1) Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?
I was born in Hastings but grew up in North West Wales, mainly living rurally. I started writing when I got the urge out of nowhere to learn how to write screenplays, slowly after getting tired of struggling to get any of these made or funded – other than those that could be done on a micro budget – I decided to give it a go converting some of them into novels. One of which became my first novel One Visit‘.
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2) What inspired you to write your book?
A lot of my own experiences of living in poverty, seeing people routinely being let down by the system, and different mental health issues I’ve both suffered and seen others suffer with.
3) What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?
That if you see signs of abusive parenting, even if said parents appear like respectable people through glib charm then do everything possible to help those children before their well-being becomes permanently affected. Also hopefully they’ll take away and have sympathy for the riveting affect and trauma of having your house taken over by drug dealers.
4) What drew you into this particular genre?
I love the raw nature of kitchen sink drama and have always found books/films that portray poverty in a relatable way fascinating. Having a way of highlighting often misunderstood stigmas around mental health and addiction while being able to hopefully contribute in some way also drew me to this genre.
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5) What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?
Both Instagram and Facebook are decent. Facebook’s litany of different book sharing groups are invaluable, especially when you have a free promotion on. Reddit is especially good as well when a free promotion is on your book.
6) What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?
Don’t get beaten down by your first draft and its imperfections. That was the hardest thing for me to get over before going through the process enough to be able to power through the first draft while aiming for momentum more than perfection.
7) What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?
I am nearly through the first draft of my second novel Spurious Scrapper, a revenge drama also set in rural north west Wales. Once that is finished, I aim to write a novel comprised of a few short stories loosely intertwined and set in North Wales, all centring around the inequality of modern-day Tory induced poverty.
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About the Author
I grew up in rural North West Wales, where hardships and a lack of opportunities spurred my passion for tackling tough subjects, such as poverty, addiction and mental health. Currently studying a masters degree in screenwriting at the University of South Wales, I’ve written and directed three short films. One Visit was the first feature-length screenplay I ever wrote, and through the exposure of this novel, I hope to garner interest and funding to turn it into a film one day. For news regarding my future novels and films, follow @vecks_gems_productions on Instagram.
1) Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?
I’m a mother of seven kids, five of them grown, and a grandmother of two beautiful boys. But years before all of that, when I was 19 and newly married, the car I was driving was hit by a city bus. I sustained a severe brain injury and nearly died; my prognosis was not good. However, being a mother a few years after, as well as writing, helped me to slowly recover. Almost 15 years after my brain injury I started college again and now I have a Master’s Degree in English Literature (I felt that if I wanted to hone my writing skills I needed to read and learn from the masters of the craft). 25 years after my car accident my first book was published, and now 32 years after my car accident my third book has just been published. So writing has essentially been my rehab.
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2) What inspired you to write your book?
I was just learning that I have Scottish ancestry, and I also love Shakespeare and read that he had based the three witches in Macbeth on the Three Fates of ancient Greek lore. I thought that was so interesting and I asked, “What if…” which I wanted to explore. I felt there would be so many questions that would drive my story and there were. I’ve also always loved fantasy, so I knew those things would be the components for my story, but when I commissioned my oldest son Bradley Hemmestad to create a book cover for me was when I became really inspired – his art helped shape my story completely.
3) What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?
That we learn from past, present, and future – I would love readers to see things in a way they hadn’t thought of before, through the lens of fascination.
4) What drew you into this particular genre?
The realm of possibility drew me to fantasy. I love history and the lessons that fill history, then embellishing that history within fantasy so I can stretch boundaries.
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5) If you could sit down with any character in your book, what would you ask them and why?
I think I would be too scared to sit down with any of the main characters in my book; I think they would find it hard to contain their innate power. I imagine Clotho as so otherworldly that she likely wouldn’t communicate on human terms and would probably lose patience, I also think that Apollo would be terrifying because there’s no earthly limit to his power the judgements he makes, and I think Macbeth would be frightening because he was driven by the fortitude of his ancestors and the passion in his beliefs. They would all be larger than life. I really included any questions I want to ask them in my book itself – like what are ancient Greek gods doing in medieval Scotland?
6) What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?
7) What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?
Ask many, many questions of the characters in your story. They’ll reveal the direction they want to take. Listen to your dreams, like Toni Morrison did to write her masterpiece, Beloved. Don’t try to force your characters into a direction they don’t want to take or you’ll lose the sense of effortlessness that makes a story easy to get lost in.
8) What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?
The future holds A LOT of writing. I’m trying to get the word out about my digital novel Macbeth’s Spinners, and I’m also working on another novel about the disappearance of Roanoke in early American history (I’m planning to infuse that story with fantasy as well).
Thank you for this interview, Anthony!
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About the Author
Justine Johnston Hemmestad is an editor, the author of three novels, and is included in several anthologies, including Chicken Soup for the Soul: Recovering from Traumatic Brain Injuries (after having been in a car accident that left her severely brain injured at 19). She is a graduate of The University of Iowa and has also graduated from the English Literature Master’s Degree program with distinction at Northern Arizona University. Her personal webpage is at https://know-your-craft.webnode.page/ , her amazon author’s page is at https://www.amazon.com/Justine-Johnston-Hemmestad/e/B01DHSLN0M?ref_=pe_1724030_132998060 and she’s on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/JustineJohnstonHemmestadauthor
1) Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?
I never imagined I would write a book. I grew up on a farm where if you “had enough time to read a book, you had enough time to do chores”. No one in my family, or community, read books, or had an education beyond year 11. I was the first.
I read nonfiction for my education, but I never read for pleasure. Then I started reading bedtime stories to my now 10 year old daughter. I wanted her to see me reading. I bought a kindle and the rest is history.
I have worked as an borderline academic and independent consultant for many years. Before I started writing THE JOB HUNTING BOOK my writing style reflected that. Yawn. It needed to change.
I wanted to instill a voice into my writing. I studied books on craft like William Zinsser’s classic “on writing well”, books on book marketing, and books on writing fast. I listened to writing podcasts. I had always learnt new skills through studying nonfiction books, and so I thought I could learn storytelling that way too. I discovered narrative nonfiction and creative nonfiction styles, but reading books about those only took me so far. I realized that I had to read fiction if I was to understand storytelling.
These days I read widely. Nonfiction business, marketing and career books. Podcasts have introduced me to whole new genres. Monster, billionaire, sweet, erotic, enemies to lovers, and a bunch of other romance styles. Also, time travel and fantasy genres, and historical fiction, especially WWII historical fiction. Oh my, I do read a lot these days.
But, the books that most helped me find my writing voice were Richard Wake’s Alex Kovacs historical thriller espionage series. I found myself forgetting that I was reading. It was like I was there. I’d not been in that headspace before. Richard nailed the banter I witnessed from WWII veterans when I was a teenager. I had found the “voice” I had been searching for. Its unlikely you’ll see the connection in my book, but that lightbulb moment was pivotal in turning my book from a dry consultant’s report into something that, I hope you agree, is an easy to read nonfiction book.
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2) What inspired you to write your book?
I was good at winning work for my small consultancy and the word had got out. In my circle, I became the go-to person to help apply for jobs. The draft job applications and cold pitches people presented me with were usually terrible. Consistently my (mostly) young friends undersold themselves and failed to address a job’s description.
In my consulting life I had learned that if you want to have your best chance at winning a tender, you need to make it easy for your client to hire you. That’s means, addressing the tender selection criteria and having a “profile” that’s big enough to give project officers the ability to confidently go to their superiors and recommend a contract be awarded to you.
I saw the link between me winning tenders and job seekers winning a job. Job seekers need a profile that’s “just big enough” to make it easy for a hiring manager to hire them. These days there’s any number of possible home bases for that, but for most people it will be LinkedIn. The trick is to use your home base to demonstrate to an employer that you’re the perfect hire. By doing your research, you can align yourself with a business, and even a hiring manager. Magically, you’re the candidate who meets their needs. You’ve made their life easy. Yay. Of course, you’ve done the hard work, so it’s not magic.
3) What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?
Once you have a career in mind, you need to play the long game and make yourself just famous enough to get onto a hiring manager’s radar. When you do this right, you’re more likely to have success with the jobs you apply for, but employers are also likely to approach you. Imagine that… being approached by an employer and so not having to compete for a job!
4) What drew you into this particular genre?
I’m a teacher at heart. I always enjoyed the feeling of making a difference to people’s lives when I was teaching geography at my local university. Knowing that I had helped inspire someone into a career that they obviously loved, I was proud when former students sat next to me at conferences. I wanted more of that feeling.
I could have written another geography book, or a sustainability book. But to be honest, I wanted a change. Being a first generation graduate, I had always felt that my career would have been a lot easier had I had a career mentor. I needed more than the generous skills-mentors I had always had. I wanted to offer to young people what had not been offered to me.
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5) What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?
LinkedIn
6) What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?
READ. READ. READ. Read widely and read often. Listen to podcasts about writing, and about book marketing. Start working on your social media presence early.
Pay attention to book metadata like keywords and categories and incorporate them into your book title and book description if you can. Don’t skimp on your book cover and get your blurb professionally written.
7) What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?
I’ll continue marketing THE JOB HUNTING BOOK until early 2023. I’m already planning my next two books – probably a workbook to accompany THE JOB HUNTING BOOK, and a LinkedIn for Job Seekers book. Once again, they’ll be aimed at early career job seekers.
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About the Author
Life has a way of throwing up challenges. Mine happened in my late teens. In the final year of my apprenticeship a nasty workplace accident forced me to rethink my career.
Fast forward to my early 30s, I’d been a furniture restorer, a furniture removalist, a bingo caller, a pedestrian accident researcher, a condom tycoon (for some reason that failed to impress my girlfriend’s mother), a software engineer, and a lecturer and researcher in spatial science. I won jobs, sometimes due to my tenacity, but looking back, mostly through word of mouth.
In the 90s I started a consultancy and did spatial modelling for universities, the water industry, all levels of the Australian government and the UN. Magically, consulting work and now my employees came via word of mouth.
So, after 40 years as an employee and as a consultant, I’ve learnt that the secret sauce for getting work is relationships, especially professional relationships. These need not be insincere or manipulative. Opportunities naturally arise for those who make the effort. The trick to giving relationships their best chance of yielding work is to put yourself in the other person’s boots and empathize with their problems, their hopes and their dreams. Getting work becomes a simpler exercise when you’ve customized your offering to meet someone’s needs. And that idea is essentially what I’m on about.
I’m a teacher at heart. Now, in my 50’s, I can look back on my career as an employee looking for work, as a consultant winning work, and as an employer hiring and firing. The guidance I write was not around for me when I was starting out. In the absence of a mentor, I had to work it out for myself. And so here are some of my thoughts for you.
1) Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?
Thank you for this question. Actually, when I ponder this I would say it was writing that got into me. I focused early on around being a filmmaker and fashioned myself standing somewhere between the Director and the lead camera person, cooking up visual recipes for words that were trapped on paper. Although I still have a penchant for writing screenplays, I have found myself so focused on creating written content that writing now feels like home.
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2) What inspired you to write your book?
People often ask this question, and they are often uncomfortable with my answer. But I am wedded to the truth. This entire series is my interpretation of a conversation I am honored to be having with extraterrestrial beings.
3) What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?
Book 1, Beyond the Father, is meant to be a key. I am hoping it will not only unlock the door through which readers can enter into the world of Xżyber, but I truly hope it gives readers a chance to dive into areas in which they may otherwise be uncomfortable: pondering the imperfections of a god, examining the face of death, creating alternative meanings for what it may in fact mean to exist. I hope readers of Beyond the Father will come away with the confidence that they were born with the right to question…everything.
4) What drew you into this particular genre?
The endless possibilities within both SciFi and Fantasy writing is a very rewarding space for a writer, and before I starting working in this space I was a huge fan of what SciFi and fantasy offers both writers and readers. It allows one to meander out past the guardrails of what we believe reality is. It’s is on the outskirts of “reality” where writers in this genre are given the chance to create their most interesting work.
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5) If you could sit down with any character in your book, what would you ask them and why?
I would have to pose one question to Flexix, who has been jealous ever since I was selected by the Xżyberians to tell their story. He has not agreed with my treatment of the Book, and his envy has caused him to be mildly disruptive. If he would agree to sit down with me, I would ask him what it will take to calm him down!
6) What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?
The strong reading community on Goodreads, and it’s variety of platforms is a world all of its own. My publisher, 1iR3 Publishers LLC, has really appreciated that and they introduced me to the platform.
7) What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?
Definitely connect with readers on a personal basis whenever possible. When a reader reaches out and tells you that your book broke through and reached them, take the time to thank them and let that reader know how very much their thoughts and opinions mean to you. At the end of the day, the writing that matters most is not about the number of books we sell. It’s more about the quality of our work and our ability to connect with humanity.
8) What does the future hold in store for you? Are any new books/projects on the horizon?
I will be releasing Book 2 of this series at the end of next year, and I am currently refining Episode 4 of that volume. Readers who follow me on Goodreads will have the benefit of seeing an iterative cover reveal ceremony that will span over several months leading up to the launch of Book 2. I hope they enjoy this upcoming journey with me!
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About the Author
Opëshum has been writing since she was a child, and believes that authors are selected by their characters to bring their stories to the world. Incredibly shy and introverted, Opëshum does not make public appearances. She prefers to remain behind the scenes as the characters in her books take center stage. Her current work, the 8-Book SciFi Epic gods on Trial: The Series™ kicks off with Book 1, BEYOND THE FATHER.
Opëshum calls Sheridan, Wyoming her home, where she is currently writing Book 2 of this series. She lives in a modest Cape Cod dwelling on 3 acres of land where she lets a robust variety of sunflowers grow wild and untamed, while Aloe Vera and other succulents decorate almost every ledge within her house. An avid writer in the early morning and late at night, Opëshum often works on her manuscripts in rooms lit only by homemade candles.
She enjoys nature walks, full moons, and open spaces where she can stare up at the stars.
“I live my life in the shadows, and I am shy. For I know that my appearance is not pleasing to the eye.” – Opëshum Patroz
1) Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?
About ten years ago, I came down with a strange malady. I was exhausted and had to spend most of the time in bed. No doctor could help. While I was slowly recovering, I thought “Wouldn’t it be interesting if you could see the past through the eyes of an ancestor.” I played around with story ideas and settled on a satisfying ending, which I will not reveal for obvious reasons. Once I knew the ending, I crafted the plot to get there. Sometimes, all a writer needs is time to think.
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2) What inspired you to write your book?
I love stories with adventure where characters travel to exotic places and make great discoveries. My lead character, Brooke, is a young scientist who has to battle not only at her present-day university, but also in the rather uncomfortable middle ages. I love history, and I researched diligently before writing. Don’t worry, though, I only used the most interesting bits of what I learned.
3) What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?
Brooke faces many obstacles on her long quest, but she persists. Perseverance even against established authority (maybe especially against them) is a major theme.
4) What drew you into this particular genre?
I’ve been reading science fiction and doing research since the age of eight. Science is my first love and my lifelong passion. By profession, I am a professor of mechanical engineering. Write what you know is the old adage for writers. I’m following that.
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5) If you could sit down with any character in your book, what would you ask them and why?
I would like to know more about Prof. Hunter, Brooke’s thesis adviser. Hunter reveals nothing personal about herself, yet she is a key person in Brooke’s life. College students do sometimes wonder who that “sage on the stage” is who has been assigned to teach them. Hunter is also the most unpredictable character during the novel. Who is she, anyway? Does she have a family, a dog, a secret life??
6) What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?
I’ve gotten some traction on Facebook, that lumbering giant. I started with family and friends and then used their advertising platform. Goodreads has been helpful as well. I just did an interview on Narrated, a podcast about audio books. I listen to podcasts every day, and I’m not alone.
7) What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?
I’ve spent time (before COVID) at writer’s conventions getting the lay of the land. Other writers are very helpful in sharing their stories and giving you hints. I liked some advice and not others, but I was always enriched by it. When I was just starting, I was reluctant to share my ideas with anyone before I had everything written out. That was a mistake. Feedback is key. I am now brave enough to share first drafts with my writer’s group.
8) What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?
I’m working on the second draft of my fourth novel, a tale about colonizing Mars. As usual, the story has a twist. While the astronauts are heading on the first trip to Mars, a blockbuster asteroid strikes Earth. Who’s in more trouble – the astronauts or the ones left behind? Well… I’m still writing!
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About the Author
I am a traveler, an explorer, and a dreamer. My fiction takes you to exotic places that I love and treats you to new ideas to chew on. Before my writing career, I was immersed in scientific research, working at General Electric, RPI, and the National Science Foundation, so it may not surprise you that my science fiction is of the hard variety – striving for internal consistency and (more or less) realistic possibilities. You can count on me for an adventure with a satisfying ending.
Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?
Firstly, I want to thank Anthony for this interview opportunity and for his review of Driveway Detailing Warrior click here to see Anthony’s review.
I was born and raised in the South East of England and became a voracious reader from an early age. I devoured Kipling, Blyton, and Charles Hamilton as a young child. I clearly remember my grandma thrusting in my lap at age ten a hardback copy of Alex Haley’s Roots and telling me it was time for me to graduate to ‘proper literature’!
A degree in English Literature inevitably followed, though strangely enough, much later, my clearest path into writing was as a policy drafter in the UK civil service. Sure, that kind of writing was as dry as dust, but it sewed in me the creative writing seed. Then, late in 2021, my wife casually remarked that I should write a book. The idea for Driveway Detailing Warrior was born, and I was off and running as a fledgling writer…
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What inspired you to write your book?
As a car enthusiast and owner of a pristine 2010 Porsche Cayman 987.2, I was keen to keep my ride always looking her best. However, something was bugging me about the soaring cost of hiring professional detailers to bring out the full beauty in my Porsche’s sensual, flowing lines. Though my car was in excellent condition, I was quoted £1,231 ($1,650) by pro detailers for an exterior paint correction and ceramic sealant, £291 ($404) to have my alloys, brake calipers and exhaust tip ceramic coated, and £525 ($704) for undercarriage detailing and protection. Those three projects were quoted at a whopping £2,047 ($2,745) (the average of three separate quotes) from UK pro detailers in 2022 – far too much, methinks, and off-limits to the ‘on a budget’ sports car owner!
So, I drew on my experience of owning, detailing, and driving three different Porsches since 2002: a 964 model 911, a 996 model 911, and my current 987.2 Cayman. There had to be a foolproof way to do these projects at home and achieve the desired, breath-taking results, and there definitely is! When my wife suggested that other car enthusiasts would love to know how to detail their ride, I was inspired to bring together in this book for the reader’s benefit, in an engaging and inspiring way, all the pro hacks and detailing techniques I have learned along the way.
What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?
I hope readers will understand why they need not pay sky-high pro detailers prices to bring out their motor’s beauty. I hope they will learn how to keep their ride in stunning tip-top condition at a fraction of the pro detailer’s cost. Particularly amid this cost-of-living crisis.
I hope readers will understand why they should embrace the Driveway Warrior spirit as a petrolhead ideology and how to use the power of home detailing on a budget to thrive in their endeavour to create the ultimate DIY detailed street weapon…
Okay, I’m going to ask you to keep an open mind here. I can hand on heart tell you that detailing your own cherished motor is not only good for your pocket, but it’s also good for the mind, body and soul! Yes, plotting your detailing projects, being out in the fresh air, keeping busy and active, looking after your pride and joy, and enjoying the results is pretty darn rewarding for both the well-being and the wallet! Let’s face it; there’s plenty of time for vegetating on the sofa in front of the TV when it’s dark outside or while your ride is safely stored away over winter!
Most importantly, I hope readers will be empowered to seize the moment of medicine for the soul by cruising around in their immaculately presented, gleaming ride. While observing (and secretly relishing and delighting in) the admiring, envious glances of pedestrians and fellow motorists alike.
What drew you into this particular genre?
I wasn’t really thinking about any particular genre. I simply wanted to empower other petrolheads with the means to harness the power of home detailing on a budget. I hope I have been able to do so in an entertaining, engaging way.
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What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?
This is yet to be determined. I have never been active on social media (too busy having a life). In fact, my initial attempts to engage Driveway Detailing Warrior on social media have been less than successful. Facebook – a deeply unsatisfying experience, Instagram – they closed my account after one day, goodness knows why (what the actual @$*!%#!). Detailing forums in the USA closed my accounts within one week – (again, what the actual…)
That said, I’m an optimist at heart, and I’m sure I’ll engage social media in a useful way eventually!
What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?
Keep a writing journal with you all the time. You never know when an idea will explode in your head. Sometimes I awake at 4am with a choice idea to start the next chapter, and I jot the premise down in my journal straight away before the idea spins and fades. Don’t be afraid to utilize writing aids like Grammarly Premium – if you don’t like the Grammarly suggestion, ignore it – simples!
Above all, go for it – why wait?
What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?
The plan is to serialize the Driveway Warrior adventures, and book 2 is well underway for release in 2023. Don’t miss it…
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About the Author
S. L. Lucas is the owner and creator of the popular ‘Driveway Detailing Warrior’ home detailing blog and is a blogging mentor in the home detailing community. A published writer for the local press and a Porsche monthly magazine, he has bought, sold, detailed, cherished, and spiritedly driven three different Porsche models since 2002. He lives with his wife in Brighton in the UK and continues to detail and enjoy his current cherished Porsche Cayman 987.2 around the B roads of leafy Sussex.
1) Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?
I’ve always been creative. I have an over active imagination. And often times I’ll read a story and think the ending could have been better, or something else would have made more sense. So I eventually decided to write my own stories.
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2) What inspired you to write your book?
Specifically with this book, I was sick of most vampire stories featuring vampires falling in love with a whiney neurotic teenager. Vampires see us as food, not lovers. I’ve never lusted after a big mac. So why would a vampire lust after his food. So I decided to write a dark vampire story with an actual monster who has a complete disregard for human life.
3) What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?
That’s a tough on. The theme itself is about revenge. But at its heart…the story explores the vampires broken heart. He loved someone who turned on him. It drove him mad. And most of the book focuses on his madness. I guess that’s the take away…women drive men mad
4) What drew you into this particular genre?
Honestly…a facebook vote lol. I wanted to write several different genres. And I asked my followers which of several ideas they liked most based off 3 line pitches…and this one got most likes lol.
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5) If you could sit down with any character in your book, what would you ask them and why?
This is a hard one. I get into the head of all my characters as I write them. Good or bad, I try to write from his or her point of view. So in essence…I’m already a part of all of them.
6) What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?
Id say facebook has been most influential. I have a decent following from my days as a former youtuber. My old YouTube channel still has 25k subs…and I haven’t yet released a video on the channel to get sales for my book. But im debating advertising on my old channel. So if I do…YouTube will likely be most helpful lol but as of now…its facebook.
7) What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?
Just do it. Don’t do it for fame or money. Just write what you enjoy. Tell a story you would want to read. And get it done. If people like it great. If not…who cares. You did it. The most satisfying part so far…is being able to say I wrote a book. The fact so many people who’ve read it….like it…is just a bonus.
8) What does the future hold in store for you? Are any new books/projects on the horizon?
This book is a planned trilogy. So I’m really excited for people to find out what happens to Alaric after the cliffhanger ending. After that I want to do a autobiography. I’ve lived a crazy life and want to document it in case I die one day lol
1) Tell about yourself. How did you get into writing?
I am a person who loves people and helping others be their personal best. My husband and I enjoy art, music, traveling, and great food.
As a child in elementary school, I loved Show & Tell, and I often found myself making up stories to tell the class. I was also among a little group of classmates honored when our poems were published in the newspaper. I ended up writing a lot of poetry straight through college. As a marketing major, poetry took a backseat to business writing through most of my jobs. Eventually, I became a broadcast journalist, news anchor, and documentary host/producer at an ABC affiliate in New Hampshire. As I looked toward retirement, I embraced writing as my next career.
2) What inspired you to write your book?
This historical fiction trilogy tells the story of the Armenian side of my family. Initially, I was inspired to write it to capture the heritage for future generations. Once the first book “Destiny of Dreams: Time Is Dear” came out, I quickly learned that the story brought a great deal of information and inspiration to a far wider audience.
3) What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?
Themes in the trilogy focus on family, faith, love, and perseverance. With so much divisiveness and war and seemingly ceaseless examples of man’s inhumanity to man, bigotry, and intolerance continuing all around the world, I hope readers will appreciate the message that we can and must do better. We need to forgive our human weaknesses, but we also live far better lives, when we make calm decisions and learn to respond, rather than react to the bitter challenges that may be thrown in our paths.
4) What drew you into this particular genre?
I’ve written several non-fiction works in a sort of “life lessons” genre, as well as 9 cookbooks, because I am a dedicated foodie. I have also written a couple of light comedy books, told from a dog’s perspective. Well, I guess I should say that the dogs wrote their stories. I merely held the pen because they don’t have thumbs. So, I should not classify them as fiction, as the dogs swore every word was true.
Writing facts… nothing but the facts… is what journalism taught me. On the other hand, living life and performing in musical theatre taught me the importance of celebrating creativity, drama, and comedy. Historical fiction shines as a happy combination for me. I love researching to be sure the facts, settings, and historic reflections are accurate. I learned that I truly enjoy fictionalizing, which lets me use characters to bring slices of history to life.
5) What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?
Facebook is definitely my social media site of preference. While I write articles for my GoodLiving123.com website, I can repost them on sites like LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter. However, I found a particular hunger… a need… for positive thoughts and comments on Facebook. Friends and Followers… whether they hail from childhood or various stages in my career or from reading my books… have been most generous in their comments and support of my endeavors. I have also started reaching out on Facebook to encourage readership of my books and audiobooks, particularly when someone has expressed a specific need that I believe a particular publication can help meet.
6) What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?
I am very enthusiastic about encouraging aspiring authors to follow their hearts, even when they must be their own cheerleaders. Naysayers often come in the form of those closest to us. It’s the old put-downs, like, “You’ll never make money as an author.” So, what?!!? I like to remind writers to keep on sharing… keep on writing. When people ask why I write, I love honestly saying that I write because the words and stories simply must come out!
7) What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books / projects on the horizon?
While none of us truly knows what our futures hold, I continually add to my “To Do” lists as if I had a million tomorrows to get all the projects done. I have absolutely no idea how to be bored, as I am regularly working on 2-3 books at a time. The next book will be the Destiny trilogy’s conclusion, which will be released in 2023. I also have a few more food-oriented projects in the works as well as a couple of mysteries. I keep hoping for that elusive 48-hour day!
About the Author
Born in Goffstown, New Hampshire, Cathy Burnham Martin’s eclectic career path wove through recruiting, communications, television broadcasting, management, and bank organizing. An active board member and community volunteer, she received Easter Seals’ David P. Goodwin Lifetime Commitment Award. This professional voiceover artist, journalist, corporate communications geek, and dedicated foodie earned numerous broadcasting awards as a television news anchor. She wrote, produced, and hosted dozens of groundbreaking documentaries, TV specials, and news reports, ranging from the Moscow Superpower Summit and the opening of the Berlin Wall to extensive coverage of New Hampshire’s First-in-the-Nation Presidential Primaries.
Some of her most challenging work includes news stories behind the Iron Curtain under the scrutiny of foreign military personnel touting loaded AK-47s. While she met and interviewed Presidents and candidates, other interviews ranged from inventor Dean Kamen, best-selling authors Og Mandino and Richard Lederer, and Star Trek originator Gene Roddenberry to Popcorn icon Orville Redenbacher, Boston Pops conductor Arthur Fiedler, superstar New Orleans chef Paul Prudhomme, and filmmaker Ken Burns.
Among little-known facts about Cathy? She once sang with The Beach Boys and with the marvelous Marvelettes, shared a dressing room with Ella Fitzgerald, and emceed for Tony Bennett. She also performed on stage with comedian Adam Sandler, actor Dan Lauria, and director Alek Keshishian.
Dubbed The Morale Booster, this 20-year professional member of the National Speakers Association remains a business speaker, media coach, and member of the Actors Equity Association. Proud of her Eurasian heritage, Cathy Burnham Martin narrates her own books and those of other authors. Audiobooks appear on such sites as Audible.com as well as Amazon and iTunes. Author of 20+ fiction, nonfiction, and cookbooks, Cathy writes articles for her http://www.GoodLiving123.com website. When not writing or in full production mode, Cathy and her husband enjoy traveling, boating, music and visual arts, and great food.
1) Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?
Before I start, I would like to thank you for the interview and your review of The Lone Leopard.
I was born and brought up in Kabul, Afghanistan, and claimed asylum alongside my parents in the UK in 1999. I finished all my higher education in the UK. I am married and live with my wife and three children in a quiet town in England.
How did I get into writing? I love writing, especially about my country Afghanistan. Therefore, I did my PhD on Afghanistan and subsequently published some two dozen articles and a book (more below) on my native land.
The idea for writing The Lone Leopard, however, was actually conceived in 1992 when the ‘pro-Communist’ Najibullah regime collapsed and the mujahideen took over Kabul. Turning Shia against Sunni and vice versa, setting Afghanistan’s main ethnic groups of Pashtun, Tajik, Hazara and Uzbek against each other, and accusing each other of uniting with the remnants of pro-Communist members and thus not being Islamic enough, the 15 or so mujahideen groups fought each other in the streets of Kabul, killing tens of thousands of innocent Kabulis, displacing hundreds of thousands, and turning half of Kabul into mudbrick rubble with bombs, rockets and cannon fire.
Taking refuge in the basements of our blocks while the gunfire, shelling and fighting continued, I decided (if I made it alive) to write about what we ordinary Afghans went through. Unlike thousands of Kabulis, I was fortunate enough to live, and 18 years later, in 2010, I started writing about the experience: after 12 years of writing/rewriting (and extensive research, including consulting nearly a thousand sources), The Lone Leopard is the result.
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2) What inspired you to write your book?
I’ve partly answered this question above. I’d also like to add that my only inspiration is my people and country. I wanted to tell the contemporary Afghan and Afghanistan story from an Afghan perspective. Ahmad, the protagonist of my novel, therefore, gives a first-hand account of what I (and most Afghans) have experienced over the past four decades in Afghanistan (and in exile). My previous book, America in Afghanistan, published in 2019 by IB Tauris/Bloomsbury, was praised by reviewers for its Afghan perspectives, and is found at, among other institutions, Oxford and Harvard.
3) What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?
The reader will get to know a great deal about the principles of Afghan culture, particularly independence, courage, loyalty, justice, revenge, righteousness, pride, honour, chastity, hospitality, love, forgiveness, faith (Islam) and respect of elders (parents in particular), among others, and some of these themes, in addition to jealousy, prejudice, betrayal, guilt and atonement, the book explores.
The Lone Leopard is a historical war drama. Once the reader reads it, I hope they will see how things have been in Afghanistan; they will understand the history and politics of the past four decades in Afghanistan; and they will see the real Afghan and Afghanistan.
The Lone Leopard is a work of contemporary literary fiction, too, as it is solely based on human relations. The focus of the novel is primarily on the lives of Ahmad (15, a conservatively traditional Pashtun, dutiful child, gifted student, thoughtful but faint-hearted) and Frishta (16, progressive, Tajik, women’s rights activist, compassionate, outspoken and brave): will the faint-hearted Ahmad learn from Frishta to fight his cowardly side and stand up for himself and for what is right, even if his stance opposes traditions/his controlling mother; will the fearless Frishta journey from a middle-class girl to ‘the president of Afghanistan’; will Ahmad and Frishta with conflicting personalities/backgrounds fall in love; will the middle-class Wazir (15, Ahmad’s best friend/classmate: Pashtun, fearless, the school gangster, pro-mujahideen) ever fulfil his dreams of killing a Communist and joining jihad; and will the loveable Baktash (15, Ahmad’s best friend/classmate: Tajik/Hazara, timid but lovable, pro-Communism) live a normal life without getting bullied for being different. So, the reader will get drawn into a time (the 1980s-2010s) when historical events – several invasions of Afghanistan over the past four decades in particular – give rise to nationalistic and religious conflicts and impact the lives of the four characters and their families.
Moreover, The Lone Leopard is a mother-son relationship story, as familial aspects constitute a significant part of the narrative, especially (the importance of) parental respect, which you have highlighted (and liked) in your review.
Incidentally, in addition to the Western reader, when writing the novel, I had the future Afghan generations in mind, especially for them to see what mistakes their ancestors committed and how they should avoid repeating them. One of them is how discrimination, alienation and division can destroy a country; and how unity, inclusion and empowerment of people – regardless of their sex, tribe, ethnic origin, religion, etc. – can help build a better country and, by extension, a better world.
4) What drew you into this particular genre?
The Lone Leopard can fit into several genres: literary fiction, women’s fiction, young adult fiction, coming-of-age, family drama, war drama, and romance. For me, however, it will always remain historical fiction drama, the story of contemporary Afghanistan. I chose the historical genre because I have a PhD in IR/history, have taught the history of Afghanistan and have lived through the historical periods The Lone Leopard covers. As a creative writing teacher may say, ‘write what you know’.
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5) What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?
I am not very good at social media and only use Twitter. I also have a LinkedIn account, but I have not made much use of it.
6) What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?
Read more, research a lot, and get a good command of creative writing techniques before starting your book. And keep it consistent: make sure you write/research/read every day, even if it is for half an hour. Oh, one more thing: start today; don’t wait for tomorrow.
7) What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?
My next book will focus on why the Doha Peace Agreement between the Taliban and America failed and the possible consequences of the failure for Afghanistan, the region and the international community.
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About the Author
SHARIFULLAH DORANI was born and raised in Kabul, Afghanistan, and claimed asylum in the UK in 1999. He has undergraduate and master’s degrees in Law from The University of Northampton and UCL, respectively. He completed his PhD on the US War in Afghanistan at Durham University and authored the acclaimed America in Afghanistan. Sharifullah frequently returns to Afghanistan to carry out research. He is currently South Asia and the Middle Eastern Editor at The Centre for Strategic Research and Analysis (CESRAN International) and has written nearly two dozen articles on Afghanistan (and the broader region), international relations and law. He lives with his family in Bedford, England.
