Featured Interview With Author S. Lee Fisher

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Bolivar, PA was an idyllic small town to grow up in during the '60s and '70s. Located in the Laurel Highlands of the Allegheny Mountains, the area is the backdrop of my fictional Campbell County.
At age 18, I moved to Pittsburgh to attend University and stayed there most of my life.
My husband and I relocated to Venice Florida after we both retired from our corporate careers. We continue to adventure enthusiastically through life.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I have always been an avid reader. The joy of books began with my mother reading to me nightly as an infant. In grade school, I saved my allowance solely to buy books through the school program.
Like most children, I penned a story or two. Professionally, I enjoyed writing instruction manuals, and Standards of Practice during my corporate life. However, creative writing came later in life, as a means of channeling the intense emotions of losing my father. It took some time and many classes, webinars, and lectures to develop a writing style, but I am finding my voice.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I enjoy reading historical, literary, and women's fiction. Some of my favorite recent reads were by Amor Towles, Eric Larson, and some Kristin Hannah. My all-time favorite title is War and Peace. I read it years ago, to spite myself, and ended up falling in love with Tolstoy. It withstands time to remain number one!

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Between Two Dreams, book 4 and the conclusion to the Women of Campbell County series, was such a joy to write. I had so much fun with my characters Olive and Eddy forming an unlikely relationship that surprises the rest of the family and town.
Between Two Dreams ties all loose ends together. The reader will discover if Harriett and Eddy can make a go of their marriage, despite his past transgressions, if Eddy ever finds Rosa, and if Olive can redeem her spiteful personality. You may think you know the ending, but I assure you that you'll be surprised.
These wonderful folks of Campbell County have been my faithful friends over the past two years. Now that the series is finished, I find it hard to transition away from Olive, Harriett, and Eddy. Writing my newest project/ series feels like I moved cross country and have to make new friends.

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Featured Interview With Author Rusty Blackwood

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
It's not always easy to speak about oneself without sounding conceited, I would hate that, but I will try. I've been a serious writer since 2001, and put my first publication, a collection of contemporary & traditional poetry, out in 2009 to get my toes wet in the self-publishing field, which I followed with 4 titles that are no longer available nor have been since 2012. However, I revised some earlier work and published a second collection of poetry in 2011 along with a few other titles back to back. My main goal was to become a romantic fiction drama author, which I accomplished in 2013 with my first romantic fiction drama, Passions in Paris: Revelations of a Lost Diary. This was followed in 2015 with my first 5-star-awarded romantic fiction drama, Willow's Walk, and then in 2019 with my 5-star-multi-award-winning romantic fiction drama, The Perils of Autumn. I have just released the 5-star-awarded Return to Autumn, the 1st book in a 2-part sequel to The Perils of Autumn. The second part, Return to Autumn 2 is expected for release in January 2023. I love writing romantic fiction drama, but I also enjoy writing adult comedy, and began a series in this genre, titled The Derwood Tugbottom Comedy Series in 2012, with the 1st installment, The Misadventures of Derwood Tugbottom, an eccentric, outspoken, brash retired English Civil servant who retires to a very active seniors center in Canada. The 2nd installment, Derwood Returns was released in 2017, and was followed in 2019 with the 3rd installment, Derwood Goes Caribbean. I am presently writing the 4th installment, Derwood Comes Home, and I invite you to watch for it's release on Amazon, where all my titles can be found.

I was raised in rural southwestern-Ontario, Canada where I would give anything to return to, but I reside in St. Catharines, Ontario in Niagara, which has become my home. I no-longer have pets of my own, having lost my longtime companion, Tipper, a year ago.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I always loved to create written scenarios from my active imagination as far back as I can remember, but as a child I was encouraged by both my now late father, James Beecroft, and Gladys Carroll, my elementary school teacher, to write, which didn't take a lot of encouragement for me to continue on with. But it wasn't until I was middle-aged before I began to write seriously with the intent to see what I could do with it, and where it could take me. I've never regretted that decision.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I very much enjoy expressive writing that pulls you into the pictures playing out within the written words. I enjoy dramatic romance, suspense, and horror. I enjoy V.C. Andrews, Kathryn Stockett, and Stephen King, classic authors such as Charles Dickens, Margaret Mitchell, and the Bronte Sisters, children's authors Lucy Maud Montgomery, Laura Ingalls Wilder, Louisa May Alcott, Anna Sewell, and Mark Twain, and in my own area, Niagara romance novelist Gina IaFrate.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Return to Autumn is the 1st book in a 2-part sequel to The Perils of Autumn. It picks the story up 4 years later and carries the reader through to where Return to Autumn Part 2 begins. It is now April 1976, and life at Landon Manor has carried on for Autumn Leeves-Landon, and her mature husband, Cyril, along with their young daughter, Abby, and their astute and devoted housekeeper and friend, Agnes Harris. Life in Landon Lawns Stables has also carried on for head groom and trainer, Manfred Montgomery, and foreman William Brown, as they continue their ongoing quest to bring the stable's exclusive jockey, Duff Taylor, to justice for an unsolved racing incident from his past that he has gone to extreme measures to keep hidden, but in doing so, he has also managed to add to his growing list of secrets.

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Featured Interview With Author D.F. Kennedy

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I live in Kane, Illinois. It's a quiet little village roughly an hour Northeast of St. Louis, Mo. I was raised in this area but left shortly after high school graduation to join the United States Air Force. I served just shy of 8 years before I was medically separated. I am the mother of three grown children, the grandmother of four, and I am divorced.

I began my writing career late in life. I have written in journals for as long as I can remember, but it wasn't until 2021 that I turned those journal entries into novels. I write a mixed genre which includes thriller, romance, mystery, and suspense in a story.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I've always loved to read, but I didn't develop my desire to write "my story" until fifteen to twenty years ago. I knew that the story I wanted to tell needed to age like fine wine, or whiskey. After I began writing, I became fascinated. So many stories in my head and so little time.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I will read just about anything. I am seldom a reader who doesn't finish a book unless I can't get into the story, which is rare. Favorite genre? I love thrillers. I want to be sitting on the edge of my seat, talking aloud, or jumping off the seat when I'm mad, shocked, or surprised. I don't have a favorite author. It took me years to figure out I had a favorite color and there are increasingly more authors than colors, right?

Tell us a little about your latest book?
The Whole Truth is book two in the So Help Me God series. The Whole Truth begins right where the first book left off. The reader finds Dahlia and Roland on a mission to find forevermrshughes, but most importantly, the sender of the mysterious black dahlias. But before that can happen, they embark on vastly different and dangerous paths, discovering a new nemesis.

The first book, The Truth, introduces the reader to Dahlia Frost. She's a new author who wrote and published a novel, Daddy Issues, under a pen name. When her identity is mysteriously revealed, once her ex-boyfriend, makes a grand entrance at her book signing bringing with him the national spotlight. Determined to succeed against all who bet against them, Roland and Dahlia find themselves threatened, stalked, kidnapped, and torn apart by deception. And that is just by those who call themselves family. Finding their way back to each other, vowing no more secrets will come between them, their love and commitment are immediately tested.

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Featured Interview With Author Ashley Brandt

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born and raised in Fontana, California. I lived in Southern California until age 24, when my husband and I moved to North Texas. We have lived there for the past 10 years with our two young sons. We have two dogs, a cat, and a Guinea pig. I am a Paramedic and an author on my free time.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I have always loved books and reading. I discovered my affinity for story telling around age four, when I created plots and characters for made up games. When I reached my early teens I started writing short stories, which developed into full length novels these past few years. I started to pursue publishing this year and have published six books since.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I adore Charlaine Harris. I could re-read her novels and never grow tired of them. She is inspirational to me. I got started on the Queen of Suspense, Mary Higgins Clark.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book, titled Coyote, is loosely based on the old Navajo legend of Ma’ii. Drawing from those stories of the mischievous paranormal entity, I added a twist of suspense and a romantic element.

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Featured Interview With Author David Ross

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I am born and bred in the ‘burbs of Sydney. It's a city surrounded by fantastic national parks to hike in as well as a stunning coast.

And where I grew up, I was so fortunate to live right near, what we call, the “bush”. It was remnant eucalypt forest. It was such a wonderful place to spend my childhood, being able to spend my time with my friends surrounded by nature.

It was only later in life that I realised how much of an impact that had on me. Today, I am once again living right next to the “bush”, allowing my teenagers to experience something special.

It is also paradise for the family pet, Pippy the wonderdog. She is a kelpie, an Australian working dog breed, and just the most loving pet that we could ever hope to have.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I probably only realised recently that my fascination with books was always there. Since I was a kid. I grew up fascinated with Australian Indigenous stories like The Rainbow Serpent. The mythology, the connection between humanity and nature, just the deeply different mindset to that which dominated my world was an eye opener. And then, I found To Kill A Mockingbird. It was a game changer.

I’ve been writing plenty of articles for ten years, extolling the need for leaders and organisations to adapt to a rapidly changing and turbulent world.

But, Confronting the Storm is my first book.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
My reading tastes are pretty eclectic and a favourite genre is difficult to pin down. Perhaps it depends on my mood at the time.

In years gone by, I loved works by Stephen King and Clive Barker. I loved the way that they fleshed out a story, gave the characters and location a history, as was the case for me with It. When Clive Barker was at his peak, however, I’ve never come across anyone who would come remotely close to what he could achieve with respect to the ideas, imagery and worlds he would develop in his fantasy books.
Nevertheless, I love how Kinky Friedman gives me a guilty laugh when reading his books or how I can’t put down the crime thrillers written by John Connolly or Jo Nesbo – or even the stories by Tim Winton.

However, no one has ever inspired me to write non-fiction more than Rachel Carson. Just as Harper Lee fueled a fire for social justice issues, so too Carson lit a fire under me. Somehow, I had never heard of her until I was studying environmental and ecological issues at university, many years after she wrote Silent Spring.

She had been hearing stories about the impact of pesticides on human and ecological communities. The way she communicated what was happening left me numb before fueling a passion that remains to this day. Her work and courage were transformational in how we saw the world, facilitating the development of environmental legislation.

I can only dream to follow in her giant footsteps.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
While I commenced writing Confronting the Storm just before the pandemic started, in actual fact, the book had been within me for at least ten years.

You see, working as a strategist and a peacemaker at the intersection of corporate strategy, government policy, community, and the natural environment, I see how the traditional story of leadership has adversely impacted upon lives, livelihoods, and the planet. Like Rachel Carson, I get to hear stories that never leave me. Similarly, I hear about the stresses that executives are experiencing as we live in times of momentous and turbulent change, where trust in our organisations is in crisis.

There has to be a better way.

And so, in Confronting the Storm, I argue provocatively that the leadership styles that have been celebrated for centuries are now an obstacle to progress. Just reflect on that for a minute.
Instead, we need a more collaborative style of leadership if we are to successfully deal with the storm of complex social, environmental, and economic challenges and opportunities now faced.

My argument is amplified by some of the most inspiring global leaders who are successfully confronting the storm – including a former Prime Minister, former Foreign Minister, and one of Fortune magazine’s ’50 Greatest Leaders’ and more!

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David Ross’s Website

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