SASHA LAURENS grew up in Northern California, where she learned to drive on Highway 1’s switchback turns and got accustomed to the best weather in the world. After studying creative writing and literature at Columbia University, she lived in New York for years and, at various times, in Russia. She currently resides in Michigan, where she is pursuing a PhD in political science. A Wicked Magic is her first novel.
​

​Follow Sasha here! 

Website
Twitter
Instagram

​

Check out the A WICKED MAGIC
​pre-order campaign right here! 
​

Grab your copy here and here! 

And add to Goodreads here! 

​

​Who are you and what do you write?

I’m Sasha Laurens, and I write YA contemporary fantasy novels. My debut, A WICKED MAGIC, comes out on July 28, 2020, and it’s about two ex-best friends with witchy powers, who accidentally summon a demon that kidnaps one girl's boyfriend. Months later, the girls have a chance to rescue him, but to do it, they need to confront the internal demons that have pushed them both to the breaking point. A WICKED MAGIC is a story about how we choose to love ourselves and let others love us—and how difficult that can be. It’s also about telepathic cats, reckless driving, people who might in fact be birds, and whether or not you can ask for more whipped cream on your mocha when you’ve slurped the initial serving whipped cream off the top.


Where and when and how did the writing life begin for you?

I loved storytelling as a kid, and then In high school I was very into journaling and embarrassing poetry—it’s a rite of passage, okay? I also started taking writing classes at 826 Valencia, which is an amazing center that has outposts all around the country. I took creative writing classes through college, but afterwards it took me a few years to figure out how I wanted writing to be a part of my life. It felt foolish to write without getting published, but getting published felt impossible. Ultimately, NaNoWriMo got me. I’d always wanted to try it, and I had an idea for a commercial YA novel. I realized if I had all that passion, creativity and dedication, maybe publishing wasn’t as impossible as it had seemed. 


How has the journey to this point been? Can you give us a basic rundown?

Well, for starters, it took years to get here. That NaNoWriMo was in November 2013 and my debut comes out in July 2020. Had I known how long it would take, I probably never would have begun.

I didn’t get to seriously revise that initial project, First Novel, until 2015, because I’d just started grad school and didn’t have time. Once I did, I got some critique partners and went through more versions than I care to remember. I queried around 50 agents over two years, and Jennifer Udden was literally the last one I was waiting to hear from before I threw in the towel on First Novel entirely. Hers was the only offer I got, but sometimes the system works like it’s supposed to: we make a great team. 

Unfortunately, First Novel didn’t get a lot of interest when we sent it out to editors; more accurately, it got zero interest. While that was deeply stressful, I was already working on what would become A WICKED MAGIC. I’d started that project at the end of my querying process, as I prepared to trunk First Novel. Now, I found myself almost hoping First Novel wouldn’t sell, so I wouldn’t have to stop working on A WICKED MAGIC. I knew A WICKED MAGIC was significantly better than First Novel—and I just felt in my gut that it was good enough to get published. Ultimately, I decided to pull First Novel from submission so we could go out with A WICKED MAGIC, and we got lucky almost immediately.


What's been the hardest part of your writing/publishing experience so far? And the most enjoyable?

Publishing sometimes—often?—feels like you’re poking yourself in the eye repeatedly and calling it fun. There have been many times I’ve doubted my decision to do it. Rejection is hard, and as you go further into publishing, the occasions for rejection multiply incomprehensibly. I used to think rejections from agents were difficult, but at least that was predictable. Now every time I go online I might be surprised by a tag in a bad review, or the discovery I wasn’t invited to be on some panel or something or a one-star Goodreads review offered with no explanation. If you’ve having a good day, publishing is ready, standing by, waiting to ruin it for you, oftentimes in ways you’d never imagined!

On the flip side, writing stories is so freaking awesome that it is absolutely worth it. I do not know why making people up and then messing with them is so unbelievably satisfying and fun, but I would keep doing it even if I never got to publish another book. The best thing I ever did for my writing was give myself permission to write about messy, angry, sad girls—like Dan and Liss, the main characters in A WICKED MAGIC—to put them in stories that I wanted to read, and to do it in a style that feels like me. That permission means that even if no one else ever reads my work, I still love it. The fact that I get to share some of that with the world is truly mind-boggling.


Would you go back and change anything?

I would probably not have done the revision while querying First Novel where I added a kind of free verse poem as the prologue. Turns out, no agents were thinking that they’d love to sign me, if only I included a free verse poem right at the beginning. 

But otherwise, no. Having a career in writing is more about skill than talent, and skill accumulates through experience, over time. There are no shortcuts. 


Where would you like to be in 5 years time? And 10? Or, what are your plans for the future?

Hopefully I’ll get to keep publishing books! In my day job I am getting a PhD in political science, so my goal is to get a job as a professor and keep doing research.


What's one piece of advice you'd give to new writers just starting out?

Every writer, at some point, knew as much as you do, which is not very much! Like I said, writing is a skill that i's a product of experience and time. Read widely and critically. Think about what you like and why it works, or what you don’t and why it fails. Read craft books, or some of the zillion online resources about writing craft. But that’s not enough. You also need to do it, and by “it”, I mean actually write. The writing is the uncomfortable part about being a writer, and there is no amount of craft advice that can cut around it. You’re going to write a lot of bad stuff, but only by writing bad stuff will you learn how to take a janky heap of word-garbage and sculpt it into something that looks like a legible draft, in hope of sending it to a reader who will rip it to shreds and send you back to the writing a lot of bad stuff stage—now with a slightly better idea of what you’re doing. The writing process is truly a gift.


And most importantly... 

Ketchup or Mayo? As a Dutch person, I have to pick mayo but ilu too ketchup.
Night or Day? Day
Inside or Outside? Inside
Dogs or Cats? Dogs
Twitter or Facebook? I use both and each gives me its own special kind of anxiety.
Ebook or Paperback? Depends on the book!
Sun or Rain? Both are great in moderation
Keyboard or Pencil & Notebook? Keyboard
Comedy or Drama? Drama
Chips or Chocolate? Chocolate

Follow Pierre here and here! 
​

Check out Pierre's books here! 
​
​

​Who are you and what do you write?
Where and when and how did the writing life begin for you?

My name is Pierre C. Arseneault, and I’m the youngest of eleven children. I’m from New Brunswick, Canada and like many others; I decided I had put off the urge to tell stories for far too long. At the age of 40, I decided to try writing. In the decade that followed, I wrote and co-wrote fiction, publishing five books so far. The first was in collaboration with my good friend Angella Cormier. The small anthology Dark Tales for Dark Nights contained stories of horror and thriller with elements of fantasy and paranormal. We followed that up with two books in our Oakwood Island series, with more to come. Solo, I’ve published an anthology of mystery, thriller, suspense stories called Sleepless Nights. Also I published my first dark comedy, Poplar Falls: The Death of Charlie Baker. My next book is a horror novel and I’m currently working on a dramatic suspense and so as you can imagine, I’ve no plan to limit myself to any genres as the story idea will dictate the genre, if not a blend of genres it becomes.
 
 
How has the journey to this point been?

A brief history of my life as a writer has to start with me as a cartoonist. At the time I started writing in 2010, I had already been a published cartoonist since 2004, publishing in weekly newspapers. Eventually I illustrated a card game for a small gaming company which led to my being published as a writer. In my journey so far, I’ve managed to cross off quite a few thing on my writer’s bucket list but I’m far from done.
 
 
What's been the hardest part of your writing/publishing experience so far?

I’d have to say, pushing past the self-doubt part and writing my first solo novel was the toughest part. In the beginning, while writing short stories, things were flowing well and confidence was building. And when writing in collaboration, you work together to push past the hard parts. But in writing my first solo novel, I had to learn to be patient and not stress over it. Since then I’ve learned what my strengths and weaknesses are and I know now that I will forever be learning and evolving. There will never be a time when you’ve perfected the craft and have nothing new to learn.
​

​And the most enjoyable?
​
Holding a finished book in your hands is even more satisfying than getting a great review. Mostly because it’s finished and at this point, you’re more than likely happy with the project coming to fruition. But starting a new project is almost as thrilling as the possibilities are endless.
 
 
Would you go back and change anything?

Perhaps I wouldn’t start with an anthology was my first thought when I read this question but that made me realise that short stories are the perfect springboard into bigger and better things. So maybe the answer to this should be start earlier, at a much younger age. But then again, I don’t think I had the wisdom, patience and life experience I needed to write yet. With that said, I’m not one who dwells on the past so at this point, I don’t think I would change any of my life experiences as they molded me into the imperfect happy person I am today.
 
 
Where would you like to be in 5 years time? And 10?

I would love to have access to the resources some of the great writers have. Why? Well to have more time and energy to dedicate to writing of course.
 
 
What's one piece of advice you'd give to new writers just starting out?

I would quote George Carlin: “Don’t sweat the petty things and don’t pet the sweaty things.” In other words, don’t stress over any of it. Just try and enjoy it all. You’ll only write your first book once. You’ll only hold your first book once. Enjoy it.
 
 
And most importantly...

Ketchup or Mayo? Ketchup. I’m a simple man so ketchup wins easily.
Night or Day? Both have their perks but if you meant for writing, I find I do my best writing in the late hours, as long as I have left over energy from my day. But I’ve never had the opportunity to try writing during the day enough to know how that would work for me.
Inside or Outside? Both. But right now, inside wins as it’s pollen season and so outside is hazardous to my health.
Dogs or Cats? While I enjoy a cuddly cat, mine was an independent lazy insufferable little fur ball. My dogs however were quite the characters. One dumb as a post while the other was a gem of a girl who I still miss.
Twitter or Facebook? Both have their perks. Facebook is better suited to keep in touch with friends, family and coworkers while Twitter is better suited to making new acquaintances and share insights. We won’t mention debating politics or sensitive subjects though. People need to learn to disagree without hate again.
e-book or Paperback? Paperback every time. I’ve yet to purchase an eReader.
Sun or Rain? Both. I’m more than ok with being home on a rainy day, but sunny days are better for wandering and discovering. Better for new adventures.
Keyboard or Pencil & Notebook? I assume you mean for writing and so keyboard. Pencils are for drawing. Just my little opinion.
Comedy or Drama? For fiction, I much prefer drama. I’m a movie buff and will chose a good drama over a comedy nine times out of ten. Although a good mystery wins over both.
Chips or Chocolate? Chips, occasionally. Ruffles sour cream and bacon, if you really want to know.

K.M. Allan is an identical twin, but not the evil one. She started her career as a beauty writer and now powers herself with chocolate and green tea while penning novels and blogging about writing.

She is the author of the urban YA fantasy series, Blackbirch. Book 1, The Beginning, and book 2, The Dark Half, are available here.

When she’s not creating stories, K.M likes to read, binge-watch too much TV, and take more photos than she will ever humanly need.

Visit her website to discover the mysteries of the universe. Or at the very least, some good writing tips. You can also find her procrastinating on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
​

Grab your copy here! 

Barnes & Noble
​Amazon

​

The Interview...
​

Who are you and what do you write?

My name is Kate and I write Urban Fantasy YA books, and a blog about writing.


Where and when and how did the writing life begin for you?

I was always a reader and moving onto writing the stories was just something that happened naturally. I honestly can’t remember ever wanting to do anything other than be a writer. As soon as I could, I took courses on writing and decided to take it seriously in 2015 and try submitting.


How has the journey to this point been? Can you give us a basic rundown?
​
It’s been full of highs, lows, and surprises. Joining the online writing community was a great place to start and taught me a lot about submissions and how to query when I had absolutely no idea. Launching my writing blog also helped because it allowed me to connect with other writers who have since become good friends and excellent beta readers. With their encouragement, I queried both agents and publishers for two years, receiving two full MS requests in that time, and an offer to publish with a small press. Unfortunately, that fell through a month before release, so I self-published. My debut came out in February 2020, two weeks before the world went into lockdown, and my second book in the series was released July 17th. It’s been a huge learning curve, but I get to make all the decisions, which my inner-control freak loves.
​

What’s been the hardest part of your writing/publishing experience so far? And the most enjoyable?
​
Deciding to walk away from my small press contract and go it alone. I hadn’t been prepared to self-publish, so learning how to do that, and in only a matter of weeks, was a steep, frustrating learning curve. But it got a book I’d been waiting for years to release out into the world, and the most enjoyable thing has been getting messages from people who’ve told me they stayed up all night reading it.


Would you go back and change anything?

I think as writers we always wish we did just one more round of edits, but the only thing I’d change is having more faith in myself. For a long time, I looked for others to validate my work and tell me it was good enough to publish. In the end, I didn’t need that, and now those choices are up to me.


Where would you like to be in 5 years time? And 10? Or, what are your plans for the future?

My plans for the immediate future are to get books 3 and 4 of the Blackbirch series published, and then to work on a totally new story. In 5 or 10 years, I hope to be doing what I’m doing and getting my books out into the world.


What’s one piece of advice you’d give to new writers just starting out?

Definitely find and make friends in the writing community. They’ll help you with questions, advice, and will pick you up when you’ve had a bad writing day. You can also always learn more when it comes to writing. Every draft is a chance to hone your craft, and every completed draft makes you a stronger writer.


And most importantly...

Ketchup or Mayo? Mayo
Night or Day? Day
Inside or Outside? Outside
Dogs or Cats? Cats
Twitter or Facebook? Twitter
Ebook or Paperback? Paperback
Sun or Rain? Sun
Keyboard or Pencil & Notebook? Keyboard
Comedy or Drama? Comedy
Chips or Chocolate? Chocolate
​

Follow Jenny here!

Blog
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram
​

​
A MISSING BABY. A MOTHER’S NIGHTMARE.

When Izzy Grant’s newborn daughter Alys disappears, her world shatters around her. Despite an extensive search the police find no trace of the missing girl, but Izzy refuses to give up hope that her daughter will be found.

Then a note is pushed through her letterbox, warning her off.

For Izzy it’s a ray of hope, another lead for the police to follow. For DC Gaby Darin it’s another piece of the puzzle that just won’t fit. But as a long-lost friend returns to Izzy’s life with a shocking secret, Gaby realises the truth of who took Izzy’s daughter from her might lie in the past – and far closer to home than anyone could have imagined…

​Grab your copy here! 

​

The Interview... 

​Who are you and what do you write?

Hi Kate, firstly thank you for inviting me onto your blog today. I've been writing for 12 years and have self published books for children, romantic fiction and psychological thrillers. Last year I signed a three book deal with HQ Digital for three books in my Welsh-set Crime Thriller series featuring second generation Italian detective, Gaby Darin. I'm also a nurse and work on a busy rehabilitation unit. 


Where and when and how did the writing life begin for you?

It all started with the character of a little boy called Dai Monday. I kept him tucked in the corner of my mind for a year before having the courage to write his story. The book, Boy Brainy, is perma-free on Amazon and addresses self-esteem issues with children who are bullied. 


How has the journey to this point been? Can you give us a basic rundown?

Ha, up until last year it was rejection-filled. Well over a decade of rejections, which is impossible not to take personally. But after each email I just picked myself up and carried on writing. Then I wrote The Stepsister and Silent Cry (self-published as Missing in Wales) back on back in 2018. They both did amazingly well, which brought me to the attention of the team at HQ Digital. The rest, as they say, is history. 


What's been the hardest part of your writing/publishing experience so far? And the most enjoyable?

The hardest part is keeping going with all those rejection letters coming in. The most enjoyable was when HQ Digital signed me up. I was pretty much at the end of my tether then as 2019 was a particularly bad vintage for me. I think if they'd rejected me there's a good chance I wouldn't still be writing now. With my nursing and writing, I frequently put in 60 hour weeks. There has to be some reward to keep that level of commitment up. 
​

​Would you go back and change anything?

In hindsight probably not. I couldn't have written either The Stepsister or Silent Cry twelve years ago. It's taken those years for my writing style to develop. 


Where would you like to be in 5 years time? And 10?

I have no plans. As a nurse I see all too often planners being disappointed when life intervenes. I live for the moment and try and take some pleasure in each day, no matter how small. However I'd like to see my teenagers settled on their own journey and retire from nursing sooner rather than later - 38 years and counting on the wards. 


What's one piece of advice you'd give to new writers just starting out? 

Think about why you want to write as this will influence what you write. There's a huge difference between a personal memoire/non-fiction work and writing commercial/literary fiction. 


And most importantly...

Ketchup or Mayo?
Mayo
Night or Day?
Having worked a huge amount of night duty over the years, definitely day! 
Inside or Outside?
Outside
Dogs or Cats?
Both but as I have cats...
Twitter or Facebook?
Facebook is kinder but I spend more time on Twitter.
e-book or Paperback?
Paperback
Sun or Rain?
Sun
Keyboard or Pencil & Notebook?
Either
Comedy or Drama?
Drama
Chips or Chocolate?
Chocolate

I'm thrilled to welcome a LOVELY author to the blog today who co-writes gorgeous chapter books. We chat about their latest book and plans for the future! 

Check it out... 
​

Follow Caroline and Raun here! 

carolineblisslarsen.com
melmedcenter.com
Twitter
​

​Who are you and what do you write?

I'm Caroline Bliss Larsen (-line, like "sweet Caroline"). I'm a word nerd: author, editor, language enthusiast, book hoarder, and meme appreciator. I'm a day dreamer, night dreamer, slow eater, and tender-hearted lover of all things soft. (Sounds like a country song.) I'm casually curious about lots of subjects. I was raised on the East Coast of the United States and am now a transplant in the Rocky Mountains, USA. So I like greenery AND rocks/desert/mountains.

I cowrite (with Dr. Raun Melmed) illustrated chapter books for kids to help them deal with ADHD and associated issues using mindfulness, as part of the Monster Diary/ST4 Mindfulness Books for Kids series. I'm also interested in writing young adult and other middle grade fiction, as well as picture books. I've got a young adult natural-disaster novel in progress; a YA contemporary, YA fantasy, and picture book all in very early stages; and several other book ideas knocking around in my brain and in my phone's notepad. I'm also in the middle of reading maybe ten books. Perhaps researching and writing about ADHD is good for me...


Where and when and how did the writing life begin for you?

The first story I can remember writing was called Goldeen the Goldfish, written and illustrated at a plastic Fisher Price desk when I was six, back before I had any concept of copyright or trademark. It was about two goldfish friends who go shopping for party dresses. My fiction has gotten marginally better since.


How has the journey to this point been? Can you give us a basic rundown?

For me, getting a book published happened rather unexpectedly. I began seriously studying and pursuing the book publishing market when I was in college, where I studied editing, literature, and linguistics. I've worked as an editor in different fields, but my heart is always looking to books and fiction. My intention has always been to be an editor to support my author habit, so that's how I found myself freelance editing a book called Harriet's Monster Diary: Awfully Anxious, a chapter book about a monster girl with anxiety, for the publisher Familius. I worked with Dr. Raun Melmed and his coauthor at the time, and that was a great experience. A couple months later, Familius publisher Christopher Robbins reached out to me about coauthoring the next Monster Diary book with Raun, and I eagerly accepted! Raun and I have now coauthored Marvin's Monster Diary 2: ADHD Emotion Explosion and our latest release, Marvin's Monster Diary 3: Trouble with Friends. So there are currently five published books in the Monster Diary series, two of which I coauthored—and we're working on more to come! It's been a really fun, exhilarating, humbling experience writing and promoting these books, and Raun is a great publishing partner. He's creative and accomplished and kind, and our brainstorming sessions always produce great stuff.


What's been the hardest part of your writing/publishing experience so far? And the most enjoyable?

The hardest part for me has been the promotion. I consider myself a friendly introvert—so I love good conversation in small, informal groups, but tell me to present and be interesting on a stage, at a podium, in front of a camera, or for a recording, and I struggle. Not to mention that book marketing in general is a complex animal—ask any author. Thankfully, Raun and I have an absolutely amazing publicist, Kate Farrell, who runs this marathon along with us and does SO much behind the scenes to support us. I get tired just thinking about what her job must be like! 

One of the most enjoyable and rewarding parts is seeing the illustrations for the first time, all laid out with our story. Our illustrator, Arief Kriembonga, visually brings the characters and situations to life in such cute and hilarious ways. I always find myself giggling excitedly when I read through the galley for the first time.


Would you go back and change anything?

I'm a terrible procrastinator. I'm trying to get better about that, but I'm sure I would have saved myself a lot of unnecessary stress if I weren't. So I'd be tempted to somehow convince past-me to get on top of things earlier. But then again, we've all seen time-travel movies and know how that always turns out...


Where would you like to be in 5 years time? And 10? Or, what are your plans for the future?

I would like to be editing more books, hopefully in a full-time capacity, and I'd love to have several more ST4 books and hopefully other books out too! 


What's one piece of advice you'd give to new writers just starting out?

Do your homework, make friends with other writers and publishing people, be kind, and be humble enough to be wrong sometimes. And no matter what anyone else says, you don't have to write every day to be a "real" writer. Oops, accidentally gave five pieces of advice. :)

​
And most importantly...

Ketchup or Mayo? Both, mixed together—it's called fry sauce where I live in Utah, USA. :)
Night or Day? Hmm, I suppose daytime, though I love things about both!
Inside or Outside? I have to say outdoors, even though I spend more time indoors...
Dogs or Cats? Cats!
Twitter or Facebook? Depends on the day...
Ebook or Paperback? Paperback
Sun or Rain? Rain
Keyboard or Pencil & Notebook? Keyboard
Comedy or Drama? Comedy
Chips or Chocolate? Chocolate

I'm pleased to welcome another hard-working author to the blog today to talk about their journey to publication! 

Here we go... 
​

​Chuck Bowie graduated from the University of New Brunswick in Canada with a Bachelor Degree in Science. Originally from Miramichi, he lives on the East Coast of Canada. Growing up as an air force brat, his writing is influenced by the study of human nature and how people behave, habits he picked up as his family moved nineteen times in his first twenty one years. Chuck loves food, wine, music and travel and all play a role in his work.

His writing will often draw upon elements of these experiences to round out his characters and plotlines. Chuck will at times share his thoughts with a brief essay, some of which can be found on his website. http://wwwchuckbowie.ca

His publisher has just received his latest novel , set in Ireland and England, entitled Her Irish Boyfriend, fifth in the international suspense-thriller series: Donovan: Thief For Hire. This follows The Body On The Underwater Road, Steal It All, Three Wrongs and AMACAT. All of his published novels have been paperback best-sellers in New Brunswick. He has just completed and published the first novel in a new cozy mystery series, set in a fictional town in New Brunswick, and is working on the follow-up in this series.

Chuck is married, with two sons. He and his wife Lois live in Fredericton, New Brunswick.

Grab your copy here!
​

Who are you and what do you write?

Hi, I’m Chuck Bowie, from Canada. I’m a mystery writer whose twin areas of focus are International Suspense-Thrillers and Cozy Murder Mysteries. This writer’s life started when I wrote an essay in Grade 8. It was so good that I surprised myself. I received a B for my efforts, and when the teacher advised me that she didn’t give As, I vowed to earn an imaginary A every time I wrote. Well, I tried, and am still trying.


Can you give us a basic rundown of your writing journey so far? 

My journey as a writer began as I sold short stories and tourism articles to make a few dollars, as my wife and I raised a couple of boys. (They were good at hockey and making music, two expensive hobbies!) After selling a few essays, I tried my hand at writing novels, and seemed to come up short every time I hit the eighty page mark. Finally, I learned about the power of creating an outline before you start, and that was how I broke that magic eighty page mark!
In my fifties, my work took me to Romania, and I woke up one morning in a strange country, alone, and with this idea for a contract thief who had his own notions about right and wrong. When my protagonist arrived fully formed that morning, he brought with him a complete plot for my first thriller: Three Wrongs. And then the hard part began! I just finished the final revisions to Book 5 in my Donovan: Thief For Hire series, and it’s currently at my publisher’s offices now, in time for a Christmas drop, I hope.


What's been the hardest part? 

For me, the big challenge was in learning how to write well, after having written for most of my life. But I had mentors, editors and Beta Readers. So editing, the most stressful part of my early writing career, may now be the most satisfying part of writing. I watch the quality of my writing elevate with every draft I or my editors touch. Very satisfying, I must say.
​

Would you go back and change anything? 

These days, I have the comfort of knowing my past cannot be changed. That having been said, if I could change anything, I would probably have studied Literature (Arts) at uni, instead of Biology (Science). It would have been nice to have acquired my writing skills earlier, but that’s water under the bridge, right?


What are your plans for the future? 

Who knows what the future holds, but I am taking a chance at shifting it, just a little bit. Recently, an idea for a new series overtook me, and I am now alternating between writing thrillers and cozy mysteries. My first cozy in the Old Manse Mysteries: Death Between the Walls just came out. I am so excited! Cozys are warmer, less explicit, perhaps a bit more romantic, and in my case, one of the main characters is actually this quirky east coast Canadian town. I’m having such fun. And the good news – at least, I believe it’s good news – is that I’m already halfway through the second book in the series. I truly hope to be a bit better known in the next five years, so, to quote my wife: ‘Write better, and write faster.’ I think this is good advice for writers just starting out: try to become better with every project you write, and try never to go a day without a line.


And most importantly…

Ketchup or Mayo? - While I love ketchup on my burger, I do love Cajun Mayo on my sweet potato fries.
Night or Day? - Just like that blues song ‘The night time, is the right time,’ so I prefer evenings over the day.
Inside or Outside? - A day outside in the sun is a beautiful thing, but there’s something to be said for being in my office, immersed in a good book (reading one, or writing one).
Twitter or Facebook? - I was a FaceBook guy, but am gravitating toward Twitter and Instagram
e-book or Paperback? - I love eBooks and Paperbacks. This is a very Canadian non-answer, isn’t it? Ha!
Rain or Sun? - I love the sun, don’t mind the rain, and despise the wind. Dunno why.
Keyboard or Notebook? - Once I started typing/keyboarding years ago, I only use paper and pencil as a last resort. The exception being on a resort. I wrote some wonderful scenes on a notepad in a bar in Cuba. I’d trade the beach for the bar at two, to write. The bartender kept me supplied with non-alcoholic pineapple-coconut water drinks as I wrote from two until five. (My wife would come back from the beach at five, and I’d quit writing and switch over to Proseco.)
Comedy or Drama? - I like light comedy over comedy, and light drama over drama. Mysteries all the way, baby!
Chocolate or Chips? - Do I have to choose?

C.S. Barnes (or, just Charley) is a Worcestershire-based writer and poet. She is also a lecturer, content writer, tea-drinker and book-reader with a passion for psychological thrillers that shines through her own work.
 
Barnes is also the current Director of Sabotage Reviews; the Personal Essays and Creative Non-Fiction Editor at Mookychick; and the editor of the Dear Reader poetry journal. The older sibling of Dear Reader, Dear Listener, is Barnes’ open mic and spoken word event that she founded and still runs in Worcester City Centre.
 
She has published work in a wide range of genres, including: poetry (A Z-hearted Guide to Heartache, V. Press; Body Talk, Picaroon Poetry); short fiction (The Women You Were Warned About, Black Pear Press; Go on a Road Trip, Wild Pressed Books); flash fiction (Death Is A Terrible House Guest, and Burn The Witch, The Black Light Engine Room Press); and crime fiction (Intention, Copycat, and Play, Bloodhound Books).
​

GRAB YOUR COPY HERE!
​
​

Who are you and what do you write?

I’m Charley Barnes but I mostly write as C.S. Barnes, which is the moniker I use for my crime and thriller fiction. I’m currently working on my third police procedural novel, as part of a trilogy, but I’m looking to branch out into something a little different for the novel after this.


Where and when and how did the writing life begin for you?

My mother would probably tell you I was five or six when this all started! The more accurate answer is that, like most angry teenagers, I wrote an awful lot of poetry at one point (I still do, although I’m less angry with it now). When I was twenty, I entered a poem into a competition, it was the first time I’d done anything like it and I really didn’t expect anything to come of it, but something did! I received confirmation that my poem would be featured as part of an anthology, and I never looked back from there.


How has the journey to this point been? Can you give us a basic rundown?

Amazing, truly amazing. I spent my early twenties studying writing at university in one form of another which gave me huge amounts of material to work with. It was my PhD studies that led to me writing my first novel, Intention, that was picked up by Bloodhound Books (a great publisher that represents some fantastic authors). After Intention I wanted to try something different again, which is what led to Copycat, and eventually to Play. Honestly, throughout the whole journey I’ve just felt exceptionally lucky to be able to do something I love, and feel a little more professional with it than I did when I was an angry teen!


What's been the hardest part of your writing/publishing experience so far? And the most enjoyable?
​
When I was sending Intention out to agents and publishers, I made careful decisions about where the book was going. I deliberately sent it to people who had either represented or published similar work to my own before. The rejections started rolling in – as they do when you work in the arts – but to get rejections from people who I knew should, in theory, like the book, was a difficult thing for me to get my head around to begin with. I now realise that placing a book with a publisher is a lot more complicated than them simply liking the work.
The most enjoyable experience, though, was finding a publisher who really did like the work. I remember getting an email of interest from Bloodhound Books, which was exciting, but it was also the third email of this kind I’d received by that point so I tried to stay as level as I could. They had the whole manuscript – also exciting – and they turned around an offer in twenty-four hours. A day after sending the whole thing they replied to say they wanted it, and I’ll never get over that moment.
​

Would you go back and change anything?

There must be something that I’d change, but I really can’t think of anything. I know I’m repeating myself a little, but I do feel very lucky that things happened how they did. I might send Intention to Bloodhound Books earlier (but, then I’d run the risk of it not being the right time for them to accept it). I might come back and ask to change this answer in five years’ time, but, now, I feel as though things worked out well for me.


Where would you like to be in 5 years time? And 10?

Still writing, somewhere! I currently lecture in Creative Writing at university level and I sincerely enjoy that work. That said, it can make for a difficult work-writing-life balance sometimes. If, in five years, or ten years, I could have that worked out in a way that allows me to teach throughout the year and write when I’m not teaching (a sea view wouldn’t be too bad, if I could keep one of those in the mix of this), then I’d feel quite comfortable with that.

In terms of writing on a more detailed note, I think the crime genre is where I’m comfortable now. There are so many parts to crime, though, that I’d like to think I’ll have the courage to try a few different sub-genres along the way, too.


What's one piece of advice you'd give to new writers just starting out?

Be cheeky. I’ve said this to my students so many times. There are several chances that I feel I maybe wouldn’t have got – not just in getting to Bloodhound Books, but with other writing achievements, too – if I hadn’t been cheeky and just asked for something. The worst you’ll get is a rejection (and, in the writing life, you’ll get plenty of those at one time or another anyway).

​
And most importantly...

Ketchup or Mayo? Mayo
Night or Day? Day
Inside or Outside? Outside
Dogs or Cats? Dogs
Twitter or Facebook? Twitter
Ebook or Paperback? Paperback
Sun or Rain? Sun
Keyboard or Pencil & Notebook? Pencil and notebook
Comedy or Drama? Comedy
Chips or Chocolate? Chips
​

Emma Reynolds is an illustrator and author based in Manchester, UK. Passionate about storytelling and creating unique characters, Emma is the illustrator of Rescuing Mrs. Birdley written by Aaron Reynolds, released on June 30th 2020 with Simon & Schuster. 

Her debut author-illustrator picture book Amara and the Bats about bat conservation is due for release in summer 2021 with Atheneum - Simon & Schuster.

Emma also started the #KidLit4Climate illustrated campaign, bringing together over 3,000 children's illustrators and authors from over 50 countries in solidarity with the youth climate strikes.

She is inspired by nature, animals, adventure, and seeing the magic in the everyday. She loves bats, cats and bears, walking in the wild and exploring the world. ​

​The Interview...
​

​How does the process work as an illustrator?

After reading the manuscript, I need to decide how to tell this story in pictures. I have to think about the characters, the settings, the angles, the colours, and what all of this is going to make the reader feel. It's my job to bring this story to life and create memorable characters and visual storytelling illustrations that communicate the story in the best way.

I sent over a mood board and some character sketches to start with, and then started really roughly thumbnailing the book. Each round of feedback the drawings got more detailed, and eventually I had 'final sign off' for art finals and I could begin roughing out the colours and details in prep for the finished artwork.

Colour was really important for us in this book, as there is the 'real world' and then Miranda's imaginary nature world, where we chose a limited palette of greens to show what is going on in her imagination, contrasted with the hilarious reality!


What was your favourite part about making the book?

I love thumbnailing out the roughs and the puzzle solving element of this - and working with my editor Justin Chanda and designer Lizzy Bromley to get the pages just right. I really enjoy coming up with the characters, and portraying the hilarious moments in this book. Plus, I got to draw lots of animals which I love doing! (Ring-tailed lemurs <3!)

I especially enjoyed designing how Miranda would look, she was SO much fun to draw. Here are some early character sketches of her where I was exploring her personality...

​I wanted her to have this big wild mane of hair that was very expressive and helped show how she was thinking throughout the book.

This book has been an absolute blast to work on, and I've learnt so much in the process! I hope you enjoy her adventure! (Also, how many cats can you spot snuck into the book?)

Wedding vows have never been this personal…

Willow has been living with marriage-shy Charlie for more years than she cares to remember and is old-fashioned enough to want a wedding band and a loads-of-sex honeymoon before stretchmarks and nipple shields.

So when the once-wary Charlie surprisingly goes down on one knee, Willow doesn’t question why her boyfriend is suddenly so keen to rush her into saying “I do”.

The first clue comes as Willow is zipped into her Cinderella dress, the second as she bobs into the wedding car, and the third as the Roller swings towards its fairy-tale destination… leaving a shell-shocked Willow desperately trying to figure out what to do next.

A bride can do anything she wants on her wedding day, but nobody expected her to do this…
​

Grab your copy here

​

​Who are you and what do you write?
 
My name is Debbie Viggiano and I am a writer of romantic comedies. That said, I’m currently flirting with a psychological thriller. I’m nearly 40,000 words in but not sure I’ll ever be brave enough to publish it!

 
Where and when and how did the writing life begin for you?

I was a legal secretary for many years, but always felt there was a book trying to bust out of me. It finally happened when I married my football-obsessed husband who was reluctant to relinquish the remote control so that he could watch a match that was always taking place somewhere in the world. By this point I’d missed umpteen episodes of my beloved Coronation Street and lost the thread! So, every evening, instead of watching television, I took pen to paper. Out came that story! Stockings and Cellulite was self-published in 2010 and went to Number 38 in the UK Kindle Chart. 


How has the journey to this point been? Can you give us a basic rundown?
 
After the publication of my first novel, I was bitten by the writing bug. Flings and Arrows came next and, again, went into the UK Kindle Charts. I was still doing the day job and juggling kids, home – the whole shebang, but was steadily building a readership. There comes a point when you have to take a leap of faith. Also, my energy levels were flagging! I became a full-time writer in 2017 after signing with Bookouture.
 
 
What's been the hardest part of your writing/publishing experience so far? And the most enjoyable?
 
The hardest part of the writing experience was going under contract. Suddenly this was serious. It was no longer something I could play at. There was a deadline and I had to deliver. It was terrifying and initially gave me brain freeze. I couldn’t write a word! So, I decided to ring my editor, tell her I was terribly sorry, but she’d have to rip up the contract. Happy that I’d made a decision, I sat down and was able to write a chapter. I then told myself I’d make that phone call just as soon as I’d written the second chapter. And then the third. Bit by bit the book got written and that telephone call never got made! 
​
The most enjoyable part of the writing journey is getting positive feedback from readers. If I can make a person smile, then I’m smiling too.
 
 
Would you go back and change anything?

Yes. I would have written that first book a lot earlier!
 
 
Where would you like to be in 5 years’ time? And 10? Or, what are your plans for the future?

Five years… ten years… I hope I’m still writing. But maybe, just maybe, it would be amazing to see one of my books turned into a film. Someone has been asking! If it happens, it won’t be for a while. But it’s fabulous to have the interest!
 
 
What's one piece of advice you'd give to new writers just starting out?

Go for it! We all have a story in us waiting to be told.
 
 
And most importantly...

Ketchup or Mayo? - Ketchup.
Night or Day? - Day.
Inside or Outside? - Outside.
Dogs or Cats? I couldn’t possibly upset my dog or cat by saying just one or the other!!
Twitter or Facebook? - Facebook.
e-book or Paperback? - I can fit thousands of books in my handbag with an eBook!
Sun or Rain? - Don’t mind. I love sunbeams and raindrops.
Keyboard or Pencil & Notebook? - Keyboard.
Comedy or Drama? - Comedy.
Chips or Chocolate? - Chocolate. The darker, the better!

​

​Title: 1000 Sacred Moments
Author: Connie Ann Michael
Publisher: Anaiah Press
Genre: Contemporary Christian Romance / Military Fiction
Release Date: 7/21/2020

Every moment is sacred, even the hard ones.
 
Sawyer and Raven are finally happily married and living by the beach in California, but things are far from perfect. Unsettled with “normal” civilian life, Sawyer feels called back to the battlefield. With Raven’s reluctant agreement, Sawyer deploys with a helicopter medic group.
 
Raven struggles with letting her go again, the nightmares of her last deployment never far from his thoughts, but when their close friends, Thommy and Vanessa, announce they are expecting a baby, Raven begins to wonder if Sawyer is searching for more than just her next deployment.
 
As a former prisoner-of war, Sawyer suffered life changing injuries that leave her unable to have children. Now that their best friends are expecting, Sawyer’s questioning her ability to give Raven the family he desperately wants—and deserves. It seems everyone is moving forward in their lives while she continues to go backward, hoping the next life she saves will fill the hole in her heart. But the middle of a battlefield is the last place she expected to discover the doctors were wrong, and God has other plans.

​

Where and when and how did the writing life begin for you?

My writing life began when my two boys hit the latter part of high school. I had spent so much time entertaining, shuttling, and basically providing for their every need, that when they became more independent I needed something to do. I have always been a writer, jotting stories in notebooks since elementary school, so I dug those story starters out and began seeing what I could do with them.


How has the journey to this point been? Can you give us a basic rundown?

My publishing journey has been bumpy, although it led me to Anaiah so I can't complain. I have learned to be true to my heart and not allow others to encourage change for success, God leads us down many tempting paths but we need to stay true to our faith and success will come in many forms.

​
What's been the hardest part of your writing/publishing experience so far? And the most enjoyable?

Hardest part for me is the editing process. Going back through the stories and changing things and keeping track of story lines, while usually in the midst of writing something else is mind boggling sometimes. Also my editor has a way of sending me my edits right at the end of the school year when I am super busy, ha ha. The most enjoyable part, of course, is the final book sitting on Amazon.


Would you go back and change anything?

No, I am a firm believer that every step we take leads us on the path we are suppose to be on and we learn from everything.
 

Where would you like to be in 5 years time? And 10? Or, what are your plans for the future?

My plans for the future are to keep trudging along. Continue to write and enjoy my new grandson.


What's one piece of advice you'd give to new writers just starting out?

I would tell them to be true to their story. Don't let a publisher tell them that they will be more successful if they sell out and change their story to be something that isn't true to them.


And most importantly...

Ketchup or Mayo? - Ketchup
Night or Day? - Morning
Inside or Outside? - Outside
Dogs or Cats? - Both
Twitter or Facebook? - Facebook
e-book or Paperback? - e-book, I can carry hundreds of books with me everywhere
Sun or Rain? - Sun
Keyboard or Pencil & Notebook? - Keyboard
Comedy or Drama? - Drama
Chips or Chocolate? - Chocolate
​