Category Archives: Interviews

Interview with Author LindaAnn LoSchiavo 

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1) Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?

Three fortunate circumstances helped me develop into a writer. 

The first influential factor in my life was the privilege of being born in New York City and being exposed to rich cultural experiences as a child.   For example, my relatives took me to the American Museum of Natural History, the Hayden Planetarium, Museum of Modern Art, Carnegie Hall, and Broadway shows.  By age six, after the theatre, I started buying a copy of the  drama or musical we’d just enjoyed at a wonderful place in Times Square, The Drama Bookshop.  I wanted to be better equipped during dinner table discussions of the play.  These formative experiences, rooted in The Big Apple’s vibrant cultural milieu, played a pivotal role in shaping my intellectual curiosity and nurturing my appetite for the arts.

The second factor was growing up without a television but with easy access to a library.

The third factor was being surrounded by adults – with limited access to children my own age unless I was in a classroom. Since my parents could not afford to finance a mortgage right away, we lived in a large house with my maternal grandparents and unmarried aunts until I was 4 ½. This household served as a hub for buying and receiving numerous birthday and holiday cards, providing me with ample exposure to bad poetry.  Even as a child, I was critical about awkward rhymes in Hallmark cards, so at age three and a half I launched my own greeting card line. I wrote the verses and one of my aunts illustrated each card. Lots of praise (by our relatives) launched a young formalist.

By age four I was being taken to numerous Broadway matinees.  This made an impact.  By age nine, I had my first one-act play onstage with a cast of five actresses (recruited from my Girl Scouts chapter); it ran for several months in NYC.   Also at age nine, my first poem (“The Tiger”) was published in a school magazine.   At age 15, a short story (“No Way Out”) that I had written for my high school magazine won a gold medal for literary achievement. There has never been a time when I did not think of myself as “a serious writer.”

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2) What inspired you to write your book?

Pure serendipity.  At the time, I had been circulating a 29-poem manuscript, “Women Who Were Warned.” But Beacon Books’ poetry imprint UniVerse Press does not let a poet upload a full manuscript. Instead they want a proposal with a writing sample. As I awaited a response, “Women Who Were Warned” found acceptance from Cerasus Poetry in London, rendering it unavailable for publication anywhere else.  Moreover, UniVerse Press wanted a full-length collection –   and by October 1, 2022.  Opportunity and a deadline blew the whistle.

3) What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?


“Apprenticed to the Night” weaves together the tapestry of everyday encounters with the extraordinary.   Until the pandemic, I had deliberately omitted revealing my supernatural experiences in my writing.  I’m hoping that readers will be open-minded.

4) What drew you into this particular genre?

Since childhood, I’ve been aware of metrical verse and memorized a lot of poems. Writing formal verse comes naturally to me.

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5) What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?

Twitter has a thriving literary community with hashtags such as #amwriting, #poetrycommunity, and #bookbloggers.  I’d love to connect with more reviewers on TikTok a.k.a. #BookTok.

6) What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?

Read widely and immoderately.   Be on the alert for online writing workshops, especially the no-fee options.  For example, Sundress Academy’s Poetry Xfit meets from 2-4PM EST on the third Sunday of every month.   All events are free and hosted via Zoom, which can be accessed at tiny.utk.edu/sundress.

7) What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?

My eerie fully illustrated Samhain-themed collection “Always Haunted: Hallowe’en Poems” is with a publisher who requested it. (Fingers crossed.) While I am polishing a full-length poetry collection on ghosts, “Dark and Airy Spirits,” I’m finishing up two other chapbooks. One is devoted to suicide poems and the other is inspired by the poignant journey I took with my terminally ill mother when I was her sole caretaker.

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About the Author

Native New Yorker LindaAnn LoSchiavo, a four time nominee for The Pushcart Prize, has also been nominated for Best of the Net, the Rhysling Award, and Dwarf Stars. She is a member of SFPA, The British Fantasy Society, and The Dramatists Guild.

Elgin Award winner “A Route Obscure and Lonely” (US: Wapshott Press, 2019), “Women Who Were Warned” (UK: Cerasus Poetry, 2022), Firecracker Award, Balcones Poetry Prize, Quill and Ink, Paterson Poetry Prize, and IPPY Award nominee “Messengers of the Macabre” [co-written with David Davies] (US: Audience Askew, 2022), “Apprenticed to the Night” (UK: UniVerse Press, 2023), and “Felones de Se: Poems about Suicide” (Canada: Ukiyoto Publishing, 2023) are her latest poetry titles.

In 2023, her poetry placed as a finalist in Thirty West Publishing’s “Fresh Start Contest” and in the 8th annual Stephen DiBiase contest.

LoSchiavo is a Prohibition Era historian and her Texas Guinan film won “Best Feature Documentary” at N.Y. Women’s Film Fest (Dec. 2021).

― ― links ― ―

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Interview with Author Maria Liviero

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Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?

I live in the UK near London with the many ups and downs of writing I am passionate to share how personal struggles can create an empty canvas to recreate your life because there is no end but a beginning. 

I feel passionate to show how suffering is an important part of life that must not be repressed or pushed aside by using a person, a thing, or a situation to relieve us from inner despair but take the experience to evolve emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. The message is that a mistake is never a mistake, it’s the human brain relearning.

How did I get here? 

That is a question. I left school with minimal qualifications, and my writing skills were less than average therefore I struggled with writing.  While in London, I worked as a lifeguard, a colleague planted a seed of return to education and during that time I was reading a renowned book “Road Less Travelled” by Scott Peck. The seed and one sentence from the book changed my life. I returned to studying, which I found challenging, and was diagnosed with dyslexia in the final year of my degree. During my studies, I realized my creative expression was in the form of writing, and in time my writing skills improved immensely. For me, creativity is a place of solace where I can connect with myself and feel alive. 

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What inspired you to write your book?

To cut a long story short, I had my own life challenges that forced me to look at myself and my dark side. During my time in therapy, I became conscious of my dark side meaning that I was aware of how negativity can take hold without you realising. Being self-aware so crucial because it’s the first step to knowing ourselves. Labeling our dark side as bad is likely to cause us to suppress those traits which causes more harm. Fundamentally, we must bring those parts of ourselves to awareness not only for ourselves but for the collective well-being as well. 

Once I reconnected to my authentic self, of course, I continue to work on myself, I began to sense something inside of me that I can only describe as a creative force that seem to have a life of its own.  As I write the story unfolds in front of my eyes – I even don’t know what’s going to happen next. I do believe in a higher force or energy that I call God, but not align with the religious God that has pushed me to write this book in spite of the obstacles and challenges – and there were tough ones that tested every part of me. 

What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?

Embrace and do not fear your dark side it’s there for you to transcend and be the person you meant to be without other people’s projections, transferences, negativity, and importantly your own destructive self-talk of blame, guilt, judgment, and shame, for example. 

What drew you into this particular genre?

I think it was a natural progression after completing a psychology degree, a Masters, and a psychotherapy diploma where the training emphasis was on transpersonal themes that seem to tap into my unconscious self. Plus therapy helped in tearing down my defenses and layers of the false self to connect with my authentic self which is also my soul qualities. I think when you surrender things just happen. 

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What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?

I actually don’t have any social media sites, for me I don’t have the knack for creating posts or the mind space to regularly or keep on top of social media. 

What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?

For me, it was self-doubt whether I was good enough or if was it a fantasy that I could become an author. It was important to face the possibility that I may not have the aptitude for writing but I received positive editorial reviews and yours Anthony helped me to gain courage and self-belief that I have the skills to push this forward.  If the passion and desire are there any project requires consistency, discipline, and hard work. In spite of obstacles you must carry on even when it gets tough, and it will. 

On a practical level, I suggest finding yourself a good editor with credentials and a person who knows actually what they are doing when it comes to designing your cover and printing your book.  Because of my lack of experience, I managed to learn the hard way, nevertheless, the next book will be a lot easier to deal with.   I find marketing a challenge, no one told me how hard it can be to market your book requires a lot of time and resources so be aware. 

What does the future hold in store for you? Are any new books/projects on the horizon?

Continue where my passion lies which is writing, reflecting back I would have never imagined that I would be writing books as well as blogs.  Blogs were never for me but now I enjoy sharing my thoughts and experiences to hopefully support/help others.  I stepped out of my comfort zone and realized yes I CAN do this. 

My second book is currently with an editor, which may well be a series to Why We Make Bad Choices but the subtitle will be changed.  The thought came about a few days ago that the second book can be a continuum because it’s all about why we make bad choices. The first book was concerned with the collective unconscious and the second is related to how childhood experiences shape how we make choices later in adulthood.  This is told through relationships between criminals and their alibis. 

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About the Author

Maria Liviero, based in the UK, has received an award for her first book that had been in the planning for five years. With the many ups and downs of writing, and to share how personal struggles can create an empty canvas to recreate the reader’s life, because there is no end but a beginning.

She obtained a psychology degree, along with MSc and diploma in psychotherapy. In her experience, the dark side of human nature is of equal or even greater importance—without being conscious of our shadow we continue to live in fear, discord with ourselves and others. Maria believes to understand ourselves we must travel the path of self-discovery. This can mean transcending our false ego to live a fulfilling life without the shackles that we have created like the internet, social media, mobiles phones, addictions, relationships, negative thinking (and behaviours), and statements.

Liviero’s passion is to show how suffering is an important part of life that must not be repressed or pushed aside by using a person, a thing or a situation to relieve us from the inner despair but take the experience to evolve emotionally, mentally, and spiritually.

https://www.maria-liviero.com/

Writing Journey Over Six Books (and 25 Years) by Jeannine Hall Gailey

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Preamble

I started writing poetry when I was a kid. My mother let me borrow her college poetry textbook (circa 1969), and so I learned about T.S. Eliot, e.e. cummings, poetic forms, metaphors, and such things way before we would get around to them in school. I won a couple of poetry recitation contests in 5th and 6th grade, and the prizes were the collected works of Emily Dickinson and Carl Sandburg (I still have both). I think the first book of poetry I bought myself was the collected Edna St. Vincent Millay, when I was about 11.  

My first degree was in Pre-Med Biology. I meant to become a doctor—but I took creative writing classes on the side. When I graduated, my immunologist told me there was no way my health would allow me to complete medical school, as grueling as it was in the early nineties. So I decided to set my sights elsewhere. Soon I started my MA in English, where I was introduced to formalism, deconstruction, and other -isms (and made some good friends). When I graduated, looking to be able to support myself, I took a job as a technical writer. I was still writing poetry, but not seriously trying to publish, until a health crisis struck and I had to quit my tech job. My husband suggested pursuing my earlier dream of being a writer. 

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Starting my Journey as a Poet

I tried out some local writer’s conferences (on scholarship) and seriously researching the literary magazine scene, volunteering for a few local literary magazines, and sending out work. I put together enough published poems for a chapbook, and got it published—my first little collection of poems, called Female Comic Book Superheroes.  I applied to a few low-residency MFA programs, and started one, taking a semester off in the middle for (once again) health issues. During that off semester, I sent out my first book manuscript and had it accepted, which was Becoming the Villainess, published by a (then-brand-new) press called Steel Toe Books in Kentucky.  The chapbook and book were considered “speculative” poetry at that time, not very common—poems about video game characters and superheroines were not common in the mainstream literary magazines, certainly not represented in the prizes. So I was a little out there. But it had a very positive response from young people, which I was very happy to see. If you can’t read and enjoy a few poems about comic book story arcs or mythological women turned to dragons when you’re young, then when can you?

Journey from First Book to Sixth

I felt very lucky with that first book—I had some modest success for a very new small publisher and a very small new poet. I was still able to travel more easily back then—making 20-hour car trips between Western Kentucky, Akron, and upstate New York. 

Now that I’m on my sixth book, Flare, Corona, with a great publisher, BOA Editions, I’m a little older, with a little more in terms of health challenges (MS among them), and I’m not physically able to do what I used to. However, with the pandemic, I learned some new skillsets—photography and gardening among them—and I read a lot. During the first months of the pandemic, I tried writing a few personal essays – and got them published in Salon. This book is the most vulnerable and more autobiographical than all my previous books. My previous books: Becoming the Villainess, She Returns to the Floating World, and Unexplained Fevers, I frequently wrote in persona—characters from mythology, fairy tales, anime, and traditional folk tales. In Field Guide to the End of the World, I created a fictional character navigating a fictional apocalyptic landscape (though it didn’t feel fictional in 2020!), so at least there was a little differentiation between the main speaker and myself. In Flare, Corona the speaker is essentially me, describing some incredibly difficult experiences. I had to figure out a way to write these poems in a way that was direct but felt comfortable. I found myself writing a kind of “mutant sonnet” as well as prose poems—forms that helped me hold difficult subject matter in place, so to speak. Some themes from previous books return—a supervillain perspective on coronavirus, apocalypse poems, writing about growing up in Oak Ridge and its radioactive contamination—and those poems allowed me to, for instance, address what I refer to in the book as “the plague years” in a way that felt real and not cliché. 

I’ve learned over the 20 or so years of publishing poetry books that one of the best things about the poetry world is making friends with the people in it—my publishers were, to the person, excellent human beings, and I consider many of them real friends and I truly grieved when I lost one of the them to cancer. I am very lucky to now have a bigger press—BOA Editions, who published some of my poetry heroes, like Dorianne Laux and Lucille Clifton—take my latest book, and I really am enjoying working with them as the book comes out into the world. Kindness to people becomes really important, and supporting other poets and writers as we go through our literary life is something I cannot recommend enough. I’ve been doing poetry book reviews for 20 years, and even if there is little monetary reward in it, I’m happy to have done it. Meeting friends I’ve made at a conference or a reading twenty years ago remains a great pleasure, even if I can’t travel as much as I used to. Community is important as a structure to support you and a structure to support other writers. 

My work itself continues to evolve—as I play around with form, and language, and persona. My next book must be impacted by the last few years, but I don’t want it to be purely about that, and may also involve some of the ideas that appeared in Flare, Corona—the desire or will to survive despite difficult conditions. There will probably be dragons in it.

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About the Author

Jeannine Hall Gailey is a poet with multiple sclerosis who served as the 2nd Poet Laureate of Redmond, Washington. She’s the author of six books of poetry: Becoming the Villainess, She Returns to the Floating World, Unexplained Fevers, The Robot Scientist’s Daughter, Field Guide to the End of the World, winner of the Moon City Press Book Prize and the Elgin Award, and the newest, Flare, Corona from BOA Editions.  She has a B.S. in Biology and M.A. in English from the University of Cincinnati and an MFA from Pacific University. Her work appeared in The American Poetry Review, Ploughshares, and Poetry. Her web site is www.webbish6.com.

Interview with Lee Polevoi, author of The Confessions of Gabriel Ash

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I recently reviewed The Confessions of Gabriel Ash by Lee Polevoi, calling it “Powerful, heart-pounding, and engaging … a must-read Cold War spy novel and political thriller you won’t be able to put down.” In this interview, Lee talks about his new novel and his writing career, and offers advice to aspiring writers.

Q  Tell us a little about yourself. How did you get into writing?

A  I’m a native of Cleveland, Ohio, and have lived in New England, San Francisco, New Orleans, and San Diego. My wife and I also lived for nearly two years in Cuenca, Ecuador, prior to the pandemic. I’ve worked as a zookeeper, screenwriter, temp office worker, and freelance business writer. 

I can’t recall a time when I wasn’t writing. This grows out of a fascination with language, its properties and potential, and the work of a handful of deeply influential authors, including Robert Stone, Thomas McGuane, and John Banville, among many others. My first novel, The Moon in Deep Winter, was published in 2008, and I regularly review books for the online publication, Highbrow Magazine.

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Q  What inspired you to write your book? 

A  In The Confessions of Gabriel Ash, I wanted to explore what happens when a high-profile character becomes embroiled in scandal and intrigue, largely as a result of his own hubris. It was my intention to portray this character (Gabriel Ash, a UN diplomat for a East European communist nation) at the height of his career and the rather sensational events that lead to his downfall.  

Q  What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?

A  Aside from hopefully enjoying the experience of reading The Confessions of Gabriel Ash, I’d like readers to reflect on the theme, pride goeth before a fall. 

Q  What drew you into this particular genre? 

A  I’m a big fan of well-written political literary thrillers, including, most prominently The Untouchable by John Banville. I’ve also been intrigued by the murky undercurrents generated by decades of Cold War animosity. Part of the fun was creating a unique voice (from his confinement in a medieval castle, Gabriel Ash recounts the story of his downfall) that draws readers in and keeps them turning the page. 

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Q  If you could sit down with any character in your book, what would you ask them and why?

A  I guess I’d sit the title character down and ask him point-blank, “How long can you play a role you don’t believe in?” and “Did you think you could keep living the high life and chasing women, without suffering any consequences?” The answers Gabriel Ash would give at the outset of the novel and at its conclusion might best describe his journey throughout the story.

Q  What social media sites have been most helpful in developing your readership?

A  Both Facebook and Instagram have been very useful in boosting awareness of my novel’s imminent publication. Social media is a great way of spreading the word to people who might truly enjoy The Confessions of Gabriel Ash. Reviews are already appearing on Goodreads. 

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Q  What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?

A  First of all, understand that writing a novel requires a great deal of time and discipline. It means foregoing some social events, eliminating procrastination, and making a commitment to see the thing through. (The same principle holds for writing short stories.) Also, it’s important to read as widely and deeply as possible. You can learn a great deal about the craft of writing through a close reading of a favorite author’s work.

Q  What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?

A  Hard to say. Several ideas are germinating just beneath the surface, waiting for the right moment to bloom into a full-fledged work of fiction.

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Visit leepolevoi.com to learn more about The Confessions of Gabriel Ash by visiting leepolevoi.com. Follow Lee at www.facebook.com/leepolevoiauthor and www.instagram.com/leepolevoiauthor/. 

Interview with Author Ryan Bernsten 

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1) Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?

I’ve been writing stories from a young age – it started by writing little plays to perform with my friends and family. For me, writing is a conduit to commune with other people, and that’s why my interest has been primarily in playwriting – it keeps the lonely writer trope at bay and keeps art from becoming a solo sport. Writing to me is so much about collaborating, and that’s why this book – which has given me the opportunity to travel across the country to talk to voters and speak at colleges and bookstores – is such an exciting endeavor. 50 States of Mind the book is only the start of the conversation.

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2) What inspired you to write your book?

My impetus to write the book was a combination of a lot of different seemingly serendipitous factors: like many in the United States, the 2016 election was a wakeup call. I had been working for the Florida Democratic party, and was totally stunned by the result and hungry to dive into the nuances and contradictions of the hugely consequential election. I needed to discover what I missed – I was a Northwestern-educated 26-year-old who had chosen New York City as his home, but also a Rust Belt native who grew up in a sometimes overlooked part of the Midwest. Because of this, I could empathize with not feeling heard by the rest of the country. These preoccupations led me to write an admissions essay to University of Oxford. When I left the U.S. for the U.K. in September of 2017, I had room to reflect on the events of the past year and, fortuitously, the opportunity to pitch a thesis project to my department. The 50 States of Mind idea – the opportunity to travel to all 50 states to speak to people on the ground, seemed to be the best way to dive into the heart of a divided America and see if there were answers to be found from the people.

3) What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?

I think the message of the book, hopefully, makes the reader want to turn off the news, put down their phones, and get out there to fully engage in the ever-changing story of American democracy. We are made to feel that we have to think in black and white terms (or red and blue) about the problems in our country, but there is an awful lot of nuance and gray area surrounding these topics. I think those in power intentionally divide about so many inconsequential things – forcing us to take sides in cultural discussions that have little to do with our democracy – that we lose focus on the issues that matter most and get distracted from finding meaningful ways to make change. Our communities are the perfect canvas for us to get involved and make an impact, and it’s worth considering if we’re actually doing our part to make positive change.

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4) What drew you into this particular genre?

The works of travel nonfiction by folks like Bill Bryson who allows humor to illustrate broader points about society, Samantha Allen who fuses candid memoir with travel writing, and William Least-Heat Moon with the search for meaning among the regular folks in America all helped me reconsider what travel writing should or could be. Seeing what is possible in narrative nonfiction and borrowing what I admired helped me create a work of travel nonfiction that I see myself in.

5) What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?

I really have come to loathe social media because I think it’s tearing apart our democracy (for more details, see the full book or audiobook!), however, I do like to keep people in the loop on Instagram.

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6) What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?

I’ve learned through the development of this book that you are only as strong as those who edit your work, and luckily I had brilliant editors along the way. The most important relationships a writer can cultivate is with someone who will give you honest feedback on relatively polished work. This could be a non-writer, but never, ever make that person feel taken for granted – buy them dinner, buy them a million drinks! These people are worth their weight in gold. And if you are a part of a writers’ group, be the person who reliably gives notes in a week or two. You’ll learn about your own writing by giving feedback to others, and you’re more likely to get careful feedback in return.

7) What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?

I’m embarking on a speaking tour of U.S. libraries and bookstores next month, which couldn’t be more exciting since it’s quite parallel to the journey of the book. I’m also starting to develop 50 States of Mind into a stage play in the style of The Laramie Project as I hope to use my playwriting background to bring the diverse voices of those I met along my journey to life. 

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About the Author

Ryan Bernsten is a graduate of Northwestern University and Oxford’s Creative Writing Master’s program.  Ryan is a contributor for The Infatuation and has been published in USA Today, The Fulcrum, The Oxford Political Review, and The Trevor Project, where he is the Senior Managing Editor. Ryan is an award-winning playwright whose plays have been performed across the US and UK. You may have seen him as a Slytherin contestant on Harry Potter: Hogwarts Tournament of Houses. ryanbernsten.com

Interview with Author David E. Feldman 

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1) Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?

I got into writing by reading. I was a bit of a troublemaker as a child and I often skipped school. The way I got my education, for the most part, was by reading. I first fell in love with science fiction in my early teens. I read Asimov, Heinlein, Silverberg and, particularly, Ray Bradbury, whose lyrical, descriptive style influenced my own. Later on I fell in love with John Steinbeck whose East of Eden is quite possibly my favorite non-mystery. When it comes to mysteries and thrillers I have many favorites: Harlan Coben, Lee Child, C.J. Box, John Sandford among them.

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2) What inspired you to write your book?

Because I write full time, I do my best to write in such a way as to both write what I love—which is mystery-thrillers—and maximize my readership. To that end I write series. Dora Ellison is at present a six-book (five novels and a short prequel) series. My hope is that folks will read one, like what they’ve read, and continue on to read the whole series. In this book I wrote about people with special needs, which is one of several issues I choose to focus on. Who will care for these people when their families are gone? The state? If so, will they do a good job? I have a niece, Zoe, who is 24 and has never spoken nor walked. She is an inspiration!

3) What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?

Well, I hope they enjoy the ride the books take them on. Beyond that, Dora cannot tolerate bullies—those who prey on people who are weaker or less fortunate. That’s an important issue for me.

4) What drew you into this particular genre?

I love reading this genre. Lee and Andrew Child’s Jack Reacher books have been a heavy influence. Dora has qualities in common with Jack Reacher, though my books are very different from Mr. Child’s.

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5) If you could sit down with any character in your book, what would you ask them and why?

I would ask Dora whether she is ever content. She is a driven woman who reflects the fact that, even at 66, I am a driven man!

6) What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?

Facebook. I am in many Facebook readers/writers groups and have benefited both by gaining readers and by learning from more experienced authors.

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7) What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?

Write, write, write. Every day. It’s a muscle. If you work it, it will strengthen. Then read your own work, then reread. Seek feedback and pay attention to it.

8) What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?

I am nearing completion of Dora Ellison Book 6—A Divisive Storm. I am also working on a standalone novel called Percival, that is a fictionalized account of my father’s life. My dad had polio at age 2 and lost nearly all the use of his left leg and some of the use of his right leg. And yet he was an accomplished musician; he taught a variety of forms of cooking. And, of course, he married and raised a family. He was an amazing man!

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About the Author

David E. Feldman has written seven books of his own and has ghostwritten many others. He has made three films, won 2 film awards and won a playwriting contest. He has an MLS degree in Library & Information Science.

You can find his books on Amazon.com and elsewhere, under his name, David E. Feldman.

They include:

The Neighborhood. (A standalone novel, about 4 fictitious families living in Valley Stream in 1973, one of whom is the first Black family in the neighborhood which was the author’s at that time.)

The Dora Ellison Mystery Series:

Storm Warnings, A Dora Ellison Short Story Prequel

Not Today, Dora Ellison Mystery Book 1 (a finalist for the Killer Nashville Claymore Best Mystery Award, 2022)

A Gathering Storm, Dora Ellison Mystery Book 2

A Sickening Storm, Dora Ellison Mystery Book 3

A Biological Storm, Dora Ellison Mystery Book 4

A Special Storm, Dora Ellison Mystery Book 5 (due out Feb. 21, 2023)

Percival (A standalone novel about a musician who contracts polio at the age of two and transcends his handicap and various mistreatments by an often cruel society, and finds joy and love. Based on the life of the author’s father.)

Pilgrimage from Darkness Nuremberg to Jerusalem

Bad Blood, a Long Island Mystery

Born of War: Based on a Story of American Chinese Friendship

How to Be Happy in Your Marriage – A Roadmap

His author website:

https://www.davidefeldman.com/books.shtml

His ghostwriting website:

https://longislandnyghostwriter.com/

His film, Everyone Deserves a Decent Life (directed, produced) won the Alfred Fortunoff Humanitarian Film Award at the Long Island Film Expo, 2014. His film, Let Me Out! (Written, directed, produced) won Best Psychological Thriller at the 2009 New York International Film Festival. His play, Love Lives On, was a winner of the inaugural Artists In Partnership Inaugural Playwriting Contest, and was produced in Long Beach, NY in Sept.-Oct. of 2022.

He has also been the owner of eFace Media (eface.com) since 1989, where he writes marketing and branding copy.

Interview with Author Henning Kuersten 

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1) Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?

My father was a physicist, so I was raised in a scientific environment. I studied Computer & Information Science and Psychology at Queen’s University in Canada and the Technical University in Munich. I have been a mountaineer, sailor, and adventurer all my life, and as an entrepreneur, I created a software company specializing in image analysis & editing software. When I heard about the Dyatlov Pass Incident, which is probably the most famous mountaineering mystery of all time, I was of course clueless like everyone, but the case lingered in my mind. I then found present-day video material describing exactly what the hikers saw on the slope of Mt. Kholat Syakhl. I analyzed the last photos from the cameras and discovered that they were not showing a lab window in the morgue, as suggested by case experts. The incident then suddenly made complete sense to me, but still, I did not anticipate writing a book about it.

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2) What inspired you to write your book?

In the years following my initial discovery, I saw a number of TV documentaries about the tragedy. I have always been intrigued by real-life mysteries, like the Franklin expedition, the fate of MH370 or the Skinwalker Ranch. Since I’m a mountaineer myself, the Dyatlov mystery didn’t leave me alone. I then did two years of intense research and the big picture slowly emerged, like a long-hidden puzzle. I never wanted to write a book about my suspicion, but the revival of the avalanche theory by the mainstream media stirred me up. I knew from my ski hiking experience and professional analysis of photos from the Dyatlov camp site, that the reason for the escape and the injuries of the hikers could not have been an avalanche.

3) What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?

When I decided to write a book, I tried not to succumb to prejudice and bias, but to analyze the case from the ground up. So I concentrated on original evidence like the case files, eyewitness testimonies and the “famous last frames”. Whatever evidence I came up with, it always fit the picture that started to appear. I had to discard nothing, and every question was answered, without layered assumptions or by ignoring Occam. He was philosopher from the 14the century who proposed, that the most likely answer to a problem is always the simplest one. This message is an important one for life. Try to always be open minded, keep it simple and avoid confirmation bias.

4) What drew you into this particular genre?

The surviving relatives have the right to know, that the young mountaineers didn’t die in vain. The conclusions to the case open up one of the last mysteries in modern science, which has an high relevance for UFOlogy, aviation and new energy sources. The solution to the Dyatlov Pass Incident is actually quite spectacular. All of this together made it impossible for me to ignore this mystery.

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5) What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?

I did a lot of research and discussion on Facebook, as there are several groups about the Dyatlov Pass Incident. Quora is also a good site to ask for opinions and get answers to questions.

6) What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?

If you want to be successful with a nonfiction book, try to stay away from confirmation bias and motivated reasoning. Meaning, that you should never ignore evidence or arguments that do not fit your line of thought. Take your time, show respect to other theories, ideas and people involved in the topic, and expect to get rich only in experience. Don’t be arrogant but open-minded, test your thoughts on social media, accept criticism and the fact that there will always be people who disagree. I would have never been able to develop my theory without discussion and disagreement.

7) What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?

I have thought about writing a sequel, but I believe any theory should be simple enough to be presentable in a single book. If it takes two or more books, then it becomes confusing and tedious to understand. However, the scientific research concerning my theory is far from complete, and since the launch of my book in 2021 the number of pages has doubled in newer editions. In addition to ongoing research and expeditions to locations on the planet with similar anomalies, I am working on a TV documentary with a renowned UK film company, who believes my book has finally solved the mystery.

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About the Author

Henning Kuersten studied Computer & Information science at the Technical University of Munich, Germany, and Psychology at Queen’s University in Kingston, Canada. He is owner of a company specialized in software for image analysis. He is also a dedicated mountaineer who has survived a horrific incident on the 4049 meter high Piz Bernina, which, together with his professional experience in Photography and Psychology, has helped him to understand the mystery of the Dyatlov Pass Incident.

Interview with Author Giancarlo Roversi

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Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?

I’m a musician and a computer engineer. Since I was a child, I loved art. I dreamed of being a singer and an actor. Maybe it’s a coincidence, but when I was ten years old, I suffered an accident on a small train—I was unable to walk for a year and almost lost a foot. During those months when I couldn’t even get up, I wolfed down dozens of books by Agatha Christie and other authors. I also wrote my first short story. It was in the horror genre, and I always pictured the main character running away from a horde of zombie with the first part of the song “Magnetic Fields I” by Jean Michel Jarré playing as a background music.

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What inspired you to write your book?

During my teenage years, at my sister’s birthdays, a party guest talked about an intrinsic and mysterious subject. That’s where the idea for Pulstar came from. I felt I had to write about it somehow, heavily influenced by Blade Runner and my favorite books. I published the novels Astralvia I and II in Spanish in early 2000. Then I stopped writing and focused fully on my band Fractaler until 2012.

The social, economic, and political disaster in my country, Venezuela, influenced Pulstar and one of its prequels heavily.

What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?

Thank you for this question. For me, the greatest achievement of an author is when they connect with their readers. The primary message of Pulstar I is that we know so little about anything, also that humans are so insignificant on a universal scale, and how lethal a species can be when it’s slightly more intelligent than the rest, and when it can do whatever it wants because it owns the laws.

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What drew you into this particular genre?

The Pulstar trilogy is science fiction, alternate reality, and dystopia with a touch of romance. Nerve is science fiction with thriller, mystery, and a tinge of horror, perhaps.

Science fiction gives you thousands of possibilities. It’s thought-provoking and presents a range of philosophical issues I love. But what I like most about science fiction—hard-but-not-that-hard—is that it allows me to talk about one of my favorite subjects: the cosmos.

What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?

Well, this one is quite easy, as I don’t have social media. 😊 I manage everything through my mailing list, and now I’m entering the world of Goodreads.

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What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?

Wow, this is a tough one.

They have to love writing, otherwise, there’s no point. It’s hours of solitude and requires an extreme sacrifice on a social, economic, and emotional level that perhaps only other writers or people connected to the literary scene would be able to fully understand. However, if the uneasiness and the inner burning are there and never go away, we have no choice but toss it out, hoping our message connects with other people.

What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?

Thank you, future, for holding something in store for me. I hope you rock!

At the moment, I need to finish editing Pulstar II and III. Also, the prequel Marlenh is also in the editing process. Another project I have to complete is the music for all these books; although it’s quite advanced. I have other ideas floating around in my head, of course; only one is science fiction, and all of them would take place in Astralvia. One of these stories is about a young girl drummer who wants to make it; I’m a wanna-be drummer. What can I say?

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About the Author

Venezuela-born Giancarlo Roversi isn’t only a writer. He’s also a computer engineer and a musician who shared stages with artists such as REM, Oasis, Travis, Duran Duran, and Maroon Five.

When his band Fractaler broke up in 2011, he devoted the next ten years to cue the Pulstar Trilogy and three prequels in that universe.

He surrendered his personal life and wrote these manuscripts in his native language, Spanish, and then he translated them into English. He also composed a soundtrack for each book; they’re currently in production.

When he’s not living and breathing in his Pulstarverse, he loves family time, cooking, astronomy, animals, and having philosophical discussions—especially about the meaning of life—with anyone who cares to join him.

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Hawthorne Manor by Bryan T. Clark: Interview and Blog Tour

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Hawthorne Manor by Bryan T. Clark

  1. How long did it take you to write Hawthorne Manor?

I started writing Hawthorne Manor in 2020. During the pandemic I’d lost all of my creativity and all but stopped writing. I hadn’t finished the first draft at that point, and the characters completely shut down on me. I would go into my office and just sit there, waiting for one of them to speak to me. It was horrible. As we moved through the pandemic, my creativity slowly began to return. I think I’m back to pre-pandemic creativity now.

  1. Is it true that you’re a plotter?

In the beginning of a story, yes. I start with an idea, then I plot out the beginning, the middle, and the end. Everything in between these three points is created as the character’s relay it to me. They speak, and I type. It all has to come organically at this point. It’s the only way I’ll ever tell a story.

  1. What advice would you give a new unpublished author?

Writing a book is hard work and requires a commitment to the task. You will have many roadblocks, and you may think that it’s an impossible task . . . but it’s not. For many people they say that they just don’t know where to start. I say just write your idea even if you don’t have the entire story plotted. Every one of my books go through at least two major rewrites. With each draft more of the story is flushed out. In the end, you will have that story you set out to write.

  1. In your previous life, before you were an author, you were in law enforcement. Do the two careers share anything in common?

Not at all. For twenty-eight years, I was a private person, personally closed off to all who I was in contact with during the course of a day. Then, my life was about facts and conclusions. Now, as a writer, I am infusing bits and pieces of myself in my writing and sharing personal things that have influenced who I am today. I’ve mellowed. Life isn’t so serious anymore.

  1. What are you working on now?

Only what so many of you have been asking for over the past five years: a sequel to Come to the Oaks. The first book saw the characters come alive, and the sequel is just as exciting. The sequel is not simply a continuation of the first book but a new journey for Ben and Tobias, with all the sass, suspense, and satisfaction of Come to the Oaks.

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Hawthorne Manor - Bryan T. Clark

Bryan T. Clark has a new MM contemporary romance out: Hawthorne Manor.

Mikael Ferreira seems to have it all—a great career, looks, intelligence, and charm to boot. But his work as a full-time caregiver at Hawthorne Manor barely leaves him time to breathe, let alone date. Then a new employee arrives at the manor and makes Mikael question whether he’s been living at all or merely existing…

Elliot Olsson is Mikael’s polar opposite. Elliot’s autism has always made him feel isolated. Until now. Mikael truly sees him in a way no one ever has. Elliot wants to open his heart to Mikael and connect with him on a deeper level. But wanting won’t make it any easier to overcome the obstacles Elliot knows they’ll face as a couple…

As Mikael and Elliot’s story is beginning, eighty-eight-year-old Walter Hawthorne’s is coming to an end. But while his health is fading, his mind is sharp as ever—and he has a thing or two to share about life, intimacy, and love with the two young men who seem to know nothing about any of it…

Hawthorne Manor, a contemporary LGBTQ+ romantic novel, is an exploration of the foibles of aging, friendship, love, and the beauty that can exist in a found family. It features a house full of eccentric characters, witty banter, and a deeply emotional M/M romance. HEA guaranteed. Download today, and welcome to Hawthorne Manor.

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Excerpt

Hawthorne Manor meme - Bryan T. Clark

“Are you okay?” Mikael felt bad that he was the cause of Elliot’s stress. The two stood in silence for what seemed like minutes—very long minutes.

“Yeah… Just never been kissed before.” Elliot’s gaze dropped to the floor for a second.

Never been kissed? Mikael was at a loss on how to respond to such a profound statement.

“I liked it.” Elliot’s cheeks turned pink.

“You did?” A sea of blue in Elliot’s eyes, his rose lips, the pink in his pale cheeks… Mikael wanted to kiss all of him. He wanted to lift the sorrow from Elliot’s eyes, remove it from his lips, and wash it from his cheeks. He fought the urge to kiss him again. His heart pinged harder. He wanted to kiss him a million times to make up for all the kisses he’d missed. He touched Elliot’s cheek with the back of his hand, envisioning that he was wiping the sadness from it. Elliot trembled at his touch.

Elliot’s stare was piercing. His brows danced as a tiny smile slowly emerged, softening his expression.

“Do you know that you do this darling little thing with your brows? It’s barely noticeable how one goes up and the left one dips. It’s adorable.”

“I do?”

“When did you become so freakin’ hot?” Mikael’s voice dropped to a whisper.

Elliot wrinkled his nose. “I don’t think I’m hot.”

Mikael took Elliot’s denial as modesty. It was hard to believe he could be so attractive and not be aware of his good looks. “Yeah, and you know what? That makes you even hotter.” Mikael lifted Elliot’s chin. “I can’t believe you don’t know how nice-looking you are?”

Elliot shook his head, pulling loose from Mikael’s grasp. “No—”

“Yes.” Mikael raised Elliot’s chin. “You are.”

“I always thought you had a nice smile….” Elliot’s voice quaked. “Especially when you’re looking at me.”

You’re sooo freakin’ adorable. Mikael couldn’t avoid the big smile that accompanied his laugh.

“And you have pretty teeth,” Elliot mumbled.

“I think that’s a first. Someone complimenting me on my teeth. Usually, it’s my fat ass. But I’ll take teeth, too.”

“Your butt is nice too, but your teeth….” Elliot’s gaze drifted up to meet Mikael’s stare. “They’re really white.”

“Are you flirting with me, Mr. Olsson?” Mikael grinned as if he was in a toothpaste commercial, ensuring his white teeth were front and center. “I certainly hope so because I like you… I like you a lot.”

“I don’t know how to flirt. But your teeth are really white.” Elliot raked his fingers through his hair, then tucked it behind his ear. The protruding vein on his forehead subsided a little.

So, he does like me! Mikael’s heart thumped as he took a step closer to Elliot… and kissed him. Again.

It was only a soft kiss, but it was on lips he’d been dreaming of… and it was glorious!

He pulled back, assessing the situation. Seeing Elliot moisten his lips with his tongue, he did the same, wanting to savor every bit of the kiss. The dude that had never been kissed had the ability to set off fireworks within him.

Author Bio

Author Bryan T. Clark

Bryan T. Clark is a multi-published award-winning author of gay romance, and contemporary books. In his early in life, Bryan learned that he was different from everyone else in his world. As a young African American boy, he was the second to the youngest of seven children. Long before hormones kicked in and the realization of same sex attraction, it was his light skin and blond hair that made him different from those around him. Teased within his own race for being lighter than everyone else, the kids on the playground called him “Cornbread”.

As a writer, Bryan has taken back the power once given up to those schoolyard bullies. He is committed to bringing his readers stories of real life, with multicultural characters, riveting plots, and where the underdog always wins. He is the founder of Cornbread Publishing: the name empowers him and is a constant reminder that life can have a Happily-Ever-After.

Born in Boston, Massachusetts, Bryan and his husband of thirty-six years has made their home and life in the Central Valley of California.

Author Website: https://www.btclark.com/

Author Facebook (Personal): https://www.facebook.com/btclarkauthor

Author Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/romanceauthor/Author Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Bryan-T-Clark/author/B0BQ5JQ24P

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