Author Interview – Lit World Interviews

An Interview with Penny Sansevieri, author of The Amazon Author Formula Workbook.

Publishing a book is a creative triumph—but making it visible on Amazon requires structure, planning, and a deep understanding of the platform’s inner workings.

The Amazon Author Formula Workbook by Penny Sansevieri is a strategic, hands-on resource created for authors who are ready to shift from uncertainty to action. This workbook offers a clear, customizable roadmap for improving discoverability, sales, and reader engagement across every stage of the Amazon experience. With over a dozen worksheets and guided exercises—covering everything from metadata and pricing to Amazon Ads and launch timelines—it encourages authors to move beyond surface-level fixes and engage with what’s really holding their book back. Every tool is backed by years of field-tested strategies and includes a downloadable version for easy printing. Whether you’re launching your first title or course-correcting a backlist, this workbook helps you take measurable steps toward long-term success on Amazon.

The Amazon Author Formula Book Cover — The Amazon Author Formula

What inspired you to create a workbook version of The Amazon Author Formula?

I’ve worked or consulted with thousands of authors over the years, and I know that learning is one thing — applying it is another. The workbook was born out of a desire to bridge that gap. It’s designed to guide authors through hands-on exercises — refining keywords, polishing descriptions, rethinking pricing — with space to brainstorm, track, and implement. Think of it as a strategic playbook that turns learning into lasting results. And it absolutely plays off of The Amazon Author Formula, so using the two side by side works extremely well.

Amazon Author Formula Workbook Sample Page — Title Brainstorming

What’s one of the biggest mistakes authors make on Amazon?

They ignore their retail page. Authors focus on ads or social media without realizing that every campaign leads back to that Amazon page. If it’s not converting — if your keywords are off, your description is vague, your book cover is lackluster, or your categories are wrong — no amount of traffic will help. That’s why so much of the workbook focuses on refining that page. Every tweak improves your relevancy and increases your chances of showing up in searches.

Sample Page of Amazon Author Formula Workbook — Category and Sales Rank

Can the workbook help if my book has already been published?

Absolutely. In fact, most of the authors using the workbook already have books out. The beauty of Amazon’s system is that it’s fluid — you can update keywords, adjust pricing, optimize your book description, and test new ads. The workbook helps you evaluate what’s working and make strategic changes that keep your book competitive.

How is this workbook different from just hiring someone to do it for you?

Hiring an expert can be helpful — and I work with plenty of authors one-on-one — but not everyone has the budget for that. The workbook gives you the framework we use with our clients, but puts the power back in your hands. It’s built for authors who want to learn the process and make smarter, more confident marketing decisions going forward. You don’t just get answers — you learn how to ask the right questions about your book’s positioning, pricing, keywords, and more.

What part of the workbook do most authors find the most surprising or eye-opening?

The keyword research section! A lot of authors think they know what readers are typing into Amazon — but when they go through the keyword planner in the workbook and start researching real shopper behavior, it’s a total mindset shift. Most authors realize they’ve been using keywords that are too vague, too competitive, or simply not aligned with how readers actually shop. That section alone has helped so many authors increase visibility almost overnight.

Can this workbook help new authors who haven’t launched yet?

Yes, and honestly — I wish every author had this workbook before they launched. There’s a whole section on planning a successful book launch, including how to build momentum with ARCs, how to set a smart (and competitive) price point, and what to have in place before you run Amazon ads. Whether you’re still writing or getting ready to publish, the workbook acts like a roadmap so you can avoid costly mistakes and start strong from day one.

Workbook
Amazon: https://bit.ly/3IvRBmY
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/236895802-the-amazon-author-formula-workbook

Book
Amazon: https://amzn.to/40YJfKN
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/205853206-the-amazon-author-formula

Penny Sansevieri Author Photo — Penny Sansevieri

Penny Sansevieri is widely recognized as one of the most forward-thinking minds in book marketing. As the founder and CEO of Author Marketing Experts, she’s built campaigns for thousands of authors—many of whom have gone on to land spots on the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestseller lists. But Penny’s work goes far beyond launch campaigns. A bestselling author of 24 books, she has also taught at NYU, hosted the Book Marketing Tips and Author Success podcast, and developed workshops that equip authors with lifelong marketing skills. Her approach blends deep technical know-how with a fierce commitment to empowering indie voices. Whether it’s category optimization, ad strategy, or brand positioning, Penny brings clarity, structure, and real results to every author she works with.

Instagram | Facebook | TikTok

An Interview with Laurel Osterkamp, author of THE NEXT BREATH.

Amazon: http://bit.ly/3GeVJqO

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/212336698-the-next-breath

Some love stories don’t end. They just evolve—into memory, into longing, into something we carry forward with every breath.

Ten years after the death of her first love, Robin is doing her best to build something new. Back then, Jed was the kind of love that defined her—brilliant, elusive, and deeply flawed. He never promised permanence, but he wrote her a play that outlived him. Now, as Robin begins to fall for Nick—who is safe, honest, and everything she didn’t know she needed—she’s keeping a secret. She’s about to perform in Jed’s play. As rehearsals begin, dreams resurface, and Robin finds herself trapped in a quiet tug-of-war between grief and hope, memory and possibility.

In The Next Breath, Laurel Osterkamp explores how we make peace with our past without letting it define our future. It’s a story about emotional honesty, the complexities of long-term grief, and how love—real, flawed, and enduring—rarely fits into simple endings.

Laurel Osterkamp author photo — Laurel Osterkamp

Laurel Osterkamp writes character-rich, emotionally nuanced novels that speak to women navigating love, loss, and reinvention. A Minneapolis-based teacher, runner, and pop-culture enthusiast, Laurel has authored The Side Project, Favorite Daughters, and the Amazon #1 bestseller Beautiful Little Furies. Her work blends the introspective depth of literary fiction with the warmth and relatability of contemporary romance. Find her at laurellit.com or on Instagram.

The Next Breath bookc cover — The Next Breath

Your book is set in Des Moines, Iowa. Have you ever been there?

I have been there many times because my best friend lives in Kansas City and I live in Minneapolis. At least once a year, we drive a few hours either north or south, and meet in Des Moines. I love that city because there are many fun memories connected to it.

What is your next project?

Currently, I’m working on a novel titled My Winter Song to You. It’s a fake dating, friends-to-lovers, holiday romance inspired Shakespeare’s “problem” play, The Winter’s Tale. And it takes place in Sugar Pine, Colorado, where I also set my novella, I Bet You Think About Me. (You can download that novella FREE when visiting laurellit.com!)

What is the last great book you’ve read?

I just finished Emma Grey’s Pictures of You. I was riveted! She does a great job with the dual-POV, flashback/flash forward structure. Such a great job, that she makes it seem easy, but it’s anything but. And, the story captures the feelings of love young while also dealing with some very serious topics with care.

What were the biggest rewards and challenges with writing The Next Breath?

While writing The Next Breath, I wanted to make sure I wrote about cystic fibrosis in a realistic way, so I did a lot of research. Same is true for feelings of loss and grief. But, both my biggest reward and challenge was writing Jed’s play within a novel. I started writing plays before I ever began writing novels, so it wasn’t completely out of my comfort zone. However, I was kinda dumb, to set it up in the novel that Jed’s play is REALLY GOOD. I put a lot of pressure on myself. And, it’s while performing Jed’s play that Robin finally confronts her grief. This was definitely the most difficult scene I’ve ever had to write, ever, in any book of mine. But also the most rewarding.

If your book were made into a movie, what songs would be on the soundtrack?

Funny you should ask! Here’s a link to my Spotify playlist for The Next Breath.

What is your theme song?

My theme song is constantly changing, usually to fit the POV of whichever character I’m writing from at the moment. Not sure what that says about me, but oh well. When I was writing from Robin’s perspective, Sara Bareillis’ “Brave” really resonated. I imagined her mother singing it to her from up above.

Tell us about your longest friendship.

I met my best friend Shauna in kindergarten. We were goofing off during gym class and became instant BFFs. Now, decades later, she’s like my sister. No one knows me better than her. (She’s the one I meet up with in Des Moines at least once a year.)

You can get The Next Breath on Amazon here.

An Interview with Allen Wyler, author of Deadly Odds 8.0.

Amazon: https://bit.ly/3I7jwcz

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/237133734-deadly-odds-8-0

Thrillers rooted in real science always hit harder—and Deadly Odds 8.0 is one that kept me thinking long after the final page. Allen Wyler has created a terrifying scenario: What if someone could hack your pacemaker?

The novel begins with a sudden death outside a Seattle church. A man collapses, and emergency responders can’t save him. Within hours, a prominent medtech CEO receives a threat—backed by undeniable proof—that an anonymous hacker can remotely kill anyone with an AI-enabled cardiac implant. The only way to stop the murders? Shut down the company. It’s an impossible demand that throws the medical world into panic. Arnold Gold, a former casino hacker turned cybersecurity expert, leads a team of brilliant digital investigators. They’ve been laying low—but this case is too dangerous, too personal, and too urgent to ignore. As they peel back layers of digital deception, they find themselves confronting a foe whose motives may be more personal than political—and far more lethal than anyone expected.

Allen Wyler’s background as a neurosurgeon adds an unmatched realism to the pacing and the stakes. His ability to weave together medicine, ethics, and action is what sets his thrillers apart. You can find more about his work and career at allenwyler.com.

How did you research your book?

Because my Deadly Odds series touches on hacking and cybersecurity and I’m not a hacker, I need the help of a range of specialists from FBI agents to honest-to-God hooded dudes hunched chugging Red Bull while clicking away at keyboards: the kind of vandal your computer fears. Sooo, over the years I’ve developed a great cadre of sources to keep my ideas and descriptions factual. They’re a group I’m deeply indebted to.

What’s the hardest scene or character you wrote—and why?

This installment features Prisha Patel, Arnold’s second in command. (I’ve fallen in love with her character). In 8.0 she’s fleshed in a pivotal role. Problems develop when Vihaan, her jealous husband, falsely accuses her of a romantic involvement with Arnold. Leaving her to face some serious soul searching and ultimately a series of life-changing decisions. Prisha, you rock, girl!

What sets your book apart from others in your genre?

I’m not aware of another series in this genre that incorporates technology with mystery in such an easily understood presentation as the Deadly Odds series does.

Where do you write—home, coffee shop, train?

The mechanics of entering words into the computer take place at my desk, but my real writing—the creation of ideas and modifications–occur while walking my little Shib Inu through her favorite park, the University of Washington arboretum.

Why did you choose this setting/topic?

Great question. My Deadly Odds series is set primarily in Seattle with a few of the earlier installments in Honolulu. So, the Seattle setting was obvious. Since I deal with technology, the story needed to be present day. Because several of my stand-alone books were successful medical thrillers, for this installment I decided to focus on the issue of hacking medical devices. Pacemakers were an ideal subject to focus on. In other words, the setting and topic seemed to simply fall into place.

Which authors most inspired you?

Several authors do: John Sanford, Robert Cray, Michael Connelly, Don Winslow, Joseph Finder, and numerous others.

What’s your go-to comfort food?

Oh, man! I love several: BBQ Ribs, really good fried chicken with chunky potato salad, and Fran’s truffles (a local Seattle chocolate store). Oh, and don’t forget Talenti Salted Caramel Truffle Gelato.

If you could time-travel, where would you go?

Into the future 50 years to find out what happens to our country in this extraordinarily divisive time. Will our democracy survive? How severe will climate change become, and can we reverse it? I have so many questions with no clear idea where we’re headed.

What’s something that made you laugh this week?

Every morning, I throw the covers back on my bed so the sheets can air out until I make it later. Often my sweet Shiba Inu jumps up and sleeps directly on the spot I’ve just vacated. Today, when I returned to make the bed, she wouldn’t move. So, I made it around her. Just her little face was protruding from under the covers. The sight totally cracked me up!

You can get Deadly Odds 8.0 on Amazon here.

An Interview with Jeff Whitcher, author of Snoop Come Home: A parody.

Snoop Come Home book cover comic strip images — Snoop, Come Home

Childhood Nostalgia Just Got Smoked

Every now and then, a book comes along that feels like a dare—and Snoop, Come Home accepts it with glee.

This riotous parody by Jeff Whitcher drops Snoop Dogg into the pastel-colored universe of Peanuts and watches the chaos unfold. From the first panel, it’s clear this isn’t just a novelty joke. Instead, it’s a lovingly constructed satire that takes the conventions of Schulz’s classic strip and filters them through a cloud of West Coast hip hop, existential musing, and yes—marijuana. The neighborhood kids stumble through Snoop’s lingo, Lucy rebrands as a wellness guru, and Charlie Brown remains woefully unprepared for this new era of chill. Illustrated with remarkable fidelity to the original comic, every page is both a tribute and a takedown, full of double entendres, deadpan punchlines, and moments that make you laugh before you realize how clever they really are.

Jeff Whitcher author photo, holding his book. — Jeff Whitcher

Jeff Whitcher has built an unconventional literary career by asking, “What if?” What if unicorns had depression? What if astronauts were lost in suburbia? What if childhood heroes sparked up and went full hip hop legend? A social worker by day and a dad to five full-time, Jeff finds his creative outlet in storytelling that dances along the edge of the surreal. He’s authored over 40 books that range from charmingly weird to wonderfully inappropriate, and he shares his passion for quirky music through his YouTube channel Vinyl Destination. Get to know his world at jeffwhitcherbooks.com, and follow his latest creative detours on Instagram at @jeffwhitcherbooks.

You can get Snoop Come Home: A parody on Amazon here.

Why did you choose this setting/topic?
I thought it had a lot of comedic potential and was surprised that no one had made the connection before. I grew up watching all the Charlie Brown holiday specials and so in some ways this is a cannabis-clouded love letter to Charles Schultz.

How did you research your book?
The research mainly consisted of re-familiarizing myself with the old Peanuts cartoons and strips to get a feel for how the characters interacted with each other and the world around them.

What’s the hardest scene or character you wrote—and why?
I think the hardest was the character of Snoop because I wanted him to be authentic to who he is and yet still capable of interacting and behaving in a way that was not altogether different from the original Snooper character.

Where do you get your ideas?
I try to take inspiration from pop culture, social media, entertainment, YouTube, anything that lends itself to parody or satire.

What sets your book apart from others in your genre?
I find that a majority of books in this genre use a double entendre as a starting point or contain humor that is sexual in nature. This book embraces the absurdity of a pop culture icon like Snoop Dogg smoking pot around a bunch of cartoon kids.

What helps you overcome writer’s block?
Sometimes taking a break releases the self-imposed pressure to write something amazingly creative. I find that inspiration often comes when I’m NOT trying too hard to look for it.

Do you write every day? What’s your schedule?
I write or illustrate most every day. A typical schedule for me is waking up early and writing for an hour, then writing on my lunch break at work and finally sneaking in some writing before I go to bed. Because I have a full-time job separate from being an author I get a majority of my writing done during breaks, lunchtime or weekends.

If your book became a movie, who would star in it?
Snoop Dogg of course! I’m not sure who would be the obvious casting choices for the other Peanuts to be honest.

Which author(s) most inspired you?
Shel Silverstein, Dr. Seuss, Judy Blume and Woody Allen. I love writers who aren’t afraid to push the comedy envelope, so to speak.

You can get Snoop Come Home: A parody on Amazon here.

Snoop, Come Home tour banner (blog) image. — Snoop, Come Home blog tour.

An Interview with Laurel Osterkamp, author of The Side Project.

When life doesn’t go as planned, sometimes you have to rewrite the narrative. In The Side Project, Laurel Osterkamp explores how people evolve—and how the stories they cling to can either hold them back or set them free.

Rylee never imagined she’d still be in Bemidji, Minnesota, years after high school, caring for her younger brother and working dead-end jobs. Carson was supposed to have the perfect future, until parenthood altered his course. The two haven’t spoken since their painful breakup—until fate places them in the same writing workshop. Assigned as creative partners, their dynamic quickly reignites old feelings. But what begins as a casual “side project” turns into an emotional reckoning, as they confront the choices they made and the truths they’ve avoided. With raw honesty and layered emotion, Osterkamp guides readers through the ways we protect ourselves—and the courage it takes to be vulnerable again.

With each of her books, Laurel Osterkamp continues to redefine what contemporary romance and women’s fiction can do. Her characters are honest, imperfect, and filled with a yearning to become whole. She writes from a place of personal insight, drawing on her work as an educator and her experiences as a mother and partner. Fans of emotionally grounded fiction will find something real and resonant in her work. Follow her at @laurel_osterkamp or explore her books at laurellit.com.

The Side Project book cover — The Side Project

You can get The Side Project on Amazon here.

How did you research your book?

There wasn’t a huge amount of research involved, but I did need to read up on the type of brain tumors teenagers are most likely to get. I’d already spent a lot of time in Bemidji, but I convinced my family that I should take a road trip up to Bemidji on my own, just for the night, so I could walk around taking pictures and imagining my characters’ lives there.

What’s the hardest scene or character you wrote—and why?

The last scene between Rylee and her mother, Summer, was difficult to write because finally, they were being honest with each other and dealing with their grief. It was a challenge to find the right level of emotion and to give each of them their own unique voice.

What’s your favorite compliment you’ve received as a writer?

That’s so hard, because I often forget the compliments I receive, unlike the criticism, which is always tattooed on my brain. But last night I received this message from a huge BookTok influencer, after she finished reading The Side Project: “I just finished! Man, I’m crying happy tears. This was so different… and it was SO good.” I can’t overstate how happy that compliment made me!

Do you write every day? What’s your schedule?

Sometimes, if there’s a lot of laundry or grocery shopping to do, I skip writing on Sundays. Otherwise, I write every day, in the afternoon and/or early evening.

Any quirky writing rituals or must-have snacks?

My favorite writing quirk is when my cat, Toffee, snuggles up next to me while I sit on the couch with my laptop. When I get stuck, I’ll pet her and ask for her advice. She always has great ideas!

Why did you choose this setting/topic?

I’ve always felt that northern settings where they wear a lot of flannel are romantic. When I began writing The Side Project, I’d just finished an MFA program in Creative Writing. I liked the idea of exploring how writers can be sort of snobby toward each other when it comes to writing genre fiction, especially romance. And there’s definitely a stigma when it comes to self-publishing. The Side Project is not self-published, but Rylee is a secret self-published romance author and afraid to let the people in her life know this. So The Side Project is a combination of several topics and settings that are close to my heart.

If your book became a movie, who would star in it?

Winona Ryder (at 23) as Rylee

Andrew Garfield (at 27) as Carson

Jessica Chastain (at 27) as Dana

James Van Der Beek (at 27) as Jack

Which author(s) most inspired you?

This answer is specific to romance writing, but Emily Henry and Carley Fortune inspired me in a huge way. After reading their novels, I was ready to transition from writing women’s fiction to contemporary romance. I love how they use the expected romance tropes that readers love, but they also write layered stories with complex characters and lyrical prose.

What are you binge-watching right now?

My fifteen year-old daughter and I have moved on from Beverly Hills 90210 to Dawson’s Creek. We’re on the first season, where Pacey gets involved with Tamara the teacher. It’s amazing how problematic that storyline is! My daughter is all, “She’s grooming him!” She’s also furious at Dawson’s mom for having an affair. It makes me happy that my daughter is so smart about this stuff.

You can get The Side Project on Amazon here.

Laurel Osterkamp photo — Laurel Osterkamp

About Laurel

Laurel Osterkamp writes smart, emotionally rich fiction about messy relationships, creative reinvention, and the kind of love that leaves a mark. She’s the award-winning author of nearly a dozen novels, including Favorite Daughters and the #1 Amazon bestseller Beautiful Little Furies. Her newest novel, The Side Project, blends second-chance romance with literary flair—perfect for fans of Emily Henry, Annabel Monaghan, and anyone who loves bookish love stories with bite.

In addition to her novels, Laurel’s short fiction has appeared in literary journals across the web. When she’s not writing (which is rare), she teaches adult ESL and middle school enrichment classes, goes running with twisty audiobooks in her ears, and educates her daughter on the cultural importance of Beverly Hills, 90210.

She lives in Minneapolis with a family that loves to argue and cats that love to hiss. Ramona Quimby is her spirit animal.

Website: https://www.laurellit.com/

Instagram: @Laurel_Osterkamp

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/218561154-the-side-project

The Side Project tour banner — The Side Project Tour

An Interview with Anne Shaw Heinric, author of Violet is Blue.

Violet Sellers is blue, and for good reason. She’s repressing a shocking secret she won’t tell anyone, especially her comfortably middle-class parents. When she makes a new friend in school, Jules Marks, who lives on the “other side of the tracks” with his five little sisters, she is introduced to a dark world of self-abuse. As Violet learns about Jules and his shifty mother, Lee, she retreats further into her shell. Her parents, Gloria and Skip, are horrified and do their best to find out what happened to their adolescent daughter while bending over backward to keep the whole town from knowing their business. Jules has an aunt and uncle who know his desperate story, and they finally get a chance to free him and his sisters from a loveless world of poverty. Meanwhile, a spinster named Margaret Burns watches and waits. She knows all about redemption and she’s got a master plan up her sleeve. Margaret and most of the quirky characters in Violet is Blue eventually learn to dance between the worlds of the “haves” and the “have nots” in ways none of them ever anticipated.Welcome to Book 2 in The Women of Paradise County Series.

You mentioned on the Women Living Well After 50 podcast (I watched it on youtube) that teachers were important in your journey to being a writer. How did they encourage you? Do you want to include their names?

I have had some incredible teachers throughout my lifetime, but the two who set me on my writing path are: Jane Reed and Connie Moore. I had them both when I was in high school in my hometown, Cuba, Missouri. I was a good student, but I didn’t have that one thing that I felt good at. I wasn’t athletic, or particularly talented at music, or much of anything. These two incredible women, although they had very different teaching styles, helped me recognize that storytelling was my jam. There were good stories already written that were there to appreciate in more thoughtful ways, but there were just as many out there for me to do their telling. It felt magical, and I’ll never forget feeling like I had something I could sink my teeth into and feel excited about it. I dedicated my first book, God Bless the Child, to the two of them and established the Reed Moore Scholarship in 2024 in honor of them. The first scholarship was awarded this spring, and I’m honestly as excited about this as I am the book series!

It took 18 years for you to bring your first book, God Bless the Child, to the world. When did you begin Violet is Blue, the second book in the trilogy of standalone books? What was the process like?

Much like God Bless the Child, I’d had a good chunk of Violet is Blue scratched out already. What I had not done, was share it with my editor, David Tabatsky. The truth of the matter is that when I reached out to David again after all those years, I wanted him to read Violet is Blue, which was in short story form, and a few other pieces I’d been working on. David was happy to read these, but it goes further. I really do have to give him the credit for recognizing that these two short stories had the potential to be adapted into full novels, and that they could work as a series with God Bless the Child. It had never crossed my mind, but once we started diving into it, I was re-energized. I’d always dreamed of getting one book published, but the universe had something bigger in mind! I’m grateful that David urged me to give God Bless the Child another look and to reconsider it as the foundation of something bigger. I’m knee-deep in writing House of Teeth, the third book in the series. That’s how The Women of Paradise County Series was hatched. It’s been thrilling, and I’m so thankful for his vision and belief in me.

You’ve said that minor characters from the first book, God Bless the Child, get a little more time in your new book, can you tell our readers who they might be?

Absolutely! Reverend James Pullman and his parents, Richard and Ruth Pullman, are essential to the story arc in Violet Is Blue. No spoilers, but let’s just say that James has unfinished business that needs serious tending in Book 2. We learn a whole lot more about Richard’s role in enabling his son’s behavior. Readers also discover more about Ruth’s backstory, especially her complicated relationship with her big sister, Gloria. The impacts of James’ unbridled misdeeds are as deep and wide as the berth others around him have given him.

Having read your post on girtalkhq.com about the main characters of Violet is Blue, although there doesn’t appear to be necessarily overt examples of what the average person might consider mental illness, there are obvious cases of damage that has been done. Are the mental hardships of your characters a conscious effort by you in Violet is Blue, or, since you don’t outline a story, as you’ve mentioned in other interviews, you just let it happen?

The characters throughout all the books in The Women of Paradise County series are working through a wide range of quite natural responses to traumas they’ve endured. Some of these are very specific events, but just as many are rooted in circumstances that take their toll: poverty, mental illness in families, and living in sustained periods of uncertainty and frequent upheaval. Even though these are fictional characters, their responses are quite natural. In Violet is Blue, this is manifested in ways big and small, including how the main character Violet Sellers and her newfound friend, Jules Marks seek relief through self-harm. People come to new spaces and situations carrying varying levels of resilience and coping. Exploring this has always fascinated me. I just let things happen like I think they might in real life.

Your characters have such specific parts to play in your stories, have you ever run into a situation where the character refuses to let you take her in the direction you planned for her to go? If so, what did you do? I ask because I’ve had that happen when I intended for a character to be a positive favorite in the story, but for some reason she just didn’t want to be that, so I didn’t fight her and let her go her own way.

Goodness, yes! There are certain characters that I love very much, and it would be so easy to let them stay protected by allowing them to be one dimensional. This is lazy writing. Characters deserve to be interesting, and readers can handle complexity. One of my favorite characters in Violet is Blue is a waitress named Clarice Downs. I love this woman so much, but she’s also prominent in the next book in the series, House of Teeth. I’m in the middle of writing this as we speak, and Clarice makes some choices that tarnish her halo. I must let her do what she’s going to do. She can be a saint and a sinner, and as her creator, I have to let her explore both parts of herself. It makes these characters more believable.

How did your first book, and life experiences during the time of its journey to being published, lead to your writing Violet is Blue?

When I initially finished God Bless the Child, I did a fair amount of pitching to agents. That’s a humbling process, but just part of the deal unless you’re famous. I think it’s important to keep your rejection letters to remind you of the struggle. It’s a rite of passage that most of us must power through. During that time, I did get a request from a potential agent for the whole manuscript. Excited, I sent it right along and waited for feedback. She called back to say she loved the book, but she wanted me to remove the main character, Mary Kline. She thought this character and her circumstances were just too cliché. I just couldn’t see a way to move forward and decided not to proceed. It was heartbreaking, but I knew the book couldn’t stand up without Mary. I felt sorry for myself for a while, put the manuscript aside, and started writing something else. That something else was the beginning of Violet is Blue. The initial creation is always my favorite, most satisfying part of the process. Life kept getting in the way, too. It took nearly 20 years to get these stories back into the light, and in a connected way, but I wouldn’t change how things unfolded.

Who was the easiest character to write? The most difficult?

Mary Kline, the primary character in God Bless the Child, was by far the easiest to write. She literally came to life with a pencil and a stack of yellow legal pads in a café while I waited for my youngest daughter to do preschool a few times a week. I can’t explain how Mary emerged from my brain onto the page, but I’ll always have a soft place in my heart for this character. The most difficult character to write in the whole series is a young woman named Pearl. She’s essential to the story, but we only hear about her through the voices of other characters. She does not have a voice in the story, and that’s intentional on my part because in real life and during the time this story is set, a young woman like Pearl would not have much of a voice at all. Readers must learn about her through the lenses of others.

Diet Coke or Coke Zero?

Diet Coke! Without a doubt, I will always choose this nectar of the gods over any other non-alcoholic beverage.

If you could have dinner with one author, living or dead, who would it be and what would you ask them and what would you have for dessert?

At this moment in time, I would want dinner with William Shakespeare. I would probe deeply about the longstanding authorship question. Mr. Shakespeare, did you really write these plays? I’d need all the details and documents, and we could do this over a cream puff sprinkled with powdered sugar. Lots of it!

Pre-order Violet is Blue on Amazon here.

About Anne

Since she first fell in love with writing in high school, Anne Shaw Heinrich has been a journalist, columnist, blogger and communications professional. Her first article appeared in Rockford Magazine in 1987. She’s interviewed and written features on Beverly Sills, Judy Collins, Gene Siskel, and Debbie Reynolds.Anne’s writing has been featured in The New York Times bestseller The Right Words at the Right Time, Volume 2: Your Turn (Atria) and Chicken Soup for the Soul’s The Cancer Book: 101 Stories of Courage, Support and Love.Her debut novel, God Bless the Child, is the first in a three-book series. She and her husband are parents to three adult children. Anne is passionate about her family, mental health advocacy and the intrepid power of storytelling.

Website: https://www.anneshawheinrich.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anne_shaw_heinrich/

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/anneshawheinrich.bsky.social

10 Questions with Verlin Darrow, author of Kinney’s Quarry.

“Smart, Fast, and Unpredictable”

Kinney’s Quarry is the kind of thriller that keeps you up at night—blending action with a sly sense of humor as Kinney and Reed scheme their way through deadly conspiracies and shifting alliances. Whether they’re faking assassinations or outwitting hired killers, the pace is electric and the twists are genuinely surprising.

What gives the book its edge? Verlin Darrow’s one-of-a-kind life. With tales of living in a women’s dorm, outdriving tornados, and meditating with gurus, Darrow’s experiences add depth and a wink to every scene. His background as a psychotherapist lets him dig deep into motives and psychology, making even the most outrageous moments feel real. Check out his extraordinary journey at verlindarrow.com.

You can get the Kinney’s Quarry at Amazon.

Tell us about your protagonist.

Kinney is a Black Ops agent who has a near death experience and is no longer willing to kill anyone. He considers himself to be a benign sociopath, using his skill set in the interests of national security. When he is recruited by a shadowy organization to help them assassinate a foreign leader, he goes undercover, gets caught up in a conspiracy, and with his partner Reed, solves a series of mysteries to stay alive. Throughout the book, he finds a way to see the humor in what he encounters, even as he’s kicking butt.

In your book you make a reference to creating a new state. How did you come up with this idea?

Years ago, I read about the quite real movement to create a new state from the northeastern region of California and parts of Oregon and Idaho. Once I tried to incorporate a similar notion in an abortive thriller about Texas (I was young. It was awful.) The new Western state, promoted since the 1800s, was to be called Jefferson—as I mention in my book.

Your book is set in the Silicon Valley area. Have you ever been there?

Most of Kinney’s Quarry is set in the Silicon Valley area—about forty-five minutes south of San Francisco. I live just over a mountain from there, and worked in the valley for quite a while. I did have to research another part of California I’d never been to, relying on stock photos, for the most part.

Who was the hardest character to write? The easiest?

I struggle with female characters and regret choices I made about them early in my writing career. I was happy with the ones in Kinney’s Quarry. This time, the hardest character to write was the head of the unnamed government agency that Kinney works for since even I wasn’t sure if he was a good guy or a bad guy until the end.

How did you do research for your book?

I’m very much a seat of the pants writer. I start with one idea, one character, and one setting. Then I see where it goes, inventing any details that come along. Afterwards, I check to see what I came up with that doesn’t match reality, and I change things.

Do you have another profession besides writing?

Yes, I’m a psychotherapist. I’ve also been a professional volleyball player, a singer/songwriter, a newspaper columnist, a storeowner, a short order cook, a factory worker, a taxi driver, a university instructor, a tech recruiter, a carpenter, and an NCAA coach. The first half of my life was continuity-challenged.

How has your work as a psychotherapist influenced your writing and the books that you write?

In therapy, clients work toward change and I do my best to facilitate this process. I offer wisdom, practical suggestions, compassion, and humor. Some people need psychic glue to keep from falling apart. Some need solvent to loosen up concretized points of view. Others need to reframe the stories they’ve created about what’s happened to them. Some need to release their feelings. It’s the same with characters in a book. If they don’t go through changes, I’m not engaged as a reader for long. I know how and why people change, and my work is infused with realistic portrayals of these, even as fantastic things happen to my characters.

Is there one particular job or career that stands out to you as the most rewarding or exciting?

Being a therapist has proven to be the most rewarding career/job I’ve ever had. Playing professional volleyball in Italy was certainly the most exciting. As a therapist, I utilize all my hard-earned life experience, insight, professional skills, emotional and spiritual development, and whatever else gets pulled out of me in sessions in service to others. As I’ve aged, a lot of things that used to be important to me have dropped away, leaving helping whoever I can as the remaining worthy activity. After all, we’re truly all in this together.

What is your next project?

I’ve finished a mystery set in a spiritual community, narrated by the leader, who tries to help solve two murders. I concocted what I think is a catchy title, which may be vetoed up the line—Warning: Characters In This Mystery Are Closer Than They Appear. This one is idea-laden since I served a similar role years ago before graduating myself and everyone else out of the organization.

What philosophy can you share to help fellow writers ?

Don’t fight reality. It’s bigger than you are and it will win. Be realistic and work within the realm in which you have ownership. Let go of the rest—the outcomes that are beyond your illusion of control. Focus on a good faith process and find a way to cooperate with the way things need to be down the line. As Stephen Batchelor wrote: Anguish emerges from craving for life to be other than it is. I think this especially applies to writers, given the state of our industry.

You can get the Kinney’s Quarry at Amazon.

verlindarrow.com
Goodreads

Kinney's Quarry Tour Banner — Kinney’s Quarry Tour

legal rights over this work.

10 Questions with N.L. Holmes, author of Hani’s Daughter Mysteries.

Healing Hands, Sharp Minds, and Murders in Thebes

Welcome to ancient Thebes, where two women — Neferet and Bener-ib — are quietly changing their world one patient (and one murder investigation) at a time. In N.L. Holmes’s rich and addictive historical mystery series, a physician and her partner set out to run a neighborhood dispensary… only to be pulled into a series of bizarre and dangerous crimes that demand not just compassion, but cunning.

From Flowers of Evil’s cryptic last words of a dying florist, to Web of Evil’s tangled family secrets in a weaver’s village, Wheel of Evil’s deadly chariot investment scheme, and The Melody of Evil’s murdered musician at a family celebration — each book delivers a standalone mystery steeped in atmosphere and soul. It’s historical fiction with a sharp investigative edge.

nlholmes.com |Instagram @n.l.holmes

Hani's Daughters Mysteries — Hani’s Daughter Mysteries

You can get the Hani’s Daugther Mysteries at Amazon.

If you were stuck on a deserted island, which 3 books would you want with you?

Wind in the Willows and The Perelandra trilogy of C.S. Lewis to take my mind away to a beautiful place, and Germinal by Zola to make me realize things could be worse.

Which authors inspired you to write?

I couldn’t put names to them now, but all the wonderful books I read as a child made me think that writing was the coolest thing a person could do. What tipped me over the edge was the fact that my cousin published a young adult book. That seemed to make it sound doable.

How long have you been writing?

I’ve been writing fiction for eleven or twelve years. Before that, it was just poetry and, of course, academic articles. Poetry really adds to one’s fiction chops, but I’m afraid academic writing has to be unlearned – it’s all about not having a distinctive voice. It does help in terms of using the language skillfully and knowing grammar.

What genre do you write and why?

I write historical novels set in the Bronze Age, mostly Egypt or the Hittite Empire. As an archaeologist, that’s a no-brainer for me! For a long time, I’ve been concentrating on mysteries of one sort or another because I like to read them, and so do a lot of people who might not care about antiquity otherwise. I think a well-researched historical novel can teach readers a lot about the past while entertaining them.

How did you do research for your book?

I had a lot of general background from teaching a class on Ancient Egypt, but I hit my library again for specific knowledge about various professions, etc. I find names from ancient manuscripts about village life or lists of tomb owners.

In your book you make a reference to ancient Egyptian medicine. How did you come up with this idea? What made you write a book about medicine?

The Egyptians’ medical skills were world-renowned in their day. They had observed by trial and error over millennia and written down the results of their experiments, so that a young doctor like Neferet could look in a casebook and see what her elders had done to treat those symptoms. A lot of it was herbal, much like traditional medicine today. This was always one of the most popular lectures when I taught my Ancient Egypt class, and it gave me a certain forensic capability for my sleuths.

Where do you get inspiration for your stories?

I began the Lord Hani Mysteries, from which this series is spun off, when I met the real Hani in a set of ancient documents called the Amarna Letters. There were references to a lot of diplomatic missions carried out by this man, so I took him as my protagonist and gave him a personality and a family. When Hani’s arc was completed, I zeroed in on his youngest daughter, a headstrong, unconventional girl who seemed likely to follow in her father’s footsteps.

There are many books out there about ancient Egypt. What makes yours different?

There are even a lot of mysteries set in Egypt, but this series has a female protagonist who is a physician, so she’s automatically privy to a lot of mayhem. Her father is a diplomat, and that draws into her orbit various foreigners as well. Plus, for those who like cozy mysteries, this is one, with the addition of Egyptian “tea time” vibes and heroic pet animals.

What is your next project?

I’m working on another Neferet mystery that features the world of cooks (each of these books deals with a different profession). I also have in mind a prequel to the Lord Hani Mysteries, because there’s one more real historical adventure of Hani to make use of.

You can get the Hani’s Daugther Mysteries at Amazon.

Author Bio:

N.L. Holmes is an award-winning novelist and former archaeologist with a Ph.D. in Classical and Near Eastern Archaeology. She spent years excavating in Greece and Israel, teaching ancient history, and bringing the past to life. Her firsthand experience with ancient cultures adds a rare level of authenticity to her work — transporting readers deep into the heart of ancient Egypt with rich historical detail and compelling storytelling.

Hani's Daughter Tour — Hani’s Daughter Tour

12 Questions with MHR Geer, author of ASSUMED.

When her friend Sandy asks for help, Anne Wilson leaves her small, lonely life in Miami for the picturesque island of Saint Martin. But as soon as she arrives, Sandy is murdered, and her death exposes lies: an alias, a secret past, stolen money. Suspected of murder and trapped on the island, Anne is shocked when a cryptic message arrives:

Find the money. Take it and run.

She follows Sandy’s trail of obscure clues, desperate for proof of her innocence and must decide if she can trust the two men who offer help-the dark, mysterious Brit or the American with a wide grin and a pickup truck. When memories resurface-dark truths she’d rather leave buried and forgotten, her past becomes intertwined with her present.

Her only way forward is to face her own secrets.

Assumed by MHR Geer. A romance, financial, murder thriller. — Assumed by MHR Geer.

Which was the hardest character to write?
Anne. Have you ever disliked someone the first time you met them, but then as you got to know them you realized they were just shy and perhaps quite sad? That’s how it felt to write Anne. I
didn’t approve of her choices, but chapter after chapter she showed such strength, and I
warmed to her.

Your book is set in Saint Martin, an island in the Caribbean. Have you ever been there?
Yes. (sigh) Such a beautiful place. I want to go back.

Do you have another profession besides writing?
I’m a bookkeeper by day. It’s the opposite of creative writing.

How long have you been writing?
I’ve always journaled, but I began writing novels about nine years ago – which is about the time
my first marriage fell apart. Huh, I never made that connection before. Whew. That’s a
breakthrough of sorts, isn’t it?

What is your next project?
Book 2: Accused. Anne’s story continues! It will be released in 2023.

What is a favorite compliment you have received on your writing?
The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. But the one comment that stands out is when
an Amazon reviewer said that Anne (my main character) was so REAL. That was amazing to
hear.

How are you similar to or different from your lead character?
We are very different, but we do have a couple things in common. She works in accounting like I
do, and we’ve both suffered significant loss – the kind of loss that you never really recover from.
Writing her character was so interesting because she dealt with her loss so differently than I did.

Favorite travel spot?
Kansas City. Such a friendly place. It always inspires creativity. I love the Nelson-Atkins
museum and City Market on the weekends. Also, there’s a place in Westport Plaza that makes
the best Matcha ever. Don’t get me started on the barbeque…yum.

Any hobbies?
So many hobbies. Knitting mostly, but I enjoy loads of crafts, jewelry and macrame. I want to try
pottery, but my yarn takes up too much space. I simply don’t have room in my life for clay. Yet.

What TV series are you currently binge watching?
A while ago, season 1 of Silent Witness popped up as a recommendation on my BritBox. It
should have come with a disclaimer like “Don’t watch this unless you’re prepared to commit
several months to it.” Sheeshers. I just finished Season 25. I don’t regret a thing. Well. Maybe I
regret some of the popcorn.

Tell us about your longest friendship.
Marie. We met in college because our boyfriends were roommates, and we both instantly had a
“you’re my person” moment. I live in California, and she lives on the East Coast, so we meet
annually in random cities in the middle of the country to hang out. She’s still my person after all
this time.

What is the strangest way you've become friends with someone?
One of my friendships started during the darkest period in my life. We were at a youth football
practice that my ex-husband was coaching. I can’t even remember why, but I had to move my
chair, and someone I barely knew carried it for me. That’s it. She carried my chair. It was a tiny
thing, but the gesture meant the world to me. And we’ve been close friends ever since.

MHR Geer, author of Assumed. — MHR Geer.

Author Bio:

MHR Geer was born in California but grew up in the Midwest. She attended the University of California, Santa Barbara to study Physics. After school, she moved to Ventura, CA and started a small bookkeeping business. She lives with her two sons and her unicorn husband (because he's a magical creature).

Website: http://www.mhrgeer.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100086993291413
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mhrgeerauthor

16 Questions with Tammy Euliano, author of Misfire.

Kadence, a new type of implanted defibrillator, misfires in a patient visiting University Hospital
for a routine medical procedure—causing the heart rhythm problem it’s meant to correct. Dr.
Kate Downey, an experienced anesthesiologist, resuscitates the patient, but she grows
concerned for a loved one who recently received the same device—her beloved Great-Aunt Irm.

When a second device misfires, Kate turns to Nikki Yarborough, her friend and Aunt Irm’s
cardiologist. Though Nikki helps protect Kate’s aunt, she is prevented from alerting other
patients by the corporate greed of her department chairman. As the inventor of the device and
part owner of MDI, the company he formed to commercialize it, he claims that the device
misfires are due to a soon-to-be-corrected software bug. Kate learns his claim is false.

The misfires continue as Christian O’Donnell, a friend and lawyer, comes to town to facilitate the
sale of MDI. Kate and Nikki are drawn into a race to find the source of the malfunctions, but
threats to Nikki and a mysterious murder complicate their progress. Are the seemingly random
shocks misfires, or are they attacks?

A jaw-dropping twist causes her to rethink everything she once thought she knew, but Kate will
stop at nothing to protect her aunt and the other patients whose life-saving devices could turn
on them at any moment..

Misfire cover image for book by Tammy Eullano — Misfire by Tammy Eliano

How did you do research for your book?
I’m fortunate to be a professor at an academic medical center and therefore have access to the
medical professionals to ask questions and gain ideas. Also, I co-developed some medical
devices over the years and have been through the patenting and licensure process so it was fun
to include some first-hand knowledge, and to pick the brains of other scientists with whom we’ve
crossed paths.

Where do you get inspiration for your stories?
My inspiration comes from life experiences—working in academic medicine, talking with people
in technology and healthcare industries, and reading both fiction and non-fiction, and of course
the news (preferably science news, not all the other stuff).

What advice would you give budding writers?
Find a supportive group of other early career writers, read, take classes that provide
professional feedback, attend a writers’ conference if at all possible, develop thick skin, write
what you love, consider writing some short fiction for an earlier win.

Your book is set in north central Florida. Have you ever been there?
It’s where I’ve lived since undergrad. Though not Gainesville by name, and certainly not the
University of Florida, the book is set in the area, including Paynes Prairie where we’ve gone on
long walks, and Jacksonville, which we visit on occasion. It’s a great place to live and raise a
family, with springs and beaches nearby and (often) excellent collegiate sports to cheer for.

Do you have another profession besides writing?
I’m a physician, an academic anesthesiologist specializing in obstetrics. For 20+ years I’ve
taught, performed research, and cared for patients at the University of Florida’s hospital system.
I’ve now backed down to 60% so I can focus on writing…it’s never enough!

What is your next project?
Besides finishing up the third in the Kate Downey series, I’m working on a stand-alone that links
the Salem Witch Trials to a modern medical mystery. It’s based on a short story I published a
few years ago and I’m having fun plotting it out.

What is the last great book you’ve read?

In non-fiction, 4000 Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman. In fiction,
Desert Star by Michael Connelly. I’m currently reading A World of Curiosities by Louise Penny,
my favorite series!

How are you similar to or different from your lead character?
We started out quite alike as far as careers go, but she lacks my idyllic backstory with a
charmed childhood and parents and husband very much alive. She’s also way cooler than I am!

In one sentence, what was the road to publishing like?
For the first in the series it was long, full of rejections, self-doubt, learning, and more rejections,
and finally extremely rewarding! Misfire was the second in a two-book deal, so far more straight-
forward.

Which authors inspired you to write?
Harlan Coben, Louise Penny

Favorite travel spot?
I love the mountains (said the Florida girl), especially hiking and downhill skiing. We’ve been so
blessed with incredible travel opportunities to all the major national parks in the US, Costa Rica,
the Galapagos, Europe, even New Zealand. Probably my favorite would be hiking in Wengen,
Switzerland.

Favorite dessert?
Hmmm, my husband’s home-made fruit crumbles with ice cream. Cookies and cream ice cream
with my dad. Who am I kidding – most ice cream with most anyone.

If you were stuck on a deserted island, which 3 books would you want with you?
(1) the entire Louise Penny Gamache series squished into one book cover, (2) an encyclopedia,
(3) The famous double book: “How to Make a Boat out of Sand, Salt Water and Coconuts” and
“The Joy of Cooking Without Actually Cooking”

Any hobbies? or Name a quirky thing you like to do.
My husband and I met playing flag football in college, taking turns at quarterback due to the
rules for co-ed sports. Now we still enjoy sports, but also seeking active experiences while
traveling – via ferrata, canyoning, rappelling down waterfalls, etc. We also follow the Gator
football team, though they’re trying our patience lately.

If there is one thing you want readers to remember about you, what would it be?
That I’m a physician-turned-author who highly recommends reassessing your path and
goalposts at regular intervals. It’s not quitting, it’s pivoting to something better/different/more
suited to you today.

What is the oldest item of clothing you own?
Intramural sports championship t-shirts from undergrad. We were the geeky honors dorm kids
who crushed everyone else by planning ahead with football plays printed out using the earliest
version of drafting software…oh, and not being drunk at game time.

Author photo of Tammy Euliano. <Misfire. — Tammy Euliano, author of Misfire.

Author Bio:

Tammy Euliano writes medical thrillers. She’s inspired by her day job as a physician, researcher and medical educator. She is a tenured professor at the University of Florida, where she’s been honored with numerous teaching awards, nearly 100,000 views of her YouTube teaching videos, and was featured in a calendar of women inventors (copies available wherever you buy your out-of-date calendars).
When she’s not writing or at the hospital, she enjoys traveling with her family, playing sports,
cheering on the Gators, and entertaining her two wonderful dogs.

Website: http://www.teuliano.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/teuliano
Twitter: https://twitter.com/teuliano
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teuliano/

Book Tour sites for Tammy Euliano and Misfire. — Blog Tour Sites for Misfire by Tammy Euliano.

7 Questions with Michael Kaufman, author of The Last Resort (A Jen Lu Mystery).

Margaret Atwood meets Raymond Chandler meets Greta Thunberg: Jen Lu is back on the case when the death of a lawyer sparks an even more intriguing mystery in Michael Kaufman’s second book in the thrilling series.

It’s March 2034, six months after D.C. police detective Jen Lu and Chandler, her sentient bio-computer and wannabe tough guy implanted in her brain, cracked the mystery of Eden. The climate crisis is hitting harder than ever: a mega-hurricane has devastated the eco-system and waves of refugees pour into Washington, D.C.

Environmental lawyer and media darling Patty Garcia dies in a bizarre accident on a golf course. Of the seven billion people on the planet, only Jen thinks she was murdered. After all, Garcia just won a court case for massive climate change reparations to be paid out by oil, gas, and coal companies. Jen is warned off, but she and Chandler start digging. Signs point to Garcia’s abusive ex, a former oil giant, but soon Jen turns up more suspects who have an even greater motive for committing murder

Soon Jen is in the crosshairs of those who will ensure the truth never comes to light, no matter the cost. She has to move quickly before she becomes next on the killer’s list.

The Last Resort by Michael Kaufman. A technothriller and dystopian fiction Jen Lu mystery. — The Last Resort by Michael Kaufman.

“[An] outstanding series launch…Exceptional worldbuilding is complemented by sympathetic characters and suspenseful plot twists. Kaufman is a writer to watch.” — Publishers Weekly, starred review

This is the second book in your Jen Lu series. How soon after finishing the first book did you know you wanted to continue Jen’s story?

The minute I read the first reviews. I knew I’d taken a risk writing a mystery that bent genres and that delved into political themes, but only when I started hearing from readers did I realize how much my approach — page-turning, serious themes yet fun to read — was something I wanted to continue doing.

You have decades of experience working with the United Nations, NGOs and various government officials and educators. How have you used this expertise to write about some complex topics like climate change and the intricacies of the oil and gas industry?

I’ve worked directly with presidents and prime ministers. I could answer that this has given me insights into the workings of political power. But here’s my real answer: We all need stories. Not only to entertain but to make sense of our lives. Right now, there is no more important issue than the quickly emerging climate crisis and the utter culpability of the oil, gas and coal industries in destroying our future.

“The Last Resort” has a secondary theme of men’s violence against women. How does this fit into the story?

It’s a critical theme in itself. Across the country and around the world, there is a rash of violence against women: in our homes, at work, at places of learning and on the streets. Engaging men as allies with women to end this violence has been my life’s work.

“An engrossing thriller set in a fascinatingly plausible near future, ‘The Last Exit’ centres on a human-AI partnership that’s as believable as it’s moving.” — Emma Donoghue, New York Times bestselling author of “Room”

There are a variety of politically charged themes throughout the book. What would you say to people who are looking for a fiction book that “isn’t political”?

First of all, “The Last Resort,” is entertainment. It’s fun; it’s exciting. My goal isn’t to educate — I leave that to my nonfiction books. At the same time, every moment of our lives is shaped by political realities, and that is nowhere more true than with the climate crisis. I believe that some of the most powerful stories ever written weave in the political and social realities of the day. Imagine if Tolstoy had left out the war part; his great novel would have read like a Netflix costume drama.

Speaking of politics, there are a lot of tough themes the book touches on, but the series’s tone overall is ultimately one of hope (surrounded with humor). Why did you choose to go this route?

The last thing readers need is another grim dystopia. I believe strongly in the human capacity to change, not simply at the individual level but our ability to imagine and then to create a better world. Faced with the existential realities of the climate crisis, we need that vision of hope and change more than ever. Shouldn’t fiction that digs into the tough issues we face today and in years ahead bring us up rather than bring us down?

What do you hope readers gain from the book?

Gain? I hope they gain some absolutely entertaining moments. I hope they can’t put it down. But I also hope it allows them to imagine a future that is certainly full of challenges but also possibilities for positive change.

Is there another Jen Lu book in the works? Are you working on any other projects?

Yes, there will be a sequel. I’m also at work on a traditional thriller as well as a literary novel and a screenplay. Plus, of course, I continue my advisory role with various U.N. agencies, governments, NGOs and companies. That said, I can’t wait to hang out again with Jen Lu and Chandler, her computer implant and wannabe tough guy.

“ ‘The Last Exit’ hits hard. Fast action — a melding of the mental and physical — keeps this smart futuristic thriller racing, and its contemporary implications keep the reader thinking.” —Thomas Perry, bestselling author of “A Small Town”

Author Bio:

MICHAEL KAUFMAN has worked for decades engaging men to support women’s rights and positively transform the lives of men. He is the co-founder of the White Ribbon Campaign, the largest effort in the world of men working to end violence against women. He volunteers as a senior fellow at Promundo (Washington, D.C.) and has worked in 50 countries with the United Nations, governments, NGOs and educators. He advised the French government in 2019 as a member of its G7 Gender Equality Advisory Council.

He is the author of numerous nonfiction and fiction works, and was awarded the Canadian Jewish Book Award for Fiction. His most recent nonfiction book is “The Time Has Come.” He’s also written “Why Men Must Join the Gender Equality Revolution” (2019) and his first Jen Lu novel“The Last Exit.” His books and articles have been translated into 14 languages. Born in Cleveland, Ohio, having lived in Durham, North Carolina, and now living in Toronto, Canada, he is married and has a daughter and a son. For more information, please visit michaelkaufman.com.

Website: https://twitter.com/KaufmanWrites

LitWorld’s 10 Questions with M. Laszlo, author of The Phantom Glare of Day.

LitWorld’s 10 Questions
with
M. Laszlo

What would be your one sentence elevator pitch of what your book is about?
In this trio of novellas, three game young ladies enter into dangerous liaisons that test each one’s limits and force them to confront the most heartrending issues facing society in the early twentieth century. The Phantom Glare of Day is a compelling interrogation of who gets to decide what is right and what is wrong.

[The novellas are set during the height of WWI and post-WWI Europe.]

What book/author/movie/TV show/song might a potential reader compare your book to in order to get an idea of its feel and why?
The Phantom Glare of Day might best be described as traditional, twentieth-century melodrama suffused with the following: Goth youth culture, the film Nosferatu, lots of Germanic brooding, the poetry and symbolism of Nietzsche, and a ravishingly beautiful figure-skating ballet just for good measure.

Why did you choose this topic for your book?
This topic chose me. These novellas arise from a deeply held obsession with grasping the essential ethical issues that face society. By writing the book, it is my hope that the novellas may challenge readers to think about and to come to terms with those same heartrending questions.

What led to your choosing the setting for your book? In part your mention of steampunk as used in your book.
Having traveled to London, Paris, and Prague, and having kept travel diaries for those beautiful cities, there was no way to avoid my setting stories in those remarkable places. Interestingly, though, my impressions of Prague were always informed by the genre of steampunk. What I mean by that is that Prague is the city with which I’ve always associated the science-fiction play Rossum’s Universal Robots. Because of this, Prague inspired me to write about steampunk/primitive robotic technologies—as such, these peculiar technologies and themes and obsessions appear in that tale. With regard to Weimar, that’s the most peculiar question for me because I’ve never been there. Still, the history of das Bauhaus has always fascinated me—and because of this, there was no way to avoid the temptation to set a tale there.

How did you come up with the title of your book?
The Phantom Glare of Day comes from a line in “Butterflies”—a WW-era Siegfried Sassoon poem. The title seemed perfect to me because various world religions have always associated butterflies with the immortality of the soul. For me, that metaphysical idea resonates because these three novellas amount to a new kind of metaphysical storytelling.

How has your world traveling impressed itself on your writing?
Nothing has impressed my writing more than my travels to London, where I became fascinated by British colloquialism and phraseology. Nothing else makes British characters come to life more than giving them authentic voices as they engage one another in dialogue. In short, dialogue has to be real. Characters must talk the way people really talk. This comes down to the fact it is the vernacular that makes characters and their stories seem genuine. My travel diaries provided me with all kinds of descriptions of various places, of course; nevertheless, my travel diaries were most important to me in that they included many, many lists of those remarkable terms that only the Brits use.

What will connect the reader to the story?
These novellas tell of how people struggle with issues that anyone can find relatable: school bullying, abortion, euthanasia, political extremism, and homophobia. As such, any reader should be able to connect with the characters. At the same time, the narrator’s voice remains solemn and philosophical; moreover, the writing is suffused in objective correlative—symbols intended to resonate with the reader’s unconscious mind. If the reader really gives my work a chance, the reader can and will connect.
Remember, though, when you read The Phantom Glare of Day, you’ll quickly see that it’s like nothing you’ve ever read before. Perhaps that’s why the work is fated to get so many mixed reviews. This work is weird and revolutionary in its style.

Did you have difficulty deciding your book was ready to publish?
Yes and no. Leonardo Da Vinci said it best: “Art is never finished, only abandoned.”

What genre(s) and reader ages would your work fit best?
As for genre, there are different possibilities: coming of age, urban fantasy, historical fiction, metaphysical fiction, melodrama, and perhaps even magical realism. In truth, the work is trans-genre. Also, who cares what the genre is? It’s literature. And it’s meant for anyone mature enough to embrace the idea of freethinking and/or open-mindedness and/or freedom for the sake of freedom.

What’s your next project idea?
My next project promises to be a complete mind-scramble. In the coming book, it is my intention to take the reader on a journey alongside a figure who resolves the riddle of the universe—and in the final movement of the tale, the character will in fact explain the riddle of the universe. For that matter, too, the answer provided will be accurate. And that is my pledge.

Biography of M. Laszlo

M. Laszlo is the pseudonym of a reclusive author living in Bath, Ohio. According to rumor, he based the pen name on the name of the Paul Henreid character in Casablanca, Victor Laszlo.

He has lived and worked in New York City, East Jerusalem, and several other cities around the world. While living in the Middle East, he worked for Harvard University’s Semitic Museum. He holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Hiram College in Hiram, Ohio and an M.F.A. in poetry from Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, New York.

His next work is forthcoming from SparkPress in 2024. There are whispers that the work purports to be a genuine attempt at positing an explanation for the riddle of the universe and is based on journals and idea books made while completing his M.F.A at Sarah Lawrence College.

The Phantom Glare of Day is available at Amazon.

16 Questions with Kurt Hansen, author of Daughters of Teutobod.

Daughters of Teutobod is a story of love triumphing over hate, of persistence in the face of domination, and of the strength of women in the face of adversity.

Gudrun is the stolen wife of Teutobod, the leader of the Teutons in Gaul in 102 BCE. Her story culminates in a historic battle with the Roman army.

Susanna is a German American farm wife in Pennsylvania whose husband, Karl, has strong affinity for the Nazi party in Germany. Susanna’s story revolves around raising her three daughters and one son as World War II unfolds.

Finally, Gretel is the infant child of Susanna, now seventy-nine years old and a professor of women’s studies, a US senator and Nobel laureate for her World Women’s Initiative. She is heading to France to represent the United States at the seventy-fifth anniversary of the liberation of southern France, at the commemoration site where her older brother, who was killed in action nearby, is buried. The site is very near the location where the Romans defeated the Teutons.

How did you do research for your book?
Online searches for everything about the Teutons to pre-war Pennsylvania and the earliest training of American Rangers, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and modern-day sites in Paris and Southern France.

Which was the hardest character to write? The easiest?
Hardest? Ada.
Easiest? Gretel.

How long have you been writing?
After heart disease forced early retirement, I began attending the Iowa Summer Writer’s Festival in 2014. I began writing poetry, but soon began writing novels.

What is your next project?
A book entitled Chameleon, about a man in treatment for Borderline personality disorder.

What genre do you write and why?
I write character driven stories and historical fiction because those are what interest me.

What is the last great book you’ve read?
Chances Are by Richard Russo

If your book were made into a movie, who would star in the leading roles?
The only one I’ve had an instant intuition for is the elder Gretel, who would surely be portrayed nicely by Meryl Streep.

If your book were made into a movie, what songs would be on the soundtrack?
Not sure, but during closing credits, I could suggest Respect by Aretha Franklin.

What were the biggest rewards and challenges with writing your book?
Greatest reward is the coming together of the various story elements. Greatest challenge is slogging through the research and persisting through the dialogues.

In one sentence, what was the road to publishing like?
It was painful and frustrating.

Which authors inspired you to write?
Philip Roth, Harper Lee, Richard Russo, Flannery O’Connor, Charles Dickens, Michael Crighton, Dan Brown, Kurt Vonnegut, Amy Hassinger
 

Fun stuff:
Favorite travel spot?
Toledo, Spain.

Favorite dessert?
Sour cream raisin pie.

If you were stuck on a deserted island, which 3 books would you want with you?
To Kill a Mockingbird, A Tale of Two Cities, and the Bible.

Any hobbies? or Name a quirky thing you like to do.
I collect rock-n-roll memorabilia. Signed record albums and photos and so forth.

What is your theme song?
“You’ve Got a Friend” by James Taylor

Author Bio:

Kurt Hansen is from Racine, Wisconsin, and has lived in Kansas, Texas, and Iowa. He has
experience in mental health and family systems as well as in parish ministry and administration.
He holds degrees in psychology, social work and divinity. Kurt now lives in Dubuque, Iowa with
his wife of 44 years, Dr. Susan Hansen, a professor emerita of international business. Kurt is
the author of Gathered (2019). Daughters of Teutobod is his second novel.

Website: https://www.authorkurthansen.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/revkurthansen
Amazon: Kurt Hansen Author Page
Goodreads: Kurt Hansen

14 Questions with Reenita M Hora, author of Operation Mom.

Ila, a Mumbai-based teenager, is going nuts with Veena, her controlling, single mother who prevents her from stalking her pop idol, Ali Zafar. Veena wants her daughter to date real guys in the lead-up to finding a husband. But Ila decides that the only way to get her mom off her back is by finding her a boyfriend instead. With the help of her best friend Deepali, her crush Dev and her mother’s best friend Maleeka, they will come up with a plan to make it happen by setting up a profile in dating apps.

This interview has to start off with this question. In your book you make a reference to George Michael, how did you come up with this idea?

In my book, I make reference to George Michael of Wham, the famous English pop singer who I was desperately in love with in my teen years. And I know that I speak for just about every woman who grew up in the 80s! The George Michael anecdote is taken directly from my life – I stalked him in my teen years, and in mind you in those days there was no such thing as social media, cell phone – smart or dumb or the internet. So the fact that I traveled from Mumbai to London one summer and tracked him down is a real life example of investigative research that I take great pride in!

I guess here is the story – a year or two before I wrote the book, I was chatting with my brother’s friend at a party and somehow, we got talking about the whole George Michael episode. The guy listened with rapt amazement as I gave him the details of how I stalked the pop star through his cat. He said to me ‘That would make a great chick flick, you know!’

I was intrigued but know nothing about film so decided to turn it into YA chick-lit instead!

There are many books out there about the life of women in India, Mumbai in this case….What makes yours different?

Oh my goodness, do you like to laugh? If so then Operation Mom will hit your funny bone. I think that many of us Indians take ourselves too seriously and cliched as it sounds, laughter really is medicine for your mind-body. The BBC has done huge amounts of research on how it helps the aging process, supports fitness and keeps couples together. But this book is not simply about LOL moments, it’s about LOL moments in the Bombay context — it offers a real window into the trials and tribulations of the feisty Punjai woman in Bombay.

And then there is that whole element of predictability and safety in India. You don’t find stories where the daughter is setting the mother up – usually it happens the other way around. You don’t find stories which expose you to a variety of ethnic situations strewn around Mumbai – all ripe for comedic interpretation. That’s what I wanted to do. As a Mumbaikar…or a Bombay-ite, I feel like I have many affinities – to the Punjabi way of life, to the Parsi community, to places like Swati Snacks and Worli Seaface…these all found their way into my book.

How did you do research for your book?

Having grown up in Mumbai, the research was easy. I knew the places I wanted to set the story in. I knew what they were about and the kind of crazy character chaos that I would find in those locations. Of course, this being a YA book, me now being a full-fledged adult (at least in size if not maturity levels), I knew I had to be up with the ‘method of madness’ of the current Mumbai young adult. So I had huge amounts of fun talking to my school going nephew and his friends to learning the lingo, compare the mindset from my time to theirs and quickly adapt to the change. Then of course I had fun taking long bus rides through town and hanging out at places like Swati Snacks and Kalaghoda Cafe (locations referred to in the story) to people watch and eavesdrop on conversations. Research is really one of the most fun parts of creating a story.

In your book you seem to look at relationships between flawed characters….why is that?

In my book I talk about relationships among flawed characters because isn’t this who we are and what makes us tick? I capture the sometimes-difficult relationship between mother and daughter, friend and friend, husband and wife, and boy and girl. My exploration is that of coming of age in a world filled with imperfect people. I aim to be both humorous and heartfelt, and from beginning to end, I resist any attempt to apply makeup to innocence, or hide the stubbornness or intelligence of my characters.

If you could put yourself as a character in your book, who would you be?

Another hard one. While in many ways I myself identify with the plight of Ila and her mom, Veena, it’s hard not to fall in love with the wild and wacky Aunty Maleeka or Deepali. They are the very antithesis of the classic Punjabi woman and in many ways they are who Veena and Ila live vicariously through. Truth is, I think we all need a bit of Aunty Maleeka or Deepali in our lives!

Which was the hardest character to write? The easiest?

Oof, this is hard to say. Ila and Veena (mother and daughter) are essentially the same woman in two different generational bodies. So when I look at the zany women in my own household, Yours Truly in particular, it isn’t hard to come up with traits and quirks that easily define these main characters. As to the hardest character again…there has been.

How are you similar to or different from your lead character?

Like I alluded to earlier, in many ways I identify with the plight of Ila and her mom, Veena. Both of these characters are essentially the same woman in two different bodies. When I look at them, I see aspects of my teenage self and my adult self. My traits ring through in both — obsessiveness, zest for life, indomitable free spirit, my insecurities….oh yes!

What is something you had to cut from your book that you wish you could have kept?

I am not sure about the book but there is plenty I have to cut from the screenplay…like the whole flamenco dance class scene.

What is a favorite compliment you have received on your writing?

Readers tell me that they can totally identify with my characters even if they are from a different culture. This makes me happy 😊

Also Chanticleer Reviews said: “This book will have you laughing out loud. It will keep you reading into the night to see what life has in store for these lovable characters who leap off the page and capture your heart and your imagination. Reenita Malhotra Hora’s novel, Operation Mom: My Plan to Get My Mom a Life and a Man, is a highly recommended and delightful five-star read.”

This made me happy too 😊

Which authors inspired you to write?

Oh goodness! So many!

As a child – Enid Blyton. Not the choice of children’s author for anyone who has been a child since I became an adult!

As a child and an adult – Lewis Carrol, Gerald Durrell, Eric Segal

As an adult – David Sedaris, Nora Ephron, Andrew Ross Sorkin.Walter Isaacson, and of course the inimitable JK Rowling.

If you could go back in time, where would you go?

1980s. Bombay to relive my teens and London to see George Michael 😊

What song is currently playing on a loop in your head?

Duran Duran’s – Wild Boys. I just saw them in concert, that’s why.

Who was your childhood celebrity crush?

George Michael of course!!!!

What is your next project?

Oof, which one?! As far as books and stories go, I would say Shadow Realm – Part 1 & 2 of the Arya Chronicles series. This is a YA fantasy fiction story. Part 1 is already out as an audio series which you can check out here: www.thearyachronicles.com/podcast. We are currently in production for Season 2 which will launch in Spring 2023. The print book version of Shadow Realm will be next as far as books go, followed hopefully soon thereafter by a graphic novel.

I also have a historical fiction novel in the works – Playtime at the Bagh and Ace of Blades, the “Succession-like” memoirs of my later father, RK.Malhotra, the dynamic creator of India’s home-grown shaving products industry.

Operation Mom: My Plan to Get My Mom a Life… and a Man is available at

Author Bio:

Reenita Malhotra Hora is a founder, executive-level content, operations & marketing leader, and prolific writer. With multiple years of experience in media, entertainment, communications, tech/innovation and wellness industries in the USA and Asia, she grows organizations, ranging from early stage startups through mid-size businesses, through storytelling, creative marketing and business strategy.

Reenita has written seven books – five non fiction and two fiction. She is the writer, anchor and executive producer of Shadow Realm and True Fiction Project podcasts and founder of the Chapter by episode fiction app. She has contributed to The Hindu, South China Morning Post, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, CNN, Asian Investor, Times of India, National Geographic Kids, Cartoon Network Asia, Disney, and more.

Website: http://www.reenita.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ReenitaMalhotraHora
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reenita_storyteller/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/reenymal

11 Questions with Edna Dratch-Parker & Jeri Solomon of Guide To Smart Wedding Planning.

GUIDE TO SMART WEDDING PLANNING

Edna Dratch-Parker & Jeri Solomon

On writing:

How did you do research for your book?
Being in the business of weddings for years, our work was our research! We also interviewed our clients to ask them what information they wished they had known at the start of their planning journey.

Do you have another profession besides writing?
Yes! Edna is a wedding planner, designer and brander. Jeri is a floral designer. We have decades of experience in the world of weddings. We’ve collaborated on many events and even won some national awards.

What is your next project?
Currently we’re working on a companion workbook for Guide to Smart Wedding Planning. We also have other planning tools in the pipeline so stay tuned!

What were the biggest rewards and challenges with writing your book?
The challenges- writing while also running a business full time. The biggest reward is holding the book in our hands and having people tell us that the information made a difference in their wedding planning experience.

In one sentence, what was the road to publishing like?
The road was steep and winding!

What is one piece of advice you would give to an aspiring author?
Just keep at it. No matter how long it takes

Fun stuff:

Favorite dessert?
Anything chocolate

Any hobbies?
Jeri is a certified yoga teacher. Edna likes to go on motorcycle rides with her husband. We are both cat lovers.

If there is one thing you want readers to remember about you, what would it be?
The Real Deal Wedding Insiders® are your go-to source for wedding planning info!

What is something you’ve learned about yourself during the pandemic?
In March of 2020 we were getting ready to publish our book and then the world shut down. We had no idea what the future would bring so we paused. We did make some edits to the book post pandemic about the wedding planning process, but our general advice did not change. We’re very happy about that because that means our advice stands the test of time!

Tell us about your longest friendship.
Our friendship! It is not the “longest” but the reason why we wrote this book. We first met at a networking event in Boston. Then we did a few weddings together and started to learn that we had so many things in common. For example we grew up in neighboring towns, we each have 2 sisters, our fathers were physicians, we’re married to men named Jim. But then we discovered some unique connections; Jeri’s older sister was born in France while her father served in the Air Force and Edna was ALSO born in France while her father served in the Army. Then one day, Jeri was helping her aunt Eleanor plan her anniversary party. They were in a common area in her retirement home, discussing how to set up the space. There was a woman eyeing them from a corner. After a little while she approached Jeri and Eleanor and asked “are you planning a party?” Eleanor explained that Jeri was in the “wedding business” and was helping her. To which the woman responded “Really! My niece is a wedding planner!” Of course her niece was Edna! Jeri immediately texted Edna to tell her that “Aunt Mary says Hi.” At that point, we knew for sure that we were more like family than friends.

Author Bio:

With a combined 30 years and hundreds of weddings produced, Edna Dratch-Parker, founder,
and creative director of EFD Creative—Event Planning & Design, and Jeri Solomon, owner of
Jeri Solomon Floral Design, bring their depth of knowledge and real-life experiences to help
couples avoid common mistakes, reduce stress, and truly enjoy the wedding planning process.

Website: https://www.realdealweddinginsiders.com/
Facebook:
@RealDealWeddingInsiders
@EFDCreative
@jerifloraldesign

Instagram:
@weddinginsiders
@efd_creative
@jerifloral

TIKTOK: @RealDealWeddingInsiders

Twitter:
@RDWedInsiders
@EFD_Creative
@JeriFloral

12 Questions with L.M. Rapp, author of Dreadful Beauty.

A girl undergoing a terrifying transformation goes on an epic quest to find a refuge from her
ruthless father.

Nymphosis, a disease that turns Humans into Chimeras, is ravaging the land of Gashom. The
More-Than-Pure, determined to protect themselves, have seized power and enacted
segregationist laws.

The daughter of a high dignitary, young Neria learns she is afflicted by the very disease her
father is determined to eradicate. Forced to surrender her privileges, she must flee her home in
the capital and traverse the strange wilds to seek refuge with her fellow kind.

Will she have the courage to fight oppression to emancipate the Chimeras from the yoke of the
More-Than-Pure?

Book available in both English and French.

12 Questions with L.M. Rapp

Which was the hardest character to write? The easiest?

None of the characters were easy to write about, but certainly the most difficult was the tyrannical father. I read three different books about serial killers before I began to understand the reasoning of a psychopath.

In your book, you describe the gargoyles’ people. What made you use elements of Gothic architecture for creating these characters?

During a visit to Notre Dame de Paris, I was able to admire the sculptures of gargoyles that adorn its facade. Their mere presence evoked a fabulous universe and served as great inspiration in my novel.

Where do you get inspiration for your stories?

The ideas seem to me to be floating around, in books, events, and encounters, and that it is enough to sit for long hours in front of a computer screen and concentrate on arranging them in a new way.

There are many books out there about chimeras. What makes yours different?

The story follows a family and a people through a tone that is both intimate and epic, which is rather unusual in this kind of literature. The plot captures the struggles of humanity through a fantasy lens, making it both digestible and thought-provoking.

If you could put yourself as a character in your book, who would you be?

I think I would like to be Matar, the Pedler. I envy his freedom and independence, despite the difficulties he faces in his life.

Do you have another profession besides writing?

I have had other professions in the past, but writing has become my main focus at the moment. I still practice and teach aikido, which actually turns out to be really useful when I write combat scenes.

What is your next project?

I will soon publish a thriller about a woman who decides, after a divorce, to take over her parents’ farm: a return to nature that does not go as planned. I also just started writing a science fiction book.

What genre do you write and why?

I choose the story first. The genre follows. I don’t force myself to create series. I think that having fun while writing increases the chances that the reader will have fun too.

How are you similar to or different from your lead character?

It’s a difficult question. I’m too close to her to tell. The similarity would be that she doesn’t give up easily. That being said, I find her more stubborn than I am.

Which authors inspired you to write?

Tolkien, Barbara Pym, Kazuo Ishiguro, Camus, Albert Cohen, Proust, Baudelaire and many others.

What’s the most courageous thing you’ve ever done?

I hesitate between leaving France, my birth country, or having three children.

Who was your childhood celebrity crush?

When they were first released, Star Wars and Indiana Jones were some sort of revelation. And Harrison Ford was the handsome cool hero in both of them.

Author Bio:

L.M. Rapp has lived in different countries and practiced several professions: dentist, web
developer, artist, aikido teacher, farmer. Eager to learn and discover, she uses her experiences
to enrich her stories. She has also written a thriller, Of Flesh and Tears.

Follow L. M. Rapp at/on

Website: https://www.lmrap.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/L.M.Rapp
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/l.m.rapp/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LMRappAuthor

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3JrBPFS
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60560084-dreadful-beauty

Visit these other sites for more information about L. M. Rapp and Dreadful Beauty.

9 Questions with Susanne Dunlap, author of The Portraitist.

“Impeccably researched, rich with period detail, Dunlap brings to life the little-known true story of Adelaide Labille-Guiard, who fought her husband and society to make a name for herself as a painter to the royal family, the very apex of success. A stunning story of determination, talent, and reversals of fortune. As a lifelong Elisabeth Vigée Le Brun fan, I am now questioning my allegiances!”

-Lauren Willig

Bestselling Author of THE SUMMER COUNTRY

9 Questions with Susanne Dunlap

What inspired you to write about Adélaïde Labille-Guiard?

I’ve always been interested in women in the arts, and the eighteenth century has a special place in my heart (my dissertation was about eighteenth-century opera). Also, Adélaïde’s self-portrait with her two students that hangs in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NY is a huge favorite of mine. But originally, when I first conceived of the book, I thought of her in relation to her rival, Vigée Le Brun. Through research I began to know her in her own right, and to appreciate how different her life must have been from her rival’s, how much more stood in her way. I also love the difference in her painting style from Le Brun’s. It feels much more real, more present, less beautiful in a good way.

Why focus on Adélaïde instead of Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun?

Originally I thought I would write about Vigée Le Brun. But I love an underdog, and after discovering that they literally followed each other’s footsteps—but Le Brun doesn’t even mention her rival’s name in her three-volume memoir—I was intrigued.

Of course art plays an important role in this book. Are you an artist as well as a musician and writer?

Alas, I am no artist! I took a drawing class in college, but… no. I love art and have always gone to museums, and have done a lot of reading about art history and artists. As research for this book, I did read an 18th-century treatise on oil painting. However, as André Vincent says to Adélaïde before he starts to teach her, there’s a great deal of difference between reading a treatise and actually making art.

While the story is based on a true story, there are some characters that you’ve created. Which of the characters are real?

Most of the characters are, in fact, historical. The ones I’ve created are Adélaïde’s first student (the rest of the named students are historical), her father’s lover, and a few very minor, walk-on characters. However, I took major liberties with the characters of her father and her estranged husband to the point where I might as well have invented them, partly because there was very little available information about them. In those cases, the story comes first.

Did Adélaïde really do a portrait of Robespierre and get a huge commission from the Comte de Provence just as the revolution was starting?

Yep. All true. All the paintings mentioned in the book existed at one time or still exist. The two mentioned in this question are among those that were probably destroyed during the Revolution.

Did Adélaïde really sell erotic pastels?

Alas, no. At least, I could find no evidence of such a thing. However, erotic drawings were a lucrative trade in 18th-century Paris, and my cash-strapped heroine could easily have decided to capitalize on her talents in this way.

What were some of the struggles of women in 18th Century Paris faced, primarily those Adélaïde Labille-Guiard would have dealt with being a female artist?

The struggles had to do with lack of access for women to the infrastructure of success. Institutionalized misogyny, so to speak. Women couldn’t belong to guilds, and were only admitted to some academies in very restricted numbers. They also couldn’t attend classes at the Louvre, except with Briard, who was allowed to teach women. All the life drawing classes were closed to them of course, and even the best women artists couldn’t get the perks given to the men, namely free housing and studio space in the Louvre. That was something Adelaide fought for, and was finally awarded in 1795, after the Revolution, but before Napoleon’s time. Royal patronage was one of the few avenues in which they could compete, and both Adelaide and her rival benefited from that.

How important is Adélaïde Labille-Guiard to the art landscape of 18th Century Paris and perhaps beyond?

I think that because she was such an influential teacher as well as an artist, she probably had an impact on many young artists that we don’t even really know about, since she was pretty much ignored as a painter throughout the 19th century. But when she died, she was Madame Vincent, her identity completely bound up with her position as a married woman. I also think that by digging into these lesser-known women artists, we learn a lot more about the norm rather than the exceptions. Her work is beautiful, beyond a doubt, but so few examples survived her that it’s hard to accurately gauge her compared to other artists.

With the arts being such central influences in your literary work, what are some other works you’ve published that readers will enjoy?

This is the first time I’ve written about a female artist. I’m a music historian, so I’ve featured women musicians more often. My historical mystery series that takes place mostly in 18th-century Vienna features a young violinist whose godfather is Haydn. Those books are THE MUSICIAN’S DAUGHTER, THE MOZART CONSPIRACY, and THE PARIS AFFAIR. My first two novels also featured women musicians: ÉMILIE’S VOICE and LISZT’S KISS.

Author Bio:

Susanne is the author of twelve works of historical fiction for adults and teens, as well as an Author Accelerator Certified Book Coach. Her love of historical fiction arose partly from her studies in music history at Yale University (PhD, 1999), partly from her lifelong interest in women in the arts as a pianist and non-profit performing arts executive. Her novel The Paris Affair won first place in its category in the CIBA Dante Rossetti awards for Young Adult Fiction. The Musician’s Daughter was a Junior Library Guild Selection and a Bank Street Children’s Book of the Year, and was nominated for the Utah Book Award and the Missouri Gateway Reader’s Prize. In the Shadow of the Lamp was an Eliot Rosewater Indiana High School Book Award nominee. Susanne earned her BA and an MA (musicology) from Smith College, and lives in Biddeford, ME, with her little dog Betty.

Website: https://susanne-dunlap.com

Click and Pre-Order The Portraitist on Amazon.

Visit Amazon for Susanne’s Books:

Follow Susanne on social media:

Facebook: @SusanneDunlapAuthor

Twitter: @susanne_dunlap

Instagram: @susanne_dunlap

LinkedIn: @susannedunlap

Pinterest: @susanne_dunlap

15 Questions with Juiced author, Ted Mulcahey

An invention that can save the planet?
Somehow, someway the O’Malleys have found themselves in the thick of things once again. On peaceful, bucolic Whidbey Island, they become entangled in a corporate plot to stifle a paradigm-shattering discovery, one that promises to upend conventional thinking, topple markets, and create an entirely new industry.
Kevin and Jenne, along with scientists from the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, find themselves pitted against a band of bumbling criminals who will stop at nothing to get what they want—including arson and murder.
It’s another rollicking adventure for the retired interior designers ably assisted by their favorite detective, the FBI, and Emma, their ever-vigilant German Shepherd Dog.

Juiced by Ted Mulcahey

What makes your books different from other cozy mysteries out there?
The locales and perhaps the sarcastic sense of humor from the principal characters.

Do you have another profession besides writing?
Nope.

How long have you been writing?
Off and on since my high school newspaper.

How did you come up with the ideas for your books?
The idea for Juiced began when I came across an interesting article on vanadium battery technology.

For Little Dirt, it was more of a desire to highlight the many beautiful areas of the Pacific Northwest.

With your book set in the Puget Sound area, have you ever been there?
I live there.

How did you do research for your book?
For Juiced I found a number of articles discussing the projects (including their battery research) at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.

For Little Dirt I spent many hours researching harmful drug culture as well as the geography of the Puget Sound waters.

For both, my many years in business were immensely helpful.

If you could put yourself as a character in your book, who would you be?
There’s a good deal of Kevin O’Malley in me, but he’s likely an improved version.

Which was the hardest character to write? The easiest?
The easiest, of course, are the O’Malleys. The mercenary corporate characters are fun to write but often difficult. Emma, our GSD is the dearest.

If your book were made into a movie, who would star in the leading roles?
Paul Rudd and Sandra Bullock.

If your book were made into a movie, what songs would be on the soundtrack?
“Ripple” by the Grateful Dead

What is your next project?
The O’Malleys find themselves enmeshed in nastiness among folks in the Walla Walla wine country.

What is a favorite compliment you have received on your writing?
“I really had fun reading it”, is always my favorite.

What’s the funniest thing that ever happened to you? The scariest? The strangest?
Brushed my teeth with glue instead of toothpaste as a kid. (I think that’s the answer for all three questions)

Who was your childhood celebrity crush?
Barbra Feldon, agent 99

If there is one thing you want readers to remember about you, what would it be?
I tried to lighten their day.

Author Bio:

Ted Mulcahey has lived throughout the US, the past 35 years in the Pacific Northwest. He’s an Army vet, sales and marketing VP, entrepreneur, business owner, avid reader, one of nine children, former caddie, and lover of dogs and golf. The last twenty-five years were spent in partnership with his wife Patte, as the owners of a highly respected and published hospitality interior design firm in the Seattle Area. They’re now living on Whidbey Island and enjoying its rural bliss.

Ted writes about things he’s seen and places he’s been. He tries to incorporate personality traits of people he’s known into his fictional characters, although none of them exist in reality. Many of the locations are real but the names have been changed.

Website: http://tedmulcahey.com

Visit Amazon for Ted’s Books:

LITTLE DIRT ROAD: https://amzn.to/3P0aVq

JUICED: https://amzn.to/3RBsE9Q

See Reviews for LITTLE DIRT ROAD and JUICED! at Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60282401-little-dirt-road?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=3F5ErlwX8h&rank=1

JUICED:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60839464-juiced?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=1g0MCjNXuI&rank=1

AUTHOR INTERVIEW WITH: SHERYL J. BIZE-BOUTTE TALKS ABOUT HER FIRST NOVEL:BETRAYAL ON THE BAYOU

AUTHOR INTERVIEW WITH:

SHERYL J. BIZE-BOUTTE

TALKS ABOUT HER FIRST NOVEL: BETRAYAL ON THE BAYOU

I want to welcome author Sheryl J. Bize-Boutte who has graciously agreed to a FOUR question interview. And I have to say this is one of the best and most timely answers to questions I’ve experienced.

Sheryl is a Pushcart Prize nominee and an Oakland, California-based multidisciplinary writer. Her autobiographical and fictional short story collections, along with her lyrical and stunning poetry have been described as “rich in vivid imagery,” “incredible,” and “great contributions to literature.” She is also a popular literary reader, presenter, storyteller, curator, and emcee for local events. Her first novel, “Betrayal on the Bayou,” was published in June 2020.

As a Southern white man, born in Florida, but raised in Mississippi, then living my entire adult life in Georgia, I am looking forward to reading Shery’s book Betrayal on the Bayou. Her descriptions in the following give one a different way of looking at the issue of “…the killing abuses of power, racism, incest, sexism, classism…”

R: Thank you for this interview, Sheryl.

S: Thank you, Ronovan, for inviting me.

R: Let’s get right into it. What was your research/inspiration for the Betrayal on the Bayou?

S: Well, Betrayal on the Bayou is a work of historical fiction, so my research was a combination of known family history heavily sprinkled with factual events from the time period I chose, along with more than a bit of my ever-active imagination. My inspiration came from my desire to tell pieces of my family history while trying to capture, even if infinitesimally, the relentlessness of racism and colorism and how it affected the everyday lives of people depicted in the book and how that is still the case today. After a recent coffee meeting with a White female writing club president, and her fervent use of the false equivalency of her blonde hair to indicate her deep understanding of segregation and bias, writing Betrayal on the Bayou, became even more urgent for me. In the book, I use strong, graphically described examples to depict the scourge and impacts of separation, colorism and racism.

R: How can today’s readers take lessons from the book and use them for today?

S: First of all, I do believe that reading promotes empathy and understanding and that those two things can lead to the promotion and hopefully implementation of change and correction of ill treatment and marginalization of Black people and people of color. It is important that people of today realize this is not a new phenomenon. That it did not just crop up when George Floyd was murdered, and more White people decided to pay some attention to it. People need to know how baked-in these beliefs are; how much work was put into separation in every facet of life; and, how there have always been Black people who lived in very different ways. We are not a monolithic people, and we all suffer some deep form of discrimination on a daily basis even to this day. I also tackle the impacts and outcomes of gender bias, economics, and other areas of everyday living in the early 1850’ s ripe for betrayal in a closed society where almost anything can happen, and let readers know that many things they may think are new, are not.

R: What else would you like readers to know about Betrayal on the Bayou?

S: That it is not the usual historical fiction fare with the characters one may look for from the 1800’s Southern U.S. Oh, they are there of course, because they are fundamental to the place and time, but they are not the center of the story. Readers will be intrigued while trying to determine what is fact and what is fiction within a dystopian yet very possibly real, isolated town. I want readers to know that the setting and the people are unusual, that the things that happen are stark and substantive, and that betrayals as well as the inhumanity and humanity will stay on your mind long after you have read the epilogue.

R: I encourage everyone to read Betrayal on the Bayou. I found it to be… It is available at Amazon, and other vendors. For a full list of the booksellers and their links for Betrayal on the Bayou, visit Goodreads. For more information on Sheryl and her writing, please go to www.sheryljbize-boutte.com. Thank you so much, Sheryl.

S: Thank you Ronovan, it has been my pleasure.

Be sure to get your copy of Sheryl’s book Betrayal on the Bayou on Amazon.

And be certain to check out her selection of work on her Author Page.

www.sjbb-talkinginclass.blogspot.com

An Unlikely Friendship by Jasmine Fogwell – #BookReview

An Unlikely Friendship by Jasmine Fogwell is an imaginative, wholesome story with a surprise ending.

James, the main character, meets a 150 year old lady with a mystery-filled reputation. To add to the suspense, James discovers the two of them have something in common—something found in the woods.

They’re wonderful, and if only you could tell your human loved ones of the bond you can share with one of those strange creatures, perhaps humans could learn from them, the 150 year old lady said to James.

The story moves along at a good pace and keeps you guessing, what happens next? An interesting, unique story filled with enough suspense to hold your attention. I enjoyed it. Our ten-year old daughter really enjoyed it. She can’t wait to get the next two books in the trilogy to see what happens next.

A charming story for young readers. A great find.

5 stars.

What inspired you to create a workbook version of The Amazon Author Formula?

What’s one of the biggest mistakes authors make on Amazon?

Can the workbook help if my book has already been published?

How is this workbook different from just hiring someone to do it for you?

What part of the workbook do most authors find the most surprising or eye-opening?

Can this workbook help new authors who haven’t launched yet?

Let Your Friends Know

Let Your Friends Know

Let Your Friends Know

Childhood Nostalgia Just Got Smoked

Let Your Friends Know

Let Your Friends Know

Let Your Friends Know

“Smart, Fast, and Unpredictable”

Let Your Friends Know

Healing Hands, Sharp Minds, and Murders in Thebes

Let Your Friends Know

Let Your Friends Know

Let Your Friends Know

Let Your Friends Know

Let Your Friends Know

Let Your Friends Know

Let Your Friends Know

Let Your Friends Know

12 Questions with L.M. Rapp

Visit these other sites for more information about L. M. Rapp and Dreadful Beauty.

Let Your Friends Know

9 Questions with Susanne Dunlap

Let Your Friends Know

Juiced by Ted Mulcahey

Let Your Friends Know

Let Your Friends Know

Let Your Friends Know