Category: Author Interview

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Interview with author Xiaolong Huang

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

Hello, I am Xiaolong Huang, born and raised in a small factory town situated along the Yangtze River in China. My upbringing exposed me to the complexities of life, where I witnessed firsthand the struggles encountered by my father, who was gay, and the hardships endured by my mother fulfilling her traditional role in a broken family. Additionally, I witnessed the significant life changes experienced by factory workers during China’s shift from a centrally planned economy to a market-oriented one. After obtaining my degree in Electrical Engineering, I relocated to California in the United States, where I pursued further education and established myself in an engineering career. 

My passion for improving human conditions stems from witnessing the discrimination and societal dogmas that affected my father and mother. After leaving their home at the age of fifteen, I witnessed the challenges faced by the LGBTQ community, immigrants, African Americans, and working-class Americans. Those exposures drive me to promote intellectual pursuit and humanity. My commitment to social change partly stems from experiencing the deterioration of America’s economic and political environment, as well as the threat to democracy posed by the rise of authoritarianism.

Aside from advocating for social change, I enjoy reading about science and technology. I am delighted to connect with your readers and share my experiences and my book that have shaped me both as an author and as a person.

Q2. What were the key challenges you faced while writing your book “JOURNEY To The HEARTLAND”?

Writing Journey to the Heartland was an emotionally challenging process for me. The book is based on my real-life encounters, so revisiting those experiences and confronting my own traumas was emotionally difficult at times. While writing, there were moments when I found myself breaking down and crying in my office.

Another challenge was finding the right threads to balance authenticity with crafting a thought-provoking story that would encourage readers to contemplate key aspects of human life and contemporary societal issues, ultimately inspiring them to chart their own journey towards their heartland.

Writing the book in English, which is not my first language, was also challenging. I had to make sure my writing expressed the feelings and experiences I wanted to share, while also keeping the story’s unique cultural context.

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

That would be The Life of Pi by Yann Martel, The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, and Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils by Jin Yong. 

The Life of Pi showed me how the power of storytelling can inspire readers and evoke empathy. I was inspired by the protagonist’s journey of self-discovery and resilience in the face of adversity. 

The Kite Runner’s exploration of themes such as friendship, betrayal, and complex human relationships deeply resonated with my own experiences. The novel’s exploration of cultural and societal issues inspired me to tackle similarly challenging subjects in my own work with sensitivity and nuance. 

Finally, Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils has had a significant impact on my writing due to its engaging storytelling, memorable characters, and the values it conveys. The epic tale delved into themes such as loyalty, defiance, morality, and the complexities of human nature. The values it conveyed, such as the importance of integrity, compassion, and personal growth, have also inspired me to create a narrative that invites readers to reflect on these timeless values and contemplate the deeper themes that unite us all as human beings.

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

As someone who grew up in Chongqing, my favorite spot to visit in my home country, China, is this vibrant city. It’s a cool city known as the “Mountain City”, because it has a unique blend of urban life and natural complex terrains. The hills are steep, there are winding rivers, and the skyline at night is amazing. The city’s complex terrain has created an interesting street culture and social customs that are tough yet straightforward.

The city is also known for its delicious and spicy cuisine, particularly the famous hotpot. The communal experience of sharing a hotpot with family and friends has always filled me with a sense of warmth and joy.

Whenever I return to Chongqing, I feel a deep sense of connection to my roots. This connection to my hometown has influenced my writing, shaping the themes and values I explore in my book, Journey to the Heartland.

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

Indeed, I did a lot of planning before I started writing Journey to the Heartland. It was important to lay a solid foundation for the story.

I first made a list of important values that I wanted to encourage people to think and talk about through my writing. That included the complex and fluid nature of sexuality, supporting human rights, exploring interracial and multicultural relationships, discussing democracy and authoritarianism, valuing intellectual pursuits, and appreciating the challenges and rewards of human connections.

After that, I made a list of important characters for the story, outlining their own subplots and how their paths would cross one another. Additionally, I wrote down some of the important lines of dialogue they’d deliver.

Afterwards, I planned a series of epochs that could carry the evolution of Hanwei, the protagonist, as he navigates through various experiences and interacts with other characters, so he could possibly defy odds, challenge the limitations of his previous generation, and hopefully reach his heartland.

To maintain accuracy and authenticity, I also researched articles, news, and historical records to ensure the details I included in my writing were correct, including scientific theories, engineering disciplines, African American history, the 2008 financial crisis, pop cultures, the 2016 and 2020 elections, as well as geographic locations.

Q6. How long did it take you to write your book ‘JOURNEY To The HEARTLAND’?

Three years. That includes not only the actual writing but also the journey to publication that involved working with editors, proofreaders, and cover designers, as well as marketing and promoting the book to reach its intended audience.

Q7. On what platforms can readers buy your book?

Journey to the Heartland is accessible to individual readers in both eBook and paperback formats on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and various other retailers. For wholesale customers, such as libraries, the book can be obtained through Ingram distribution.

Q8. Tell us about the process of coming up with the book cover and the title ‘JOURNEY To The HEARTLAND’?

‘Journey to the Heartland’ immediately came to mind when I was thinking about the title for the book. It embodies Hanwei’s story and the multitude of life experiences he goes through, leading him to a profound understanding of life, love, and humanity.

The story behind the book cover of my novel is an interesting one. The designer of the book cover is the illustrator of the “Life of Pi”, Andy Bridge. Initially, I reached out to him with a synopsis of the story and some excerpts, and to my delight, he agreed to take on the project. As a big fan of “Life of Pi” and its cover, you can imagine how thrilled I was to have him on board. However, we had different visions for the book cover at the start. I imagined a mountain range and rough terrain leading to a bright, far-off destination. In contrast, Andy proposed two birds with brushes and flowers around them, which wasn’t to my liking initially. We went back and forth, debating our ideas until he convinced me to trust his vision and expertise. When Andy presented the final book cover, I was blown away by its beauty and allegorical meaning. It depicted the struggle of a young bird on the dark side who had to overcome thorns and traps to reach the bright side, where vibrant flowers, leaves, and warmth awaited, with other birds accompanying and witnessing the journey.

Q9. Are there any secrets from the book (that aren’t in the blurb), you can share with your readers?

Sure. Without giving away too much, here are a few secrets from Journey to the Heartland that readers may find intriguing.

In one scene, little Hanwei’s mother revealed to him that rumors about his father’s homosexual behavior with younger men were circulating around the factory town. As she looked into the abyss of their uncertain future, standing beside a cliff, the weight of her duty as a mother pulled her back to reality when Hanwei asked if she could help keep an encyclopedia calendar book that belonged to his father in case they had to divorce.

In another scene, during a phone call with his mother in China, Hanwei discovered that his father had a male companion by his side during his hospital stay. At the same time, news of gay marriage legalization in America played on his TV in California. However, due to their estranged relationship, Hanwei couldn’t find the courage to share the news or offer any comfort to his father. His mother became the only means of communication with his father, while she was helping the father in the hospital, unwillingly witnessing the care and support between the two men whose gay affair had brought shame and hardship into her life.

One favorite scene for me is, Hanwei was hanging out with his African American boyfriend at a US marine camp. And the soldiers in the military dorm were completely comfortable around the couple. However, “Don’t ask, don’t tell” policy was still in place. It showed how out of touch the politicians were with everyday young Americans.

Readers who identify as progressive may enjoy a scene in the story where Hanwei volunteered for the Bernie Sanders campaign during the 2020 election, where he hoped to sow the seeds of the social change he believed in.

In an elaborate scene, Hanwei learned about Einstein’s theory of special relativity in his University class. This revelation led him to question how common sense can be a prejudice, which enlightened in his intellectual pursuit for a fundamental understanding of life, love, and the world.

In the last Chapter, Hanwei followed his therapist’s advice to write a poem to reflect his beliefs to help deal with his depression. However, he was interrupted by an unexpected phone message. The poem is eventually revealed at the end of the novel.

Overall, Journey to the Heartland is a deeply emotional and thought-provoking book that tackles important social issues with sensitivity and nuance. It challenges readers to confront their own biases and assumptions, while also offering a powerful and uplifting message of hope and resilience in the face of adversity.

Buy Journey to the Heartland on Amazon

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Interview with author Wes Mogenson

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

I’m Wes Mogenson, author of Don’t Play The Game and the first book in the Page Terrors Series Dead Summer.

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

Fixing the plot holes and keeping the characters straight were the big ones. This book is told from multiple points of view, and at one point, I had to rewrite two chapters because those scenes weren’t working in the first character’s narration.

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

R.L. Stine is my biggest influence, and from the beginning, Goosebumps has been my comp title for this book and series. Although James Patterson has been another big influence on me, he’s had the biggest impact on my writing style.

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

Boston, it’s the coolest city. There’s so much to see and do and so much rich history.

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

I normally write a thorough outline which I then use to keep me on track and avoid writer’s block. Although with Dead Summer, I didn’t. I just started writing.

Q6. How long did it take you to write your book ‘Dead Summer’?

Too long, LOL. I wrote much of the first draft during my first year of college, and it quickly became a stress release for me, like when I wrote several pages of it while spending all night in a hospital waiting room waiting for a family member to come out of surgery. Then during the Covid-19 shutdown, I returned to it again as an escape from our harsh reality. I can normally write a book in about a year, but Dead Summer was more like three years.

Q7. On what platforms can readers buy your book?

It comes out on the 21st of April and is available for preorder on Kindle. Then as soon as it comes out, the print version will be available on Amazon and wherever books are sold. Also, for more information, you can check out my website, wesmogensonbooks.com, and find me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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

The cover process was simple. It was narrowed down to two photos. I believe the best one was chosen, and I’m quite happy with the final product. The title was a bit more challenging, this book had a few different titles before being called In The Dead of Summer, and then when it was decided that it would be the first book in a series, it got shortened to Dead Summer.

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

Having no memory and promptly forgetting everything I’ve written helps, LOL. But seriously, I start each new project with a fresh slate and challenge myself in new ways. I also live life, pay attention, and listen to get new ideas and concepts that I can use in later books.

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

Yes, this book is filled with tips and tricks on how to survive the zombie apocalypse. What are the ones I would use?

Buy Dead Summer on Amazon

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Interview with author Vincent Panettiere

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

Hello. I’m Vincent Panettiere from Los Angeles. I’ve written five novels and one non-fiction book. The novels are: A Woman to Blame,The Scopas Factor, The Music of Women, These Thy Gifts and Shred Sorrows. The non-fiction book is the Internet Financing Illusion which explores the dark side of the Internet. I am currently half way through my sixth novel.

Q2. What were the key challenges you faced while writing your book “A Woman to Blame”?

A Woman to Blame was my first novel and that was a challenge in itself. The story centers around thoroughbred racing, an area in which I’m not too familiar.  The locations in the book are Chicago and the island in the Caribbean. I had to learn about those locations as well. Looking back I can easily see that A Woman to Blame became a learning experience for me in more ways than one.

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

I’ve read too many books/authors to single out one or two. When I write that is all I think about – writing my book.

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

My favorite spot is where I am at the moment.

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

Each book is different and preparation is also different.

Q6. How long did it take you to write your book ‘Shared Sorrows’?

It’s hard to tell how long it took to write Shared Sorrows because I started it, then stopped and finished two other novels before finally finishing Shared Sorrows.

Q7. On what platforms can readers buy your book?

Readers can buy all of my books, not just A Woman to Blame and Shared Sorrows on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, the BookBaby bookstore, Kobo, Walmart Books and many others around the world.

Q8. Tell us about the process of coming up with the book cover and the title ‘A Woman to Blame’?

The book cover was designed by Peter of BespokeBookCovers in the UK. He’s designed the covers of four of my novels and always knows the right visuals to convey the subject of the book.

The title comes from a Jimmy Buffet song “Margaritaville”. Part of the lyrics includes “…Some people claim that there’s a woman to blame,but I know it’s nobody’s fault…” This the key to the book.

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

Don’t know what “fresh” means. Each book is a challenge and distinct from any other book I’ve written.

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

The blurb doesn’t tell the entire story. I don’t share secrets.

Vincent Panettiere on Amazon

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Interview with author Leah

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

I am a first time author and full time farmer from southern Ontario, Canada. Years of daydreaming and note taking have culminated in my first New Adult novel; Fealty. I have held many jobs over the years from an international flight attendant to a hostel attendant in Havana Cuba for 3 years. I have plenty of real world experience and yet I have always preferred the world of fiction. Those experiences have helped lend a flare to the world that I created. When I am not traveling the world I am at home on the farm with my two dogs, Spencer and Platanito. 

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

Honestly, time. Time was my biggest challenge. Between working three jobs and taking care of my dogs and just life in general, I had to actively make sure I made time for myself to write.

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

I don’t think I could name just one. The books I enjoy are so varied; from Melissa Marr to Carley Fortune to Cathy Marie Hake, my interests run the gamut.

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

As lame as it may seem, the farm that I live and work on is my favourite place in the country.

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

For most authors the answer would probably be yes. There’s lots of outlining and planning. For myself, I just dove in. When I started writing it was because I desperately needed an outlet so there was no time to plan. I just had to sink or swim. 

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

I’ve been writing Fealty one and off (more off than on) since 2016. I actually had a first draft that was… not good. This year I really dove back into it and added, deleted and changed so much and poured my heart into it. 

Q7. On what platforms can readers buy your book?

My book will be available on Amazon, Chapters/Indigo, Barnes and Noble, Kindle and Kobo and many other retailers in paperback, hardcover and ebook forms.

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

My husband actually designed the cover so it’s very personal to me. As for the title, it was always Fealty. As soon as Layla and Ares emerged, so did the title. There was no debate, no other options; it simply WAS Fealty. 

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

To put it simply, I wrote a book that I would want to read. This is exactly the kind of book I would immediately pick from a variety of books. I know that it won’t be everybody’s cup of tea and that’s okay because this book was for me.

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

It’s spicier than it seems from the blub, that’d for sure! But other than that, if I told you, it wouldn’t be a secret… 

Buy Fealty by Leah Wilson

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Interview with author Georgie Gee

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

I’m Georgie, until the lockdown I was a holistic health practitioner, exercise and lifestyle coach, I also did crystal and energy healing. I had taken that path and all its different facets in a bid to help myself manage a condition I was born with called Ehlers Danlos Syndrome Type 3, a condition that affects the connective tissues and can be very debilitating, I’d spent a lifetime in and out of hospital with multiple problems until I adopted a holistic lifestyle. Remedial exercise and diet had helped me greatly, but there was a noticeable change in my health, I was no longer managing my predictable symptoms, my symptoms were lessening substantially, and my quality of life had vastly improved, especially from a pain and vitality point of view.

I built my career around my own physical needs and did many different classes all around health and wellbeing. On the Sunday evening that Boris announced ‘No groups’ I had a full week, and by the Monday morning I’d lost 95% of my business, I always struggled with technology and so, missed the ‘zoom’ gravy boat.

Since then, I’ve had to move and was unable to establish myself in the area I moved to, nobody was doing very well and not taking any freelancers on. I’d made the mistake of investing a chunk of money in a crypto scheme called ‘Hyperverse’ who suddenly stopped paying out my money (which was covering my rent nicely) and I’ve never been able to get through to them since, thieving *****, I had $42,000 in there, so now I ‘ve ended up living in a van!

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

I have ADD and had spelling difficulties at school, for years, right back when I was in my twenties, I wanted to write short romances, like Mills and Boon because I was always making up romantic scenarios in my head, I was a hopeless romantic, but I knew my English was very poor and just didn’t have the confidence to do it.

I’ve completely rewritten this novel last year after a lovely lady offered to tutor me with my English.

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

I don’t really have a favourite author or influence, I mostly used to read educational books to do with my learning path rather than fiction to be honest.

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

I have many favoured places; we are blessed with a beautiful country. Now I’m looking forward to seeing more of it and finding new ‘favourite’ places, which is the upside of living in a van, every cloud has a silver lining.

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

I was challenged to write it! I was with a good friend, chatting and I can’t remember the exact conversation but `I can remember saying, “Oh, I could write a lovely book you know, it’s all up here”, tapping my head, to which she replied, “you’ve been telling me for the last 14 years you could write a lovely book, why don’t you go and write it?” The book wasn’t hard to do at all, it was just getting the confidence to do it.

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

I started writing The Fateful Text eight years ago. Only it was called “The Retreat’ then. I wrote the basic love story and showed it to a client who was an English teacher, she had no encouragement for it what-so-ever, so it went in a draw for years until the lockdown. While I was under house arrest, as I had nothing to do, I got it out, read it, and decided to start working on it again. I really enjoyed revisiting it and added some chapters. I then had some help with my English and spent most of last summer rewriting it, so it’s been a long time in the making.

Q7. On what platforms can readers buy your book?

The Fateful Text is available from the BalboaPress website page http://www.fatefultext.com, also from the same website via my Facebook and Instagram pages ‘The Fateful Text’, on Amazon and available to order in most large stores.

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

I changed both the title and cover just before I had it published. Originally it was called “The Retreat’ and the cover was a painting of the two main characters in an embrace out in the country hills, then, out of the blue I changed my mind and decided that, as the text was the catalyst in all of it, I’d centre the title around the text message.Then the painting didn’t go with the title, so I looked through lots and lots of photos until I came up with the couple in an embrace and then text on the phone.

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

This is my first book, and I wrote it with an ‘intention’. I was so passionate about my journey to health and just how much of a difference it had made to my life, I was bursting with it, I wanted it ‘out there’. I’m also very passionate about cleaning up our planet, getting our soil healthy and living in harmony with Mother Earth. I never had any trouble writing it, because there was just so much, I wanted to put in. I had the idea to write it into a love story as a lighter, more entertaining way of getting it across, so I was writing about my favourite things, love and romance and health and wellbeing. It was a friend who had read it that suggested I write the appendix with the recipes. I loved the idea of this because I love cooking and now regularly put recipes and health tips on my social media.

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

None of the novel was written from experience! That’s why it’s called a fantasy novel! It was my intention to start a healthy craze and draw awareness of our plight if we don’t learn to live in harmony with mother nature. I figured, if Fifty Shades could exhaust sales of nipple clamps and butt plugs, then there’s no reason why ‘The Fateful Text’ couldn’t have people wanting to look after themselves, practicing positive self-talk, mindfulness and meditation, exercising, eating healthily, reducing their personal exposure to chemicals, they could even start making Despatchos and start sending their positive intentions out to the collective, imagine that ❤

I just wanted to try do something positive and at the same time bring a bit of joy in what’s been a pretty harsh world for some lately.

Buy The Fateful Text on Amazon , BalboaPress, www.fatefultext.com

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Interview with author Michael Frank Rizzo

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

A1: Most certainly! It would be my pleasure! My name is Michael Rizzo, and I am a thirty-year-old fantasy fiction writer, who works in finance during the day and often spends evenings writing and creating my fantasy world, which I have been crafting for about seven years. In my spare time, I also enjoy hanging out with my dogs, playing guitar in my rock band, and exploring new places with family and friends.

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

A2: Tales of Asterra was actually born out of my troubles to get my first writing project, a novel taking place in Asterra, published the traditional way a few years ago. I started writing short stories on the side, in hopes of getting them published in online and print publications, to help build a name for myself as an author. With little success in that venture, I decided to try self-publishing, which I was apprehensive about because I knew very little about the process. However, the company I have used, Luminare Press, has been absolutely wonderful in guiding me along the path towards publication!

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

A3: I love all things fantasy related! My favorite author would have to be J.R.R. Tolkien. The Lord of the Rings & The Hobbit have been a profound source of inspiration for me when crafting my world of Asterra!

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

A4: I am from New Jersey, and I absolutely love the Jersey Shore during the summer time. I have great memories spent there during my summer vacations as a kid with my family, and I always feel at peace when I am down there!

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

A5: This is a great question! I think everyone has a different writing process. Before I jump into any writing project, I love to do a bit of world building, and from that crafting process, I usually get inspiration for how I like my next tale to unfold! I am a bit of an overthinker and I am a slow writer, so I do like to plan things out a bit. However, I will say that some of my favorite stories are born out of serendipity.

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

A6: I started the first short story contained within Tales of Asterra in early 2019, and I finished the last tale in the beginning of 2022. So, the writing process took me about 3 years, and the last year I have been working on publication.

Q7. On what platforms can readers buy your book?

A7: Tales of Asterra will be available in March on Kindle, Amazon, and can also be purchased through other major online retailers and bookstores.

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

A8: The Title Tales of Asterra was kind of a spur of the moment creation. For a while I struggled with what to call the fantasy world I was creating. Then, one day I was thinking of what might sound nice, and Asterra came to the forefront of my mind. It is a combination of Asgard and the Latin word terra. For the book cover, I had the honor and privilege of working with the ever-talented artist Alejandro Colucci, who did all of the illustrations, including the cover of Tales of Asterra. For the cover, I wanted something to highlight the variety of the tales contained within the book while also shedding a bit grandeur on the open world of Asterra and its narrator, Penniforth Rodgers. Alejandro worked with me each step of the way, and he ended up creating an amazing book cover and amazing interior illustrations! 

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

A9: For me, I think the best way to keep things fresh is to focus on each character’s interaction with the world around them. In this way, every experience is always new. Since Asterra is a large fantasy world with many unique characteristics, the way characters can engage with their environment is virtually endless. 

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

A10: Yes, there are 2 secrets! The first one has to do with the name of a character in one of the tales, Candles of The Ochre Halls. The character Lucre Moremy, his name is an anagram, and it describes his sinister nature. The second secret has to do with Penny Rodger’s farewell. He mentions that he is off to Aurora for the start of the harvest season. This is where my first writing project mainly takes place!

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Interview with author Jeffrey Veatch

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

I’ve always been a writer of sorts but mostly in the field of journalism. Having spent 40 years as a network radio news writer in New York, radio has played an important part of my life. It started as a job as an announcer and DJ at a small radio station in Kentucky when I was 16. I later became a news director in a larger market, then a staff writer at ABC News in New York City. In my late teens I was a musician and worked my way through college as a drummer. In my early 20s I decided to take up competitive running and competed in distances from the mile to the marathon. I’ve since retired as a runner but am still an avid cyclist and hiker.

Q2. What were the key challenges you faced while writing your book “The Dyer Island Boys”?

One of the challenges I faced while writing The Dyer Island Boys was creating believable fictional characters and basing others on the real people I had done extensive interviews for a documentary on a teen boys camp. I later put those transcripts to good use. Another challenge was writing about the construction of buildings at a permanent island camp. It seemed simple at first but turned out to be much more complicated.

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

I love reading Hemingway and the way he describes things in simple sentences. I favor biographies but among other books I have enjoyed lately are The Tender Bar and Where the Crawdads Sing.

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

One of my favorite spots to visit in the eastern United States is Acadia National Park in Maine. It has challenging trails and some of the most beautiful views anywhere in the world.

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

Preparing for writing this book, as in writing a world news review of weekly events, involves a lot of research. For The Dyer Island Boys I had to delve into what life was like in the 1940s in New York City, dealing with tuberculosis at the time, and difficulties of adolescence. Of course, I was a teen myself at one time and some of my young experiences became part of the book.

Q6. How long did it take you to write your book ‘The Dyer Island Boys’?

The seed for The Dyer Island Boys was planted in the late 1990s when my soon-to-be wife and I visited a teen boys camp where my soon-to-be mother in law was a camp nurse. So the inspiration had been residing in my head for more than 25 years. The first project was a screenplay which is now undergoing a sixth draft. The screenplay was interrupted by the untimely death of my son. When I picked it up again I decided that writing the novel should come before the completion of the screenplay.

Q7. On what platforms can readers buy your book?

The Dyer Island Boys is available in softcover and eBook on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and other major platforms and can also be ordered from the website link at dyerislandboys.com. It is now being developed into an audio book which I am narrating. That will bring me back to my radio roots, so stay tuned for that!

Q8. Tell us about the process of coming up with the book cover and the title ‘The Dyer Island Boys’?

The Dyer Island Boys was first named The Island Boys. I then decided to include the real name of the real Island that inspired the story. The book’s cover was designed by Vincent Corbo of Volossal Publishing who took a video screen grab from my documentary footage and made it into a silhouette of boys on a partially submerged barge in Narraguagus Bay. It’s a fascinating image.

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

I have a great imagination and memory for imagery. I keep research on hand for consistency and always question the realism of an action. Also in writing the book I drew from my personal roots including activities I took part in as a Boy Scout growing up in Kentucky.

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

I thought of Lord of the Flies when I first visited the real camp The Dyer Island Boys is based on. After subsequent visits I realized something profound was happening to these teen boys. By listening to real stories from these boys I really didn’t have to make much up. Sometimes reality is better than fiction. Another thing that impacted the writing was the death of my 17-year old son, Justin, to an accidental overdose in 2008. I was writing the second draft of the screenplay at the time but decided to put it aside to create The Justin Veatch Fund, a non-profit to honor my son’s legacy, award music scholarships. I also created a multimedia talk to inspire teens to avoid the perils of drugs. When I came back to The Dyer Island Boys twelve years later I had a clearer vision about teens trying to find their compass while navigating life. I am also proud of the fact that copies of the book I donated to The Berwick Boys Foundation is helping them raise more money for their foundation’s good work.

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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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