Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I started writing because I was always playing with “what ifs”. Those are especially fun at work, which for me started as a fry cook at KFC and going to the Air Force then on to the next. Those “what ifs” became things I absolutely had to write down and I’ve gotten a lot of them published. I’ve been in three of the Unidentified Funny Objects anthologies, Apex Magazine, Lightspeed, Fantasy & Science Fiction Magazine, Daily Science Fiction and a bunch of others. I’m all over the place including AE: The Canadian SF Review… That’s right, Canada rocks with me!

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Pendulum Heroes is my debut novel, inspired by an idea I’ve held onto since my youth. It’s matured as I have, so between the funny life lessons and hard knock deployments it’s grown into a pretty addictive tale. I’m glad I was able to cut my teeth with so many story sales to be able to tell it well.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
No. But I wonder what a usual writing habit is.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Piers Anthony was one of my childhood inspirations because I dug how he blended science fiction and fantasy together in some of his novels. I was pretty stoked to share the Table of Contents with him in one of the Unidentified Funny Objects.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on Book 3 of the Pendulum Heroes series.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m hoping it’s here!

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Peer review. It’s important. Seek it if you don’t have it. Peer, not friend, not mom. I suggest critters.org.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“That’s the problem, you think you have time.”
– The Buddha

What are you reading now?
Right now I’m “reading” Spencer Ellsworth’s A Red Peace. I put “reading” in quotes because it’s an audiobook… the first one I’ve ever tried. It’s taken me some time to get used to it because I’m so used to words on page. I have to stop myself and go back because my mind keeps wandering. That said, now that I’ve trained myself to actively listen a bit better, it’s unfolding very well.

What’s next for you as a writer?
After book three of Pendulum Heroes? Book four of course! That’ll be the wrap up and then at that point I’d like to play around with some of the other stories that have been fermenting while I plot out the heroes.

What is your favorite book of all time?
Piers Anthony’s On a Pale Horse.

Author Websites and Profiles
James Beamon Website
James Beamon Amazon Profile

James Beamon’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
While the Unwavering Pursuit is my first published book, I have always enjoyed writing since I was able to hold a pencil. I have written hundreds of poems, a few short stories, plays, and have a novel in the works.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Unwavering Pursuit: Road to Becoming One with God. This devotional was inspired when I was in a spiritual rut one and and felt the need to grow closer to God. I begin writing down different things I needed to work on spiritually and in my relationship with God and scriptures that relate to each. During my personal 14 day devotional, I was told that others needed what I was experiencing and that I could offer the guidance. My personal pursuit was written down then became Unwavering Pursuit: Road to Becoming One with God.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
When I have an idea in my brain, I have to write it down I immediately. Sometimes this can keep me up until 4am getting my thoughts out.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
During the beginning of my own spiritual walk, I have enjoyed the readings of Kyle Idleman. God’s words through him allowed me to see what it truly means to be a follower of Christ.

Kayla D. Thomas’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am an author of epic fantasy, a performing musician and a husband and father. I’ve written and published the first book of my epic fantasy series: The Lemurian Chronicles. The first book is titled, Children of the Blessing. I have also written a novella that is a spin-off from this book.
Book 2 of the series is called “Chaos Rising” and is in final editing now. It will be released in early 2019.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is called Renn and the Bounty Hunters. It is a descriptive name of the story. Renn is the hero and the Grand Warlock has put a massive bounty on his head. Renn and his mage mentor, Artio, are in hiding and are eventually captured by a group of bounty hunters.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m not sure…I do keep spreadsheets filled with information about my characters, the world I’ve created for the series and the history of it’s people and nations.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Of course, J.R. Tolkien, David Eddings, Terry Brooks, Terry Goodkind, Brandon Sanderson, Patricia McKillap, JK Rowling, etc..

What are you working on now?
The audio book for my book “Children of the Blessing” and the final edit for Chaos Rising (Book II of the Lemurian Chronicles).

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Building an email list by doing sweepstakes where the prize is something that would appeal to people who are likely to read fantasy and likely to enjoy my books. For example, have the prize be a signed copy of a Brandon Sanderson book, or a special edition Harry Potter series.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write, Edit, Market, repeat…

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Pertaining to writing I would say..see above (write, edit, market, repeat…)

What are you reading now?
The Monster of Selkirk Book 1: The Duality of Nature by C.E. Clayton

What’s next for you as a writer?
Finish the Lemurian Chronicles (3 more books to go).

What is your favorite book of all time?
Wizards First Rule, by Terry Goodkind.

Author Websites and Profiles
Perry Morris Website
Perry Morris Amazon Profile

Perry Morris’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m Christine Göös, a Finnish-Italian author who grew up touring in the circus in Europe and currently lives in New York. I am an advertising copywriter by day, poet and short story writer by night. I just published my debut collection, Naming Painkillers on Amazon.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Naming Painkillers explores modern dating culture, love, lust, and loss. I wanted to paint a vivid picture of characters and neuroses typical to New York, female insecurities, and the undoing of love affairs doomed by our own demons or timing. It is inspired by classics like Neruda and Pavese, modern poets like Rupi Kaur and Faudet, as well as pop culture, social media, my childhood in the circus, and my 2,5 years living in New York.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Many of my poems start as one-liners that come to me when commuting on the New York subway. I write the thought down and build the narrative around it after.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Pablo Neruda first and foremost with his natural symbolism. I also love the melancholy of Cesare Pavese and the intricate language of F. Scott Fitzgerald.

What are you working on now?
Promoting Naming Painkillers and writing new material to accompany the next edition.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Today, authors should focus on building communities on social platforms like Instagram.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Ignore any feelings of the infamous imposter syndrome.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Help your audience discover themself in your writing.

What are you reading now?
Sweetbitter by Stephanie Danler.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m looking to build a community that connects with my writing and wants to keep reading it.

What is your favorite book of all time?
The Beautiful and the Damned by Fitzgerald

Author Websites and Profiles
Christine Göös Website
Christine Göös Amazon Profile

Christine Göös’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I live in the midwest and write under a pseudonym. (You’ve probably read my women’s fiction, so bonus points if you think you know me!) I’ve written a bunch of women’s fiction novels, but as Avery Laval, I’ve written 4 books in the Sin City Tycoons series. I teach writing classes when I’m not writing and editing for other writers. I can’t get enough of the written word, it seems. And oh yeah, I’m always reading a steamy book by my favorite authors, too!

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest is A TYCOON’S SECRET. It’s close to my heart because it’s a second-chance romance that centers on the loss of a child. That hits close to home for me, but I believe in second chances, and with the world as it is today, I have to believe in the redemptive power of love, too.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Oh boy. Would you believe I like to write on a sailboat? It’s not as glamorous as it sounds, believe me. There are big floppy hats involved, pages weighted down so they don’t end up floating in the waves. But sometimes being away from land relaxes me, and puts me in the frame of mind to fantasize properly! I use pen and paper to scribble down scenes while I’m getting my allotment of the sunshine vitamin. And my allotment of margaritas.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Oh, so many. I love Diana Gabaldon, and Bella Andre. They have such rich characters. I love the humor in Jennifer Cruisie and Alice Clayton, and the sauciness of Nina Lane and Anna Durand. I could go on and on. I read all kinds of romance: historical, suspenseful, contemporary, you name it. I love a good love story that transports me.

What are you working on now?
The next book in the Sin City Tycoons series! I started this series thinking there would be five. But I like these guys and gals so much that I might have to expand their universe a bit…

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m active on Twitter, because I love to connect with readers. I also connect on Goodreads, and on Facebook. You can always keep up with my writings and ramblings on my personal website, too.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
No matter how daunting it seems sometimes, just keep writing. Get your story out—your unique story. Don’t worry about trends—worry about what makes your story YOURS. Write good, strong women. We need more of them in the world. And write about men they deserve.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Write your own truth, and write the book you want to read.

What are you reading now?
Alice Clayton’s “Cream of the Crop” and Skye Warren’s “The Pawn.” Loving them both.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m thinking about a new series, one to pick up after the Tycoons. I love to fantasize about travel, so I may have to take my next bunch of characters to some new exotic places.

What is your favorite book of all time?
Yikes. That’s so hard. It’s a tie between “Outlander” and “One Foot in Eden.” I love a good Southern gothic, too. 🙂

Author Websites and Profiles
Avery Laval Website
Avery Laval Amazon Profile

Avery Laval’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I love writing. My first novel came to me in a series of six dreams. After that my inner fire for writing was lit and I’ve been writing ever since.
Currently, I’m working on a science fiction series. The first book in the series is Star Rider on the Razor’s Edge. It’s about a futuristic world controlled by a powerful sorcerer. In the novel, Toemeka and three other operatives join with the local resistance to try and overthrow the government and free its people. The second in the series is coming out on September 1, 2018. It’s titled Star Rider and the Golden Threads. I plan to publish the third in the series next year.
I also write historical fiction and have two published novels. Red Willow’s Quest is about a Native American woman studying to become a medicine woman. Annoure and the Dragon Ships about an English noblewoman who is kidnapped by the Vikings.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is Star Rider and the Golden Threads. After writing Star Rider and the Razor’s Edge, story ideas continued to flow through about the same characters and their daring adventures during an interplanetary war.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m in a critique group. The group helps me keep on track because I have deadlines. I like to write where it’s quiet but I enjoy writing in different rooms so I have different views.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
J. R. R. Tolkiens author of Lord of the Rings, Margaret Mitchell author of Gone with the Wind, Mary Stuart’s King Arthur series. George Lucas author of Star Wars, Ken Follet author of The Pillars of the Earth.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on other novels in the Star Ride series. The third book is nearly completed. The fourth book is the series is about the next generation. All my books include love, action and adventure.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m constantly trying new things. I take online classes and read books and articles on promotion. I’ve done book launches, bookstore signings, on line book tours, Amazon free days and count downs, and Bublish. I’ve also done newspaper interviews, and radio and TV interviews.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write because you love to write. You might be one of the lucky ones who becomes a best selling author, but if you love writing it doesn’t matter whether you are or not.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
To follow your dreams and heart.

What are you reading now?
I just finished Heaven’s Sweet Embrace by Sheri Kramer. It’s four different stories from four different time periods and countries woven together.
It’s beautifully written.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m continuing to work on my Star Rider series. I have drafts another five books. I’d like to get them all published before I move on to another project.

What is your favorite book of all time?
It’s hard to narrow it down to one book, but the Lord of the Rings was probably the series that influenced me the most.

Author Websites and Profiles
Heidi Skarie Website
Heidi Skarie Amazon Profile

Heidi Skarie’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve always been passionate about intuition and the creative process, learning how to use it better, and finding better ways to share tools and insights that help empower people to create in their lives, workplaces & businesses.

I’ve written 4 books and they have been published internationally.
The first edition of Ting – A Surprising Way to Listen To Intuition & Do Business Better, Spark – Raise Your Mind to the Power of Infinity & Create Anything, & The Children of Vision-Peace.

Ting! The Surprising Power of Intuition to Transform Work & Innovate is brand new and completely rewritten for 2018.

Writing is part of what I do, but I’ve done a lot of it. Much of my writing has been in business management as an industry expert in learning & development.

I am a consultant and strategist in talent acceleration, workforce agility & organizational performance and as a cognitive innovation trainer & insight coach.

I live in the Toronto area.

Websites https://intuita.com & https://velocified.com

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Ting! The Surprising Power of Intuition to Transform Work & Innovate

I was inspired to take this book much deeper than before and make it more relevant to what I believe is important in the way we and our organizations are changing.

Ting! is a story for people who question things, who want to connect better with their intuition and authenticity, and for anyone who wonders about getting deep inside the rabbit hole of spending the best years of your life at work.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Yes.. with both Ting, the original and the new, all my writing is completely inspired. Characters appear and tell me the story. The words come through me. I don’t even know where they are going until I feel they are complete. Then I revise and improve on what’s missing, fix grammar and other editing issues.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Great mentors, orators and storytellers, and my personal experience have been my influences.

What are you working on now?
Getting the word out on Ting! and my related training programs

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Not sure yet. This is evolving.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Love what you create. Be inspired. Do something unique that means something to you.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Anything is negotiable.

What is your favorite book of all time?
Can’t pick just one.

Author Websites and Profiles
Arupa Tesolin Website
Arupa Tesolin Amazon Profile

Arupa Tesolin’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve written a few children’s books and published several photography books. Just recently I published my first science fiction novel.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Volume One of the Muse of Mischief: Trella – is totally inspired by how awesome women are. There are so many female superheroes that are just a female version of the male superhero. I wanted to create a lead character that showed just how smart, strong, and awesome women can be – especially while traveling around the Universe, which is usually a male dominated domain. She and many of the alien characters, have been on my mind for a very long time.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not really, unless it’s unusual to be surrounded by a chihuahua and two miniature poodles that rather be going for a walk.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Oh so many, too many to list all of them: Stephen King, Ken Follet, Octavia Butler, Richard Phillips, Haruki Murakami

What are you working on now?
Volume Two of the Muse of Mischief

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
My favorite method is word of mouth.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write, write every single day, and write for yourself.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Write, write every single day, and write for yourself.

What are you reading now?
#4 in the Last Time Traveler series by Aaron J. Ethridge

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m done writing about aliens yet!

What is your favorite book of all time?

Author Websites and Profiles
Catrina Briscoe Website
Catrina Briscoe Amazon Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Karen grew up in the suburbs of Chicago. She traveled the United States before she settled down in the mountains of East Tennessee with her husband and 5 furbabies.
She started having ideas for books for as long as she could remember, finally taking the leap of faith and writing her first book in 2017. Black Ruins Forest. From there the ideas have been circling her mind and can’t wait to share them with you.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The renewed version of Black Ruins Forest. I love dragon shifters and anything magic. The world built itself as I wrote it.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
The only habits I have is listening to music as loud as I can. It helps the words flow out and blocking everything else out.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The late Ednah Walters had a huge impact on my writing life. She is the one who told me to take that leap and who cares if no one likes yours writing. You write for you.

What are you working on now?
Book 3 in the Elders Series and book 2 in the Light Realm series.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I haven’t found any methods that works best for me as of yet, but there are so many I haven’t tried yet. I use Facebook, Instagram and Twitter as of right now. They tend to go unnoticed.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write for you and others will see your heart in your books.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
You will always have critics no matter what you write. Pay them no attention. Focus on the ones who love your books.

What are you reading now?
Sadly I am not reading anything right now, unless you count rereading my own work. I’ve been busy writing two books at one time.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I will be at a book con in September. I will be at Penned Con in St. Louis, MO. I will also be doing other local festivals. Hopefully trying to get my books in stores.

What is your favorite book of all time?
Wow! You are putting me right on the spot lol. Hmm, I think my favorite book of all time is Runes by Ednah Walters.

Author Websites and Profiles
Karen DuBose Website
Karen DuBose Amazon Profile

Karen DuBose’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a wife and mom of two adult children. After my kids left for college, I bought a Kindle and never looked back. Reading became my passion, once again, and then I decided to write a book of my own. I have written five books and one novella since 2014.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Hidden in a Small Town. After writing all romances, I tried my hand at a suspense. It was challenging to make it page-turning without giving away pertinent details. It has a bit of paranormal and romance sprinkled in to keep it even more interesting.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t use an outline and write by the seat of my pants. I will have a beginning, middle, and end and the rest comes as I write.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
When I first read Tarryn Fisher’s The Opportunist, it blew me away. I couldn’t quit thinking about it and always re-read when I’m in a rut. Tarryn’s ability to create fascinating, flawed characters inspires me to no end.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on a book about a married woman in her late 30’s who has an emotional affair with a man 15 years her junior. He helps her to see the current state of her marriage and what she’s been missing out on in life.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
That’s still to be determined as I find it very hard to promote in the ever-growing sea of books. But Facebook and Instagram have been helpful.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t compare yourself to other authors. Your words are yours and that’s how you create your own voice. Be true to yourself.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t wallow in how hard it is to get noticed and write your next book. And then your next. Don’t stop writing.

What are you reading now?
The Hawks by SD Hendrickson.

What’s next for you as a writer?
To continue writing and attend my first book-signing. I’ve never done one and I think I will in 2019.

What is your favorite book of all time?
The Opportunist by Tarryn Fisher.

Author Websites and Profiles
Stacy Wray Website
Stacy Wray Amazon Profile
Stacy Wray Author Profile Other Bookseller

Stacy Wray’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am from Nova Scotia, Canada and the youngest of 4 children. At 6 months old, I was adopted by my family.

From the time I was 12, I have been writing, everything from short stories to poetry. Thankfully, I had teachers who encouraged my creativity and allowed me to pursue my passion.

At this point, I have 9 books published. I am working on a self-awareness book as well as a memoir.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is Believe Me: The Story of a Narcissist. The goings-on in the United States was the inspiration for the main character, Kennedy Kilpatrick.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not sure if this is unusual but, I like to put pen to paper and then type it into my computer. Once entered, I do my editing and sometimes edit as I am inputting.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Robertson Davies, Alden Nowlan and Jim Morrison are two major influences. I find their writing intriguing and thought-provoking.

What are you working on now?
I am currently working on a memoir and a self-awareness book.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I really don’t have one. I will try anything once.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Keep going. It’s tough and family members are the worst critics. If you believe in yourself, don’t let anyone tell you it can’t be done.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
It’s not where you are; it’s where you’re at.

What are you reading now?
My editor’s notes.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Hopefully, one of my books being turned into a movie.

What is your favorite book of all time?
What’s Bred in the Bone by Robertson Davies.

Author Websites and Profiles
Tracilyn George Website

Tracilyn George’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am the author of one novel, The Wandering Land. I’m also the author and producer of one completed audio drama podcast called SPINES, which was also recently published as a book of collected transcripts. I have two other audio dramas currently in production.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Wandering Land was inspired by my love of fairytales and folklore, especially those originating in Ireland. That love of fairytales combined with a setting near and dear to my heart, the desert of Southern Arizona. Those two environments and their different cultural traditions come together in The Wandering Land, which is a story that deals with how the preexisting narratives we receive from the surround culture shape our actions and choices.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I only write at home and have never been able to write in coffee shops or other public spaces.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
My top influences are Graham Joyce, Jonathan Carroll, Caitlin Kiernan, and other authors whose work focuses on moments in which the supernatural or fantastic intrudes upon daily life.

What are you working on now?
Right now I’m working on two audio dramas, Mirrors and The Six Disappearances of Ella McCray. I’m also working on a follow up novel to The Wandering Land.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Goodreads.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Persist.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Wear sunscreen.

What are you reading now?
Right now I’m reading Nicky Drayden’s Prey of Gods, a great near-future sci-fi taking place in South Africa.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m currently dividing my attention between one novel and two audio dramas, so there’s a lot going on.

What is your favorite book of all time?
American Gods, Desolation Road, The Drowning Girl, To Say Nothing of the Dog, and Vellum would all be high on the list.

Author Websites and Profiles
Jamie Killen Website
Jamie Killen Amazon Profile

Jamie Killen’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Not knowing what to do with a first class hons in Philosophy and half a Phd from Oxford, I went to work in the advertising and woke up to find I’d, become Worldwide Planning Director for The Lowe Group (one of the top global networks at the time). I then founded Mustoe Merriman Levy which became one of only a handful of independent ad agencies to make it into the UK top 30. (I was also Visiting Fellow for a number of years at Bournemouth University, the UK’s biggest Media School).

The job of a planner in an ad agency is to take in a massive amount of data and distil it down to the briefest, simplest, sharpest summary for the creative team to turn into an ad. That is the discipline I have used to produce the short entries on the 218 destinations of the world that make up the Dweller’s Guide.

I have never written anything for publication before, though I can claim that millions of people worldwide have seen ads and commercials I have written or inspired (and may have even enjoyed some of them).

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My book is called ‘The Dweller’s Guide To The Planet’ (All you need to know about Everywhere.’)

Once, when we were thinking about where to take a holiday, we were struck by the idea that we could go anywhere. But we had some limitations. We could only go and return on certain dates. We like villas but dislike hotels. We like warm weather and isolation – there’s plenty of each but not so much of both. We like to fly from our local airport. We needed a degree of luxury but only had so much to spend. By the time we had fed all our requirements into the search we found that, far from being able to go anywhere, there were, in fact, only a couple of options available to us. We wondered where this approach would lead to when applied to the question of where to live.

The Dweller’s Guide is the result.

You might think that this is an exercise relevant to only a small group of people – that emigration is either a privilege of the very rich or a necessity for the very poor. There is some, but only some, truth in this. To emigrate anywhere you will usually need a combination of family there, money, a job offer or employable skills. But a great number of people do manage it. According to the Pew Research Center, “If all of the world’s international migrants (people living in a country that is different from their country or territory of birth) lived in a single country, it would be the world’s fifth largest, with around 244 million people.”

The guide starts off with 219 identifiable places to live in the world – 195 countries (with some question about the status of The Vatican City and Palestine) and various other states, non-states, dependencies and ‘overseas territories’.

Each chapter defines and applies a single disqualification, (failed state, bad regime, conflict, crime, climate change, affordability, culture) going through remaining places in alphabetical order – with an open mind and some discussion. At each stage, some countries will be eliminated with a red X; some will be given an amber warning ? So that I couldn’t ‘cheat’ to get the result I wanted, I selected the criteria and the definitions before writing any of the entries. At the outset it was relatively easy to predict some early departures but impossible to know how many or which would be left at the end. (You might want to make a note, before you start reading, of the countries you think are most likely to survive to the end). In this sense, it really was a journey of discovery. At the end of each round of disqualification there is a map of the remaining ‘habitable world’. By the last chapter, ‘Promise Lands’, only 8 countries remain – and they are not the ones you are most likely to think of. They survive simply by not having been disqualified on any of the criteria. This doesn’t necessarily mean they are the best countries in the world, rather that they are the least worst.

Statistics tend not to be politically correct. Nor is their use ever entirely objective. As a white, middle aged, metropolitan male, I cannot escape various conscious and unconscious cultural biases. Without meaning to, I probably cherry pick my data to suit them. It won’t always be simple or uncontroversial. Some of my conclusions are likely to offend. Please feel free to disagree, introduce your own criteria or data sources. I am setting out the results of my quest. You may have your own.

There are several brief histories – ‘of Time’, ‘of Nearly Everything’, ‘of Humankind’. The Dweller’s Guide is a brief geography. It is more an entertainment than a dissertation. It can be read from beginning to end, just dipped into or searched by country.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Non-fiction writing is 80% research – and that’s great because you can force yourself to research even when you can’t force yourself to write. For such a chaotic person I am a surprisingly organised writer. For the book, I researched one country everyday from a number of sources I had gathered together. I love gags and satire, but they have to be fresh, so my rule is: never make a joke you have already thought of. Only make the joke that occurs to you while writing. If nothing funny comes to mind then don’t try to make it.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Finding comparable writers or books is an interesting challenge. There are several brief/short histories – ‘of Time’, ‘of Nearly Everything’, ‘of Humankind’ (Sapiens by Harari), but there seem to be no brief geographies other than specifically regional ones. If there is anything like The Dweller’s Guide, a search on Amazon doesn’t reveal it.

There are any number of travel guides. There are guides on ‘where to retire’. There are many excellent travel journals. The Dweller’s Guide is none of these.

Had Douglas Adams’ Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy been a work of non-fiction, it would have been competition. Since it wasn’t, it is just inspiration. I’d like to compare The Dweller’s Guide with Ben Schott’s Almanacs (which ran in the UK until 2010) in that it is a book of entertaining curiosities and strange facts, or with Freakonomics in that it is a combination of statistics and journalistic comment, woven into a meaningful narrative. But to even think of my effort in the same context of such greats makes me feel a bit silly.

What are you working on now?
Everyday there are news stories that would affect how ‘the dweller’ might see different countries as possible places to settle in. I try to find stories that I can write short blog updates about to keep the book up to date. People tell me they are very funny. I, on the other hand, usually find them very sad. The blog is at www.thedwellersguide.com

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I am on Goodreads, but the book is only just launched so it’s too early to say. I have had some lovely reviews on Amazon.co.uk. I tweet on issues most days and that seems to drive people to my blog pieces and I know from comments received that a number of people have bought the book having been to my own blog site.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Be successful at something else first!

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
My father only ever gave me two bits of advice. He was a mathematician and had worked on several military projects without enthusiasm. The first when I was 13 on my Barmitzvah. He told me, ‘Just because you’re an adult now, don’t think you ever have to be a grown up.’ The second was when I graduated. He said, ‘Whatever you do, don’t do anything important.’
I went into advertising!

What are you reading now?
I have just finished (again) ‘Life and Fate’ by Vasily Grossman – possibly the greatest (but relatively unknown) novel of the 20th century.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I thought I’d write the blog to help sell the book, but increasingly, I now think I wrote the book to help sell the blog – not that I make any money from the blog, but I love the timeliness of blogging. For the time being, that will be my main focus.

What is your favorite book of all time?
Dostievsky The Brothers Karamazov, George Eliot Middlemarch, Douglas Adams The Hitchhikers Guide To the Galaxy, Anthony Trollope The Barchester Chronicles, Wittgenstein Tractatus-logoco Philosophicus, but if I had to pick just one, it would be A.A Milne, ‘Now We are Six’.

Author Websites and Profiles
Andrew Levy Website
Andrew Levy Amazon Profile

Andrew Levy’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I was born and brought up in Guntur district in Andhra Pradesh. The 1990s took me to America for a Master’s degree in Mississippi State University in Starkville, Mississippi. After studies, I started working in the IT industry and worked in America for 11 years before returning back to India.
I still continue to work in IT industry.I am a first time author of the self-help book titled “Life Know-How”. My aim is to help a million young adults lead better lives with the help of “Life Know-How” book. I have plans to write on some more interesting topics in the next couple of years.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The name of my latest book is “Life Know-How: Sensible Advice to Live Life to the Fullest”.

I got inspired by my love for my kid and the desire for my kid to live a good life even when I am no longer around.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
No

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I have been inspired by Dr. Wayne Dyer, Dr. Deepak Chopra, etc.

What are you working on now?
None at this moment

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Pretty-hot.com is a great website

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Never abandon your goal for writing that inspires you.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Whatever happened,
happened for the good;
whatever is happening,
is happening for the good;
whatever will happen,
will also happen for the good only

What are you reading now?
Rich Dad, Poor Dad

What’s next for you as a writer?
Pick another interesting topic and write on it in your spare time.

What is your favorite book of all time?
Gita

Author Websites and Profiles
Viswanatha Reddy Thalakola Amazon Profile

Viswanatha Reddy Thalakola’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Technically two, but the first book I wrote ended up being the third book in the Saga, so it sits on my hard-drive for now.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Toska is my current book. Like the rest of the books, it was inspired by my love of RPG games. Most are based on the actual RPG characters I created.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I like to create a playlist for each book and listen to it while I write.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I guess Tolkien is my hero, and you could say I was a bit influenced by Dracula and Moby Dick.

What are you working on now?
Aside from silly short-stories about the minor characters, I am working on book 2. This one is about werewolves.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Twitter and Reddit seem to be good for promotions. Blogs and Facebook groups do well too. I find them to be far more effective than Kindle Marketing Service.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Keep writing. Forget about everything and write for yourself.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Forget the rules. Rules are for editors. Just Write.

What are you reading now?
Mostly any indie books I come across. I just finished reading Song of the Boricua, it was a very compelling read, I loved it.

What’s next for you as a writer?
More writing. Eventually, I want to finish my story so I can read it when I get old and senile. And you know, maybe someone else will like it too.

What is your favorite book of all time?
Lord of The Rings Trilogy, it helped me escape a very dark place in my life.

Author Websites and Profiles
A.R. Kingston Website
A.R. Kingston Amazon Profile

A.R. Kingston’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have written many books, mostly erotica shorts, but as of right now I have 7 published as ebooks (all through Amazon, for now).

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
ONE HIT. is my latest published book.
I’ve been working on a much larger story, a trilogy, about a woman who escapes from a lifetime raised as an assassin and makes her way through the world using the only two skills she possesses: sex and violence. ONE HIT is a small story about her life in the time before she set out on her own. It’s a completely stand alone tale that can be read on its own with no knowledge that it will connect to a bigger picture.
It is inspired by my desire to see strong female characters that are allowed to kick ass AND enjoy dirty sex. There is no dubious consent here from my heroine. The only question is if the men she encounters will survive.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I like to put on nothing but a pair of black socks and a black stocking cap and pretend the rest of me is the blank space between the lines…

No, seriously though, the rest of the time it’s usually just me with my headphones in at a table in a coffee house surrounded by random people who have no idea what deviancy is playing out in my head.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Anne Rice was a big deal for the younger, gothy-er version of me.

These days I still read Anne Rice, but I have also very much enjoyed THE ROOK by Daniel O’Malley (I still need to get to the sequel), the PASSAGE trilogy from Justine Cronin, and LEXICON from Max Barry.
That said, every one of those books could have done with some dirtier bits. Sleaze it up a little please gentlemen!

What are you working on now?
Post-apocalyptic erotica.

Like, I can’t be the only one who watched Mad Max Fury Road and thought about the kind of sex people would be having in that world, can I? Or watch Zombie movies and wonder what it would be like if they wanted sex more than brains?

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m fairly new to this, so for the time being it’s my own website, twitter, and you guys.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Be writing, or be thinking about writing. Always have a small notebook or some folded paper or something with you BECAUSE YOU WILL FORGET THAT GREAT IDEA IF YOU DON’T WRITE IT DOWN.

Write what you know, or get inspired enough by what you write to try it for yourself. Within reason, of course. I certainly haven’t done everything I’ve written about. Yet.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Most of it got printed in a book by Stephen King called ON WRITING.

What are you reading now?
SAND by Hugh Howey.

What’s next for you as a writer?
More writing, and with any luck the opportunity to do it on a larger scale.

What is your favorite book of all time?
This is probably a weird answer but I have to say TELEGRAPH DAYS by Larry McMurtry, if only because I’ve never seen myself quite so strongly in a character the way I do in Nellie.

Author Websites and Profiles
Jillian Hoff Website
Jillian Hoff Amazon Profile

Jillian Hoff’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have been a writer my entire life minus the early years when all I could do was scribble. I have written numerous children’s books (unpublished), countless poetry of all kinds from funny and sweet to deep and dark.

I was an accomplished journalist at one point having been a sportswriter, news reporter, and feature writer for a local newspaper as well as having been published in a national magazine. I also had a local radio show which covered auto racing.

Having to pay the bills, I settled into a day job in an office with the desire to someday write a novel that would become a bestseller and so here I am!

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Rainbows & Hellfire is my first novel in a trilogy inspired by my own strength and determination to be more than just a survivor of a narcissistic relationship.

On a vacation in the Bahamas, I met a woman going through a break-up and we exchanged stories when she questioned why I was vacationing alone. She was so overwhelmed with inspiration after hearing my story that I knew I could make a difference in the lives of others. My biggest disappointment in life is when others, especially women, lack strength and confidence.

Rainbows & Hellfire shows the good, the bad, the ugly and the magnificent.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I tend to wake up during the night and write into the early morning hours with lots of coffee and cigarettes (bad habit I already know).

It always seems as though my best material comes when I am without pen and paper, especially in the shower or while driving.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Early on, Judy Blume was an inspiration. She helped me through my teenage years and showed me that writing can make an impact in someone’s life. “Are You There God, It’s Me Margaret” is a must read for every pre-puberty girl!

Then I moved onto poetry and quickly admired Robert Frost, mainly due in part to the movie “The Outsiders”. His poem “Nothing Gold Can Stay” became an inspiration in life.

As I attempted various novels and failed, I stumbled upon EL James and Fifty Shades of Grey. Since I was a very open-minded person, especially when it came to sex, I realized that women need to read more open-minded books. Too many women have hidden fantasies and suppress who they really are or would like to be.

What are you working on now?
I am working on the second book in the trilogy but since I just released Rainbows & Hellfire, promoting it has been time consuming, especially still having to go to that day job that pays the bills.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m working on a bit of everything at the moment as far as promoting my book. I know a website is vital but I’m not quite there yet. So wherever I can get word out, I do. I’m on twitter and Instagram but Facebook is my preference as far as social media.

It’s hard to promote on Amazon as they do not let you advertise erotic and mature material.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Chase your dreams because they won’t chase after you. It’s a lot of work, dedication and determination but the satisfaction is worth it so never give up.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
If it fails, you always have one fan….yourself

What are you reading now?
Mostly “how to promote your book” LOL

What’s next for you as a writer?
Finishing the second book of the trilogy and starting the third so I can finish the series and then work on compiling some of my poetry.

What is your favorite book of all time?
Truth be told, I’d rather be writing then reading so my library is limited. I would have to say it is SE Hinton’s “The Outsiders” because I know it word for word.

Author Websites and Profiles
Trinity Devereaux Amazon Profile

Trinity Devereaux’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I grew up and still live in Northern Ohio. Though born with Cerebral Palsy, I’ve never allowed my disability to define me. Rather, I’ve used my experiences to breathe life into characters who have physical limitations, but like me, are determined not to let them stand in the way of the life they want. My debut novel, “Husband in Hiding”, was released in 2015 and was well-received by readers. I’m excited about my upcoming love story, to be released by Vinspire Publishing on October 15, 2018. I may only be able to type with one hand, but I write with my whole heart!

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
It’s “Forgetting My Way Back to You”. I based it on the fact that our experiences—good and bad—shape us, and in painful moments, it’s easy to wish you could erase that baggage. As I wrote it, I reflected on how taking one person or event out of your life would impact it. In some cases, it would be freeing and great, but in a lot of others, like Charlee’s in the book, it would rob a person of many of his/her core components.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I used to have to play a game of solitaire or do a sudoku before I wrote every day, but I guess I’ve outgrown that now!

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Nicholas Sparks. His style inspired me for sure. I love how simple it is, yet how it stirs your emotion. After I read “A Walk to Remember,” I had to read all his works…and write some of my own.

What are you working on now?
Another mystery. I’ve written a four-book mystery series, which “Husband in Hiding” began, and I just started a brand-new story that could evolve into a series. It’s about a psychiatrist who becomes an amateur sleuth after she receives a threatening note.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
From beginning to end, writing is a learning process and one that requires perseverance. Just in creating a piece—poem, short story, essay, or novel—, there may be times you want to give up. Sometimes, I do. But if this is what brings you happiness and satisfaction, stick with it, no matter what anyone may say or even your own doubts.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
From beginning to end, writing is a learning process and one that requires perseverance. Just in creating a piece—poem, short story, essay, or novel—, there may be times you want to give up. Sometimes, I do. But if this is what brings you happiness and satisfaction, stick with it, no matter what anyone may say or even your own doubts.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best things in life are worth waiting for.

What are you reading now?
Well, I’m on a free trial of People magazine and can barely keep up! I also have a cozy mystery waiting for me on the shelf.

What’s next for you as a writer?
After “Forgetting My Way Back to You” comes out, I hope to further pursue finding a home for my mystery series, The Unde(a)feted Detective Series.

What is your favorite book of all time?
The Bible.

Author Websites and Profiles
Karina Bartow Website
Karina Bartow Amazon Profile

Karina Bartow’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I write under the name S C Cunningham. The ‘S’ is for Siobhan which is Irish and pronounced Shevonne. I know, I know, it’s a crazy spelling, go figure! I’m also a Crime Investigator.

I tend to write what I know; my story lines are founded on real life experiences.

From a very young age I’ve always known that my job in life was to entertain. To drag folk kicking and screaming into a world of escapism, to situations they’ve never experienced before and have them championing characters, willing them on and punching the air with a “Yesss!”

When building a character I draw on observations of people I know or have closely watched, it’s easier to write from truth. Luckily, I’ve had a hectic life path, worked in a few fascinating industries, and been able to study a wide range of characters.

In a nutshell my path has been – am British born of Irish parents, was plonked from the age of 8yrs into an Irish Catholic Nuns Boarding School. After a short spell of studying law (realising there is too much injustice in our systems) I went on to work as a fashion model, married a rock musician and worked in the music to film industry. Got divorced and then as a single mum worked within football, sports celebrity management, horse racing, children’s charities, and more recently for the Police as a Crime Investigator – Intel Analyst, Major Crime Team, Wanted and Absconder Units. Am proud mum to a wonderful daughter (Contemporary Artist) and owned by three dogs.

For the past ten years I’ve been drawing on these experiences as inspiration to write steamy Psychological Thrillers ‘The David Trilogy’ and gritty Paranormal Crime Romance ‘The Fallen Angel Series’.

The Penance List was kick-started by an incident that happened to me in my twenties when I was living in London. Quite frighteningly and out of the blue, I crossed paths with a prolific serial attacker who targeted single girls living alone in basement flats in Notting Hill and Olympia. It was then that I realised evil can sit around any corner, learn to trust you gut.

This male haunted London for a long period of time; he was astute, studied his victims for days and avoided capture. I believe he attacked 14 or so women, luckily I got away unscathed (must have an Angel looking out for me) and managed to help Police ID him with a photo fit. He was a nice looking, well dressed, calm, cold, precise and unhurried. He didn’t say a word, just stared, seeming to revel in the fear he instilled.

I remember looking into his face and asking why? I needed to understand how a human could be that cruel to another. He had the look of a spoilt mother’s boy; I guessed his mother must have loved him at some stage, but what life changing event or who had turned him from a sweet little boy into an evil adult? The seed for complex protagonist David Howard was sown.

Using a mix of my own experiences (nuns, boarding school, modelling, the press, celebrity management and fun loving career girlfriends) I created a fantasy world of manipulation, shining a light on the ripple effect carnage that the misuse of power, religion and passion can cause.

I enjoy complex characters that slowly reveal themselves, are not who they seem and engage with the reader, pulling at heartstrings and worst fears. I try to create a person who the reader would either like to hang out with or see as their worst enemy. Someone they feel empathy for and understand their choices, right or wrong. Someone they champion and punch the air with a resounding “Yessss!”

And because I’m an old romantic who loves a bit of drama, my books also have to have a few oh-so-sexy personalities with complicated love lives, evil exes, edge of seat fear, twists, turns, steamy romances and cheeky laugh out loud banter.

Working on a series allows you to build characters that hopefully people will fall in love with and get excited about. David is a very bad person, but fans often write saying they’re hooked; they love his charismatic charm warts and all, and can’t wait to see what he does next. They understand and champion the boy, but fear the man he has become.

The book has been adapted to film script, so we may see David on our screens one day. I love working on this character so much that I have dragged him into ‘The Fallen Angel Series’ where he causes a bit of more chaos in the skies.

Pleased be warned, The Penance List is a sexy thriller, think Psycho meets 50 Shades. It can be a little naughty at times and may not be for everyone. But if you’re brave enough, grab a glass of vino, close the bedroom door and read alone.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
After The Penance List and Unfinished Business I started The Fallen Angel Series, and released The Deal. Am currently working on book two, Karma.

When I was little, 3/4yrs, I was taken, I survived. Coming from an Irish Catholic family, I remember praying every night to God, offering him a deal; if I was a good girl, when I died could I sit on a cloud for a while, invisible, and help him get the baddies who slip through his fingers? I heard later in life that another little girl was taken in the next street, and she didn’t survive.

Like many others, I’ve found myself surviving a few unexplained dodgy situations where afterwards I’ve thought “Gosh, I must’ve had someone/something looking over me there…” I tend to like looking out for the underdog, getting justice. I’ve taken a few jobs which have enabled me to do that; child charity work, intelligence analyst and police crime investigator.

I’m not religious, but I feel that there is something out there, an energy. Maybe it’s just quantum physics we don’t understand yet. And with the world going a tad crazy at the moment, we need a little empowering escapism, so I adapted my childhood deal with God into a fictional series. I love romance and laughter, so of course sex and cheeky banter gets added to the mix.

The Deal is the story of feisty Amy Fox who was taken at 4yrs. She survived and did a deal with god. At 30, her deal and God long forgotten she mysteriously dies. She awakens to find MI5’esque Units in the skies, where vigilante angels dish out tough karma on those below. We follow her work, her revenge, her turbulent love life and attacks from competing forces. She has to wonder if her deal with God was a good thing?

My general inspiration is from people I meet and experiences I have had… I’d better not say any more, I’ve signed the Official Secrets Act and a few Confidentiality Agreements in my time.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I have a writing room at home. I write whenever I can, I have no social life, am a bit of a recluse. I set the scene to write, with lovely smells/candles, soft music, lighting, nibbly food and dogs curled at my feet.

It takes hours/days to block out the world in my head, then I settle down to churn out the words. It’s hard to get to that writing ‘place’ but once you are in the zone, it’s wonderful.

My ideal writing spot would be in a villa with a pool in the sunshine, where I could pop out to take a dip in the pool between chapters… but hey, one day.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I have a passion for Jack Reacher, so first on my list is Lee Child. Although if I ever met him I’d give him a bollocking, I can’t forgive for selling out to Tom Cruise. Tom is wonderful, am sure, but he is no Jack Reacher. Gutted.

Close second are; Martina Cole, Michael Connelly, James Patterson, Agatha Christie, Harlan Coben, John Grisham, Patricia Cornwell, Karin Slaughter… (I’d better shut up now!)

What are you working on now?
Am working on book II of The Fallen Angel Series. A Paranormal Thriller – Karma.

This mixes my criminal knowledge with my belief that there is something else out there. It’s based on a kidnap incident that happened to me as a child. Kick ass, naughty, crime-fighting angels that protect us. Love it, I get to tackle all subjects. Of course there romance and laughter mixed in with the murder mystery.

Am also working on book III of The David Trilogy – For My Sins.
Am gutted, I don’t want the trilogy to end… or does it?

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I source what other books are using and dip in and out of a few different sites. Marketing is one of the three hats you have to wear as an author – Writing / Editing / Marketing.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Just do it. Start. Now… keep going.

The first draft can be a mess, it doesn’t matter, no one ever sees it.

The magic happens when you start to edit through it. Enjoy.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
As above, just do it…..

What are you reading now?
Am looking around for a Lee Child that I haven’t read yet.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Finishing two books, For My Sins, and Karma… then tackling the rest of the Fallen Angel series, which will be about 8 books in total…. phew!

What is your favorite book of all time?
I grew up with Enid Blyton books… the secret seven. The magic enthralled me.

Author Websites and Profiles
S C Cunningham Website
S C Cunningham Amazon Profile
S C Cunningham Author Profile Other Bookseller

S C Cunningham’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account