Goodreads Authors/Readers discussion

I've had some success on my blog with open author interviews, so I'll include it here for our members. All authors are invited to participate--just answer the five questions below. (You may do it here in the comment section, or post your name within this folder.)

Please make sure you write out the question you are answering.

1) What is your name and bio?

2) What is your book title, synopsis, and where can readers find it?

3) Where do you come up with your ideas?

4) What books/authors do you like to read?

5) What's your next writing project?


An Example:

1) What is your name and bio?
My name is Vincent Lowry and I was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico. I currently live in Los Angeles with my son, and I run a blog (http://ratemybookvideo.wordpress.com/) that encourages new authors to post their book videos/trailers.

2) What is your book title, synopsis, and where can readers find it?

My book title is Constellation Chronicles The Lost Civilization of Aries.

Here is the synopsis on the back cover:
A blinding fireball rips across the night sky and slams into a field in the remote town of Rigel, New Mexico. Glenn Sawyer, a broke and disillusioned 18-year-old, witnesses and investigates the crash, finding a surreal craft and an even stranger monkey-like creature named Paako, who secretly follows him home and stirs up trouble. As Glenn captures Paako and attempts to return her to the crash site, he discovers unexpected company, and learns that his remarkable journey -- filled with adventure, evil, and a cast of captivating characters -- has only just begun.

Readers can find it on the book's website (http://www.constellationchronicles.com), Amazon, or at Barnes and Noble.

3) Where do you come up with your ideas?
Most of my ideas pop in my head while I'm reading. I find that reading other stories is a good way to keep up the creativity.

4) What books/authors do you like to read?
Tony Hillerman, Carl Sagan, Frank Darabont (scripts), Stephen King to name just a few.

5) What's your next writing project?
I'm currently working on the second book of the Constellation Chronicles series. It's the next sign of the zodiac following Aries--Taurus.

1) What is your name and bio?

My name is Urenna Sander and I live in Pennsylvania. I am the mother of two sons. I attended Temple University and work as an Administrative Assistant.

2) What is your book title, synopsis, and where can readers find it?

My book title is: “True Season of Love”

Synopsis:

“True Season of Love” is a mesmerizing, passionate love story set in Paris, France in 1968. African-American, Medical Journalist, Olivia Moreno meets wealthy Ptolemy Verenis at a masquerade party in London.

It’s a night of not removing one’s mask. It’s a night of not revealing your identity. It’s a night Olivia wishes to forget. She has a great job. Letting her hair down that weekend must remain secret. But Ptolemy is captivated by the woman he’s met; he has no intention of forgetting her.

This is a book of deception and secret pain; that will bond the women who love Ptolemy. One tormented by trauma in her past, the other guilt-ridden with the atrocities of Germany’s invasion of Greece during World War II.

The story is hauntingly beautiful of love absolute, between a man and a woman.

You can find more information about my book on my website (http://www.urennasander.com/), Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or at iUniverse.

3) Where do you come up with your ideas?

There’s a motley group of characters in my head. I have always had a very vivid imagination. However, like most writers, some events are non fiction. I usually wake up with ideas, so I keep a pad and pen at my bedside. Sometimes, I’m at the computer at 4:00 a.m. I am an administrative assistant to the chairman, which is a very hectic job. Sometimes ideas come to me in the middle of the day, so I have a folder where I’ll type in paragraphs or notes. Sometimes a word or phrase will give me ideas.

4) What books/authors do you like to read?

I like to read Richard Wright, Somerset Maugham, Maya Angelou, Susan Howatch, Beatrice Smart, and a new favorite, Chaim Potok, etc.

5) What's your next writing project?

My next project is Consuela (Connie) Moreno, Olivia Moreno’s sister, in my current book, “True Season of Love.” Connie’s story spans almost 10 years of her life, beginning at age 18.

1) What is your name and bio?
My name is Anna L. Walls. I live in the wilderness of Alaska where I work during the summer at a fishing lodge only a few miles from where I live. During the winter, I pour my soul into my writing, except that now I'm trying to get noticed so that I might stand a better chance of being published. The task had pretty much overwhelmed my writing.

2) What is your book title, synopsis, and where can readers find it?
My book is KING BY RIGHT OF BLOOD AND MIGHT. It's about a prince who must look for guidance in becoming a king from someone other than his father and then he must rescue his people from mind-controling slavers and bandits who have raped his country into near extinction.

3) Where do you come up with your ideas?
Most of my ideas come from dreams. I don't dream about the normal day-to-day problems. They are usually pretty out there. If it is an interesting scene, I'll write it down, and if I can work with it, it becomes a story. Sometimes, my stories develop a life of their own. Those are the ones that become books.

4) What books/authors do you like to read?
I like to read Dungeons and Dragons type stories - most anything that contains magic or medieval lifestyles. I like knights and warhorses. I also like science fiction, if it's not too technical.

5) What's your next writing project?
I have finished 12 books that range in length from more than 300 pages, up to nearly 1000 pages. I have also written another 12 stories that range in length from 5 pages to less than 100 pages. Currently, I'm writing a story where I'm trying to meld the Dungeons and Dragons game world with present day USA. My main character walks a careful line between them both. It's a lot of fun.

1) What is your name and bio? My name is Trish Silver and I live in sunny Southern California with her husband and two dogs. I fell in love with romance novels when I was in my early teens in Wisconsin. I attended the University of Cincinnati, School of Journalism. I took a detour from writing to raise my two sons. Since I am an avid reader of contemporary romance, and erotica, I tend to combine the two in my writings. In addition to writing books,I enjoy spending time with my grandchildren, gardening, traveling, and spending quality time with family and good friends.

2) What is your book title, synopsis, and where can readers find it? The title of my book is When I Remember Love . The story is about a beautiful young woman grieving the sudden death of her mother is invited to stay with her favorite aunt in California. As she arrives in Los Angeles, Jenna Holden has no idea that her life is about to change forever. Jenna?s aunt, Vanessa, a music agent, has just signed Aidan Price, a gifted and promising new performer who bears a striking resemblance to a young Johnny Depp. Aidan has come to Hollywood to compete on American Star, a very popular televised singing competition. Vanessa arranges for Jenna to meet Aidan at lunch, and their connection is instantaneous and electric. From there they begin a sizzling courtship that leads them on a whirlwind journey through the demanding music business and media scrutiny that accompanies Aidan's newfound fame. Despite all the intrusions which result inevitably from success in the entertainment world, Aidan and Jenna create a passionate and loving life together?a life, though, that is soon to become much more complicated than the "easy" life we so often assume comes with fame and fortune. As they are forced to deal with the pressures of international fame, a devastating illness, and an unspeakable traumatic event, Aidan and Jenna?s relationship and commitment to each other are tested in many unpredictable ways as they attempt to prevail over the seemingly insurmountable challenges that come with their own personal and intimate experience of stardom. You can find it on my web site, http://trishsilver.com where there are links to the book on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Iuniverse, or you can buy it on my site.

3) Where do you come up with your ideas? This is my first book. I got caught up in the excitement of American Idol one season and became a big fan of an idol who inspired me to explore my own talents. So, I have written a novel that came to me in a dream about a fictitious pop star discovered on a fictitious TV talent competition show. I know mine isn't the first story told about an undiscovered talent's humble beginnings and the road that led them into the spotlight on a hit TV talent show and culminated in a life-changing victory. However, where those stories end, mine is just beginning. When I Remember Love takes readers along on the journey of a newborn star who discovers his soul mate while on the verge of superstardom. How does one balance a normal family life while swept up in the exciting, frenetic life of a superstar? Can love survive in such a surreal environment? Will it stand the test of time under those circumstances? Readers of my novel get a glimpse behind the concert stage and, for mature readers, into the bedroom of hot superstar, Aidan Price, and his beautiful wife Jenna, whose passion ignites on the pages of my book.

4) What books/authors do you like to read?
I enjoy contemporary romance and erotica. I like all of Nicholas Sparks books and Nora Roberts. I am now reading The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff. I is about the start of the Mormon Church mixed with a contemporary mystery. When I finish it, I plan to read Dan Brown's,The Lost Symbol. I am spotlighting five new authors a month on my web site, http://trishsilver.com. There are titles that were submitted that I am interested in reading including Vincent's book. Go to http://www.whenirememberlove.com/new-... for details.


5) What's your next writing project? I am working on a sequel to When I Remember Love .

Thanks, Urenna, Anna, and Trish.

These all look great!

-Vince

Please make sure you write out the question you are answering.

1) What is your name and bio?
Lisa Lipkind Leibow is the author of Double Out and Back (Red Rose Publishing), which takes the reader on the roller-coaster ride of infertility treatments as seen through the eyes of three women. Originally working as a lawyer, Lisa decided to trade the billable hour lifestyle for fiction writing. Lisa’s work has also appeared in Pisgah Review. She lives and writes in Northern Virginia with her husband, three sons, a clumber spaniel, and two red-eared sliders. You can learn more about Lisa and her writing at http://www.LLLeibow.com


2) What is your book title, synopsis, and where can readers find it?
Double Out and Back a novel by Lisa Lipkind Leibow
Not every woman who rides the fertility treatment roller coaster winds up like Octomom.
Who will find friends, family, and fertility?
Three women’s lives are intricately intertwined, as Amelia Schwartz and Summer Curtis struggle with the complex dynamics of intrafamily embryo adoption, and Chandy Markum strives to make her patients’ dreams a reality.
After more than a decade, of mourning her parents’ deaths, anal-retentive Amelia Schwartz decides to take control of her life, pursuing single motherhood via embryo adoption. While her fertility doctor, Chandy, is preoccupied with the destruction of the cosmopolitan Cape Town of her youth and her first love in apartheid-torn South Africa, believing all is lost, her niece, a young, married, overachieving attorney Summer Curtis, juggles zealous career ambitions, demanding bosses, and friction with her husband over family and fertility issues. They must confront the painful reality that, no matter what technology humans devise to manipulate reproduction, prolong life, and construct family units, they have not yet mastered control over their beginnings and endings.
Thrown all into this is one story that can make or break. Are you up to it?
Please support my small press publisher and BUY NOW AT Red Rose Publishing: http://redrosepublishing.com/bookstor...
Also available at major e-book outlets, including All Romance Ebooks, Mobipocket, Amazon Kindle, BookStrand, and My Book Store and More.

3) Where do you come up with your ideas?
I find inspiration from all around me. Character traits come from my parents and sisters, my husband and sons, strangers on the street, on the metro, in a coffee shop, or airport gate. My curious nature and love of travel, sightseeing, and museums opens up the world around me, bringing ideas for new settings, situations, and story lines. I’m fascinated by the choices people make in life and the obstacles we overcome. There’s always a story in there, somewhere. I love to people-watch and imagine what someone’s story might be.

4) What books/authors do you like to read?
I have so many literary heroes, I could write volumes on the subject. I’ll share a few with you here. I’m in awe of Alice Munro’s ability to sum up an entire lifetime in a sentence. I love the quirky characters of John Irving , the vivid, detailed descriptions of Ayn Rand, and the strong, pithy dialogue of Ernest Hemingway. I admire the character driven fiction of Julia Glass and the expertly plotted tales of Steven King. I admire the boldness of Barbara Kingsolver to tackle multiple, first-person points-of-view in one novel, and Amy Tan’s ability to carry me to a time and place I’ve never been and make it seem real to me.

5) What's your next writing project?
I tend to have several projects at once, at various stages of development. Right now, I’m putting the finishing touches on a novel that is a tale of modern feminism in a complex world. It chronicles the life of an Iranian émigré, from her repressed childhood in 1950s Tehran to her eventual liberation over 40 years later. The main character’s saga begins in pre-revolutionary Iran—a land of contradictions, where mini-skirted women with college degrees face arranged marriages. At the same time, I’m in the midst of revising the first draft of a middle grade high fantasy novel that I wrote during moments I needed a break from more serious subject matter. It’s pure fun! I’m also well underway in the first draft of a novel that takes place during the Revolutionary War. It’s turning into a fictional slave narrative. I’m excited about it. While I divide my time among these projects, other ideas are percolating, and I have three or four other concepts in research phase, which means I’m reading everything I can on the subjects, conducting interviews, and visiting locations.

Thank you for the great questions! I enjoyed being interviewed here!

-Lisa Lipkind Leibow
Author of Smart Women's Fiction
www.LLLeibow.com

Hi, my name is Angela Dunston Barakat. I was born in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, but I currently live in Hoover, Alabama, with my husband, son, and daughter. The title of my book is From A (Autistic Spectrum Disorders) to ZZZ (Insomnia), and it is available through the AuthorHouse.com bookstore or by calling (888) 280-7715.
About six years ago, I started creating a gluten-free and casein-free diet for my family. After experiencing many benefits from this diet, I began compiling my research into a guide to help others follow a gluten-free and casein-free diet. Although there are numerous allergy cookbooks available, they don’t provide much information on gluten-free products and how to find them. This book is intended to be an instructional guide, and it includes 350+ recipes, weekly menus and related grocery lists, and product and manufacturer information. This diet will help you avoid gluten (wheat, barley, rye, oat), casein (dairy), yeast, and artificial ingredients. The diet will help diet responders of autistic spectrum disorders, behavior & learning issues, and celiac disease & dermatitis herpetiformis, chronic insomnia, depression, enuresis (bedwetting), fibromyalgia, and schizophrenia.
For my next 2 books I would like to write about (1) the brain processing of people on the autistic spectrum and (2) peace.
From A (Autistic Spectrum Disorders) to ZZZ (Insomnia) Menus and Recipes to Reduce Symptoms of Autistic Spectrum Disorders, Insomnia, and Other Issues

1 & 2:

Hello everyone. My name is Jen Knox. My memoir is Musical Chairs, it's a story of my hardscabble youth:
Here's the Link & Synopsis:
http://amzn.com/0984259422
Musical Chairs explores one family's history of mental health diagnoses and searches to define the cusp between a '90s working-class childhood and the trouble of adapting to a comfortable life in the suburbs. In order to understand her restlessness, Jennifer reflects on years of strip-dancing, alcoholism, and estrangement. Inspired by the least likely source, the family she left behind, Jennifer struggles towards reconciliation. This story is about identity, class, family ties, and the elusive nature of mental illness.
3) Where do you come up with your ideas?
I write rather organically, as memoirists must, in order to maintain integrity. I have only published short fiction, to-date, but I plan to pursue this genre more. Similarly, however, many of my ideas still seem to come from direct experiences and those that I observe.

4) What books/authors do you like to read?
To this reader, Nabokov is the master. I also love Gaitskill, Jong, Karr, Lopate, Neruda, Roth, and Wolff.

5) What's your next writing project?
A novel entitled Absurd Hunger. I'll have a short sample of this work available for another week on my blog: http://jenknox.blogspot.com/2009/12/a...
Goodreads Link: Musical Chairs

1) What is your name and bio?
My name is K.A. Okagaki, I'm a children's book author, and I live and write in San Diego, California. You can read more about me on my author website.

2) What is your book title, synopsis, and where can readers find it?
My book is BAIT FOR LUNCH, ISBN 0981868584.

Synopsis: BAIT FOR LUNCH, written by K.A. Okagaki and illustrated by Ryan Shaw, is a funny contemporary early reader with great kid-appeal, told from the point of view of narrator Gilroy Tanaka. Gilroy is dismayed to discover that Grandpa’s idea of tasty food is vastly different from his own. In trying to open Gilroy’s eyes to interesting new food, Grandpa serves squid and fish eggs for lunch, and octopus for dinner. When well-meaning Grandpa shows up to Gilroy’s school with more unusual snacks to share with the whole class, it’s more than a hungry kid can bear. A resourceful Gilroy manages to solve his food dilemma in a way that satisfies them both.

BAIT FOR LUNCH is available from Amazon, Barnes and Nobel , Powells, and your local independent bookseller.

3) Where do you come up with your ideas?
I usually start with a thematic element that I want to explore. I also people-watch and am fascinated by how parents interact with their children in public. I often come up with ideas for main characters in that way, and then develop a storyline around the character. For BAIT FOR LUNCH, the idea came from my childhood experience with my grandmother, who sometimes served some unusual things at the dinner table, like sea urchin and bright orange fish eggs.

4) What books/authors do you like to read? I'm a big Andrew Clements fan, and I especially love Frindle. I also like Beverly Cleary, Justine Larbalestier, and Robert Cormier. Steve Martin is a wonderful writer, I especially liked Shop Girl, and his autobiography, A Comic's Life.

5) What's your next writing project?
I'm working on a MG novel about the punctuations of middle school life, and how it is possible to put a period onto one life, and reinvent yourself in another.

1) What is your name and bio?
My name is Matthew Standiford. I'm a 27 year old male with an Associates Degree in Criminal Justice and am awaiting the birth of my first, a boy, in January. I currently reside in Pennsylvania.

2) What is your book title, synopsis, and where can readers find it?
My book is called Thirteen: The Story of Rose Noctem. It is about a female serial killer who plays a deadly game with the police. She wants to kill thirteen people and she wants to see if they can stop her before she reaches her goal. When the detective assigned to her case gets too close she changes the game to target those that mean the most to him.

It is available at createspace.com and amazon.com

3) Where do you come up with your ideas?
That is an interesting question. Sometimes they come from other books, sometimes they come from something someone says. The idea for Thirteen came from an interview with an actress in The Rolling Stone. She was asked what kind of part she would like to play and she answered, a female serial killer and that sent me off and running.

4) What books/authors do you like to read?
I'm a huge Stephen King fan. I'm a big fan of horror and science fiction and fantasy, but I will read anything really.

5) What's your next writing project?
I'm currently nine chapters into my second novel called The Gate. It is a horror story about evil in a small town.

1) What is your name and bio?
My name is A. F. Stewart, I was born and raised in Nova Scotia, Canada, and still call it home. I'm the youngest of a family of seven children. I've always had an overly creative mind, and an active imagination, I'm fond of good books (especially science fiction/fantasy), action movies, and oil painting as a hobby.
I've been writing for several years, with my main focus being in the fantasy genre; I also have an interest in history and mythology, often working those themes into my books and stories.

2) What is your book title, synopsis, and where can readers find it?
My horror novella is called Chronicles of the Undead, a return to the old-fashioned vampire tale. My book is narrated as the personal journals of Samuel, Edmund, and Charlotte Harrington, and is set in the 17th-18th centuries of London, England. It tells three stories of temptation, vengeance, and redemption, unfolding the lives of this family as they unexpectedly intersect with two vampires.
Their fears, private confidences and weaknesses are revealed as one selfish act ends in horrific tragedy, with far-reaching consequences.

I've also published two short fiction collections, Passing Fancies and Inside Realms and two volumes of poetry, Shadows of Poetry and Tears of Poetry.

You can find all my books on Lulu.com.

Chronicles of the Undead, Inside Realms and Shadows of Poetry are available at Amazon; Passing Fancies will be listed there in a few weeks.

You can find all relevant links here:
Book Nook

3) Where do you come up with your ideas?
Most of my ideas come from stray thoughts of "what if" or "why not". My vampire novella started from the thought "what if you found out your neighbours were vampires?"; I can pull strange ideas from very mundane things. I've been told I have a twisted mind, which I take as a compliment.
If you would like to know the secrets behind my latest short fiction collection you can check out my musings here: Passing Fancies of Inspiration

4) What books/authors do you like to read?
I like a variety of books: fantasy, science fiction, mystery, historical fiction, non-fiction; some of my favourite books are Possession, Dune, Sailing to Sarantium, American Gods, Sword Dancer and Haunted Marietta.
Some of my favourite authors are Guy Gavriel Kay, Neil Gaiman, Ray Bradbury, Jennifer Roberson, Jane Austen, Agatha Christie, among others.

5) What's your next writing project?
I'm currently working on a novel, Song of the Wind and Sea, the first book of a proposed fantasy series. It's a story of a world where music and magic are one; this book follows the journey of the wizard Diarmid, a Song Mage, and an uprising of evil magic.

1) What is your name and bio?
My name is Michele Montgomery and River of Tears is my first published work. I first began developing this love of the written word at the age of eight and I have completed several yet-unpublished works of fiction. At this time I am hard at work writing my next novel.
I'm originally a native of Chicago, and currently I reside in Tucson, AZ with my family.

2) What is your book title, synopsis, and where can readers find it?

River of Tears is about a woman's struggle as she searches for her missing husband that leads her to shocking revelations about him, his family, and the crime of adult kidnapping.

Abby meets Caiden when she is sixteen years old and knows she has met her soul mate. At nineteen Abby marries the love of her life and together they begin a family of their own. Life gives them a gift, but this gift is short lived. After seven years of marriage it ends.

Abby is left alone with her two children and the bloody clothes that Caiden was last seen in. With the horrifying revelations from her mother in law Abby sets out to prove her husband is indeed alive and that he's been taken against his will by his mother, brothers, and sisters in a sick and twisted game of keep-away.

Knowing her husband isn't dead, Abby, with the help and support of her family, begins a search that takes her from Arizona to Arkansas and lasts for a span of eight years.

On a visit to Caiden's birthplace, Abby and her brother Chase meet with Caiden's best friend who fills them in with the secrets of her husband's childhood and of the hell he endured. He tells them of the nightmares, the deceit, and the abuse Caiden suffered at the hands of his family.

More determined than ever to locate her husband, before his family kills him, Abby hires a private investigator who opens the doors to Caiden's private world of hell and exposes his family for what they are, but will he be on time? Will Abby be on time to save her soul mate? Can she make him want to fight one last time?

River of Tears is a tale of personal triumph over heartbreak, of unconditional love and bravery. It is a compelling modern-day story depicting how the power of love can overcome even the darkest facets of human nature. The story demonstrates how self-determination and loyalty can lead to unimaginable accomplishment, regardless of seemingly insurmountable obstacles. It is a story of faith in the face of tremendous loss, where fear and discouragement threaten to steal the last glimmer of hope. Will this shred of hope be enough to sustain, or will it ultimately crush Abby's dreams of lasting happiness?

River of Tears will take you on a journey you will never forget, it will make you want to gather all you love close and keep them there, because we never know what's around the next corner of our lives.

3) Where do you come up with your ideas?
Honestly, they just pop into my head. I can see something, or someone and out of nowhere I find myself creating a story. Sometimes when I wake in the mornings I have so much running around in my head about new stories I have to put my Zune in my ears so I can think straight. LOL...

4) What books/authors do you like to read?
This is a tough question, because I can go on and on. I'm very diverse so I go from one Genre to the next at any given time. I have so many favorite authors and books, take a look at my profile to see. Don't be shocked when you do...
5) What's your next writing project?
Right now I'm working on a 4-5 book series about 4 orphaned brothers trying to find themselves in the city of Chicago.

I do want to give a piece of warning: I do tend to write on the darker side of the humans mind. So, where some writers may be afraid to take a reader on a journey that will touch you in ways you never thought, I'm not. I want to take that reader there, I want my readers to see that this stuff is indeed happening out there...or is it?

www.michelelmontgomery.com
River of Tears

1) What is your name and bio?
I'm Deborah Sheldon from Melbourne Australia and I've been a professional writer for 23 years. My credits include television and play scripts, magazine articles, non-fiction books and medical writing. My fiction has appeared in various journals such as Quadrant and Island. For examples of my work visit http://deborahsheldon.wordpress.com

2) What is your book title, synopsis, and where can readers find it?
My short story collection, 'All the little things that we lose' (Skive Magazine Press), is scheduled for publication January 15th 2010. It will be available via online bookstores such as Amazon.
Synopsis: Your beliefs, identity, family or even your life… gone. Each of the 30 stories in this collection explores the threat or experience of loss.

3) Where do you come up with your ideas?
An incident in my life (or in someone else's life) is usually the kernel. After that, imagination takes over.

4) What books/authors do you like to read?
Writers who subscribe to the 'dirty realist' school, such as Raymond Carver, Ernest Hemingway, FX Toole and Annie Proulx. I am a huge fan of the short story.

5) What's your next writing project?
I'll be editing my latest short story and writing the first draft of my next. I'll chase up the news on my film and play scripts; write medical information for the lay person; and follow up on my writing course. I'll also be doing my absolute best to promote my short story collection, 'All the little things that we lose', both online and in person. Wish me luck!

1) What is your name and bio?

My name is Gary Ballard, and I've been writing stories of one kind or another since the age of 11. I grew up and still live in Mississippi with my wife and three dogs.

2) What is your book title, synopsis, and where can readers find it?

My debut novel, originally published in serial form on a blog, is Under the Amoral Bridge A Cyberpunk Novel, book 1 of The Bridge Chronicles. Artemis Bridge is the know-who, go-to guy, the amoral fixer in 2028 Los Angeles with the connection for any illicit desire no matter how depraved. You need it, he can get it without questions or judgment. He prides himself on staying detached from the depravity, untouched by the filth, untouchable by the law. When a young hacker is assassinated before his eyes, he is burdened with a scandalous video of the mayor on the eve of the city's most important election of the century. With digital assassins and murderous thugs dogging his every step, he has only days before the corrupt mayor is re-elected, handing the Chronosoft Corporation complete control of the city. Unable to sell the video, he is forced further into a complex conspiracy. This taut futuristic thriller is the debut novel by Gary A. Ballard, a rising new talent in the cyberpunk genre. The trade paperback edition includes the previously unpublished short story "Feeding Autonomy."

Readers can buy the book at Amazon.com, CreateSpace, or the ebooks for $.99 cents at the Kindle store or Smashwords.

3) Where do you come up with your ideas?
My ideas usually start when I'm watching a movie or TV show, or reading a book. I'll think about what a character might have gone through and the germ of an idea will plant itself in my mind. Later, when I'm walking the dogs, or in the shower, or driving to work, I'll chew that idea and really start fleshing out whether it'll be viable or not. I do most of my writing while doing other menial tasks, even coming up with phrases and scenes that I might not write down until much later.

4) What books/authors do you like to read?

I'll read just about anything but bodice rippers and chick lit. My favorites are cyberpunk, science-fiction, the beat writers and French existentialists and absurdists. I go from Neal Stephenson, Bruce Sterling, and William Gibson, to Jack Kerouac, William Burroughs, and from Sartre and Camus to Balzac and Hemingway with some forays into political and historical non-fiction.

5) What's your next writing project?
I'm currently writing the 3rd book in the Bridge Chronicles, which will be released in serial form on the Bridge Chronicles website in February. The second book in the series, The Know Circuit, is complete and available on the same site, and will be released in paperback and ebook at the same time as the 3rd book.

1) What is your name and bio?

Russ Woody. Northern California native. Live now in Los Angeles after spending 25 plus years in show business. Have had a wonderful, at times painful, career as a television writer/producer (Murphy Brown, Mad About You, Becker, Drew Carey, Cybill, St. Elsewhere... and a slew of stinkers). I've written my first book and working on my next now.

2) What is your book title, synopsis, and where can readers find it?

Glad you asked. The Wheel of Nuldoid. It's Hobbit-like story (maybe a little more sarcastic) about the annoying creatures that live at the center of the earth and operate the machinery that's responsible for its rotation. Three humans who live in San Francisco had to make the trip during the fall of 1989, where the machinery is in trouble.

Available at Barnes/Noble and Amazon.com... but check out the website -- www.Nuldoid.com. Lotta pictures.


3) Where do you come up with your ideas?

I started writing this as a screenplay in the mid eighties. I picked it up again, as a novel, in 2003 after the United States (via Mr. Bush) decided to invade Iraq. There was no dissent. No public outcry. No prominent voices saying, "Hey, what are we doing here?" Whether you agree with the war or not, voices of dissent are vital to a healthy society.

So... Nuldoidians are grouchy, argumentative little creatures whose government and society is based on dissent.

4) What books/authors do you like to read?

Well, of course, I love Tolkien, and that new kid... Paolini. But I'm more a fan of fluent writing and humor. Catch 22 is my all-time favorite book. That Heller was able to so hysterically capture the humor and frustration and heartbreaking tragedy of war... wow.

5) What's your next writing project?

Another great question. I'm writing Nuldoid now as a screenplay... at my agents' urging. Then I'm rewriting a book about my father's death (he died of ALS in 2002).

Thanks.
Okay, no more questions at this time.
Russ

1) What is your name and bio?

My name is Shalonda "Treasure" Williams. I bring up the rear of eleven siblings and am now the proud and tired mother of four(-: I am a Savannah, GA native now living in Warner Robins, GA enjoying the peace that I feel. I am the author of three books in my Love Walk Series. Two of these meditations and one motivations.


2) What is your book title, synopsis, and where can readers find it?

+++My books are all available on Amazon.com. But you can also view them here on Goodreads by clicking these links:
---Love Walk Meditations:: Back to the Basics is my first book which is was released in 2007 through PublishAmerica. I felt the need to talk to those that felt as if their membership at a particular church automatically made them better. But so many had forgotten about God in the since of loving and pleasing him with their hearts.
---A Heart's Thoughts: Love Walk Meditations Series is my second work published at the beginning of 2009 under Creatspace.com. This is my baby. I call it that because I typed it, edited, formatted, everything. I cam up with the concept for the entire thing and I am very proud. This book answers questions that so many want answered. 'Why is my blessing taking so long?''How do I get and keep peace in my life?''Why does it always seem that God is never there during the hard times?''Why does God not show me my entire purpose at once?' These questions and more are answered by me with some thoughts from my friend The Tru Sum(check out his book Tru-Sum's Excerpts To Exodus.
---PurposeFull You is my my last, officially, published work. This one has been written the longest but has now been redone and published as my first motivational book. In this book I simply want those that have been made to think that they do not have a particular purpose in this life to know that they do and it is important. Forget what others have to say. Where you are and what you desire are important. You do fit somewhere. And, what you bring to the table is vital.

3) Where do you come up with your ideas?

+++The ideas for my books spring from my heart and love for My Creator and for others.

4) What books/authors do you like to read?

+++My list is growing but I enjoy Jacquelin Thomas,Iyanla Vanzant,Amber Lehman,Lori Johnson and so many more.

5) What's your next writing project?

I am currently finishing my first novel entitled "Like It Or Not" and my next motivational book entitled "Let's 'GO': Get Over to Get On With Life".

1) What is your name and bio?

I'm Russ Woody. I've been writing television for the last 25 years, and for that I sincerely apologize. Though it's mostly been comedies (Murphy Brown, Cybill, Mad About You, Slap Maxwell, Becker, Drew Carey, and lotsa other crap), I wrote some episodes of dramas in the 80s (Hill Street Blues and St. Elsewhere).

A few years ago, my dad was dying of ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease)... and I asked him if he'd had any regrets. I thought he was going to say marrying my mother. He said he regretted not spending more time with me when I was little. So the next year I got out of television, and spent time with my two young sons and wrote a book.

2) What is your book title, synopsis, and where can readers find it?

The Wheel of Nuldoid. Humor/Fantasy. Check www.Nuldoid.com. I'd describe it as a synical Hobbit story. (Here's the blurb) When a student in Warren Worst's sixth grade class is kidnapped by two small creatures and carted off into the bowels of the earth, Warren and his neighbor, Lily, must follow them. They will make their way throught the Region of Neither Norr, fall hundreds of miles through a giant Tunnel Hole and be whisked away by the ancient slide of the Droiden Frobble Dynasty. Their quest will take them to a curious spherical city at the center of the earth called Nuldoid and learn its incredible secret. It is a wild adventure, both comical and tragic, that will leave the humans forever changed by the peculiar creatures of Nuldoid.

3) Where do you come up with your ideas?

This particular idea came screaming my way in the aftermath of the U.S. invasion of Iraq by Mr. Bush. There were hardly any prominant voices in the U.S. saying wait a minute. There was no public dissent... and that's tragic. A healthy society must have voices of dissent. That's why the nation of Nuldoid, is made up of small, argumentative creatures... where dissension is the norm.

4) What books/authors do you like to read?

I'm not a big fantasy buff. Loved The Hobbit and Eragon. Great stuff. But my favorite book is Catch 22. That Heller could write such side-splitting comedy about a most terribly sad situation... is genius.

5) What's your next writing project?

I'm writing the screenplay to Nuldoid. Aaaaannnd, it's killing me.

1) What is your name and bio?

I'm A. Colin Wright, born and raised in Chelmsford, Essex, England. After serving as a linguist in the British Royal Air Force, I attended Cambridge University, earning undergraduate and graduate degrees. I speak six languages reasonably fluently, and can stumble along in two more. In 1964, I was appointed professor of Russian at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario. I remained at Queen’s until retirement in 1999 and still reside there today. I'm married and have two grown sons.

2) What is your book title, synopsis, and where can readers find it?

"Sardinian Silver" can be ordered at any bookstore, at http://www.iUniverse.com or any Amazon site (and at others too). See also http://www.sardiniansilver.com and http://www.acolinwright.ca.

In 1961 I lived for six months in Sassari, Sardinia (followed the next year by a longer period in the toe of Italy.) According to the press release: “Based on his own time on Sardinia, Wright’s recent captivating and oftentimes hilarious novel 'Sardinian Silver' follows the exploits of a young man trying to find love while assimilating to an archaically orthodox society. Sardinia in the 1960s was still very culturally undeveloped: the residents viewed mainland Italians and continentals (the British counted among them) as immoral and contaminated by modern society. In the tradition of 'Brideshead Revisited' and 'The Lost Girl,' 'Sardinian Silver' is a charming and witty novel of growth, loss and realization.”

3) Where do you come up with your ideas?

Sometimes events in my own life, but reinvented in a way God only knows.

4) What books/authors do you like to read?

Serious literary fiction with ideas on the meaning of life (and non-doctrinaire religion) in general; books with a decent plot rather than just general descriptions; detective fiction as long as it's well written.

5) What's your next writing project?

A priority is to get a collection of my short stories published. (Some of these, including a story "The Trouble with Saints" also set in Italy, are on line at http://www.authorsden.com/acolinwright.) I'm also looking to publish a long and I think highly original novel entitled "Veronica's Papers."

Then I'm trying to bring into order many chapters of a book set in post-war Berlin. Nice writing and scenes, I think, but it's an enormous problem to organize them! That's my usual problem.

1) What is your name and bio?
My name is Laura Rittenhouse. I'm an American/Australian who slogged it out in the corporate world of IT around the globe (I have lived/worked in the US, Australia, Germany, Argentina, China and Korea) for more than 20 years. In 2006 I gave that up and focused on writing for pleasure. The great news is I'm now a published author.

2) What is your book title, synopsis, and where can readers find it?
My book is called Starting Over. The best place to look for it is on my website: www.laurarittenhouse.com. It's up on Amazon but you have to do a search on my name, you'll never find it by title.
The book is about two women, Maria and her great-granddaughter Eva. They may be separated by three generations and an ocean but they end up living remarkably similar lives as they leave behind all that is familiar and begin again in new lands.

3) Where do you come up with your ideas?
This book sprang from stories I heard on my grandmother's knee. The character Maria is based on what I know of my great-grandmother's life. She left Germany in 1903 and landed in New York where she started a new life, full of more than enough drama to fill a novel.

4) What books/authors do you like to read?
I love a large variety of books and authors. I tend to stay away from genre books and prefer books that are harder to classify. I love everything by Isabel Allende and Margaret Attwood, but I only name those as they are the first to spring to mind, not because they are in an exclusive list.

5) What's your next writing project?
I'm currently seeking an agent or publisher for my second book (anyone out there with suggestions, feel free to let me know). This book is much lighter in tone - dare I say maybe even humorous? It's about a woman on the cusp of 30 who is scrambling up the corporate ladder and bludgeoning herself on the glass ceiling. I have a 3rd novel "completed" (it still needs a fair bit of editing) and my 4th novel is my first try at crime fiction. Wish me luck!

1) What is your name and bio?

Jaleta Clegg. I'm older than I look, I have too many children, one husband (24+ years!), one very elderly and toothless cat, and allergies. Benadryl is wonderful. I watch lots of good "bad" movies, like Spacehunter in the Forbidden Zone, Cutthroat Island, and Robin Hood: Men in Tights. I deny any quotes my children claim I said, even if I really did say that.

2) What is your book title, synopsis, and where can readers find it?

Nexus Point: The Fall of the Altairan Empire, Book 1 (I promise it is a complete story by itself)

Stranded on a primitive world, facing death at the hands of the natives, betrayed by her crew, hunted by drug smugglers, Captain Dace has one hope of rescue - convince the Patrol agent trying to kill her that she's innocent.

Links to all sales points, including me, the publisher, Amazon, Smashwords, etc.: http://www.nexuspoint.info

3) Where do you come up with your ideas?

Lots of bad sci-fi shows, books, and movies along with too much chocolate and too little sleep. No really, I dream up stories all the time. Ask my kids. The answer is never short and to the point.

4) What books/authors do you like to read?

Terry Pratchett's Discworld, anything Andre Norton, Julie Czerneda, Elizabeth Moon, shampoo bottles if I'm desperate, Jules Verne, H.G. Wells, books my kids brought home, I'll try almost anything.

5) What's your next writing project?

Editing the rest of the Altairan Empire series, finishing about 6 half-written novels, loads of short stories, etc. Maybe I'll ditch it all and write LDS romance instead. Or try soap opera. Maybe I just need less cold medicine today...

This is why my short stories usually end up being comic horror. I write them when I'm in this kind of mood.

1) What is your name and bio?
Stacy Juba. I am the author of the mystery novels Twenty-Five Years Ago Today and Sink Or Swim. (Mainly Murder Press) I'm also an award-winning freelance writer and former daily newspaper reporter. My young adult novel Face-Off was published under my maiden name, Stacy Drumtra, when I was 18 years old. My web site is http://www.stacyjuba.com.

2) What is your book title, synopsis, and where can readers find it?
Twenty-Five Years Ago Today was released in October 2009. It is available through http://www.mainlymurderpress.com, Amazon, Barnes&Noble.com, and bookstores. Product links are available at http://www.stacyjuba.com.

Obit writer and editorial assistant Kris Langley feels like the newsroom slave – that is, until she stumbles across an unsolved murder while compiling "25 Years Ago Today" items from the microfilm. Determined to launch her reporting career, Kris investigates the cold case of Diana Ferguson, an artistic young cocktail waitress obsessed with Greek and Roman mythology.

She soon learns that old news never leaves the morgue and that yesterday's headline is tomorrow's danger, for finding out the truth about that night twenty-five years ago may shatter Kris’s present, costing her love, her career, and ultimately, her life.

Sink or Swim is scheduled for release from Mainly Murder Press in December 2010. When reality TV turns to murder, it’s sink, swim or die. Not only has Cassidy Novak walked the plank and lost a hit action-adventure reality show set aboard a Tall Ship, she has also attracted a stalker who is masterminding his own twisted game. As her former competitors get knocked off one by one, Cassidy refuses to play by his bizarre rules. Soon, Cassidy must walk the plank once again – this time for her life.

3) Where do you come up with your ideas? I got the idea for Twenty-Five Years Ago Today while I was working as a reporter for a daily newspaper. My first job out of college was as the obit writer and editorial assistant. One of my tasks was searching through the microfilm for items to rehash in the 25 and 50 Years Ago Today column. I started thinking...what if an editorial assistant stumbled across an unsolved murder? What if she becomes obsessed with it as a way of redeeming herself for a mistake in her own past?

With Sink or Swim, I wanted to explore what might motivate someone to appear on a reality TV show and what could happen when that "celebrity" returns to her normal life. I've never tried out for a reality show myself, but my husband and I did try out for The Price is Right and Jeopardy, and my husband hopes to someday get on Who Wants to Be A Millionaire. My character, Cassidy, is a personal trainer and works in a health club. My bachelor's degree is in exercise science, and I worked in a health club during my senior year in college. When I was a reporter, I covered a news story about business tenants who were forced out of a condemned mill and the resulting court case. I put that mill in Sink or Swim, and made it much spookier. Ideas are everywhere and although my stories are fiction, I tend to work in realistic details like this to help make my fictional world believable.

4) What books/authors do you like to read? My favorite authors include Lisa Gardner, Mary Higgins Clark and Jodi Picoult. I also read a variety of mystery series.

5) What's your next writing project? I'm developing a mystery series about a psychic healer. I'm currently working on the first book Sign of the Messenger, which was a recipient of the William F. Deeck-Malice Domestic Grant which is awarded annually at the Agatha Award banquet.

1)What is your name and bio? My name is Marlene K. Slade. I have been writing fictional stories and poetry for over fifteen years. I have several completed projects awaiting future publication. Music Box Danseur is the first novel I have elected to publish.

2) What is your book title, synopsis, and where can readers find it? Music Box Danseur is the title of my debut novel. Music Box Danseur is a dramatic story about an unmatched professional and private partnership between two male British Ballet dancers. Their success and failures are profiled on and off the stage.

Spanning nearly a decade their respective roles in life confront tremendous family pressures, the pitfalls of fame, and the pivotal importance of friendships lost and those found.

The dancers odd and daringly different pairing begins in the early eighties. Their relationship is initially formed through a mutual understanding of emotional loneliness and disparity. The core of their fragile bond is tested over time within a fleet of personal challenges set on dividing the pair.

As the unwanted son of a fleeing father and a resentful mother of a stolen career in dance, eighteen-year old Hart Nader has left his foolish past of sleeping about with strangers behind him. His young years as a dancer in training have enrolled him in one of the finest dance schools in London where he seeks to become the success his mother once dreamed of becoming. During his dance studies he is met with a company of jealous rivals eager to destroy his dreams. His classmates animosity is second in nature to a dynasty of dysfunctional aristocrats that seek to ruin his chance for true love with one of their own.

Twenty-eight year old Sebastian Seymour is Europe’s leading prince of ballet. Heir to one of the richest and most powerful families in England, Sebastian dances with demons unseen by the people that most admire his artistic talent. His flawless footwork and phenomenal stage presence made him a global star. His well-guarded private life conceals secrets brutally tormenting and sinisterly scarring. All of which threaten to end his dancing days at the height of his brilliant career.

The two dancers struggle to make a life together. They defy family members; dismiss friends while dancing hand and hand through a deeply affecting and frightfully destructive intimate partnership. A relationship so immensely flawed that neither of the two may survive it. Music Box Danseur is On Sale at Amazon.com in paperback and Kindle versions. This novel is also On Sale at Controversial Bookstore in San Diego, California. Interested readers can also check bookfinder4u.com for more locations or visit my website for further updates at wwww.marlenekslade.com

3) Where do you come up with your ideas? I have always had an active imagination and enjoy creating stories in my head, which I have recorded on paper. I love fiction.

4) What books/authors do you like to read? Anne Rice and Elizabeth Peters are my favorite authors, but I love the work of many other fiction writers.

5) What's your next writing project? I am currently working on the prequel to Music Box Danseur and a separate book project. My next novel is called, The Celestial Selenite Scry, which is about a blood lineage of witches. This book is scheduled to be released in 2010.

Please make sure you write out the question you are answering.

1) What is your name and bio? My name is Caroline Leavitt and I am the author of 9 novels. I'm also a book critic at People and a book columnist at The Boston Globe and a freelance book editor and writing teacher. My 8th, Girls in Trouble was an Indie Pick and is in three printings. My 9th, Pictures of You, will be published by Algonquin in September!

2) What is your book title, synopsis, and where can readers find it?
All my novels can be found in bookstores, libraries or on Amazon. My new book Pictures of You that is coming out from Algonguin in Sept is about a mysterious car accident and the lives of three people who have their own collision. It's a literary mystery and you can read more about it at my website, http://www.carolineleavitt.com. Or my blog carolineleavittville@blogspot.com.

3) Where do you come up with your ideas?
I'm obsessed! I write about what obsesses me.

4) What books/authors do you like to read?
Dan Chaon, Jennifer Gilmore, so many to name.

5) What's your next writing project?
I am working on a new novel about a crime in the neighborhood, and I have finished two scripts and just optioned a story for a third.

Caroline Leavitt

1) What is your name and bio?
My name is Connie Gotsch. I was born in Chicago, and have lived in New York, New Jersey, Iowa, Kansas, Pennsylvania, and now New Mexico. I've travled through Europe, Southeast Asia, Mexico, Canada and the Carribean. I have been a radio reporter and college professor. Now I am the program director of a public radio station. I do an author's show and a classical music arts program. I free lance for a couple of area newspapers and magazines and write fiction.

2) What is your book title, synopsis, and where can readers find it?
I have three books. Snap Me a Future features a reporter who must face down her fears of getting back into life after a horrific accident that nearly paralyzes her. Her moment of truth comes when she faces a drunken, knife-wiedling antiquities hunter who has been manipulating someone else to stalk her. Snap Me a Future is available from DLSIJpress.com in e-format and POD.

A Mouth Full of Shell is an e-novel from DLSIJpress.com in which the heroine must learn to deal with office politics at a university in a male-dominated field. dlsijpress.com

Belle's Star is a youth novel for 9-12 yearolds written from a dog's point of view. It tries to teach kids that they can rebuild their lives after bullying and abuse and that though they may not be able to help what some people do to them, they can control how they react to what happens. A parents' guild written by a school psychologist lets people who work with youth discuss bullying, abuse and other important topics. Belle's Star is available at amazon and on apbooks.net

3) Where do you come up with your ideas? The ideas in A Mouthful of Shell came from my direct experience. The zany characters in the story are all based on real people. Names have been changed to protect the innocent (and guilty.) The idea for Snap Me a Future came from being taken by an archaeologist to a pueblo that had been dug up by looters. The mess made me so furious that I decided to write a book that along with being a psychological thriller pleads with people to leave artifacts where they are found. Belle's Star came from the story of my little rescue dog, Kiri. An art therapist friend suggested I write her story to help kids in crisis. The friend has since gone on to the Next Place, but what a legacy she left me.

4) What books/authors do you like to read? I'll read anything. I am currently reading The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society. I just finished a book on the history of the near east and one on Afghanistan. I have a couple of writing books on my pile, one on the crusades by an old professor of mine Jill N. Claster, and Ladette Raldolph's A Sandhill's Ballad. I have Life in a Medieval Castle on the list. I want to read 1776 and New York. Got a couple of extra lifetimes you can give me. I've read from Steinbeck to Greshem.

5) What's your next writing project?
I am going to publish a sequel to Belle's Star, Belle's Trial this summer. The third one is rolling around in my head. I have a sequel to Snap Me a Future with the publisher of Belle's Star, and I have my fingers crossed that he'll take it.

1) What is your name and bio?
Hi. My name’s Precious Williams. I’m an author and journalist living in London. My first book, a memoir called “Precious: A True Story” is being published by Bloomsbury this August. I’ve also had work published in Elle, Marie Claire, Glamour, the Financial Times, Guardian, Telegraph, New York Post, etc. Outside of writing, my interests are history, dogs and yoga.

2) What is your book title, synopsis, and where can readers find it?

My book is called PRECIOUS: A True Story. A US edition is also being published and that one’s titled COLOR BLIND. Here’s the synopsis the publishers have written for the front flap of the book:

'Where are you from?' is a question I always find hard to answer. 1971: an ad in Nursery World. Private foster parents required for a three-month-old baby – me. The lucky applicants are a 57-year-old white woman and her daughter, who love babies, especially black babies.


My mother arrives, a haughty Nigerian woman in a convertible with a moses basket on the seat beside her, setting the net curtains in this all-white council estate twitching. And though the whole place makes my privileged mother's skin crawl, she returns to London with an empty basket beside her, choosing this home for me because, unusually for the estate, my foster
mother talks proper, and I'll need a posh white accent for the bright future I have ahead of me.


I'll cling onto that idea – that I've a bright future ahead of me – even though there's nothing in my upbringing to warrant it. Even though my mother's love consists of long absences, confusing behaviour and dauntingly high expectations. Even though my foster mother's love is overwhelming and suffocating. Even though I seem to be a magnet for abusive sexual attention from men I barely know. Even though the authorities have no idea where to put me or where I belong, and nor, really, do I.


"Precious" is the story of growing up black in a white community, of struggling to find an identity that fits amid conflicting messages, of deciphering a childhood full of secrets and dysfunction. "Precious" has a spirit that refuses to be crushed.

It is released this August and will be in all the usual book stores and also on Amazon.

3) Where do you come up with your ideas?

Everywhere and all the time! I tend to get the best ideas while asleep or while doing yoga!

4) What books/authors do you like to read?

I love thrillers but I enjoy any well-written novel. I’m currently devouring the work of Kate Atkinson. Some of my all-time favourites are BUDDHA OF SUBURBIA by Hanif Kureishi, LONDON FIELDS by Martin Amis, GREAT EXPECTATIONS by Dickens and GRACELAND by Chris Abani

5) What's your next writing project?

An historical novel. I’m about a third of the way there and I am LOVING writing it. I am having so much fun.

I like history writing too, both fictional and nonfiction

@Connie, I'd love to hear more about your favourite history books. Send me a message maybe?

Precious wrote: "@Connie, I'd love to hear more about your favourite history books. Send me a message maybe?"


Not sure how to do that. Am learning this site. I like The Gurensey Literaryand Potato Peel Society," the one I'm reading right now, and I love any historical accounts by women pioneers. I go to local museums and scoop them up. I just finished Peter Mansfield's A History of the Middle East, a good reference if you want to delve into a particular problem over there. When I finish Gurensey, I want to read Jill N Claster's Sacred Violence about the Crusades.

1) What is your name and bio?

I'm Rachel Starr Thomson. I'm a freelance writer, editor, writing coach, and indie publisher. In my other life I'm the acting poet/storyteller for Soli Deo Gloria Ballet, which I also co-direct. I write regularly for the young adult Webzine Boundless.org (a Focus on the Family publication), contribute columns to Homeschooling Today (I'm a homeschool grad), and write a lot of fantasy fiction, among other things.

2) What is your book title, synopsis, and where can readers find it?

Currently I'm finishing up the Seventh World Trilogy, which begins with Worlds Unseen and Burning Light. When a dying friend shows up on Maggie Sheffield's doorstep bearing the truth about the Seventh World–-in the form of a written covenant with evil–-she is sent on a journey that will change her forever. Joined by the gypsy Nicolas Fisher, who can hear things no one else can, Maggie discovers the true history of the Seventh World: an ancient enemy has a right to their world, and that enemy is about to manifest himself again. Maggie and Nicolas, together with the mysterious Gifted and a group of rebels, seek out an even more powerful and more ancient King who alone can save them.

3) Where do you come up with your ideas?

Everywhere. My Christian faith informs a lot of my ideas, but I also draw on people and events, movies and books, nature and dreams -- the usual sources of authorial inspiration!

4) What books/authors do you like to read?

I read widely, both in terms of subject matter and time period. Many of my favourite writers belong to bygone eras--George MacDonald, Charlotte Bronte, Elizabeth Barret Browning. More modern favourites include C.S. Lewis, Annie Dillard, Jeffrey Overstreet, and Stephen Lawhead.

5) What's your next writing project?

I'm revising Book 3 of the Seventh World Trilogy, The Advent,, currently. After that I'm not sure. I'm considering writing a history of the King James Bible, and I've got a few novel ideas kicking around. I'd also like to put together a book of writing tips and inspiration for young writers.

1) What is your name and bio?

My name is Maura Stone. I grew up in the bosom of a prominent entertainment family with the stigma of being the 'unfunny' one. That psychologically propelled me to pursue a career in commercial banking. During that time, I had my own consulting company where I provided credit management services to both commercial and investment banks, some of which are still in existence today.

2) What is your book title, synopsis, and where can readers find it?

"Five-Star FLEECING" is a 'corporate comedy' about a corrupt luxury hotel in NYC. The book features celebrities, conflicted employees, high-end guests, paparazzi and has at least two songs. "Five-Star FLEECING" has received 5-star ratings from Midwest Book Review ("Highy recommended") and Harriet Klausner ("Superb Scathing Satire"). The book can be purchased online at amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, indiependentbooks.com as well as around 35 other online sites around the world. Outside of virtual, you can order the book through any US independent bookstore, any B&N bookstore as well as at Seaburn Bookstore in Astoria, NY where it is currently featured.

3) Where do you come up with your ideas?

I would like to be considered the Daniel Defoe of today. A chronicler of real life incidents mixed with fantasy. That being said, "Five-Star FLEECING" is loosely based upon my experiences in the hospitality industry. Note that I wrote "loosely" so please, no more Cease & Desists! (Yes, there has already been one!)

4) What books/authors do you like to read?

Prior to the revisions to "Five-Star FLEECING" I was a prolific reader of a vast array of fiction in both English and French. I adored Diderot's "Jacques le Fataliste" and read annually Austen's "Pride and Prejudice." Also any sci-fi - still have my membership to Asimov's & Analog since I was 12. Over the past few years, I plunged into graphic novels from all over the world. Now, due to writing my second novel, I need to keep my mind clear of other writers' styles so I'm resigned to reading food labels: I learn new words and the ingredients consistently add up to 100%.

5) What's your next writing project?

I'm writing another 'corporate comedy' - this time it's about international finance, espionage, love interests, cartels and a vampire. Vampires are all the rage!

1). What is your name and bio?

My name is Shawn Lamb. Currently I live in Nashville, Tennessee with my husband of 25 years and our college age daughter. Before that we lived in Los Angeles, where Rob and I both wrote for children's television with Filmation Stuido that did the old He-Man and the Master of the Universe and other cartoons.

2)What is the title of your book, synopsis and where can people find it?

A YA Fantasy - ALLON. The might immortal Guardians of Jor’el once protected Allon. They knew no defeat until rebellion within their ranks and battle drove them away. For five centuries, mortals suffered under the Dark Way, until prophecies of the Promised Prince and return of the Guardians became reality. Still, Ellis must prove he is worthy to be king and gain support of the Council of Twelve if he is to defeat the evil. Not all are favorable and one will betray him, leaving the fate of Allon and Guardians in the balance.

The book can be found widely on the web or instores: Amazon, Target Online, Books-A-Million, Borders, Barnes & Noble, http://www.allonbooks.com, and many more places to numerous to include.

3) Where did you come up with the idea?

Actually, ALLON was written at the request of my daughter. She was high school at the time and Harry Potter was just beginning to gain popularity. Only she didn't like Harry Potter, but felt left out because that's all her friends were discussing. I agreed. The next thing I knew, her friends were coming over and what started as simply story for her, spread into one of hope for her friends.

To see the explanation please visit YouTube: Why did I write ALLON?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3Jrw-...

4) What authors do you like to read?

The funny part about writing YA fantasy now, is that I really didn't read it as a kid. My passion was historical fiction. Perhaps my favorite author of all time is Alistar MacLean. I love all his books.

I've also read, Taylor Caldwell, John Jakes, Mary Stewart, Alexander Dumas, and many other classic authors.

5) What is your next writing project?

Well, ALLON is intended to be a series, so that is where my focus is.

1) What is your name and bio?
I am an award-winning author and college writing instructor living in Asheville, North Carolina. I am the regional director of Florida Writers Association's Western North Carolina division and the founder of Asheville Writing Enthusiasts (AWE).
My latest novel, Havana: Killing Castro, the second in his mystery-thriller Havana Series, was published by Eternal Press in January 2010. It has won several awards already and has received rave reviews. His previous novel, Havana: Top Secret, the first in his mystery-thriller Havana series, was published in May 2009 by Eternal Press and continues to receive excellent reviews.
I have published three previous novels, Getting Filthy Rich, Havana Confidential and The Highest Hurdle. Another completed and yet unpublished manuscript has garnered various literary awards: However Long the Night, formerly titled Beyond Midnight.
Havana: Killing Castro has been adapted to a screenplay by a Hollywood producer and recently made the quarterfinals of a well-known screenwriting competition in Hollywood.
I freelance and my work regularly appears in publications like The Laurel of Asheville and Pasajero, the in-flight magazine for Venezuelan airline Aeropostal. My poetry has been published in English and Spanish anthologies.
A former consultant with global giant Booz Allen Hamilton, I have traveled extensively around the world and has been an advisor to the governments of Mexico, Venezuela, Peru and Qatar, among others.
I earned an MBA from Pepperdine University in California, bachelor degrees in English literature and mathematics at the University of South Florida in Tampa. I am a member of MENSA and speak four languages: English, Spanish, Portuguese and French.
The proud father of five children, I live in Asheville, North Carolina, with my family.

2) What is your book title, synopsis, and where can readers find it?
Havana: Killing Castro is the second book in my Havana series, published by Eternal Press. You can find it at http://eternalpress.biz and at Amazon, FictionWise, and Barnes and Noble sites online. The book is available as an ebook, Kindle edition, and in print (at Amazon only).

In this sequel, when an old fisherman is gunned down on a Mexican breach, prominent Miami surgeon Raymond Peters becomes the prime suspect. The dead fisherman is believed to be Fidel Castro whom Dr. Peters had helped disguise through clandestine plastic surgery on a trip to Cuba two years earlier. But is the body really that of the Cuban leader?

In order to save his own life, the beleaguered physician must find the killers and retrieve a mysterious journal. And this has to be done while outwitting Marcela, a sensual killer sent by Castro's brother Raul.

3) Where do you come up with your ideas?
I was born in Cuba as the son of Spanish parents, and raised in Miami. I have worked as a high-level consultant most of my life, and seen the insides of governments and corporations around the world. I always wanted to be an award-winning writer, so I settled with my family in Asheville NC and started teaching creative writing at the local junior college. My ideas come from my life.

4) What books/authors do you like to read?
My favorite writers are Harlan Coben, John Grisham, David Baldacci, Dan Brown. I also like classic authors such as Ernest Heminway, Joseph Conrad, Herman Melville, William Faulkner, William Shakespeare and Miguel de Cervantes. Among Spanish writers, I especially like Gabriel Garcia-Marquez.

5) What's your next writing project?
I am working on the third book in the Havana series, this one dealing with the twin daughters of Dr. Peters and a middle-east crisis.

1. What is your name and bio?

My name is Farida Mestek. I live in Ukraine, but I adore Regency-era England. I've been writing as long as I can remember myself and finally I have my books published!

2. What is your book title, synopsis, and where can readers find it?

The title of my debut novel is «Margaret's Rematch».

Blurb: After the loss of her sister, Margaret Fairfax settles at Northbrook Hall – the country estate of her brother-in-law, Mr. Westfield, whose dislike of her is legendary. There she faces a major challenge of reconciling their many differences and proving to him that despite the rumours of schemes and scandals that followed her from London, she is worthy of his regard and affection. With time and many an exertion on her part and that of her new family, Margaret succeeds in altering Mr. Westfield’s opinion of her and attaching his heart, but she fears the worst when her deceitful friend arrives.

3. You can check it out at Girlebooks.com: http://girlebooks.com/ebook-catalog/f.... It can also be purchased at Smashwords and Amazon Kindle Store.

4. Where do you come up with your ideas?

At present I am fortunate to have new characters knocking on my door, demanding to have their story told. I don't know what I would do without them!

5. What books/authors do you like to read?

I love Jane Austen, JK Rowling, Agatha Christie, Conan Doyle, PG Woodhouse, Jean Webster, Lucy Maud Montgomery.

6. What's your next writing project?

My next writing project is also a Regency-set story. This time an m/m novella.

1) What is your name and bio?
I'm Cliff Ball. Originally from Phoenix, but currently live in North Texas. I'm currently pursuing my BA in English and I will hopefully graduate in May. I won a short story contest in high school back in 1992 through Creative Writing class, but really didn't do anything with storytelling until the last six or seven years. I'm debating whether or not to pursue a MA in Technical Writing and substitute teach while doing that. What I'd really like to do is become an editor, proofreader, or anything involving written communication.

2) What is your book title, synopsis, and where can readers find it?
I have two novels. Out of Time is my very first published sci-fi/fantasy novel, which is available in paperback on Barnes&Noble.com, Amazon, and Books a Million. The e-book version though, I recently uploaded a second edition to Kindle, available for $.99 on Kindle, and Smashwords, which should be available on Sony and Apple too in the next few weeks. Click the link for the synopsis.

Don't Mess With Earth is my 2nd novel. It's science fiction/alternate history. Can be found in paperback on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Books a Million, Hastings. In e-book it is on Kindle and Smashwords(for free on Smashwords for a limited time if you want the coupon code)

3) Where do you come up with your ideas?
I'm a history buff, so I like to include some history in my novels. Out of Time is a time travel novel, so it starts out in the 22nd century, but also takes place in the 20th. Don't Mess With Earth is my what-if novel about what-if certain famous humans weren't from Earth and why some of them vanished suddenly, like say Amelia Earhart. In the history theme, I explain the Salem Witch Trials and why Roanoke colonists seem to vanish, which has something to do with aliens....

4) What books/authors do you like to read?
Harry Turtledove, S.M. Stirling, Eric Flint, Kevin J. Anderson, Micheal Crichton, some of the Star Trek novels, some historical biographies, and some current political books.

5) What's your next writing project? I am writing a sequel to Don't Mess With Earth. The other one I'm writing about is a quote supposedly made by Soviet Premier Khrushchev about how the American worker would bury capitalism, but, instead he has the KGB raise an American boy to be the one who ultimately takes down the United States by becoming POTUS. Then, the 2nd half of the novel, is how some Americans deal with the collapsing USA.

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1) What is your name and bio?

Hello. My name is Clifford M. Scovell. I am a fifth-generation Oregonian, currently living in Jefferson, Oregon. My freelance computer support business pays the bills, but my love of writing takes up most of the rest of my free time. I write stories because I enjoy entertaining people, but can neither sing, play an instrument, nor dance.

2) What is your book title, synopsis, and where can readers find it?

My first novel, Prison Earth – Not Guilty as Charged was released January 10th by Black Rose Writing. It is a science fiction/adventure novel.

Prison Earth – Not Guilty as Charged presents Earth as a penal colony where the souls of an alien species’ worst criminals are implanted in humanoid bodies to live among us while believing they are human. Sophisticated computers and alien minds manipulate the daily lives of everyone on Earth with the goal of rehabilitating the criminals.

But this carefully managed system breaks down when different alien species fight for the key to the ultimate power of the universe and the very existence of all known life.

Wyatt Simmons and Megan Simplot are neighbors, living peacefully in the hills of western Oregon. That is until their murders reveal a surprising truth about life after death. Stunned by the realization they are not really human, Wyatt and Megan must now risk not only their new bodies, but their precious souls in the struggle to prevent a cataclysmic explosion as destructive as the Big Bang.

My book is available on Amazon.com & Barnes and Noble. If you prefer to support your local bookstore, they can order it from Black Rose Writing. (www.blackrosewriting.com)

3) Where do you come up with your ideas?

The book actually started as a short story, but took on a life of its own and has grown into three books, of which Prison Earth - Not Guilty as Charged is the first. When I was thirteen, I had a shockingly realistic nightmare about being abducted by aliens. That planted the seed, and explains why the book starts with a dream scene, that isn't a dream.

Despite my mother’s best efforts, I’ve never been religious. However, the idea that someone was watching over me, a traditional religious theme, was something I could not shake. At some point, I wondered that if there wasn’t a Christian god watching over me, who was? The basic premise of this story evolved from that.

4) What books/authors do you like to read?

My tastes are thoroughly eclectic. I love to wander bookstores and pick up whatever grabs my attention. I like to challenge my brain, and anything that does so will end up on my bookshelf. Key for me is that the story is well written. The only exceptions might be memoir, romance, and anything with a vampire in it.

5) What's your next writing project?

I am currently doing final edits on Book 2 of the Prison Earth series, named, Prison Earth – A Loss of Face. This book represents the period following humanity's discovery of the alien prison system. During an intra-galactic war, another alien race, the Maatiirani take over Earth and violently work to subdue its population. In true human fashion, we resist. At the same time, the Maatiirani trick a young computer programmer into creating a fighting ship so powerful, none of their enemies can defend against it.

My plan is for this book to be released in the fall. Please check out my web site at www.prison-earth.com, or my blog at prisonearth.wordpress.com

Thank you for your time.

1) What is your name and bio?
My name is RJ Hamilton, a 12 year Army veteran who wrote my first book "Self Convictions" while deployed in Iraq for the 2nd time. I grew up in a small town in MN and joined the Army directly out of high school. I've been deployed to Bosnia twice and Iraq two times as well. I currently live in Topeka, KS where I've decided to settle for a bit.
2) What is your book title, synopsis, and where can readers find it?
Queen of the Damned by Anne Rice
It is a beautiful story about the thirst for power and how quickly a greedy person can be overcome and fail. The Queen decides to obtain Lestat, Anne's hero in all of the earlier Vampire Chronicles, and she succeeds momentarily. The other vampires rally against her because she tries to destroy all who oppose her. She is ultimately destroyed. It is the 3rd book in the Vampire Chronicles and I've read it 6 times! I love it! I love her style and creativity! You can find this book just about anywhere.
3) Where do you come up with your ideas?
As a child I initially thought about a book with a "shadow" being, ghost more-or-less in the tale but didn't have the knowhow to achieve it. "Self Convictions" developed with the "shadow" changing into a "voice" but he isn't a ghost, he does haunt Brandon but has physical attributes. I've also always thought, "how awesome would it be to have the powers of telekinesis?!" imagine the possibilities?! I went from there, combined those elements and have come up with a trilogy to amaze whomever chooses to partake in it. I've written the stories in 1st person because I find that more challenging and also makes for a more interesting read. http://rjhamilton.webs.com/ There are reviews posted on the official site and on the Facebook fan page, just search for "Self Convictions"
4) What books/authors do you like to read?
As I previously stated, Anne Rice, the way she projects the realistic take on vampires is intriguing!
5) What's your next writing project?
"Self Consciousness" is in the works as we speak. As they become a family, I'm letting the Hudson's tell the reader their story, letting you see everything through their eyes. I promise that you won't be disappointed! Thank you for your time everyone!

Cmscovell wrote: "[image error]

So it's kind of like The Matrix meets The Body-Snatchers? Cool concept.

1) What is your name and bio?

Dangerous Lee lives in Burton, Michigan with her daughter. She works part time as a Community Health Advocate and Testing Counselor with Wellness AIDS Services, Inc. of Flint, Michigan.

When she is not writing or being an HIV activist, Dangerous currently keeps herself busy with small acting projects and abstract painting.

Please visit www.pantiesupskirtdown.com for book updates and visit www.dangerouslee.biz to see what Dangerous is up to next.

2) What is your book title, synopsis, and where can readers find it?

My first book is titled, Keep Your Panties Up and Your Skirt Down. It's a book of erotic short stories with an emphasis on HIV education. It can be purchsed at https://www.createspace.com/3431325

3) Where do you come up with your ideas?

I work in HIV Prevention so this topic means a lot to me. The title came from my grandmother, who used to say it to me and my other female cousins all the time as a means to not have sex.

4) What books/authors do you like to read?

I enjoy Zane and I also enjoy reading autobiographies.

5) What's your next writing project?

I plan to publish a book of urban suspense thriller short stories as my next project. No more erotica for me.

1) What is your name and bio?
Fiona McGier, I got an English degree years ago, used it briefly to teach, then had to leave teaching for the more financially remunerative field of sales. Not happy there, I had 4 kids and stayed home for a couple of years, running a home day-care business. Then I took a steady succession of p/t jobs to supplement the income, and give husband time to bond with our kids. I tried to re-enter the teaching field just when the economy collapsed. I still work 2 p/t jobs, and write when I can stay awake long enough. The oldest 2 are in college, and the 3rd will be next year, with the 4th one the year after that. I'll never be able to afford to retire!

2) What is your book title, synopsis, and where can readers find it?
My latest book is Analysis of Love, about a woman who is a member of a large Hispanic family I call the Reyes. She is a journalist who is assigned by her bosses' boss to pose as a client of, then write an expose about, the analyst he feels has alienated his son from him. Since he is the kind of publisher who would sell his own grandmother for a profit, she hates the idea, but he threatens her job and her ability to work in the field ever again. When she sees the man she is told she must seduce then destroy, the first part will obviously be sheer pleasure...but he is blind, so she has to figure out how to attract a man who can't see her attributes. Then she starts to develop feelings for the man she has been told to publish lies about. Now what?
My books are available from my publisher, Wingsepress.com, and from Amazon and Fictionwise. Visit my website, www.fionamcgier.com, and there are links to my publisher to buy the books, as well as my blog, and a free short story, which is a sci-fi "romance".

3) Where do you come up with your ideas?
Sometimes I wake up from dreams with entire plot lines. This one was because Catalina was a minor character in my 3rd book, Love By Design, which was the story of her older sister's romance. I thought she was an interesting character, and I wanted to give her a man worthy of her.

4) What books/authors do you like to read?I
I like to read a lot of non-fiction, books that explore the human psyche and experience...or spoon-feed history in a palatable form. I also love sci-fi.

5) What's your next writing project?
I've got the 5th Reyes Romance coming out in June. I'm currently working on 2 books not in this series, and waiting to hear if the 6th book will get a contract.

1) What is your name and bio?
My name is Reed Critchfield. I am a graduate of the University of Utah with a Masters Degree in Business Administration, I spent 27 years in the Army culminating in my assignment as the Commander of the 1/211th Attack Helicopter Battalion based in West Jordan, Utah. My experiences in the military coupled with membership in the LDS (Mormon) Church gave me pause to contemplate the cause and effect relationships between people, governments, nature and God.
The content of this manuscript represents over 30 years of personal research, study, prayer and life experience. When I started, it was just about me; putting my own house in order. Then, it occurred to me that perhaps other people are struggling to find the Truth too. And maybe by sharing my insights, I could help others to find their own truth.

2) What is your book title, synopsis, and where can readers find it?

My book is entitled, "Finding Your Own Truth: A Consultation to the Journey of Self".

This book was written to help those people seeking to find their path in life leading to peace and happiness. It is for those who are looking for the Truths that help them give meaning to their existence, and give them the deeper reasons for why they are on the earth at this particular point in time. If you have ever wondered who you really are, why you were born to this era and how you can fulfill your individual purpose of your existence, this book can help. When enough of us figure this out, we become a catalyst to help the human race collectively fulfill its destiny. This book can open your mind and heart to new ways of looking at your mortality and for ultimately finding true happiness from within. It will assist you in awakening to your relationships with others, with the Earth, the Cosmos and God.

ISBN: Hardcover 978-1-4500-3940-6
Softcover 978-1-4500-3939-0
Ebook 978-1-4500-3941-3

You can find my book through my author website at http://www.YourOwnTruth.net or on Amazon.com and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/

3) Where do you come up with your ideas?
Primarily through research; following a thread of thought until I feel comfortable with my conclusions. Always followed by confirming prayer. Meditative reflection often helps me to clarify a concept.Sometimes I just follow my intuition to wherever it takes me. Two things are paramount to inspiration. First, the humility to recognize that I don't have all the answers. Second, an open, discerning mind that allows me to objectively consider all possible answers.

4) What books/authors do you like to read?
It depends on what I'm reading for. For pure pleasure, I like fantasy/science fiction. I am partial to Stephen King because, everything else aside, he knows how to tell a story. I like Tolkein for his ability to imbed social commentary into his works without the reader feeling lectured. That, and the pure expanse of his mythical vision.

When researching, I'll read a wide variety of material. I prefer to come at a subject from different viewpoints with the realization that few people are capable of writing completely objective non-fiction. It's an oxymoron.

5) What's your next writing project?
In truth, my experience with getting "Your Own Truth" published was so negative, I'm not sure about another project. As Tiffini pointed out in her recent review of "Your Own Truth", mine is a textbook style of writing. I am not built to write novels. That is one reason I have so much respect for those who do. For you people, it's art. For me, it's more like I had a message I wanted to get out so I compiled my research and tried to make it interesting to read.
All this said, I am toying with writing an alternative history of God, creation and Jesus Christ taken from the Akashic Records (theoretically).

1) What is your name and bio?
Joshua Caleb. I've been writing almost as long as I can remember.(Or creating stories at least, my early works were in the form of verbal action figure plays.) Aside from writing books, I write a tech blog: www.TheBloggitonPost.com, am a music aficionado, tech enthusiast, and gamer.

2) What is your book title, synopsis, and where can readers find it?
The first book in the Wryter Chronicles series is titled: Warped & Wired

synopsis:
"Magic and Technology don't mix. At least until now. Portia Greyleesah, a member of an ancient and magical race of beings called Wryters, and Mitchellina Cruise, a normal human island girl living in the pacific, are each content with their respective lives. But when each discovers the dark secrets of their true parentage, they both reluctantly leave their very different lives in search of the truth. They are forced to join together, much to their dismay, in order to uncover the secrets and truths, eventually working together to bring down the dark villain that threatens the lives of the entire world."
You can find it at nearly any online retail store in paperback or e-book format. Visit www.TheWryterChronicles.com for more info.

3) Where do you come up with your ideas?
I get ideas from almost anything: books, movies, video games, science, news, etc. Then I just start piecing and fitting them all together until a story begins to form.

4) What books/authors do you like to read?
I generally like to read sci-fi/fantasy books, though preferably fantasy. I enjoy authors such as: J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Jules Verne, Arthur Conan Doyle, and have just started with Terry Brooks. I also read a lot of books on how to write.(keep improving. Never get stale)

5) What's your next writing project?
My next project is the sequel to Warped & Wired, about two young adults who, after a series of strange events, find themselves strangely affected by mere contact with water.

1) What is your name and bio?
Michael E Newton
I graduated Summa Cum Laude with honors from Arizona State University with degrees in finance and computer information systems. I was a portfolio manager for ten years and write about economics, finance, and the market. I have always had a passion for history, politics, and economics.

2) What is your book title, synopsis, and where can readers find it?

The Path to Tyranny: A History of Free Society's Descent into Tyranny
Western civilization is risking the return of tyranny by increasing the size and scope of government. Throughout history, free societies descended into tyranny when their populations realized they can use the power of government to give themselves benefits at the expense of others. The Path To Tyranny examines how and why each of these free societies descended into tyranny and evaluates the current prospects for the United States.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0982...

3) Where do you come up with your ideas?
For my first book, the direction of this country led me to write The Path To Tyranny. I actually came up with the working concept of “the road to serfdom is paved with good intentions.” This idea combined the ideas in Friedrich August von Hayek’s book The Road to Serfdom, which argues that collectivism always leads to totalitarianism. with the saying “the road to hell is paved with good intentions.” People use the power of government to promote some social good, but that leads to tyranny by the government.
In general, I like writing about themes and how they play out through history, similar to Guns, Germs and Steel and Carnage and Culture.

4) What books/authors do you like to read?
Obviously, I love history books, especially economic or political history. I am a big J.R.R. Tolkien fan and have read The Hobbit: Or There and Back Again and The Lord of the Rings many times and most of his other works as well.

5) What's your next writing project?
I don’t want to reveal my thesis just yet, but I will tell you that I will be writing a book about Thomas Jefferson. This will not be another biography since hundreds of those have already been written. I am aiming for publication in mid-2011.

Category.Prison Earth - Not Guilty as Charged

Dear readers. My name is Clifford Scovell, and I want to add to my recent bio. I was just informed that my book, Prison Earth-Not Guilty as Charged, has been selected as a finalist for the Next Generation Indie Awards for the Science Fiction. This is an international competition for authors published through small publishers or are self-published. Only four books in each category are selected for the finalist position, so this is like winning an Olympic medal for writing! Exciting!
For more information, check out my web site at www.prison-earth.com.

1) What is your name and bio?

William Meikle. I'm a Scottish writer with ten novels published in the genre press and over 200 short story credits in thirteen countries, the author of the ongoing Midnight Eye series among others. My work has appeared in a number of professional anthologies.


2) What is your book title, synopsis, and where can readers find it?

I have too many to list here, so I'll just mention the latest two.

The latest in print was The Watchers Omnibus. A trilogy in one volume, it is a retelling of the 1745 Jacobite Rebellion with a vampire Highland army heading south to be met with the defenders of Hadrians Wall. Think Zulu with vamps. 450 pages of battles, mayhem, bawdy songs and beer. Available in all the usual places.

The latest (of 6 so far) on the Kindle is Crustaceans. Giant crabs take Manhattan. Need I say more? Available at my Kindle store here: http://www.amazon.com/Crustaceans-ebo...


3) Where do you come up with your ideas?

Most of my work, long and short form, has been set in my homeland in Scotland, and a lot of it uses the history and folklore. There's just something about the misty landscapes and old buildings that speaks straight to my soul. (Bloody Celts... we get all sentimental at the least wee thing).

But I think it's the people that influence me most. Everybody in Scotland's got stories to tell, and once you get them going, you can't stop them. I love chatting to people, (usually in pubs) and finding out the -weird- shit they've experienced. My Glasgow PI, Derek Adams is mainly based on a bloke I met years ago in a bar in Partick, and quite a few of the characters that turn up and talk too much in my books can be found in real life in bars in Glasgow, Edinburgh and St Andrews.

I grew up in the West Coast of Scotland in an environment where the supernatural was almost commonplace. My grannie certainly had a touch of “the sight”, always knowing when someone in the family was in trouble. There are numerous stories told of family members meeting other, long dead, family in their dreams, and I myself have had more than a few encounters, with dead family, plus meetings with what I can only class as residents of faerie. I have had several precognitive dreams, one of which saved me from a potentially fatal car crash.

I have a deep love of old places, in particular menhirs and stone circles, and I’ve spent quite a lot of time travelling the UK and Europe just to visit archaeological remains. I also love what is widely known as “weird shit”. I’ve spent far too much time surfing and reading fortean, paranormal and cryptozoological websites. The cryptozoological stuff especially fascinates me, and provides a direct stimulus for a lot of my fiction.

So, there’s that, and the fact that I was grew up with the sixties explosion of popular culture embracing the supernatural and the weird. Hammer horror movies got me young, and led me back to the Universal originals. My early reading somehow all tended to gravitate in similar directions, with DC comics leading me into pulp and to finding Tarzan.

Mix all that lot together, add a dash of ZULU, a hefty slug of heroic fantasy from Howard, Leiber and Moorcock, a sprinkle of fast moving Scottish thrillers from John Buchan and Alistair MacLean, and a final pinch of piratical swashbuckling. Leave to marinate for fifty years and what do you get?

A psyche with a deep love of the weird in its most basic forms, and the urge to beat the shit out of monsters.

4) What books/authors do you like to read?

Tarzan is the second novel I remember reading. (The first was Treasure Island, so I was already well on the way to the land of adventure even then.) I quickly read everything of Rice-Burroughs I could find. Then I devoured Wells, Verne and Haggard. I moved on to Conan Doyle before I was twelve, and Professor Challenger’s adventures in spiritualism led me, almost directly, to Dennis Wheatley, Algernon Blackwood, and then on to Lovecraft. Then Stephen King came along.

There’s a separate but related thread of a deep love of detective novels running parallel to this, as Conan Doyle also gave me Holmes, then I moved on to Christie, Chandler, Hammett, Ross MacDonald and Ed McBain, reading everything by them I could find.

And I like work that mixes the above genres. William Hjortsberg's Falling Angel (the book that led to the movie Angel Heart) is an expert blending of gumshoe and deviltry that is one of my favorite books.

I’m currently re-reading Robert Holdstock’s Mythago Wood -- one of the greatest fantasy novels ever, a thing of wonder and great beauty.


5) What's your next writing project?

I'm working on a fantasy novel featuring a series character, Augustus Seton.

I've been itching to write some more historical fantasy set in Scotland. Going back to earlier times allows you to say things about Scottish culture without knocking people over the head with a "message".

I've toyed with several ideas, but it was only last year that things started to firm up. It took the death of two of my favorite writers to give me a kick. David Gemmell's muscular swordplay and Robert Holdstock's grip on mythic archetypes and the importance of history mixed in my head and gave me a sword-for-hire in 16th Century Scotland.

The late 1590s were a time of turmoil. Scotland was on the verge of many changes that would shape its future, from religious reformation, to the union of the crowns with England. But in many ways the country was still rooted in its medieval past, and fear of witches and demons was still a large part of everyday life. Seton confronts demons, both internal and external, as he wanders on the fringes of history.

William wrote: "1) What is your name and bio?

William Meikle. I'm a Scottish writer with ten novels published in the genre press and over 200 short story credits in thirteen countries, the author of the ongoing M..."

Your writing sounds just like the sort I enjoy reading, esecially your new fantasy novel. It's also nice to meet someone who has read Edgar Rice Burroughs; I love the Tarzan books.

Cmscovell wrote: "Category.Prison Earth - Not Guilty as Charged

Dear readers. My name is Clifford Scovell, and I want to add to my recent bio. I was just informed that my book, Prison Earth-Not Guilt..."

Congrats, Clifford! That's great!

Thanks for starting this thread!

1) What is your name and bio?
My name is T. L. Haddix, I'm originally from Eastern Kentucky but now live in the greater Louisville, Kentucky area. I'm a happily married 34 year old female, mother to three wonderful cat children and author of Secrets In The Shadows, my debut novel.

2) What is your book title, synopsis, and where can readers find it? Secrets In The Shadows is the first book in the Leroy's Sins Series, mysteries written around the lives of the inhabitants of the fictional Ohio River town of Leroy, Indiana. It came out in March and is available in print and e-book. It can be found on Amazon (print and Kindle), BN.com (e-book) and Smashwords (all e-book formats), and can also be found through my website, www.tlhaddix.com . Here's a blurb:

Everyone has secrets. Don’t you? Most of our secrets are harmless. Sometimes, however, those hidden truths come back to haunt us. Sometimes they even kill…

When long-held secrets come to light in the small town of Leroy, Indiana, death and destruction aren’t far behind. Can the residents overcome their pasts, enabling them to rebuild and face the future, or will the secrets lurking in the shadows rise up to swallow them whole?

Gallery owner Charity Vaughn had a closet full of secrets. Hiding underneath her polished exterior was a terrified girl with a past. When the life she’d tried so hard to make disappear is revealed, Charity won’t be the only one to feel the repercussions.

Lauren Grant didn’t expect her inner demon to rear its ugly head, threatening to destroy everything she had worked so hard to build, but that is exactly what happened. She never expected her secrets to be revealed for all the world to see, but they were. Now the single mother has to try and put the pieces of her life back together. Hopefully she won’t die trying.

Charlie Clark moved back to his hometown to repay an old debt, still looking for that elusive ‘something’ his heart was calling for. He never expected to find that ‘something’ in Leroy, the town he had left years before because of the heartache and memories. Now that hope for the future is being threatened. Will Charlie be able to stop the threat in time, or will he lose everything again?

Come to Leroy, Indiana, and find out who survives…and who doesn’t.

Book two, Under The Moon's Shadow, will be released in late summer 2010.

3) Where do you come up with your ideas?
Everyday life. I grew up in a small town, and everyone knew everyone else's business - or they thought they did. That concept of keeping secrets fascinated me, and just by watching people and imagining what they concealed about their lives, I learned a lot about human behavior. I was also raised a lonely only, so oftentimes my imagination was my only friend.

4) What books/authors do you like to read? I love reading, and will freely admit that most of my faves are chick lit, romance or mystery. I think romance is a highly under-rated genre, to be sure. I love Regency romances, and Lisa Kleypas, Julia Quinn, Mary Balogh, Judith McNaught are at the top of my list in that genre. I prefer mysteries for the most part for contemporary fiction, and faves there are J.A. Jance, Sue Grafton, Tami Hoag, Elizabeth Lowell and Janet Evanovich. Not really sure I'd classify Ms. Evanovich as mystery, though.

5) What's your next writing project? My next project is finishing book two, which hopefully will be soon. I also have a few short stories up my sleeve, and will be getting those out there as time and creativity allows.

William wrote: "1) What is your name and bio?

William Meikle. I'm a Scottish writer with ten novels published in the genre press and over 200 short story credits in thirteen countries, the author of the ongoing M..."
Hi William, me faither was from Glasgow and I used to think that everyone's dad would talk endlessly about things that happened back in, oh, say, 1066, as if it was just yesterday, and he was there! Once when talking about Hadrian's wall, he had me in stitches, talking as if he was both the Roman, looking up at the wall just being built, and the painted-blue Pict whose blue eyes were peering over the top at the enemy. I guess it's a gift you guys have...maybe it's where I got my story-telling yen?

1) What is your name and bio?
My name is Caroline Leavitt. I'm the award-winning (NY Foundaton of the Arts Fiction grant, Goldenberg Fiction Prize, National Magazine Award Nominee) author of 9 novels, most recently the INdie PIck GIRLS IN TROUBLE and the upcoming (January!) PICTURES OF YOU, which Library Journal dubbed "An Author to Stalk and a Galley to Grab at BEA" and Booklist online already praised as one of 3 bookclub picks of 2011. I'm a book critic for PEOPLE and the BOSTON GLOBE and I teach writing at UCLA Writers' Program online (and have private clients.) I live in the NYC area with my husband and our son.

2) What is your book title, synopsis, and where can readers find it? PICTURES OF YOU (Algonquin Books) is a literary novel about a mysterious car crash and the colliding lives of the people involved. It asks, how do we forgive the unforgivable? (Sometimes we can't.) And how do we really know the ones we love? It is available for pre-order on Amazon and will be out January 2011. GIRLS IN TROUBLE is available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble online.

3) Where do you come up with your ideas?
I write about what obsesses me! I write the kinds of novels that answer questions I am desperate to figure out.

4) What books/authors do you like to read?
I am worshipping Dan Chaon at the moment.

5) What's your next writing project?
I am 90 pages into a new novel which is about how do we ever keep safe?

Thanks Vincent for starting this thread. I'd like to participate too.

1) What is your name and bio?
My name is Debra L Martin. I write science fiction/fantasy with my co-author David W Small. The writing is challenging because we live on opposite coasts. It takes a lot of coordination on our part to come up with a working draft.

2) What is your book title, synopsis, and where can readers find it?
Our first book in the "Rule of Otharia" trilogy is:
QUEST FOR NOBILITY available for sale on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Quest-Nobility-...
Description:

Darius and Dyla Telkur, royal twins, from one of the most powerful noble families on Otharia...

Add in an evil mastermind bent on eliminating the House of Telkur...

And a telekinetic assassin named Nils...how fast can you run?

The idyllic life of royal teenagers, Darius and Dyla Telkur, from the planet Otharia takes a horrifying turn when their parents are murdered. With their cousin appointed as Regent until Darius comes of age, it doesn’t take the twins long to figure out that he’s bent on stealing their throne one way or another. To escape their cousin’s wrath, they flee to the only safe place they know where no one will find them – the forbidden and quarantined planet Earth.

Safe on Earth for the moment, the only way for them to return home is to find an ancient 10K traveling crystal left behind by their Otharian ancestors who visited Earth 1500 years ago. Enlisting the help of a London university archeologist, they begin their search for the crystal from clues buried deep within the Arthurian lore of Merlin and Lady of the Lake. What they find instead is evidence of a secret trade pact between Otharia and Earth that was established centuries ago. Before Darius and Dyla can understand what it means, they’re in jeopardy again; this time pursued by those on Earth who want the secret to remain hidden. Who is behind the trade pact and what is being traded are the questions the twins need to figure out while trying to stay one step ahead of the Earth assassins. Everything is connected. Otharia and Earth are entwined in secrets and bound by the blood of the other.

Time is running out for the royal pair. They must find the traveling crystal and open a portal home soon before their cousin is crowned the next Duke of Telkur and their lives are forfeited.

3) Where do you come up with your ideas?
Dave and I go back and forth many times discussing new projects. When we're both satisfied, we start the first draft. All of our writing is edited by each other in real time so the document gets past back and forth many many times.

4) What books/authors do you like to read?
I like a variety of authors - Joe Abercrombie, Brent Weeks, Patrick Rothfuss, CJ Cherryh, Jeff Somers, Charlaine Harris and Alison Weir.

5) What's your next writing project?
We're currently working on a fantasy involving an assassin, the witches coven, unhappy nobility and a prophesy involving twin girls.