Tag: blog interview

Interview with Author Maggie Lovange 

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

I am a person of action. I always have to have a goal. To do something useful. I don’t know if it’s my ADHD, nature, or upbringing, but I’m always looking for challenges. I have achieved many things in my life, professionally and personally, but I am most proud of raising my 3 children.

Looking back on my life, everything has led me to this moment to become a writer. Now I am in that period of my life when I have achieved everything I could possibly want; a home, family, and career. While many people will say this is the time to sit back and enjoy your achievements, I felt weightless. You know, like, “Now what?” So the idea for the first book Dealing With Teen Anxiety, came to me at just the right time. 

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2) What inspired you to write your book?

A year ago, our family found itself in crisis. A crisis caused by the anxiety of our youngest child – Renee. As always, I turned to the books to find a solution to the problem. But the more I read, the more depressed I became. Because I couldn’t see the solution to our problem. I continued to look for answers in parenting forums and in scientific studies. But the solution came when I came across the speeches of teenagers. It was so painful to read them that I cried. But then I realized what the solution was. After 3 months, I already had my child back. We had a lot of work to do with the anxiety, but at least I could talk to her now.

This inspired me to write a book for parents who want to help their children not just deal with anxiety but also become stronger.

The book is short, and I can see from the readers’ feedback that they have many questions. Visit my site and www.maggielovange.com and contact me. I will be happy to give you more information about everything.

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

This is a book about hope and love. The strongest love – is the love of a parent for a child. It is no coincidence that the last two chapters are about how to make deep bonds with our kids. It’s important because soon your teenagers will grow up and go their separate ways, but if you have a strong relationship, they will always be close to you.

4) What drew you to this particular genre?

As I said before, I am most proud of my children. Not because they are intelligent and beautiful but because they have achieved their goals and found happiness.

In the last 10 years, there has been a lot of talk about positive parenting. Well, I’m 2 steps ahead. My grandparents on both sides raised my parents this way. My parents added something to that upbringing, and I added more. I think I can help many parents by telling them about these 2 steps forward.

In my opinion, parents’ job is not just to feed and educate their children but to teach them to deal with life’s problems. And something more important: It is unproductive to raise children in an environment without consequences.

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5) Which social media site has been most helpful in growing your readership?

Well, I’m still at the beginning. I am still developing my marketing strategy and looking for a way to reach more parents. Perhaps on Facebook, it is easiest to contact parents. But if I want to reach younger people, it’s Instagram and Tik Tok.

6) What advice would you give to aspiring or budding writers?

Do your target audience research. Do thorough research on the topic that interests you. Don’t write just to write something – be useful, and write from the heart.

7) What does the future hold for you? Are any new books/projects on the horizon?

I already have several projects in my head. I am currently working on my website, Make Parenting Easier. 

The next is about the stages of a child’s development from a psychological point of view – not just how to deal with the crises that children go through, but what we need to teach them to build a strong psyche.

The other project is about ADHD – this is something that needs to be addressed early on – in the early years of development. How to turn weaknesses into strengths because of how we were raised.

You can look at www.MaggieLovange.com for those who want to receive notifications about my new projects. There you can also leave the questions and opinions you have. The more honest they are, the better my next book will be.

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About the Author

Hi, I’m Maggie.

My name is Maggie Lovange, and I am an M.S. in mathematics, graphic designer and author. But what makes me proud are my three wonderful children.

Why my work will be helpful to you

I have experience raising children, not just as a stay-at-home mom but as a working mom. I was a single mother with my first child. I am the parent of a stepson, and of course, I am familiar with the problems when two parents raise children. The experience I gained, the issues I faced and the final result I achieved are helpful.

In today’s informational world, we are overwhelmed by a lot of information. Very often, the information you can find about a problem needs to be more consistent or made up. I am a mathematician, and my logic is very highly developed. On the other hand, I love reading and discovering new concepts and ideas. What I do is find the connections between different scientific studies and explain them in a way that is practical and easy to understand. A great example of this is cognitive behavioural therapy – which is complex. It took me about three months to research it and find different sources to be able to explain it as something utterly applicable in every person’s daily life.

Of course, being an author and a mother is not always easy. There are days when I feel like I am pulled in a million different directions. Seeing the impact that my writing has on others is the most rewarding thing I could ever ask for. But I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

As my children grow older, I know that new challenges and topics will require my attention as a writer. But I am ready for whatever comes my way. Writing is not just a job or a hobby for me; it’s a calling. It’s a way to connect with others and make a difference in the world.

Writing a book is not easy, but the rewards are immeasurable. And as a mother, there is nothing more satisfying than knowing that you have positively impacted your child’s life and the lives of others.

http://maggielovange.com/

https://www.facebook.com/miminiki1234

Interview with Author Arthur Hartz

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

I’m an MD PhD, medical researcher who no one imagined would write social commentary, especially using cartoons. They didn’t know that my secret identity is a Margaret Meade type anthropologist fascinated by how the people in my primitive society interact. I first began creating cartoons as a tool for teaching medical students. Later, after writing some research papers as a wannabe anthropologist, I found that cartoons could present observations in a simple, entertaining, and relatable way that were clunky to present in words. I later added aphorisms and commentary to focus or expand interpretations of the cartoons. 

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What inspired you to write your book?

I read a lot of social psychology about how people treated each other. My observations were often inconsistent with what I read. I thought that these observations may be interesting to others.

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

Being a good guy doing the right things does not solve relationship problems. Our genetics and our culture make good relationships much more difficult than simply behaving well.

What drew you into this particular genre?

So much of the conventional wisdom about how to have good relationships didn’t fit with what I was seeing. I wanted people to think harder about what their needs really were and how they behaved.

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

I have not developed a successful social media site.

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

I hope that in a year or so I will have had enough success that I am qualified to give advice.

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

For several months, I have been marketing my books.  I hope that I will now have more time to spend time writing creating new cartoon books and other books that will be interesting to a mass audience. 

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About the Author

After retiring from a career as a medical researcher, Arthur Hartz worked with a team of artists to produce a series of cartoon books, the Slings and Arrows of Mundane Fortune. Slings and arrows in the title of this series refers to the daily attacks most people face on their self-esteem and relationships. From a distance these attacks are interesting and often funny. Four books have been completed with cartoons and aphorisms grouped according to the sources of the slings and arrows:

1. Winners and Losers, Heretical Cartoons About the American Religion of Winning

2. The Autumn Years, Cartoons from the Front Lines of the Battle Against Aging

3. Love and Marriage, Cartoons About Imperfect People Managing Their Most Important Relationship

4. Friendship, How Hard Can That Be

The talented artistic team for the series of cartoon books includes Aleksandar Jovic from Serbia, Mike Wolfe from Salt Lake City, and Heroud Ramos from Peru. Hartz describes what he wants, the artists draw what they like, and then they work it out — amicably.

Dr. Hartz was born in Baltimore; raised in Farmington, New Mexico, and worked in medical schools in Milwaukee, Iowa City, and Salt Lake City. Currently he and his wife, Ellen, live in St. Louis. He enjoys his grandchildren and talking to people in Latin America who can tolerate his Spanish.

https://mundanefortune.com/

https://twitter.com/arthur_hartz

Interview with Author Peggy Payne

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

My first thought of being a writer came in third grade in a paradoxically backwards way. My thought was: I could never be a writer because everything I write sounds like me and not like real writing. I didn’t realize at the time that a distinct voice was an advantage. But I see now that I was thinking then about writing.

Next milestone was eighth grade: my version of a homework assignment to write three paragraphs of description turned out to rhyme. More important, I found it hugely intriguingly fun to do. My course was pretty much set then.

I worked briefly for a newspaper, then began freelancing, which has led to four books and stories from more than 25 countries.

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2) What inspired you to write your book?

My LIfe On Earth And Elsewhere is the first novel I began writing. I had just been sitting in a committee meeting as a news reporter and was frustrated that the committee wasn’t taking action. I felt powerless  and that led me to start doing a little world-building on paper. I started this novel that afternoon, immediately after leaving the meeting.

Why this story and not a different one? I wanted to write about out-of-body experience.

The book didn’t find a publisher then, though an editor at a major house wanted to publish it if, shockingly, I took the fantasy out. No way was I going to do that.  I put it aside, wrote several other books, and then came back to it about forty years later.

Bookbaby.com helps independent authors bring their creative vision to the marketplace. Sell eBooks online in the biggest retail stores.

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

Almost anything is possible. 

4) What drew you into this particular genre?

Writing about an out-of-body experience led me into another realm.

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

I would ask Risto to tell me more about life before birth and after death.

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

I’m only now beginning to have a significant presence on social media (other than socializing on Facebook). When my previous book came out, social media was not as large a force. And I was running behind in developing it.

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

Don’t let anything deter you. Just keep writing and seeking publication.

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

I’m on the verge of finishing two other books, one based on my blog Emails To My Therapist and one a combination biography/memoir Miss Chant of Cottage Lane: The Making of a Mystic.

Links:

   A video of author Peggy Payne’s reaction to Author Anthony Avina’s review

Pre-order now: 

   Amazon

 Barnes & Noble

Quail Ridge Books

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About the Author

Peggy Payne likes to write about difficult people and how they got that way.

Her novels usually venture into the realm of the supernatural, ranging from mainstream religions to the occult.

Her writing inevitably touches upon the intersection of sex and spirituality — to her surprise and no doubt that of everyone who was in high school with her. This pattern didn’t become startlingly clear until she’d published her third novel, Cobalt Blue, and reached the supposedly staid age of 65.

By the time she’d started her first novel, Revelation, she’d spent years as a travel writer, TV and newspaper reporter, magazine nonfiction writer, from Ms. Magazine and More to Travel & Leisure and Cosmopolitan. After writing from more than 25 countries, she had expected to keep rambling about the world for the rest of her days.

But then came the overwhelming need to write fiction, an event much like a spiritual awakening.

Peggy dates her first glimmers of interest in writing fiction to the third grade, when she thought:  “I could never be a writer, because everything I write sounds like me (not like real writing.)”

Home

https://www.facebook.com/peggy.payne.142

Links to my other books:

Sister India

Cobalt Blue

Revelation

The Healing Power of Doing Good, with Allan Luks

Interview with Author Olga Tymofiyeva

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

I’m a human being, I’m Ukrainian, I’m a scientist, I’m a mother of a 3-year-old boy, and now I guess I can say I’m an writer.

I was born in 1981 in Kyiv. After having lived in Ukraine and Germany, I now live in the US and work as an Associate Professor of Neuroimaging at the University of California in San Francisco.

Being a scientist by trade, I write scientific papers all the time. I got into fiction writing because I HAD to share these thoughts. I had no other choice.

2) What inspired you to write your book?

It all started with me watching Professor Michael Sandel’s mind-blowing lectures titled “Justice,” which are available online for free. That’s how I learned about John Rawls’ “veil of ignorance” thought experiment which is at the heart of the Just City VR game. Originally, when I came up with the idea for the game, I wanted to create an actual VR game. Then a board game. But later I came up with a realistic, low-budget version: writing a book. 

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

The key message of this book is actually a quote by Professor Robert Sapolsky “You don’t have to choose between being scientific and being compassionate.” 

4) What drew you into this particular genre?

Young Adult genre is just so real… I also wanted people to read about all those things in the book early on in their lives.

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

Maybe I would sit down with Nathan 20 years later and ask him how he is doing. (This doesn’t mean I’m thinking about writing a sequel – ha-ha!)

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

I found running giveaways on Goodreads helpful, especially when you offer print copies. I offered 30 copies and over 2,200 people signed up. (You do pay about $100 for the giveaway though, and have to mail the actual books). 

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

• Follow the “recipe” for writing a captivating story that you can find in “Story Genuis” by Lisa Cron. Don’t worry about “beautiful writing.”

• Get a book coach and pay for “deadlines” (you’ll lose money if you don’t submit your pages by the deadline).

• Find a writing buddy (or buddies). Meet every week in person or online for 30-60min. Tell each other what you’ll be working on, then mute yourselves, and at the end share how it went.

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

I think there is a self-help book somewhere on the horizon!

About the Author

Olga Tymofiyeva, PhD, was born in 1981 in Kyiv, Ukraine. After having lived in Ukraine and Germany, she now lives in the US and works as an Associate Professor of Neuroimaging at the University of California in San Francisco. Just City is Olga’s first fiction book, which reflects her passion for science and critical thinking.

https://www.olga-tymofiyeva.com/

https://twitter.com/timolla

Interview with Author David C. Dawson

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

Writing was therapy for me. I came out late in life, so when I did, writing was the obvious way to “let it all out”.

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2)    What inspired you to write your book?

I’ve been in a fabulous writing group for many years. Each month we write short stories for each other’s entertainment. A couple of people in the group were published and I thought, why not me? I didn’t have a big novel burning inside me, and throughout my life I’d written almost exclusively factual content, for news, documentaries, and magazine articles. But I’ve always loved mysteries .

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

A Death in Berlin is set in Germany in 1933 just as Hitler becomes Chancellor. I want people to understand that fascism can resurge at any time, and nobody spots it happening at the time.

4) What drew you into this particular genre?

I’m fascinated by the events of the twentieth century. So much technological development, so many wars, so much social change. I think it’s the most intense centuries in terms of what happened. Plus it’s well documented so it’s easier to write about than any other century.

Bookbaby.com helps independent authors bring their creative vision to the marketplace. Sell eBooks online in the biggest retail stores.

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

The character of Bill (real name Florence Miles) is based on a real person called Florence Milnes. She was the first executive appointed by the newly formed British Broadcasting Corporation in the 1920s. I’d like to ask her how on earth did she manage to rise to such a senior position in those times, when she was both a woman and a lesbian.

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

I suppose Goodreads. Readers can be pretty hurtful on there, but the praise outweighs the negative comments so it’s worth it. I don’t understand the apparent glee with which some readers write vile comments, either about my or other people’s books. There’s a real lack of respect among a (fortunately) few people.

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

Write! It’s a muscle that must be exercised. Self-editing is the worst blockage to writing. The first draft of anything is never going to be perfect. And that inhibits a lot of people. You have to overcome that and get something written down.

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

I’m planning the third book in this particular historical mystery series. It’s going to be set in Paris at the outbreak of the second world war and features Noël Coward very heavily.

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About the Author

Men in love, men in jeopardy.

David C. Dawson is an award-winning writer of page-turner thrillers with a gay theme and the occasional romance.

His latest novel A Death in Bloomsbury was published in November 2021.

His debut novel, The Necessary Deaths, won bronze for Best Mystery & Suspense in the FAPA chairman’s award. It became the first in the Dominic Delingpole series. The other two books are The Deadly Lies and A Foreign Affair.

His first mystery romance For the Love of Luke was published in October 2018 followed by Heroes in Love.

David lives in London with his boyfriend and ageing motorbike.

You can read his blog here: http://bit.ly/DavidCDawsonblog

In his spare time, David tours Europe on his ageing Triumph motorbike and sings with the London Gay Men’s Chorus.

https://www.davidcdawson.co.uk/

https://twitter.com/david_c_dawson

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BB7WHR4N/ref=x_gr_w_glide_sin?caller=Goodreads&callerLink=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.goodreads.com%2Fbook%2Fshow%2F62071459-a-death-in-berlin%3Fac%3D1%26from_search%3Dtrue%26qid%3D8mAMg3tNGM%26rank%3D3&tag=x_gr_w_glide_sin-20

Interview with Author William Brinkman 

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

I used to live in Bolingbrook, IL and have a passion for writing about the village. Since 1998, I’ve maintained the Bolingbrook Babbler satirical blog where I publish fictional “news articles” that are a cross between the Weekly World News and the Onion. I contributed to the Demon: The Fallen role-playing game line, and even shared a credit with Chuck Wendig for our work on Saviors and Destroyers. In 2022, I finally published the first two Bolingbrook Babbler Stories books. They’re dramatic stories compared to the lighter tone of my web articles.

I’ve had a passion for writing fiction ever since I was in grade school, with a particular love for Science Fiction and Fantasy. I enjoy imagining new settings and creating vivid characters, but I also believe that characters are just as important as the setting. After all, if readers don’t care about the characters, they won’t feel invested in the story. For this reason, I strive to create characters that readers can connect with on an emotional level.

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2.     What inspired you to write your book?

My goal with A Fire in the Shadows was to create a bridge between the first book, Pathways to Bolingbrook, and the second book, The Rift. That’s why I labeled it Book 1.5. In Pathways, Miriam decided to become a vampire, and Sara joined the Bolingbrook Babbler as a reporter. In A Fire in the Shadows, Miriam is “reborn” as Lydia, but now she has a new set of problems to deal with. Meanwhile, Sara has become the editor of the Babbler, and this story provides more details about her role and the challenges she faces.

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

In addition to providing readers with a deeper understanding of the Babbler Stories setting, I hope they will come away with a greater empathy for neurodivergent individuals. Lydia is a compassionate and caring person, but in vampiric society, those traits make her a deviant. Humans, if they knew about vampires, would fear her and see her as a monster. It’s why she feels isolated and desperately alone. Through her story, I aim to shed light on the challenges faced by neurodivergent individuals.

4.     What drew you into this particular genre?

Although I’m a believer in science-based skepticism, I enjoy exploring settings where supernatural creatures coexist with modern-day humans. My interest in Urban Fantasy grew out of the Goth Punk genre that I wrote in for many years. One thing I appreciate about Urban Fantasy is that it allows for a wide range of supernatural creatures, some of which may not be the traditional “monsters” we typically think of. In this genre, authors can also portray humans as terrifying monsters, adding an extra layer of complexity to the storytelling.

Bookbaby.com helps independent authors bring their creative vision to the marketplace. Sell eBooks online in the biggest retail stores.

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

I would choose to speak with Aurora, Lydia’s blood sister, and ask her why she became a vampire, despite knowing that it would make her cruel and uncaring. Was she a bully when she was a mortal, or did she associate kindness with weakness? The answer is the key to understand Aurora’s motivations.

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

It would be Facebook, because I spent years building an audience. Overall, I’d say my blog did the most to develop my readership.

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

Every writer’s journey is unique, and what may have worked for one author may not work for another. That’s why it’s important to do your own research and not blindly follow any writer’s advice. Be like Bruce Lee: Use what works for you, and discard what doesn’t.

8.     What does the future hold in store for you? Are any new books/projects on the horizon?

I will release a collection of my web stories from 1998 to 2017. The working title is God to Smite Bolingbrook. It will be exclusively for my newsletter subscribers. Then I plan to resume writing the third Bolingbrook Babbler book. My goal is to release it by the end of 2023, or early 2024. I don’t have dates for books four and beyond, but I will write them. My goal is to make sure each book can be read as a standalone book. I’m a writer who can’t stand ending a book on cliffhangers. 

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About the Author

William Brinkman is the creator of the Bolingbrook Babbler web series and the author of the Bolingbrook Babbler Stories series.. He is currently a member of the Freethought Blogsnetwork and has been involved in secular advocacy over the years.

He’s also a former contributor to White Wolf’s Demon: The Fallen series. Additionally, William has also written science fiction works since grade school. As a student at the University of Iowa, William majored in journalism and took as many creative writing classes as his schedule allowed. After graduation, he served as an editor at two alternative publications. These experiences later helped him start the Babbler web series in 1998.

His work has been praised by Bolingbrook residents and within the atheist/skeptical community. William is probably one of the few critics of former Bolingbrook Mayor Roger Claar who didn’t get exiled to Florida.

William Brinkman: Urban Fantasy author and fiction blogger

Interview with Author Avner Tavori

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

I always liked to write, even as a teenager I wrote short plays that we put together on my high school stage. I worked as a journalist for more that 15 years in various media (radio, print, TV) and like Gavri, watched how dramatic events unfold in front of my eyes.

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What inspired you to write your book?

I watched how the Settlers movement grew to become a powerful cult that took over my country. I saw what wars do to people. I accumulated hundreds of articles, OP-ED pieces, radio interviews over the years as an “observer” – I felt there is more to it than just the reporting.

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

That religious cults are very dangerous, and that wars, often the result of power struggle between “leaders” – destroy the human’s soul often with no repairs.

Bookbaby.com helps independent authors bring their creative vision to the marketplace. Sell eBooks online in the biggest retail stores.

What drew you into this particular genre?

What happens in the real world is often more powerful than any fiction. But fiction can give you freedom to mold your own message. The combination of both is for me the best way to tell a story.

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

It would be Chaim. Religious fanaticism is for me one of the most destructive forces on the face of the planet in the way that religious cults take over human’s moral campus and make ordinary people do horrible things in the name of some “GOD” or “Godly leader” . From the Crusaders, to the Nazis, to the Taliban to ISIS and the Jewish Settler Movement (all different of course in scope and methods). I would ask him about his personal journey from a boy who grew up in a “normal” surroundings to become a leader in a religious fanatic cult.

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

I am not a “fan” of Social Media – probably a generational thing.

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

If there is a “story” in you that wants to get out; if you have something to say – sit down and write it down.

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

Not sure. This book was for me an end of a journey – closing the circle.

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About the Author

AVNER TAVORI has actually lived in the world he describes in his novel. In 1982 he was a war correspondent in Lebanon and spent more than three months with the advancing Israeli troops, and with units of the Christian Militia in Beirut.

He was born in 1947, in what was then British Palestine, and grew up in the Israel of the 1950’s in the socialist environment, typical of the time, in his hometown of Haifa. After completing his mandatory military service in the Parachute Brigade of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), he served a short stint as a Desk-Officer in the Jerusalem headquarters of ShinBet – Israel’s National Security Service – and coordinated field operations in the occupied West Bank.

As a journalist (1970-1986) he was the political correspondent for Israel’s Public Radio (Kol Israel) and covered the inner workings of Israel’s political scene. He also worked for the daily newspaper, DAVAR, and published opinion pieces on a variety of issues.

In the 1990’s he worked for the Israeli Labor Party, and then Rabin’s Government, culminating in being appointed to the position of Press Secretary for the Israeli Ambassador to the UN in New York.

He now lives in New York City. He can be reached at, avnertavori@aol.com

http://www.avner-tavori.com/

Interview with Author Jade Barrett 

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

I am 38 years old and have been an athlete my whole life who played volleyball, basketball, and softball growing up.  I am currently very into Peloton’s cycling, yoga, and strength classes.  I am married to my amazing husband, Brendan, and we have one daughter together.  I got into writing in high school, as my AP English teacher stressed the importance of being able to write clearly and in a manner that is interesting for others to read.  One of our assignments each quarter was to keep a journal of our daily activities.  At first, I found the task to be a nuisance, but over time realized how fun and therapeutic writing can be.   He is also the reason why I decided to become a high school history teacher, which I have been for the last 17 years.  I decided to tell my story of having difficulty conceiving a child in The Good News Is, You Don’t Have Endometriosis, as a way to heal myself from the trauma it caused and to hopefully help other women and couples who are experiencing the same nightmare.

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2) What inspired you to write your book?

The inspiration behind my book is the unbelievable lengths I was forced to go to in order to receive proper medical care for our infertility case and the hijinx that occurred along the way.  I never thought I would write a book, but I saw sharing my story with others as a win/win. This was the only way I was going to be able to move on from the trauma I endured as a result of the constant uncertainty and stress that undergoing infertility treatment causes and was sure I could potentially help others in the process.

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

The biggest takeaway from The Good News Is, You Don’t Have Endometriosis is that you need to take control of your own body and your own medical treatment.  Clinics have hundreds of patients and they cannot and do not keep tabs on everyone.  Just because a doctor wears a white coat and has a medical degree does not mean that he or she is always right.  Don’t be afraid to question a doctor because if something doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t.  Multiple doctors told me that I did not have a fertility issue, but in the end, I was the reason we were unable to get pregnant naturally.  If I did not insist on being tested for endometriosis, we would have continued to endure the pain and grief of failed embryo transfers and who knows how many more IVF treatments.

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4) What drew you into this particular genre?

I wasn’t drawn to the genre, it came to me!  Obviously, no one wants to be diagnosed with infertility and have to undergo treatments in order to become pregnant.  I believed that because my husband and I are healthy that it would not happen to us, but there we were doing round after round of tests and treatments.  Clearly, we were very wrong as this issue impacts people of all walks of life.  

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

Instagram has been the most helpful, as it has a large following and can reach many audiences.  I have written for the site, Pregnantish, and have also been interviewed on several podcasts that have aired on the platform.

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

Write about something you are passionate about and don’t hold anything back.

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

As for the future, I hope that my book continues to help women and couples experiencing infertility and that my story becomes part of infertility folklore.  I do not plan to write any other books!

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About the Author

Jade Barrett is an American high school teacher who experienced infertility from 2017-2021.

She hopes to help other women and couples who are struggling with infertility through her story, The Good News Is, You Don’t Have Endometriosis: How I Survived IVF with My Sanity (Mostly) Intact.

It is the story of triumph over adversity and how you can advocate from the best possible care from your fertility clinic.

http://jadebarrettauthor.com/

https://www.instagram.com/jadebarrettauthor/

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09L6FFC23/ref=x_gr_w_glide_sin?caller=Goodreads&callerLink=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.goodreads.com%2Fbook%2Fshow%2F60113607-the-good-news-is-you-don-t-have-endometriosis%3Fac%3D1%26from_search%3Dtrue%26qid%3DmpJbq559bW%26rank%3D1&tag=x_gr_w_glide_sin-20

Interview with Author Mark James Murphy 

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn InterviewsLeave a comment

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

I have enjoyed writing from a very young age, I won a fictional short story contest when I was very young and had a press release at the time in a local newspaper, I have also had some of my poetry published in anthologies. My first love is art however, I graduated from university with a Degree in Fine Art, and even while still studying I was running lino cutting workshops from my studio for people of all ages. I have produced a large body of artwork to date, in particular lino cutting, which I really enjoy. 

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2) What inspired you to write your book?

 I always aspired to see more of the world and began solo travelling in 2015 with a trip to Athens, Greece. Since then I have travelled in Europe, North Africa, spent two months in India, explored much of south-east Asia and lived in Vietnam for over 4 years, teaching English as a foreign language. This love for travel has really helped me rediscover my passion for writing and inspired my new book.

I also recently started doing a travel blog, packed full of travel itineraries, guides and useful tips. It’s an extension of my book. This is the link:

https://markjamesmurphybooks.com/marks-blog-travel-for-as-long-as-you-wish/

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

I really hope that by reading my new book, readers will be encouraged to confront any fears or hang ups they may have, that may be preventing them from travelling and realizing their dreams. Being from a very working class background myself, I always thought maybe I would never get to break out into the big, wide world and go to all of these amazing places. But I was brave enough to throw caution to the wind and take my chances working in a foreign country and it was the best decision of my life so far. I want to inspire readers to follow their heart and live life to the fullest, not accepting less. 

4) What drew you into this particular genre?

 I was drawn into the genre of travel, simply because its the area where I feel I have a lot of experience and expertise to offer and share. I am a very creative person and writing is a great outlet for this, so I like to think not only is my book an informative non-fiction travel guide, it is also a rich, narrative. It’s pretty poetic at times when I am describing my own memoirs. 

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

Facebook has been particularly useful in growing readership and driving traffic to my website. I have a Facebook Page which shares the same name as my book ‘Travel For As Long As You Wish’, here I share original photos, reels and blog posts I’ve wrote, all inspired by my travels around the world.

This is the link to my travel facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100088948530923

This is the link to my art facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/markjamesmurphyart

Bookbaby.com helps independent authors bring their creative vision to the marketplace. Sell eBooks online in the biggest retail stores.

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

My advice to new or aspiring authors would be to really be prepared to put in the work on marketing your books, remember your job has just begun once your book is out there. It’s a highly competitive market but don’t forget why you started writing in the first place, because it’s what you love and it’s important to let this passion be your main driving force. Let the passion and shine through and do it with a flourish. 

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

In regard to the future, I am hoping to eventually release a paperback and audiobook version of my current book and hopefully increase the popularity of both my book and my travel blog. I feel my content is very useful to anyone wishing to travel more. I will also be returning to teaching English in Vietnam later this year, as well as continuing my practice as an artist! So lots to keep busy with.

You can visit my website here: https://markjamesmurphybooks.com/

My ebook ‘Travel For As Long As You Wish: The Blueprint For Budget Travel, Backpacking And Escaping The Rat Race’ is available here:

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About the Author

Mark James Murphy is an artist, teacher, adventurer, and writer. He was born in Sunderland, North-East England in the early 1980s. He has solo traveled extensively throughout the world and in 2017 decided to leave behind his job and apartment in the UK to teach English in Vietnam, South East Asia, for almost five years, describing it as the best moment of his life so far. There he also continued developing his practice as an artist and printmaker, documenting his travels through the medium of linocut. In 2019 he fulfilled a childhood dream when he backpacked for two months throughout the whole of India, ending up in a remote village in the Himalayan foothills. He has played football with local kids in the Sahara desert, lived with Hmong people high in the mountains of North Vietnam, and worked as a farmhand in Southern Spain. Mark is currently based just outside of London.