Tag: author on author interview

Interview with Author Jerry Harwood

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1) Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?

I live in Tennessee and currently teach Middle School students. I have six kids and one grandkid. My wife and I like to travel but equally enjoy a nice meal out and a movie. We can’t wait for theaters to reopen! I first started writing in high school but took a 30 year hiatus where I continually said, “One day I will write a book…” Two years ago I met a gentleman at a local con (Chattacon) who invited me to a writer’s group. It was the impetus I needed to start!

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2) What inspired you to write your book?

As a teacher I get the chance to teach several different creation stories as part of our social studies curriculum. The Aztec story is one of my favorites. One night watching a trailer for the show Prison Break the idea came to me. What if the Aztec gods were inmates in gen pop at a prison?

3) What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?

My first book, Jam Sessions, was a Middle Grade fiction focusing around a boy with high anxiety. I hope it helps students struggling with anxiety, bullying, or just managing life in Middle School. This current book, Twelve Hours on the Block, is pure pulp fiction. I suppose readers might walk away with a desire to know more about Aztec lore, but that wasn’t a purpose in writing. I just wanted to write a fun, fast paced yarn.

4) What drew you into this particular genre?

I have always loved Urban Fiction, horror, and am a total history geek who loves mythology, Jospeh Campbell, and all things ancient.

5) If you could sit down with any character in your book, what would you ask them and why?

Definitely BT. I think he would be a great guy to grab a beer with. Hispanic Harley Quinn would be fun to meet to… just not sure I would survive the evening. 

6) What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?

I have a blog, website, twitter (though I am still learning how to use it), and facebook page. However, my best social media presence has been Goodreads and Amazon Author’s page.

7) What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?

Start writing. Good, bad, or even gibberish. Just start. And join a writer’s group. Build friendships and find fellowship as a writer. 

8) What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?

So I have three books in various stages. 

-1. A new adult western dystopian. It is a fun time travel piece. I wrote it to be book 1 of 2 but it also could be a stand alone work. I am currently shopping it around for an agent.

-2. Another Middle Grade book is undergoing my fourth round of edits. After this round I will send it out to a content reader I work with. It has a fantasy component. Think Wizards of Waverley Place or Sabrina, The Teenage Witch.

-3. A young adult book that blends several ancient legends that I love with a King Arthur twist. I finished the first draft three months ago and am letting it sit till spring before I pick it up again.

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Twelve Hours on the Block Review

About the Author

Jerry Harwood was born in Ooltewah, TN. His mother was an elementary school teacher and he spent his afternoons reading books in her classroom or the nearby library. He currently is a writer, which makes sense based on the fact you are reading this here. He has experimented with other occupations: camp director, program director at a counseling center, college professor and middle school teacher. Jerry has backpacked Europe, taught in a Ukrainian University, worked in Rwanda after the genocide, is a first responder, sort-of remodeled a VW Thing, and has a love for Cherry Coke Zero that is only surpassed by his love for his wife, six children, and grandson.

Feel free to share your thoughts on the book with Jerry at JerryHarwoodBooks@gmail.com or visit his website at http://www.jerryharwood.com.

http://www.jerryharwood.com/

Interview With Author Lew Bayer

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn Interviews1 Comment

Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?

I am a corporate trainer and subject matter expert and so research and writing, creating lesson plans and giving written opinion in magazines etc is a big part of what I do every day. It just turned into books…I never really planned to write a book and now I am on book 16.

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What inspired you to write your book?

 I really believe in the topic. Civility is who/what I strive to be every day all day and I am passionate about the positive outcomes and so the writing comes easily to me.

What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?

  The key message is that when we change how we look at things, the things we look at change…(I think that was Wayne Dyer original quote) – and so we need to change how we see people, how we value human interactions, how we treat ourselves and each other. Civility is its own reward.

What drew you into this particular genre?

 I have had very hard jobs in various sectors, retail, hospitality, communications etc and it was upsetting to me that everyone talked about how terribly we treat each other but no one was able to provide good solid structured strategies and techniques for doing better.

What was the process like when compiling research and organizing the information you wanted to include in your book?

 Honestly I feel compelled to write on this topic. It seems like articles and sources and ideas just land in my lap. I think the universe is guiding me- most often I don’t know what I will write or say when I sit down.

What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?

 I would say linkedin. LinkedIn is full of professionals and people who like to think, they ask questions, and they are change ready. Being better humans is about being change ready.

What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?

Just do it, don’t over think it. Let yourself enjoy the process. Don’t plan to publish. Don’t write for anyone but yourself in the beginning. Just pour your heart out onto the page. Come back and judge the content and decide what to do with it later.

What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?

 just published Manufacturing Civility with Christian Masotti. We have another book, Lean on Civility coming out in end of Nov. And my 16 book, Civility Works is out Jan.

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The 30% Solution Review

About the Author

Lew believes that Civility is its own reward . She suggests that In choosing civility, people find their best self, and in doing so, they experience the grace, courage, generosity, humanity and the humility that civility engenders. For 17 years Lew Bayer has been internationally recognized as North America s leading expert on Civility at WorkTM with focus on social intelligence and culturally-competent communication. She is CEO of multinational civility training group Civility Experts Worldwide, President of the International Civility Trainers Consortium, Executive Director of The Center for Cultural Competence, and Founder of the In Good Company Etiquette Academy Franchise Group. With the release of her new book slated for late 2015, Lew will be a 9-time published author. She is on the board for the National Civility Center, a proud Mentor for The Etiquette House, a member of the Advisory Board for A Civil Tongue, a national magazine columnist, and a frequent expert commentary contributor to over 60 online, print, and television publications. Lew is a distance faculty member at Georgetown University Center for Cultural Competence, has trained for the American Management Center in New York and is a long-term facilitator at the Canadian Management Center in Toronto Canada. Lew is a Master trainer for the Canadian School of Service, and a certified Culture Coach who also holds credentials in Intercultural Communications, Essential Skills, and Occupational Language Assessment. Lew is a 6-time nominee for the RBC Canadian Woman Entrepreneur of the year. She was previously awarded Manitoba Woman Entrepreneur in International Business and she was the first Canadian to receive the prestigious AICI International Civility Star Award.

Interview with Author Natasha Deen

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Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?

Ha! There are a lot of things that led me to writing, but I started as a hobby while in university as a way to self-care (and you know, not run down the quad screaming and pulling on my hair). ^_^

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What inspired you to write your book?

Weirdly, In the Key of Nira Ghani began as another book, but I was struggling with it…and put it down…then tried again. But instead of trying to force the story, I took a breath and listened to what the story wanted instead of what I wanted, and Nira was created. It was a great lesson that (1) each book has its own growth rate and (2) sometimes writing is less about getting words on the page and more about listening to that quiet, creative voice.

What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?

I hope they take what they’d like. When it comes to writing, I liken it to building a playground. I’m going to put in swings and a slide, and all the other good stuff. But how you play and where you go is up to you. I just want to give you a space to play. ☺

What drew you into this particular genre?

I’m lucky because I get to write in a lot of different genres. Nira’s story was contemporary fiction because that’s what the story and character arc required.

If you could sit down with any character in your book, what would you ask them and why?

Ha! I love this question. By the time my book is complete, I’ve spent a lot of time with my characters and asked them all the questions I can. (Honestly, I think they’re happy when I’m done writing because they’ll finally get some peace and quiet!).

What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?

Ohhh, great question—maybe Twitter? 

What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?

Write. 

8) What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?

I have a MG book coming out with Capstone Publishing in their Girls Survive line that I’m super excited about! Maria and the Plague of Florence is all about Maria, living in Italy and doing all she can to save herself and her family after the Black Plague invades Florence in 1347.

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In the Key of Nira Ghani Review

About the Author

Natasha Deen’s family moved from Guyana, South America to Canada to escape the country’s political & racial violence. She loved growing up in a country of snow & flannel, but often felt out of place. Thank goodness for books that showed her being different could also mean being awesome. Natasha lives in Edmonton, Alberta with her family where she spends A LOT of time arguing with her cats and dogs about who’s the boss of the house. Visit her at www.natashadeen.com.

https://twitter.com/natasha_deen?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Eembeddedtimeline%7Ctwterm%5Eprofile%3Anatasha_deen&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fauthoranthonyavinablog.com%2F2020%2F10%2F20%2Fin-the-key-of-nira-ghani-by-natasha-deen-review%2F

Interview with Author Melinda Curtis

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Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?

I am an avid reader with a large TBR pile (my to-be-read pile is always ambitious). But there was a weekend where every book I started was a DNF (did not finish). I thought I could do better. Four years and lots of study later and my first book was published by Harlequin.

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What inspired you to write your book?

I am always looking to the lighter side of life and I have a firm belief that I can “talk” to the animals. That is, understand what it is their various sounds mean. I thought it’d be fun to write a book about someone who thinks they hear a dog talking.

What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?

I write a lot of self-forgiveness books. We’ve all made mistakes in our past and need to be kinder to ourselves and others as we move forward.

What drew you into this particular genre?

I believe in stories with a happy ending. Romance always has a happy ending. If there’s love and no happy ending, that’s a tragedy and you won’t find me writing it. 😉

If you could sit down with any character in your book, what would you ask them and why?

I would love to hear what Snowflake has to say about my Thanksgiving dinner. He’s a dog but he’s a picky eater.

What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?

Facebook. I write a lot of small town romances and that seems to be where my readers are.

What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?

Study the genre. Everyone has a unique storytelling voice but if you write genre fiction, you need to understand story structure. Structure allows your voice to shine while giving readers of the genre what they came for.

What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?

I am continuing to write in a few of my longer series – The Mountain Monroes, The Kissing Test, Sunshine Valley – with releases in 2021. But I’m also shopping two new series – a new small town series and a cozy mystery series.

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Thankfully In Love Review

About the Author

Prior to writing romance, award-winning, USA Today Bestseller Melinda Curtis was a junior manager for a Fortune 500 company, which meant when she flew on the private jet she was relegated to the jump seat—otherwise known as the potty. After grabbing her pen (and a parachute) she made the jump to full-time writer. Between writing sweet romance and sweet romantic comedy, Melinda finds time to bond with her husband over home remodeling projects. She recently came to grips with the fact that she’s an empty nester and a grandma, concepts easier to grasp than jet-setting on a potty.

Sign up for her newsletter on her website to receive two free reads.

http://www.melindacurtis.com

https://twitter.com/MelCurtisAuthor?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Eembeddedtimeline%7Ctwterm%5Eprofile%3AMelCurtisAuthor&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fauthoranthonyavinablog.com%2F2020%2F10%2F28%2Fthankfully-in-love-a-thanksgiving-anthology-review%2F

Interview with Author Linda Thackery

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Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?

I’ve wanted to write for as long as I can remember. I think I penned my first story when I was ten, perhaps eleven and never stopped. I was inspired by Star Wars and developed a love of science-fiction, fantasy genres ever since.

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What inspired you to write your book?

In the case of The Hanging, I wanted to try a completely different genre and historical fiction or westerns seemed to be something challenging. I wanted to test myself.

What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?

Well I hope they are entertained, that the characters grab them and they’re interested in seeing what else in store for these folks down the line.

What drew you into this particular genre?

It is a genre that’s very different from the science fiction and fantasy I write, but then again, also very similar because there is a lot of world building involved and adventure is a main staple of the genre like sci-fic and fantasy. After all, so many of our great science fiction shows started out with elements present in western films.

If you could sit down with any character in your book, what would you ask them and why?

I would probably sit down and ask what it is like for Holly Davis to be independent woman in the 1880s, trying to make her way in a man’s world, while staying through to herself.

What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?

I’m finding Facebook is the best so far, but I’m not used to the marketing aspects so for now it seems to be the platform that gives me access to reach my audience directly.

What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?

Write for yourself and no one else. Even if you never became rich and famous, or become a best-selling novelist, doing what you love will still make you soar.

What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?

I have just finished a new fantasy novel called the Patient, it’s currently sitting with an editor. I’m working on the third installment of my Mimosa western series, and then I’ll be completing a science-fiction novel that’s been sitting dormant for too long, and writing a sequel to a book I co-authored with a friend called Savage World.

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The Hanging Review
The Faithful Review
The Patient Review

About the Author

Born in a village in Malaysia and delivered by underpaid midwife, and Ann, an irritable new mother (who wouldn’t be after 48 hours in labour?), X was named by a deranged grandmother with too much creativity for her own good. Once out of her pain-induced stupor, Ann decided to give her new daughter a proper middle name to avoid the risk of being put into a home later in life.

And so, she was called Linda.

Linda was an unremarkable child, save a few notable incidents, the discovery that a pot lid is not a substitute for Wonder Woman’s tiara (five stitches), four-year old don’t need to shave (no stitches but lots of toilet paper) and utility truck drivers are not necessarily qualified operators of their vehicles (seventy stitches).

At eight, Linda received religious enlightenment when she saw Star Wars at the Odeon Theatre and hence began her writing career.

For many years, the cages of various pets in the Thackeray household were littered with pages from Linda’s scribblings. Subjects usually ranged from whatever science fiction show was on television or at the movies. There was lots of Star Wars.

At 17, Linda moved to Sydney, Australia and was disappointed it was not occupied by Paul Hogan types with big knives and croc skin jackets but pot-bellied blokes with zinc cream and terry towel hats. Linda’s father (also known as that bloke who buys me stuff to piss mum off when she’s mad at him) settled in the town of Young, a community of 6000 people with no movie theatre.

Linda survived this period in the wilderness by raising kangaroos and writing original works but eventually got saddled down with the necessities of life and though she continued to write, work came first. Work, HBO, comic books and rent. It’s a kaleidoscope.

Even the kangaroos left out of boredom.

In 2014, Linda decided to start writing seriously again. Mostly because Australia’s strict gun laws make it very difficult to ‘go postal’ in the workplace. Moving to Woy Woy, which is Aboriginal for ‘Big Water’, she’s dipped her toes into the Indie pool and found she needs a pedicure. Her books are labours of love and championed by her friends on Facebook.

Eventually Creativia Publishers, appalled by Linda’s inability to conduct any marketing, offered to publish her books out of sheer exasperation.

Supported by two cats named Newt and Humphrey, she spends her days trying to write novels while having unclean thoughts about Michael Fassbender and Jason Statham, sometimes together.

Author Page: https://www.lthackeray.com/

Amazon Central Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Linda-Thackeray/e/B00NE63G76/


Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Scribee31oz/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Scribe31oz


Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8331182.Linda_Thackeray

Interview with Author James Rourke

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn Interviews1 Comment

1) Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?

I just finished my 25th (and easily my most unusual) year as a teacher. I teach history, psychology, and philosophy. These disciplines definitely influence my writing, as does the act of being a teacher! I believe the best way for a student to learn and appreciate history is to engage, what I call, their historic imaginations. There is a lot of creative energy generated in my class and I know that rekindled my desire to write…a desire I was first aware of in the third grade.

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2) What inspired you to write your book?

As you know, Anthony, that question is always a bit harder to answer than people think. There’s a full pie chart of inspirations for this story. When I teach history I always view it as a grand narrative of big and small stories that revolve around suffering, struggling, and – hopefully – overcoming. In psychology, which I also teach, we see a grand array of suffering, struggling, and overcoming. When writing this story I clearly wanted to continue that classroom motif. I believe that comes through clearly to readers. You stated in your review of Out of the Basement that one of the book’s strengths is the ability to highlight “…the inner demons so many people must face and yet hide behind a carefully orchestrated mask to hide the pain,…” To me, that is a key to the book…you don’t have to personally know the protagonist’s pain to connect to the idea of suffering and struggle. There is an exploration of a core concept of our shared humanity at play in the story, an aspect of the human condition that any reader can connect with.

3) What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?

The back cover of the book has the phrase “Find Hope in the Darkness.” That is definitely one theme at work in the book, the idea that even at the worst of times hope exists. It may be obscured or seem unavailable, but it is there if we can look past our pain and find it. That’s definitely one of the many themes embedded in the pages of Out of the Basement.

4) What drew you into this particular genre?

I teach psychology and a class called P3: Philosophy, Psychology, and Pop-Culture. The P3 class evaluates and utilizes movies, music, and television shows to illuminate psychological and philosophical theories. My interest in those topics in my classroom strengthened my interest in those types of stories. 

5) If you could sit down with any character in your book, what would you ask them and why?

Ha! That’s a great question. I think I would like to walk a few laps around the park with Father Sylvan. That character has a deep well of insight, compassion, and patience. I think I could learn a thing or two from him!

6) What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?

Thus far, Facebook. I’m new to the social media marketing game so that’s where I started.

7) What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?

Write and be open to suggestions from thoughtful readers. You don’t have to take every suggestion to heart, but listening to people’s reaction to your manuscript can be very helpful. We all have blind spots when we write so extra eyes can be helpful. A group of creative people sharing ideas and their work can also help you maintain a writing schedule. 

Speaking of writing schedules, don’t try to adopt someone else’s or feel guilty if you don’t write every day as some stress you must. I am a full time teacher, I teach in an evening program, and have four children. Some days I don’t write a word. Sometimes days on end. I do, however, take notes and record thoughts on my cell phone to refer back to when I carve out my writing time. 

8) What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?

Book sales, I hope! I am holding some online book events and trying to be creative in the promotion of Out of the Basement. I have a dystopian manuscript, Stone Souls, that I hope to have released in the near, and hopefully post-COVID-19, future.

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Out of the Basement Review

About the Author

James Rourke has been a high school of teacher of history, psychology, and philosophy for twenty-five years. His commitment to the idea that these three disciplines can assist his students to connect not only with his material, but to the unifying aspects of humanity, also guides his writing. “The Comic Book Curriculum” is praised for revealing”how major superheroes and their stories raise some of the deepest and most important ethical and psychological questions we all need to ask and answer.” This aspect of storytelling, the quest to tell stories that entertain, challenge, and uplift the reader, inspires James in his fiction as well.

https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJamesRourke/

https://jamesrourkeauthor.com/?fbclid=IwAR3nARK89cAvBsRQdhpwab6BgzHwe_kaJynxLqqEacEePgRsiIueL39ahHo

Interview with Author Judy Fishel

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1) What inspired you to write your book?

When I was very young and my mother read stories to me, I decided that someday, I wanted to write stories like those. As I grew older, I thought about the stories I was reading, and tried to imagine stories I might write.

Later, it was mysteries that I enjoyed reading so when I retired, (I’d been a math and science teacher).what I wanted to write was a mystery – not what I called a “shoot-em-up, but a mystery that made you feel good.

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2) If you could sit down with any character in your book, what would you ask them and why?

I’d like to talk to many of them, but most of all I’d like to talk to Jeenya Birdsong, the main character. She would greet me with a long, warm hug. Then she would offer me something good to eat. Finally, she would listen quietly to hear what I had to say. I’d want to thank Jeenya for helping me write this book.

How did she do this, you ask. Well, fifteen years ago I started to write the book – the way I thought a mystery should be written. It was really awful, so I put it away and wrote a couple books on study skills (Straight A’s Are NOT Enough).

Finally, last year, I went back to this book. This time, Jeenya appeared in my dreams. It’s hard to remember dreams, but after having these dreams, my writing improved. Sometimes I’d think about a problem I had, and in the morning, I’d know what to do. It was like letting a character decide what was best for them to do.

Sometimes, I say Jeenya Birdsong is my spiritual advisor.

3) What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?

There are a lot of great books on how to write. Find one you like and read it at least once every year. As you read, take notes on things you need to do. Each time, you are likely to find new ideas that will help your reading.

4) What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?

My son, Anthony, and I are working together on a book, “How Tony Learned to Read. For each chapter, I write my reflections and he writes his reflections. When Tony was 8 years old, and still not reading or writing, we visited a neurologist. After several hours of tests, the neurologist said, “Tony, you are extremely intelligent. You are also severely dyslexic. You might never learn to read or write.”  But he did say “Might.” Some people who are severely dyslexic do learn to read. Tony and I hope our book will inspire other dyslexic parents and students.

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Murder of the Obeah Man Review

About the Author

SONY DSC

Judy Fishel grew up in Florida, just across the river from Palm City. She and her grandfather often looked for wildflowers along the citrus groves. She also remembers the terrible freezes that killed the citrus trees. It made sense to set her story there. She started work on this book fifteen years ago but it just wasn’t working. She then wrote Straight A’s Are NOT Enough – study skills for college students. Finally, last summer she returned working on Murder of the Obeah Man. When one of her characters, Jeenya Birdsong, began appearing in her dreams, all the pieces began fitting together. Now, Judy likes to say that Jeenya is her spiritual advisor.

http://www.judyfishel.com/

Interview with Author Taya DeVere

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  1. Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?

Durham, Maine. That’s where it all started, just like it did for Stephen King!

At the time, I was writing a lot of SEO content for several marketing gigs. I was constantly complaining about how I’d love to write something that actually interested me. After getting tired of my whining, Chris (my partner-in-everything), sent me this writing contest he found on Facebook. I picked the first topic from the list, something like “My favorite day of the week.” It turned out to be a cute little story, so I decided to email it to a couple of online magazines that publish readers’ stories. Imagine my surprise when Horse Illustrated magazine contacted me and told me they’d like to publish my article in their printed magazine!

My thoughts when the (very modest) paycheck arrived a couple months later? “Well, that was easy money!”

So, I wrote a pile of stories and articles, pitching them all over. Luckily, I didn’t quit my day job because most of my work got rejected. I did get one short story published in a short story book, and a few articles were published in small indie magazines.

Finally, I got an idea for a book. This book ended up becoming three books. The trilogy gave me an idea for a new 100k novel. The novel was put aside because I got an idea for a twenty book series. And… well, here I sit, mind racing and ideas flowing! 

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  1. What inspired you to write your book?

Unchipped: Kaarina was inspired by a single, random thought: “If the world ends today, where will I run and hide?”

The answer was, (as for me it so often is), the barn. I imagined living at the stables without anyone else around, just the horses and Finnish forest creatures. Never in a million years did I imagine this would lead to me creating a complicated universe with hundreds of characters, a 20-book series that the Unchipped story is today.

  1. What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?

No being on Earth is too small or insignificant to make a difference.

  1. What drew you into this particular genre?

After spending seven years in the States, moving back to Finland made me obsess over cultural differences, society issues, and humanity in general. Then I read The Dog Stars by Peter Heller, and Margaret Atwood’s The Heart Goes Last, and it felt very natural for me to jump genres. My previous trilogy was contemporary women’s fiction. 

  1. If you could sit down with any character in your book, what would you ask them and why?

I would sit down with Doctor Solomon and ask her to tell me a joke. Just to see how effed up the joke would be!

  1. What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?

Facebook, by far. I’m obsessed with Facebook ads and the long-term strategies that come with them. I’m also a part of this Facebook/Instagram group called Dystopian Ink, which inspires me to read and write more every day.

  1. What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?

Only write stories that genuinely intrigue you. Go a little crazy with your scenes. Have fun with your characters. Don’t shy away from bad/dad jokes. Invest in a professional editor who isn’t afraid to give criticism but appreciates your storytelling and respects your voice. Your cover doesn’t have to cost you an arm and a leg, but it does have to be breath-taking and scream your genre.

  1. What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?

Ooh, where do I begin?!

The Unchipped series is streaming out every 18 days, so this series will keep me entertained for a whole year! I’m writing book ten at the moment, while my editors (I have two, and they’re both out-of-this-world) are working on books 7 and 9.

After this, remember that 100k novel I talked about? I’m going to mold it into a full post-apocalyptic / dystopian series. The story takes place on flooded Martha’s Vineyard, so the working name for this series is “The Flood.” Still, the story arc is changing as I’m outlining the series, and therefore the name will be changing too. This story has heroes with superpowers, and such immense plot twists that I’ve put it aside for now, but my fingers are itching to dig it out from my desk drawer! Soon!

Links:

www.tayadevere.com 

www.facebook.com/tayadevereauthor

www.bookbub.com/authors/taya-devere

Teija and the Unchipped series
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The Meeting Review
Unchipped: Kaarina Review
Unchipped: William Review
Unchipped: Enyd Review
Unchipped: Luna Review
Unchipped: The Resort Review

About the Author

Taya is a Finnish-American author, writing contemporary fiction and dystopian sci-fi. After living, working, and traveling in America for seven years, she now lives in Finland with her partner-in-everything Chris, their dog Seamus, three bunny-boys (Ronin, Baby, and Loki), and her horse of a lifetime, Arabella.

Taya’s restless feet have taken her all over Finland, the United Kingdom, and North America. Her new dystopian series “Unchipped” is inspired by the real-life characters she’s met on her travels. Cultural differences, social issues, and behavioral psychology have always fascinated Taya. “Unchipped” tells the story of the world in 2085, when technology has replaced people’s need to truly connect with one another. The series describes what it feels like to be an outsider and takes an in-depth look at the unlikely friendships between perfectly imperfect people across the globe. 

Justice. Kindness. The fact that all beings on this planet are equally important. Taya’s world revolves around these values every day, and they play a substantial role in her storytelling as well.

Taya’s writing is inspired by authors such as Margaret Atwood, Peter Heller, Hugh Howey, and C.M. Martens.

Teija’s author site: https://www.tayadevere.com

Her Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/Taya-DeVere/e/B07KRJPMTV

The Unchipped series page on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08CHKB96S

Facebook: www.facebook.com/tayadevereauthor

Instagram: www.instagram.com/tayadevere_author

Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/tayadevere

Bookbub: www.bookbub.com/authors/taya-devere

Interview with Author Jennifer Landels

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn Interviews1 Comment

1) Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?

I have always written.  My oldest extant work is an illustrated retelling of ‘Little Red Riding Hood’ from when I was four.  There aren’t many words, but from the pictures done entirely in thick red marker I gather it was some sort of feminist take.  I wrote a lot of stories throughout grade school, and even started a novel (which I’m hoping has been lost).  I still had the urge to write fiction in university but lacked the time.  I dribbled out a few abandoned starts during my time fronting rock bands in the UK and Vancouver, but my creative energy was mostly used up with songwriting, and after that creating human life.  It wasn’t until my youngest daughters were about three that I found the Hour Stories workshop by Dale Adams Segal and fiction started to flow again.

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2) What inspired you to write your book?

For the full series of sword fighter portraits, please visit http://www.markfeenstra.com/swordplay

My family.  Motherhood, and the complex relationships between mothers and daughters, are the heart of the Allaigna’s Song Trilogy, and particularly of the first book, Overture.  The first line of the book “If you walk down the grand staircase of Castle Osthegn you will see a family portrait,” is pretty much exactly how I orignally wrote it.  I had this image of the portrait and the tension between mother, daughter, father, and brother visible in the strokes of the painting.  The rest came from there.

3) What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?

I don’t really have a message for readers.  My characters take on a life of their own, and I write for them.  I just hope that readers enjoy visiting my characters’ lives as much as I do, and find moments that resonate with them.

4) What drew you into this particular genre?

It’s an easy genre for me to write.  My abandoned PhD thesis was on Arthurian Romance, which is essentially high fantasy, and I read a LOT of fantasy in my youth.  Ironically, I very seldom pick up a fantasy novel now, and my current work-in-progress is historical fiction.  Perhaps when I’ve released the final Allaigna novel I will be able to read fantasy again.

5) If you could sit down with any character in your book, what would you ask them and why?

That’s an easy one — it would be Irdaign, Allaigna’s grandmother.  I’d be tempted to ask her about the future, but I know she wouldn’t answer, so instead I’d pick her brains about herbal lore and animal husbandry.  And maybe ask her to sing a song.

6) What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?

I suppose Facebook, though I find its constant changing of algorithms and interfaces incredibly annoying.  I occasionally get bouts of Twitter use, but its a bit like a firehose.  I’ve resisted Instagram until recently because of their insistence on posting from a phone, but I’ve found a workaround, so we’ll see how that goes.  You can find me on all three platforms as @jmlandels.

7) What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?

Divide your workday into three parts: reading, writing, and marketing.  By workday, I mean the amount of time you devote to your writing career, whether that’s eight hours a day or two hours a week.  Try to do at least something in each of these areas every week.  Reading is important because it trains your brain to write well. Read good writing and bad writing, and writing both inside and outside your genre.  You’ll learn something from all of these. Write, even if it’s bad writing; and keep writing because it’s like a muscle you need to train. Be prepared to discard a lot of what you’ve written.  That’s okay — it’s practice.  And marketing — ugh.  Most writers hate it, but it’s a necessary evil.  If you’re just starting out writing it’s still not to early to start building your social network.  Work on relationships and actually being social on social media.  That way, when you have a book ready to release to the world you’ll have friends who’ll help you spread the word.

8) What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?

I’m editing like mad to release Allaigna’s Song: Chorale in late 2021.  I’ve also been releasing bits of my historical novel The Shepherdess, about a shepherdess-turned-spy in 17th century France, in installments in Pulp Literature magazine.  You’ll find the most recent adventure of Toinette in PL issue 28, Autumn 2020, just released now!  And when I’m not writing or editing, I’m riding horses, swinging swords, and teaching mounted combat in person and online with my new school, Academie Cavallo (academiecavallo.ca).  Do I do too much?  Yes, probably.

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About the Author

For the full series of sword fighter portraits, please visit http://www.markfeenstra.com/swordplay

For the full series of sword fighter portraits, please visit http://www.markfeenstra.com/swordplay

JM Landels divides her professional time between writing, editing, drawing, and teaching people to swordfight from horseback. She has no hobbies, since they all tend to turn into professions.

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