Our Interview with Kelly Marino!

                          


                                                      Bio

Kelly Marino was born and raised in Buena Park, California, where she grew up believing in true love at first sight, and devoured every romance novel she could find. The moment she did meet the love of her life at the tender age of 18, she fell instantly in love, got married, and moved with her new husband to his home town of Staten Island, New York.

Fast-forward 31 years: Still married to her Prince Charming, Kelly’s a retired Master Cake Decorator, and currently works as a Graphic Designer at Atlantic Express, the third largest provider of transportation for school children in the US.

Kelly and her husband live with their two kids in Staten Island, where she dreams of being able to write full time, works more hours than she would like, and steadfastly remains a hopeless romantic!

                                              Bio provided by author

It was our pleasure to get the opportunity to interview Kelly and learn more about her and how she came to be a author. It's nice to meet another who also has the dream of writing full time too! So get comfortable and grab a warm mug of your favorite hot beverage and please give a warm welcome to Kelly!

1. What makes for a good hook in your stories? Where does your inspiration come from?

I’m a real sucker for character development, and I love to quickly establish immediate personality quirks within my heroine. Then, I like to throw something unexpected at the reader to throw her off, and if my reader scratches her head right away, I know I’ve succeeded. Extremes and contrasts (in personalities and physical attributes in the main characters) appeal to me. Inspiration comes from the multi-faceted people I observe every day.

2. Are you an organized writer? Do you do things like take notes and make lists of characters? Or do you free write and work it out as you go?

I do makes lists and outlines, but I usually end up deviating from them. I don’t know when I’ll learn to stop trying to stick to a regimen! Flying by the seat of my pants always seems to work best.

3. What is your normal writing day like? Do you write when you are inspired or do you have a schedule?

I come home from work, do my hula-hoop for half an hour, sit down with my laptop, and then spend about two hours writing. On the weekends, I write off and on around the clock, especially at night. I’m an incurable night owl, and love the serenity. I don’t get much sleep!

4. Who is your favorite author and how did they inspire you to write?

When I read Maya Angelou’s “Caged Bird,” it changed my entire outlook on how a story should be written. That was at least 30 years ago, but I still remember one particular line she crafted about being horribly insulted, and the line went something like this: “It was like rust on the razor that threatens your throat.” Think about that for a minute. How unnecessary would it be to have rust on a razor that is poised at your throat and ready to kill you. Her writing has always been sheer genius.

5. It’s easy to see that you have a passion for writing but is there any part of it you don’t like?

None that I can think of. Finding that sweet spot (stumbling onto a great way to phrase a thought) is rather like what my fisherman husband describes as the feeling that comes over him when he lands a keeper striped bass, and then throws it, alive and well, back to King Neptune.

6. Do you make time to read and if you do what are you reading right now?

Since I’ve been trying to put those last finishing touches on my novel and get it uploaded to CreateSpace and Amazon.com, I haven’t had too much time to devote to reading lately. I know, I know, I should read all the time, no matter what.

7. How did you get started in writing in the romance/paranormal genre? Is there personal life experience in the writing?

In the mid to late 70s, I read every romance novel that came down the pike (and I mean every single one), and I particularly loved the ones that took place in cities like New Orleans or Port Royal, Jamaica, etc. and touched on subjects like Voodoo and Black Magic. I wanted to honor that obsession by telling a story that stretched the bonds of credibility. My dad’s a retired aerospace engineer, and I’ve always been fascinated by physics and the possibility of time travel.

8. Your books have been published with Create Space, Does this mean you see the publishing industry headed this way?

I hope so. Unfortunately, the publishing world has spent the past 20+ years barring the way for good writers, and have (possibly by accident?) made it more and more difficult for great storytellers to get their stuff printed and promoted.

9. Do you have any online sites where others can read more of your writings?

Well, this is my debut novel, so I can only suggest a link to my website: www.intothehourglass.com . I also have a link to a preview of the book on CreateSpace, which is: http://www.createspace.com./Preview/3728864 . My novel will go “live” on Createspace next week, and then I plan to upload it to Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble.

10. Do you have any more stories in the works? What kinds of stories do you plan to write next?

I love the paranormal genre, and have a sequel (and Book 3) planned. Franny White’s story is far from over!

11.Who would be your first choice to play Franny White from your book "Into the Hourglass"?

There is a luminously pretty actress named Olivia Thirlby, and it’s her face I see when I imagine Franny White’s story on the big screen. Granted, Olivia is a tad older, but she is so fresh and young-looking, she would be my first choice.

12. If you could meet anyone from any time who would it be and what would be your first question?

It would be Pocahontas. I would like to know why she threw herself across Captain John Smith’s body at that last moment, staying the hand of his would-be executioner. Was it an act of brave mercy, or was she simply participating in a ceremony of “ritualistic rebirth?” (Historians have never been able to agree on that subject.) Oh, and I’d love to know if she loved her husband, John Rolfe, as passionately as she loved Captain Smith.

Our Interview with RLB Hartmann!

                                                           Bio

A novelist at heart, much of my writing life has been spent editing my own work as well as that of others. I've written short stories, poetic drivel, screenplays, and a multi-novel historical epic. Collaborations on screenplays include both comedy and science fiction.

The first story I remember penning - make that, penciling, as I was in the third grade - was set on the windy plains pf a western state, with a horse named Keno as the main character. Horses are a continuing feature of my work - though not main characters.

My fiction always begins with people in the midst of crisis, whether they know it or not. It's as if I am dropped down into a world already there, and I'm driven by curiosity to find out what the characters in that world think and feel. I don't try to make things happen, but watch and record events and dialog.

Aside from writing, and painting Mexican landscapes, I have: taught all areas of English at high school and community college levels. Published 2 years of an illustrated newsletter, Bookmark Quarterly. Sold my paintings and some stories. Dressed display windows for a local computer store. Exhibited and sold stock at antiquarian book fairs.
At one time, my life's work was to write a 600-page spoof on every Western movie ever made. I got as far as naming the Table of Contents before abandoning it for a new project -- Tierra del Oro. Presently I'm creating covers for the books and plan to begin publishing them later this year.

I'm currently a member of The Western Writers of America.

For those who want to bypass my website, the direct buy link is here:
https://www.createspace.com/3756305

                                           Bio provided by author's site

 

It was our pleasure to get the opportunity to interview RLB and learn more about how he became a western author. So get comfortable and please give a warm welcome to RLB!

 

1. What makes for a good hook in your stories? Where does your inspiration come from?

Opening each story with a character in a vivid setting and a mental state of turmoil seems to be my favorite method.Wanting to find out what happens to them, and how they respond to relationships and challenges, keeps me involved and focused throughout the writing.

2. Are you an organized writer? Do you do things like take notes and make lists of characters? Or do you free write and work it out as you go?

While I'm probably one of the most disorganized persons I know, I did make copious notes and lists from research materials I amassed during the early stages of writing. Quite a lot of these were used to incorporate details of Mexican culture and history, but the plotlines developed from the characters, and the characters made choices based on events in the plotlines. I also drew maps, sketches of the houses, and paintings of scenes where the action takes place. I've made a character chart for readers that I plan to put on my website when I have a chance to update it.

3. What is your normal writing day like? Do you write when you are inspired or do you have a schedule?

Having completed several drafts of each novel over the years, my current normal day is REwriting to remove overused words, spot typos, add Spanish accent marks, and check for inconsistencies that crept in during previous revisions. I do this when I have time, but mostly in the mornings after dealing with emails, and in the evenings after checking into social media sites.

4. Who is your favorite author and how did they inspire you to write?

Many, many authors have provided inspiration since childhood. The first who spring to mind are Margaret Mitchell, Daphne du Maurier, Louis L'Amour, and Carlos Ruíz Zafón (Shadow of the Wind). Others include Mary O'Hara, who wrote Thunderhead and Green Grass of Wyoming, and Harper Lee.

5. It’s easy to see that you have a passion for writing but is there any part of it you don’t like?

I love it all. Those first sparks of shimmering images and whispered dialogue that, if pursued, create a blaze or sometimes an inferno. Watching a story unfold, the tender scenes between lovers, violent scenes in a war-torn land, heartbreak and victory. It's exhilarating and fulfilling.

6. Do you make time to read and if you do what are you reading right now?

Making time to read is more difficult now that I've taken on the challenge of meeting deadlines with launching the novels, but I've just discovered Bailey White, and I can always make time for a good bookshop mystery, preferably one with a cat.

7. How did you get started in writing about western, historical fiction? Is there personal life experience in the writing?

My first (still in a drawer) historical western came about while I was still in high school. My maternal grandmother, Mawie, used to tell me stories she made up, based on B-movie westerns she had seen, so I credit her for the seed planted that bloomed when TV western series were broadcast nightly. I saw David Carradine when he played "Shane" on TV, and knew he was ideal as a character whose beginning goes so far back that I can't actually pinpoint his inception.

8. I see that you have published with several different companies including Lulu.com and Amazon.com, Does this mean you see the publishing industry headed this way?

I've been involved with the publishing industry in various ways since I garnered my first box full of rejection slips. As a reader, writer, bookseller, and publisher, I've seen vast changes. Blogs, newsletters, and buzz among my writer/reader friends tell me significant changes are still to come. Having given myself headaches during the years I was told my work was "ambitious" and "interesting" while being unaware of the obstacles I was facing, I'm happily riding this wave.

9. Do you have any online sites where others can read more of your writings?

Two short stories appear here: http://love-lovepublishing.com/?cat=8

And a short-short "The Day of the Dead" was just published here: http://www.everywritersresource.com/shortstories/the-day-of-the-dead-by-rlb-hartmann/2012/

Tierra del Oro is featured on my website www.rlbhartmann.com where the novels are presented in photos and midi themes under the "Stories" link.

10. Do you have any more stories in the works? What kinds of stories do you plan to write next?

I have a backlog of short stories, short scripts, feature length scripts based on my novels, and another historical novel, The Brackettville Horses, coming from Love-Love Publishing sometime this year. I once had a contemporary story, Strong Coffee, online for about a year, but the site changed and I removed it. I don't plan to write anything else, but I said that when someone asked me if Legend of the Sierra Madre would have a sequel. It certainly did.

11. Who would be your first choice to play Ramón Cordero in your book "Forty Grains of Black Powder: Book One of Tierra del Oro"?

I've been thinking about the answer to this question since Ramón first appeared in my mind's eye in 1973. So the actor to play him has changed on a moving timeline. There are so many competent and handsome Latinos on the scene now that I'm sure I'd be pleased, so long as his voice was right and his range of emotions was convincing.

12. If you could meet anyone from any time who would it be and what would be your first question?

Do I have to choose ONE? It would probably be J.R.R. Tolkien, who said about his The Lord of the Rings, "The story grew in the telling," for that's exactly what happened to me.

                                  

Our Interview with Sarah Harding-Roberts

                                        


                                                            Bio

Sarah Harding-Roberts was born in 1988 in Cardiff, Wales where she grew up and after several moves in her late teens and early twenties, moved back again.

"Scourge" is her first book, after "(Condensed) Russian Communism For Kids!" (a very short story), which details the life of Lilith Black, once Lilith the Scourge, upon her return to the mortal world.

She has previously written poetry that has been accepted into anthologies (recently the Poetry Rivals 'A Poet's Echo' collection) and thoroughly enjoys writing as much as her brain will permit her within a day.

                              Bio provided by author

It was our pleasure to get the opportunity to interview Sarah and learn more about how she became a writer. Sarah is one of those people who has stories crowding her mind and trying to get out all at once! Get comfortable and please give a warm welcome to Sarah!


1. What makes for a good hook in your stories? Where does your inspiration come from?

I like to add some sort of connection to a major event, such as the sinking of the Titanic – having a character present at such events can make for interesting story telling, especially from an age old demon that has seen most of the big events in history. My inspiration comes from other fantasy writers who have managed to come up with fantastic worlds and characters; they give me the inspiration I need to see I can create any amount of strange worlds and creatures that inhabit them, although it does help that I always have different ideas and new characters popping into my head at all hours of the day!

2. Are you an organized writer? Do you do things like take notes and make lists of characters? Or do you free write and work it out as you go?

I do try to take notes from time to time, I have a wall in my attic with chapter outlines and titles for any future books I want to start writing, which helps me to remain focussed on the task at hand, but I frequently get ideas throughout the day, so I used to keep a notebook in my bag just in case, but after constantly losing any notes I made I had to upgrade to a handy netbook instead!

3. What is your normal writing day like? Do you write when you are inspired or do you have a schedule?

Usually I will only write when I get a good idea for a chapter or a situation a character finds themselves in, but I do like to tell myself I am going to do a lot of writing some days – unfortunately sometimes the internet finds a way to distract me!

4. Who is your favorite author and how did they inspire you to write?

I really like Terry Pratchett. He is an incredibly talented man and the worlds and characters he has created over the years are simply amazing – grumpy Death being my favourite character out of all of them. Pratchett has made a name for himself by creating such wonderful stories and characters over the years, and his ability to do so is very inspiring indeed. I don’t think I could ever rival him in brilliance, but a girl can dream!

5. It’s easy to see that you have a passion for writing but is there any part of it you don’t like?

I really don’t like having to look critically at my own work, because I will usually find something completely wrong with it and have to rewrite it, or it will irritate me and I sometimes convince myself that I ought to stop, but then I find myself inspired by another idea and I’m back to writing again!

6. Do you make time to read and if you do what are you reading right now?

I do try to make time to read, but considerably less than when I was younger when I had less things to do during the day. At the moment I am reading Amanda Hocking’s book ‘Switched’.

7. How did you get into writing in the dark fantasy fictional genre? Is there personal life experience in the writing?

I’ve always been interested in fantasy as a genre, but I find I like to set it in a more modern day setting – the darkness in my fantasy comes from the demons I have in my series at the moment; I have always been interested in the idea of demons, and it has been exciting to explore different ones from different religions as well as coming up with my own. The modern day setting that I enjoy I believe can inject a person into the story; if it’s happening now, it may well be a possibility – we just don’t know what worlds co-exist with our own.

8. Your books have been published with Amazon.com, Does this mean you see the publishing industry headed this way?

I think it’s a very good idea – especially for authors who have previously had difficulty with the standard publishing route – self publishing does tend to have a bad name, what with scams and schemes where the author must shell out hundreds of pounds to simply get a few print copies of their book, but Amazon have managed to break away from the stigma attached to it and made it much easier and accessible for new authors, whilst also making it completely free. I think it really has changed the face of publishing, but there are still people out there who just prefer print books, so I don’t think online publishing will ever completely take over physical publishing.

9. Do you have any online sites where others can read more of your writings?

Not currently, but I am working on it!

10. Do you have any more stories in the works? What kinds of stories do you plan to write next?

I am in the process of planning the sequel to ‘Scourge’ (which is currently only named ‘Book Two of the Lilith the Scourge series’!), but I always have different ideas swimming around my mind trying to come out, some of which might end up as short stories or even full –length ones!

11. Who would be your first choice to play Lilith Black from your book "Scourge (Lilith the Scourge)"?

I would much prefer an up and coming actress who really understood the character and could look back on the role as a career maker, unless they were willing to cast me of course!

12. If you could meet anyone from any time who would it be and what would be your first question?

Probably Edgar Allan Poe. I was obsessed with his poetry as a teenager and I absolutely adored the melancholic beauty in his prose. If I was to meet him, I would ask him to read me one of his poems.

Our Interview with Rachael H Dixon!

                                      

                                                       Bio

Rachael H Dixon lives in the northeast of England with her husband Derek and their furry, four-legged son Marvin. She's been writing pretty much ever since she could hold, albeit strangely, a pen, and her favourite subjects are anything to do with horror and/or the paranormal. Her love for the macabre stems from reading James Herbert novels and late nights spent watching black and white Vincent Price films as a young child.

She has a degree in Graphic Design, and when she's not busy writing and reading she enjoys drawing and painting. And, as with lots of other creative types, she loves a glass of red wine now and then.

To keep tabs on Rachael, go to one, or all, of the following:
Blog: http://www.rachaelhdixon.blogspot.com
General writing journal: http://www.rachaelhdixon.webs.com
Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rachael-H-Dixon/125424854223752.
Official Slippery Souls website: http://www.slipperysouls.co.uk

                                     Bio provided by author's site
It was our pleasure to get the opportunity to interview Rachael and learn how she came to writing about the horror genre. Vincent Price is was an influence in her writing in the macabre. Its nice to know Vincent Price is still influencing people! So get comfortable and please give a warm welcome to Rachael!

1. What makes for a good hook in your stories? Where does your inspiration come from?

The initial idea for Slippery Souls came from a dream I had. The two characters instantly struck a chord with me and I couldn’t get them out of my head for weeks on end - theirs was a story I felt that needed to be told.

I always knew that with Slippery Souls I wanted to write something quirky and upbeat – something that I would enjoy reading myself. And as for the fictional Sunray Bay itself, it was born from my love of the good old British seaside resort. I thought it was important, for me, to write about people and places that I could draw pleasure from - to maintain a level of interest and excitement.

2. Are you an organized writer? Do you do things like take notes and make lists of characters? Or do you free write and work it out as you go?

I tend to begin with my characters, so I always have character biographies drafted out and to hand. As for the storyline, with Slippery Souls I tried to plan it out as best I could, though sometimes the characters drove me to deviate sometimes.

With the sequel, The Forgotten Ones, I’m going to try doing it differently, I’ll just let the characters drive me from the beginning – and I’m hoping they’ll guide me right. I’m still experimenting and finding my feet at the moment, so it’ll be interesting to see which method works best for me. I’ll let you know as soon as The Forgotten Ones is finished!

3. What is your normal writing day like? Do you write when you are inspired or do you have a schedule?

I work at my dining room table – and I work every day from about 8am until whenever I’m too exhausted to write any more – often around 10pm.

I have coursework to complete and other writing projects on the go. I like to target the short story market now and then and I’m also working on three other novels - which are all at varying stages. I’m a bit of a juggler, and I try to work to a timetable – which isn’t always possible, but it keeps my head a bit tidier.

4. Who is your favorite author and how did they inspire you to write?

It’s a tough question, but if I had to whittle it down I’d say my favourite author is James Herbert – I was introduced to his books at a very early age. Fluke was the first of his books that I read, and I was absolutely hooked. I much prefer his darker books, but Fluke was a good starting point. I remember thinking that I wanted to be like James Herbert when I grew up (a writer, that is, not a man!)

5. It’s easy to see that you have a passion for writing but is there any part of it you don’t like?

Oh definitely. I hate editing over and over and over again - but it’s brilliant when you get to the stage where you can finally say enough is enough.

6. Do you make time to read and if you do what are you reading right now?

Absolutely, it’s essential to make time to read when you’re a writer. I try to read widely. Other peoples work is often inspirational, and if I ever feel like I’m in a rut with my own writing, reading a book can help kick-start me.

I’m a bit of a juggler with reading as well. At the moment I’ve just finished reading The Book With No Name by Anonymous – which was hilariously good fun! And I’m reading a couple of pieces by fellow indie writers, as well as trying to catch up on two months’ worth of Writing Magazine.

7. How did you get started on writing urban fantasy? Is there personal life experience in the writing?

I think Slippery Souls essentially came about because of my love for vampires and werewolves. It’s located at the seaside though, so I’m not sure it can be classed as straight-forward urban fantasy (which is why I tag-lined it urban fantasy…by the seaside) - which hopefully reflects that it’s a not-too-serious kind of book.

As for life experience, hmmm, I suppose there are elements of life experience in most of my stories, to a degree – though admittedly not when it comes to talking-dogs and monsters.

8. Your books have been published with Amazon.com and Kindle Direct Publishing, Does this mean you see the publishing industry headed this way?

Amazon has certainly been a great foothold for indie writers. The world of publishing is extremely exciting at the moment - I’m not sure how things will pan out, but all I can say is that I’m pleased to be part of it right now.

9. Do you have any online sites where others can read more of your writings?

Yes, there’s a sample from Slippery Souls (as well as competitions and news) on the official Slippery Souls websitewww.slipperysouls.co.uk. And I also have a general writing websitewww.rachaelhdixon.webs.com where you can view my short stories, poems and news.

10. Do you have any more stories in the works? What kinds of stories do you plan to write next?

I’m currently working on The Forgotten Ones, which is the sequel to Slippery Souls.

I also have a women’s fiction novel, called Monday, in its first draft form. And I’ve got some ideas and notes written down for a horror novel - in the future, I can definitely see myself writing more in the way of dark chillers.

11. Who would be your first choice to play Libby from your book "Slippery Souls"?

Hmmm I’m not sure really. In my mind I perhaps imagine her as a younger version of Isla Fisher – Libby is in her early twenties and she’s a pretty red-head.

As for Grim, I definitely imagined he would be Jason Statham!

12. If you could meet anyone from any time who would it be and what would be your first question?

I’d love to meet James Herbert and I’d ask him if he fancied a few beers. It’d be great to while away an afternoon in the pub chatting to him about the makings of a bloody good horror story.

Our Interview with Amanda Vega!

                

                                                                         Bio

My name is Amanda Vega. I have e-published one of my young adult novels so far, with more to come. I live in South Carolina. I have two beautiful daughters and an extremely supportive husband. My favorite authors are Stephen King, John Grisham, and James Patterson. My favorite young adult authors are Addison Moore, Amanda Hocking, Stephanie Meyer and J.K. Rowling. I like to listen to music when I write. I like Skylar Grey, The Pretty Reckless, Taylor Swift and all different kinds of music depending on what I am writing.

                                              Bio provided by author's site

We had the pleasure of getting an opportunity to interview Amanda and learn more about her and a small glimpse into her life. So get comfortable and please give a warm welcome to Amanda!

1. What makes for a good hook in your stories? Where does your inspiration come from?

I usually think of one scene first and then the rest of the story evolves from there. For instance, with Changeling, I was rocking my second daughter who was a few weeks old and I came up with the opening scene. A new mother hears someone singing in the baby monitor and runs in to find no one there but discovers that the window has been opened.
For my next book that I am almost through with, I had a deer run out of the woods in front of me. I came up with a scene where a deer runs in front of the main character's car because it is being chased by a vampire.
I also use ideas from my dreams.

2. Are you an organized writer? Do you do things like take notes and make lists of characters? Or do you free write and work it out as you go?

I would say that I am an organized writer. I keep ideas written down on large index cards. As I build on the ideas I keep character sketches and a card for each scene that I come up with. I write the stories out long hand in small spiral notebooks. I will sometimes free write scenes that I have not planned out just to see how I can get from the previous scene to the next one.

3. What is your normal writing day like? Do you write when you are inspired or do you have a schedule? I have a full time job, that is not writing, and two small children, so I write whenever I get the chance. I write while I eat lunch, I write while I give the girls a bath, and I write before I go to sleep. I am in the home stretch of the book I am writing now so it is a lot easier to be motivated to write. I have done all the hard work now is the fun stuff. I usually listen to music for inspiration. In Changeling, I found inspiration for the prom scene from B.O.B's Airplane. I am really liking Adele and The Pretty Reckless for the latest book.

4. Who is your favorite author and how did they inspire you to write? My favorite author is Stephen King. I read It in the 6th grade and couldn't believe how he could make me feel every emotion along the spectrum in one book. He inspired me to write because he would take the normal everyday stuff and make it so much more. I also liked that he gets his ideas from dreams he has. Granted his dreams are a lot more twisted than mine but I can relate.

5. It’s easy to see that you have a passion for writing but is there any part of it you don’t like?

I wish that I could devote more time to it. I think every author who is not doing it for a living would love to be but it would be a nice luxury to have more time to do what I love. I have 6 ideas started right now that I wish I could get on paper. But, I am working on it as fast as I can.

6. Do you make time to read and if you do what are you reading right now? I love to read. Right now I am trying to focus on writing so I am not reading anything at this moment. But, I did pause to read Addison Moore's latest, Vex, and I just finished the latest novella in the House of Night series, Lenobia's Vow. Since I am writing Young Adult novels, I try to read as much as I can in that genre. I really love Amanda Hocking's books.

7. How did you get started in writing in this action/adventure fiction genre? Is there personal life experience in the writing? 

It just seemed the right genre for me to write in because that's how my stories lend themselves. I grew up with two brothers so I watched a lot of karate and action movies. Also, vampire movies like Lost Boys were popular when I was growing up. The only life experiences that I can see in my writing is the main characters being close to their moms. My mom is definitely my best friend today and my biggest supporter.

8. Your books have been published with Amazon.com, Does this mean you see the publishing industry headed this way?

I'm not sure if this is the way the industry is headed but I am sure glad it's available to people who just want their stories to be read. Every author works hard on their novels and it's sure nice to have other people read them. I sent out a few query letters, 8 to be exact, and never got any kind of feedback other than the standard not what we're looking for right now letter. So after reading one of Amanda Hocking's novels and going on her website, I learned that e-publishing was an option. I kind of kicked the idea around. Then, I read Addison Moore's first e-published novel. I reached out to her and received some great advice on how to get started if I decided to e-publish. I was floored with how helpful and encouraging Addison was.

9. Do you have any online sites where others can read more of your writings? I have started a blog, Amandavegaauthor@blogspot.com. I have started putting information about the latest book I am working on.

10. Do you have any more stories in the works? What kinds of stories do you plan to write next? I am working on a book about a girl, Laurel, from a small town who starts to question why her town has a curfew for children and adults. She learns the secret of the town and the fact that she is a Spirit Warrior who has been given the ability to create and control fire. Along with three other warriors, she has to overcome her self doubt to save her town and the people living in it.

11. Who would be your first choice to play Lexi from your book "Changeling"?

A younger version of Blake Lively or Elizabeth Olsen.

12. If you could meet anyone from any time who would it be and what would be your first question? That is a tough question. But I could not pass up the opportunity to meet Jesus. I would probably ask him what comes next for us after this life.

Our Interview with Mary Bartnikowski!

                       


                                                Bio

Mary Bartnikowski, award-winning photographer, author, educator, mother and women's international travel expert has lived and worked in 27 countries in the last 6 years. With no big bank account and even less electricity she has traveled by boat, plane, train, chicken bus, motorbike and rickshaw photographing the Dalai Lama in India, riding elephants bareback in Nepal, leading humanitarian projects worldwide and begging the bus driver in Bolivia to pull over so she could pee. After raising her son in California she broke free of the USA and is now a full-time vagabond. Want to ditch your job and travel the world? Find out how: read this book. www.bartnikowski.com

                                              Bio provided by author's site

It was our pleasure to get an opportunity to interview Mary and learn about her and her travels! It seams she has been to many different places and experienced a life time of memories. Now she has decided to write a book about her adventures, the good and the bad. So grab a warm mug of a hot beverage and please give a warm welcome to Mary!

1. What makes for a good hook in your stories? Where does your inspiration come from?
My inspiration comes from the comedy of real life. I like to write about every day topics - it could be traveling by chicken bus in Ecuador, hitchhiking in the Himalayas, or purchasing proper panties in Bolivia. I like to take the every day and entertain people with my thoughts on it. My hook is the unexpected moments of reality that pop-up as I'm living my life out loud. It's been a fascinating past 6 years which is how long it took me to write and live my latest book: Kitten Heels in Kathmandu, Adventures of a Female Vagabond.

2. Are you an organized writer? Do you do things like take notes and make lists of characters? Or do you free write and work it out as you go?
I free write. It's like downloading. The right side of the brain expresses the writing. The left side edits it. When I first started writing 20 years ago I wrote with a pen and paper - I highly recommend it as it forces your heart to spill out of your fingertips in a way that a computer being a machine capturing your words is different. But my fingers were not fast enough to download my thoughts so after 2 years of pen and paper writing I traded it in for my laptop.

3. What is your normal writing day like? Do you write when you are inspired or do you have a schedule?
I write every day. And try not to get too caught up in the kitchen. Eating, concocting new dishes, its very tempting to go create in the kitchen. I was a professional cook before being a writer and photographer. Cooking is a lot like writing. But more people read my writing than eat my cooking. I think.

4. Who is your favorite author and how did they inspire you to write?Back when I started writing my favorite authors were
Natalie Goldberg, Brenda Euland - she wrote "If You Want to Write" and Julia Cameron.

5. It’s easy to see that you have a passion for writing but is there any part of it you don’t like?
I'm not crazy about editing. I love writing, it's like sailing across the page without needing water to glide on. But editing uses the left side of the brain, the analytical math side
and that's more challenging for me but also rewarding.

6. Do you make time to read and if you do what are you reading right now?I love to read! In fact, my 10th grade English teacher just wrote me on facebook and that reminded me of all the reading over the years since the age of 6 that I loved doing. I would go to the library and get an armload of books to bring home to read. When we had contests for reading in school for how many books we could read I was always one of the top readers. It wasn't work to me. It was play. Right now I'm editing my next book so I am reading that and only that. It keeps me focused rather than straying off and reading another author's wonderful words. It would be too easy to lose myself in a great read right now. So I keep going. Editing more.

7. How did you come to write about your adventures and travels?I write about what I'm doing, feeling, thinking, imagining. I realized that writing about my adventures and travels could give someone else a new perspective on wandering the world. And connecting with my readers is inspiring. All that time spent alone writing erupts in to readers telling me how they feel about my writing. I hope to inspire others to step out of the ruts we dig and live big.

8. Your books have been published with Amazon.com, Does this mean you see the publishing industry headed this way?Oh yes. When my first book came out:

www.amazon.ca/Everyday-Naked-Mary-Bartnikowski/dp/0890878765

I was doing readings in book stores - I had my book launch at Borders and now they are closed. But online publishing is a new world to explore. And it costs less to publish online so more people can be a part of the publishing process. It's quicker too.

9. Do you have any online sites where others can read more of your writings?

http://bartnikowski.com/blog/

and I have photographs of my world travel here with writing about the photos:

http://bartnikowski.smugmug.com

And enjoy my 100 fun videos of my world travels here:

http://zestyzippy.youtube.com

find me on facebook and kindly like my page too:

facebook.com/bartnikowski where you can also download my book.

10. Do you have any more stories in the works? What kinds of stories do you plan to write next?I am so excited about e-publishing now! I am just now on smashwords this week
http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/bartnikowski
and am doing an audio of Kitten Heels and Everyday Naked and will do one of my new book too. I am writing about my adventures in Belize, Guatemala, Thailand, Bali, and more India and Nepal - also more stories from South America.

11. If your travels story were to become a documentary who would you want to narrate it?I love acting so I would enjoy doing it. Some readers have told me that they enjoy hearing me read the book even more than reading it themselves.

12. If you could meet anyone from any time who would it be and what would be your first question?

I've always wanted to meet Madame Curie. And I'd love to meet Colette and Simone de Beauvoir. I would enjoy having a cup of tea with them and seeing what brews up.