Category: Author Interview

Posted on

Interview with author Roxanne Bland

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

The most important thing to know is I’m a fugitive from reality. Despite my books being very much rooted in the real world, I’m still disappointed when I look out my window and there are no dragons. Or griffins. Or centaurs. Looking from the outside, I think most people would say I’m boring. I don’t go out much. I can take only so much peopling on a day-to-day basis. But if you could look inside my head? That’ll trip you right out. Which is why I write. 

Q2. What were the key challenges you faced while writing your book “The Moreva of Astoreth”?

None, really. I knew the story I wanted to tell—a bigoted woman’s journey to redemption through the power of love. From the theme, you know it’s an enemies-to-lovers romance. I write speculative fiction, so I knew it was going to be set on an alien, but Earth-like planet. A place, except for some of its vegetation’s colors—bright purple grass—readers will find quite familiar. I think the only thing about the book that requires readers to suspend belief is the planet is part of a trinary star system. Very unstable. The stars’ gravities pull not only on each other but also on the planets that orbit them. You’ve heard people say they feel like they’re being pulled in all directions at once? That’s what we have here. Depending on the planets’ orbits, you might get all three stars blazing on the surface, which I’d think would be hellish. Or periods when there’s no light at all. Then we have a frozen wasteland. And, of course, the gravitational pull from the three stars could just tear the planet apart.

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

Authors who play with words, like Shakespeare, Chaucer, and so many others. Those who have a tongue-in-cheek, yet disturbing style, like James Thurber and Edward Gorey. Authors whose writing elicits genuine emotion, like Edgar Allan Poe. He’s my favorite. The horror in his works isn’t gore, but watching the character mentally disintegrate, like in The Tell-Tale Heart. Or his most famous, The Raven. A man trying to get on after the love of his life’s death. Or is he? Is the raven real, or is it a hallucination? So, in my own books, I focus on the characters and their emotions. Their actions and reactions. Finding out who they really are, which they themselves might not know, at least at the story’s opening. 

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

That would be New Orleans, Louisiana. I attended graduate school there and fell in love. It’s an amazing place, and not just because of its rich history. It’s the people who live there. As I used to say, “they don’t think like the rest of us in the U.S.” I believe it’s partly because of the Spanish and French influences when it was a colony of those two nations. Then you have the Caribbean influences, and certainly the African. All that, plus the locale, has blended to create an outlook on life that’s not quite like anywhere else. If it wasn’t for climate change, I’d move there. The problem is the city is already below sea level. That’s the main reason Hurricane Katrina in 2005 was so devastating. The levees holding the Mississippi River at bay failed, and between the river and the rain, whole neighborhoods disappeared.

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

If you’re referring to constructing a plot, no. I write in the literary style of fiction, not genre. The difference? In genre fiction, as it’s usually written, the plot is the story. In literary fiction, instead of plot, the characters are the story. So, before I begin, I think about the story’s theme. My books are sociopolitical criticism. For The Underground, I thought about oppression and persecution of certain communities in a society who, in this case, happen to be paranormals. What are their lives like? How do they hide what they are? What happens to them if humans find out? These questions bring in the concept of morality, with the ultimate question being, is there room for morals when survival is at stake? When the question is to kill or be killed? In those circumstances, what is and what is not moral behavior? Once I’ve thought it through, I construct a general story arc—point A, to point B, to point C. In writing the story, how I get from A, to B, to C is anybody’s guess, including my own. I let the characters take over. It can get complicated. Like, is the villain really a villain? They do terrible things to individuals in the community, but what if they do it to protect the community from being slaughtered wholesale by humans? There are other considerations, but those are primary. I did the same type of thing with The Moreva of Astoreth.

I’ll add George R.R. Martin’s Song of Ice and Fire, is an example of a story written in the literary style. There’s no plot. It’s a political fantasy, how politics work in the fantasy world he created. The story is about his characters’ political machinations and their results. Make no mistake, though. Martin’s and my stories are still genre fiction. No self-respecting reader of literary fiction would be caught dead reading a book about vampires, aliens, and fantasy kingdoms.

Q6. How long did it take you to write your book ‘The Moreva of Astoreth’?

That depends on your point of view. From a reader’s perspective, about 18 months. From my perspective, over 40 years. In college, a friend and I collaborated on a story for fun. That’s the skeleton. Years later, I read Zechariah Sitchin’s The Earth Chronicles. The two ideas percolated for many more years until it came together as a story about bigotry. It’s the deeply personal story of the main character, sheltered and unworldly. She’s kicked out of the nest, so to speak, and after going through several experiences and intense self-examination, her eyes are opened.

Q7. On what platforms can readers buy your books?

Everywhere, really. The ebooks are available on just about every platform. Amazon, of course, Kobo, Vivlio, Bibliotheca, to name a few. They’re also available on library platforms like Overdrive. Print copies are available directly from Amazon, Bookshop.org, or order from your favorite book retailer.

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

The title wasn’t hard. The main character is a Moreva, or priestess, who serves Astoreth, the Goddess of Love. This is her story, so…The Moreva of Astoreth. The cover concept wasn’t hard, either. It’s a science fiction romance, so, in keeping with the genre’s conventions, the cover features the main character’s love interest, a shirtless man with a sizzling hot body. And her, of course. She’s clutching him, a nod to her dilemma of being in love with a man of the race she despises. It’s not always that easy, though. It took me two years to figure out a title for the book I’m writing now, and I’ve no idea what the cover will look like.

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

My books are mixed-genre, and stories don’t have the same mix. I’ve written a paranormal urban fantasy/science fiction/romance. Other books in my queue include vampire space pirates. Whatever the mix, they all spring from my deviant imagination. But it also means I’m not writing for the same audience. Fans of The Underground series are not interested in science fiction romance, like The Moreva of Astoreth. They attract different audiences. That’s fine. The mixes keep me from getting bored. I can’t imagine writing a 20 or 30 book series with the same characters. Or even similar characters.

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

Write stories that move you. If your heart’s not in it, readers will know because your lack of enthusiasm will come through in your writing. The other is something I figured out for myself. No matter what you write, no matter how brilliant, somebody, somewhere, isn’t going to like it, and will say so. Don’t be discouraged by bad reviews. After all, it’s only one person’s opinion.

Buy The Moreva of Astoreth on Amazon

Posted on

Interview with author Justin Danneman

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

Up until I was in my early 30’s, I was a very different person. I had experienced success very early on, both in terms of a career and in my personal life, however, depression and self defeatism formed during my childhood eventually tore that all apart. After losing everything, I finally woke up and realized I hated who I was – how I acted – how I spoke, but in this realization I discovered something else. None of that was actually me; it was like an automated me. So who am I? This is when my conscious self finally emerged and life part 2 for me began.

I became hungry for understanding. I began to read and research everything, eventually delving into topics such as ancient history, mythology, etymology, quantum mechanics, symbolism, philosophy, occultism … if it was controversial I wanted to know more.

This is when my ability to lucid dream began.

As I would go through various articles, I realized most of them were regurgitations of each other … and many times they were wrong. Each simply tried to capture clicks without actually trying to understand the topic they were presenting. One article would have two pieces of the puzzle … another two other pieces. Why isn’t anyone actually putting this all together into one complete article? So this is how my writing began. As of today there are a couple hundred of my articles that still exist, but eventually I gravitated towards writing this book.

What I experienced in dreams combined with what I began to understand needed to be expressed in a more complicated form. That is what the Ghost of War series is meant to be: my theory of everything wrapped in an awesome fictional plot. Not only is it meant to explain what I think all of this is, but actually how to overcome it.

Q2. What were the key challenges you faced while writing your book “Ghost of War: Game of the Gods”?

I would say forcing myself to immediately take notes whenever I experienced inspiration was the challenge. For example, I often would wake up from a dream knowing I should write it down, but due to it being in the middle of the night and all I can think about is going back to sleep would justify not doing anything by saying to myself yea I’ll remember it tomorrow … and then completely forget it by morning.

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

My two favorite authors are HP Lovecraft and Michael Crichton. They were the two authors I got into as a child. I read Jurassic Park at least 5 times before it was a movie. Lovecraft definitely had lucid dreaming experience, while Crichton was very good at providing research. There are so many other books though I would recommend.

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

Salt Lake City. I love everything about it. The happy hour/brunch options, the night life, the legit coffee shops, the outdoor options, including park city nearby for skiing. People there are chill.

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

I initially spend my time fleshing out an outline. From there I pick whatever part I feel like expanding, and go from there. I cannot write in a linear fashion. After the Ghost of War series, I have two other book ideas ready to go – both from (shocker) dream experiences. Eventually my dream journal will be its own book.

Q6. How long did it take you to write your book ‘Ghost of War: Game of the Gods’?

It did take close to 4 years, only because I was dealing with life issues – still writing articles … basically not completely dedicating myself to the idea. Once I embraced it, it came out pretty quick.

Q7. On what platforms can readers buy your books?

Paperback and within the next week an audio copy are available on Amazon, while a pdf is on my publisher’s website: https://korsgaardpublishing.com/

Q8. Tell us about the process of coming up with the book cover and the title ‘Ghost of War: Game of the Gods’?

The title slowly came to me as I wrote the book. It’s hard to explain it without giving away information about the main character and the overall plot. The cover was before all of this Ai art generating apps came out. That would have been useful. It is meant to hint at simulation/matrix theory. “Everything is simply electrical signals interpreted by your brain.”

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

Well having the ability to not only lucid dream, but to exit dreams into the astral plane obviously really helps. I’m also big on psychedelics. I don’t see or treat them as drugs, but rather temporary reality hacks. I take them very seriously. One of my favorite things to do is to rent a cabin in the middle of nowhere, take some mushrooms, and just explore the woods … at night. I love it.

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

I’d rather answer this question by giving my own advice. Write like how you speak. Ignore the masses and go against the grain. Do what feels right and trust your gut. If you feel stuck, start writing something else. Write what currently inspires you, don’t force it.

Buy Ghost of War on Amazon

Posted on

Interview with author Pete Benson

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

My name is Pete Benson.I’m 73 , retired and live in Kent,England with my wife Clare and her daughter Kimberley.I have three kids of my own;Ellenna, Ria and Harry, and 4 grandchildren; Leonie, Euan, Henry and William. I started work in the film industry in 1978 mainly on feature films until I switched to commercials to give me more time to concentrate on a film prop hire company I started in 1984 with 3 other prop men.Writing came late for me but the desire to put down all the funny things that happened during filming before they were lost and to somehow give my children an idea of what I was doing when I wasn’t able to be at home, pushed me on.

Q2. What were the key challenges you faced while writing your book “Tales of a Film Prop Man”?

At my age,remembering that far back, but once I started writing it all seemed to come flooding back until I had so much material it would never go into one book. So, I am now writing  a second.I also felt it important to try and write in my voice and not copy someone else’s style.

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

As a kid I loved Doctor Syn and Agatha Christie books, but as I grew older I found very little time to read books , but lately I have renewed my interest and a book by author Philip Davies called Lost Warriors, for some reason, gave me inspiration to get mine done.

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

We lived for about 10 years in Minehead right on the edge of Exmoor and the volume of wildlife, including the Exmoor ponies roaming freely, and the sight from the top across the Bristol Channel was just superb.

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

Probably any author will tell you preparation and structuring your book is important and I would agree. My way was to get it all out of my head and down on paper unless I forgot it. From there you can refine, trim down and rewrite it. I wrote my book 5 times to finally get to the published copy.

Q6. How long did it take you to write your book ‘Tales of a Film Prop Man’?

The idea had been in my head for a long time . Life,as is normal with most people, got in the way until about 18 months ago I finally started writing it. I really didn’t know if I was doing it right, so it was slow going for a while until I really got excited about what I was putting down and then the speed picked up. So, I wrote for about a year and then it took about six months for the process to get my script to the published book.

Q7. On what platforms can readers buy your books?

At present it is available on Amazon in paperback and Kindle format.

Q8. Tell us about the process of coming up with the book cover and the title ‘Tales of a Film Prop Man’?

The cover was designed by Ronaldo Alves, who works for my publisher Atmosphere Press, after we kicked around a few ideas.The name I thought up as it seemed to cover all the elements of the book I wanted to put over. Stories-Tales, Subject-Films, From whom- Film Prop Man.

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

For me, I felt I needed to write it as if I were telling the story in my voice, trying not to overcomplicate it and drown it in unnecessary words. Once an audience gets bored you’ve lost them.

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

Pretty much a similar answer to no.9. Don’t use 10 words when you can use 5.

Buy Tales of a Film Prop Man on Amazon

Posted on

Interview with author Natalie V Frazao

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

I am a wife, mother and grandmother who is now retired and enjoying spending time with my little treasures along with writing down thoughts that come to me which I’ve now published into my book A LIFE in VERSE…these thoughts are a part of me which I must now set free…

Q2. What were the key challenges you faced while writing your book “A Life in Verse”?

The key challenges I faced while writing ‘A LIFE in VERSE’ were primarily finding the time to write down as other priorities took hold of my time. Determining when to end the book was another challenge along with allowing myself to let go of the work that I had held onto for 5 years.

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

Having written an anthology of Poems which were thoughts that came to me, my influence was my life. Life’s struggles, love, work, family, illness, inspirational thoughts, and a longing for home…wherever that may be.

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

My favorite place to visit in my Country, Portugal, is the Beach town of Nazare.

I grew up going here in the Summers and make this a priority visit/stay whenever I am back home. I find the beach spectacularly beautiful, with a rich culture, wonderful people and it also has on the North Beach the biggest waves which are a huge draw year-round to this area.

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

For me, the requirement for research was not necessary. It was a matter of calming my mind and some solitude to allow the words to flow.

Q6. How long did it take you to write your book ‘A Life in Verse’?

This project for me took 5 years from start to finish. I did take a few years off when my Grandchildren were born and like I mentioned, had a difficult time letting it go to the Universe. 

Q7. On what platforms can readers buy your books?

My book, ‘A LIFE in VERSE’…these thoughts are a part of me which I must now set free (hardcover, paperback, e-book) and is available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Indigo/ Chapters.

Q8. Tell us about the process of coming up with the book cover and the title ‘A Life in Verse’?

The process of coming up with the book title was quite simple as these poems are literally about everyday day life. So, A life in verse seemed fitting. 

With respect to the book cover, this I was happy to give over to the Team at Tellwell Publishing and they came up with the cover, which I loved from the moment I saw it!

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

In order to keep things fresh, I draw on different experiences, thoughts, events, seasons, careers, drama, trauma, and inspirational verses.

My poems meander through all these and more…

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

Be patient, persistent, do your research if your book requires it and find a great team to work with. They will be a source of support and inspiration during difficult times.

The words will come to you in their own time, enjoy the process!

Buy A LIFE in VERSE on Amazon

Posted on

Interview with author Jesse René Gibbs

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

My name is Jesse René Gibbs and I am the author of Girl Hidden. I am an artist, designer, dancer and survivor.  I am a stepmother to four, Amma to four more and blessed beyond measure with the family that I chose.

This book is based on the true story of my life, gleaned from years of my mother’s writings, my grandmother’s journals and my own experiences. I did my best to showcase the depth of damage that growing up with a narcissistic parent can have on a person, and how hard it is to come to terms with the amount of gaslighting that comes with that life. My siblings all have their own stories of being played against each other, bullied and even emotionally tortured by our parents. We were trained to not trust our own intuition, raised in a life of poverty, a lack of privacy and the endlessly traumatizing purity culture. 

I was hunted in my own home by the man my mother married and escaped at nineteen only to land in an intentional community in Chicago that did nearly as much damage. My best friend in the book is also real, and she did more to walk me through my trauma, and she is the main reason that these stories were finally published.

My new life in Seattle didn’t start until well into my thirties, and I’m still working on deconstructing my life up to that point. I wrote this book to organize my life in my own mind and to undo years of lies. I also wrote it because others need to know that they are not alone.

Q2. What were the key challenges you faced while writing your book “Girl Hidden: A Memoir”?

Girl Hidden is a book written when I had space to walk through the memories, do research or interviews and write. It took nearly twenty-five years, and I would write the version of my story and my memories that I knew to be true, then I would page through my mother’s letters, my grandmother’s journals or just do online research until I was able to nail down the full truth.

Part of it was just struggling to put my story on the page and part of it was not wanting to sort through my memories. I went through a lot of therapy during the writing of the book which forced me to face some of the awful experiences and abuse that I experienced which would allow me to finally get back to writing. I also had my best friend, June, to help carry me through. She is my rock, and I don’t know what I would have done without her daily encouragement.

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

I’m a huge fan of Robert Fulgum’s writing (if you haven’t read All I Ever Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten, stop what you’re doing and go read it). I was also very influenced by the way that The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls made me feel. 

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

I travel a lot and while I’m a huge fan of a good adventure, I’m a homebody by nature. My favorite spot in the world is my garden. It brings me an inordinate amount of peace.

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

For this book, I had a metric ton of research to do. My grandmother sent me all her journals, court documents, FBI files, my mother’s letters and much, much more to wade through. I did interviews with people who were involved in the story, and I have my own collection of letters from Momma. It was trying, to say the least.

Q6. How long did it take you to write your book ‘Girl Hidden: A Memoir’?

It took nearly twenty-five years. I write from the heart, from my emotional core. Which means, for me to tell a good story I must feel that story in nearly every way. Which is one of the reasons that Girl Hidden took so long to be released. It was exceptionally hard to dive into the emotions of the abuse that I endured just to tell my story.

I would start with a story that I wanted to add to the book. Start writing from my experience and my memories and get it all down on paper. I would rewrite, cry, write again and repeat. Then I would dive into the myriad of boxes that my grandmother collected over the years that were filled with documentation about my experiences: court documents, my mother’s letters, my grandmother’s journals. And often I would find that my version of the events had multiple layers and extended stories that I knew nothing about. 

I would meet with my therapist to walk through the pain of rewriting my history in my own mind, talk with my wonderful bestie, June, and usually cry again. Then it was back to writing, rewriting, or adding to the story until it made sense on the page and matched both my experiences and the truth of the documentation. 

For example, my mother gave birth to me while in the Navy, stationed in Rota, Spain. Which is already an interesting story, but finding out through my mother’s letters just how little she wanted a child and through the doctor’s notes that she was trying to starve me to death for the first three months of my life was devastating. She stated in her letters that I, a newborn baby, was overwhelming demanding and shouldn’t be able to “demand that I feed her on her timeline.” So, back to the drawing board with that chapter. 

It was a challenge every step of the way, but through the writing process I began to find healing and closure. June held my hand and cried with me and helped me sort through all the research that needed to be done to make Girl Hidden a reality. 

Q7. On what platforms can readers buy your books?

It’s available in online, paperback and audiobook form. You can find it on Amazon, Google, Goodreads and you can request it from your favorite bookstore. 

Q8. Tell us about the process of coming up with the book cover and the title ‘Girl Hidden: A Memoir’?

The book cover is a photograph of the farmhouse taken by my best friend, and the back cover is the water tower from the Liledoun house, also taken by June. After the second kidnapping I was in hiding for more than two years, and I was constantly hiding from my narcissistic mother and abusive stepfather, so the title just fit.

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

Girl Hidden is the story of my life, and it was written first and foremost for me. It was important to stay true to myself and my story. You’ll notice that the book is written in third person and that’s because I don’t personally enjoy reading stories written in first person. It was much more of a challenge, but I wanted to write a story that I would want to read. Over the course of the writing, I realized that this story was becoming a survivors guide for others who have experienced and survived abuse or narcissistic relationships.

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

I think the best advice I ever got was to just get it down on paper; organize it later, but for heaven’s sake, get it written. And honestly, the worst advice I was given was given in kindness; the lady said, “write it in first person, it doesn’t make sense in third person.” And I tried, I really did. I rewrote entire chapters in first person, but I didn’t like it. And at the end of the day, I needed to be happy with my book. So, it got switched back.

Buy Girl Hidden on Amazon

Posted on

Interview with author Matrika Hay

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

My name is Matrika Hay, I was born in India but I was adopted at 4 months old, where I spent my first several years growing up in Hawaii before moving to Arizona. My mother was in the Air Force so we moved around. I originally wanted to be a paleontologist, but fell in love with the theatre. I went to NYU for college for Film and Television. I’m a professional singer, stunt and have training in various weapons. I have studied theatre for over 20 years both stage and film. I also have a podcast called The Foley Chronicles, that you can find on apple podcast, Amazon, podbean, and spotify.

Q2. What were the key challenges you faced while writing your book “Not What Meets the Eye”?

The biggest challenge I’ve faced writing this book, or any others have been to overcome my dyslexia. Not just the issues with words and numbers, but also sometimes the industry itself, where some people will try and take advantage for having a disability.

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

I grew up reading distinguished works like, Sherlock Holmes, The Lord of the Rings, and The Odyssey. Those stories have stayed with me to this day. Several years ago a friend introduced me to an epic fantasy series by Tad Williams called Memory, Sorrow, and Throne, and needless to say I devoured it. I am so happy that he’s since returned to that world in his latest trilogy. The building of worlds in a book is much more challenging then it is in a screenplay or stage play. Even the simplest details can’t be overlooked if the world you’re building is going to be believable.

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

There’s a spot called Abrams Lake in Maine. Peaceful and picturesque. The sky is never the same from day to day. It is far enough away to escape from the everyday. The weather is perfect in the summer.

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

Yes, there is. The main thing is having a strong plot formed from start to end. Not just a synopsis. Many other writers I know will sometimes make character outlines detailing the way the characters change throughout the story. Overall plot points of major incidents that will effect the story. If it’s fiction or sci/fi and you want the reader to believe that what they are reading depending on the technology or history of the world there is usually a lot of research involved. If it’s science based, does the science hold up to what we know exists today?

Q6. How long did it take you to write your book ‘Not What Meets the Eye’?

I first had the general idea for the story back in the year 2000. But I didn’t start writing it until about eight years later. Then I put it on the back burner when another idea for a book came to me. So officially it took me about three years of actual focused dedication of the work, that’s with the edits and rewrites before I felt it was good enough to send into a publisher.

Q7. On what platforms can readers buy your books?

Through my publisher, Olympia, Amazon, Barnes and Noble (online only), and anywhere else books are sold online.

Q8. Tell us about the process of coming up with the book cover and the title ‘Not What Meets the Eye’?

I didn’t really have an idea of what I wanted the cover to look like. A few thoughts had come to me, but they just didn’t seem right. But with the help of my publisher we were able to find the right feel and fit for the cover art. One of the most important things that I’ve learned is that the cover is also a huge selling point to potential readers; so an eye catching unique cover is a must.

As for the title, it just kind of stuck with me from the beginning. ‘More than meets the eye’, just didn’t seem to have the right ring to it given the intensity of the story I was telling. It kind of reminded me of the old saying ‘never judge a book by its cover.’

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

This is a hard one, due to all the sanitation of ideas being used over and over again; both in books, movies, and TV shows. I have fallen back on my acting experience and think and ask myself often, ‘would I want to read or see this?’ Or, ‘what makes this idea different than all the rest out there?’ And ‘How can I make this better, where’s the twist? The hook that just suddenly takes you by surprise?’ I think also allowing the book to evolve as you write it. If it takes things in a different direction naturally, why fight it? It may turn out to be better than you originally planned.

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

Never give up! I know that sounds like a complete clique and it is. But after being told numerous times by countless people that I’ll never make it, due to my dyslexia, or gender, or how competitive the industry is- that just made me want to push harder to prove them wrong. You will get more nos and or just no replies at all than you will get a yes. The thing is to just keep trying. If self publishing is the way for you than go for it. It is easier now to self publish then it was only a decade ago. I wanted to prove all the neigh-sayers wrong, and reach for a major publishing house. I consider myself extremely fortunate to have had two houses reach out with an appreciation for my work. Don’t give up. There’s a great site that I keep handy, author struggles, to just remind myself if I ever get down on myself where many if not all the house hold authors tell of their rejections. Crazy to think that at one point they were just like us. 

Buy Not What Meets the Eye on Amazon

Posted on

Interview with author Susan Marie Chapman

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

My name is Susan Marie Chapman. I am an award winning Children’s book author who started writing Children’s books in 2017. I grew up on a farm in southern Pennsylvania. I am the eldest of eight children which comes with a lot of responsibility. The experience of being around many different animals, spending my days in nature, and taking care of my siblings, gave me much to write about. My dad was an electrician and my mom stayed at home with us. We had a huge garden which covered over two acres. Here, we grew every vegetable imaginable. We also had fruit trees, grape vines, over one hundred chickens, twin piglets, geese, and litters of collie pups every six months, which were descendants of the very famous dog, Lassie. We did not have cows, but our neighbor, Mr. Thomas, had one cow and her name was Daisy. Mr. Thomas always had extra milk to share with us. He would fill up a big glass jug with fresh milk straight from the cow, it was still warm with the cream slowly rising to the top. We would then very carefully carry the milk back to our house and pour it into our hand crank ice cream maker along with ice, fresh eggs from our chickens, a lot of sugar and either strawberries from our garden or peaches from our peach trees. I don’t think that I have ever tasted Ice cream that good since then.

In sixth grade, I wrote a short story and my English teacher stayed after school to help me with the grammar and spelling. We entered my story in a magazine contest for young readers and I won. I still have the tiny award medal that the magazine sent to me. In high school, I was the Sports Editor of our school newspaper, and then Editor in Chief during my senior year. I did not attend college right away. I worked in a local bank for three years. This experience was very helpful when I finally interviewed for college. My parents could not help me financially, so I had to work my way through school, working three jobs at a time. When I finished, I had a Bachelors degree in Economics, an Associates degree in Business and a Certification in Interior Decorating. After school, I met my husband and we raised two amazing children together. I was a stay at home mom, just like my mother was. Presently I live in Naples, Florida with my two Pomeranian dogs, Sugar and Cookie. You will find me in a park, under a palm tree, working on my next book with Sugar and Cookie right by my side.

  1. What is your inspiration behind your book, “Grumpy The Iguana”?

This is a great question and one that I am never asked. This is my very first story in the Grumpy the Iguana and Green Parrot Adventure series.

On January 1st, 2017, on a very beautiful and sunny day in Florida, I was hit by a car while walking. The person driving the car was backing up and did not see me. I should have been killed but a good samaritan shouted, “STOP” and saved my life. After months of physical therapy and almost losing my leg, I started to heal. I was still limping but I forced myself to keep moving every day. Sometimes I would meet a friend at Flamingo Park to do some much needed stretching. This is where I met Grumpy the Iguana. He was in the same spot every day when I arrived and alway doing the same thing. He had a routine. My friend, who was also my trainer, noticed that Grumpy was not his usual self. “Our iguana looks grumpy today. Looks like someone cut down his tree. No wonder he is upset.” We both watched as Grumpy stared at the place where his tree home once stood. It turned out that the park was making some changes and started to cut down all of the older trees. Apparently these trees were not indigenous to the area. People from the neighborhood started to gather outside of the park in protest. Some held signs that said “Murderers”. Many animals lost homes that day.

  1. When did you realize that you wanted to be an author?

I have always loved my English classes in school and reading books. When I was twelve years old I had Scarlett Fever and I was very sick for about a month. I started reading books that I found in our attic at the farm house. They were all classic novels, “Jane Eyre” by Charlotte Bronte, “Gone With The Wind” by Margaret Mitchell, “Wuthering Heights” by Emily Bronte. I also read a few Charles Dickens novels, “A Tale Of Two Cities”, “Oliver Twist”, “David Copperfield” and “A Christmas Carol”. Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray was another book that I enjoyed. “The Count of Monte Cristo” by Alexandre Dumas was also very good. I read every one of Nancy Drew’s Mystery series books and Cherry Ames, Student Nurse series too. I still love detective shows to this day.

Whenever I had to write a book report or a true story in high school, I always got an A for a grade. I enjoyed writing, but never thought of it in as a career. My parents wanted me to take Advanced Placement courses in school. English and Art were not something that my parents encouraged. This was funny since my dad majored in English in college. As soon as I graduated from college myself, I met my husband and became a stay at home mom. I never really used my degrees in Economics and Business and I did not think about writing again until twenty years later. I was divorced and living by myself in Florida. I wanted to write a book about my Pomeranian dogs for children. I published “Love, Sugar & Cookie” in 2018 and I now have sixteen books published to date. You always hear stories about people that do amazing things later in life. I wrote my first book at age sixty.

  1. Please tell us something about your book, “Grumpy The Iguana”.

I wrote this story on the way home from Flamingo Park on the very day that Grumpy’s tree was chopped down. I think it took me about fifteen minutes to write this story. The words kept pouring out of my head and onto a piece of paper, I think it was a flyer for the specials at the grocery store. I had stopped there to write down everything that I was thinking before I forgot it. After “Grumpy The Iguana” was published, people would cry when they read it. I did not understand why at the time but now I know that everyone can relate to what happened to Grumpy, adults and children alike. It is a very emotional book, especially the part where the Green Parrot helps Grumpy and shows him that a little compassion goes a long way.

  1. For which age group is your book “Mr. squirrel finds a treasure” suitable for?

“Mr. Squirrel Finds A Treasure” is a book about taking care of our environment and how litter affects animals and humans. It is suitable for ages 3yrs to 7yrs or Preschool up until second grade. It really depends on your child’s reading level. I know that my children still enjoyed Picture books until they were in fourth grade. I think they just enjoyed me reading to them and looking at the illustrations.

  1. What is your favorite quote?

I am not sure if you mean in life or in my books.

My favorite quote is, Take The Road Less Traveled. This comes from a Poem by Robert Frost titled, “The Road Not Taken”. Don’t take the easy way. Always challenge yourself. You will have more stories to tell that way.

My favorite quote from “Mr. Squirrel Finds A Treasure” would be, “Stop the littering”.

  1. What do you like most about your country?

Our Freedoms that we have are the most important.

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

I think reading to your children is one of the greatest gifts you can give to them. So many things are happening all at once when you are reading books to your kids. The child’s imagination is being stimulated. They are listening to your voice and learning how to pronounce words. The illustrations or pictures help the child to link the words to an image and when you read the book over and over again, night after night, you will see how excited the child is as each page is turned and how they can point to everything thing they remember and even finish the sentence on the page for you. That is a memory skill. So make it a nightly routine to read to your children.

  1. What does literary success look like to you?

Getting books into the hands of as many children as possible is a success story for me because reading fuels imagination, expands vocabulary, it helps a child’s character development and it also teaches them how to form ideas and organize these ideas. The biggest plus is the bonding moment between child and parent, child and sibling, child and grandparent and child and aunt/uncle. All of these variations add to a young child’s mental growth.

All of these scenarios look like literary success to me.

  1. What is your inspiration in life and why?

This is such a great question. My inspiration for my first book was my dogs, Sugar & Cookie. Their chemistry is magical and although they are already nine years old, they still attract a lot of attention each and every day when I take them for a walk. People of all age groups stop to say hello and pet them.

My passion for writing and to see how children and parents react to my books inspires me to keep going. I love what I do and I cannot wait to wake up each day and work on my stories.

This is not work to me, it is absolute enjoyment.

Susan Marie Chapman on Amazon

Posted on

Interview with author Mal Moss

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

My name is Mal and I’ve been in healthcare for nearly 30 years. Prior to that I worked in marketing and advertising where I designed marketing materials and NHL and NFL memorabilia. I’m married and have two fur babies. In 2006 my only child Brittany passed away at the age of 17. This changed the trajectory of my life and I had to make a choice to live a life of loss or live a life that honors my daughter. I’m a blogger and for the most part the topics have been about my own personal grief journey.

I love football, both college and professional. My favorite teams are the Indianapolis Colts and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

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

Because this is a memoir about my personal grief journey, I had to revisit moments that were painful. The memories were hard to face at times and I found I had to deal with some of the feelings such as anger and forgiveness in order to move forward.

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

Susan Duke and Hope Edelman both inspired me to write about my own experience. Susan’s book Grieving Forward resonated with my own personal experience and I’ve sent that book to many people I’ve met along the way. Hope’s book helped me tremendously after the death of my mom.

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

Florida is my favorite spot to visit. Specifically the beach as for me, I find it spiritually healing to sit and meditate or just simply enjoy the peace and quiet and the way the waves sound as they crash the beach.

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

Yes, while my book is based on my blog, My Soul Speaks, I researched other books on grief and explored grief support groups to find out how others managed their own grief.

Q6. How long did it take you to write your book ‘Grief Blessings’?

Ten years.

Q7. On what platforms can readers buy your books?

Book Baby the publisher: https://store.bookbaby.com/book/grief-blessings

Amazon or Barnes and Noble – on-line

For signed copies, I’m happy to provide a signed copy if a reader would like.

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

I designed four versions and had friends and family choose which one they like. I created the book cover designs so that my readers/followers from my blog My Soul Speaks would quickly identify it as it is similar to the blog. The name is also from the blog.

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

I infused the story of my daughter and the experience of losing her with my personal journey through the grief process. Providing resources and how I used them to help heal my broken heart. That is still a work in progress for me. I learn something new every day from many people I meet.

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

I found that over time keeping a journal would come to be the very thing I needed to record my thoughts and feelings and get them out of my head/heart and onto paper where I could measure my progress. It became the foundation of my book. The thoughts and feelings I was having at any particular moment or holiday were written without regard to punctuation or writing style – it was purely me pouring out my heart and pain onto paper.

I recommend journaling as a means to “clean out” the thoughts and help define the future and purpose of your life.

Grief Blessings by Mal Moss on Amazon

Posted on

Interview with author Ian Griffin

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

My name is Ian Griffin. I grew up in East Texas and served 31 years in the United States Army. Those 31 years took me across the world. This adventure provided me with insight into numerous countries. I got to see the good and the bad in multiple cultures. I deployed eight times to support our nation’s interests and spent nine years in Germany alone. This cross-culture experience gave me a unique perspective that every culture and country has its own way of doing things, and it works for them. Understanding various cultures is engrained in my writing, and I take pride in that. I have several degrees up to the Graduate level, but none are in English or Writing. Instead, my Undergraduate Degree is in Global Business and Public Policy, and my Graduate Degree is in American Military History.

Q2. What were the key challenges you faced while writing your book “The Birth of a Spy Couple”?

For “The Birth of a Spy Couple” was my first book. Truthfully, I never saw myself writing a book or becoming an author. I was attending a Community College working towards a Communications Degree and finished my coursework for the semester. So, I decided to write about where I spent five years of my life. As I did, I thought, I have to make this a story. There were numerous challenges with this. I am not an English Literature guy or an English major. I knew how to tell a story verbally but wasn’t confident I could put that in a manuscript. Next was how to articulate a common nuance in another country so that a reader in America could understand or relate to it. There are challenges there. When I started, I wanted two things. Produce a book over 200 pages and sell it to at least one person that didn’t know me. It was a struggle at times to get over 200 pages. I laugh now because once you achieve it, you are more confident in your writing, and 200 pages is now easy. Another big challenge after writing it was not putting enough time into editing. I have an editor, but there is also a personal perspective of editing that needs some serious devotion to bringing out a great product. I missed that. You can never edit enough, and you will always miss something. As I look back at writing the first book, I realize I should write about ¼ of the time, and ¾ of the time should be devoted to editing, restricting, cleaning it up, etc.

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

Wow, so this is a broad spectrum for me. First, with my History degree, I naturally gravitate to historical stuff, factual things, or non-fiction, and here I am writing fiction. So, I have a few authors and their books that I cherish. I like how Dan Brown tells the story in The De Vinci Code. The whole time you read the book, you are clinging to it. There is no time in the book that you tell yourself, “I want to put this down and read it later.” To me, that is important. He keeps the characters interesting enough that you want to know more about them. I also have to mention Ian Fleming, who served in the British military and put his thoughts into spy books. That sounds a lot like me. Then there is Wolfgang W. E. Samuel and his book The German Boy. He weaves his incredible story that has you holding onto every word. I will mention three other writers: Mark Twain, Ernest Hemingway, and Stephen King. Each is a hero in American literature, yet each vastly differs in how they spin a yarn. There is a guy named Frederick Jackson Turner, a historian that was recognized at Chicago’s World’s Fair in 1893. He wrote numerous things, and most of his writing I initially did not gravitate to. He had this one paragraph in The Significance of the Frontier in American History that captivates you. That one paragraph pulls me into his work. It just demonstrates the power of a well-crafted paragraph. Lastly T.D. Krupp, a personal friend, and author, provided me with much insight into writing. When faced with naysayers, he would ask, “But did you have fun writing the book?” Dang, right, I did. That is all that matters. 

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

Well, being from Texas and the United States. In Texas, that would be my hometown of Pittsburg. The reason is that it is a modern-day version of Mayberry. It doesn’t get more Americana than that. Everyone knows you, and they are polite.

Regarding the United States, it happens to be Yellowstone. It is so peaceful and beautiful there. Now what I consider my second home is in Germany. There I would say Kitzingen or anywhere in Bavaria, Germany. Kitzingen, for my children, was their version of Mayberry. I still have friends there today.

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

Everyone writes differently. For me, I have to map it out in my head. At least 2/3rds of it, I have thought out. I am not a person that puts things down in a structured outline. I will take notes, but I have the story in my head. Now I will also go into the research part. I want to make sure that anything that I refer to is accurate. Even if the slightest detail may have no real relevance, I will research it for hours or even days. I want the reader to know that I have done my due diligence on the research and not just made things up. If I write about a concussion, I will consult with a medical person and research all the symptoms, extreme cases, medication, and treatment for someone with a concussion could be. If I refer to day-to-day life in Germany, I want to lean on my experience and ensure that is precisely how their everyday life is. Once I have done my research and have 2/3rds of the story mapped out in my head, including the ending, I start writing.

Q6. How long did it take you to write your book ’33 or 9′?

It took about two months to write 33 or 9. I had about 110 pages written over three weeks. Then I went to Germany for vacation for almost two months. On the airplane ride, I had 13 hours to myself. During that time, I mapped out the rest of the book. I spent about ten days on the back porch of the in-laws writing the rest of the book. Then a few weeks, chopping and cleaning it up. I think I reviewed this book about six times before sending it to the editor. I feel my ability to articulate myself in writing grew tremendously from the first book.

Q7. On what platforms can readers buy your books?

My books are available on Amazon, Amazon Kindle, BookBaby Bookshop, Barnes & Noble, Rakuten Kobo, Scribd, e-sentral, and one can go to my webpage www.rickandkatja.com, to access any of those venues. 

Q8. Tell us about the process of coming up with the book cover and the title ‘The Birth of a Spy Couple’?

For the book cover of The Birth of a Spy Couple, I wanted the backdrop to have the town of Kitzingen in it since that is where the story takes place. I also wanted the couple, Rick and Katja, to be on the front of the book. Katja with her pixie cut and Rick being a little taller. As for the title, I read that you should write the book first and then come up with the title. I had a list of 40 titles and wasn’t sure where to go with the title, to be honest. I printed out the list, gave it to four friends, and asked them to pick two names. Everyone had selected The Birth of a Spy Couple, which is how the title came about. The second book, 33 or 9, was different because the title is crucial to the story. So, I had that title from the start. Book three, Betrayal from Within, I did a similar thing as in The Birth of a Spy Couple, that is how I came up with the third book title, which I am shooting to release in November.

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

That is a tough one. After the first book, I focused on slowly revealing unknown things about the key characters. Character building this way draws the reader closer and closer to the characters. For me, the two key points in writing are the story and character building. Everything else is just icing on the cake.

On a personal level is keeping up with the things relevant to the story or research. My first two books are in the 2005-2007 timeframe. Well, I can’t put a specific technology regarding phones we have today that didn’t exist then. So I have to do my homework.

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

That is simple. Just write. You will have your critics, don’t worry about them, just write. After I released my first book, I had a Professor sit me down. She pulled me aside, handed me a book by Stephen King, and said, “I should read this book so I could write like him.” I thought to myself, but you haven’t even read my book. I may already write like that, or I want to write like Ian Griffin, not Stephen King. That’s not a knock-on Stephen King, I hold him in the highest regard, but I want to be Ian Griffin and no one else. So, trust your instincts and just write. Too many will give you advice, and many have never pushed a book across the finish line. With each book I write, I have grown more and more as a writer. So, just write.

Ian Griffin on Amazon

Posted on

Interview with author Bernadine Ziegler

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

This question hard for me because I don’t remember a lot. Hello my name is Berandine A. Ziegler, I have Brown hair, smokey blue eyes, I am going to be 58 soon born on D-Day, I live in a town called Barberton, Ohio, I was born here. I live with my husband going on 16 years, everyday a challenge, but I love marriage life, I am a fur mom no human children. I always worked when I was younger in age but I always got laid – off so I always had to find another one, they seemed to fall into my lap. I am very disabled now because of two of my jobs from the past, so is my husband for almost the same reason. I always came back to writing, never knew why.

Q2. What were the key challenges you faced while writing your book “His Ultimate Path”?

I really didn’t have to much of a challenge, when someone would say a word a thought vision would travel through my head and by my eyes. My husband found all my written journals you think I would be mad but when he said why don’t you finish and publish them? I always have problems with spelling because of my Epilepsy, which I don’t have now. Just poor is all.

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

When I was being told I would never be able to read or write. So I never knew what my health issue was I went to the schools library. I always read Edgar Alan Poe, Robert & Elizabeth Browning, Emily Dickerson, but most of all my most favorite St. Francis De Sales, which is also my favorite Church. I also read old poems from the old days.

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

My favorite places in my country is all of the Roman Catholic Churches, I am so at peace In God’s House, just being there at mass or my Adoration Hours, I feel so cleansed from the outer world, I also love to go cruising on the open sea waters, I feel free to be my true self, I feel so a live, one with God’s Creations.

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

There is a lot of work but for certain piece of “His Ultimate Path.” I did have to do some research just to make sure I am on the right path, so I don’t end up using someone else’s words. Since I am disabled I just make sure all my chores are completed for the day, so I don’t have any interruptions.Once I my hand and thoughts get going there is no stopping.

Q6. How long did it take you to write your book ‘His Ultimate Path’?

This is kind of hard to say because some of the pieces were written way before I met my husband and I was was still fight through my Epilepsy, and some are from a child who is not with us and her poems are about 54 years old, I taught my husband how to write poems until the year 2006. I took a few years to get published, it stalled in the middle of processing for at least 3 more years, while it was stalled I did more research on a few more poems and short stories. When my husband and I finally won our disability cases back in 2018.

Q7. On what platforms can readers buy your books?

Well all of my books have different publishing companies: “The many Wonders Of Deanie” is from Page Publishing, in New York. “His Ultimate Path” is from Dorrance Publishing from Pittsburg Pennsylvania, My audio book is in New Jersey, a company called audio book network, but all can be found books-a-million barnes & noble, goodreads, I can’t name them all but everywhere you can find books and anywhere you can download e-books.

Q8. Tell us about the process of coming up with the book cover and the title ‘His Ultimate Path’?

The title I am not sure if that was an accident because I was working on some research a story called “His Ultimate Path” Then a e-mail came through from my publisher, the next step was the title and cover. I didn’t have a title for it then as I was typing God must of been using my hands because “His Ultimate Path” is what was written. The cover was from a vision I was seeing through my eyes for many years.

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

For my reader’s I guess things are always fresh because I make some things funny in both of my books I make some funny, sweet, and thought provoking always about everyday things in a persons life, but they are all messages of hope, written by people who in a public’s eye didn’t have any hope. As for keeping things fresh for myself well every time I write and complete something my husband does the editing for me and after he is done and God approves he erases it from our minds even though our names are there and so is the date and time we still don’t remember any of them.

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

I actually have never been given any advice about writing, I did a lot of research and going to many different English classes, to try and understand or figure out what I needed to learn to self teach I tried many different writing school in the mail and they didn’t help, so I went back to looking for more books. I also tried to enter some writing contest didn’t work. This was long before my husband, I also took some typing classes at night school, some poetry classes from libraries many classes many libraries no advice along the way it just clicked one day.

Buy His Ultimate Path on Amazon

Design a site like this with WordPress.com
Get started