Author Spotlight~Annie Hughes!

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT

ANNIE HUGHES

Annie Hughes has been writing since she was a little girl, never leaving the house without a notebook. As a corporate stooge and single mother, she spends all of her free time reading, writing and drinking too much coffee (wine). Annie has a strong passion for the literary world and before writing her book, spent all of her time reviewing others. She also enjoys talking with all that read her book(s), her philosophy being that readers and authors are all part of the same world - a world where they are all enthusiastic about words.

INTERVIEW WITH ANNIE

What made you want to write?

Is it bad that I don't know? It's just something I've always done. I have to write, otherwise where will the crazy go?

What genre(s) do you write in?

My debut book is Young Adult, but I have plans to branch into New Adult, Contemporary Romance and maybe even a Dark Romance or Erotica.

What was the first book you ever wrote?

I wrote a short story when I was around 10 called "The Giant and Me". I think my mum still has it!

What is your favorite out of all of your books?

Arg, this changes all the time! It all depends, because sometimes my books make me bad, you know like when they refuse to be written *glares at laptop*. At the moment, I think probably my debut, "Breaking Free: Una Familia Segura". 

What makes this one your favorite; a certain scene, character, or plot?

I think probably all of the above. It was my first book, so it will always be special to me. But the main character, Anna, seals it. 

What is your daily routine when it comes to your writing?

I wish I had one!! I work full time in an office and so I write when I can. When I do get the time, it usually involves lots of coffee (or wine), The Foo Fighters in my ear - loud, and furious note taking. Plus, I always start a writing session with reading through what I've already written.

What is something that you struggle with when it comes to writing?

Time mostly, sometimes motivation. I only ever write when I really want to, I never force it. Sometimes I read books and I can just tell the author is writing because they need to, and not because they want to. It puts me off straight away. I don't wan that with my own work, I want my readers to know that I loved writing every single sentence in the book. 

What is your favorite thing about writing?

Oh, definitely living in my head for a while. Every single one of my characters is real to me, I think about them constantly. When I get really close to finishing a book, I get so lost in their world. That's my favorite part about writing, escaping reality for a while. 

Where do you get your ideas for writing?

Everywhere! Once I got an idea whilst waiting for the bus! I can't explain it, I just get them. Then when I have the initial idea, I write down some notes and it usually blossoms from there!

Who is your author inspiration?

Author inspiration...so many! I was a REALLY avid reader before I published anything of my own. Nora Roberts is a favorite of mine. The sheer volume of books she has published is amazing. I also love my indie authors though - Michelle Dare, Tricia Daniels, Alex Grayson - are just three of my favorites. Angie Martin is also amazing, she actually edited my first book and gave me advice that I would have been completely lost without.

*Bloggers comment: I agree with you Annie, Nora Roberts is my favorite of all time!! I have yet to read a Nora Roberts/JD Robb book I didn't love as much as the last!! <3 

What is your favorite book of all time?

The Interpretation of Murder by Jed Rubenfeld. I read this when I was a teen and now I have to re-read it at least three times per year. The writing is amazing.

Where do you see your writing career in 5 years?

Hopefully my writing career will get my arse on a sun lounger at the beach, sipping a cocktail out of a coconut cup *sigh*. But failing that, I'm hoping to have re

leased 15 books by 2020. I have most of them already started. 

A list of works:

Breaking Free: Una Familia Segure (9/19/14)

Breaking Free: Learning to Fly (7/17/15)

The Sound of You (in editing)

Any last thoughts?

I just want to say thank you! To you for having me here, to everyone that has read my books, my street team for being my strength when I have none, and my family and friends for understanding my crazy. I have met some of the most incredible people in this little online world of Indie books and I can't wait to get out there and meet more! 

ANNIE'S BOOKS

ONE-CLICK

AMAZON

ONE-CLICK

AMAZON

WHERE TO FIND HER

FACEBOOK

GOODREADS

Author Spotlight~Rich Amooi~Kissing Frogs & #Giveaway

Kissing Frogs

by Rich Amooi

Genre: Romance/Romantic Comedy 

SYNOPSIS

Summer is finally here and Geography teacher Sara Larson has exactly one month to find the perfect date for the wedding of a high school rival. The odds seem stacked against her, but the last thing she wants is to sit at the kids’ table again. Or even worse, the singles’ table. While trudging through an assortment of certified losers, Sara fights her attraction towards Ian, the irresistible guy next door.

Art teacher Ian McBride has a dream of opening his own gallery, but for now he’s focused on sculpting a gift for his grandparents’ 50th anniversary and enjoying a relaxing summer. However, Ian is blind-sided when crazy, beautiful Sara and her giant dog move in next door and rock his world. Too bad she wants nothing to do with him.

How can Sara avoid the attraction that sizzles between them and stick to her rule of not dating neighbors? As far as Ian’s concerned, the prince Sara is looking for is right under her nose. And one kiss just might change everything.

MEET THE AUTHOR

Rich Amooi is a former Silicon Valley radio personality and wedding DJ who now writes romantic comedies full-time. He is happily married to a kiss monster and has a hairy golden retriever/lab mix that likes to eat carrots, tuna, and Manchego cheese imported from Spain.

He believes (Rich, not the dog) in public displays of affection, silliness, infinite possibilities, donuts, gratitude, laughter, and happily ever after.

WHERE TO FIND HIM

ONE-CLICK

*GIVEAWAY*

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Spotlight~Jennifer Seidler & #Giveaway

JENNIFER SEIDLER

INTERVIEW

What made you want to write?

I don't know if there was any one thing that gave me the impetus to write. I've been putting words on paper as long as I can remember. I wrote all in high school and in college. Submitted poetry to the college literary magazine and got rejected left and right, but it didn't stop me. I learned a new way to write in law school, and after that experience, I was itching to get back to the creativity. I write a lot on the side, I've written a lot of novel length things, but Dry Land was the first one I felt confident enough to publish. Writing is a drive for me. Its a craving, something I have to do. It's on my mind all the time.

What genre(s) do you write in?

I've written romance. I've written gritty, dirty crime novels. I've written sex. I've written comedy. I've written drama. I've written science fiction. I've written short stories, novellas, novelettes and novels. I suppose I don't try to pigeonhole myself into a genre. Dry Land, however, is, I think, considered hard science fiction with elements of romance in it. I love that genre deeply. I just finished reading The Martian by Andy Weir and wow. That book was right up my alley.

What was the first book you ever wrote?

The earliest story I ever wrote was, to my six-year old mind quite funny. A scene, only a few handwritten pages in pink and purple ink, about a doctor who had a cold and was complaining to his fellow doctors that he felt like he was "gonna dieeeeee." Yeah, not so funny, but still. The first book length work I wrote was a bit of fan fiction years and years ago. Harry Potter, of course. It wasn't very good at all, but it was mine. Can't find it now even if I tried.

What is your favorite out of all of your books, published or not?

Definitely Dry Land. There's another story I wrote that I love called Black Dahlia, but that will not ever get published. :)

What makes this your favorite? 

I think the way it came to me. It was not like anything I wrote before. The family and I visited the Kennedy Space center in 2013 and seeing the shuttle Atlantis sparked something. The story sort of popped into my head, Ted was nearly fully formed in my mind. I wrote it in my brain on the drive home from Orlando to Wisconsin, and then felt very much compelled to write it out as quickly as I could. That was quite an editing job when I was done.

What is your daily routine when it comes to your writing?

I don't really have a daily routine. I wish I did. I sort of write as things come to me. Right now I'm on a little bit of a dry spell, but I'm not worried about that. Something will come. I'm doing some hobby writing with some partners, bits of back and forth that are character based, and that keeps me going on a daily basis writing wise.

What is something that you struggle with when it comes to writing?

Gerunds. Definitely gerunds. :)

What is your favorite thing about writing?

Sitting in my car and speaking out all the dialogue my mind comes up with. In voices. With full on accents. Glad I drive myself to work every morning, and drive country roads. I'd look pretty silly talking to myself otherwise.

Where do you get your ideas for writing?

Everywhere and anywhere.

Who is your author inspiration?

Jasper Fforde. He's given me the freedom and permission to write the opposite sex in first person.

What is your favorite book of all time?

Again, Jasper Fforde. The Eyre Affair and its sequels. I love Jasper's freeform style of writing, his deep characterization, his off the wall humor, his use of language, his manner of grabbing the reader by the heart and the balls, and yes, even his literary snobbishness. :)

Where do you see your writing career in 5 years?

Hopefully with another book or two under my belt. Perhaps next time I'll try to farm out to an agent if my product is good enough. I'd love to keep on doing this, even independently, it's been a wild, wonderful ride and I bless the day I decided to publish Dry Land.

List of works:

Dry Land

MY THOUGHTS

Since I have had the pleasure of listening to Dry Land,

I thought that I would put my two cents in.

This type of book was sort of new for me…

the Artificial Intelligence/Robotic type of character,

but I found that I enjoyed it.

Having some of the characters

having that type of characteristics,

thrown in with regular humans,

and trying to find a way of expansion for Earth on the Moon.

Now we all know that the Moon

is so extremely important to the balance of the oceans,

but obviously not all of the characters take this

into consideration in this book. 

The result, is definitely worth checking out!

It was an enjoyable book with a new look on things.

The narrator did well and had great accents.

I would definitely recommend this book to others and give it a solid 4 STARS.

You definitely need to give this book a shot,

either on audio or ebook!!

Go check it out HERE

And you are about to get a chance

at winning your very own copy!

Keep reading for this chance...

HOW TO FIND JENNIFER

Twitter

Author's Blog

Facebook

GoodReads

Amazon

Audible

AuthorsDB

iAuthor

SheWrites

*GIVEAWAY*

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*Winners will be chosen by Random.org 

After verification of entry, the winners'

information will be forwarded to the author.

The 2 winners will be announced on BoyMomLovesBooks Facebook page

Author Spotlight~Jena Baxter

JENA BAXTER

A former student of the UCLA Writers Extension, 

Jena Baxter enjoys writing novels, 

screenplays, and an occasional song. 

She loves to encourage and inspire other writers 

to learn and explore the world of fiction.

Jena currently resides in Northern California

 with her husband, Amazon parrot, Rain,
and her little Maltese, Chase.

INTERVIEW

What made you want to write?

I’ve always liked to read and writing, but never thought I could write a novel. After years of pining over it, I finally bit the bullet. I took classes, went to writer’s conferences and enrolled in the UCLA Writer’s Extension online novel writing courses.

What was the first book you ever wrote?

It’s a YA/NA Sex, drugs and rock n roll love story called Pretentious, that I’ll be publishing either in short story or novella form soon. It starts when my main characters are teenagers and continues into adulthood. It’s about family, friendship, loyalty and betrayal. While we create our own realities, there are times when life just takes over.

When I was growing up I wrote poetry. While there were short stories here and there, I don’t remember them now. I think poetry has to be in our DNA because my son gave me a book of poems he wrote as a Christmas gift when he was thirteen.

What is your favorite out of all of your books, published or not?

That’s a tough question. I think I have to go with Pretentious again.

And what makes this your favorite?  

All of the above. I love the characters, but I’m one of those Authors who loves all of her characters. It’s a story about a teenager who lost his dad when he was a boy. His Dad asked him to promise to take care of the family. That kind of promise means less to a boy of eleven than it does to one of fifteen.

Danny’s entire life is trapped by the obligation of running his family’s restaurant. No girlfriends or homecoming games. Then his sister leaves making the situation worse. Then he finds the girl who knows what she wants and does what she has to draw him in. Together they run the restaurant and pursue the dreams Danny had already given up. The story is a little different because a lot of the time, Danny is his own antagonist. His innocence gets him into trouble some times.

What is your daily routine when it comes to your writing?

I try to write on a daily basis but lately, with a new release in February and another coming in June, marketing issues have absorbed more of my time. My new rule is no Facebook until I’ve written for an hour, but when I write I really need to sit down and go at it for hours at a time. Fortunately my husband sees writing as my job so I can do that.

What is something that you struggle with when it comes to writing?

I tend to become overwhelmed when I get to the beginning of the end. It isn’t writer’s block, but tension. I have my stories planned from beginning to end.

Who is your author inspiration?

Mary Stewart is one of them. Anne Bishop, Brandon Sanderson, Jeanine Frost.

What is your favorite book of all time?
The Mary Stewart, Merlin Trilogy. I love all of them. She uses a lot of culture and I love that. Her descriptions make me feel like I’m there. The writing is flawless. She’s an excellent storyteller.

Where do you see your writing career in 5 years?

I read for an international screenwriting contest every year so I would like to do more screenwriting. I have novels planned, ready to plan, and some that just need a rewrite. I guess the short answer is I’ll still be writing. Everyone hopes for that best seller so that’s my goal. Whether that happens or not is up to God and the readers.

List of works:

I have published two novels. One is called Reflections. It’s about a teenager in the Regency Era that is abusive to her servants. When she has one of her servants beaten, another servant curses her to live in a world she created behind her mirror. Juliette has to learn to take care of herself and what it is to have and be a great friend with a unicorn, beran (Part man and part bear) and a female centaur that’s insanely jealous of her.

The second novel is called The Carriage. It’s about a girl who is always arguing with her sister. They take a carriage ride in Central Park and Alexis finds herself disembarking in Victorian London where she meets a man who was recently murdered and brought back as a supernatural creature. Cultures constantly clash between Alexis and the world she’s fallen into.

I’m working on The Carriage II now.

Veiled Memories is about a Warrior Angel, Ilan, who loses his lifetime bonded-brother, Chayan when he becomes a fallen angel. He does everything in his power to save Chayan, but he can’t. He becomes rebellious and vulnerable. Given a Guardian assignment, Ilan finds himself in love with his charge. His job is to restore her marriage to a man who left her. Ilan decides to make her his own until he realizes heaven would never send a warrior on this kind of assignment. Something terrible lies ahead. Ilan doesn’t know what it is but he knows Lily and Bryan must be together to meet it. He covers Lily’s memories of him and waits with his friend Eytan for the trouble moving toward them.


Anything else you want to share:

Only to keep watch. I have more releases in the near future and many yet to write. You won’t be disappointed.

WHERE TO FIND HER

Facebook

Website

Amazon

Author Spotlight~Meg Collett

MEG COLLETT

Meg Collett lives deep in the hills of Tennessee

where the cell phone service is a blessing 

and the Internet is a myth of epic proportions. 

She is the mother of one giant horse named Elle

and three dogs named Wylla, Mandy, and Drax the Destroyer.

Her husband is a saint for putting up with her ragtag life.

INTERVIEW

What made you want to write?
I started writing my first semester in college. I was homesick and lonely, and I just needed to get those feelings out of me. So I started writing in an old Chemistry composition notebook.

What genre(s) do you write in and why?
I mainly write NA paranormal and fantasy. I love creating a new world and a new set of rules for people to live by. It’s limitless, really. I love letting my imagination have free rein.

What was the first book you ever wrote, no matter how young you were?

I wrote some when I was little, but I can’t remember any of it! When I really started writing in college, I started the first book in my angel paranormal romance series. It took me six years to write, but I didn’t give up on it.

What is your favorite out of all of your books, published or not?

The Hunted One (Book 1, End of Days)

And what makes this your favorite? 

It was the first book I ever wrote, and it took me six years to finish it. I basically grew up with these characters, so this book is super close to my heart.

What is your daily routine when it comes to your writing?

My daily routine is all over the place! I find that with every new book I write, I have to discover an entirely new way to write that book. Sometimes I can write in the morning. Sometimes I have drink coffee, check email, watch a Real Housewives show, and then write. It’s tough to figure that out but once you have it, you can write anything.

What is something that you struggle with when it comes to writing?

It’s hard to not get burnt out. Being creative every day is very demanding, and sometimes when you’re on deadline, you have to force the creativity. It can be very draining.

What is your favorite thing about writing?

Seeing my first draft complete. That’s the best feeling.

Where do you get your ideas for writing?

My ideas normally grow from a little snippet of something I read or hear in a song. I love hearing old stories or folklore. Most of my stories grow from some old myth or something like that.

Who is your author inspiration and why?
I have so many! But I really look up to Hugh Howey. I love his work ethic and his indie spirit when it comes to publishing the stories that speak to him.

What is your favorite book of all time?

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater. I love this book so much because it’s this wonderful fairytale/nightmare mix of a water horse myth retelling. I’ve ridden horses my whole life, so this book just felt familiar to me.

Where do you see your writing career in 5 years?

I hope to still be publishing and writing stories that I love!

A list of works:

End of Days Trilogy

- The Hunted One
- The Lost One
- The Only One


Days of New Series (spin-off from the End of Days series)

Speaking of the Devil
Full of the Devil
Better the Devil You Know
Devil in the Details
Give the Devil His Due


Stand Alone Books

Fakers (a contemporary romance)
Little Girls and Their Ponies (a literary novella)

WHERE TO FIND HER

Facebook

Amazon

Author Spotlight ~ Eva Gordon

EVA GORDON

About Eva

I write fantasy and paranormal novels with a strong romantic element. 

I love to create stories that combine my passion for mythology, romance and werewolf lore. 

I have a BS in Zoology and graduate studies in Biology. I have taught high school Biology, Environmental Science and Anatomy/Physiology. When not in my den writing, I enjoy world travel, steampunk conventions, hiking, raptor rehabilitation and wolf sanctuaries.

I also teach online workshops on wolf lore ancient falconry and animal lore for Romance Writers of America and other writer groups. If you are interested in my workshops, please contact me.

Interview with Eva

What made you want to write? 

Characters who live in fantastical worlds enter my mind and I can’t stop until their story is told.

What genre(s) do you write in and why? 

Paranormal romance, fantasy, steampunk and I love historical and science fiction. Actually, I like all genres because when it comes down to it, I love telling a story no matter the genre.

What was the first book you ever wrote, no matter how young you were? 

When I was ten, I kept a diary that I was an alien from another planet dropped on earth to observe humans. I had it for about a year.

What is your favorite out of all of your books, published or not? 

I love all my babies, but I have a soft spot for The Stone of the Tenth Realm, my epic fantasy first published by a UK Press and which I just re-released with updates and new cover.

And what makes this your favorite? A certain scene, character, plot? The Stone of the Tenth Realm is the story of a young woman who escapes a Nazi concentration camp and stumbles into a parallel world. In order to save both worlds, Adolf Hitler must be killed.

What is your daily routine when it comes to your writing? 

Coffee, check emails, and then get to writing.

What is something that you struggle with when it comes to writing? 

The only struggle I honestly have is on how to market my work. Money is required to pay for ads and marketing and I’m too broke writing.

What is your favorite thing about writing? 

Escaping reality.

Where do you get your ideas for writing? 

Myths and legends, but everyday life as well. There is magic in the ordinary. That delivery man might be a werewolf or the woman at the makeup counter might be a 1000 year old witch.

Who is your author inspiration and why? 

So many. I’m inspired by authors of numerous genres and time periods. From Franz Kafka to Diane Gabaldon, and hundreds in between.

What is your favorite book of all time and why? 

Again, I enjoy so many books I really don’t have an all time favorite.

Where do you see your writing career in 5 years? 

Dozens of more books.

Here's a list of Eva's works: 

These are all available everywhere, including Barnes & Noble, Kobo, iBooks, Amazon, etc

The Stone of the Tenth Realm

Hidden

Kept

Hunted

Lycan Gladiator

Hand of Miriam

Apocalyptic Moon

Raven Moon

Be on the lookout for Eva Gordon's future release(s): 

Blood of the Moon coming late Spring 2015

Slade coming August 2015

The Alchemist of the Tenth Realm coming December 2015.

Anything else you want to share?

I do animal lore presentations for writer groups and libraries.

Where You Can Find Eva

Website

Twitter

Blog

Wattpad

Facebook

Pinterest

Google+

GoodReads

Amazon

I thoroughly enjoyed speaking with Eva for this interview. I cannot wait to get into The Stone of the Tenth Realm, especially since it's only $3.99! Plus, I do love my fantasy books!!

Author Spotlight ~ Laura Daleo

LAURA DALEO

Laura Daleo was born and raised in San Diego, California where she majored in Fine Arts at Mesa College. She is best known for her love of animals and shares her home with five humorous Basset Hounds, Edie, Lucy, Stuart, Morgan, and Dexter, her toughest critics. Laura has held positions in several industries, Restaurant, Telecom, Biotech, Research, and Retail. Throughout Laura's professional career, she crafted her writing skills by taking courses and by joining a writer's critique group and Writers Digest. She enjoys anything paranormal or urban fantasy related, and writes in both genres for adults.

INTERVIEW WITH LAURA

What made you want to write? 

A passion inside me to tell stories.

What genre(s) do you write in and why? 

Paranormal and Urban Fantasy. I love creating vampire or supernatural characters and dropping them into a modern day setting.

What was the first book you ever wrote, no matter how young you were? 

In seventh grade, I wrote The Murder.

What is your favorite out of all of your books, published or not? 

The Vampire Within

And what makes this your favorite? A certain scene, character, plot? 

The main character struggles to understand what’s happening to him and his determination to find the answer.

What is your daily routine when it comes to your writing?

 

 Unfortunately, Monday – Friday, I’m at my day job so I fit writing in a little bit here and there. The majority of my writing is on the weekends.

What is something that you struggle with when it comes to writing? 

It’s so much easier to tell a story rather than show a story, but we’ve all heard the phrase show don’t tell. Sometimes I do struggle with showing.

What is your favorite thing about writing? 

Creating characters and entering their worlds.

Where do you get your ideas for writing?

I have a very active imagination. Ideas are constantly popping into my head. I can’t turn it off.

Who is your author inspiration and why? 

Anne Rice. In my opinion, she is the “Queen” of vampire story telling. No one has even come close to her vampire Lestat character. I want to be the next Anne Rice.

What is your favorite book of all time and why? 

Interview with a Vampire. It was such a different take on the vampire ledged and it started off with a great hook that kept me turning pages until the end.

Where do you see your writing career in 5 years? 

I hope to be a bestselling author, with a large fan base anxiously awaiting each release.

Some of Laura's works:

One-Click @ Amazon

For sale for only $3.99!!

4.9 STAR Rating!!

Currently working on the sequel to Immortal Kiss, Bound By Blood.

These are unpublished works that I have in my queue to revive and modernize: 

The Vampire Within (2004)

A City of Vampires (2007)

The Soul Collector (2010)

Future works for creation are: 

The Ten

The Old Ones

Vampire Amon

Anything else you want to share with us?

I’m also an animal advocate. I have 5 basset hounds and 1 bird at home. They are my furry kids.

Where You Can Find Laura

Amazon

Facebook

GoodReads

Twitter

I'm so glad that I was able to speak with Laura. I currently have a copy of Immortal Kiss to review, and am looking forward to reading it soon. Be on the watch for that post coming soon!!! 

~Author Spotlight ~ Casey L. Bond~

*CASEY L. BOND*

AUTHOR BIO

Casey L. Bond lives in Milton, West Virginia with her husband and their two beautiful daughters. When she's not busy being a domestic goddess and chasing her baby girls, she loves to write young adult and new adult fiction.

Casey graduated from Hurricane High School in 1999. In 2003, she graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Marshall University in the field of Criminal Justice.

Ways to get in touch with Casey: 

Website  Newsletter Sign-up  Facebook  

Twitter  GoodReads  Tumblr   Pintrest  

Get To Know You

1~What made you want to write?

I've always loved to write but life after college became busy and I put it away for a time. The truth is that Twilight and my mama encouraged me to write. There was a story that wanted out of my head and now there are so many that I don't know that I'll ever find the time to write them. 

2~What genre(s) do you write in and why?

I write young adult and new adult books, but all of them have some sort of romantic element. I suppose that I write what I'd love to read. Dystopian is one of my favorite genres though.

3~What was the first book you ever wrote, no matter how young you were?

I always doodled and wrote little books as a child. The first book of significance was more of a journal in the eighth grade. Each day we were given a topic and told to write down our thoughts and feelings about it.

4~What is your favorite out of all of your books, published or not?

I think it's a tie between The Harvest Saga books and Catalyst, which actually relates to it and will release in a few days!

5~What makes this your favorite - a certain scene, character, plot?

I love dystopian, as you know, but it's a combination of the story itself and the characters in it. It's gripping, very different and yet can touch any age group.

6~What is your daily routine when it comes to writing?

I have two very small children, so there is no set routine, and for some reason, that works for me. When they both go to school in a couple of years, I will try to set a routine and stick with it the best I can.

7~What is something that you struggle with when it comes to writing?

Distraction. I'm like that dog on the movie HOME *Squirrel*. I get distracted by social media and things in daily life around my house that needs attention.

8~What is your favorite thing about writing?

I love crafting a story from start to finish, figuring out the characters and what makes them how they are. LOL :) It's more than just a hobby for me. Sometimes it's all-consuming. 

9~ Where do you get your ideas for writing?

Inspiration can come from music, pintrest, artwork, dreams, life itself. The possibilities are endless.

10~ Who is your author inspiration?

I fangirl hard over Amy Bartol. She's an amazing writer and just a great person. I didn't know what self-publishing was until I read her Premonition series and she mentioned it in part of the book's back matter.

11~What is your favorite book of all time?

The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck. It's beautifully written and emotional. I also love Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice...because Darcy! LOL!

12~ Where do you see your writing career in 5 years?

My first year and a half has been phenomenal on so many levels and for varying reasons. I hope that people keep discovering my books and eventually to become a household name.

Thank you Casey for helping us get to know you! Is there anything else you would like to share?

Thanks to you and all of the bloggers who support me every day. Thanks to the readers who give my dreams wings. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Since Casey brought up her new release, let's take a look at that!

Synopsis

The city of Confidence is surrounded by a thick, concrete wall. These walls are built to protect those within and to keep dangers outside. What happens when the only danger to the citizens within is its leadership?

When a young man on a suicide mission meets a young woman with a terminal illness, both of them use one another as a means to their own ends. 

They never expect to become friends.

They never expect to become so much more to each other.

Their backgrounds and the secrets they uncover are more dangerous than any plans they could make together or separately.

Revolution begins with a spark.

WATCH THE TRAILER FOR CATALYST NOW

*RELEASED JUNE 3, 2015*

~Gladys Quintal~

~AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT~

*Gladys Quintal*

I have known Gladys Quintal for a little while and just love her to pieces! She is one of the nicest people that I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. Gladys also has the knack for writing awesome books, so I decided one day to see if she would be interested in coming on my blog. After talking, we decided that there is going to be a spotlight (today) so you all can get to know her a little better and come to love her as I do. Then, every little while, I will feature one of her books. I am not sure on the exact schedule yet, so you will just have to keep checking back! I asked Gladys a series of questions for you all to get a bit of insider information. So here you go:

1~WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO WRITE?

I honestly cannot remember a time when I wasn't writing. As a young child, I remember my teachers telling me at story time, to keep it short and not write a book! I used to write stories for my schoolmates and always received high marks for writing essays and poems. I think writing is part of me, a big part of me.

2~WHAT WAS THE FIRST BOOK YOU EVER WROTE, NO MATTER HOW YOUNG YOU WERE?

I never really tried to write a book until I was in my forties. I'd always wanted to, but just never actually sat down and started it. I began with my autobiography and had no idea what I was doing. The first book I published though, was the first book in The Dream Series (The Man of My Dreams).

3~WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE OUT OF ALL OF YOUR BOOKS, PUBLISHED OR NOT?

The first book, The Man of My Dreams is my favourite.

4~WHAT MAKES THIS BOOK YOUR FAVORITE; A CERTAIN SCENE, CHARACTER, OR PLOT?

It is my favourite because there is more of me in that book than any other. Cassie is based on me and the vigilante vampire that kills sex offenders was someone I invented as my hero.
*Blogger break-in~ I think it's awesome that the main characters' name is Cassie too! ;)

5~WHAT IS YOUR DAILY ROUTINE WHEN IT COMES TO YOUR WRITING?

Well now, this is where the problem lies! I am a stay at home mum and have to work around my kids and running the household. Writing should be my priority, but it isn't. I write when my daughter has a nap, is a kindy, or late at night when everyone else is in bed.

6~WHAT IS SOMETHING THAT YOU STRUGGLE WITH WHEN IT COMES TO WRITING?

Confidence, self-esteem, thinking that people are not going to like my books...
I don't get writer's block; I have so many stories inside of me that I could probably write non-stop without any problems. But the self-doubt that creeps in is my biggest problem. I will get down on myself and lose the urge to write.


7~WHO IS YOUR AUTHOR INSPIRATION AND WHY?

I actually have more than one. Diana Galbadon wrote the Outlander series, which is my favourite of all time, and I love how she has a Facebook page and interacts with her fans on a regular basis.
Anne Rice is another author that I admire for her honesty and the way she runs her Facebook page.
James Herbert was my favourite horror writter and a big influence on the way that I write.
Victoria Holt inspired me at a young age too.
Trevor Munson wrote the book that inspired the TV show, Moonlight. Moonlight was the show that prompted me to write the Man of My Dreams.

8~WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE BOOK OF ALL TIME AND WHY?

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. I found her books when I was in my late twenties and my eldest daughter was very young. They were a wonderful escape for me and I fell in love with Jamie Fraser!

9~WHERE DO YOU SEE YOUR WRITING CAREER IN 5 YEARS?

Wow, that is a toughie. I really hope that I will be financially successful and be able to write full-time as my chosen career. That is my plan, anyway. I am hoping to be able to make a living out of writing and not to have to get a "real" job down the track. At the moment I try to publish 3-4 books a year, and that is writing part-time. To be able to do this as my job and be a real author - that is my dream!!


So there you go folks! That is an insight into the life of Gladys Quintal, Aussie terminology and all! For anyone who doesn't know of her books, I am including a complete list as of today:

The Dream Series (Paranormal Romance)
The Man of My Dreams
Be Careful What You Wish For
The Chosen One
Succubus: An Erotic Companion
A Match Made in Hell

Someone To Love Me Trilogy (Contemporary Romance)
Undeserving
Unforgiving
Understanding

Stand-alone Books
Entwined (New Adult/Suspense)

Formerly Me (Paranormal Romance)

The Hapless Harlot (New Adult/Suspense)

Life After Hell: Surviving Sexual Abuse (Autobiography)

Why Won't Someone Help Me? (Non-fiction)

Author Bio

A survivor of sexual abuse, I have recently written the true account of my childhood, titled: Life After Hell: Surviving Sexual Abuse. I have tried to convey what happened to me as well as my journey to finally getting justice.

A lot of my own experiences have gone into my fictional works, especially my first book, The Man of My Dreams. I created a vigilante vampire that rescues woman and children from rapists and child molesters...

I have loved vampires and the paranormal ever since I can remember and always envisioned myself writing a book or two on the subject. These characters I've created are very close to my heart and I hope you will come to love them as much as I have. 

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