Here is my interview with Trevor D’Silva

Hello and welcome to my blog, Author Interviews. My name is Fiona Mcvie.

 

Let’s get you introduced to everyone, shall we? Tell us your name. What is your age?

Hello everyone. My name is Trevor D’Silva. I am in mymid 30s.

Fiona: Where are you from?

I currently live in Charlotte, in the state of North Carolina, UnitedStates of America.

 Fiona: A little about yourself (ie, your education, family life, etc.).

I was born and brought up in India in a Catholic family. I did my schooling in a catholicinstitution run by the Jesuits.I obtained a bachelor’s degreein Mechanical Engineeringand then came to the U.S and obtainedmaster’sdegrees in Engineering Management, and in Civil and Environmental Engineering. I also got an Associate in Applied Science in Accounting. My early childhood days were not very exciting like some people.I spent my time reading a lot of books and improving my vocabulary. I spoke English(British)at home, and my late grandmother and parents always insisted that I spoke proper English; no slang or casual language was encouraged. I also got thelove forreading novels and history from my grandmother, and military and WW-2 history from my late father, sitting on his lap and watching war movies with him as a child.

 Fiona: Tell us your latest news.

I work full time and I am busy marketing my first novel ‘Fateful Decisions’. I am also in the process of writing my second novel, which partly takes place in Scotland, but mostly in England. I will be introducing a new detective in this novel. It is in a way a historical fiction novel, since it incorporates some history of the British Empire.

Fiona: When and why did you begin writing?

I started reading at an early age and I always wanted to write stories. I actually started writing short stories as a child – probably around nine or ten. I startedwriting my first novel,‘Fateful Decisions’, in 1999/2000, while I was pursuing my undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering. After that, I came to the U.S. and started with my graduate degrees. I did not have a lot of time other than focussing on my studies, but I wrote whenever I could. I did do research and kept the information to use at a later date. After finishing my studies, I taught for two years and then I decided to finish what I hadstarted. It was always atthe back of my mind to finish the novel and I did not want to prolong it any longer. I finally completed it in 2017 and got it published the same year.

Fiona: When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I alwayswanted to write books because I had so many ideas. That started when Iwasaround nine or ten years old. Reading books from various authors, watching movies and also reading magazines gave me a lot of ideas. I felt that writing gave me an escape from the pressures of everyday life. I think I was destinedto be a writer.

Fiona: What inspired you to write your first book?

I always loved World War-2 stories. I got the love for military history, stories, and movies while watching World War-2 movies with my father. I love old Hollywood movies and I watch a lot of them. I decided that I would write a novel on the history of the early twentieth century betweenWorld Wars I and IIand also include the Russian Revolution, the Great Depression, and Prohibition. It took me seventeen years to write this novel since I was busy getting my degrees, but all the while I kept collecting material which I felt would give me ideas. Some ideas came from watching historical documentaries and also historical dramas like ‘Downton Abbey’ and ‘The Godfather’. Therefore, it was just not one idea but a collection of various ideas that inspired me to write this novel. I also wanted to blend history and fiction to make history interesting for people to read and learn history froma novel. Most people find history boring and this was a good way to make it interesting for the readers.

 Fiona: How did you come up with the title?

I actually went through many titles for the book. When I started pitching to agents, some gave me feedback about the chapters and why they did not want to take it up.  I did not think that the title I had at that time was very catchy. So, I wanted to change it and decided to find a suitable title. It was when watching a Sherlock Holmes movie that I caught the phrase ‘Fateful Decisions’, and I thought, ‘what a wonderful title for my book. It fitsthe theme of my novel perfectly.’ So, I madethat as the title.

Fiona: Do you have a specific writing style? Is there anything about your style or genre that you find particularly challenging?

When I am trying to build up on the story and not sure about the details, I just try and write an outline. That is the skeleton of the novel and then gradually I add and delete stuff. It is very crucial that I know what I want the ending to be and I write the ending after being sure about it.  I then manipulate the various twists and plots within the novel to come to that ending. Sometimes, all that has to be changed if they do not fit. It is all by trial and error.

The uniqueness of historical fiction is that it can be a blend of various kinds of genres. Therefore, connecting everything together, whether historically or for the sake of the reader, is a challenge. You do not want to miss out on interesting historical facts, but at the same time, you do not want to bore the readers with too many details and sohavetoconcentrate on writing the story to make it interesting. Also, if you are writing about any historical event, care should be taken to get the accurate details. There are many websites which are misleading or have the wrong information. So, you have tocheck and cross check those details before you write them. I remember while editing just before submitting the novel, I had to contact a school in Paris, France, to check the yearwhen it closed during WW-2. The website I referred to had thewrong information and it was no longer available later. It is always better to be safe than sorry.

Fiona: How much of the book is realistic and are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?’

My book is a historical fiction novel set between 1915 to 1946, with a flashback to 1912. Therefore, it is based on history of that time period. The historical events are real, while the characters are of my own making. I used the names of some people I know, but it is nothing to do with the characters themselves.

Fiona: To craft your works, do you have to travel? Before or during the process?

Not for this novel. I have been to England, France, Italy, and Long Island, which are featured in my novel, but since it is based in the past, and what I wanted was well documented especially online, I did not have to travel. I used historical research to find out about the places and events in my novel. Therefore,the information was all obtained from researching books and the internet.

Fiona: Who designed the covers?

I came up with the idea for the cover, and the design came to life through the talents of Chris Jefferies, who is also my webmaster.  He is an American wholives in Germany. Here is his website in case anyone is interested in contacting him.http://alphi.xyz

 Fiona: Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

The novel is filled with morals. It helps the readerto learn not to make light of their decisions and to think carefully about the consequences.  Also, it has a lesson about how good things come back later to help you or your family and that forgiving others, especially when they ask forgiveness, is what will bring peace.

 Fiona: Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest?  Who is your favorite writer, and what is it about their work that really strikes you?

 I read novels ofmodern authors like Brad Thor, James Patterson, Steve Berry, Clive Cussler, and others.

I grew up reading Agatha Christie, Sidney Sheldon, Jack Higgins, Franklin W. Dixon, Enid Blyton, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and others. Agatha Christie and Sidney Sheldon played an important role in inspiring me to write novels. I liked the way they weaved mystery and suspense to produce an interesting book.  Agatha Christie is my favourite writer.

Fiona: Outside of family members, name one entity that supported your commitment to become a published author.

No one, other than my parents, knew that I was writing. It took me seventeen years to write this novel and even they did not know about ituntil the last two years. I just wanted it to be a surprise and so kept it asecret until it was published.Actually, after the book was published, many people were surprised and admitted that they did not know that I was writing a novel. I would like to thank my publisher, ‘Black Rose Writing’,for getting my novel published and for getting my foot in the literary world.

Fiona: Do you see writing as a career?

I would love to make writing as a career and if I could write full time for a living, that would make me very happy. Until then, I have to work for a living. I have just published my first book,and I amlearning the ropes on how to market the book and also build a fan baseso that I can make it a second career eventually.

Fiona: If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?

Not really; maybe justone or two sentences.It took me seventeen years to write this book, and I made sure that I put all I wanted into it.

Fiona: Did you learn anything during the writing of your recent book?

I learned a lot about grammar, history, culture and the publishing industry. I also learned to figure outwhat exactlyagents are looking for and how difficult it is to get your first novel published. While researching the novel, I also learned a lot about history of the early twentieth century which is not always taught in school and shown in TV documentaries. It is always good to learn from other peoples’ experiences and perspectives from that time period. I would say thatwriting this novel educated me in many ways.It helped me grow as a writer and also avoid pitfalls when I write any future novels.

Fiona: If your book was made into a film, who would you like to play the lead?

Not sure. I am kind of tied between an American and a British actress playing the lead. However, my lead character grows older in the novel and I think that part could be played by someone like Jenna Coleman, (since she makes a good Queen Victoria) or Claire Foy, if a British actress is chosen for the part. I imagined my lead to be around 5’7”, a brunette with blue eyes. Since my lead is American, Alexis Bledel could be another actress that would be a good fit if they chose an American actress.

Fiona: Any advice for other writers?

Always research the subject matter you are writing about thoroughly and make sure you have an interesting start.An interesting start is the KEY.Also, make sure your novel is concise and easy to read.You do not want to bore the reader with too many details. Get to the point quickly. When seeking a publisher or a literary agent, many of them may not tell you the reason they will not pursue your project but will write a generic statement in an email rejecting it. Those that do tell you, please listen to their constructive criticism and do as they say. They may not take it up again after turning it down but somebody else may. Therefore, it is important to take advice. Place your best foot forward when trying to get an agent, publisher, or while marketing your book.

 Fiona: Anything specific you want to tell your readers?

I wrote ‘Fateful Decisions’ to incorporate history with fiction and also to make it a fun way for the general public to learn about history while reading a novel. My novel is also filled with messages about how love and forgiveness triumph in the end. It also makes the reader aware that making decisions is not to be taken lightly, as there are consequences that arise from every decision we make.  Therefore, there are many lessons to be learned from ‘Fateful Decisions’.  I also want to add that this book is not only for women, but also for men, as it contains genres like romance, military history, suspense, thriller and murder, which all come under the umbrella of historical fiction. So, a little bit of everything for everyone. I am sure that people in England, Italy, Germany, and France would like the book as well since the novel is set in those countries, especially during WW-2.

 Fiona: What book are you reading now?

I am currently reading ‘Kaisers Last Kiss’. I have just begun reading it. The novel isabout the former German Kaiser in exile in the Netherlands during WW-2 and his relationship with the SS guards that have replaced his staff.  It is interesting so far and I recommend it. I understand thatit has been made into a movie called, ‘The Exception’, starring Christopher Plummer.

 Fiona: Do you remember the first book you read?

Oh boy, that was a long time ago. I think it was a ‘Hardy Boys’ book (cannot remember the tile) or maybe ‘The Reader’s Digest.’

Fiona: What makes you laugh/cry?

Funny jokes or stories make me laugh. I guess sad events in life, like the death of a lovedone, will make anyone cry.

 Fiona: Is there one person, past or present, you would love to meet? Why?

Agatha Christie, since her books gave me a love for reading and writing. I used to read a lot before I discovered her books at the age of fourteen, but her books were the ones that really instilled in me to take up writing as a hobby and maybe make it a second career. Her books also helped me build my vocabulary as she wrote her books at a time when people spoke better English.

 Fiona: Do you have any hobbies?

Yes, being a lover of history, I collect a lot of things which are old and rare. I collect stamps, coins, and also books;watch movies which are interesting to me; listen to music; and of course writing novels.

 Fiona: What TV shows/films do you enjoy watching?

I mostly watch old films. I find that older films from the 30s to the 70s (British andHollywood) have many great actors and in many cases, interesting stories. People dressed well, had a lot of class, and spoke well. I also like old TV shows and some foreign language films. I do like some modern films, especially action packed adventure films, films based on true events, and films that have a lot of drama and suspense. If I watch TV at all, I watch the TV shows on PBS. I like the British and Australian TV shows. Dr. Blake Mysteries, Fr. Brown, Downton Abbey, Midsomer Murders, A Place Called Home, Doc Martin, any shows related to Agatha Christie especially the Poirot series, and others if the episodes are interesting. I do not watch any of the modern American TV shows. I do, however, watch older American TV shows.

Fiona: Favorite foods, colors,  music?

Favourite foods are Chinese, Indian, and Italian. I am not picky;I love to eatanything that tastes good. I also cook my own food and like trying out different recipes. I try and lean more towards vegetarianism since it is good for health.

Colors – I guess blue and red.

With regard to music, I like music from yesteryears. I feel people had a lot of talent back then and the music really uplifts your soul and makes you feel better. Besides, I can always sing along since I can followthe lyrics which I cannot do with most modern music.  I know I am an old soul!

Fiona: Imagine a future where you no longer write. What would you do?

 If I can no longer write, I would spend my time reading books. I would also love to travel and start my own garden. Of course itwill depend on my age and healthat that time.

Fiona: What do you want written on your head stone?

‘Writing was in his blood and he loved writing’. Besides that, obviouslymyname, birth and death dates.

Fiona: Do you have a blog or website readers can visit for updates, events and special offers?

Yes, they can go to my website and there are links to my FB page which they can ‘like’ and get updates and also links to Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Goodreads websites where they can purchase the book digitally and online.  They can also follow me on twitter and instagram as well, and they can also read my interviews in the interview section.

http://trevordsilva.com/

 

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Fateful-Decisions-Trevor-DSilva/dp/1612969836/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1509088526&sr=8-3

Barnes & Noble : https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fateful-decisions-trevor-dsilva/1127277721?ean=9781612969831

Goodreads: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fateful-decisions-trevor-dsilva/1127277721?ean=9781612969831

Social Media Links

Website: http://trevordsilva.com/

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Trevordsilvaauthor/

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/TrevorDAuthor

 

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Here is my interview with Lili Mahoney

Hello and welcome to my blog, Author Interviews. My name is Fiona Mcvie.

 

Let’s get you introduced to everyone, shall we? Tell us your name. What is your age?

Lili Mahoney, somewhere in my 40’s, but who’s paying attention after you turn 21 anyway?

 Fiona: Where are you from?

I was born and raised in a small west Texas town but now live in the south-central hill country area of Texas.

 Fiona: A little about your self (ie,  your education, family life, etc.).

I earned a BA in English w/ a minor in psychology while setting up housekeeping with my high school sweetheart.  We have 3 rockstars, 2 boys and a girl, and they’re my greatest achievements.

 Fiona: Tell us your latest news.

I’m getting a website, finally.  I’m also about to re-release my debut novel, which is the first in a four-part saga.  It’s a Young Adult story about a girl and her horse, and all the trouble they get in.

Fiona: When and why did you begin writing?

I was reading Twilight with some friends of mine and while I was in the middle of book three, Tory’s story(Barefoot Pastures) popped into my head and I had to write it down to get it to stop taking up all my brain space.

Fiona: When did you first consider yourself a writer?

When people I didn’t know started paying money for a book I’d written and then leaving reviews.  At times I still feel like I’m “faking it til I make it though”. That first royalty check was only about $30, but it was worth so much more!

Fiona: What inspired you to write your first book?

Not wanting to go insane.  I honestly NEVER thought about being a writer.  I struggled through school because of being ADD and Dyslexic so I didn’t read for pleasure and hated reading scholastically.  It wasn’t until I was in my 30’s and reading because of peer pressure that the story just took up residence in my head and hold to be told.

Fiona: How did you come up with the title?

It sort of just came to me because it fits Tory and Rusty, and where they spend their time.

Fiona: Do you have a specific writing style? Is there anything about your style or genre that you find particularly challenging?

It’s a purging, really.  I just start writing as the voices keep talking, like a movie playing in my head.  I know lots of authors write an outline first or have a strategy on notecards, but it just doesn’t work for me.  I probably have more editing to do afterwards, but that’s just the way it is for me.

Fiona: How much of the book is realistic and are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?

I would have to say just a little.  With Barefoot Pastures, Tory is a barrel racer, as I once was, but that’s the extent of likeness to me.  Her personality is little inspired by my daughter.  Feisty.  Independent. At times awkward.

Fiona: To craft your works, do you have to travel? Before or during the process?  Not for the YA saga.  My woman’s fiction/ romance, For Love Or Freedom, was born from a family trip we made to the Frio River.  A gang of bikers cruised by one afternoon and this story of a mom and her daughter just started rolling through my head.

Fiona: Who designed the covers?

Barefoot Pastures is a picture I took of my daughter and the company that published designed the cover.  It was a nightmare of an experience and I learned so much about working with publishers.  It’s one reason I’m re-releasing.  For Love Or Freedom was designed by LJ Designs and I love it so much because the flower is so integral in the story. They totally nailed it!

 Fiona: Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

I hope that any girl reading Barefoot Pastures takes away the confidence that she can be true to herself and own who she is.  It’s full of life lessons that I think most teens can identify with as a coming of age part of their lives.

For Love Or Freedom is a story about moving on with life when things are hurdled at you and you find yourself feeling a little out of control.  I think women will be inspired for fight for what they want, what they love and to not feel guilty for it.

Fiona: Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest?  Who is your favorite writer, and what is it about their work that really strikes you?

Oh ,Wow.  There are so many new writers on the scene right now it’s hard to keep up.  A few I one-click anything they write is Natalie Gayle.  Andrea Bills.  Kacey Shea. Victoria James and Lou Stock. S.L. Scott.   My all time favorite author is Larry McMurtry

Fiona: Outside of family members, name one entity that supported your commitment to become a published author.

I was working at a Mother’s Day Out when I began writing and a few of the other teachers started reading my rough drafts before I’d really told anyone outside of my husband.  I think my parents and siblings didn’t take it serious when I first mentioned it because they all knew how much I’d hated reading as a kid.

Fiona: Do you see writing as a career?

I’d love to at some point.  Right now, I don’t have the time to put enough into it to make a living at it.  Being a self-published author takes so much more than just writing a story.  You have to do all your own marketing and that’s a game I’m still learning how to play.

Fiona: If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?

No, I don’t think so.  I know that readers either love Tatum or can’t stand her, and some have commented on the portrayal of a kind of person being too negative, but I don’t think you can make every reader happy and I honestly don’t think they read much past the first chapter to see the story evolve.  It’s the story the characters wanted to tell and I’m happy with it.  That’s not to say there aren’t errors that were missed in editing that I’d like to fix, but I’m getting better with each book.

Fiona: Did you learn anything during the writing of your recent book?

Absolutely.  Each story teaches me something different about myself and my expectations as a story-teller.  I think the last book taught me to look at each character, and learn who they really were and what they wanted as the story progressed.

Fiona: If your book was made into a film, who would you like to play the lead?

Sheesh!  I have no idea! Maybe Michelle Pfeiffer or Charlize Theron as Tatum.

Fiona: Any advice for other writers?

Just write.  Get the words out and then study them and other stories you like and see how to make yours better.  Then put on some armour and ask someone to read it and not a family member, but someone that will be honest with you.  Take what they say as honesty to help you grow and see what you can do.

Fiona: Anything specific you want to tell your readers?

Thank you for giving my fiction friends a go.  I hope you grow as attached to them as I have.  I hope their stories give you a chance to escape reality for a bit, but also inspire you.

Fiona: What book are you reading now?

I just finished Love Notes by Michelle Windsor, great story!

Fiona: Do you remember the first book you read?

The first “real” book that I actually went and purchased on my own was Harry Potter.  I was in college and had a Prof that was the ultimate Harry fanatic (we even had cake in class for Harry’s birthday!) I had to write a paper on one of the books in the series and got totally sucked in and went straight to the book store and bought the ones that were out already.  Then waiting for the rest of the series to release was something I’d never experienced before. Then it was years before I read anything else, until Twlight hit the scene and my friends were all pressuring me to read it with them and see the movies.

Fiona: What makes you laugh/cry?

Everything.  Ha!  I laugh pretty easy and cry even easier.  My husband and kids were just making fun of me because I cried at the induction ceremony for my daughter getting in to NJHS (national jrhonorsociety)   Basically, if someone is laughing, so am I.  If someone is crying, I’m right there with them!  And if it’s my kids, I’m all the way there!

Fiona: Is there one person, past or present, you would love to meet? Why?

Gosh, just one? I’d like to meet Julia Roberts.  I think she’s a pretty spectacular individual

Fiona: Do you have any hobbies?

Writing.  Also photography.  I like planting stuff but I can’t call it a hobby because nothing survives. I like making rugs out of old bedsheets but I just haven’t had time to do many lately.

Fiona: What TV shows/films do you enjoy watching?

I don’t watch too much TV or see many movies.  But anything action usually works for me. I also love the old classics like Gone with the Wind.

 Fiona: Favorite foods, colors,  music?

FOOD – yes! HeeHee.  I love to eat, but I am a pretty picky eater.  I hate veggies and really only eat them if they’re covered in cheese or fried.  I love a good steak or pulled pork.  I LIVE on ice cream and gummy bears.   Color – PURPLE even in my hair.Music – Gary Allen is the ultimate.  I love everything he sings.  I like most country as well as alternative rock.  There’s really not much I dislike, to be honest.  Music is really important to me and it inspires my writing.  I’m really bad about putting a song on repeat until no one can stand hearing it every again.

Fiona: Imagine a future where you no longer write. What would you do?

I’d LOVE to be a National Geographic photographer! #dreamjob or a rancher. 😉

Fiona: What do you want written on your head stone?

“the best momma ever”

 Fiona: Do you have a blog or website readers can visit for updates, events and special offers?

I’m working on a website and hope to have it launched in May, as well as a newsletter.  For now, you can find me on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @lilimahoney

Buying links

https://www.amazon.com/Love-Freedom-Lili-Mahoney-ebook/dp/B072P25KYP/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1524385538&sr=1-1&keywords=Lili+Mahoney

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Love-Freedom-Lili-Mahoney-ebook/dp/B072P25KYP/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1524385611&sr=1-1&keywords=For+Love+or+Freedom

Here is my interview with Joan Mettauer

Hello and welcome to my blog, Author Interviews. My name is Fiona Mcvie.

Let’s get you introduced to everyone, shall we? Tell us your name. What is your age?

Hello! I’m Joan Mettauer, and I’m 62 years young.

Fiona: Where are you from?

I presently reside in Medicine Hat, Alberta, which has earned the honour of being declared ‘The Sunniest City in Canada’!

Fiona: A little about yourself (ie, your education, family life, etc.).

I’ve always been a bit of an adventurer so when a career in Canada’s aviation industry fell into my lap I gleefully jumped at the opportunity. When I was nineteen, after completing a year of college, I left my Alberta home for Yellowknife Northwest Territories – never having visited the northern city before, nor even visited the NWT! – in a nineteen-passenger DeHavilland Twin Otter aircraft with only two suitcases to my name. That first big step proved to become a precedent for my blind moves to Lac La Ronge in northern Saskatchewan; Inuvik, NWT (way, way above the Arctic Circle); Dawson Creek, British Columbia (Mile Zero Alaska Highway); and Nanaimo, British Columbia on Vancouver Island and home of those tasty, decadent chocolate treats called Nanaimo Bars (if anyone wants the ‘real recipe’ I will share with you!).

My attitude to life has always been ‘I can make a home and new friends wherever I land.’ So far I’ve had 100% success.

I’m married (second time around), and between us my husband and I have two sons, one daughter and seven grandchildren scattered around the globe in Canada, Switzerland and Australia. That makes for quite a bit of travelling!

Fiona: Tell us your latest news.

As strange as it sounds, I managed to publish two full-length novels within a four month period. No – I wasn’t writing 24/7. What happened is that I got entirely carried away writing my second novel, which was a two-part book. When I decided that it was much too long (I personally do not really like reading long, long books) I easily split it into two separate books.

Part One became ‘NORTH: The Last Great Race (Andi & North Book 2)’, published in August, 2017.

Part Two became ‘Honeymoon Bay (Andi & North Book 3)’, published in December 2017. My official book launch for Honeymoon Bay is coming up right here in Medicine Hat on May 16 at the Medicine Hat Public Library.

Fiona: When and why did you begin writing?

I began writing my first novel, ‘Diamonds in an Arctic Sky (Andi & North Book 1)’ in 2010. This book began as a long overdue cathartic writing exercise; twenty-five years earlier a grief counsellor recommended journaling therapy after the death of my eldest son in an accident. He was almost three years old. I was always much too busy to even think about doing that, and reliving the pain that accompanies writing about loss that cruel was just too difficult. Two or three years after I retired I began rethinking the counsellor’s suggestion, and since I finally had some time on my hands I thought it may be a good way to finally put my demons to rest. I started writing and haven’t stopped since. I never intended to publish my first manuscript until my husband encouraged me to do so. He said that, due to my history and long aviation career in northern Canada and the high Arctic, it was a very interesting story that other people may enjoy. I rewrote the pages into a novel and jazzed it up with a mix of truth and fiction. Only those closest to me know what’s truth . . . and what’s fiction!

Fiona: When did you first consider yourself a writer?

Not until after I actually published my first book. Until then I considered writing as a hobby, and still do to a large extent.

Fiona: How did you come up with the title?

That was hard! The title of my first book changed many times during the course of its writing. I ran several possibilities by various people, and eventually a cousin in Australia said that my title should include two of the most memorable things about the novel – diamonds and the Arctic. My female heroine, Andi, looks to the night sky often, so it all finally clicked together.

Fiona: Do you have a specific writing style? Is there anything about your style or genre that you find particularly challenging?

I think I’m a stickler for detail in describing locations and events. I strive to make as much as I can factual, and will research for hours if I have to. I also try to add a bit of humour here and there to lighten up the story. I create less-than-desirable character traits and flaws such as jealousy and alcoholism. Nobody is perfect, and neither should my characters be so. To date I’ve stayed in the action & adventure genre, liberally sprinkled with paranormal undertones and some romance. I really love reading psychological thrillers though, so I plan on changing genre for my next book. It will be a real challenge!

Fiona: How much of the book is realistic and are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?

The life of the heroine in Diamonds in an Arctic Sky is based quite closely on my own; Andi Nowak is a bereaved, divorced mother who works in Canada’s

aviation industry and ventures above the Arctic Circle to Inuvik. She is the Flight Operations Manager for an aviation company, as I was. That’s pretty much where reality ends and my imagination takes over. Every character in this book is either based on someone who touched my life, or a combination of two or three people melded into one individual. The only exception is North Ruben . . . he’s truly fantasy, and too good to be real!

Fiona: To craft your works, do you have to travel? Before or during the process?

All of my novels take place in locales that I’ve either lived in or visited beforehand. I can’t imagine writing about a place I’ve never been to; it would be very hard to do. Wikipedia only provides so much information, and never the true feel of a place.

Fiona: Who designed the covers?

Friesen Press, the assisted self-publishing company I used to publish Diamonds in an Arctic Sky, created the cover from a stock photo I provided them.

A friend graciously allowed me to use her photo of an inukshuk taken in Rankin Inlet for the cover of NORTH: The Last Great Race, and I bought a stock photo for Honeymoon Bay. Fiver.com did the designs for both covers.

Fiona: Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

Definitely. Even after tremendous personal loss, there is always a light at the end of the tunnel. Never give up.

Fiona: Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest? Who is your favorite writer, and what is it about their work that really strikes you?

Chevy Stevens, author of ‘Still Missing’ and several other thrillers, is one of my favourite new authors. I like her writing voice and find her novels intriguing and well-written. I was fortunate enough to meet her at a book signing early in her career.

Roz Nay, author of ‘Our Little Secret’ is another new favourite. Her debut novel kept me turning the pages and in the dark about the truth until the end of the book. It was amazing.

Fiona: Outside of family members, name one entity that supported your commitment to become a published author.

Although I told a few family members that I was writing a book, I kept it a secret from everyone else until it was actually published. Surprise!

Fiona: Do you see writing as a career?

No . . . I’m retired! I just do it for fun and to keep my brain challenged. The journey of self-publishing has caused me to learn a lot about things like formatting  and social media.

Fiona: If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?

No, I can’t say that I would. I’m very happy with it, although since the initial publication I’ve corrected a few typos and minor things that somehow slipped by three or four copy-edits done by three different people.

Fiona: Did you learn anything during the writing of your recent book?

Yes, I learned that one should never set unrealistic deadlines, nor rush the publication process. Even if the manuscript has been copy-edited to death by the writer and others, it is a mistake to skip reading an actual paper Proof. When I read a print copy of my books, things just pop out at me that don’t in a Word document. Hence my reply in the question above!

Fiona: If your book was made into a film, who would you like to play the lead?

That’s a good question. I think Sandra Bullock would do Andi justice. I can’t think of anyone who could portray North, though.

Fiona: Any advice for other writers?

I truly believe that it is very beneficial to write a detailed analysis of the main characters in your novel, and get to know them inside out. You need to be able to step into their persona.

As well, I always write a fairly detailed Storyline – I need to know where the story is going, how it reaches a satisfying conclusion, and a timeline of events. That’s not to say that things don’t change along the way . . . they always do, but it’s a good start.

Other than that, just start writing and pour it all out! Don’t worry too much about perfect grammar, sentence structure or even punctuation. Get the bones of the story written. After your first draft is complete you can rewrite to your heart’s content and perfect and polish your story. Because I can be a bit of a procrastinator, I also need to set a strict writing schedule for myself – and follow it!

Fiona: Anything specific you want to tell your readers?

I’ve been so very lucky to have readers who fell in love with my characters. I never intended to continue writing after Diamonds in an Arctic Sky was published, but so many people told me they didn’t want Andi & North’s story to end. My readers are absolutely the only reason I kept writing, and I want to thank them for that.

Fiona: What book are you reading now?

‘Forgiveness’ by Mark Sakamoto, and an ARC of ‘Takano Rynn, Book Two of The Gifted Series’ by Bianca Rowena.

Fiona: Do you remember the first book you read?

‘Dick and Jane’ of course!

Fiona: What makes you laugh/cry?

I’m a huge softie for animals, and I crack right up at some of their antics. Likewise, when I see animals suffering, mistreated and in pain it brings tears to my eyes.

Fiona: Is there one person, past or present, you would love to meet? Why?

Martin Buser, Iditarod champion and kennel owner from Alaska. He has won the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race four times, and is a devoted champion to the dogs of the mushing world. I read his book ‘Dog Man’ during my research on the Iditarod for NORTH: The Last Great Race. His life and story were very inspiring.

Fiona: Do you have any hobbies?

I love reading, of course! Also taking long walks with my dog, Chica, gardening, and playing cards and games with friends and my grandchildren.

Fiona: What TV shows/films do you enjoy watching?

I don’t watch a lot of TV, but I must say I enjoy Call the Midwife, Downton Abbey, The Vikings, The Blacklist and Grey’s Anatomy. I also enjoyed The Fosters and Bloodline of NetFlix. Can’t remember the last time I watched a movie though.

Fiona: Favorite foods, colors, music?

Complicated salads, a really good hamburger, roast turkey with all the trimmings, and a juicy barbequed steak.

Colours . . . purple and orange. No pink. Definitely no pink!

Music . . . Golden Oldies for the most part. I stream Spotify on m EU boom and love the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s. I know – I’m dating myself!

Fiona: Imagine a future where you no longer write. What would you do?

Read a lot. If my eyes ever give out on me I’ll turn to Audio Books.

Fiona: You only have 24 hours to live how would you spend that time?

With my family, all of them gathered from the far corners of the world.

Fiona: What do you want written on your head stone?

No headstone for me, thank you very much!

Fiona: Do you have a blog or website readers can visit for updates, events and special offers?

Alas, that is on my never-ending and growing ‘to do’ list, so the answer is no, not yet. One of my goals this year is to create a website.

Readers can keep up with me on my Facebook Page though – Joan Mettauer, Author. I’m also on Twitter @JoanMettauer

https://www.amazon.com/Joan-Mettauer/e/B00O210PIK/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0

Here is my interview with Matthew Tait

Hello and welcome to my blog, Author Interviews. My name is Fiona Mcvie.

 

Let’s get you introduced to everyone, shall we? Tell us your name. What is your age?

Matthew Tait. Recently, Icrossed the threshold of 41.

Fiona: Where are you from?

Adelaide, Australia. The city of Adelaide is nestled in the very south of this large continent.

Fiona: A little about yourself (i.e., your education, family life, etc.).

I was educatedat a Catholic School here in South Australia, growing up relatively middle-class in an extended family of three siblings and two step-siblings.There were some dark times during early adolescence (as there arefor us all), and I learned early to escape into fiction, with high-school probably acting as the catalyst to gravitate me in thatdirection. 

Fiona: Tell us your latest news.

Last Halloween I published my seventh novel, Providence Place – a horror tale (and somewhat of a ghost story) that takes place inside a long abandoned school. One filmmaker, hoping to document the school’s long and sordid history over one night, recruits four past pupils for a new expedition in dark misadventure. Out of everything to have seen print thus far, this is far and away the most fun I’ve ever had with a novel. Something that (I hope), translates to those who decide to make the journey.

Fiona: When and why did you begin writing?

I would say the genesis began properly after completing Stephen King’s The Long Walk at the age of fourteen. Of course, I had been a voracious reader and consumer of speculative literature and films before this, but The Long Walk was the first mature novel that I found completely transcendent and showcased bare-bones storytelling on an elite level. Coming away from that experience, I knew intuitively that I wanted to play in the same sandpit; I wanted to give back to an audience a similarfission I experienced navigating those pages. And so, not long after finishing the book mid-1991, I bought my first typewriter.

Fiona: When did you first consider yourself a writer?

It’s funny: many years ago, when I first began scribbling, I heard someone say that it takes twenty-years to learn how to write – and I’ve discovered there is some truth to this sentiment. I mentioned I first began reading (and writing), inan academic manner somewhere around 1991. Exactly twenty years later – almost to the day – I published my first short story collectionGhosts In A Desert World. Of course, there are many instances when one knows you can never really give yourself that title- even after a few books. Because the learning process is never static, and growth occurs on a continual timeline.

Fiona: What inspired you to write your first book?

My first efforts – and I know some would agree with this process – were more homage than anything else. Those drafts long before coming into your own and finding an original voice. So I drew inspiration from the literary heroes that help define me: authors such as Clive Barker, David Zindell, Stephen King, Richard Laymon and Robert McCammon. I also grew motivated bythe Australian landscape itself: a wilderness that remains the perfect locale for tales of the macabre.

 Fiona: How did you come up with the title?

A lot of my titles – including my first collection Ghosts In A Desert World – were actually conceived while taking a shower. I know that sounds eccentric, but I’ve always viewed that morning ritual as having an almost womb-like environment; a place where creation begins.

Fiona: Do you have a specific writing style? Is there anything about your style or genre that you find particularly challenging?

My own style fermented early on from studying the works of Clive Barker – not necessarily his lyrical syntax, but the way his prose became elevated through keen insights and observation. Over the years, developing, I tend to favour a composition style light on dialogue yet heavy on discourse. As a genre, I think horror can work as a fabulous canvas for this kind of method: paragraphs morph into maps of intent that can either frighten or titillate, and sometimes do both simultaneously. So while it can occasionally be difficult to find language in what frightens us, there can be a lot to work with once you do.

Fiona: How much of the book is realistic and are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?

My first book, a collection, contained only minimal realism relating to my personal life. Though there is one story in there, Car Crash Weather, that definitely smacks of veracity pertaining to the self-wounding agony of trying to bring another world into being.
Moving forward, especially in relation to the new book (entitled Schizoid), a reader will be exposed to a whole slew of personal confessions – perhaps too many. In a way Schizoid is my first attempt at ‘metafiction’ and the often flimsy world separating fact and fiction.    

Fiona: To craft your works, do you have to travel? Before or during the process?

I think a lot of the travelling you do is purely a cerebralprocess. In effect, you’re shutting out the real world completely and letting your imagination do most of the grunt work. That said, I’ve travelled to America twice, and took a lot of stimulus from those experiences – stimulus that I later unpacked and put to good use.

Fiona: Who designed the covers?

For my early work, I enlisted the talented artist James Powell, who sadly passed away a few years ago in tragic circumstances. As a man, James had a huge heart, and his absence is still felt both in my life and the creative community he was a part of.

 Fiona: Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

Not inherently in the first books – because horror, at the end of the day, is supposed to be fun! That said, I’ve written extensively about the field of Ufology in the past with books like Dark Meridian and Olearia. And they contain a lot of philosophical undertones relating to that subject matter. The nature of our spiritual selves … and those who may reside on other worlds who are actively engaging us.

Fiona: Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest?  Who is your favorite writer, and what is it about their work that really strikes you?

In the new authors camp I would have togive a shout out to British writer George Daniel Lee and his many-chambered debut collection Strange Playgrounds. Over the last couple of years many people – myself included – have now been exposed to the wonderful work of Adam Neville (another Brit), whose bourgeoning body of tales are evocatively nihilistic and always dependable.

In the past I’ve made no secret Clive Barker will always be my favourite muse. Even now, decades after his forays into literature, those early attempts remain unchallenged and unequalled for sheer imaginative ambition and intellectual discourse.

Fiona: Outside of family members, name one entity that supported your commitment to become a published author.

One of my first editors, Shannon Gambino, who resides in Texas.With her tirelesshelp, I was able to get a lot of my early work out into the ether, and this individual was always there to lend an encouraging and affirmative ear.

Fiona: Do you see writing as a career?

Certainly. Not so long ago I came across a quote that said success is basically an endurance game. That anybody who makes it in their chosen field are simply the ones who never stop. If a career is ‘long-term sustainable creation’ this is definitely a gig that has me for life.

Fiona: If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?

With Providence Place perhaps only some subtle syntax here and there. Otherwise, I’m quite happy with the cavalcade spectacle that’s already on the page. 

Fiona: Did you learn anything during the writing of your recent book?

A few self-taught lessons in the nuances of dialogue

Fiona: If your book was made into a film, who would you like to play the lead?

A kind of ‘everyman’ actor like John Krasinski who recently wrote and directed the brilliant ‘A Quiet Place.’

Fiona: Any advice for other writers?

Refer back to the previous career question. JLongevity, ad infinitum. Finish something, even if it fails to find an audience. Then dust yourself off and do it all over again.

Fiona: Anything specific you want to tell your readers?

That I’m in this for the long haul … and we’re only just beginning. J

Fiona: What book are you reading now?

I’m an aficionado who often has many on the go at once. Currently the pile contains: Authority by Jeff Vandameer, Nine Princes of Amber by Roger Zelazny, Joyride by Jack Ketchum and The Wolf’s Hour by Robert McCammon. Veritable constants: something by Clive Barker (at present its The Great and Secret Show), and a Star Wars novelisation: Empire’s End by Chuck Wendig.

 Fiona: Do you remember the first book you read?

Haunted by James Herbert. The Long Walk and Needful Things by Stephen King. While not the first ones from early childhood (those are hard to remember), they were certainly the titles that cemented me as a reader for life.

Fiona: What makes you laugh/cry?

Laughter: satire in all its incarnations. I have a very droll and sarcastic sense of humor – something that can get you into trouble if you’re not careful …

A line of prose from my favourite author can often move me to tears. The written word is old-school telepathy, capable of inducing empathy on an almost primal level.

I’m an ardent cinephile, and film in its many incarnations can elicit the same response. Anything from The Shawshank Redemption to old-school romances like The Lake House have always been favourites.

Fiona: Is there one person, past or present, you would love to meet? Why?

Without question, Carl Sagan. While his thirteen episode documentary Cosmos, A Personal Voyage could be viewed as the biggest classroom in history, his overall body of work (both fact and fiction), showcased the mind of a master-fabulist who somehow managed to bring a spiritual component into the realm of science. For me, personally, he brought the wonder of existence itself back into the mundane humdrum of everyday life.

Fiona: Do you have any hobbies?

Both the acoustic and electric guitar figure prominently in my everyday life.

Fiona: What TV shows/films do you enjoy watching?

There’s almost a surplus of choice these days, isn’t there? JMy personal predications (of course) are entrenched firmly in the horror, science fiction, and fantasy genres.

In no particular order, these have served to fuel the imagination in recent years: Stranger Things, Game of Thrones, Scream, Ash Vs Evil Dead, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Six Feet Under, American Horror Story, Twin Peaks, Bates Motel, Preacher, Outcast, The Strain, Blood Drive, Channel Zero, Hannibal, Mindhunter, The Walking Dead, Jessica Jones, People of Earth, Philip K Dick’s Electric Dreams, Black Mirror, The OA, The X Files, Penny Dreadful, The Terror and Mr Mercedes.

Fiona: Favorite foods, colors, music?

Much to my friends chagrin, I’m not much of a foodie. Music, however, is definitely food for the soul.Primarily I grew up listening and playing along to bands like Nirvana andStone Temple Pilots. Other bands I continue to enjoy are Seether, Bush, Three Doors Down, Soundgarden, The Tea Party, The Superjesus, Gavin Rossdale, Chevelle, Alter Bridge, Pearl Jam, Art of Anarchy, Veruca Salt, Garbage, Lifehouse, The Pixies, The Breeders, A Perfect Circle, Tool, Filter, Grinspoon, Godsmack, Alice In Chains and  Sevendust.  

Fiona: Imagine a future where you no longer write. What would you do?

You’d probably find me playing rhythm guitar in a post-grunge outfit. Or working in cinema complex …

Fiona: You only have 24 hours to live how would you spend that time?

In all probability finishing a work in progress … or making plans to get my ashes jettisoned into space.

Fiona: What do you want written on your head stone?

That which can be imagined need never be lost …

Fiona: Do you have a blog or website readers can visit for updates, events and special offers?

Amazon Page: Matthew Tait
Old School Blog: Matthew Tait
Goodreads Page:  Goodreads Matthew Tait

https://www.amazon.com/Matthew-Tait/e/B008KXHLRE

 

Here is my interview with Hunter S. Jones.

Hello and welcome to my blog, Author Interviews. My name is Fiona Mcvie.

 

Let’s get you introduced to everyone, shall we? Tell us your name.

Hi! Thanks for featuring me on your blog today. I write history and fiction as Hunter S. Jones.

Fiona: Where are you from?

Currently, I live in Atlanta, GA

Fiona: Tell us your latest news.

I’m delighted to let you know that my latest release, Sexuality & Its Impact On History: The British Stripped Bare is available in the U.K. It’s a collection of historical essays, written by women writers. We look at love, romance and sexuality in the Anglo-Saxon, Medieval, Tudor, Stuart and Victorian Eras.

Fiona: Do you have a specific writing style? Is there anything about your style or genre that you find particularly challenging?

No, not at all. I believe that writing is an art form and as such there are no real rules.

Fiona: How much of the book is realistic and are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?

Any fiction is from my imagination. Any resemblance to persons living or dead is to protect the guilty.

Fiona: To craft your works, do you have to travel? Before or during the process?

Great question! I love to visit historical sites before writing to get a feeling of how life was in the past.

Fiona: Who designed the covers?

The publishers, Pen & Sword Books, commissioned the cover for my latest. When I publish independently, I use Robin Johnson at www.gobookcoverdesign.com. She has an elegance and style that I love.

Fiona: Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

For Sexuality & Its Impact On History, I want readers to understand that human nature is the same as it was in the past. Most importantly, that women have always found a way to survive and thrive even though the rules of society haven’t been in our favour.

Fiona: Do you see writing as a career?

Yes. I’m a full time writer.

Fiona: If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?

No, not really.

Fiona: Did you learn anything during the writing of your recent book?

Yes, thanks for asking. I wrote about the Victorian Era. There is a great deal of information in Georgia and Tennessee due to the rise of railroads and the influence of the Civil War on the American South. I love writing about the era, but would love to write something based in Tudor England again.

Fiona: If your book was made into a film, who would you like to play the lead?

Sexuality & Its Impact On History would actually make a fantastic TV series.

Fiona: Anything specific you want to tell your readers?

Thank you so much for all the support! I adore my followers.

Fiona: Do you have any hobbies?

Travel and fashion are my things. Well, music. I love rock & roll.

Fiona: Imagine a future where you no longer write. What would you do?

I have a farm, so I guess I would become a full-time farmer.

Fiona: Do you have a blog or website readers can visit for updates, events and special offers?

Sure! Thanks for asking and thanks so much for featuring me today!

Hunter S, Jones is passionate about the history of romance, science and music, a.k.a. sex, drugs and rock & roll. She has a popular history blog, and is a historian for Past Preservers Casting. When she isn’t writing, talking or tweeting about kings, queens and rock stars, she’s living the dream in Atlanta, Georgia with her Scottish born husband.

Look for her first collection of historical essays, The Impact of Sexuality in History: The British Stripped Bare, available March 2018 from Pen and Sword Books. She is delighted to work with the talented team of Emma Haddon-Wright, Annie Whitehead, Jessica Cale, Maryanne Coleman, Judith Arnopp, Gayle Hulme, and Dr. Beth Lynne.

To find out more, follow her on social media:

http://www.huntersjones.com

http://www.Facebook.com/HunterSJonesPR

http://www.Twitter.com/HunterS_Jones

www.Instagram.com/hunters.jones

 

Purchase sites for Sexuality & Its Impact On History: The British Stripped Bare:

https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Sexuality-and-Its-Impact-on-History-Paperback/p/14604

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sexuality-its-Impact-History-Stripped/dp/1526714493

If you want more info on the book, you can find it on my website: https://historyrocks.us/sexuality-its-impact-on-history-the-british-stripped-bare/

 

Here is my interview with Abbey Faith

Hello and welcome to my blog, Author Interviews. My name is Fiona Mcvie.

 

Let’s get you introduced to everyone, shall we? Tell us your name. What is your age?

The name on my birth certificate is Abbey Serena, but my pen name is. Abbey Faith I am twenty-one.

Fiona: Where are you from?

I was born and raised in Ohio, where I currently reside.

Fiona: A little about yourself (ie. your education, family life, etc.).

I got my Creative Writing degree from Bowling Green State University. My parents were actually kind enough to invest in a degree that has no dependable outcomes. But it seems to have worked out! I will also start working soon in a daycare as a full-time teacher, and I plan to return to school for a master’s degree in Middle Childhood Education.

Fiona: Tell us your latest news.

Well, not a lot goes on in my life, but my publisher is busy getting my series ready to go out into the world. The first book will be out on June 1st, the second on September 1st, and the third on November 1st (provided that nothing stands in the way.) I am currently writing the fourth book of six.

Fiona: When and why did you begin writing?

I’ve been writing since before I can even remember. I wrote back when my home just had one desktop computer and we had to call dibs in order to get it. I also filled up journal after journal before I finally got my own laptop. I started a very unrecognizable and basic draft of the first book in my published series about ten years ago. It was about aliens. The book has become a Victorian romance with no aliens. Yes, they are correlated. Then I wrote the first (first?) draft of the book that I have coming out now about midway through my junior year of college.

Fiona: When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I considered myself a writer when I started to write stories. I considered myself an author when I got my book contract.

Fiona: What inspired you to write your first book?

Well, the first book I ever wrote is a bunch of angsty, philosophical crap; but the book that I have coming out now was me telling myself that I couldn’t give up. I was going through a very rough time in my life, and I gave myself a choice: sit down and write or wallow in self-pity. So I chose to open up my laptop and put words down.

Fiona: How did you come up with the title?

I kept trying different things and finally found one that stuck.

Fiona: Do you have a specific writing style? Is there anything about your style or genre that you find particularly challenging?

I don’t know if I do or not, haha! I’ve never been one to focus on the technical aspect of craft. I just write and hope that it works. The one thing that’s hard about my genre is writing sex scenes. Where’s the line? How far should I go? Is it even any good? What is the standard? Who judges (and how do they judge) if it’s good? Those questions haunt me.

Fiona: How much of the book is realistic and are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?

Well, I did my research on history so that people would feel immersed in the Victorian era. But I can only wish that I had an event in my life that involved gigantic, muscular, gorgeous men.

Fiona: To craft your works, do you have to travel? Before or during the process?

I guess I don’t have to travel for my work because, you know, you can look up just about anything on the internet. But I have gone to England to study the culture, architecture, accents, and Victorian influence on the country.

Fiona: Who designed the covers?

A lovely lady named Lacey, whose last name I wish I had. But that’s all I know about her. My publisher assigned her to my book. She deserves all of the credit in the world. I love my cover.

Fiona: Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

Beverly Jenkins said that she edutains through her books, which means that she educates and entertains at the same time. I want to do the same thing. I didn’t set out to create an exact message, but I think what I want people to remember is that history can be pretty cool and that you should be nice to others.

Fiona: Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest?  Who is your favorite writer, and what is it about their work that really strikes you?

In recent years, I’ve loved authors such as Tessa Dare, Johanna Lindsey, Julia Quinn, Eloisa James, Loretta Chase, and so many others. But my first romance book was Lisa Kleypas’s Dreaming of You, and I’ve admired her ever since I picked up that book. Her humor, her passion, her adoration for what she does all come through in her books. I want people to see that in my work.

Fiona: Outside of family members, name one entity that supported your commitment to become a published author.

I’ve been very private with my writing over the years, so not a lot of people even knew what I was doing. I’d have to say that there are two entities. My boyfriend, Jake, who’s read my books multiple times to check for errors (he’s been like my unofficial editor). And my publisher, of course. I wouldn’t be in this position without that wonderful group of ladies.

Fiona: Do you see writing as a career?

I see writing as a lifestyle.

Fiona: If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?

I would add dragons. I’m kidding. No, I wouldn’t change anything.

Fiona: Did you learn anything during the writing of your recent book?

My most recent book is about a homosexual, attention-seeking gypsy, so I learn something from it every single day.

Fiona: If your book was made into a film, who would you like to play the lead?

Michael Foster! He’s on the cover and he’s an actor. Win, win.

Fiona: Any advice for other writers?

Turn to your writing when you have nowhere else to go.

Fiona: Anything specific you want to tell your readers?

Well, I don’t have any readers yet, as the book isn’t out yet. But when I do… just, thank you for paying attention to me, haha. I always dreamed of getting published, but I never actually knew that it would happen. It seems surreal. And I just want everyone who reads the book to know that I don’t ever want to seem better than them, even if I have a million readers one day. Each one of them matters and if they reach out to me, I will do my best to respond. They have my friendship (even more so if they actually like the book.)

Fiona: What book are you reading now?

I’m about to start reading Tessa Dare’s When a Scot Ties the Knot.

Fiona: Do you remember the first book you read?

Not the first book I read, but definitely the first romance novel. Lisa Kleypas’s Dreaming of You.

Fiona: What makes you laugh/cry?

Sappy scenes, as much as I hate to admit it.

Fiona: Is there one person, past or present, you would love to meet? Why?

I hate this question. There are so many people. I’m a major fangirl. I think that I would love to meet Mary Shelley. Frankenstein means a lot to me.

Fiona: Do you have any hobbies?

I mean, no. I write, and I sit, and I occasionally stalk people on social media.

Fiona: What TV shows/films do you enjoy watching?

I love Beauty and the Beast, V for Vendetta, and pretty much anything with a love story that involves a headstrong, intelligent woman and a brash, reclusive, and mysterious man. (That also goes for movies with LGBT folks in them. I’ll watch anything with a good love story.)

Fiona: Favorite foods, colors,  music?

My favorite food is mashed potatoes. My favorite color is blue. My favorite music is heavy metal.

Fiona: Imagine a future where you no longer write. What would you do?

I’d just teach. I have to pay the bills, anyway, whether or not I’m a writer.

Fiona: You only have 24 hours to live; how would you spend that time?

I’d take my family and friends to England, where I’d simply sit in the location that the Crystal Palace stood and feel at peace.

Fiona: What do you want written on your head stone?

I loved history so much that I thought, hey! Time to become one with it.

Fiona: Do you have a blog or website readers can visit for updates, events and special offers?

Blog: https://abbeyfaithauthor.wordpress.com/

Twitter: @abbey_author

Facebook: Abbey Faith – Author

Newsletter: https://tinyletter.com/abbeyfaithauthor

Thanks for reading this whole thing! My first book, Her Secret Husband, will be out June 1st.

 

Here is my interview with Peter James

Hello and welcome to my blog, Author Interviews. My name is Fiona Mcvie.

 

Let’s get you introduced to everyone, shall we? Tell us your name. What is your age?

Peter James. 69

Fiona: Where are you from?

I was born in Brighton in the South of England.

Fiona: A little about your self (ie,  your education, family life, etc.).

I was educated at Charterhouse, then film school. I have written over 30 books, am published in 37 languages, with world sales of 20 million and have had 12 consecutive Sunday Times bestsellers. I live with my wife, Lara and our menagerie of animals including 3 dogs, 5 alpacas and 3 emus.

Fiona: Tell us your latest news.

I have 2 books being published this year. May 17^th DEAD IF YOU DON’T – the 14^th novel in my Roy Grace crime thriller series and October 4^th ABSOLUTE PROOF – a novel I have been working on since 1989, a thriller set around the topic of what would happen if somebody credible claimed to have proof of God’s existence.

Fiona: When and why did you begin writing?

I have been writing since I was 7 years old. I loved to notice things and to write my observations down.

Fiona: When did you first consider yourself a writer?

When I was commissioned to write some of the early episodes of the children’s television series Polka Dot Door whilst I was living in Toronto back in 1971.

Fiona: What inspired you to write your first book?

It was an article I read in The Times newspaper saying there was a shortage of spy thrillers after Ian Fleming had died and I decided that I would have a go!

Fiona: How did you come up with the title?

I came across it in a documentary about the cold war – Russian spies. It was called DEAD LETTER DROP.

Fiona: Do you have a specific writing style? Is there anything about your style or genre that you find particularly challenging?

My writing style is to write the way I like to read which is short chapters. For me the most important aspect is to make my books authentic which means research, research, research.

Fiona: How much of the book is realistic and are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?

Almost all of my books are inspired by true life experiences. I am a great believer in that old adage of truth being stranger than fiction.

Fiona: To craft your works, do you have to travel? Before or during the process?

Both, I travel before and then once I start writing, and realise what else I need to learn about. For me research is an ongoing process as much as the actual writing of the book itself.

Fiona: Who designed the covers?

My publisher but I get approval rights.

Fiona: Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

I write crime thrillers because although I want to write entertaining novels I also want, through my writing, to examine the world in which we live and why people do the things they do and I choose to do this through the eyes of my central police character as I don’t think anyone sees more of human life in a 30 year career than a cop.

Fiona: Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest?  Who is your favorite writer, and what is it about their work that really strikes you?

I am always looking for new authors whose work will grip me and inspire me – I very much like the French author Pierre Le Maitre as one example of just this.

My favourite ever author is Graham Greene, it was his novel Brighton Rock that made me want to be a writer, I also enjoy Linwood Barclay and Michael Connelly.

Fiona: Outside of family members, name one entity that supported your commitment to become a published author.

It was my late New York agent, Kurt Hellmer who took me on when I was 19 and encouraged me relentlessly. Sadly, he died before my first novel was published.

Fiona: Do you see writing as a career?

Absolutely.

Fiona: If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?

No I wouldn’t – I am really happy with everything about both my latest books and they have been through many stages of edits. ‘Absolute Proof’ which is coming out on Oct 4^th is both my most ambitious book to date and the one I am most excited about of everything I have ever written.

Fiona: Did you learn anything during the writing of your recent book?

Yes, for DEAD IF YOU DON’T I learnt a lot about the Albanian community and about compulsive gamblers as my central character is a compulsive gambler. For ABSOLUTE PROOF I have learnt a huge amount about many of the worlds different religions and faiths.

Fiona: If your book was made into a film, who would you like to play the lead?

My Roy Grace series is currently in development for television and there are a number of actors I can see playing the role well, one of them is Dominic West.

Fiona: Any advice for other writers?

Read. Read. Read. Read books that have done well in the genre you want to write in.But also structure is important. Know your ending before you start writing. You wouldn’t just get into a car and drive without knowing where you’re going. Know your most important plot points. This does not mean that things won’t change, but you will never get stuck. Once you start writing a book, make time to write every single day. Find a comfortable number of words for you to write each day and stick to that number. I am comfortable with 1000 words.  Love your characters.

Fiona: Anything specific you want to tell your readers?

Thank you for reading and I always love to hear from you by either email, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and if you are not yet looking at my YouTube channel you may find it interesting and fun!

Fiona: What book are you reading now?

I’m currently reading 7 books which are shortlisted for a big literary prize that I have been asked to judge – the ‘WH Smith Thumping Good Read Award’ but I’m not allowed to say what they are!

Fiona: Do you remember the first book you read?

It was Enid Blyton’s Five Go To Treasure Island which I read when I was about 6. I wrote to Enid Blyton and said 5 of them had spent 7 days on this island and not one of them had gone to the toilet in all that time and I was very worried. She wrote me a nice reply saying that they had all gone to the toilet but she didn’t think little boys and girls were interested so she had left those bits out!

Fiona: What makes you laugh/cry?

Lots makes me laugh, most of all I love to be with my wife and friends and have a few bottles of wine. That’s when I laugh the most.

As for crying….any mal-treatment of animals, and the sheer stupidity of so many politician’s who could make the world a better place but instead screw it up even more.

Fiona: Is there one person, past or present, you would love to meet? Why?

I’d love to have met Graham Greene because he regularly played Russian Roulette with a revolver and I’d be fascinated to ask him why and how he felt in those moments before he pulled the trigger.

Fiona: Do you have any hobbies?

Yes… racing classic cars, tennis, running, skiing.

Fiona: What TV shows/films do you enjoy watching?

Good crime dramas and thrillers – The Night Manager is the last thing I really enjoyed and it wasn’t too long!

Fiona: Favorite foods, colors,  music?

Favorite food – oysters and lobsters

Favorite color – red – I only wear red socks.

Favorite music – The Rolling Stones, The Kinks, Van Morrison, Passenger, Country music, some modern Jazz and so much more.

Fiona: Imagine a future where you no longer write. What would you do?

I’d be a racing driver.

Fiona: What do you want written on your head stone?

Holy Shit What A Ride! And I want my ashes blasted from 4 huge rockets with very loud bangs so they shower down above all the guests!

Fiona: Do you have a blog or website readers can visit for updates, events and special offers?

Here are my links:

My YouTube channel: www.peterjames.com/YouTube

My website: www.peterjames.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/peterjames.roygrace

Twitter: http://twitter.com/peterjamesuk

Instagram: https://instagram.com/peterjamesuk

Instagram Pets: https://instagram.com/peterjamesukpets

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Peter-James/e/B000APS7L4/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1469738214&sr=8-2-ent

 

Here is my interview with Michael Feeley

Hello and welcome to my blog, Author Interviews. My name is Fiona Mcvie.

 

Let’s get you introduced to everyone, shall we? Tell us your name. What is your age?

Hi Fiona, my name is Michael Feeley and I am currently 45 years old, although that tends to change faster than I would like.

Fiona: Where are you from?

I am from Walsall in the West Midlands, UK

Fiona: A little about your self (ie,  your education, family life, etc.).

I was the child of a working father and full time mother, I received standard state education and I was an only child.  I always knew however from a very young age that I felt different and used to have adult thoughts and inner conversations regarding my place here on this planet.  I joined the UK police force in 1992 and served for 17 years before deciding to leave due to intense paranormalexperiences that shook my world.

Fiona: Tell us your latest news.

I am currently on a UK talking/conference tour called ‘The Ancient Code’  following the launch of my new book ‘The Ancient Code – A Serpent Fire’ which reveals some interesting hidden secrets within the famous monuments of the world such as the pyramids of Egypt, Stonehenge, Atlantis and even the bible, Santa Claus, King Arthur and many others. These secrets have been missed by scholars and alike, but I have found them.

Fiona: When and why did you begin writing?

I began writing in 2009 after my many UFO/Paranormal encounters, I wanted to help others who may be experiencing similar things.

Fiona: When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I had just left a career in the police force whereby I was an evidential writer for the purposes of courts of law, so writing was already in me. But after my first book I considered myself an author/writer despite the opposition I faced from many mainstream outlets (and still do).

Fiona: What inspired you to write your first book?

Personal experiences of the other world and multidimensional kind, so many that I had to document it for others to see.

Fiona: How did you come up with the title?

I usually get an inspiration in a few words that is snappy and matches what my books are about…I have several books out there and this has been the same process for all of them. The title states exactly what the book is about, but as with the contents, there can often be a subtle message in there too that the reader needs to decipher.

Fiona: Do you have a specific writing style? Is there anything about your style or genre that you find particularly challenging?

My writing style is evidential (because of my background), to the point, evidenced and succinct. I face a lot of opposition to my work and my research because I expose many thousands of years of lies and false teachings within the likes of the Bible. I reveal the true identities of the likes of its famous characters such as Jesus and Mary Magdalene et al and this upsets the establishment and they try and censor me at every opportunity.  So my particular genre is unique and tends not to fit into many other genres.  It stands alone and this can sometimes make it difficult to placeit into any particular category.

Fiona: How much of the book is realistic and are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?

All of my books are either about my own personal experiences or my own research or my own downloaded knowledge.  So I am a realistic author who doesn’t write outside of these perimeters.

Fiona: To craft your works, do you have to travel? Before or during the process?

I have travelled to the places I write about, such as Stonehenge and the Pyramids of Egypt etc.  It sometimes happens without me knowing the significance of my being there until many years later like my trip to Egypt where I was told that I had a deeper purpose for being there. Only 7 years later did that mystic message make sense.I have been entrusted with sacred knowledge and I take that seriously.

Fiona: Who designed the covers?

My wife Sarah designs my covers, she owns her own Book Publishing company called Sazmick Books and is also a qualified graphic designer. She works with my concepts and adds her own touches until together we have a concept that is the window to the subject matter within.

Fiona: Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

Yes, the world as we are taught to believe is largely fabricated by a small group of so-called elites who wish to keep us in the dark about ourselves and our past. They wish to keep sacred knowledge to themselves and replace truth with mistruth so that we may never come to realise our great and true potential. I have and continue to expose their cover-stories.

Fiona: Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest?  Who is your favorite writer, and what is it about their work that really strikes you?

I don’t necessarily have a favourite writer because believe it or not I don’t read many books. Therefore I am not influenced by anyone else.

Fiona: Outside of family members, name one entity that supported your commitment to become a published author.

Myself, the only entity that can have such an influence on me.

Fiona: Do you see writing as a career?

Writing is a career but a difficult one for many.  My work is not like any other work out there, I have deciphered codes that have been concealed from us and I have pieced together a code that spans across the whole ancient and modern world.  If I was a children’s author or a standard Novelist then I would have more opportunities and would be more welcomed but the truth is often the Pariah and I face censorship as a consequence which makes it even more difficult.

Fiona: If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?

No, it tells it as it is which is what I am all about, in my daily life and my writing which is a reflection of my daily life.

Fiona: Did you learn anything during the writing of your recent book?

I undertook much research and learned a lot of secrets about the ancient world and the modern world that we live in. I also learned of the many codes they ciphered within their monuments and literature, which is fascinating and very scientific.

Fiona: If your book was made into a film, who would you like to play the lead?

Tom Hanks, as he played the character Robert Langdon in the Da Vinci Code, my work has a similar concept and feel to it.

Fiona: Any advice for other writers?

Persistence, never stop and never take no for an answer, you will get many knock-backs, work through them, you owe it to you to get your work out there.

Fiona: Anything specific you want to tell your readers?

Yes, the likes of Biblical characters are really YOU…and you have amazing potential, so much so that for thousands of years that potential has been deliberately hidden from you. Learn about yourself.

Fiona: What book are you reading now?

I am not reading any book at present.

Fiona: Do you remember the first book you read?

Yes, it was the 64 Keys of Enoch…

Fiona: What makes you laugh/cry?

Jokes, I have a very dry sense of humour.

Fiona: Is there one person, past or present, you would love to meet? Why?

Albert Einstein, so that we could discuss the universe…

Fiona: Do you have any hobbies?

Yes, I love to research and piece things together. I like listening to music and I love to go out and speak to audiences around the country…

Fiona: What TV shows/films do you enjoy watching?

I enjoy films such as the Da Vinci Code, Close Encounters of the Third kind. I also enjoy comedy films.

Fiona: Favorite foods, colors,  music?

My favourite food is Pizza and chips, and of course chocolate (don’t tell anyone). My favourite colour is Red and my favourite music is Rush (Canadian Progressive rock band whose lyrics touch my very essence)…

Fiona: Imagine a future where you no longer write. What would you do?

Think about writing and create a new future where I could continue to write.

Fiona: You only have 24 hours to live how would you spend that time?

With family, we all live beyond  physical life anyway so I’d also be making plans to visit from the other side.

Fiona: What do you want written on your head stone?

Ancient Code Breaker, Despite Your Attempts, He Knew What You Know!

Fiona: Do you have a blog or website readers can visit for updates, events and special offers?

Yes, my website is www.michael-feeley.com where you can find many esoteric blogs, sign up to my free newsletter and also see my many upcoming talking and radio events etc…

Me at High Wycombe

Me at the tree of life

Thank you Fiona, and thank you to everyone reading this interview…

Here is my interview with Sean McMullen

Hello and welcome to my blog, Author Interviews. My name is Fiona Mcvie.

 

Let’s get you introduced to everyone, shall we? Tell us your name. What is your age?

I am Sean McMullen, and I have had 138 birthdays (I was born at midnight).

Fiona: Where are you from?

Melbourne, Australia, although the post office occasionally diverts my mail to Melbourne, Florida.

Fiona: A little about your self (ie,  your education, family life, etc.).

I have worked in scientific computing for most of my life, and run a writing career in SF and fantasy in my spare time. I was a semi-professional musician before becoming a writer, which shows how badly most musicians are paid. My daughter Catherine was also a published author before becoming a screenwriter, and now divides her time between Hollywood and Melbourne. I live with my girlfriend, who is yet another author, and Loki, an enormous cat who jumps on the desk while I am getting a coffee and messes with whatever I have just typed. My title is Sensei in the karate club, and Dr at university parties.About 25 of my novels and maybe a hundred stories have been published, and won about fifteen awards. One of my stories, Eight Miles, got a Hugo nomination back in 2011.

Fiona: Tell us your latest news.

I have stories due out soon in Analog and F&SF magazines, and my latest Interzone story, The Influence Machine, will be republished in Gardner Dozois’sThe Year’s Best Science Fiction anthology series. I will be on a panel at the Speculate seminar in a couple of weeks, talking about the future of science fiction.

Fiona: When and why did you begin writing?

When I was fourteen, a year after Terry Pratchet’sfirst story came out in Science Fantasy. My stories were only for English projects at school, but they got honours. I then spent fifteen years in music before taking writing seriously again.

Fiona: When did you first consider yourself a writer?

When I sold my first story, to Omega Science Digest.

Fiona: What inspired you to write your first book?

I was working in a huge, old and gothic-looking library while doing post-graduate studies, and one day I realised that the library was like a very large and slow analogue computer. This became the basis for my novel Voices in the Light, and later I expanded it into Souls in the Great Machine when I sold it to Tor.

Fiona: How did you come up with the title?

In the distant future, Australia is governed by a rather psychopathic cast of librarians who settle disputes with duels to the death using flintlock pistols. The actual souls are the human components of an enormous human-powered computer.

Fiona: Do you have a specific writing style? Is there anything about your style or genre that you find particularly challenging?

If you think that Neil Gaiman’s novel American Gods and his story Owls are written in entirely different styles, then no, I don’t have a specific writing style. I like to include a bit of humour to contrast with some quite harrowing situations, mainly because I think real life is very like that.

Fiona: How much of the book is realistic and are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?

I was reading Mervin Peake’sGormenghast when I started working in that library, and it was not just like Gormenghast, it almost was Gormenghast. I got some fabulous ideas for characters, settings and situations while I was there. Some material was even too strange to go in my already strange novel.

Fiona: To craft your works, do you have to travel? Before or during the process?

I do get ideas when I travel, but if I need to know about some distant place in a hurry, Google provides more than enough imagery. I usually run the completed work past someone who has actually been there, to look for blunders or omissions.

Fiona: Who designed the covers?

Loads of artists do my covers. Richard Wagner did the Interzone illustration for my story Technarion, and I got permission to use it for my latest book, Dreams of the Technarion. Jim Burns illustrated my story Steamgothic for Interzone, and he let me use it for my collection Ghosts of Engines Past. Julie Bell did a great cover featuring a Roman warrior in a futuristic city for the paperback of my novel The Centurion’s Empire.

Fiona: Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

I think Souls in the Great Machine tells you that the means to develop truly fabulous technologies exist centuries before people get around to inventing those technologies.

Fiona: Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest?  Who is your favourite writer, and what is it about their work that really strikes you?

The people I take an interest in these days are scriptwriters, and they tend not to have much public profile. As for established authors, I get different things from different people. Neil Gaiman has great style, George R. R. Martin is a wonderful storyteller, and the late Terry Pratchett had great wit and insights. Going back to my formative years, Sprague de Camp, H. G. Wells, Tanith Lee, Brian Aldiss, J. R. R. Tolkein, Ursula le Guin and Issac Asimov all contributed to different aspects of my style.

Fiona: Outside of family members, name one entity that supported your commitment to become a published author.

Peter MacNamara of Aphelion Publications gave me my first break and published my first three books before he died way too young, of brain cancer. He was a bit of a party animal, so he asked for his coffin to be taken to his wake and used as a drinks table. Even I was weirded out by that, but it was sort of comforting to have him there.

Fiona: Do you see writing as a career?

I quit my computing job when my boss pointed out that I was paying the government to come to work – thanks to Australia’s tax laws. Since then I have put down author as my profession and I am earning a lot more from writing, but I still feel like an amateur.

Fiona: If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?

No, I revised it pretty thoroughly and am happy with it. It is the fourth Greatwinter novel.

Fiona: Did you learn anything during the writing of your recent book?

Don’t be afraid to abandon your original idea if a better one comes along.

Fiona: If your book was made into a film, who would you like to play the lead?

Keys to the Dragon Machine is still on submission. I think Eva Green and Mark Strong would be great as the British naval officers Lescal and Roscer, exploring my very strange future Australia and its librarian rulers. Benedict Cumberbatch would be great as Brother Cypheron, one of the Machiavellian librarians.

Fiona: Any advice for other writers?

Don’t take advice from older authors. Seriously. The market has changed unimaginably over the past twenty years.

Fiona: Anything specific you want to tell your readers?

As Neil Gaiman once said, finding a good book used to be like finding a tree in a desert but now it’s like finding that specific tree in a rain forest. Follow the recommendations of those reviewers, editors and magazines that you trust. It is so easy to get something published online that has the look and feel of a pro publication thatnew books are being published faster than you could read the authors’ names and the titles – even if you never slept.  Worse, many authors are wizards at promoting their work on social media not so hot on quality writing.

Fiona: What book are you reading now?

I am re-reading Terry Pratchett’s Guards, Guards.  He was a good friend and a very erudite person. We were born in the same year, and I always had the idea that we would live about equally long. I found it strangely annoying that he died so young. He probably did too.

Fiona: Do you remember the first book you read?

My very first was about a cat named Jupie who owned his own house, smoked a pipe and adopted a homeless girl. I got into SF through comics, but my first novel was Level Seven, followed closely by The Green Hills of Earth.

Fiona: What makes you laugh/cry?

Cat videos make me laugh. It’s pretty hard to make me cry, I’m always trying to analyse what the author/director/showrunner is about to do.

Fiona: Is there one person, past or present, you would love to meet? Why?

There are several people who I met all too briefly before they died, but would have loved to have known better. Tanith Lee and Sprague de Camp are at the top of that list. I never met the Australian SF author Norma Hemming, who died tragically young in 1960, although I did direct a revival of one of her plays for the 2010 worldcon. She was a pioneering feminist with a great sense of humour, and was also a talented actor, costume maker and director.

Fiona: Do you have any hobbies?

I am lousy at making things. When I was a teenager I built a radio telescope that shorted out and started a fire in my bedroom. Teaching karate used to count as a hobby, but then the club started paying me.

Fiona: What TV shows/films do you enjoy watching?

Mr Robot and Westworld are my current favourites, and Game of Thrones keeps a consistently high standard. Neil Gaiman’sNeverwhere blew me away back in the 1990s, and I have high hopes for Good Omens when it is released.

Fiona: Favorite foods, colors,  music?

I am pretty partial to medieval music and folk music, but recently I have been enjoying a lot of the sound track music written for film and television shows.

Fiona: Imagine a future where you no longer write. What would you do?

I have done some work directing and acting, but the opportunities are thin on the ground. I am a trained actor and singer, so maybe I could do audio book recordings.

Fiona: What do you want written on your head stone?

Not yet.

Fiona: Do you have a blog or website readers can visit for updates, events and special offers?

www.seanmcmullen.net.au

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sean_McMullen

https://www.amazon.com/Sean-McMullen/e/B001H6ER1Y/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1524130634&sr=1-2-ent

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sean-McMullen/e/B001H6ER1Y/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1524130661&sr=1-2-ent

Here is my interview with Kari Holloway

Hello and welcome to my blog, Author Interviews. My name is Fiona Mcvie.

 

Let’s get you introduced to everyone, shall we? Tell us your name. What is your age?

Hi Fiona. I’m Kari Holloway. I’m 30.

Fiona: Where are you from?

I’m from Leesburg, Ga. It’s a little town in the southwestern part of the state.

Fiona: A little about your self (ie,  your education, family life, etc.).

I’ve got two kids, 6 and 3. I call them the Wonder Twins because together they get into everything. Sometimes I call them Thing 1 and 2.  I’m a graduate of Georgia Southwestern State University, and I received by degree is Psychology. I was raised on a farm in Leslie (another tiny town), and still prefer to walk around barefoot.

Fiona: Tell us your latest news.

I’m working on my October release. Sneak peeks and cover reveal coming in the summer. Books 3 and 4 in the Devil’s Playground are in the editing phase—both will be released this year.

My latest release was New Writer’s Guide to Microsoft Word and my latest short story was published in A Contract of Words.

Fiona: When and why did you begin writing?

Prior to 2015, I wrote sporadically. I was a typical bookworm devouring on average a book a day. Even through school I was known by teachers for either writing or reading during their class.

In 2015, I was adjusting to being a stay-at-home mom. Unaccustomed to that, I tried to find time for me. I was used to working, having a purpose, being creative on the job. I saw an ad for a writing contest. I didn’t enter, but I did write the first 5 chapters of Cracked But Never Broken. Writing it kind of addicting, like tinkering with things. I haven’t stopped writing this time around since.

Fiona: When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I’m not sure. It was after the first book was published and probably after the second book. Somewhere in the last year and a half I started considering myself a writer.

Fiona: What inspired you to write your first book?

Boredom. I thought it would be this happily ever after, guy gets the girl romance and at the scene in the Mistwood kitchen that idea was blown out of the water.

Fiona: How did you come up with the title?

I don’t know. The title came to me before I had finished the first draft. Titles kind of come to me, and they just fit.

Fiona: Do you have a specific writing style? Is there anything about your style or genre that you find particularly challenging?

I dabble in a lot of genres. Some are challenging because they deal with a lot of research and others are challenging because I want to write something that doesn’t fit the stereotype but hits enough points to be familiar to those who love the genre because of it.

Fiona: How much of the book is realistic and are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?

The Laughing P ranch is based on experiences I had growing up. The roadblocks Damien Payne faces are similar to what I witnessed my mom battle with, but not identical circumstances or outcomes.

Fiona: To craft your works, do you have to travel? Before or during the process?

So far, no. I’ve not have to travel. I draw a lot of the locales from places I’ve been or enough familiarity with the area to be able to make logical leaps about things like weather. The first book that I had to step out of that comfort zone is the Howling King, book 4 in the Devil’s Playground series.

Fiona: Who designed the covers?

Novak Illustrations did the Laughing P covers.

I did Beneath the Masks and New Writer’s Guide for Microsoft Word.

German Creative did the Devil’s Playground series and my October’s release.

Fiona: Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

Not intentionally. I hope they realize that we don’t always see all the pieces on the board of life nor how we’ll interact with them when we see them again. There’s always hope and there’s always tomorrow and it’s okay to not be alright. It’s alright not to know what you’re going to do today, as long as you don’t give up.

Fiona: Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest?  Who is your favorite writer, and what is it about their work that really strikes you?

New writer would be JM Ames. His piece in A Journey of Words was heart-breaking beautiful.

Writers in general, I really admire Brent Weeks. His Night Angel trilogy was complex and gorgeous. His plot has this hook shot that comes out of left field and when you look back all the pieces were there.

Fiona: Outside of family members, name one entity that supported your commitment to become a published author.

Dennis, Justin, Jeremy, Quinne … all 4 supported my writing before even my family knew I wrote.

Fiona: Do you see writing as a career?

While not financially there yet, I treat it like a career. I want it to be my career.

Fiona: If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?

There are a few things I would like to add that I didn’t do the first time. The first time I left a few things out because I didn’t see them as necessity for beginners, but when even well experienced writers didn’t know some things, it made it obvious that I should have at least included them in there since I didn’t specify the type of writer it catered to.

Fiona: Did you learn anything during the writing of your recent book?

I didn’t know that Word would create a table of contents on the images nor did I know that I could easily create the word appendix as easily as it can.

In Catch Up, featured in A Contract of Words, I learned a lot about Joe Di’Maggio.

Fiona: If your book was made into a film, who would you like to play the lead?

Which one? I honestly don’t have a preference. I’d hope whoever wanted to be the lead felt they were supposed to because the story resonates with them.

Fiona: Any advice for other writers?

Finish the draft. You can’t fix what isn’t wrote down. Don’t worry about if the character sounds flat or if this sentence doesn’t fit right. By the end of the draft, the characters are clearer and when you do the readthrough to adjust things, then make the adjustments to make it work better and then ask for help.

Fiona: Anything specific you want to tell your readers?

I like vanilla ice cream.

Fiona: What book are you reading now?

Since A Contract of Words was just released, I’m catching up on the other stories within the anthology.

Fiona: Do you remember the first book you read?

No. I remember reading Dr. Seuss but not the specifics.

Fiona: What makes you laugh/cry?

Nowadays, I find myself crying and laughing at the stupidest of animal videos, feel good videos, Mike Rowe’s FB t.v. show Returning the Favor, and so many other random things.

Fiona: Is there one person, past or present, you would love to meet? Why?

I’d like to have a dinner party and invite Matt Smith and a few of the other Dr. Who cast. They are so jolly and funny… On second thought, just put me in the audience of Graham Norton and have them on the couch.

Fiona: Do you have any hobbies?

Hobbies? When do I have time for hobbies? Actually, I’m a certified scuba diver, I enjoy photographer, cooking, and visiting things like zoos, aquariums, historical markers, and museums.

Fiona: What TV shows/films do you enjoy watching?

Dr. Who, Graham Norton, Sailor Moon, NCIS: NOLA, SWAT, SEALS, QI, Hunter x Hunter, and Bizarre Foods.

Fiona: Favorite foods, colors,  music?

My favoritecolor changes often. It tends to be a rotation of blue, green, purple, and gray.

I listen to mainly country music, but I do occasionally like things like Fozzy, Rag N’ Bone Man, and some pop/rock.

Foods… I just like food. I’m willing to try most things, though if it smells terrible, there is no way I’ll be able to taste it.

Fiona: Imagine a future where you no longer write. What would you do?

I liked working retail, working with people/helping people. I’d like to do that again.

Fiona: You only have 24 hours to live how would you spend that time?

Take the family and spend the day riding roller coasters. Make the most of that day and making them smile.

Fiona: What do you want written on your head stone?

Aside from my name and the dates, I want dragonflies and butterflies.

Fiona: Do you have a blog or website readers can visit for updates, events and special offers?

The best place to learn more would be my website: www.kariholloway.com From there they can find social links to Facebook, Youtube, Tumblr, sign up for my newsletters, and learn more about my works.