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Cover Reveal: Higher Ground

6/28/2016

Higher Ground
By Nan Lowe
Genre: Women's Fiction, Romance

Nearly a decade after leaving her tumultuous high school years and New Orleans behind, Dr. Violet Foster is thriving in Atlanta. She’s landed a job in the English Department of a prestigious school and shares a home—and her heart—with Wade Price, the love of her life.

Everything’s going according to plan.

Until a phone call from Violet’s younger brother thwarts her holiday plans and upends her carefully constructed life. She’s managed to avoid her hometown for years and dance around the secrets she left buried there. A wedding reception and an ailing grandmother beckon her return to The Big Easy, but as her departure nears, Violet is forced to reconcile the person she was with the woman she’s become.

Even if it means losing everything she holds dear.

Author Bio

Nan Lowe grew up in Memphis with barbeque and blues in her veins. She’s married to her high school sweetheart and is raising a son and daughter in a tiny town north of Graceland that has more cows than stoplights. Half farm girl and half city chick, she’s a little bit country and a whole lot of rock and roll. Most days, you’ll find her reading, writing, plotting, or listening to Pearl Jam, usually with a dog or two on her lap.

On Twitter: https://twitter.com/NanLoweAuthor
On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NanLoweAuthor/
Amazon: http://amzn.to/28N2I4S

Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/28NPkjR

Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/higher-ground-28

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/642870

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30623643-higher-ground

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Book Spotlight: Full of Wonderment: a novel

6/27/2016

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Full of Wonderment: a novel
By Josh Greenfield
Genre: Young Adult

Full of Wonderment: a novel, is a story of romance and adventure. Jordan Fineman has completed his sophomore year at Cornell University, and resolves to set off for Alaska. By the time he returns, in time for the fall semester, he is an experienced cannery worker, who has met travelers from around the world. He has hiked through Denali Park and visited his girlfriend in Berkeley, California. All the while mental illness is setting in. It was a summer to remember.

Author Bio

Josh Greenfield is a graduate of both Phillips Andover Academy and Cornell University's College of Arts and Sciences. He holds two masters degrees from the City University of New York, one in History and one in English Literature. He also completed the better part of a doctorate in English at Fordham University. His desire in writing is to tell an entertaining and engaging story, to look for laughs in dark places.

On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fullofwonderment/
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1ZMMpcM

On B&N: http://bit.ly/1OmCYA1

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/1S3gy1n

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Interview with author Victoria Bolton

6/24/2016

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Tell us about your genre. How did you come to choose it? Why does it appeal to you?

My genre is historical crime fiction. I came up with the concept back in 2010 after a trip to London. It was my very first time visiting and I went to see a band called The Specials play at Brixon Academy. They are a Ska/Punk band that I had been a fan of for years. They have a song called Gangsters and something about a multicultural band singing about gangsters made something click in my head. We were used to reading about mob families consisting entirely of one nationality whether it was Italian or Irish so I thought, hey why not create a family where half were black and half were white which was more reflective of the makeup of the US as far as its identity.
I’ve always enjoyed Ska and Rocksteady music from way back, mostly from the earlier years in the 60’s and 70’s when a lot of Jamaican artists were releasing the music. Many of the themes that the artists sang about were Rude Boy themed. Rude Boys were unruly and fashioned themselves after many of the gangsters of the earlier years in the US. Rude Boys originated in Jamaica and crossed over to the UK and were very popular but were not that widely known in the US. The name, style and themes were perfect for the story and I made sure to tailor it to the real events in the US.

I am a big fan of Mad Men, and I enjoy the pace and the style of the show so I wanted to start my story in the same timeframe which coincides with the height of popularity of the Ska/Rocksteady music scene which was the 1960’s and 1970’s. I wanted the entire story to grow in real time. The style, design and soundtrack to reflect it.

I chose my characters mostly from what I see around me. Some are based from long time crush of mine and others are based from what I think would be great visually with the story. Each character has specific traits that I like and found from real people. When I find that person, I model my character after them, names too.

What do you find most challenging about the writing process, and how do you deal with it?

The most challenging thing about the writing process is the time. I have a full time job and other family obligations. Some days I am tired and can’t write anything at all so I don’t force myself to write. Other times I am in a zone and can do about five thousand words a day. Once I have an outline for the story, which actually takes longer for me to put together than to write the story itself, the challenge then becomes setting up the scenes and I am very particular when it comes to the scenes. I want them to be informative, enjoyable, shocking and yet still be relevant to the story.

When and where do you do your writing?

Some people are always asking me where do I find the time to write. I usually do my writing in the evenings and weekends sitting in my room on my bed. While most people were out doing other things, I have spent the past year at home finishing the story. It’s relaxing and has been rewarding creating a world of your own for other people to enjoy. It’s not as easy as everyone thinks. You have to be fully engulfed in your story. Even when I am at work doing something completely removed from writing, an idea may come to my head and I end up keeping it in my mind until I make it home and start writing.

What have you learned about promoting your books?

It is a LOT of work. I decided on self-publishing because with this particular project, I wanted total creative control, which is something that you don’t get once you sign with a traditional publisher. I will pursue traditional publishers in the future but this particular story means a lot to me and every detail had to be precise right down to the cover(s) that I designed myself. I had a theme and look in my head of what this whole thing should be like and the only way it was going to come to fruition was that I do it myself. So the plan was more artistic than commercial.

It is a costly endeavor but I think it’s worth it in the long run. You have to be bold in pushing your books especially when you don’t have the same access to all the channels that traditional publishers have. It’s a process that continues so even when your books are months old, there are still opportunities to push them even when your funds are low.

What are you most proud of as a writer?

People enjoy my writing. When I released this book, I knew that it was risky because nothing was held back in the story. It discusses some unspoken subjects that people find uncomfortable head on. When the positive feedback started pouring in, I felt proud of the story and it boosted my confidence in my writing. My prose for this story is different than the regular poetic sing-songy style that many critics enjoy. There were people who were totally shocked when the read it and expected something more soft and mainstream. It’s a story about gangsters and gangsters aren’t soft so I thought that the writing should reflect that. To know that people are receptive to something different, especially coming from someone who looks like me, makes me happy.

If you could have dinner with any writer, living or dead, who would it be and what would you talk about?

Ralph Ellison. I really enjoyed The Invisible Man. Most people are into “showing” when it comes to writing but I don’t think that always applies and his writing is a good example of that. Sometimes you have to tell it from a perspective that is not directly involved in the story.

I would want to pick his head and discuss what it was like to be a person of color back then and how it was to navigate in a society that didn’t recognize him as a human.

Author Bio

My name is Victoria Bolton and I live in Westchester County, New York. I am a graduate of the College of Westchester, and I work as a computer technician in schools and is a part-time actress. I previously released the book Looking for Mr. Potential under the pen name La’Ketta T. Bolton in 2000 as well as the sequel to Rude Boy Usa, BunnyWine. I am currently working on the third installment of the Rude Boy USA series.

@bunny_celia (Twitter)
On Amazon: http://amzn.to/1XSYaQ0

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Interview with author Dan Straka

6/24/2016

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Tell us about your genre. How did you come to choose it? Why does it appeal to you?

“A Wolf On the Loose” was written as a serial thriller, set in the present time about two Marines that start a private security company. The genre, timeframe and format allowed me to have the character’s living in our world, reacting to major events. The week-to-week format also gave the characters room to breathe; slice-of-life scenes that wouldn’t fit within a novel were able to be included. The nature of the company the characters start, and finding new clients with varying backgrounds, allows for social commentary from police shootings, veterans affairs, to nerd culture.

What do you find most challenging about the writing process, and how do you deal with it?

The greatest struggle is making time, because to take your writing beyond a hobby is a selfish act. You have to push some things aside. I’m extremely thankful for my wife’s patience and support because of this.
For this project, the struggle was keeping up with weekly due dates, keeping the story tight, and writing an honest and compelling story. I think it is one challenge to write a historical thriller, set fifty years ago, but to write about recent event ushers in its own ethical issues. How do I write thoughtfully about events that people are processing as I write? Is the research I’m doing, the information I’m getting, close to the truth?

When and where do you do your writing?

I used to be a night owl, banging away at the keyboard until I couldn’t feel my hands. Now-a-days, its mornings, at my secretary. I don’t suffer from writer’s block, so on a day-by-day it’s more copy- editing for me. I’m dyslexic, ergo no matter how thorough I am, something always gets through. I tend to find that at different times of the day, my brain is more geared up for writing vs. editing.

What have you learned about promoting your books?

There’s a lot of tasks and skills required in promotion; editing, publication, artwork, website… you’re basically doing the work of a small company. Best not to go it alone. Figure out what you are good at and like to do, and what you can afford to outsource, and go from there.

What are you most proud of as a writer?

Writing a thriller that even my wife likes. Bam!

If you could have dinner with any writer, living or dead, who would it be and what would you talk about?

Philip K. Dick, for starters. When I first read his work in high school I was blown away. Reading “Man in the High Castle” made me realize how contrived my plots were back then. A post-WWII where the Germans and Japanese spilt America…told from the perspective of an Americana dealer selling reproduction Colts? Brilliant! As a teenage boy, I would’ve written some contrived male wish- fulfillment story about a boy’s coming of age and resisting the occupiers. So, I would just love to have a scotch with Phillip K. Dick and talk.

Author Bio

Dan achieved a BFA in photography and metal working and since graduating, has done neither. By day he works in manufacturing. By night, often very late into the night, he writes and stalks America's sub-cultures on the vast internets.
https://www.facebook.com/awolfontheloose

https://twitter.com/awolfontheloose
http://www.awolfontheloose.com/

Author Central: http://amzn.to/1VtVS8l

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/12541256.Dan_Straka

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Author Spotlight: Michael J. Bowler, A Matter of Time

6/13/2016

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Michael J. Bowler is an award-winning author who grew up in Northern California. He majored in English/Theatre at Santa Clara University, earned a master’s in film production from Loyola Marymount University, a teaching credential in English from LMU, and a master's in Special Education from Cal State University Dominguez Hills. Michael taught high school in Hawthorne, California for twenty-five years, both in general education and to students with learning disabilities. When Michael is not writing you can find him volunteering as a youth mentor with the Big Brothers Big Sisters program and within the juvenile justice system in Los Angeles. He is a passionate advocate for the fair treatment of children and teens in California, and hopes his books can show young people they are not alone in their struggles.

Mr. Bowler is currently on a virtual book tour with his newest release, A Matter of Time!

Genre: Romance, Thriller

The world’s greatest evil stalks the world’s greatest ship, and the only one who can stop him hasn’t been born yet.

Jamie Collins is a junior at Santa Clara University in 1986. He has friends, a professor who mentors him, and a promising future as a writer.

Then the dreams begin - nightmarish memories that transport him back to a time and place fifty years before he was born: Titanic’s maiden voyage in 1912.

When Jamie discovers a foreign cell in his blood that links him to the famous vessel, the two timelines begin to overlap and he realizes an unimaginable truth - something supernatural stalks the ill-fated ship, something that will kill him if he can’t stop it first. And the only way to stop it may be to prevent Titanic from sinking.

But even if he can figure out a way to do that, should he? What will be the effect on history if he succeeds? And what about the lady he wasn’t supposed to fall in love with? As her destiny becomes entwined with his, Jamie discovers the value of friendship, the power of love, the impact of evil, and the vagaries of Fate.

On Amazon: http://amzn.to/1PLH0SJ

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Author Interview with Ricky Baxter

6/12/2016

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Tell us about your genre. How did you come to choose it? Why does it appeal to you?

My genre is fiction but with various sub-genres, depending on the title. My main novel, Gideon and the Crimson Samurai is fantasy adventure - however my novellas, such as Mother Gaia are more dystopian. Writing fiction has always felt natural to me. Perhaps it’s because I have always had a creative mind and found the real world quite boring and limited. As such, I prefer to write about things that would most likely never happen in the real world. This has always been the appeal to me about fiction, and the beauty.

What do you find most challenging about the writing process, and how do you deal with it?

The most challenging part for me is making it all come together. As a writer, you create worlds, people, beings and your own laws. However sometimes it’s tricky, bringing all these things together and making them all relevant by the end of the story. So far, my best solution is to not rush anything. Imagination is a beautiful yet mysterious thing sometimes, and with patience your mind free to think up alternate ways your story can go. In a nutshell: I just enjoy the story and don’t rush it.

When and where do you do your writing?

I am a night writer, so I have the habit of writing at late hours of the night. I also prefer writing on my desktop computer and not my laptop. Something about the stability of a desktop helps me to write my work better.

What have you learned about promoting your books?

I learnt that readers can come from just about anywhere, which is why promoting is such an important thing to do. I also learned early on that there isn’t a “one show fits all” approach, which weirdly makes me feel better about promoting. I like the randomness of what opportunity reveal itself, depending on what writer you are.

What are you most proud of as a writer?

My most proudest achievement was being invited by Purbeck literary festival, to present my novel: Gideon and the Crimson Samurai. It was an insightful experience and I got to speak with aspiring writers of all ages.

If you could have dinner with any writer, living or dead, who would it be and what would you talk about?

I would love to have dinner with Japanese author Yuya Aoki. He made a three novella series called Psycho Busters and I would love to talk about how or why he thought of such a story. Of course I would need to learn japanese first.

Author Bio

Ricky Baxter is the author of Gideon and the Crimson Samurai, Mother Gaia, A Sinless Horizon and The Worst Death. He is an avid blogger and speaker, giving advice and thoughts to fellow creators from all walks of life. His other works include Colours of Destiny, a Youtube visual novel.
Currently Ricky lives in London, England, where he writes and blogs. Starting out as a composer since graduating with a Ba(Hons) in music and multimedia, Ricky worked for many independent short film directors, gaining notable IMDB credits . Since then, he has embraced his earlier passion of writing fictional stories.

On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rickyleebaxter/

On Twitter: https://twitter.com/WriterRLBaxter

Website: https://rickybaxter.wordpress.com/

On Amazon: http://amzn.to/1S1q74n

On Goodreads: http://bit.ly/22hXjHm

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Author Interview with Nina Schluntz

6/12/2016

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Tell us about your genre. How did you come to choose it? Why does it appeal to you?

Oh, this was a slippery slope! It all started when the buzz was going on about “Fifty Shades of Grey.” I kept hearing the talk on the radio and even TV shows referencing it. So I decided to read it just so I would be “in the know.” It was the first erotica I’d ever read. After I finished it, I read the “Twilight” books because I wanted to see how those inspired the writer who did “Fifty Shades.” And it just kept going, I was reading more romance books with vampires, zombies, werewolves… and then I read “Monster” by MK Barrett, where a woman gets kidnapped by a monster, who was in a homosexual relationship with another monster. A whole new world opened up for me, and plain old heterosexual romances were old news. Eventually, I found there was a certain niche that was being ignored, so I decided to try filling it.

I read a book where the abused guy got his happy ending, but the abuser didn’t. He got some ending where he was the shell of his former self. I was like, “He should get a happy ending too.” And that is exactly what inspired “Kale.”

What do you find most challenging about the writing process, and how do you deal with it?

The waiting game. After your book has been accepted by a publisher and you have to wait for the editor to look at it, then the proof editor, then the formatter… and you’re just sitting there biting at your nails wanting your book to hurry up and be out there so you can show it to people already!

I deal with it by having more than one book in the works. So while I’m waiting on edits for one book, I’m writing another, and doing promotion for a third.

When and where do you do your writing?

I can write anywhere. I can get interrupted mid-sentence and pick right back up where I left off, hours or even days later. I don’t need a special zone of concentration to work. Before I owned a computer, I would go to a local library between work shifts and jam out a few chapters. Now though, I work on my laptop at home and listen to whatever CD I’m currently into.

What have you learned about promoting your books?

It’s not something you can do overnight. And don’t be afraid to reach out to other authors. I used to think fellow authors were the enemy, I mean, they are the competition. But they are also the customers, a writer is usually a big reader too! And I have yet to have a bad experience with a fellow writer. If they are doing something you like, and you want to know how they did it, just ask, they’ll usually answer. I’ll take business cards from authors I’ll see at conventions and contact them after about how well their books sold. I’ve never had someone refuse to tell me, authors are a friendly bunch.

What are you most proud of as a writer?

The fact this skill helps me with so many other aspects of my life. You use writing for so many different things. You can’t go wrong with developing these skills. I encourage anyone to do it, even if they never publish anything.

If you could have dinner with any writer, living or dead, who would it be and what would you talk about?

Darby Conley, author of the comic “Get Fuzzy.” I don’t know what we’d talk about, but I’m pretty sure it would be hilarious and probably pet related.

About the Author

Nina Schluntz is a native to rural Nebraska. In her youth, she often wrote short stories to entertain her friends. Those ideas evolved into the novels she creates today.

Her husband continues to ensure her stories maintain a touch of realism as she delves into the science fiction and fantasy realm. And their kitty, a rescued Abyssinian, is always willing to stay up late to provide inspiration.

“Kale’s Paroxysm” is Nina’s first contemporary novel, but will not be her last. Visit her blog, mizner13.wordpress.com, for information regarding previous and upcoming publications. She also posts book and movie reviews for a wide variety of genres.

On Twitter: @mizner13
On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amaranthine.mizner/
Website: https://mizner13.wordpress.com/
Publisher: http://bit.ly/23SXXRQ
On Amazon: http://amzn.to/1qJCuJ4
On Goodreads: http://bit.ly/1WPIlsW

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Author Interview with Janis Thomas

6/10/2016

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Tell us about your genre. How did you come to choose it? Why does it appeal to you?

I sort of created this genre: Musical Murder Mystery. I’ve always been a fan of murder mystery and tried my hand at it. I love Jonathon Kellerman, Sue Grafton, Sara Paretsky, Patterson, Cornwell, Evanovich. Murder in A-Minor was originally titled The Devil You Know, but when I was in the editing process, I started singing songs from the main character, Sam Wedlock’s, point of view. It meshed with the story, and so I incorporated the songs.

What do you find most challenging about the writing process, and how do you deal with it?

In truth, I love the writing process. I love creating a world, building characters, guiding a story. It’s the editing process I could do without. Sometimes, I have passages that I’ve written that I think are brilliant, wonderful, amazing…but they don’t further the story and I know they need to be cut. So I cut them. But it’s painful. Someday, I want to release a book that’s entirely made up of those cut scenes. I think that would be a hoot.

When and where do you do your writing?

I write at home at my desk, generally wearing a pair of sweats that I should never leave the house in. I write when my kids are at school. I write when the kids are in bed. I write when my kids are watching a movie or doing tech. I write whenever I can. I carry a legal pad with me so that I can write at Starbucks or in the car or at the softball field.

What have you learned about promoting your books?

I have learned that I am not a good promoter. And I am not the best with social media. What I’m good at is writing books. They say it takes a village to raise a child, but the same thing can be said about releasing a book. It takes a village. A village of readers who like my writing and are willing to share their praise of my books with their following. I rely heavily upon savvy readers who like a good yarn and spread the word about me and my books.

What are you most proud of as a writer?

I’m proud that I’ve written seven novels. Every time, from the moment I completed my first manuscript, I wondered, “Is that it? Can I ever write another?” But I have. Okay, so I’m not prolific, yet. I’m not Nora Roberts (love her!) with her 209 novels. But I’m on my way. Some of my novels will never see the light of day. Some will go big, I hope. But I’ll keep writing, whatever happens. I’m proud of that too. My mom, who was my greatest champion and who is gone now, made me promise to keep writing no matter what. I don’t keep writing because she told me to. I keep writing because I am compelled to. But I feel really good about that. And I know she would be proud.

If you could have dinner with any writer, living or dead, who would it be and what would you talk about?

That’s tough. It’s a toss-up between Steven King and Janet Evanovich. I imagine that I would be laughing nonstop with Evanovich, and I cherish laughter as one of the greatest gifts human beings possess. But my favorite book of all time is The Talisman, followed by The Stand, and after that It. So having dinner with Steven King would be really cool. And probably creepy. And scary. And if he were hosting, the food might be grotesque, like something out of one of his books. But it would, no doubt, be an interesting evening!

Author Bio

Janis Thomas is the author of Murder in A-Minor, the first book in her Musical Murder Mystery series (available May 2016), as well as three humorous women’s fiction novels, Something New, Sweet Nothings, and Say Never, which was chosen by Chick Lit Central as one of the best books of the year. Janis has written over fifty songs, and two children’s books which she wrote with her dad. When she isn’t writing or fulfilling her PTA duties, Janis likes to play tennis, sing with her sister, and throw wild dinner parties with outrageous menus for friends and loved ones. Janis lives in Southern California with her husband, their two beautiful children and two crazy dogs.

https://www.facebook.com/authorjanisthomas

https://twitter.com/janis_thomas
www.janisthomas.com
Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/B0D31Y7QxY8
On Amazon: http://amzn.to/1TG8Prx

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Author Interview with Phil and Maude Mayes

6/8/2016

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Tell us about your genre. How did you come to choose it? Why does it appeal to you?

Our genre is non-fiction in the area of personal relationships. We began writing about our experiences when, after a year together, we realized we had an unusually peaceful conflict free relationship. We started examining what the factors were that went into having such a relationship and also developed a sense of responsibility to share this possibility with others. We came to believe that this method of being together could really change the world, one relationship at a time. After blogging for several years back and forth to each other, we wrote our first book, describing our relationship and the possibilities it offers. We got many questions from readers on how they could use this information in their relationship and that gave rise to our latest book.

What do you find most challenging about the writing process, and how do you deal with it?

The most challenging aspect for the first book was sorting through the blogs that we wrote and identifying the major themes. The problem was that every aspect of how we relate to each other is connected to every other aspect. For example, the peace in our relationship is strongly connected to being present. When you are present, many aspects like what happened last week or where will we go next week are simply not issues because they are not in the present.
We had to develop a new process for writing the latest book. We sat together and each wrote to the topic and then switched pieces and saw what was similar and what was missing or different in each other's writing. We then merged the two till they became one fluid piece of writing. It was a fascinating process that was really rewarding. It helped us include both our viewpoints as well as our mutual view.

When and where do you do your writing?

We tried reserving an evening for writing together, but it was deferred too often through events or tiredness. It was only when we chose Saturday mornings that we got into a regular routine and that soon developed into the entire weekend.
Maude writes in her office on a laptop because she likes to edit everything as she goes, and Phil prefers longhand with a fountain pen because of the tactile quality and the ability to slouch on the couch.

What have you learned about promoting your books?

With our first book we knew nothing about promotion at all. However, with this most recent book, we have researched book promotion extensively, and the messages that stood out were to build a mailing list, that social media is important, and that personal interactions, whether with readers, writers or reviewers, are very important. We have a weekly blog and a free weekly newsletter. We do podcasts, interviews and webinars and have had good results from these. We have been doing guest posts and are still developing this area. We have gotten some great reviews and are still working on getting more as they have been touted as also being very important. We are active on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter as PhilandMaude and are slowly finding our way through all these possibilities. We are not experts, but we have a lot of enthusiasm as we are very dedicated to spreading our message.

What are you most proud of as a writer?

It is very gratifying to see that when people comment on our blogs or review our books, it is clear from what they write that they have understood what we are trying to say. We approach things from the perspective of personal experience and not through statistics or academic research. This has made our writings very accessible to many people and we are happy to get that feedback, as our goals are to help support positive change in individual relationships. We feel that our writings reflect the kind of relationship we have, as they are for the most part a product of both of us and it has been a creative challenge to learn how to do this.

If you could have dinner with any writer, living or dead, who would it be and what would you talk about?

Phil: Oh, having to pick just one is so cruel. I would have chosen Buddha but for the fact that his writings were posthumously recorded by his disciples, so I’ll invite Ann Lamott because she has such compassionate insight into people.
Maude: I am very fascinated by J.K. Rowling as a person and a writer. Her climb to fame and her way of dealing with the flow of wealth that came from that is most fascinating. I think I would enjoy sharing a dinner with her.

Author Bios

Maude and Phil Mayes live in Santa Barbara, California, having started in New York City and London, England respectively. They have been writing and speaking about spreading peace one relationship at a time for many years. They wrote the book Secrets of a Successful Relationship Revealed, and write a weekly relationship newsletter, as well as a weekly blog available on their websitehttp://PhilandMaude.com. Phil and Maude are the producers of a number of relationship videos, as well as the series Kit and Kat Relationship Experts, all of which are to be found on their YouTube channel The Couples Project. They have been featured in a number of live interviews and write articles, both online and in print.

Book Trailer: http://bit.ly/1RKOAHp
https://www.facebook.com/PhilAndMaude

https://twitter.com/PhilAndMaude
http://www.PhilandMaude.com

On Amazon: http://amzn.to/1O1yklg

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Author Interview with Fern Ronay

6/7/2016

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Tell us about your genre. How did you come to choose it? Why does it appeal to you?

I recall being a single, 20-something woman (and early thirties, too!) sitting alone in my apartment in a big city (Boston for law school; Manhattan after that) and wondering how it will all work out. Love. Career. Everything. I actually found great comfort in reading Helen Fielding, Emily Giffin and Jennifer Weiner. If my chick lit novel can offer as much laughter, the same sense of hope and, in my case, perhaps a new way of thinking about life after death, I will be thrilled and my purpose fulfilled. Actually, not entirely fulfilled. I have a few a more books in me that need to be written.

What do you find most challenging about the writing process, and how do you deal with it?

Well, the easy part is getting it out of me and on paper (or on the screen). The hardest part is going back over it (and over it and over it again) and turning it into something that is enjoyable and easy to read and tells the story I’m meant to tell. I recently interviewed author Kristin Hannah and I asked her if, during the writing process, it ever feels unwieldy and she said always! That made me feel better. I suppose it’s okay to have a mess to clean up, instead of nothing to clean up at all. As the saying goes, you can’t edit a blank page.

When and where do you do your writing?

Any time of day, on my laptop, on my bed.

What have you learned about promoting your books?

Not surprisingly, how important reviews are. I recently created a meme that says “Now that I’m published and I know how important reviews are to authors for a myriad of reasons (algorithms, rankings, etc.), I wish I could go back in time and write a review for every book I’ve ever read.”

What are you most proud of as a writer?

All of the feedback that says “I couldn’t put it down.” After all, we are in the entertainment business and it’s so satisfying to know readers aren’t bored with Better in the Morning.

If you could have dinner with any writer, living or dead, who would it be and what would you talk about?

I would love to interview Liz Gilbert one of these days. I’m trying! I would ask her if she would change anything about her Eat, Pray, Love journey and if she would change anything about the book. I have a feeling I know the answer but I still want to hear her say it because I know it will be eloquent and life affirming.

Author Bio

Fern Ronay was born and raised in Belleville, New Jersey. She is a lawyer and CPA as well as a writer, reporter, and blogger. After six years in Manhattan and six years in Chicago, she now lives in sunny Los Angeles with her husband.
In addition to writing novels, Fern authors the blog Stop and Blog the Roses and is a co-host on AfterBuzzTV. When she is not writing, reporting, or blogging, Fern can be found eating something, reading something, or running.

Website: www.FernRonay.com
Blog: http://m.blogher.com/myprofile/fern-ronay
On Facebook www.Facebook.com/FernRonay
On Twitter @FernRonay
On Instagram @FernRonay
On SnapChat @FernRonay
On Red Adept: http://bit.ly/RAPBetterMorning

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Freda Hansburg is a psychologist and co-author of two
self-help books, PeopleSmart - which has sold more than 75,000 copies and has been translated into ten languages - and
Working PeopleSmart,
as well as numerous professional publications. Her first novel Shrink Rapt,
is a psychological thriller with a dash of romance. She lives in the South Carolina Low Country.

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