Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a retired teacher now living in mid Wales with my many furry friends and a husband. I have written the War Torn series which stands at two books at the moment and am currently writing a paranormal romance and researching information to write another book set in Wales.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest Book is the War Torn series and hopefully the second book will be published in the Autumn. It is being edited at the moment. I was inspired by the film Das Boot. It was such a male regime on a U-boat and I wondered what would happen with a woman on board. I intended the book to be just a bit of fun but the characters had other ideas and it has developed into a two book saga of 108000 words each.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
A bit worried about this one. I do talk to my characters and I hot seat them when I take my dog a walk in the mornings. I tend to either question the characters as myself or sometimes as one of the other characters in the scene. This has really helped me get the dialogue hopefully realistic.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I live the writing of Ken Follet and also CJ Sansom. I didn’t ever think I would write about WW2 as my area of interest has always been medieval history up to Stuart times.
My brother was a museum curator and dealt with WW1 and WW2 stories and artefacts so maybe he influenced me.

What are you working on now?
I am currently working on a paranormal romance. One of the characters is from 1914 and the other from 1960, which is when I grew up. I thought I would find it easy writing about my own times but I have found the character from 1914 much easier to write about.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Oh, this is difficult because at the grand old age of 72 I am just setting out on my writing journey. Promotion is hard unless you have a great deal of money to spend, being a pensioner I haven’t. Site like Pretty Hot are so important in helping an author to get their work out in the public domain.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Just go for it and trust in you characters.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
If you have a block, leave the chapter you are at and carry on to a place that you haven’t got a block. You can always go back to the stubborn part. If you sit and worry you will never finish your story.

What are you reading now?
I am reading The White Ship By Charles Spencer. Gosh he must have done some research for this one.

What’s next for you as a writer?
To carry on writing. There could be a third War Torn, I am unsure. Sometimes I think writers and film makers go one too far with a series.

What is your favorite book of all time?
Easy…. War and Peace. What a book.

Author Websites and Profiles
Jan Lloyd Amazon Profil

Jan Lloyd’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I love writing. I would give just about anything to be able to write full-time and not worry about a day job anymore. I write across genres because inspiration knows no boundaries. To date, I have six books published. I have three early readers; one even won the KART Kids Book List Award. I’ve published one young readers’ chapter book. It tackles the difficult subject of bullying and features a full-page illustration at the start of every chapter. My husband was my illustrator for all of these books. I also have a NaNoWriMo supernatural thriller that one reader declared too scary to read while they were alone. Most recently, I’ve released a multi-genre collection of short stories.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Love Sick: Stories is a collection of short stories that portray the variety of paths that love can take. I draw my inspiration from everything around me. I dream in stories sometimes, and I have a curious mind that likes to play with the what-if questions.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m not sure what classifies as unusual. As I said, I find inspiration all around me. If a story idea strikes me and I am compelled to write when away from my computer, I will text myself, sometimes even full stories. I do this even though I have full access to my word processor from my phone. Is this unusual?

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I was a voracious reader from a very young age, devouring every book I could. The list of influential authors grew alongside me and my appetite for reading. I could never pin it down to just a handful. That would be unfair to all the others.

What are you working on now?
I have a handful of projects that I’m working on right now. I’ve been writing a historical romance, Once Upon a Time in Iowa. I became inspired to write this novel while researching my genealogy. I discovered that no one had preserved my family’s stories. I was drawn to my fourth great-grandparents and the snippets of their life I found. I’m creating a fictional love story that I hope will honor the truth of their love. I also have a few short story collections in varying stages of the writing and publication process.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I don’t know that I’ve figured out the best method or website for promoting my books. I talk about them everywhere. I post about my books on my website and social media accounts. I hand out my business card whenever I see an opportunity. I am always trying new things and continue to grow and learn as a business person.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Be true to yourself and your story.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The first draft is for you to tell yourself the story. The rest will come in the edits.

What are you reading now?
I’ve been reading “You Betrayed Me” by Lisa Jackson. I’ve been listening to Bram Stoker’s “Dracula” at work.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Next? There’s always a next story to write. A next book to be edited and published. A next inspiration to be found. What’s next for me as a writer is everything that is still to come.

What is your favorite book of all time?
“The Animals Who Changed Their Colors” by Pascale Allamand has been a favorite book for longer than I can remember. It’s a beautifully illustrated children’s book with a heartwarming storyline about being yourself.

Author Websites and Profiles
Tiffany Higgins Website
Tiffany Higgins Amazon Profile

Tiffany Higgins’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a newly starting self-publishing author. I recently published one romance novel, and I am just slowly implementing myself into the world of writing.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The book is called Fight for Me, and the story was inspired by my own difficult experiences and attempts to find myself after a trauma in the face of a new love. My own happy ending showed me that everyone can get a second chance from life.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m quite a disorganized person and I’m easily knocked out of my rhythm, so I often close my mind to reality and it can then be hard to reach me once I cross that threshold.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
“Here’s to Falling” by Christine Zolendz is a book that will stay with me forever. I really enjoy reading books by authors like Lauren Gilley, Lisa Helen Gray, and Patricia Briggs.

What are you working on now?
I am currently working on the Fight for Me sequel, and in the meantime I am also writing a young adult fantasy novel.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
It’s hard to say, because at the moment I’m just being introduced to ways of promoting my book and trying different things.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Be brave, believe in yourself and write! And don’t be afraid of receiving criticism, it’s good for you.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t stress over things that are beyond your control.

What are you reading now?
“The Wild Charge” by Lauren Gilley

What’s next for you as a writer?
I would like to continue my work with the characters I created in “Fight for Me”. I also dream of creating a fantasy trilogy, but there is still a long way to go.

What is your favorite book of all time?
This will certainly sound very basic but I love the Harry Potter series that I grew up on.

Author Websites and Profiles
Hannah Martinez Website

Hannah Martinez’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have been a high school guidance counselor for twenty-five years all at the same school in Utah. I have enjoyed coaching high school wrestling, cross-country, and girl’s golf. I used to be an avid runner with 28 marathons under my belt. I swapped my running shoes for a road bike about three years ago (knees were starting to complain) and have enjoyed the change. I, like most writer’s am an avid reader, enjoy taking long walks, am an avid cd and album collector, love debating top five lists with my brother, and believe that Queen is the greatest rock concert I ever saw when I was sixteen at the Oakland Arena in California. I have written only one book, The Box, with the second book in the series currently in the works. I live with my wife, children, two cats, and my 10 year old Great Dane, Dan.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The name of my only book is The Box: A Time Travel Sci-Fi Thriller. The plan is for a sequel, though there may very well be a book three. I have had the idea for The Box for about fifteen years, and even started writing it about seven years ago, but as with most things, life got in the way and I shelved if until 2021. But the story never left me and so I started writing in earnest, with the goal being to write 300 pages and call it good. Well, 300 soon turned into nearly 600, and…well, the rest is history. The story developed from a simple idea: What if there was an ancient equation that a boy solves and it leads him to a time traveling device. That was it. From there, the story took off. And though it fits in the sci-fi genre, it is also packed with action, deception, historical characters, Aliens and First Inhabitants, and supernatural elements.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I have always read that it is necessary to write everyday. That’s not me. If I don’t feel the “bug” I may trudge through a paragraph or two before I shut it down. I try not to force the writing process. I also do not outline my stories. I have a rough idea in my head and I go from there, adding and deleting as I go. I also usually write approximately 100 pages and then go back and read/re-write those pages before moving on. I feel this helps me keep the story straight in my head and also helps with continuity and flow.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I’m not certain that there are books that have influenced me, but there are certainly authors whose writing style I enjoy or whose books I have enjoyed for one reason or another. I love Cormac McCarthy, early Stephen King, the early books of Dennis Lehane, and Toni Morrison. Some of my favorite books are Beloved, The Road, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, IT, and City of Thieves.

What are you working on now?
I am currently working on boo two of The Box series, tentatively titled, The Equation. I also, have about fifty pages of a coming of age YA novel about a female wrestler navigating her first season as a wrestler on the boys wrestling team and the relationship she develops with the head coach’s son, a returning state champion, who is dealing with mental health challenges.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I am new at the promoting game. Until now it’s all been word of mouth and postings on my Facebook author page and Instagram, which I knew nothing about until three weeks ago.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Just Write! The story will come.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Just Write!

What are you reading now?
The Midnight Library by Matt Haig.

What’s next for you as a writer?
To complete book two of The Box series.

What is your favorite book of all time?
If I had to pick one, which is extremely difficult to do, I would say The Road by Cormac McCarthy. I thought it was a very powerful story of the choices a father makes to protect his son. As a father, it really spoke to me.

Author Websites and Profiles
Fred Falcón Website
Fred Falcón Amazon Profile

Fred Falcón’s Social Media Links
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am from rural northern Queensland, and I write Historical Romantic suspense novels set in and around the Burdekin region. As well as romance, my books contain local history, place names, crimes, drama and scandal.

I used to be published with Venus Press, Red Sage and Beachwalk Press, but since the closure of these companies, I have taken to independently publishing.

As well as a published author of 15 novels, I am a wife, mother of 5 school-aged children, stepmother to 4 adult children and carer for my elderly mother.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book Seduction, Lies & Betrayal was inspired by our family’s migration to Australia during the 19th century.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m not sure it’s unusual, but I write out character descriptions and a basic plot on paper first before putting anything on the computer.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I’ve always admired Amanda Quick’s work and Jackie Collins, but then I’ve also looked to Agatha Christie for inspiration too.

What are you working on now?
I’m currently walking on a collection of stand-alone books featuring scarred heroes or heroines.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I tend to find Facebook very interactive and friendly for the most part. I’ve also acquired some contacts on Twitter that are happy to spread the word about my books too.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write from your heart, not what you think the reader wants because it’s impossible to satisfy everyone.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“It’s all been written before but never by you.”

What are you reading now?
I’m re-reading Scandal by Amanda Quick.

What’s next for you as a writer?
More stories and more books. I try to average 4 releases a year which is a struggle with my size family. I’m also in the process of re-writing the books once published by Red Sage.

What is your favorite book of all time?
Charlotte’s Web – a beautiful story of friendship.

Author Websites and Profiles
Faye Hall Website
Faye Hall Amazon Profile
Faye Hall Author Profile Other Bookseller

Faye Hall’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I started writing recently. Fuck The System…The Supremacy Incarnation is my first book. I’m a tireless enthusiast of indoor sports, and games such as martial arts and chess, as well as riding the big toys; bikes and cars on the asphalt. Currently I’m pursuing a degree in mechanical engineering. I have two published books so far. More is in store, so better be ready for a novel fiction series in the course of this year. For those interested in conversations or any kind of communication, my email is “breshwinston@gmail.com”

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My Latest book is a small volume of poems titled ”The Good The Bad The Evil: Poems on Life, Exploring Life’s Contrasts”.
I would say the inspiration in the writing of those poems is based entirely on my personal taste, passions and my general philosophies in life.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Yes. I only write when I have something bothering my mind or when under extreme stress or tension and therefore need to clear my mind. Spooky right?

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I can’t quite place a specific name; I have read literally thousands of novels; anything written catches my eye. I recently started enjoying non-fictions.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on my first fiction book. It will be a thriller series. More information will be availed on my author page on amazon.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
That’s what I’m currently working on. I am yet to find a specific best way of book promotion.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Look at writing like a game, don’t attach feelings to it.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Success doesn’t require you to be extraordinary. Just do the ordinary things in an extraordinary manner.

What are you reading now?
How to Think Like a Roman Emperor: The Stoic Philosophy of Marcus Aurelius by Donald Robertson

What’s next for you as a writer?
Keeping the books coming consistently for my dear readers.

What is your favorite book of all time?
Toys by James Patterson and Neil McMahon.

Author Websites and Profiles
Bresh Winston Amazon Profile

Bresh Winston’s Social Media Links
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My day job is teaching writing and literature classes at Berklee College of Music. In addition to writing (and reading!!) in my spare time, I love to hike, travel, and cycle. (I don’t own a car.) I live with my husband, son, cat, and hamster in a Triple Decker in Boston MA, which is the setting for my YA time-travel series. So far, I’ve written two of the four Fatechanger novels.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Fatechanger: Penny Found is my most recent novel, published by Black Rose Writing in December 2022. The entire series was inspired by my love of finding pennies on the ground, looking at the date under Lincoln’s chin, and imagining what the world was like then. Even though I was born and raised in California, I have fallen madly in love with Boston and Boston’s history, which has been super fun to research.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Since I teach a full load during the academic year, I don’t have much time to write, and I have to take advantage of every spare moment I can–whether or not the muse is striking. To make it easier to jump immediately into my fictional world, I have a special playlist that I listen to while I write. As soon as I hear the opening notes of the first song, I’m immediately transported to Boston circa 1917.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I genuinely love all genres and styles of writing, as long as it’s a good story. From J. R. R. Tolkien to Jane Austen to Jorge Louis Borges to Zora Neale Hurston to Leo Tolstoy to Mary Stewart to Amelie Nothomb to Patrick Rothfuss. Some of the books that inspired Fatechanger are “Six of Crows” by Leigh Bardugo, “The Thief” by Megan Whalen Turner, and “The Song of the Lioness” by Tamora Pierce.

What are you working on now?
Book Three! Fatechanger: Penny Earned will take place in the Lowell cotton mills.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Honestly, I’d rather write a million novels than try to market just one–which is why I’m so grateful for sites like Pretty-Hot.com!

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Keep writing-even on bad days with serious writers block. Don’t judge your writing either–crappy writing is what revision is for. Often, I have to work through a lot of bad writing before I can find the story I really want to tell. Although I start a project with a general plot outline, the characters will frequently surprise me with their decisions, and the story takes on a life of its own. In order for this to happen, I have to be writing.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Anne Lamott’s “Bird by Bird” has a chapter on shitty first drafts. It changed my life.

What are you reading now?
“The Silmarillion.” After my fourth reading “Lord of the Rings,” I figured it was time.

What’s next for you as a writer?
After finishing the Fatechanger Series, I want to try writing something more lighthearted (but probably still historical) for adults.

What is your favorite book of all time?
“The Little Prince” by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. I cry every time I read it.

Author Websites and Profiles
L. M. Poplin Website
L. M. Poplin Amazon Profile

L. M. Poplin’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
An internally award winner who specializes in writing books on various Genres. An international acclaimed New York Times and Africa Today’s Best Seller.She enjoys Writing on a various Genres detailing amazing worlds filled with action,love and tears.Her stories focus on strong characteristics with the dynamics of their relationships as they deal with diverse situations.A deep-thinker Aurator who believes in saying things the exact way it is and had written over 30 different books on different Genres.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
HAWAII ISLAND TRAVEL GUIDE, MALTA TRAVEL GUIDE, PRAGUE TRAVEL GUIDE, 31-WAYS OF EARNING MONEY THROUGH WRITING SMALL REPORTS AND MAGAZINES.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
No

What authors, or books have influenced you?
All Educative and Inspiring Books

What are you working on now?
TRAVEL GUIDE 2023 to various NATIONS

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

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Not to make money their topmost priority when writing and publishing books.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
To be deligent and hard-working

What are you reading now?
Educative And Trending Books

What’s next for you as a writer?
To continue producing quality books

What is your favorite book of all time?
All Educative Books

Author Websites and Profiles
QUEEN ESTHER Website
QUEEN ESTHER Amazon Profile
QUEEN ESTHER Author Profile Other Bookseller

QUEEN ESTHER’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am from the UK, but I live in France. I have written 3 books and compiled an anthology. My latest book is a children’s book.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is called The Fish King and the Two Wise Ghosts. It was inspired by a drawing my son did a few years ago. It was first written as a long poem.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not that I know of.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I love Roald Dahl, I’ve read a lot of his books to my son and read them when I was a child.

What are you working on now?
Promoting my book and working on some short stories.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I use Twitter a lot;

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Go for it and keep at it

What are you reading now?
I am listening to Station 11

What’s next for you as a writer?
Who knows what lies ahead; I would like to promote my children’s book in schools and libraries

What is your favorite book of all time?
That’s hard to say…

Author Websites and Profiles
Francis H-Powell Website
Francis H-Powell Amazon Profile

Francis H-Powell’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I was born in Somerset and currently live in Cambridgeshire, UK. I’ve written one book.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My last book was called Æ (pronounced Ash). I’ve been obsessed with Íslendingasögur, the Icelandic sagas since I took a holiday on the island in 2018.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I find it helpful to listen to music whilst I write, but I find anything with lyrics in distracting. Whilst I can listen to Classical music for a while, I often want a change and end up scouring the internet for instrumental or karaoke versions of tracks I like.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
David Mitchell, Ian Banks, Donna Tartt, Robert Harris, Brett Easton-Ellis, Ben Elton, Douglas Adams to name but a few.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on a currently unnamed novel set in a town in the English Midlands.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m still very much a novice on this side of things.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
If you’ve managed to sit down and complete a novel just be proud of your achievement. Many people would like to write a book but haven’t had the perseverance to complete one.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Never try and bluff a question you can’t think of an answer for.

What are you reading now?
Currently re-reading Independent People by Halldór Laxness.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’ll hopefully finish my second novel and then who knows!

What is your favorite book of all time?
Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell.

Author Websites and Profiles
Jon Eschsri Amazon Profile

Jon Eschsri’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Twitter Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Currently, I’m hard at work on my second book and am excited to see where this journey takes me next. As a writer, I find that my inspiration comes from many different sources – whether it’s a conversation I overhear on the subway or a dream I had the night before. I believe that the key to good writing is being open to the world around you and allowing yourself to be moved by what you see and hear.

When I’m not writing, I enjoy spending time hiking in the great outdoors and exploring new places. I believe that all of these experiences help to inform my writing and bring richness and depth to my stories.

Thank you for taking the time to read and support me on this journey. I can’t wait to share my future projects with you and to continue to grow and evolve as a writer.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Gerry The Likable: Story of Cyberbullying

As a child, I was bullied for many years and it had a profound impact on my life. It wasn’t until much later that I realized how much the experience had affected me and how much it still affected me as an adult. When I heard about the rising suicide rates related to online bullying, I knew that I had to write about it. I wanted to use my own experience to shed light on this important issue and hopefully help others who may be going through something similar.

The struggles of my nieces were also a major factor in inspiring me to write this book. Both of them have battled with depression and have experienced the devastating effects of bullying firsthand. Seeing them go through this was incredibly difficult, and I wanted to do something to help raise awareness and make a difference.

What auth books have ors, orinfluenced you?

Rich Dad Poor Dad

What are you working on now?
As of right now, I am working on mostly activity books.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Amazon ads seem to be the best way to promote my book, I am still new and trying out many things.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I am a new author myself and as of right now don’t have much to share.

Author Websites and Profiles
Al Tran Website
Al Tran Amazon Profile

Al Tran’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
James Parker is currently a Pharmacist living in Las Vegas. He has competed in the Church Training Service of First Free Will Baptist Church in Garland, Texas, where he also competed in Music and Arts for singing and song writing. He has written over 100 songs. He became interested in Islam in 2006 which led him to research the Islamic end time prophesies as well as the Islamo-political events in the Middle East which formed the basis for this book. Parker has combined his knowledge of Islamic prophesies with decades of experience studying the bible to produce a compelling look at future events from a fresh and unique perspective. He attends Liberty Baptist Church in Las Vegas with his wife and family where they are directors in the children’s department on Sunday mornings. He has written two books of a trilogy and is working on the third.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The 12th Imam: The Judgments of God
It is the third book in a trilogy dealing with the Rapture and the seven year tribulation.
In 2006 “Left Behind” was popular, but I didn’t think it would actually happen that way, because Islam is the second largest religion in the world and would be the largest after the Rapture. When I started looking at Islamic end-time prophecies I found they lined up with Christian prophecies to some degree and felt that might be the religion / government of the Antichrist.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
No, I just try to come up with the chapter title then start writing what I think it will be about until the chapter is finally finished.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Left Behind, the Bible

What is your favorite book of all time?
Bible

Author Websites and Profiles
James Parker Website
James Parker Amazon Profile

James Parker’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a fourth-culture kid who is a native of the Philippines but have lived the greater part of my life in Cyprus, Lebanon, and the United States of America. My multiculturalism has permeated my writing, and I have written an eclecticism of genres and materials—from newswriting to writing for secular business and church magazines, from romance to young adult to fantasy, even high fantasy. I am not afraid to step out of the box and challenge the status quo, and my debut novel, *A Seal upon the Heart,* is an example of that. It is a mixture of romance and multicultural family saga. I also have a hodgepodge of interests from music to dancing to moviemaking to knitting to cross-stitching. But sleeping is not one of them.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
What’s to be my latest book, which is the sequel to my debut novel, *A Seal upon the Heart,* is entitled *A Thief in the Night.* Both books were actually one book at the outset, but test readers had recommended splitting it into two or even more books due to its length and difference in themes. The first half of the original manuscript, which eventually became *A Seal upon the Heart,* focuses on the love story of the main protagonists who came from different cultural backgrounds and belief systems—from opposite poles of the earth, in other words. And the second half is more about the challenges the family they build face. My inspiration was my own dreams of how I wanted my future family to love Jesus first and to live in His joy and abundance. And my second contrasting catalyst was my observation of multitudes of Filipino women coming to work in Lebanon and ending up in broken relationships similar to what they had left in the Philippines. I wanted to share with these love-starved women my dreams of a marriage and family truly blessed by God.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Hmm, I don’t know if it could be called unusual, but I color code my manuscript according to what category of research they fall into. For example, with *A Seal upon the Heart,* green stood for Scottish questions, blue for rugby questions, red for deleted items, and purple for added items. I also check any words, whose spellings I’m not one hundred percent sure of, in the Merriam-Webster online dictionary, especially words that can be spelled more than one way, like *mouth-watering.* Or *mouthwatering*? I use a single dictionary for all my words in a novel unless the word is not available there; then I use my second option as an online dictionary and so forth. I’m not certain that’s unusual either, maybe just finicky, haha.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
For fantasy, who else could have influenced me but the peerless J. R. R. Tolkien? I love fantasy with clear and majestic hierarchies, and Tolkien is a master of creating family trees of those. His old-world style of writing is poetically beautiful, his attention to detail impressive. I am a pretty detail-oriented person too.

For romance, Christian romance author Francine Rivers’ bestselling classic, *Redeeming Love,* definitely had a huge impact on my writing. Though lesser known, I find DeAnna Julie Dodson’s writing even lovelier than Rivers, with good word choices and a poetically flowing narrative. She writes medieval romance.

What are you working on now?
I will be working on *A Thief in the Night,* hopefully soon, adding chapters, incorporating suggestions, then editing.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’ve mostly used Facebook because that’s mainly where my friends and acquaintances are. I am not a social-media person, as I value my privacy, so writing kind of forced me to try out other social media, like Instagram and TikTok. To date, I have not really used them much, as I have been too preoccupied with writing and publishing my books. Maybe when all the activity dies down, I’ll experiment with them.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write what’s in your heart, what you enjoy, not what sells. Because if you write for profit’s sake, your lack of inspiration will show in your writing, and that’s what readers will read. I also think it’s more fulfilling to delve into an activity that you love rather than something that’s just functional.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I haven’t really received any advice that made the lights come on in my head. I’m someone who tends to deviate from what people normally do because of my eclectic background, and that seems to work for me. I guess the most apt piece of advise for me right now in self-publishing is my brother’s “Don’t sweat the small stuff.” There are too many small stuff in self-publishing that will just make you go crazy if you endeavor to whip every single one of them into shape. Sometimes, it’s not worth it, and it’s best to just let go. But I still don’t, haha! But that’s just me.

What are you reading now?
Haven’t had time to read in a month due to writing, editing, and publishing. But the last book I read, around a month or two ago, was *The Masterpiece* by Francine Rivers. It’s my comparative title for *A Seal upon the Heart* because they’re both about a bicultural romance (I think one of the main characters in *The Masterpiece* was not a Caucasian) between a follower of Jesus and an agnostic.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I plan to take a lengthy break after *A Thief in the Night.* Writing and editing comes pretty easily for me, but publishing is arduous work as a beginner. I might apply for an editing job in Europe. And then at some point, I plan to publish my high fantasy NIP (novel in progress) and bird novella—not sure which one first. All of these are by God’s will.

What is your favorite book of all time?
My most favorite of favorite books is J. R. R. Tolkien’s *The Silmarillion.* Far lesser known than *The Lord of the Rings* and *The Hobbit,* it unveils Tolkien’s brilliance in creating worlds and sentient creatures. It is a glorious piece of writing and may even be considered the Bible of all fiction books, in my humble opinion.

Rhyse Furio’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a lady in the ‘mature’ age bracket and have always had a book to read or pencil in my hand, scribbling away on some random thought, which eventually made its way into a story. I always knew I would write, believing in my younger years that I would be the next Danielle Steel. Well, I discovered, I do not have the patience for writing long novels, nor do I care for writing romance. Short story mysteries and humor are way more fun. I am a ‘what if’ writer, and I am also a ‘pantser’ writing by the seat of my pants. From my brain to the pen or computer is how I write. I have written 2 books, For the Soul and One Soul’s Journey.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
One Soul’s Journey. The cover art is a stream tumbling over rocks, which is an inspiration to me about how we journey through life. My books are an eclectic mix of short stories, all family-friendly, full of fun, humor, mystery, and some memoirs.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I do not think it is a writing habit per se, but I will wake up in the middle of the night with a story or phrase that I absolutely must use. So, I haul myself out of my comfy, snuggly, warm bed to write it down.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I enjoy reading historical fiction, especially the Civil War era, but no specific author pops out at me. I find each has his/her own special talent. There are so many great indie authors, I have a tendency to stick with them if at all possible.

What are you working on now?
My third book in the Soul Series, which has no title yet. It will follow the first two with short stories full of many genres.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I have a great marketing guru. Plus, I like to give my books away to random people I meet who like to read. I have found that is a great marketing tool. All I ask is that they kindly leave a review if they like the book.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Read as many genres as possible. It will make you a better writer.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
For every problem, there is a solution built in.

What are you reading now?
I have just finished Ivy Logan’s Breach Chronicle Series. I am waiting for the last installment. She is an indie author I met on Twitter, and she writes a great fantasy novel.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Finish book 3 in the series, and then I shall see. Maybe a novella, but I am not a novel writer. I do not have the patience.

What is your favorite book of all time?
Gone With the Wind.

Author Websites and Profiles
Barbara Daniels Dena Amazon Profile

Barbara Daniels Dena’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I spent most of my professional life in various manufacturing management positions, ranging from labor relations manager to plant manager, mostly in the automotive industry. But I had a secondary career as a college instructor of rhetoric and literature.
My current novel TRIOS is my first book launch, but I have for the past year had serialized a novel online, one chapter per month, with Spillwords Press. That novel is LOCUST HILL, a touching family saga set in the Mid-Ohio Valley of West Virginia.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My most recent novel is entitled TRIOS: DEATH, DECEIT, AND POLITICS. It was inspired by today’s headlines: the state of modern journalism and higher education coupled with ever (at least it seems eternal) corruption in American politics. Not many characters escape the novel with their innocence in tact.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I begin a novel or short story with a sketch book. The first item in the sketchbook is the complication of the story. That is, what is the problem that will drive the plot? Next, I determine who must deal with this problem (the protagonist) and who presents it (the antagonist). Then I focus on developing these characters: What do they look like? How do they speak and think? What are their strengths and weaknesses? As these characters develop, so does the plot. As key moments in the plot become clear to me, I write them into the sketchbook to be cut and pasted later into the manuscript. Soon, something magical happens–namely, the characters take over the plot and determine what they must say and do according to their character parameters. I’ve found that it is not a good idea to contradict them.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
I especially love American Southern literature and most of all William Faulkner. But I also love the work of Paul Horgan, an American author too many of us have forgotten. (So look him up!) Also, the short stories of Irish author William Trevor–I hold those in high regard.

What are you working on now?
Currently, I am working on a dystopian novel entitled SHANTEYBOAT.
The whole idea of dystopian literature is to push current social-political trends into the future to see what they will produce. Just the title of the novel may give a clue!

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m just learning about book promotion, so I’m a poor one to offer advice on that subject. I have cobbled together a set of Facebook groups that constitute about 250,000 contacts and therefore potential book purchasers. The question is how to convert contacts to buyers and fans. You can’t do that without a great book!

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Try different things. Start with short stories. Try to write one without a narrator, dialogue only. That will teach you about character voices. Publishers and agents are always talking about the writer’s voice but can never define what it is. I think that they are wrong even to try. What was Shakespeare’s voice? Always and only that of his characters and what was appropriate to them.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
It’s hard today, when realism dominates fiction writing, to avoid:
SHOW ME, DON’T TELL ME.

What are you reading now?
I just finished Shirley Hazzard’s THE TRANSIT OF VENUS and trying to decide how, on the balance, I feel about it. In the process of reading it, my thoughts were: Too much of the narrator and too little of the characters speaking for themselves.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I have a number of partially completed crime novels that I need to finish before starting on an historical novel set in West Virginia, my home state.

What is your favorite book of all time?
For craftsmanship–Flaubert’s MADAME BOVARY.

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Marjan walked away from an outlaw life over 40 years ago. He moved his wife and his five children into the Montana wilderness where he grew most of his own food and became an entrepreneur, co-founding and selling a number of businesses. Marjan is now retired and has a passion for helping others, writing, billiards, motorcycling, mountain lakes and watching his 20 grandchildren grow.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
600 Devils by Marjan – The book was 20 years in the making. I had to wait until certain people were deceased before I launched it. 600 Devils is a story that just had to be told. About the time I transitioned from being an emotionally disturbed teenager to a hardcore outlaw, I began to view the material world as a temporary illusion crippled by human boundaries. Torn between the freewheeling lifestyle of a smuggler and being an austere spiritual seeker, there was a lot to sort out.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not really, it is mainly a matter of jogging my memory. I’m retired and some things in the book happened a long time ago when I was young, impetuous, adventurous and foolish.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Tolkien, Hancock, C.S. Lewis

What are you working on now?
Fasting Firepower – A layman’s guide to a mountain moving life.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m relatively new at this, but the Amazon link is best as it has Editorial Reviews which were surprisingly positive and encouraging.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
If you have the want to, keep at it. It took me a few years to come up with an ending for 600 Devils as I had to work out some mental issues, but when I got to the end, the answer was there.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Shine in the face of adversity!

What are you reading now?
Just writing

What’s next for you as a writer?
Another book, which should be ready in about three months.

What is your favorite book of all time?
The Bible and the Vedas

Author Websites and Profiles
Marjan Marjan Amazon Profile

Marjan Marjan’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile