled out to you because you are black, just as it is complicit to ignore it happening to anyone – that is ignorance. So there are two things that my novel challenges racism and ignorance, written from a young teen’s perspective, in her “I” to get the fullness of her expression, the fullness of her hurt and the fullness of her confusion.After writing the first draft, there was a lot of editing work to be done, which overall took over 2 years, as I had to fit this around working as a teacher and family life. But every time I picked it up, I still loved my main character and could still feel her telling me what she was thinking, what she would do and wouldn’t, I had to keep going. Plus, I absolutely enjoy the feeling of writing – being utterly immersed in a writing a story is like being underwater but being able to breath normally.

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

Any writing that gives you a deep inside view into a person’s real body, real mind and real emotion. Writing that has a historical perspective even if the recent past. Writing that isn’t afraid to be brash or unmannered. I love Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s blunt storytelling depicting an otherwise uninvestigated culture, the poetic prose of Elif Shafak, the transcendent quality of Jeanette Winterson to inhabit reality, fable and fairytale unapologetically, the relentless honesty of Jamaica Kincaid and Kazuo Ishiguro’s preoccupation with memories and consciousness. I can’t stop thinking about the humorous portrayal of a hard-knock life in Charles Dickens’ ‘David Copperfield’ or the cruel reality set to words in Tracy Chevalier’s ‘the Last Runaway’ about being born into slavery in America. I am floored by Dillibe Onyeama’s brave retelling of the sadistic racist encounters he experienced in his 1972 novel ‘Nigger at Eton’ restyled to ‘A Black Boy at Eton’ by Penguin Books in 2022. Yet to say these writers informed my writing style seems too bold a claim.

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

I do feel, mostly, that I have three countries. In USA my favourite spot is somewhere along the southern coast of Long Island, a plain of soft sand, chalky cliffs, tufted with tall wild grasses awaiting the inevitable plunge of erosion. If that spot is still there and I don’t know its name. In Haiti, my favourite spot is shared between the view when perched on that grey rock in Labadee – its bright blue sea and its salted sea spray christening me – and the sight of the purple hills drifting in and out of the vetiver-charcoal scented mist on the way up the ‘monde’ to Fermathe.In UK, it’s the cascades of lush green, swathes of purple heather, giving way to white sands and a pale turquoise sea at Claigan in the Isle of Skye.

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

Research on the place where the novel is set, the political and social environment of the time and interviewing people who lived in the setting at the time to get a real sense of place and belonging. Making up the characters, giving them a personality, a physique, idiosyncrasies, catch phrases, psychological faults. Outlining the plot, as in the sequence of everything that will happen cover to cover. Breathing life into it, so it becomes an amalgamation of actual and imaginary experience.

Q6. How long did it take you to write your book ‘Brown Girl’?

Three month of writing – one spring season (March 2020-June 2020). It took much longer to edit, over two years. Initially, I challenged myself to write 500-1000 words per day, but after a few weeks I stopped looking at the word count and just did what I wanted.

Q7. On what platforms can readers buy your books?

In bookshops, both small and large. If they don’t have it, just ask for it at the till because then they might decide to stock it. Online, including Amazon, Blackwells, Barnes & Nobles, Telegraph and Waterstones.

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

The title has to do with the protagonist Shelly’s rainy-day activity of fisting up a pile of earth to construct a brown girl which she then places in a hodge podge house made of broken sticks and pelts with mud balls. Shelly tells it best on page 91: “I gather my materials: leaves, sticks and bark. Her home must be made entirely of brown. Then I make a small figure by squeezing mud in both fists, then joining them at the tip and there she is – brown girl. A creature made from two fistfuls of wet earth. I extend my finger through the wooden bars of brown girl’s house to check its depth, then I carefully place her within. I used to only have time to make five decent mud balls of ammunition, but this year my motor skills are doing me justice. I can make a pyramid of 12 well-rounded mud balls before the buzzer sounds within my ears. Then I am pelting Brown Girl with the ammo, until she is drowned by the very earth that has birthed her. House still intact. I am getting too good at this. The bell, the one out there, has not yet rung, and brown girl is completely immersed in a sea of brown. She is beyond recognition. I have won.”So, I suppose it’s about being born on an earth that doesn’t want you to exist, which is very much like being born a black slave all those years slavery was the done thing and the aftermath of that – having to convince the world to stop seeing black people through the imperial prism of the racial stereotypes that have been nurtured to justify the slave trade. By contrast, the cover is redemptive as it depicts, Haiti – the land of Shelly’s ancestors. Although the bowl she carries is grey and empty, lacking colour, she with her mother’s favourite flower emboldened on her cheek, walks barefooted on stones, moving forward comfortably on the earth that carved her, supported by the backdrop of greenish purple hills and blue sky which for me represents hope.

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

I can’t control when I get to write, being busy as a mom, wife and schoolteacher (on the rare occasion that I get desk space in natural light, I soak in gratitude and dive deep in my story-making). But I can control what I write. Ultimately, I keep things fresh by not cheating myself out of writing what I want to write. I take inspiration from what I truly see – observing nature, plants, animals and people. Remind myself that my thoughts matter because they are potentially spiritual beings. And by connecting with my characters – I once read and sort of ascribe to the idea that your characters are ghosts from the past using you to tell their story.

Q10. Are there any secrets from the book (that aren’t in the blurb), you can share with your readers?

Dolly is a plastic doll. Don’t tell Shelly!Thanks!

https://www.austinmacauley.com/book/brown-girl

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/68001101-brown-girl?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=4H84A5PW70&rank=1

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Brown-Girl-Leilani-Taneus-Miller/dp/139847391X/ref=sr_1_3?crid=2GTIIKSV6IHAI&keywords=taneus&qid=1673216488&sprefix=taneu%2Caps%2C200&sr=8-3

https://www.facebook.com/ltaneusmiller

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Interview with author June Ross MBE

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

💥I am the Founder & CEO of Esther Community Enterprise.  We are a consortium of foodbanks across the UK. We are approaching 18 years of working within our local communities distributing surplus food.

Q2. What were the key challenges you faced while writing your book “A Call by Royal Appointment”?

💥To be honest I didn’t experience any challenges in writing my book.  It felt very therapeutic and cleansing because it was my own story and my own words.  As a person of faith, l prayed every time l wrote a new chapter, a paragraph or even a sentence.  I wanted the book to inspire others that may have dreams and aspirations, but found themselves on the opposite side of what may be perceived as failure. The book depicts that dreams can become a reality regardless of the obstacles you may encounter in life.

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

💥I am not a avid reader of books. I tend to listen to generic podcasts of anything that may be of interest to me.  

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

💥I love driving in the countryside on a hot summers day with my music up (preferably in a convertible)  l love when the trees form a canopy over the road and the sun is glistening through the branches as l drive down the winding roads.  The freedom and solitude is refreshing when you want to clear your head and have some ‘me’ time. 

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

💥It depends on what type of book you are writing.  If it’s your own story in your own words then it tends to flow naturally and effortlessly.  Deciding which parts to leave out or put can be the tricky part – especially if the people that hurt you are still alive.  

Q6. How long did it take you to write your book ‘A Call by Royal Appointment’?

💥It took around 9 months to finish the manuscript and then sent it off for proofreading.  The overall turn around took a year.  

Q7. On what platforms can readers buy your book?

💥Signed copies can be purchased at www.eceuk.org in the shop.  Alternatively, you buy a copy from Amazon 

Q8. Tell us about the process of coming up with the book cover and the title ‘A Call by Royal Appointment’?

💥I wanted the book cover to portray the biblical story of Queen Esther who went before the King.  Likewise, my own encounter in meeting the Queen of England was parallel to her story

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

💥Listen to podcasts or read other books that can give you ideas.  Do some research on the topic and make references to other authors or events that can add interest to your book

Q10. Are there any secrets from the book (that aren’t in the blurb), you can share with your readers?

💥There are no secrets 

Buy A Call by Royal Appointment on Amazon

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Interview with author Cassie Brooks

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

In addition to being a full-time mom to a wonderfully goofy and energetic 7-year-old boy, Elijah, I am also an accounting analyst. My husband, Monte, have been married for nearly 15 years. He has always told me being married to me is an adventure; I have yet to prove him wrong. I’ve also become involved with groups and local charities within my community that spread love and support for the LGBTQIA+ community through visibility, resources, education and conversation.

2. What is your inspiration behind your book “Sticks and Stones”?

My son, Elijah – you know how kids are – they are always asking questions about everything. And the way they see things? It really makes you think. So when he told me other kinds were making fun of him at school, I shared with him something I had learned from my own journey.

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

A part of me has always wanted to be an author. I’ve loved writing poetry and fanfiction since I was young and even was involved in a local writer’s group. A few years ago, I started to plot out a young adult trilogy novel and kind of fell down a rabbit whole. It turned my world upside-down and led to where I am now, writing children’s stories inspired by everyday life with my son.

4. Please tell us something about your book “I See the Moon and the Moon Sees Me”?

This is the 2nd book that is going to be part of the Magick in Me series that I am working on. In this story, something is bothering Elijah, and while we don’t identify what that is, his mom reminds him that he is never alone.

5. For which age group is your book suitable for?

It mostly is suitable for children between the ages 4 – 9.

6. What is your favorite Quote?

“If you cannot be the poet, be the poem.” – David Carradine

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

Naturally, I love our freedoms as a country, but we are a melting pot of culture and diversity. No matter the struggles we have as a nation, we are a diverse people intermingled with so many heritages. Of course, this also means we have some great food too!

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

Make it a routine with them. It can be reading a story with them each night at bedtime or finding a time to read a story throughout the day, but if you start this early with them, you will remember these moments as much as they will.

9. What does literary success look like to you?

Making a difference in someone’s life… Ideally, every author wants their stories to become bestsellers or to be recognized, but success to me is seeing it impact someone’s life.

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

There are a few people that hold this spot for my inspiration. First and most importantly, it is my son, who inspires me every day. He is full of life and always teaches me something. He’s also the main character featured in each one of my children’s books. My husband is part of my ongoing inspiration and has pushed me to follow my dreams. And my biggest support and inspiration came from an unlikely friend that I met on my writing journey. Kyrja is a wildly creative, imaginative and larger than life author that has become a treasured friend. She has shared her stories with me and helped encourage me through every step of my own journey. I am not sure I would have found myself where I am without all their support.

Cassie Brooks – Author’s profile on Amazon

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Interview with author J.G. Schwartz

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

Good afternoon. I am Joyce Schwartz, a practicing pathologist and a writer of historical novels/alternative history.

Q2. What were the key challenges you faced while writing your book “The Curious Spell of Madam Genova”?

Actually, there were no challenges to writing the novel. I love history and it was a wonderful journey to research the lives of many of my characters.

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

I have always loved a good mystery or murder. I began reading Stephen King novels when I was very young.

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

The national parks still take my breath away. I feel lucky whenever I am able to spot wildlife in their natural habitat or see a mountain capped with snow.

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

I don’t do a lot of preparation work prior to writing a novel, as each chapter often leads to a new idea. I do, however, have many sleepless nights when I am in the middle of writing my novel…listening to my characters’ conversations.

Q6. How long did it take you to write your book ‘The Curious Spell of Madam Genova’?

The whole process took about eight months. After I was happy with the novel, I proof read it about 10 times, had my friends proof read it, then I sent it to two professional editors and had them make suggestions/edits. Everyone’s input was very helpful.

Q7. On what platforms can readers buy your book? 

The paperback is available on Amazon.com. A kindle version is also available. Many other book sellers (Walmart, etc.) also have the book available on line. Brick and mortar stores can purchase the novel through Ingramspark.

Q8. Tell us about the process of coming up with the book cover and the title ‘The Curious Spell of Madam Genova’?

I did spend weeks trying to decide on the perfect cover for the book. I tried to find an image that I would be attracted to…for a book that I would want to pick and see what was inside. Of course, the entire book centers around the character of Madam Genova, an amazing clairvoyant, and the spell she casts.

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

I try to write a book that I would love to read. My goal is to make each chapter so exciting that the reader feels compelled to see what happens next.

Q10. Are there any secrets from the book (that aren’t in the blurb), you can share with your readers?

I went to a fortune teller to have a reading at a sideshow of a circus when I was 12. She told me, among other things, that a close friend of mine would break his arm. The next day, my neighbor, Jack, while wearing his Superman cape, jumped off his roof and broke his arm. Since that time, I have had an interest in fortune tellers.

Buy The Curious Spell of Madam Genova on Amazon

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Interview with author Mariah Johnson

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

  • Hi! I was born and raised in Pennsylvania, where I grew up with two older brothers who definitely gave me the full “little sister” experience. From a young age I let my creativity grow through writing and reading and I even tried to write a book in elementary school titled “Pepsi Can” that was lost with time (probably for the best haha). Writing was not my only outlet; I also picked up singing, violin and piano in elementary school and still enjoy playing for fun in my free time. However, being an author is second to my primary goal of being a physician as I am currently a first year student in medical school. With a great interest in Psychiatry and Pediatrics, I learned that I could combine both my passion for medicine with my love for writing and aspire to continue writing while being a doctor.

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

  • The hardest part of writing “Surviving You” was accurately portraying the mental illnesses possessed by Mama, as well as predicting how those disorders would affect her daughter, Sophía. I bought books written by authors with Ph.Ds, researched scholarly articles, and tapped into my own knowledge from my studies and working in a research lab for Eating Disorders in Adolescents. At the same time, I was applying for medical school and experienced much self-doubt. What if this makes people with this given disorder feel worse about themselves? What if it’s not interesting enough to readers? Grief and mental illness are such important but difficult topics to illustrate because they are subjective and yet still so universal. I believe we can all take something away from this story.

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

  • “Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine” – Gail Honeymoon
  • “Daughter of the Moon Goddess” – Sue Lynn Tan
  • “The Great Divorce” – C. S. Lewis
  • “Alone With You in the Ether” – Olivie Blake

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

  • There’s this trail on part of the Appalachian Mountains in Pennsylvania. The further you walk from the highway, the quieter it gets and, eventually, you only hear the nature around you. Bright green sprouts of grass and colorful short wildflowers line the trail with tall, lively trees standing plentiful around with birds and squirrels moving swiftly through. It’s so peaceful I can actually be present.

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

  • YES! Before I can start anything at all, I need to know the theme. What is this book going to be about at its core, its central message? From there, I create characters and the relationships between them. Next is conflict, then we can begin outlining the plot. All of this happens before I can write a single sentence. The only exception is when I feel a bout of inspiration and write down an excerpt that I will incorporate later into the story.

Q6. How long did it take you to write your book ‘Surviving You’?

  • 6 to 9 months.

Q7. On what platforms can readers buy your book?

  • Amazon.com 

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

  • I came up with a few different titles, but I like this one because it is a play on words. Surviving You as in literally surviving her father, and figuratively surviving her difficult childhood.

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

  • When I plan out the plot I only include major plot points and just begin writing so that scenes and character development occurs as I feel the characters’ decisions are naturally putting them on that path. This really connects me with the characters so it’s like I feel what they feel and I do my best to capture that.

Q10. Are there any secrets from the book (that aren’t in the blurb), you can share with your readers?

  • Mama has a backstory that wasn’t explicitly stated in the book, but is hinted at. I would consider writing a prequel of her story if readers would want it.

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