APRI PRESENTS: Interview with Author Lisa Glenn

BIO FOR LISA GLENN

Marsocial Author of the year, "Runner up" Lisa Glenn, the author of The Leftovers.
I am currently a part time college student. I was born in Montana, but currently live in the panhandle of Florida where I am working on my second novel. I am the Mother of 4 and a Grandmother of 2. I have always wanted to write but never had the courage until now. I love to read and have thousands of books, so I guess it was destined to be. I am known for my shyness but I let it all come out in my writing. I write, I guess what you would call mainstream fiction. My books have a little bit of romance, action, and mystery with some inspirational thrown in. I stay busy taking care of my one child still at home, and a beagle mix named, Jasper. I work full time and attend college part time. I have two novels in the works right now. The sequel to Shelby an inspirational YA, and The Fisherman, a fantasy romance. I love coffee and chocolate, preferably Hershey's.

APRI: What do you do when you are not writing?

LG: Getting into trouble, well some of the time. I work part time at a local store, along with raising a 12 year old. She keeps me on my toes. I also sell Avon and design book covers. I currently, along with four other authors, am diligently putting together a book signing event in the panhandle of Florida.

APRI: Do you have a day job as well?

LG: Yes, I guess I kind of answered that one already. I do have a part time 9-2 Monday thru Friday job.

APRI: How did you choose the genre you write in?

LG: I am still trying to find my niche. I write YA and Fantasy but I'm currently working on a paranormal. I believe I will be sticking with YA in the future. I think my flow works better with that Genre.

APRI: Do you ever experience writer's block?

LG: Yes, I recently had a hard time of it due to this heat here in Florida. I felt like it drained my creativity. I couldn't write for two weeks. Writer's block hits me during periods that I cannot concentrate -- too much going on around me.

APRI: Is there any particular author or book that influenced you in any way either growing up or as an adult?

LG: Yes, Johanna Lindsey is my all-time favorite author. I read her books as a young teen. I still to this day love her writing. I was about 13 when I picked up Harlequin romance, and never stopped reading since.

APRI: Can you tell us about your challenges in getting your first book published?

LG: Not knowing how or where to go was my biggest challenge. Then, finding out that the formatting was all wrong. It took me a good week to work it out. I read up books that gave detailed directions.

APRI: What's the biggest mistake you've made as a writer?

LG: Signing with a fraudelent publishing company.

APRI: If you had to convince a friend or colleague to read your work, what might you tell them?

LG: First off, I would suggest my young adult book - Shelby. This book is a heart wrenching read with unique characters. It's for any reader 13 and up. I think it's my best work to date.

APRI: How would you describe your writing style?

LG: Fast paced. I don't like to drag out my scenes. I want to hurry and get to the next adventure.

APRI: What makes you smile?

LG: Coffee, a good joke, and friends. My first cup of coffee of the day always puts a smile on my face. And I must not forget my daughter. She always makes me smile.

APRI: Take us through a day in your life...what does an average Monday look like for you, both professionally and personally?

LG: I wake up at 5 am, take my dog out to his kennel. Make a pot of coffee. I check my emails, post on my blog and FB pages. Do some marketing. At 7 am get ready for work. 9 am off to work and 2 pm home. Then do chores and then start dinner. After clean up back on computer. I check messages then get comfortable and write for 2 to 3 hours. Spend an hour or two with my daughter before bed.

APRI: What is your favorite word?

LG: Flipping. When I was younger I use to cuss so instead of cussing I would slip the word 'Flipping' instead. To this day I love that one.

APRI: How do you market your work? What avenues have you found to work best for your genre?

LG: I post to 5 or 6 social media sites like Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, TSU, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Google. I also use Yahoo and Google groups. I use my website for blogs and information. I have my book on a lot of free sites like - iauthor and bookbud. I published my books over many platforms. I haven't really found any better avenues yet for my Young Adult but still striving to find what fits me.

APRI: Is anything in your book based on real life experiences or purely all imagination?

LG: The characters in my novel, The Leftovers, are actually based on family members. My book, Shelby, also has the characters based on my family. The setting of all my books are places that I have lived.

APRI: Tell us about your process: pen and paper, computer, notebooks...how do you write?

LG: I don't use an outline. It just comes to me. I write as if I am telling my daughter a story. When I finish the MS I read through it and fix the many mistakes and add more details. I usually write the beginning and the end first then add the middle.

APRI: Which writer would you most like to have a drink with and why?

LG: James Patterson. He switches genres. I want his secrets.

APRI: When was the first time you felt "Wow, my work actually has an impact on someone else?"

LG: When I released Shelby. The reviews started coming in and readers were asking for book 2.

APRI: What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author? What has been the best compliment?

LG: Toughest criticism - That my work was too fast paced was a tough one but that's me, that's how I write. It hurt at first but not everyone reads the same. Best compliment - The best compliment was again with Shelby. That my characters came to life in a heartfelt way.

APRI: What were you like at school?

LG: I was the class clown.

PLACES TO FIND LISA GLENN

http://www.amazon.com/Lisa-Glenn/e/B00IN72HTE/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lisa-Glenn/1445107839048590

https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/lisamae1

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6178760.Lisa_Glenn

https://www.linkedin.com/pub/lisa-glenn/88/825/760

APRI PRESENTS: Interview with Author Brendan Landers

BIO FOR BRENDAN LANDERS

Brendan Landers is an award-winning journalist, short story writer and 

novelist. His short fiction has won prizes in the Dunlavin Arts Festival Short Story 

Competition (2006), the James Plunkett Memorial Award (2004), the Sunday 

Tribune/Education Matters Short Story Competition (1996) and the Toronto Star Short 

Story Competition (1995). Other accolades include Canada's Off The Wall Award for 

Fiction (1993) and the Ontario Women's Press Club Award for Excellence in Writing 

(1989). His short stories have appeared in publications such as Whispers & Shouts 

(Ireland), The Sunday Tribune (Ireland), Ireland's Own (Ireland), Ireland's Eye 

(Canada), The Celtic Connection (Canada), The Toronto Star (Canada), The White Wall 

Review (Canada) and Storyteller Magazine (Canada). Brendan writes regular columns 

for Suburbia Magazine and Upside Dublin. His journalism has also been published in a 

wide variety of Irish, British, Canadian and US publications, including The Irish Times, 

The Globe and Mail (Canada), The Vancouver Sun, This Magazine, Compass Magazine 

and Emmy Magazine (USA). He has guested on Sunday Miscellany and the Ryan Tubridy 

Show (RTE Radio),  Hearts and Minds (BBC TV), Newstalk Radio, CBS News (USA) 

and the BBC World Service. He is the former Publisher/Managing Editor of Ireland's 

Eye, a magazine for Irish Canadians, and the former Editor of the Irish Canada News, a 

Toronto-based monthly newspaper. He has written for a number of other publications 

that cater to the expatriate Irish community and people of Irish ancestry, including 

Irish America Magazine (New York), The Irish Post (Great Britain), The Irish Echo 

(Australia), The Celtic Connection (Vancouver) and The Toronto Irish News.

APRI: Do you have a specific writing style?

BL: I'm a Gemini and this may have something to do with why in my craftwork I have more than one writing  style. My published novel, Milo Devine, which is now available on Amazon as an e-book, is a political thriller with a protagonist who is a private detective. My writing style in this genre is crisp, sharp, fast-moving with short sentences and paragraphs, inspired very much by Film Noir and old-school crime writers like Raymond Chandler, Dashiell Hammett and James Elroy.

I am currently working on a literary novel and in this, and in my short stories I tend to employ a more expansive, descriptive prose style and more extensive use of metaphors and similes and suchlike.

And in my journalism, well, the market dictates that I adapt my style somewhat to the medium or publication for which I am writing.

APRI: Name one entity that you feel supported you outside family members.

BL: Ghosts. It's ghosts who keep me going at times when the spirit wavers and I get to thinking of trees falling in forests and wondering if anyone out there is listening to my noise. Mostly the ghosts of dead writers. The ghost of John Steinbeck, who warmed himself up for his writing day by writing letters to friends and colleagues (my predilection for writing first manifested itself in my early habit of writing letters to anyone and everyone who would read them). The ghost of William Butler Yeats ( appropriately enough in this year when we celebrate the 150th anniversary of his birth) whose talent for evocative language and imagery was dazzling, wide ranging and breath-taking. The ghost of Frank McCourt whose gift for writing only spread its wings and was widely recognized when he was in his sixties. And the ghosts of all those writers, such as James Plunkett, Solzhenitsyn, Lorca, Marquez who worked to illuminate the human spirit, resist injustice and change the world.

APRI: Do you recall how your interest in writing originated?

BL: I always wrote. Letter. Diaries. Limericks. Poems when I was in my teens and tweens. It was an innate thing, an irresistible force in my makeup, and I did it almost without thinking of the impulses that were driving the engine.

APRI: Do you have any unique talents or hobbies?

BL: Unique talents - does this mean that I'm allowed to shamelessly brag and boast and sing my own praises? Well, so - I think I have a bit of a talent for loving and I like to love large. This is not a philanthropic urge; it's selfish. Selfish is the best sense. I only really identified its nature when I heard a talk by a Dublin-based priest, Peter McVerry, who has devoted his life to working with the homeless; when a person in the audience commented that this was a great sacrifice and the homeless should be grateful to him, Peter shook his head and said no, God is Love and it's he (Peter) who should be grateful because by accepting him into their lives those people offer him the chance to work and love among them. I'm an agnostic but I totally get what the man was saying. And so I must be grateful for this little talent of mine. I think it finds its ways into most of my work, especially my newspaper and magazine columns about family and relationships.

APRI: What can we expect from you in the future?

BL: I have written a sequel to the Milo Devine novel and am hoping to do a series of books featuring the Milo Devine character. I am seeking a publisher. The novel on which I am currently working is about life in Ireland in the age of austerity. It's called Buster's Last Stand and it's about a man grappling with his ambitions for himself and his loved ones, set against the backdrop of a community dealing with the havoc wreaked on it by the implementation of the neo-liberal agenda that is so much in vogue nowadays.

I also continue to write newspaper and radio columns and blogs. I have a number of short stories written about fatherhood and at some time I would like to do a story collection on that subject.

APRI: Do you have any tips for readers or advice for other writers trying to get published?

BL: Do the work, keep trying and heed Beckett: Fail, Fail again. Fail better.

APRI: What are the most important elements of good writing? According to you, what tools are must-haves for writers?

BL: What do you mean by good? It's such a subjective thing. Must-have tools are a stout heart, something to say and persistence. And practice!

APRI: What is the hardest part of writing for you?

BL: Getting started, avoiding distraction and staying the course. In my earlier years the frequent rejection that is part and parcel of the writing life was painful but now I don't give a shite about that.

APRI: If you were writing a book about your life, what would the title be?

BL: A HUNGRY FEELING.

APRI: What triggers your story ideas?

BL: Life.

APRI: What impact, if any, do you feel the advent of e-readers has had on increased interest in short stories?

BL: I suppose e-readers make everything more accessible. The short story does seem to be enjoying some popularity now. I don't know if this is because of the brevity inspired by technology and the attendant shorter attention spans - e.g. flash fiction - or if short stories are just coming into fashion. If you live long enough, you see everything come back for another run around the block. Flash fiction is supposed to be new but sure isn't the Bible full of it. The most conscise and full sentence ever written is in there - "Jesus wept".

APRI: Do you have a favorite quote that inspires you?

BL: Yes. It's an old Native American saying - "He who is about to tell the truth should have one foot in the stirrup."

APRI: Do you have a favorite writing space or a place you go to for inspiration?

BL: I complete the act of writing in my office at home but I find that a lot of inspiration occurs to me when I'm mellowing out in the sauna and Jacuzzi at the gym.

APRI: Is there a specific short story that made such an impression on you that you have never forgotten it?

BL: I can answer those questions together. I have two favorite short stories, both of which I first read many moons ago and both of which are both just bursting with humanity - The Confirmation Suit  by Brendan Behan Guests of the Nation by Frank O' Connor which, I think at least partly inspired the plotline of the Neil Jordan movie The Crying Game.  I am also a fan of the short stories of the great New York writer Damon Runyon - showing my 62 years here. On a more contemporary note, the collection  The Deportees by my fellow Dubliner, Roddy Doyle, is brilliant.

APRI: What are the things you're most proud of having written, from any time in your life?

BL: I was chuffed when my first published short story appeared in a publication called Ireland's Own  back in 1984. And again when my first novel first appeared in shops in 2001. But there are two pieces of which I think I am most proud. When I was 14 years old I wrote a letter to the newspapers complaining about the use of corporal punishment, which was then in use in Irish schools. The letter was published and caused a bit of ruckus and its publication lit a fire in my heart which was never extinguished. Then, in 2009, I wrote a column in the Irish Times about my anger and disappointment at the corruption and incompetence which I had perceived in Irish governance since I returned in 2001 from 17 years living in Toronto; the positive response to this piece by Irish exiles from all over the world was phenomenal and I was immensely touched and pleased to have articulated their feelings.

APRI: What's the strangest or most interesting thing you've ever written about or researched for a writing project?

BL: Probably the most emotionally intense subject I have written about was the Irish famine graveyard on the island of Grosse Ile in Quebec, where millions of the refugees who fled the Irish Great Hunger of the 1840s landed - and where thousands of them died horrifically, as did many of the wonderful Canadian volunteers and officials who tended them. The Irish President Mary Robinson mad an official visit to the island in 1994 and I covered the occasion for the magazine., Irish America. The experience had a profound effect on me and actually shifted my sense of identity so that now I identify myself as not just Irish, but of the Irish Diaspora.

APRI: How do outside forces influence or shape your writing?

BL: Falling in love. Fatherhood. Injustice. Fun. Such things give my work substance and passion.

APRI: Why do you write?

BL: As the Irish playwright Hugh Leonard said, "Writing is a disease.". I'd go along with that. And it's a disease with no cure.

APRI: What's your take on blogs and the burgeoning onilne media culture?

BL: I blog. It's great craic.

APRI: What do you do in your spare time?

BL: I hang out with my wife and my 20-year-old son. I read. I love movies, music and the theatre. I hill-walk in the Dublin and Wicklow Mountains. I body-board in wild waters of the Atlantic, mostly in Dingle, County Kerry.  I enjoy a few pints in the pub and the occasional sing-song. I am currently undergoing treatment for prostate cancer (my prognosis is very good), so in recent months I haven't been pursuing some of those activities as much as I would like but I am looking forward to getting back to them with gusto.

APRI: What question have you always wanted to be asked during an interview? How would you answer that question?

BL: That's a great question. I suppose the question would be 'What's the point?' And the point is - writers are driven to write. It's a vocation. Can't be denied. Some writers just need to write to get it out of their systems - it's almost like therapy for them. That's not enough for me though. I write for people to read my work and when my words touch them in a meaningful way in the core of what they are, when it makes them angry or cry or get so and at an injustice or an unfairness that they do something about it - well, what could be better than that?

PLACES TO FIND BRENDAN LANDERS

http://www.twitter.com/brendanlanders

https://ie.linkedin.com/pub/brendan-landers/17/986/53b

 http://brendanlanders.ie/

 https://www.facebook.com/pages/Brendan-Landers-Author/366763443408247

 http://crimeire.blogspot.com/2015/01/brendan-landers.html

https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/benjiman2015

http://www.amazon.com/Milo-Devine-Brendan-Landers-ebook/dp/B00SDM3C70/ref=sr_1_2?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1440642895&sr=1-2

APRI PRESENTS: Interview with Author Amy Rachiele

Bio for Amy Rachiele

Amy Rachiele is a Reader, Writer, Tea-er, Werewolf-lovin', Sci-fi Junkie, who won't survive the Apocalypse unless she has a tailor made Iron Man suit.

Amy is a military spouse and brat who spent many years volunteering and on staff for the Army National Guard, and who has a propensity for writing about alpha-male mobsters. Her first self-published book is Mobster's Girl and it made it to Amazon's bestseller list for romance and family saga.

She devoted 10 years to teaching at-risk students at the secondary level and watching reruns of Star Trek. She holds a Master's Degree from Rhode Island College in English and Secondary Education. Besides writing, she enjoys scrapbooking, sewing, traveling, and pretending to know how to knit. Amy lives in Massachusetts with her son and husband.

APRI: What do you see as the most important first step in considering self-publishing a book?

AR: Commitment. You must be committed to completing your project. We all have good intentions, however, once you start you realize how much work it is to follow through with your endeavor. Many people abandon projects.

APRI: How significant is book design in contributing to book sales and self-publishing?

AR: I have wrestled with book cover design since I started self-publishing in 2012. I have made a few covers myself and have paid for most of them. I find with my genre niche of Mobster Romance, an alpha-male on the cover usually draws the most attention.

APRI: How important is self-promotion when self-publishing a book?

AR: Self-promotion is critical because I am not only the writer but I am also the marketer, cheerleader, and publicist. I have to dedicate a great deal of time in developing my platforms. No one will find me if I don't advertise. Indie-publishing is a small business venture and I must treat it that way. I have developed a business and marketing plan to keep me focused.

APRI: What avenues of self-promotion did you find to be most effective and accessible?

AR: The most effective avenues of self-promotion for me have been advertising on Facebook groups dedicated to books and authors, and a website. Developing a mailing list of dedicated followers has also been instrumental in continuing to build a fan base.

APRI: What advice would you give self-published authors about book tours?

AR: I have only participated online book tours. They seem to help get the word out about a new release. i always notice a spike in sales after I have been to one.

APRI: What was your greatest challenge in self-promoting your book?

AR: My biggest challenge in self-promoting my book has been taking the time away from writing to promote my currently published works. There has to be a balance. Hiring people to do advertising is helpful, especially if they are familiar with the inner workings of the Internet that you aren't, but no one will take care of your small Indie book business better than yourself.

APRI: Where do you get your ideas?

AR: The word "ideas" is a very broad term. Usually, the action or plot of the story is taken from a story I may have heard about while growing up and taking it and making it ten times bigger. The characters though are what some authors like to call muses. They are characters in my head that want their story told. Many are inspired by people in my life or have appeared in my head spontaneously.

APRI: Are you a romantic?

AR: I am definitely a romantic and find enjoyment in reading romantic stories that have a great deal of action and adventure mixed in. I love paranormal romance and historical romance even though they are not the main genre that I write in.

APRI: Where do you write?

AR: I do not write in one specific place. I use my mac desktop, laptop, and my phone to write. I take my work with me wherever I am going in case the mood strikes or I have an epiphany for one of the projects I am working on.

APRI: What do you do in your spare time?

AR: I love to travel in my spare time, and I take my writing with me always. At home, I enjoy such crafts, such as quilting and needle felting. I have recently purchased a spinning wheel and learned how to spin raw fiber into yarn. I am currently learning how to weave on a loom. I truly love to learn how to do new things.

APRI: How would you describe your writing style?

AR: My writing style is defined as a "panster" which means I do very little planning. I have some idea of where the story is going and how it will end, but I do not sit and plot every scene and chapter like a "plotter" does. I let the story and the characters lead me. I have attempted to plot but the story always takes me in a different direection than what was plotted out. I would like to be a combination of both plotter and panster because I feel that it would strengthen my writing. Being a writer is similar to being a painter, the more you do it the better you get. I believe that is true with all of the arts.

APRI: When did you first start writing and when did you finish your first book?

AR: I first started writing in the 7th grade. I wrote a story about some family drama that was going on. The title of it was The Will. I never finished it nor do I have it at this point in my life, but I will never forget writing it. The biggest influence in my writing has not been my own, but the writing of others. As a child, I was a huge reader, even now in adulthood. I believe you have to be an avid reader to be a writer.

I began to seriously consider self-publishing a book in 2008. I never finished it and tossed the original draft in the trash. I still am planning on completing that book because I love the characters. I have restarted A Walk in Hell three times. I hope to have it published in 2015-2016 under the pen name A.T. DeWinter.

My first self-published book, Mobster's Girl, came out in June of 2012. It made it to several best-seller lists on Amazon and I was shocked. It became a series and there are now five books currently available in the Mobster Series (All of my books can be found on all major book sites. Kobo, Ibooks, Googleplay, Smashwords, etc.)

APRI: How do you market your work? What avenues have you found to work best for your genre?

AR: The best avenues for marketing the Mafia/Mobster genre are the major social media sites, and teaming up with other authors in the same genre niche.
 

APRI: What project are you working on now?

AR: I am currently working on four projects. A short story called "Enforcing Fate" for a  for a Mafia/Organized crime anthology that is going to be published by Limitedless. The short story will be the beginning of book 2 in a new series I have coming out called The Chicago Mob Series. Book 1 is Mobster's Angel and Book 2 is Mobster's Fate. I also have A Walk in Hell that I am trying to finish.

APRI: Who is your favorite character from your book and why?

AR: My favorite character is Vito and he is in all of my Mobster Series books. he became a very popular character, and I wrote his story in Mobster's Angel. He exemplifies a larger than life mulit-leveled character that is an anti-hero.

APRI: How did you come up with the title of your book or series?

AR: I was given advice from another author that the title should make it obvious about what the book is about. I felt using the word mobster in each title would help readers who enjoy that genre to find me.

APRI: What question have you always wanted to be asked during an interview? How would you answer that question?

AR: What do I like to read? My genre is not one I would pick up naturally. It comes naturally for me to write, but not a first choice for enjoyment reading. I am a vampire, werewolf, sci-fi romance reader. I love a great shifter story. I am thoroughly enjoying Laurann Dohner's New Species sci-fi series--each book never disappoints.

PLACES TO FIND AMY RACHIELE

http://www.amyrachiele.com/

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6150565.Amy_Rachiele

http://www.amazon.com/Amy-Rachiele/e/B008K51MCM

https://twitter.com/AmyRachiele

https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/Rachiele

https://www.facebook.com/amyrachielebooks

https://www.linkedin.com/pub/amy-rachiele/14/214/b59

APRI PRESENTS: Interview with Author Kristal McKerrington

Bio for Kristal McKerrington

Kristal McKerrington is from Scotland, UK. She has a love for Scotland and the Vikings. She writes erotica, young adult thrillers and all different kinds of romance books. She is the former writer also with Calling Spots Magazine. She works with her co-author Joe E. Legend on a line of books, which started in 2013.

Kristal McKerrington has been a professionally published author since 2010. She writes for Reem Vision and is the former writer of Bishop-Lyons Entertainment. She is published worldwide. She has been a commentator for TMZ. She is an award winning marketing and promoting author. She is a member of the Romance Writers of America's Association and recently joined the Erotica Guild. she's represented by the Gilbert Literary Agency. She is building a strong media presence with over 1,635 fans on her fan page and she is climbing on Facebook too.

APRI: What makes you smile?

KM: Well that depends upon what I am doing. A perfect wrestling show or a really good book is my go to happy items. My husband is always making me smile and my best friend Debbie.

APRI: What do you think most characterizes your writing?

KM: I think people read my books and walk away with an emotion of some kind. They feel absorbed into the storyline or there is always an element they can relate too. I think that is what makes a good book.

APRI: Tell me about your writing process. How do you come up with the characters? What about plot?

KM: Some books come from my own life and me working out closure for things I didn't get closure from. That's apart of it. Sometimes the ideas come to me in my sleep or when I'm watching and show or listening to music. My characters come with those ideas or things I need to work out with the plot forms as I break down the chapters into a series of notes.

APRI: How did you get to be where you are in your life today?

KM: A friend talked some sense into me after I stopped dancing and spent three months in hospital. The world changed before me and I started to write all the stories tht had been living in my head.

APRI: What inspires you?

KM: Life and those who are in it. A lot of the time I think my story ideas come from God.

APRI: Why did you choose to write more than one, how do you balance them?

KM: Well each story comes in a queue that I form at Christmas time every year. I write each out the book breakdown once a week which I call a planning day. Then I work through books that are queued up unless an emergency comes in that needs to be done first.

APRI: What cultural value do you see in writing/reading/storytelling/etc.?

KM: I see that it helps people work out their problems or helps others to leave their problems for however long they get to read. I think we are a calmer world when we are able to escape life for a while and enter another person's world. Some books help to teach people how to handle their own crisises in their own lives. I think its a very important part of culture to be honest.

APRI: Why did you start writing erotic fiction?

KM: I have gotten into this genre to express my sexual side. It was a good place to let out my own feelings towards the world of sex, love and life. I think that people enjoy the stories that I have discovered on my own adventure with my husband.

APRI: Do you think anyone can write erotic fiction?

KM: I think they need to have a good understanding that erotic isn't about just sex and all the different things that you can do with the human body. Its about the romance, love and what leads to that. A plot is highly important and I don't think that people should go into the genre unless they have a good understanding of the romance genre first.

APRI: What is the most important thing that people DON'T know about your subject/genre, that they need to know?

KM: I don't think there is anything that they don't know about me as I'm a very open author. There isn't many of them out there.

APRI: What process did you go through to get your book(s) published?

KM: I have so many I go through so here is the standard one. i write the book; then I send it to Amanda for editing; then I go through it and then send it to my agent who goes through it. She then decides on which publisher it goes too and its sent off to them. When one accepts it then it goes to an editor of the publishing company. The books are proofread before its sent to the publisher who then publishes the book. During that time I have gotten together with Amanda and created a one off cover for the book. That is sent to the publisher then its released to the world.

APRI: Do you write more by logic or intuition, or some combination of the two? Summarize your writing process.

KM: I write through logic and emotion. Those two things drive my break down of the book; then I let the music, emotions of the characters to drive my writing style of that book. I break down the book, write out the blurb then I go through each chapter to writing the book; then I check each chapter meets my notes; then adjust the notes to keep me right.

APRI: What do you like to read in your free time?

KM: I read everything. Mostly the genres that I'm writing in is what I will read during the month.

APRI: Do you find there are recurring themes in your books that you seem to keep coming back to?

KM: Romance mostly which sometimes annoys my amazing co-author Joe E Legend. Romance has been at the center of my heart for so long.

APRI: Do your leading men come from any place in particular? Dreams? Movie stars?

KM: Sometimes I don't realize that the people I'm writing are movie stars or TV stars. Most of the men I write are based off someone I see on TV or in the movies. Sometimes its just based of the people I meet in real life. I'm just luck enough to have met several stars.

APRI: When you walk into a book store, where do you head first?

KM: I love Fantasy and Paranormal romance so I go through then head to the romance section which is (General Fiction) in the UK. I then head over to erotica to see wht is out. I always start at the Best Sellers shelves to see what is hot in my industry. I also check out USA Today.

APRI: Are you a morning or night person?

KM: I'm such a night person. I can't do mornings even if I was paid to.

APRI: If you could live anywhere on the this planet, and take everything you love with you, where would you choose to live?

KM: I have to say it would be somewhere in the US for sure.

APRI: What is the scariest thing you have ever done for fun?

KM: I climb cliffs that were considered danger. At another time I jumped off an unmeasured sea bed to see how far I would let myself go.

APRI: What is the best thing you have done in your life?

KM: Meet Ian and become common law husband/wife.

APRI: What question have you always wanted to be asked during an interview? How would you answer that question?

KM: I'm usually asked the same questions over and over again. So I don't think that there is a question that I would love to be asked. I would properly want to talk more about wrestling. 

PLACES TO FIND KRISTAL MCKERRINGTON

http://www.kristalmckerrington.com

http://www.facebook.com/kristalsmckerringtonfanpage

http://www.twitter.com/k_mckerrington

http://www.tablo.io/kristal-mckerrington

http://www.youtube.com/unseendancer

http://www.allbookedout.com/kristal-mckerrington

http://www.solsticepublishing.com/kristal-mckerrington-1

http://www.amazon.com/Kristal-McKerrington/e/B004KRVFTO

http://www.goodreads.com/Kristal_McKerrington

https://www.linkedin.com/pub/kristal-mckerrington/30/213/542

APRI PRESENTS: Interview with Author Anna Kristell

BIO FOR ANNA KRISTELL (SWEET)

Anna Kristell is a small town gal from Southern Indiana with a passion for romance. She has lived in Ohio, Oklahoma and Texas, but returned to Indiana in 2005 where she resides with her husband. An avid romance reader since her teens, it has always been her dream to create love stories of her own.

When she is not writing, she can be found at her day job in the billing department of a local community mental health center, reading, traveling, or spending time with family and friends.

BIO FOR ISABELLA KOLE (SPICY)

Isabella Kole lives in southern Indiana, where she enjoys spending time with her family and friends. Always an avid romance reader, she began writing several years ago and although she has several sweet romances published under a different pen name, Accepting His Terms is the first erotic romance in her collection.

When not writing, Isabella can be found traveling around signing books and meeting her readers, working at her day job, or simply enjoying life.

APRI: What's your writing process. How did your book(s) get from idea to something submission worthy?

AK: I work a full time day job, so my writing process is somewhat erratic, to say the least. Ideas come to me at all times and when I have time, they become books. I usually write out an outline and the blurb first, from there I begin the book, a lot of times straying from the original outline during the writing process. To get to submission worthy status, I have beta readers who go over the book, word by word, with a fine tooth comb. I go over it myself several times before submitting it.

APRI: When did the fact that you sold become "real" to you?

AK: Probably the day I received my first book cover. Seeing my title, my characters and my name on that cover spoke volumes.

APRI: If you had one specific piece of advice for people pursuing publication, what would it be?

AK: I say it all the time to aspiring authors. "Don't give up." It took several years for my first idea to actually become a published book. I hit the ground running after that, but only because I never gave up. I researched publishers, I submitted and I waited. I was rejected. I researched more publishers and I submitted. I wrote another book and I submitted to another publisher. Three days later, I had a contract for the second book. One week later, the contract came for the first book from a different pub. And so it began...

APRI: What's the hardest part of the writing process?

AK: For me, I'd have to say it's coming up with a believable conflict. All romance storylines have to have a conflict, something keeping the hero and heroine apart. I can dream up all kinds of scenarios, but are they going to be believable to the reader? I have an active imagination, but will others like the idea? Luckily, I have people to bounce my ideas off of. They don't hesitate to tell me if an idea stinks.

APRI: What is erotica all about?

AK: There is a debate about the difference between pure erotica and erotica romance. What I write, under my second pen name, is erotic romance. Those stories delve deeper into the sexual relationship of the couple. My sweet stories leave the sex scenes behind the bedroom door, so to speak, and are implied. If described, it is in mild terms, more of a sensual scene than an erotic scene.


APRI: Why did you start writing erotic fiction?

AK: I belonged to a group on Facebook, where most of the authors were erotic romance authors. They, along with my publisher, encouraged me to try it. I tossed the idea back and forth for a while and finally agreed to try one book, under a different pen name. I struggled with it, had a lot of help from other authors and from my publisher, and finally finished it. It was my intention there would never be another. The book sold more than any of my other books (at that time) combined from the get go.

APRI: Do you think anyone can write erotic fiction?

AK: No, I don't. For some, it comes as naturally as breathing. For others, it is pure agony. You have to feel comfortable with what you're writing. It took awhile for me to feel comfortable with it. It was only with the help and support of many of my author friends and a wonderful and patient publisher that I was able to overcome that feeling and to on to create erotic romance stories that people actually want to read. I currently have six out and a seventh one submitted. They have done extremely well.

APRI: What's your favorit line from any movie?

AK: "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn." Rhett Butler, Gone With Wind.

APRI: If you were to create a slogan for your life, what would it be?

AK: "Set aside a moment in each day for words, whether read or written, and no matter what the day brings, there is that one brief moment of pleasure to see you through anything."

APRI: What was the unique about the setting of the book and how did it enhance or take away from your story?

AK: All of my stories take place either in a place I have lived or visited. I think that enhances the story, because I know the area firsthand. I can name real places of interest, which I feel makes the story more unbelievable.


APRI: When did you first start writing and when did you finish your first book?

AK: I started writing as a child, but my first novel began in the year 2000. It was stopped several times and finished in 2008, put on the back burner, and picked up again in 2012. I rewrote it and I received a contract for it in August of that year.

APRI: How did you come up with the title?

AK: My titles sometimes just come to me and other times, my daughter or one of my beta readers come up with an idea. My first book, Crossroad to Love, was decided upon because each of the four female characters in the story was at a crossroad in her life. The rest of the books in that series have the word Road in them to go along with the first one. Hence, my logo, Road to Romance.

APRI: Are the certain characters you would like to go back to, or is there a theme or idea you'd love to work with?

AK: I love to go back to my characters. My first book became the first in The Fab Five series, published with LazyDay Publishing. Another favorite of mine, Remember Our Promise, became the first in the Promises Trilogy, released by Rebel Ink Press. I recently wrote a ghost story novella, which will be the first in a series for Mystic Books. Even my spicy side turned her first book into a trilogy. As far as a theme, I'm seriously considering trying something with a racing theme...hot race car driver or crew chief...

APRI: How do you feel about ebooks vs. print books and alternative vs. conventional publishing?

AK: Another great debate! I prefer print books for my own reading pleasure, however, I understand the concept behind ebooks. It's much more economical to publish an ebook, and many people prefer reading on a device. When traveling, it's much easier to pack a week's worth of reading onto a device rather than take along a handful of paperbacks.There are pros and cons to both.

As far as the publishing part of your question, wow. That's a biggie. For me, I waited so long and worked so hard to get picked up by a publisher, the idea of self publishing doesn't appeal to me. That's not to say, I won't try it at some point in the future. I've considered it and I'm sure I will again.

There are a lot of successful authors who self publish. Right now, I write for four different publishers and I don't have time to even think about self publishing, which entails a lot of work. In a few years, I hope to retire from my day job, and devote my days to writing full time. At that time, I may revisit the idea, as I would have more time to devote to the details. In a nutshell, what works for one doesn't always work for another, so I think each author should do what works best for him or her.

APRI: What do you think is the future of reading/writing?

AK: Audio books are becoming very popular. I think we may see an increase in the sales of those. People will always read and they will always write. Genre preferences will change from time to time. What's selling the most right now may not sell as well two years from now. It's important to stay informed and to know what your readers want.

APRI: What did you find most useful in learning to write? What was your reason behind writing under two different pen names - one for romance and one for erotica romance (ex: were you planning to write multiple fiction genres)? Why?

AK: My reason simple. I already had a following as Anna Kristell, many of whom were family and friends. Some of Anna's readers would be offended by erotic romance as opposed to what they were used to from Anna. So, if I was going to enter the erotic world, it would have to be under a different name. That way, my readers would have a choice. If they wanted sweet romance, they knew to purchase Anna's books. If they liked spicier type of story, they went to Isabella Kole. It's no secret that Anna and Izzy are the same, although some folks don't realize it. Isabella has always been promoted as the "spicy side of Anna Kristell."

APRI: What question have you always wanted to be asked during an interview? How would you answer that question?

AK: Q: Where do you see yourself in five years? A: In five years, I hope to be splitting my time between writing full time and traveling to author events, signings and conferences all over the country. It would be a dream, combining my two loves, writing and traveling. The conferences I've been lucky enough to attend in the past two years have given me access to valuable workshops and the opportunity to meet and become friends with a multitude of readers, authors, publishers, bloggers, reviewers, models and more. I've visited cities I never thought I'd ever see. If I had the time, I would see so many more. Writing has opened up a whole new world for me. I love every aspect of it, from creating the story, to stalking the rankings on release day and finding that I am bestseller, to sharing it with people from all over the world. To meet a reader at a signing who tells me she has read every one of my books melts my heart. Of course every author dreams of hitting the NYT or USA Today bestseller lists. Yes, that would be awesome, a dream come true, but even if it never happens for me, the fact that there are people out there anxiously awaiting release day for an Anna or Isabella book makes it all worthwhile.

 

PLACES TO FIND ANNA KRISTELL & ISABELLA KOLE

 ANNA KRISTELL

http://www.annakristellromance.com

http://www.amazon.com/Anna-Kristell/e/B00B1LK14W

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Anna-Kristell-Romance-Author/267879939980573

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6894424.Anna_Kristell

http://www.twitter.com/AnnaKristell

http://www.annakristell6.wordpress.com

 https://www.linkedin.com/pub/ anna - kristell-author/64/a38/b68

https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/annakristell2

https://www.pinterest.com/annakristell/

ISABELLA KOLE

http://www.amazon.com/Isabella-Kole/e/B00FQ1X8KM

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7334905.Isabella_Kole

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Isabella-Kole-Author/580591041984962

https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/IsabellaKole

APRI PRESENTS: Interview with Lyn Horner

 About Author Lyn Horner

Lyn Horner resides in Fort Worth, Texas - "Where the West Begins" - with her husband and several very spoiled cats. Trained in the visual arts, Lyn worked as a fashion illustrator and art instructor before she took up writing. She loves crafting passionate love stories, both historical and contemporary. Lyn also enjoys reading, gardening, visiting with family and friends, and cuddling her furry, four-legged children. The author's Texas Devlins series blends authentic Old West settings, steamy romance and a glimmer of the mysterious. This series has earned multiple awards and nominations, including Crowned Heart reviews and a Rone Award nomination for DEAREST IRISH from InD'Tale Magazine.

Lyn is a contributor to Rawhide 'n Roses, a Western Romance Anthology. This book is a finalist in the 2015 RONE Awards anthology category. Lyn is proud to be in company with such a talented group of authors.

Jumping from the American Old West to the present day, Lyn is now hard at work on her romantic suspense series, Romancing the Guardians. These books combine her trademark flashes of psychic phenomena with Irish folklore and a chilling apocalyptic theme. Along the way, readers will be treated to thunderous action, terrifying suspense and sizzling romance.

 

APRI: In 5 words, please describe your 'Romance Writing Style'. Steamy, sweet, erotic, Happy Ending – take that last one however you want.

LH: Steamy, suspenseful, fast-paced, thought-provoking, cross genre

APRI: Do your leading men come from any place particular?

LH: Several come from Texas, but not all. The hero of my current project is Colombian.

APRI: What do you do in your downtim?

LH: I read, watch TV, garden and visit with friends and family.

APRI: What genre are your books?

LH: My books are a mix of genres. The Texas Devlins series is western historical romance with a paranormal sub theme, as in psychic siblings. Romancing the Guardians, the series I'm currently writing is contemporary romantic suspense with my trademark psychic characters plus an unlying prophetic (apocalyptic) theme.

APRI: What drew you to this genre?

LH: A combination of factors influence my writing. First, I strongly believe in psychic abilities, having experienced precognitive dreams when younger. Second, I have always loved western historical romance, leading me to write the Texas Devlin books. Third, I'm also enthralled by all things Irish. The Devlin siblings are children of Irish immigrants to the U.S. and are descended from Druid ancestors. Irish mythology is also the basis for Romancing the Guardians. The seven chosen ones trace their lineage to Tuatha Dé Dannan seers who passed down prophesies of the distant future which have been preserved and guarded through uncounted generations.

APRI: While you were writing, which character did you connect with the most?

LH: Probably Lara from Rescuing Lara, Romancing the Guardians (Book One). She is partially disabled as the result of a car accident that killed her uncle, the former High Guardian. I am disabled due to a hereditary disorder, so a lot of things Lara goes through stem from my own life experiences.

APRI: Do you think that the cover plays an important part in the buying process?

LH: Absolutely. I started out doing my own book covers because I have a background in visual arts. However, I cam to realize I'm not a cover designer. Now, I hire professionals.

APRI: Do you have a special time to write or how is your day structured?

LH: My best writing times are afternoons and evenings. Mornings are usually devoted to answering email, posting on and twitter, and occassionally writing blog posts.

APRI: Do you have any advice for other authors?

LH: First, learn your craft. Join a writers group that focuses on your preferred genre and a critique group. I learned more about writing from my crit partners than anyone else. Attend workshops and conferences if you can. Hire an editor for your finished book if possible and be willing to make changes if they suggest it. Flexibility is important!

APRI: What is your favorite motivational phrase?

LH: "Put butt in chair and write!"

APRI: What is your favorite book and why?

LH: Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. I love the description of 18th century Scotland, the intricate plot and most of all the main characters, Jamie and Claire.

APRI: Where do you see publishing going in the future?

LH: E-book Publishing will continue to grow. It's inevitable in our electronic age.

APRI: What's the best part of being a publishsed author?

LH: I love getting feedback from readers who enjoy my books.

APRI: What's the worst?

LH: Book marketing has been my weak spot for years. My goal is to improve my promotional abilities.

APRI: What's next for you.? Can you give us any clues about what you're currently working on?

LH: I am writing Capturing Gabriel, Romancing the Guardians (Book Three.) It will be released this fall. I may also write a novella for a western Christmas anthology. Not sure yet.

APRI: Can you tell us something readers might find surprising about you?

LH: I once owned six cats. Correction, they owned me. I wrote a memoir about them titled Six Cats In My Kitchen.

APRI: As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

LH: I wanted to be an artist, specifically a fashion illustrator. My dad gave me a painting kit when I was about 10 or 11 years old, starting me on the art school and a career illustration and art instruction. However, I had to give up the visual arts as my hands became unsteady. That's when I turned to writing as a creative outlet.

APRI: What makes you smile?

LH: Petting my feline children ( I have three now) and cuddling my grandkids. Humor in a book or TV program can crack me up, but only if it grows out of drama. I'm not a fan of slapstick comedy.

APRI: What question have you always wanted to be asked during an interview? How would you answer that question?

LH: Question: Why did you give up on being traditionally published? / Answer: Because I got tired of butting my head against the stone wall of New York publishing houses. I was represented by two different agents who liked my work, but they had no luck selling it. I became so discouraged that I pretty much gave up until Amazon introduced Kindle Direct Publishing. My friend and editor, Sharla Rae, pushed me into giving it a try. That was five years ago. During that time I have pubbed eight books and received numerous awards and nominations. I'm also a contributor to a western romance anthology, Rawhide 'n Roses, a finalist in the 2015 Rone Awards contest sponsored by InD'Tale magazine.

For more information about Lyn Horner see links below:

Lyn Horner on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Lyn-Horner/e/B004CY506Y/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1

Lyn Horner's website:

http://www.lynhorner.com

Lyn Horner on Twitter:

https://twitter.com/lynhornerauthor

Lyn Horner on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lyn-Horner/161787403863487

Lyn Horner on Goodreads:

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4639926.Lyn_Horner

Lyn Horner on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/pub/lyn-horner/38/16b/136

Lyn Horner (contributing author) on Sweethearts of the West:

http://sweetheartsofthewest.blogspot.com/