Tell us about yourself.:
I am a graduate of Purdue University and twenty-one-year veteran of the United States Army. I'm an avid storyteller, martial arts geek, sci-fi fan, Transformers collector, and high-functioning autistic. My neighbors have cows.

Where did you grow up, and how did this influence your writing?:
I grew up in Spokane, WA. A buddy of mine and I were avid D&D gamers. Most of the characters in New Elbestran were characters we played.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Maybe 10% of the work I do on a book is actual storytelling. The rest is research and world-building. I also read my dialogue aloud before I save it. If it doesn't flow well, it won't read well.

What authors have influenced you?
I grew up in Spokane, WA. A buddy of mine and I were avid D&D gamers. Most of the characters in New Elbestran were characters we played.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Forgive yourself for bad writing. Everyone is bad at it when they start. Writing is equal parts potential and skill, and you can improve skills with practice. Not everyone is going to like your work, and that's okay. Don't get discouraged; get better.

[Read more…] about Featured Author Interview: Josh Jackson

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Tell us about yourself.:
Catherine Berra is an avid writer, poet, equestrian, and world traveler, a dedicated mother and friend, and a true lover of nature. She holds a BA in communications/business management from Metropolitan State University in Denver and an Animals and Human Health graduate certification from the University of Denver. For more than twenty years, her career in Washington, D.C., revolved around senior-level logistical and management support to a U.S. Ambassador/philanthropist and technical writing at the U.S. Department of State. Upon her return to Colorado in 2014, she resumed her passion for writing and giving back to the world. Catherine resides in Littleton, Colorado, is the proud mother of her son Alexander Aziz, and relishes her role as caretaker of her rescue horse, Dancer.
Her previous works include:
Lucid Life: A Collection of Lyrical Poetry (Amazon)
You may contact her at Sassypantspress@comcast.net

Where did you grow up, and how did this influence your writing?:
I was born in St. Louis, MO and moved to Colorado when I was 10 years old. I have been writing poetry and stories since a very young age. It just seemed to come very easily to me and this life-long passion recently motivated me to self-publish two books; one, a book of poetry, and second, a comedy book about my numerous years of funny online dating adventures as an older human. My influence for poetry came from Emily Dickinson and the second book, well, let's just say my influence was all of the nutty dates I experienced. Someone has to write these stories down because they are unbelievably funny and ridiculous.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
With regard to my poetry, sometimes I will literally wake up in the middle of the night and write one down. I am not sure where that comes from, but it is a strange personal phenomenon.

What authors have influenced you?
I was born in St. Louis, MO and moved to Colorado when I was 10 years old. I have been writing poetry and stories since a very young age. It just seemed to come very easily to me and this life-long passion recently motivated me to self-publish two books; one, a book of poetry, and second, a comedy book about my numerous years of funny online dating adventures as an older human. My influence for poetry came from Emily Dickinson and the second book, well, let's just say my influence was all of the nutty dates I experienced. Someone has to write these stories down because they are unbelievably funny and ridiculous.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Speak in your own voice and make sure you have someone look at your final work prior to publication for editing purposes. Even though I self-published, I spent the money to hire a line/copy editor, a layout and cover design person, and an self-publishing consultant (My Word Publishing). It is worth it in the end because once you begin the marketing process, if there are minor but obvious mistakes in your work, it does not look professional.

[Read more…] about Featured Author Interview: Catherine Berra

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Tell us about yourself.:
I have written 5 books and 3 of the 7 book series Shopify Made Easy and 2 Social Ecommerce Planners.
I am an eCommerce business consultant, speaker, Shopify partner, lecturer, and bestselling author. I have been coaching and teaching business for 30 years but ecommerce for 10+ years. I help people get their products online and selling internationally with Amazon, Shopify etc.
I teach authors how to get paid in 3 days! and grow their email list to bring their readers back for more.
I also help them create micro videos to educate their readers on their books, lessons, which helps to sell more books. Creating ideas of how to sell more than books from their stores is essential for the times when books sales go down.
78% Of commerce businesses will fail in 2022. Most entrepreneurs have only a vague idea how to set up their business. In my new book, I provide business owners with the right way to start their online business to show them how to take advantage of the internet. What's more, they don't have to be tech-savvy to get up and running quickly.

I am from Namibia and I also live on a yacht…not a houseboat!

Where did you grow up, and how did this influence your writing?:
I grew up in Namibia, Africa and moved to South Africa, then the Netherlands and finally ended up in the USA. I wanted to write books when I was in my 20s (in my 60s now) and still have the book I bought to get into writing. I started in technology when I moved to the US and am a MCSE (Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer) which I gave up after 2 years. But after several businesses I ended up back in Ecommerce and that is where my love of technology and business came together. I started teaching entrepreneurs and the rest is history.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Weeellll, I start out when I wakeup and my hubby brings me my first cup of tea. By this stage I have been reading my normal fiction book and am ready to start writing…Since I am a granny I always feel like Charlie and the Chocolate factories grandparents – not getting out of bed immediately and waiting for my tea!
Then I go for a walk and back to my book for another hour or so before I have meetings.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Treat your writing like a business. Know your goals for your business and not just your goal writing. Have a contingency plan if you sell on KDP so you can get paid before the 90 days!
Know where your customers are and how are they going to get to know you.
Treat your Amazon author page like a business brochure. Make sure you utilize all your assets.
Start writing blogs and feed them to your Amazon author page.
There are lots more tips but this is good right?

[Read more…] about Featured Author Interview: Veronica Jeans

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Tell us about yourself.:
Although I've been writing all of my life, it was a side job for me until about five years ago, when at the age of 56, I published my first novel. Novel writing is now my fifth career, proof that anyone can reinvent themselves at any age.

I live with the love of my life in Camas, WA, a suburb of Portland, OR, where I also write and produce plays and participate in various writing groups and workshops. We love to ski, hike, travel, breathe the ocean air, and teach our Golden Retriever new tricks.

Where did you grow up, and how did this influence your writing?:
My hometown is Agawam, MA, a small 19th-Century farming and mill town on the Connecticut River. I love writing about small-town experiences, and often set my novels in places much like Agawam. You'll find rivers, mountains, and well-meaning nosy people in all of my stories.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
All writers, and thus all writing habits, are unusual. It's an odd profession, really.

I used to write everything out in longhand, then transcribe and edit as I went in Word. No more. I draft quickly in Scrivener and subject my critique group to those early drafts. They're very patient with me. Gotta love that.

What authors have influenced you?
My hometown is Agawam, MA, a small 19th-Century farming and mill town on the Connecticut River. I love writing about small-town experiences, and often set my novels in places much like Agawam. You'll find rivers, mountains, and well-meaning nosy people in all of my stories.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don't rush out and publish that first draft! And don't show it to prospective agents or publishers. Writing is rewriting. Make that your mantra.

[Read more…] about Featured Author Interview: Gary Corbin

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Tell us about yourself.:
I am a 29-year-old writer from Bakersfield, California. I grew up in a military family. I was born in Virginia and lived in Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Hawaii, California, and New York. I graduated high school in 2010 in El Centro, California and graduated from California State University Bakersfield in 2014 with a degree in English Language and Literature. I was a substitute teacher from 2015 to 2018 and I currently work as a security guard, primarily for the extension campus of University of California, San Diego.

Where did you grow up, and how did this influence your writing?:
I grew up in the mainly in the states of Virginia, New York, and California. I was in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Hawaii but I was under the age of ten when I was there and have vague memories of those places. I would say that how those places influenced me was through the very dramatic situations that I would go through like the racism that I dealt with living in a small town in upstate New York where they rarely see people of color outside of military families. There were always dangerous situations and life experiences that I had in those places like seeing old friends deep in drug addictions and money issues.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I am not sure if this is unusual but for me, what I like to do after I write a chapter or write something special, I take a break and play a video game for an hour or two. What it does for me is help me rejuvenate my brain so that I can think more clearly and concentrate on writing when I get back to it.

What authors have influenced you?
I grew up in the mainly in the states of Virginia, New York, and California. I was in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Hawaii but I was under the age of ten when I was there and have vague memories of those places. I would say that how those places influenced me was through the very dramatic situations that I would go through like the racism that I dealt with living in a small town in upstate New York where they rarely see people of color outside of military families. There were always dangerous situations and life experiences that I had in those places like seeing old friends deep in drug addictions and money issues.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
The same thing that they told me which was to take my time and do things right. There shouldn't be any rush to get your book done quickly. You should make sure that everything is done correctly more than quickly.

[Read more…] about Featured Author Interview: Nicolas Smith

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Tell us about yourself.:
I am a communications professional who has worked for daily newspapers, associations, and corporations. I retired early to try my hand at creative writing. It was sort of a bucket list thing. Back in college I dropped out of a creative writing course because the professor was so critical of my work. Instead, I had a successful career in journalism. After retirement, I wanted to go back and prove I could be successful at creative writing, too. I’ve written four novels, three of which have already been published.

Where did you grow up, and how did this influence your writing?:
I’m originally from upstate South Carolina, but I don’t think that location influenced my writing as much as other places I’ve lived, including South Florida, the setting for my newest book, Grayer than Grey. San Francisco, where I lived for 12 years, is the location for first novel, SEX is nothing more than a game of tennis. I currently live in Atlanta where my second novel, Our Last Shot, family business at Peckerwood, takes place.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m most productive when I’m exercising. (I have to develop an idea in my mind before sitting down at the computer.) Perhaps exercise gets the blood flowing to my brain, but exercising is where I get my best ideas and where I’m able to work out any problems I’m having with scenes or characters. Sometimes taking a shower also works.

What authors have influenced you?
I’m originally from upstate South Carolina, but I don’t think that location influenced my writing as much as other places I’ve lived, including South Florida, the setting for my newest book, Grayer than Grey. San Francisco, where I lived for 12 years, is the location for first novel, SEX is nothing more than a game of tennis. I currently live in Atlanta where my second novel, Our Last Shot, family business at Peckerwood, takes place.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
READ! READ! READ! See how other authors handle situations, especially in novels like what you want to write. How they handle conflict, build suspense, develop characters. If you aren’t reading, you’ll never be a good writer.

[Read more…] about Featured Author Interview: Bob Keaton

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Tell us about yourself.:
C. M. Santoro is excited to share her writing journey with you. She writes romance, suspense, and thrillers. Her first book, His Deadly Betrayal: A Shattered Marriage, is the first book in its series. Her background includes being a teacher’s assistant, a PCA, and a mentor for middle school students that need academic support. She’s also an advocate for breast cancer awareness. She lives in a rural town in south-central Pennsylvania with her husband, three daughters, and 3 fur babies. When she’s not writing, she's supporting her special needs daughter—writing, taking walks and mentoring all her favorite hobbies.

Where did you grow up, and how did this influence your writing?:
I grew up in a small south-central Pennsylvania town. I think the way I was raised influenced me more than the town itself.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write my stories in chunks. If my characters tell me about a certain place or scene, I write it down. Then I piece things back together.

What authors have influenced you?
I grew up in a small south-central Pennsylvania town. I think the way I was raised influenced me more than the town itself.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don't worry about being a “perfect” writer. Do what works for you. Enjoy the process. Remember, you grow in your writing the more you write.

[Read more…] about Author Interview: C.M. Santoro

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Tell us about yourself.:
Scott Coon is an award-winning short story writer and former U.S. Army Intelligence Analyst.

He served six years, rising to the rank of Sergeant. His service including a tour in Kuwait where he received a First Army Combat Patch and the Joint Service Achievement Award. Now a software developer for a major bank, Scott brings his computer and military experience into his work, along with a sense of spectacle.

His debut novel LOST HELIX, a sci-fi adventure/mystery, is available now. Scott's first published story, “Firewall,” appeared in Nth Degree Magazine in 2006. His short "Enduring Winter" was a finalist in the Writers of the Future Awards, won Second Place in the New England SciFi Writers Assn Contest 2016, and was published in Bewildering Stories, Issue 849, March 2020.

Scott Coon shares his knowledge of writing with others and helps other creatives do the same. He hosts the Writers of Sherman Oaks Critique Group meetings and National Novel Writing Month write-in events. His YouTube channel and websites provide insights into his work and give advice to writers. His Little Creative Interview series helps to foster learning in the creative community. See his websites for more information.

Where did you grow up, and how did this influence your writing?:
Though Lost Helix is my first published novel, I have had several short stories published. Bewildering Stories recently featured "The Loneliest Advertisement Bot" and have published a few other stories over the years. My work is often influenced by my career as a computer programmer and also by my six years as intelligence analyst in the U.S. Army. Both played a role in Lost Helix.

I was born in Los Angeles, but my family moved back to Pennsylvania when I was still an infant. I grew up on the east coast. Then I traveled the world for the Army and traveled America for software companies. Now, years later, I am back in Los Angeles, where I was born but had never lived until now. I share my life with my cats Hank, Logan, and Princess.

Writing began for me in the third grade. I wrote poetry about chess and Norse mythology. With no writers in my life, I have no idea what inspired this. My first submission was an article for “Dragon” magazine. They rejected it of course. But I was on my way! …sort of. In high school, my senior year creative writing project was an Ann Rice clone. While reading weekly chapters to the class, no one seemed to be listening. But late in the school year, the novel reached a scene where two vampires were sentenced to death by sunlight. As a door opened to reveal their sun-bleached bones, someone yelled, “Hey! Why did you kill them? They never did anything wrong.” I was surprised and flattered. And hooked. I wanted to be a writer. It wasn’t until 2006 that I was finally published by Nth Degree Magazine. It was story about a psychic computer hacker. What’s that mean? Read it from my published stories page.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I have a sixty-game arcade console with all Midway classics like Galaga and Ms. Pac Man. To take a break from writing and recharge, I'll stop and play a couple games. Then back to writing. I'm not getting much better at the games, but I'm getting a lot of writing done.

What authors have influenced you?
Though Lost Helix is my first published novel, I have had several short stories published. Bewildering Stories recently featured "The Loneliest Advertisement Bot" and have published a few other stories over the years. My work is often influenced by my career as a computer programmer and also by my six years as intelligence analyst in the U.S. Army. Both played a role in Lost Helix.

I was born in Los Angeles, but my family moved back to Pennsylvania when I was still an infant. I grew up on the east coast. Then I traveled the world for the Army and traveled America for software companies. Now, years later, I am back in Los Angeles, where I was born but had never lived until now. I share my life with my cats Hank, Logan, and Princess.

Writing began for me in the third grade. I wrote poetry about chess and Norse mythology. With no writers in my life, I have no idea what inspired this. My first submission was an article for “Dragon” magazine. They rejected it of course. But I was on my way! …sort of. In high school, my senior year creative writing project was an Ann Rice clone. While reading weekly chapters to the class, no one seemed to be listening. But late in the school year, the novel reached a scene where two vampires were sentenced to death by sunlight. As a door opened to reveal their sun-bleached bones, someone yelled, “Hey! Why did you kill them? They never did anything wrong.” I was surprised and flattered. And hooked. I wanted to be a writer. It wasn’t until 2006 that I was finally published by Nth Degree Magazine. It was story about a psychic computer hacker. What’s that mean? Read it from my published stories page.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Learn. Learn the art. Learn the business. Then assume that everything changed while you weren't looking and learn it all again. Modern readers are different from just twenty years ago. Learn what publishers and readers want now, both in content and presentation. But not in trend.

[Read more…] about Featured Author Interview: Scott Coon

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Tell us about yourself.:
From the time I was 7 years old, I had always wanted to be an author. I would write stories about animals and nature, tape the pages together and share my stories with anyone that was kind enough to listen. But life got in the way, there were bills to pay and being a dedicated mom required most of my time.

So, becoming an author was put on the back burner for decades. I was fine with that as I was blessed with two wonderful kids and a life filled with lessons, which I prefer to call stepping stones.

I worked in law enforcement for several years – later being offered a full-time position at my local district attorney’s office. While the pay was great, I always felt there was something missing.

I moved from Napa to a quaint country town in Lake County, up on the mountains, high above Napa. I spend endless hours in my writing cave, which overlooks the lake – especially during this unfortunate pandemic.

Here, in my writing cave, I create my stories (both novels and children’s books), editing, formatting and marketing each book after endless hours of author forums, webinars and zoom meetings in order to improve my niche.

I also ghostwrite, format and market books for others, treating each story as my own.

My latest venture has been to create a Book Marketing Plan for future authors, which provides everything they would need from the beginning stages of the process to the end.

Between writing projects and marketing, I am a criminal court reporter for my local newspaper. While I enjoy keeping my local community versed on the crime in my county, I am blessed to balance my brain with the lighthearted stories from within my heart along with stories forwarded to me for edits and formatting.

Life is good. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Where did you grow up, and how did this influence your writing?:
I grew up in Napa, California, raising a family with a now grown son and daughter who are my rocks. My life partner of 13 years is my best critic as he is always willing to share constructive criticism in regards to my writing (when requested of course). Lol

The wine industry in Napa was booming and the population grew to immense numbers with wineries being the staple point, wine bars on every corner and the tourists were more catered to than the locals. I started to miss the old small town Napa I grew up in and needed to make some changes in my life for this and other health-related reasons.

Several visits with my father to my hometown library influenced my love to read and write.

I lived above a creek and caught frogs, enjoying my alone-time with just my imagination.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Actually, yes.

I am up early, writing in my pajamas, thriving in my writing cave as I always have dark chocolate and a run on my treadmill to break the writer's block that creeps in.

What authors have influenced you?
I grew up in Napa, California, raising a family with a now grown son and daughter who are my rocks. My life partner of 13 years is my best critic as he is always willing to share constructive criticism in regards to my writing (when requested of course). Lol

The wine industry in Napa was booming and the population grew to immense numbers with wineries being the staple point, wine bars on every corner and the tourists were more catered to than the locals. I started to miss the old small town Napa I grew up in and needed to make some changes in my life for this and other health-related reasons.

Several visits with my father to my hometown library influenced my love to read and write.

I lived above a creek and caught frogs, enjoying my alone-time with just my imagination.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Block out the negative thoughts and naysayers.
You have one life…through persistence and failures, you will reach your goals.
Always keep moving forward!

[Read more…] about Featured Author Interview: Lori Armstrong

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Tell us about yourself.:
Writing is actually my fifth "career".
The first one was in the Israeli Intelligence. I retired as a colonel. The second was leading R&D in Hitech, the third was Venture Capital, the fourth was managing an institute for biomedical development and now I see writing books as my mission in life to share all I learned during these years.

Where did you grow up, and how did this influence your writing?:
I was born in Poland and immigrated to Israel when I was 17. I loved books from which I could learn something significant for life and this is how I write; sharing experiences & understandings, which may be valuable for others.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Yes! I write one book per year, and I manage it like a project; beginning with the plan & the table of contents, and then progressing according to the plan.

What authors have influenced you?
I was born in Poland and immigrated to Israel when I was 17. I loved books from which I could learn something significant for life and this is how I write; sharing experiences & understandings, which may be valuable for others.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
yes! writing can be sometimes challenging, even frustrating, but it's worth the effort!

[Read more…] about Featured Author Interview: Zeev Gilkis

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Tell us about yourself.:
I've lived half my life in Alaska and I don't plan to leave.

Where did you grow up, and how did this influence your writing?:
I was born in New Orleans but we moved a lot after I turned twelve. I've been a lot of places all over the US.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write best in the very early morning, around 3 am.

What authors have influenced you?
I was born in New Orleans but we moved a lot after I turned twelve. I've been a lot of places all over the US.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Take a chance, try something new if the chances are good you'll live through it.

[Read more…] about Featured Author Interview: Cherime MacFarlane

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Tell us about yourself and your books.:
All my work is inspired by social issues to which we all can relate. Work/ life stresses, the loss of a spouse and how marriage can sometimes swallow a woman’s identity, and the prevalence of greed in modern society.

Walking with Elephants was my first novel, although I am not new to writing. I was a dinner theater critic and celebrity interviewer for a weekly tabloid in Jacksonville, Fl and I earned a Master’s in Mass Communication from Oklahoma State University. For 15 years I worked in corporate America as a technical editor/editor/writer. I experienced first hand the politics and intrigue that goes with that territory and the balancing act that comes with being a working mother. I salute all those mothers who are the glue that holds their families together while pursuing the nine to five brass ring and they were the inspiration for this work. The audible book is available and narrated by me.

With my second novel, Sunspots, I continue to be in awe of the magical and wondrous phenomenon called life. As an observer and obvious participant in feminine values and approach to our human challenges, I bring this perspective to my work. Fascinated by the mysteries of the unseen forces that perhaps play a role in guiding our choices, I search for answers in the mundane as well as in the cosmic forces that surround us.

In my third novel, Alexa’s pact with the Devil in When a Stranger Comes…is an allegory for the evil lurking in our midst. The social decay of modern society with its excessive greed, the ignorance of our political leaders, and our indifference toward the survival of all species from the effects of climate change, among other environmental pressures, are perhaps brought forth by the darkest forces of human nature. The audible book narrated by me is available.

The genre of magical realism appeals to me and all my work has elements woven in. My current project is focused on a Bed and Breakfast that becomes a safe haven from the effects of climate change while celebrating the Feminine Divine and is set squarely in that realm.

I live in Ponte Vedra, Fl. with my husband and our two furry kitty kids. It true what they say that dogs have masters and cats have staff. We try to keep them wanting for nothing. Our four human kids have flown the nest and are scattered far and wide, alas.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
My writing habits are these: I turn on the computer and go shopping, check twitter, read the news, and check Facebook. I might as well write a couple of paragraphs as long as I'm sitting here. When I'm really in the throes of the plot and characters, thoughts come to me when I'm not at the computer and later on I try to remember them and add them to the story. Not very methodical and that's why it takes me several years from start to finish, but hey I'm self-published so who cares?

What authors have influenced you?
I love the work of Jodi Picoult because she brings social issues into her works as I do, Alice Hoffman because she weaves in magic, and the Latin-American writers like Isobel Allende who write in the genre of magical realism. I also respect good writing and if I think a book is poorly written, I can't finish it.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Keep your day job, have someone in your life that pays the bills, and write because you love it.

[Read more…] about Featured Author Interview: Karen Bell

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Tell us about yourself and your books.:
Hi everyone! It can be somewhat difficult to talk about one's self in a situation such as this for I really am a private person. My heroines may be based, or partly-based on me, and they have been known to be colorful and endearing, but truthful, as am I.

I always loved to write, but literature wasn't where my life took me. I am an Interior Decorator by trade, and owned and operated a Residential Home Care service until I retired in 2015. In 2001, I became a serious writer and a published author in 2001 with my very first publication of contemporary and traditional poetry titled, Feelings: A Rhythmic Journey in Thought. I followed this in 2010 with my first collection of children's short stories titled, Young Minds. Both of these titles were followed by a second poetry collection titled, Impressions, and a children's collection titled, Through the Eyes of Innocence.

My first venture into main stream romantic fiction was tried with the 2011 release of the two-part Passion in Paris – Connections to the Past and Directions of the Heart, but they were not what I had hoped to achieve, so I revised the entire story and in 2013 released the Paris-based story in a grand scale novel titled, Passions in Paris: Revelations of a Lost Diary which garnered a 4-star rating by Amazon.

In 2012, I released the first installment of my ongoing Derwood Comedy Series titled, The Misadventures of Derwood Tugbottom.

In 2015 I released Willow's Walk, a romantic drama that brought me a 5-star-rating by Readers Favorite Books while still in pre-release.

In 2017 I released my second comedy installment titled, Derwood Returns, and this was followed in January 2019 with my multi award-winning, 5-star romantic fiction drama, The Perils of Autumn. This novel has been awarded Finalist in Romance by both The International Book Awards and The American Fest Best Book Awards.

Also in 2019, I released my third Derwood comedy installment titled, Derwood Goes Caribbean. I am currently writing the follow-up to The Perils of Autumn, titled Return to Autumn, expected for release in late 2020. I am also planning to release my fourth comedy installment, Derwood Comes Home.

As you can see, I love to write.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
It's hard to say what one considers unusual as all writers have certain habits that they apply while creating a literary piece. I am terrible for scribbling ideas and character conversation on scraps of paper. My desk can be a mess at times, but I have these scraps to refer to when working. I always make sure to write an idea down; this way it's not lost, or I have have to waste time trying to remember what it was. I got into that habit long ago, and for me it works.

What authors have influenced you?
I would say many authors have. I enjoy expressive writing, where the words pull you into the story, the plot, and sweep you away. I admire Margret Mitchell, and the writings of Canadian authoress Lucy Maude Montgomery, and American author Laura Ingalls Wilder. The last two are primarily known as authors of children's work, however, their expressive and informative stories entertain any age. I also try and support local authors in my area.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
The most important advice I could give, is to write what you know. In other words, write what you know about. The more you understand, or have experienced first hand, the better your written perception of it will be and the more professional it will appear to your readers. Only you know how you feel, and how you perceive things, so stay true to your heart and if you're not sure about your topic, or subject, research it completely.

[Read more…] about Featured Author Interview: Rusty Blackwood

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Tell us about yourself and your books.:
I am a combat veteran who worked for the Veterans Administration helping veterans succeed in college. Basically I found myself repeating the same mantras to veterans throughout their college career so much that I decided to write some of that down. I wrote some articles about how veterans can be successful in the classroom and those morphed into this book.

People across the country go tens of thousands of dollars of debt to get a college degree and veterans who can go essentially for free with the GI Bill choose not to go. Those that do go often fail out, feeling out of place and struggling with the unstructured college life. There hasn't been a straightforward book written from a combat veteran to help other veterans navigate the college world.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I'll usually listen to podcasts, often military oriented podcasts while I'm running and speak notes into my phone that I want to explore or investigate. I also come up with good ideas when I'm working with veterans, most of what I write about comes from my military experience.

I also clear my head and often have lightbulb moments when I'm riding my motorcycle, it's therapeutic for me.

What authors have influenced you?
My main writing influences are people that get out of the military and do exceptionally well. When people get out of the military they often live out their dreams or their nightmares and that's based on their plan of action.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I'm basically a brand new author but I think everyone has a story to tell. Even if you are only telling that story to yourself, might as well write it down.

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