Guest Posts

Author Queenbe Moneyi(Nalia and the Potion Maker) opens up about her journey into the writing world and what her experience has taught her. "I have learned that writing requires all you have. If you hold back your readers will know. Putting yourself out there for the world to critique and judge is no easy task, but it must be what every aspiring writer MUST be willing to do."

Author Leslie Ann Wright(Splintered: Sierra's Legacy) talks about how she overcame her fears as a writer and offers some very good advice to aspiring authors. "If you can entertain others with your stories, it gives you both courage and pride. Writing often makes the impossible possible, with just a few scribbles of the pen."

Author Angela YurikoSmith (End of Mae) offers marketing FREE marketing tips to help authors better promote their novels and offers five ways she was able to gain such a strong following for her novella End of Mae in just a month. ". . . independent authors are being ignored not because they are bad, but because the writer lacks the money and know-how to get their book noticed . . . Good marketing will not sell a bad book, but it will get a good book the attention it deserves."

Author Jospeh Shotsy(Short Story: One of Us, Old Boy) Indie published Author Jospeh Shosty opens up about his experience with negative reviews, how he's learned to handle them and the advice he would give to fellow authors. "They keep me out of trouble, they keep me focused and forgiving, and they make me mindful towards improving as a writer. If I could add anything else, it would be deep, cleansing breaths. A bad review is still going to get your goat, from time to time. When that happens, take a step back, breathe, and get over it.Remember that the storyteller is one of the oldest and most venerated roles in society.Without distraction, without clever turns of phrase to make us dream, mankind would never have accomplished what it has."

Author Bill Blais (No Good Deed) discusses why he ventured off in a different direction when he creating his heroine Kelly who isn't your typical-size 0-teenager age-angst-ridden-kick-butt-character. Kelly certainly does kick butt but she's much different than what readers are use to reading. And Blais discusses why ordinary people make the best kind of heroines. "I can't make people like my books any more than a painter can force people to appreciate her art, and I believe a novel created by formula has the same appeal as a color by  numbers picture. I like people and stories who make hard choices, and I can only do my best to be honest to the stories as I discover them. Seriously, who doesn't want to kick butt and win the guy or girl?"

Author Martin Rouillard opens about his journey into self-publishing his debut novel, Rise of the Red Dragon. "If you have taken the time to get it right, to tidy up the place if you wish, then people will come in and enjoy their time with you. What’s more, if they genuinely like what you have done, they will take the time to let you know how you touched or moved them. They will let the world know how much they appreciate the effort you put forth and that, my friends, is the greatest reward of all."

Author Meg Whitlock gives an inside look into her next novel, At the End of the Day.

Author Raine Thomas discusses how the opposites in her characters gave way to romance within both her novels. "Make the reader want the characters to be together, then provide reasons they can’t. I assure you, you’ll have a winning novel on your hands!"

Author Dawn Kirby reveals why she loves the paranormal genre so much. "The thing I love about writing in the paranormal genre is the fact that there is so much a writer can do with it."

Author Terri-Lynne Smiles gives an inside look into the male lead role from her debut novel, Foreseen, Greg. How Greg went from playing the rich, good looking player to the dashing hero.

Author Raphyel M. Jordan opens up why he loves the science fiction genre so much and what to write the genre. "And what is the human race's greatest habit? To dream, to hope. To think the impossible. To obtain the unreachable. To touch the untouchable. Let's think big on that galactic level, and there's no telling what amazing discoveries were once called science fiction will become science fact."

Author Sherry Soule chats about some fun Supernatural Urban legends that inspired the settings in her Spellbound Series.

Author Kaitlyn Davis (Midnight Fire Series) opens up about what drives her obsession for young adult paranormal romance and why she decided to write in the genre.

Author Ann Miller opens up about how she approaches writing Christian Fiction and authors who have inspired her. "Many Christians will disagree with me, but I strive for realism. Even my characters who have faith occasionally drop a potty word and do things that go against their convictions. Maybe my corner of Christianity is particularly poorly behaved, but I don’t think so. We’re all just people. We screw up. The only difference I can see is that Christians know where to go to get rid of the guilt."

Author Matthew Turner discusses why he wrote his book Beyond Parallels and the power of the behind asking oneself the question: "What If?" "These tiny tales are what fascinate me. I can't help but think we could all live a billion lives, but are only given one. I'm not sure if you believe in fate or chance or if each day is a leap of faith - in fact I'm not sure what I believe, either - but our lives are defined by the choices we make."

Author S.W. Vaughn discusses how she approaches handling writing dark themes. "the biggest reason I write dark fiction is that I believe in the innate kindness and decency of humanity—and I promise, that’s not a contradiction. I believe that, given the opportunity, an overwhelming majority of people would choose to be good. It’s just that not everyone has that choice."

Author Racquel Jones explains her love of supernatural characters and why she decided to create the world of the Haydens.

Author Ilana Waters, who writes middle grade fiction, discusses why books are such a NECESSARY component to EVERY child's life. "Kids need books so they can have hope. Hope that they can rise above their circumstances, if they’re in crappy ones. Hope to find out who they are, if they’re unsure. Hope that the world will get better, even when all the evidence suggests that it won’t."

Author Heather James discusses why it's important for female characters in every type of fiction to be portrayed as strong and smart in today's literary world. "Modern readers want characters that they can relate to and, since most modern women would probably like to think of themselves as strong and smart, that’s what they will demand of the characters they read about."