Category: Author Interview

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Interview with author Ruth Amanda

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

Hello, my name is Ruth Amanda. I am a writer, illustrator, and adventurer who never quite grew up! I see stories everywhere…careful! You may end up in one! I have three grown up sons, two grown step-sons, and a granddaughter. I live with a very patient Dave, several geckos, random snails and bugs, and a couple of stray cats who wander in and out of our lives of their own choice who we call Oscar and Squeak. The best parts about being an author/illustrator are that I get to play all day and call it “research”, and that I can do my job anywhere which means I can work at the beach if I want!

  1. What is your inspiration behind your book “Geckos in the Garden”?

Well, I was out one afternoon with my iPhone, crawling under the shrubberies (as one does…) trying to get a good picture of one of the many geckos that run around near our home. A young family on their way up to the community pool was going by, and one of their two small boys asked me what I was doing. I explained that I was trying to take a picture of a gecko and pointed it out. He plopped down beside me to look at the gecko and his brother joined us soon after. As kids do, they asked oodles of questions which I did my best to answer until their parents got a little impatient about getting them up to the pool and took them away. I continued hunting for, and photographing, geckos for the rest of the afternoon. I knew there was a story somewhere there but I didn’t know what it was exactly. The next morning, eating cereal out on the patio, I saw a flicker out of the corner of my eye and turned to look. A gecko under the railing on the patio was watching me. It was probably watching some nearby bugs hunting for its breakfast, but forgive my poetic license! The first verse of what would become “Geckos in the Garden” sprang into my head. “In the morning, after breakfast/in the garden, in the sun,/I can see my little neighbour./It’s a tiny gecko. One!” The rest, as they say, is history.

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

I have wanted to be a writer since I was a kid. I entered writing contests. I poured my heart into school essays and short stories. (Admittedly a lot of those involved unicorns and horses, but I like to think I’ve broadened my horizons since then!) My parents encouraged it, but not as a career choice, so I veered into administrative jobs and bookkeeping, as well as parenting. I spent hours goofing around with my kids rewriting the words to “That’s Amore” to something much sillier, inventing different endings to their favourite books, and drawing and colouring on the walls. After many ups and downs in my life, I rediscovered in my late forties that writing and art were things that made me happy and that I wanted to explore further. My very patient husband, Dave, who came into my life in 2018, has encouraged this and provides me with all sorts of support, editing, word ideas, and eye rolling.

  1. Please tell us something about your book “Geckos in the Garden”?

What to say? It is an interactive adventure told in rhyme, in which readers are invited to hunt for the geckos in the illustrations. I am both the author and the illustrator, and a recent Kirkus Review said “The illustrations are the most impressive part of the book—bright, brilliant paintings with creatures cleverly hidden…” I was extremely flattered!

  1. For which age group is your book “Geckos in the Garden” suitable for?

This book is meant to encourage imagination, nature, and a love of books. Counting is incidental to it. The audience is really meant to be 3-7 year olds. Our three year old granddaughter loved it, and spent a lot of time hunting for and counting the geckos in the illustrations.

  1. What is your favorite Quote?

I have many, but quite possibly “Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.” (~Oscar Wilde). I am also partial to this quote from Albert Einstein: “Creativity is intelligence having fun.”

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

Loaded question, I have TWO countries.

I am a proud Canadian and I love it for the space, the wildlife, and the adventure. I have lived in places from Ontario to British Columbia, visited the Maritimes and Quebec on numerous occasions, and have been fortunate enough to visit two of its Territories and to have lived in one of those! My time living in the far North in Nunavut, just below the Arctic Circle, is precious to me for helping me find myself again and for the wonderful ways it broadened my horizons. There are a couple of stories in the works based on the Arctic…

My other country is Barbados, where I currently live. This tiny island in the southern Caribbean has a huge heart! I love the people, the food, and learning all about my latest home. I am particularly fond of the geckos (actually Barbados Green Lizards) and watching the monkeys! We go adventuring whenever possible and love to explore the many facets of this island.

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

I believe reading should be an every day thing, but it needs to be engaging for your child. If your child is reluctant to read, choose books that are on topics they are interested in such as dinosaurs, bugs, ponies or outer space. Reading is not just a life skill, it’s also a way to transport yourself to other places and times. It’s a way to put yourself into a character you admire. I was a girl who loved horses, so my parents brought me book after book on horses. Factual books, fiction books, and books on training horses were all made accessible to me. When I moved on to other interests, my parents helped me find books that led me down new pathways of excitement. With my own sons, we read everything! Though two of them were very focussed on fictional adventures, one son loved “how to books” and engine manuals. Reading is reading—let them read what interests them!

  1. What does literary success look like to you?

Literary success, for me, is the smiles and giggles my books evoke in their readers. It’s inspiring a child to explore their environments and see the world in that magical way that we forget as adults. It is my granddaughter insisting, “Again!” when we get to the last page.

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

I would say my mother was my biggest inspiration. No matter what life threw at her, she overcame it and pushed through. She followed her principles even when some of us thought she was wrong to do so. She raised us all with a very firm hand but encouraged our interests and creativity. She never gave up regardless of whether the issue was her health, her relationships or her children. She passed away in 2021 and my greatest sadness is that she did not get to see me publish my first book, or provide feedback on the stories and art I am creating. Even when the feedback was not what I wanted to hear, I always valued it. Her voice is still the one in my head.

Buy Geckos in the Garden on Amazon

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Interview with author Barbara P. McNannie

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

Well, if we want to start from the beginning, I was born in Montreal and I am of mixed heritage, half-Italian (on my dad’s side) and half-Canadian (on my mom’s side). Because of that I started travelling from a very early age and we can say that I never stopped: I just love going off and exploring a new country or city, usually based on a book I read. And that’s the other thing – I’m a really big reader. Books have been a constant in my life thanks to my parents being readers too and I always have at least a couple of books on the go. So I guess the step from just reading them to writing them as well was quite an easy one, and I started writing short stories about animals at about the age of 7.

As for my day job, I’m an ESL tutor in Italy where I hold courses in English culture & literature and courses to sit exam certifications. I also work as a translator and copywriter (the latter just occasionally).

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

I’d say the biggest challenge was not so much in actually writing the pieces that make up “Winter Hearts” – some came to me quite naturally as I was driving or cleaning up or even working – but in deciding what pieces made the collection, what to set aside, how to arrange them. And then, really, the hardest was deciding to publish it at all. I’m a very private person and this is a personal book so there was that factor too, in addition to the fear – common to all writers, I guess – that people would hate it.

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

Honestly, I read so much and from so many different genres that it’s difficult to pick just a few books or authors. As far as contemporary poets are concerned, I really like Nikita Gill and Lang Leav; if we look to the past, then definitely Emily Dickinson or Sylvia Plath. My favourite classics are by Jane Austen and Charlotte Bronte – and I love Shakespeare of course. Contemporary novelists I admire are Carlos Ruiz Zafon and Kate Morton. But I always say that everything can inspire a piece – I’ve lost count of the times I found a great sentence in an otherwise bad book.

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

I grew up a bit “gypsy style” since my childhood was spent between Canada and Italy, then I moved to a different part of Italy for university, moved to Ireland for my postgraduate, and then moved again to Italy, living for brief periods of time in Germany, Austria, and Canada again in the meantime, and have been travelling quite a lot in the past ten years. Which means your question is a difficult one to answer! I have a few “places of the heart”, so to speak, like the woods behind my house where I used to go with my father or my great-aunts’ house where I used to spend the summer holidays – they are places that hold bittersweet memories as they are reminders of my childhood. Another place I love to go to is our beach house in the south of Italy: it’s really relaxing there, and I love sitting on a lawn chair at sunset and write.

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

Everything I’ve written so far – whether published or unpublished – didn’t really require any research. I know some authors draw up an outline of what the book is supposed to be like beforehand but I honestly don’t think it’s for me. Instead, I prefer to start, get everything out of me, and then go back to the manuscript after I’ve let it rest for a while and see what I think needs to be changed. Some of the pieces you find in “Winter Hearts” are pretty much the first draft; others I changed quite a bit.

That said, I’ve never tried my hand at historical fiction. Should I decide to do that one day, I’m sure I’ll spend a great deal of time reading up as much as I can on my chosen time period and on the people who lived back then.

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

It’s difficult to tell because I wrote – or drafted – a great number of pieces over the years. I guess that the period going from the moment I thought of putting together a collection and the time I sent it to the cover designer covered about six months.

Q7. On what platforms can readers buy your books?

The book is only available on Amazon for the moment although my plan is to approach other retailers soon.

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

Once you read the book, you can see that the imagery of winter – the cold, ice, frost – is a recurring one, which I guess makes sense since my style is fairly nostalgic in nature. So I knew I wanted to play on that in the title and I just started brainstorming combinations of words, sounding them out to see what worked for me.

As for the cover, the merit for that goes to the designer, who read the book and came up with some artwork inspired by the content. I’m very happy with the result.

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

I guess that’s something I’ll need to start worrying about with the next one! 😀 In general, I’ve tried to repeat myself as little as possible and when I did, to have a repetition that made sense in the “story” I was trying to tell. I guess that when you’re talking about something happening cyclically, it’s quite hard to hit the sweet spot between showing that something kept on happening and boring the readers with a new variation of what they have already read. I hope I was able to do that, and get the balance right.

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

That your first draft doesn’t need to be perfect; that you can rewrite something an infinite number of times. I think that often we usually get so caught up with doing something perfectly that we get paralyzed and end up not doing it at all. And that’s the real pity.

Another one is that at some point you need to stop rewriting and put your art out there and see if it can fly – I guess that’s what I am doing now.

Buy Winter Hearts on Amazon

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Interview with author Eli Martin

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

Hello everyone! My name is Eli Martin. I am many things: a mother, a wife, a friend, a sister, but most importantly I am a creative. Writing, painting, sculpting, drawing, any way to bring life into the world. 

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

The first key challenge I faced was not having a computer to type up my ideas. I started writing the book by hand in a composition book. The second challenge was my lack of education. I never had the chance to attend college so learning to format an entire novel to create a cohesive story was a bit tough for me. 

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

My biggest influences are Stephen King, Anne Rice, Bentley Little, and Edward Lee, although they all primarily focus on horror or fantasy, not science fiction.

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

Super cheesy but my favorite place in my whole country is wherever my husband is. He’s the funniest person I know. I always want to be around him. 

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

For me, there is a lot to do before I start writing. I like to have characters planned out, some backstory written, and an outline of some of the major plot points. I also like to do as much research as possible if I use any information related to nonfiction topics. I also create what I call a “murder board”, something like you would see a detective use in a murder mystery with characters, important places and events, and strings connecting them to help me keep track of my story. 

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

It took me 3 years to write “Constellation despondent”. I started it by hand in 2020 during the pandemic. 

Q7. On what platforms can readers buy your books?

You can purchase my book online in standard paper back format or ebook from all major book retailers such as Walmart, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble. 

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

For the book cover, I wanted my protagonists to be front and center. I wanted the world to see that this book was about adventurous older ladies…and also aliens. 

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

While writing, to keep things fresh I watched a lot of science fiction television and movies. I love “Independence Day”, “Attack the Block” and “Ancient Aliens” which I took a lot of inspiration from. 

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

The biggest piece of advice I was given about writing was from my foster mother, Jeanette. She said, “Natural storytelling is a talent, you have that. It comes from the depths of your soul. When you write a story, you are revealing a piece of yourself, so make sure it’s always the truest version of yourself that you want the world to see.” 

Buy Constellation Despondent on Amazon

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Interview with author Hugh Murphy

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

My name is Hugh Murphy and I’m 75 years young. Because of a terrible childhood in which myself and two of my brothers were badly beaten by our father. This resulted in a tragedy – in which my brother stabbed another brother to death. Because of this I have been anti violence and injustice all my life. I started work at Belfast Docks aged 16 and from the start saw corruption in action – which I objected to. In 1972, 50 years ago my Union the ITGWU betrayed every trade union principle ever devised for the protection of workers – and joined with the employers in a Decasualisation Scheme. This was supposed to give the Dockers jobs for life. However, the Employers invented new rules as and when it suited them. One of which was – that by agreeing to the Scheme the Dockers must discharge Asbestos without protection. I got the Dockers to refute this. However, the union and employers had established a diabolical Union and Employers Court named BELFAST AND NORTHERN IRELAND FEDERATION OF EMPLOYERS AND IRISH TRANSPORT & GENERAL WORKERS UNION JOINT DISCIPLINARY COMMITTEE. 

This committee rail-roaded me with a series of silly charges and I was sacked. Since then I have been trying to get justice for this abomination. Details of the corrupt actions of the Court are on the web and also on linkedin. Several Solicitors refused to take action on my sacking so I contacted the NI Law Society. They replied that if I was refused by six solicitors they’d give a list of three to choose from. However, as I’d already passed that number they gave me the list. The first was a G McCann and I sent him my papers and he took my case – and appointed Norman Shannon, a Junior solicitor to my case. Everything proceeded well until Shannon left Mr McCann and took my case with him. [See papers] Shannon then set on my case until it Became Statute Barred. This corruption is covered up by both Law Societies in Ireland. See my recent open letters to them on linkedin – and also to the Police Commissioner in Dublin.

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

My main challenge in writing the book was to suppress the anger that was spurred by every word. The saying ‘Violence creates Violence’ in my childhood was proved very true. My gentle brother who normally wouldn’t hurt a fly – was sent into a life-end rage – because of loud music. Also, I felt terrible anger and the injustice that my Trade Union which – one hundred years ago had fought as ‘The Citizens Army’ to free Ireland from British Rule – had been corrupted at Belfast Docks. Besides the above, I also felt anger at the ‘powers that be’ in Ireland and in the European Parliament who allow this corruption to be covered up.

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

 To be honest there’s no writer that I’ve come across who portrays the working class in a genuine fashion. My first play ‘Justice’ toured NI and was in the Dublin and Theatre Festivals in 1992, but then I wrote ‘The Judas Goat’ which showed the corruption of the Docks Chairman as he ordered the Dockers to discharge Asbestos without protection. He then left the Union and took the position of Labour Controller with the Employers. I wanted the Scheme thrown out – because an Employer had drawn it up, but to no avail. This play is censored – and this has led to all my plays being censored. However, I did set up a small company and stage two plays. ‘Daddy’, which is about the after effects of child abuse on two adult sisters – and ‘The Grandeur of Delusions’ which is about an alcoholic drug user trying to make sense of his life.

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

My favourite spot is on the ‘Cave Hill’ which overlooks Belfast and Belfast Lough. From there on a clear day you can see Scotland and the old cranes for the now defunct ship building yards. It also saddens me to look down on the old Dockside district of ‘Sailortown’ – where I come from. Number 42 New Dock Street, with the old houses long gone- to be replaced by warehouses. 

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

No, I don’t make any special preparations before I start writing, as stated I mostly write stage-plays and writing every day. At the moment I’m on the last read- through of a trilogy entitled ‘Why The Poor Are Poor’.

Q6. How long did it take you to write your book ‘Memories And Observations’?

It took about 18 months to complete Memories and Observations. I would usually fit in a few hours after I finished my play-writing.  

Q7. On what platforms can readers buy your books?

Memories and Observations can be obtained on Barnes and Noble and Amazon

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

My publisher Carol Staff found the photo for me. I described what I wanted, ie a photo of the type of bags that the Dockers handled on a daily basis.

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

I kept things fresh by thinking back to the time of the things I was describing.

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

The most valuable thing I can say to anyone who is going to write – is don’t think about – just sit down and do it.

Buy Memories and Observations on Amazon

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Interview with author Amanda Huffman

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

I’m Amanda Huffman, I served in the Air Force for six years as a Civil Engineer. I left the military when my first son was born to follow my husband’s military career. When I left the military I struggled to find my identity and began blogging. That blog turned into a podcast, Women of the Military, publishing two books, Women of the Military and A Girl’s Guide to Military Service, and a number of different opportunities. Today, I am a mom of two boys and my husband continues to serve in the military. I love a good book, a day at Disneyland and anything Star Wars related. 

Q2. What were the key challenges you faced while writing your book “A Girl’s Guide to Military Service”?

There was so much about the military I didn’t know. Even though I served in the military I only served in one branch and a lot of things had changed since I left the service. In the process of interviewing women for Women of the Military I gained a lot of knowledge about different branches and ways to serve. But there was still a lot to learn.

Another challenge I faced when I started was going too detailed in my description. This made the book boring and it could quickly be obsolete as the military changed and adapted. My publisher helped push me to focus on providing information from a higher level point of view with broad information and rely on military recruiters to give detailed specifics to future recruits. 

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

I have always wanted to write books and primarily I grew up reading fiction. So jumping into non-fiction was an interesting transition. But I also found that all the time I spent reading various fiction books helped me as I wove in parts of my own story. I think the real influence for writing this book is the other women veterans who have shared their story or written leadership books. Reading their stories and seeing how they impacted me really pushed me to write this story. I also wanted to reach a generation that wasn’t being focused on, the next generation of military women,

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

Disneyland has so many happy memories for me and my family. I just love spending time in the parks. We have a lot of fun together. 

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

For this book a lot of the prep work was done through my podcast. I interviewed over 50 women when I started writing the book and that number has grown to over 200 today. Hearing the stories of women helped me to get a good feel on what challenges women faced and what each branch was like. It gave me a strong foundation to start doing the research. It also took a number of draft versions to get the book to the place it needed to be as a starting point and then a lot of additional revisions to get the book where it is today. 

Q6. How long did it take you to write your book ‘A Girl’s Guide to Military Service’?

The book first was a guide that I created in January 2019. I had an idea to help girls as they entered the military but had no idea how to reach them. I was surprised how many young women were interested in joining the military and the response from the guide pushed me to write a book. I think I started working on the first draft in mid-2019. I did a complete overhaul of the book in early 2021, completing that draft in June 2021. Then it took another year of edits with my publisher before it was published in September 2022. 

Q7. On what platforms can readers buy your books?

It is available on my publisher’s website, elvaresa.com, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and I also created an option for people to buy my book directly from me and receive a signed copy by filling out this form. It is available in paperback and digital. 

Q8. Tell us about the process of coming up with the book cover and the title ‘A Girl’s Guide to Military Service’?

There was a lot of process and thought of coming up with the title. We struggled with what the right word to use was. Do we use woman? Do we use female? Do we use girl? My original title was A Girl’s Guide to the Military. But there were a number of filler titles that we went through trying to make sure the right person knew the book was for them. We did a few test runs to get feedback and A Girl’s Guide to Military Service ended up being the most popular and met the needs we were looking for.  Since our target was high school girls and they related to that name it was the one that won out. It was really hard to narrow in on the title. 

For the cover I worked directly through my publisher. We had a brainstorming session with a number of ideas. In the end, the one we picked was my favorite. I just love how it looked and hoped that it would draw girls considering military service in. 

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

To help keep me on track I created a detailed outline. It helped me stay focused when writing and also helped me to quickly dive back in after taking a break from writing each day. Spending detailed time up front to build the outline was critical in helping me to stay focused on not getting distracted or off topic. I also have to thank my publisher and editor for the input and feedback they gave. They really pushed me in different directions and helped me make a number of changes that helped make the book better and stronger. It is a team effort in writing and I couldn’t have done it without their help and direction. 

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

To be open to feedback from others. I have learned to open myself to constructive criticism when it comes to writing. Sometimes the changes suggested frustrated me but they were things I was holding onto that actually didn’t need to be there. The push to make changes, listen to feedback and work to continually improve the book and my writing helped me grow as a writer. I can’t believe the transformation that took place from when I first started writing to where the book is today. 

Buy A Girl’s Guide to Military Service on Amazon

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Interview with author Marie Nadine Gaston

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

My name is Marie Nadine Gaston, and I was born and raised in Haiti. I have a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Miami and spent the first decade of my professional life in South Florida working in a community mental health setting improving the lives of the mentally ill.  I returned home to Haiti years later to do communications work with international development organizations empowering impoverished communities and strengthening systems in governance, justice, and health in developing countries like Haiti.  

I still do consultation work in project communications as I explore a new opportunity as an affiliate marketer.  I started this new venture last year and am having a great time getting to know my followers.  I target women empty nesters, like me, who want to rediscover and pursue their lifelong (or new) dreams now that the kids have left the nest.  After all, I’m pursuing mine, which is to become a respected and established author of stories that make people happy. “Nonstop Oslo” is my first published book.

I am a hopeless romantic and an avid reader of historical romances. I have enjoyed writing since junior high school.  I write stories and poetry. I have two beautiful adult daughters and recently became a grandmother to a darling little boy, Sacha.

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

“Nonstop Oslo” was never meant to be a book, so I can’t really speak of challenges when writing most of it.  It was just my imagination at play as I was anticipating a trip to Oslo to see my favorite band play at home, and the entire process was just pure fun!  However, when it became apparent that this story was going to be published (at the insistence of my friends) and I was researching some publishers’ requirements, I was challenged to add about 8,000 more words to my manuscript so that I could have at least 50,000 words.  That was the frustrating part for me because as a personal fantasy, the story, as it was written, seemed perfect to me, so why ruin it?  I really didn’t know what direction to take the story at that point.  I already had the perfect ending, so I was wondering where I would add those thousands of words.  In the middle of the story?  What would I add?  Should I ruin my perfect ending with some drama?  I really didn’t want to do that.  So, I suddenly came up with the idea of writing a really long epilogue.  In the end, I am glad that I took up the challenge because I am really happy with how that last part turned out.  It truly makes the story complete and simply beautiful.

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

I used to read a lot of Harlequin Romance books from authors from the United States, England, Scotland, and New Zealand when I was a teenager up until my young adulthood.  This is how I built my English vocabulary (I’m a native French speaker).  In later years, I discovered historical romances from authors like Kathleen Woodiwiss, Johanna Lindsey, and Lisa Kleypas, and I was hooked.

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

There was a time when Kenskoff was my favorite place to visit.  It’s a small town up in the hills just above Port-au-Prince, and the temperature there is much cooler than that of the city, especially during what is considered winter months in North America and Europe.  We had our summer home there and we used to spend part of every summer and Christmas vacation there throughout my entire childhood.  It was a beautiful, cool, verdant environment with wild berries all over the place.  Kenscoff meant lots of fresh air, horseback riding (I sucked at it, by the way, but boy, was it fun!), long walks with cousins and other vacationing kids from the neighborhood, berry picking, roasted corn on the cob, picking snails, tending a small vegetable garden in our back yard, eating plums and apples off our trees, and playing Pokeno for pennies.  Blissful times…

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

Far from me to speak as a seasoned author, but I don’t really have a ritual like lots of authors do.  When I was writing “Nonstop Oslo”, I felt kind of giddy and giggly inside and just grabbed my laptop and started pounding away at the keys, completely engrossed in my fantasy.  It helps to put some music on and drink a glass of wine to create the mood that I want so I can immerse myself better in the story.  There is a fair amount of research that goes into writing because you want to be as genuine as you can.  Most people never get to travel, so it’s great to do justice to them by describing faraway places with as much detail and accuracy as possible.

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

It didn’t take that long to write the first part of the book, maybe four to five months.  It was back in October/November 2015, so I don’t really remember.  Then when I traveled to Oslo in April 2016, I did some editing while I was there to correct some of my assumptions.  Then, I thought I was done with the story until late 2016/early 2017, when my friends encouraged me to publish the story and I went on to add the epilogue to bring it up to over 50,000 words.  That last part took maybe a month or two.

Q7. On what platforms can readers buy your book?

“Nonstop Oslo” can be purchased on Amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, and on Archwaypublishing.com (online bookstore).  It comes in two formats: hard copy and eBook.  Also, please visit my author’s website and blog at marienadinegaston.com, and my Facebook page, Nadine’s Corner. It’s the one with my picture on it ;-). Please leave comments!

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

When my publisher asked me if I had any idea about what I wanted my book cover to look like, I only had one word: blue.  That’s my favorite color and this was my first book, so I wanted it to be special.  I told them anything with blue skies or a blue ocean would be fine by me, especially since the protagonists come from different worlds.  There are blue skies and oceans between them.  Then, a couple months later, while sitting in my car, an idea came to me, and I grabbed a piece of napkin that was in the car and started sketching blue skies and clouds and a plane making the route between Haiti and Norway.  I drew the plane making a loop in the skies in the form of a heart.  The design team ran with it and produced that beautiful cover.

As for the title, “Nonstop Oslo” is really a double entendre. In the literal sense of it, it’s a direct flight to Oslo with all the dreams that this trip of a lifetime entails; and figuratively, it’s all about the many things that happen to Vivienne at once when she meets Logen and her mind is reeling from it all.  At one point, feeling overwhelmed with emotion, she says, “it’s nonstop Oslo, and I want it to stop!”

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

First of all, I write from the heart and just go with the flow.  I didn’t have a book plan when I was writing this story.  I had no idea what was going to happen.  I just went with the flow and surprised myself the whole way through.  The dialogue, the interaction between the two main characters were all a surprise to me as well. It was a fun ride.  I can’t think of a better way to keep things fresh.

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

I can’t share secrets.  All needs to be discovered by reading this wonderful love story.  I can say one thing, though: there is somewhat of a mystical occurrence in this story.   It’s up to the reader to discover it.  And, oh yes, Vivienne is basically me!  How’s that for a secret?

Buy Nonstop Oslo on Amazon

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Interview with author A.D. Vancise

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

Sure. My name is Angie, and I live in a small farming town in Canada. I have one twenty-five-year-old daughter, two cats, and three dogs.

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

Some of the content was very hard to digest when I was doing the research. Finding out that kids have experienced such heinous things still hurts my heart, and I feel that bringing awareness to it all is my reason for being here.

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

Lisa Jewell, Ruth Ware, Gillian Flynn, and V. C. Andrews, to name a few. They all have such strong writing voices. I read Flowers In The Attic by Andrews at a young age and had no idea that the content would have double meaning later in life.

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

I would have to say the mountain trails. Walking in nature always gives me such a boost. The streams running, the birds chirping. It’s all so serene and where some of my creative ideas originate.

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

It depends on the book, really. Some need more research than others, more planning etc. For example some authors create very detailed outlines. I don’t. I know my beginning and my ending. What comes in between is determined as I go. But Hidden In The Shadows, required tons of research into child trafficking and occult practices. It took a lot of time and quite a bit out of me but I had to be the voice for these victims.

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

Apart from the months of research, and edits the actual writing was probably around six months.

Q7. On what platforms can readers buy your book?

Amazon, Barnes and Noble and my own website.

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

The book cover was brilliantly designed by my publisher, Atmosphere Press. Look closely at the reflection. It gave me chills when they sent it to me. The title happened a few years ago when I was playing around with a title generator online for a short story I’d written. I loved it and noted it for a potential future project, not realizing that it would be my next novel.

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

Honestly, I don’t really think about keeping things fresh when I write. When I’m in that creative space, the words just flow, and I hope it’s fresh. The characters often keep it fresh with their antics.

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

Yes. Two actually. First, the photo is real. I found it the same way that Evie did, in my grandfathers box of family photo’s and just like her grandfather, mine didn’t want to talk about it. He died in 1991 never revealing what happened. The second, the killer scenes are based on actual survivor testimonials. I chose to incorporate their stories after reading derogatory comments from people such as; “this didn’t happen to you. Why are you spreading lies? You are delusional.” The comments broke my heart. Imagine surviving the gates of hell to then be told it never happened? It broke my heart and I knew that someone needed to let them know they’d been heard. I had to be that someone.

Buy Hidden in the Shadows on Amazon

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Interview with author Raphael Wilkins

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

I am now mainly a travel writer, but over my career as an educationist I wrote several academic books and many articles. Towards the end of my career I did a lot of global travelling as a visiting expert. That is what sparked my interest in travel writing.

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

An Educational Journey is the middle volume of a trilogy.  My first travel memoir, Accidental Traveller required a massive shift from academic writing.  I could only do it by switching completely:  from classical to pop, from oils to watercolours, so to speak.  That book was very light, informal, with some humour, and emphasised the wonderment of becoming a global traveller in later life.  By the time I started work on An Educational Journey the travelling had become a way of life, and I felt confident enough about writing in my new genre to be able to give more information about the professional work I was doing in the countries I visited, and more serious reflection about what I was learning from all this travelling.

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

My interest in writing narrative non-fiction started a long time before I was in a position to do so. Without doubt, the spark, tinder and fan for that interest was the non-fiction writings of Graham Greene, particularly his books Getting to Know the General, Journey Without Maps, and The Lawless Roads.

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

In England, one of my favourite places to visit is Withernsea, in East Yorkshire, where my late wife was born.

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

To write a travel memoir, the first step is of course to do the travelling which will provide the raw material. Processing that experience into a book involves a number of stages. Any kind of writing depends on the author having something worthwhile to say. The majority of travel memoirs, mine included, relate journeys which are personal as well as geographical, for example where the travelling is happening against a background of changing personal circumstances. Those elements of narrative provide the storyline.

Q6. How long did it take you to write your book ‘An Educational Journey’?

The actual writing of An Educational Journey took me over three years, because I wrestled to get the tone and messaging where I wanted them.

Q7. On what platforms can readers buy your book?

The book is available on the publisher’s website at bradtguides.com/product/an-educational-journey-1/ and from Amazon

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

The cover design incorporates elements representing some of the places featured in the book, including the Islamic architecture of South Asia, the peaks of The Andes, the pelican of the Chilean coast, and the crescent moon of Arabia. The patterned background represents Indian fabric.

The book includes quite a lot of information about the educational work I was doing in the countries I visited, but the title An Educational Journey actually refers to my own personal learning and development which these experiences of travel engendered.

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

In a travel memoir, I think the best way to keep things fresh for the reader is to include vivid descriptions of places, and to make sure that the reader keeps encountering interesting characters.

Buy An Educational Journey on Amazon

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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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