Monthly Interviews

Get up close and personal with authors! We group-interview authors from a different genre every month and group the answers for each question from all authors. Are you eager to see the different shades of answers? Follow our blog to stay tuned with the posts!

August 24, 2014

MARSocial Special Interview: Question & Answers #6

Hello everyone! So, finally we received all answers from our participants from MARSocial author network. Are you excited to read the answers yet? Question #6 is “If you could be transported into one of your stories as a character, would you or would you stay as far away from it as possible?” from Sam Reese. 

Let’s check out the answers from all 11 author participants !

1) Coleman Weeks

Depending on the character I would jump at the chance for some roles.
 

2) Viv Drewa

The killer in my new novel. Sorry, still in progress can’t divulge anything else.

3) K. J. Rollinson

No, I love all of my characters. Obviously, I would pick to be one of the ‘goodies’. I quite fancy being Black Bert, the captain of a group of pirates in the last of my ‘Fallyn trilogy’, ‘Fallyn and the Sea Dragons’. I intended him to be bad but he waved his cutlass at me and decided he would be a Johnny Depp character, handsome, debonair, and charismatic. I wasn’t going to argue so I let him have his way. (About his character I mean!).

4) Sam Reese

Hmmmmm, depends on the story. I would like to visit my fictional town of Sherman’s March sometime, and it might be fun to wander around with the protagonist of my recent WIP in his weird amalgamation of mythologies, but some of my stories…not so much.
 
 

5) Neil McGowan

 I’d stay well away – as a horror writer, the chances would be high that I would meet a messy, untimely end.

6) Marion Lovato

Oh, I would love to be Sammy and have the powers and adventures of a Superhero!

7) Jaro Berce

Interesting. Never thought about the main character this way. Always on the opposite: about the main character coming to a real world. Well, I think time in books and the real time are different. In books time passes too fast and I like the time to pass slowly.

8) Marie Lavender

You just made me laugh.  Would I be a dual character, meaning would I be aware of myself and my character?  Or, would I be totally unaware of myself as the author?  In that case, you can’t really avoid interacting with the story.  You are the character so you will act like them.  On the other hand, as the architect of the original work, I think I would have the insane urge to “observe”.  That’s what writers do best.  However, I would have to seriously reign myself in, knowing I was a certain character.  And while we’re on the topic, I guess it would really depend on what character I was.  A minor character?  More doable, I think.  It would be hard to be the main character because you would still be thinking about your own life as reality.  I have never been a great actress, and it would definitely be challenging.

9) LaRae Parry

I would be Marzee the Witch in my short story, Love at Tadpole Square

10) Theresa Moretimer

 I am a character in one of my novels LoL and I would honestly stay away if I could LoL but writing about a character based on myself has made me stronger. I have become brave and for the first time saw what I was doing to myself in real life so it gave me the opportunity to change.

11) Annie Edmonds

I have to smile at this question Sam. Without a doubt in my mind I would jump into one of my books. Handsome men willing to please their women in every way. Beautiful women who genuinely care about each other. A private BDSM club called Desire. Scenes with feelings.  The beach, drama, friendships, suspense, and did I mention the hot kinky sex?  Hell yea, I’m in, Lol..
 

The next question is “What do you consider most important in  a novel – literary value or story?” from Neil McGowan. Stay tuned with us for the next post !

August 23, 2014

MARSocial Special Interview: Question & Answers #5

Hello everyone! So, finally we received all answers from our participants from MARSocial author network. Are you excited to read the answers yet? Question #5 is “There was recently a message on ‘Books and Writers’ saying ‘please stop giving your books away’. What do you feel about this?” from Kathy.

Let’s check out the answers from all 11 author participants !

1) Coleman Weeks

That is the beauty of self-publishing and being an indie, we can do as we like with our work, to each his own.
 

2) Viv Drewa

If it’s for a contest I think that’s OK. I did give my new releases away at first but decided not to anymore.

3) K. J. Rollinson

I am in agreement in giving your books away free. I do not publish to make money (although it would be great if I did). For me to be published is for my own satisfaction. Also, I think to promote your book for a free period, say for four weeks, can be an advertisement. I cannot remember the name, but one author recently promoted their book free on Amazon and was downloaded thousands of time and a publishing house picked up their book and it is now a best seller.

4) Sam Reese

I don’t know that I have an opinion one way or the other, though I will say that I think art should be shared and that an artist should be rewarded for his or her work. So, I hope that’s as clear as mud.
 

5) Neil McGowan

  As a writer, my goal is to reach as many readers as possible; as a reader, I know that I’m more likely to try an unknown author if I can read one of their books for free. I’ve discovered many great new authors like this, and have gone on to buy some of their other work. I think people can be put off trying books that fall slightly outside their usual choices if they have to pay for them – if they can be enticed to try new stuff for free, then I think everyone benefits – the reader gains a new writer and the writer gains a new reader. It’s great doing something I love and getting paid for it as well, but the pay check isn’t the reason I write. But I have to say, the sense of reward when someone pays you to read something you’ve written is fantastic.

6) Marion Lovato

Since I feel that I’m still new to the publishing industry, I often wondered why people would give their books away.  I know I need every penny I can make.  However, looking at the other side of the coin, if you can interest someone in your books with a free one, you would have a reader for life.

7) Jaro Berce

I would answer with my thought: »Knowledge is the only good that, when shared, there is more of it around and you don’t have any less of it!« and books are full of knowledge.

8) Marie Lavender

I am a total Libra on this topic.  I understand the message.  They are trying to discourage it because, as new or indie authors, we don’t reap any profits from it.  Although I do agree on some level, I also realize that word of mouth is everything in this business.  What better way to spread the word about your book than for a reader to tell his/her friends about it?  So, let me revise the original statement a bit.  “Don’t blatantly give your books away.”  Meaning, sure, offer a brief free period on Amazon.  And definitely promote it.  Run giveaways now and then with multi-author events if you find them.  Do a contest on your blog.  Don’t offer free books all the time because you’re devaluing your work.  But, do offer readers who haven’t even heard of you the chance to sample your work.

9) LaRae Parry

I feel who ever said that needs to mind his or her own business. Um, we can do whatever we want with our books. I was mad the other day and even threw mine. To each his own.

10) Theresa Moretimer

 I never saw the article so I really can’t comment on that one.

11) Annie Edmonds

Thanks Kathy, I haven’t read that article. This is one question I don’t mind answering. For a while now I have been watching writers give their books away for free. We’ve all done it. And I think it can be used as a tool to get readers to find out who we are. 
 
Or if you have a second book or a third to promote, then giving the first away is a good way to bring the readers to the writer’s work. And if giving your book away gets the readers to actually read our books how can it be wrong, Right? 
 
But then you have the writers that give every book they write away. So why would readers even search out books they have to pay for when they can get so many for free? And then do they even read those free books.  Or do the free books get pushed to the back of the list of books to read? I don’t know. 
 
Look, we know that for an authors story to hit the big leagues its like looking for a needle in a haystack. Everyday there’s more and more writers publishing their books. And Maybe we all should stick together and only give free books one month out of the year. Then maybe readers would search through the forest of books and hopefully find an author that might have never been discovered if not for having to pay for that book.  
 

The next question is “If you could be transported into one of your stories as a character, would you or would you stay as far away from it as possible?” from Sam Reese. Stay tuned with us for the next post !

August 23, 2014

MARSocial Special Interview: Question & Answers #4

Hello everyone! So, finally we received all answers from our participants from MARSocial author network. Are you excited to read the answers yet? Question #4 is “When did you decide to become a writer?” from Viv Drewa.

Let’s check out the answers from all 11 author participants !

1) Coleman Weeks

I have wrote since Grammar School, maybe I should have been listening more?
 

2) Viv Drewa

In 1963 after reading JR Greene’s “The Whistling Sword”. I had read all the Hardy Boy and Nancy Drew mysteries and wanted to try something new. Greene’s novel took me on an adventure in the Middle East following a young boy who met a group traveling led by Ghengus Khan. It was thrilling and I was interested in writing from that point on.

3) K. J. Rollinson

I have written stories as long as I can remember, but it was not until I joined Wordplay Writers’ Forum, Spain, which has its own publishing firm, that I thought having my books published.

4) Sam Reese

I’ve always written and told stories of some sort, but I started actively writing back in college, probably ten years or so ago.

5) Neil McGowan

  I’ve wanted to write for as long as I can remember – I think I was 4 or 5 when I wrote my first ‘book’ and illustrated it. (It was a sheet of paper folded in half to make the pages.)

6) Marion Lovato

I started writing poetry when I was in college and always thought about writing a novel.  Thinking was as far as I got!  However, when I became a cat owner, I had to share all the funny things.

7) Jaro Berce

It was not a time stamp somewhere in the past. It was rather a process that I followed. It begun by publishing professional subject articles about the researches I did. Becoming more conscious of the society I slowly moved to a “lighter” genre writing for public newspapers. As there were thoughts and subjects accumulating in my mind writing a book was not so far apart.

8) Marie Lavender

I often chuckle at this question because I can recall at an early age telling people, “I’m going to be a writer!”  Actually, I used the terms writer/author/novelist interchangeably, and this is the truth.  The moment you put pen to paper or fingers to keyboard with the intent of “writing”, you’re a writer.  The moment those words spill out of you, sometimes even chaotically, you’re automatically a writer.  I have always been a writer, and I probably started this wild journey when I was nine years old.  Another thing I want to point out is that I didn’t just up and decide to be a writer.  It chose me.  I could no more stop “writing” than I could stop the passage of time.

9) LaRae Parry

I didn’t decide. My desire to write is an umbilical urge.

10) Theresa Moretimer

 I have been writing all my life. I started at the age of 5 telling scary stories about the areas we would drive through and after the ordeal I went through I wrote a book and published it.

11) Annie Edmonds

Thanks Vivi, I love this question. I don’t think it’s a decision that you make. You either are or you aren’t. I have to write. I constantly have one or two stories going on in my head at all times. It’s just finding the time to put them down on paper so to speak. 
 

The next question is “There was recently a message on ‘Books and Writers’ saying ‘please stop giving your books away’. What do you feel about this?” from Kathy. Stay tuned with us for the next post !

August 23, 2014

MARSocial Special Interview: Question & Answers #3

Hello everyone! So, finally we received all answers from our participants from MARSocial author network. Are you excited to read the answers yet? Question #3 is “What’s your favorite color and favorite dessert?” from Annie Edmonds. 

Let’s check out the answers from all 11 author participants !

1) Coleman Weeks

Red and all things chocolate
 

2) Viv Drewa

My favorite color is emerald green, I love fruit.

3) K. J. Rollinson

Colour (English spelling) is blue. Favourite dessert (ditto) anything with chocolate.

4) Sam Reese

Favorite color is black, favorite dessert is probably apple pie, though I love me some dessert.

5) Neil McGowan

Favourite colour is a deep emerald green; I a savoury guy when it comes to desserts, so probably cheese and biscuits, preferably a good blue cheese!

6) Marion Lovato

My favorite color is lilac.  My favorite dessert is cherry cobbler.

7) Jaro Berce

I’m not really into favorites as they tend to limit a person. All depends on the atmosphere, situation, feelings, needs and much more. Listen to yourself and then you will definitively know which (favorite) color, food and place fits you best at that proper moment. Listening to yourself proves to be harder but when you know yourself it pays greatly! Only then you begin to understand others and accept them the way they are and not the way you wish them to be.

8) Marie Lavender

My favorite color is hot pink.  My favorite dessert?  Chocolate.  Anything chocolate, and the darker the better.  

9) LaRae Parry

Gotta love our Jersey Girl, dontcha? My favorite color is butter yellow. My favorite dessert is the Blondie at Applebee’s.

10) Theresa Moretimer

 My favorite color…That’s a hard one, I love a lot of colors especially green, blue and red and my favorite dessert is chessecake.

11) Annie Edmonds

It’s funny answering your own question. 
My favorite color is the turquoise blue. It’s the color of the ocean in Siesta Key, and the Caribbean. Two places that hold a special place in my heart. I’ve always loved blue. But as I got older I’m just drawn to the turquoise blues. 
 
I love pastries. namely Italian pastries such as Connoli, Tiramisu, Napoleon even biscotti.  Anything made with Ricotta cheese and or thin pastry dough is Ok with me. And I don’t mind a gelato every now and again.
 

The next question is “When did you decide to become a writer?” from Viv Drewa. Stay tuned with us for the next post !

August 21, 2014

MARSocial Special Interview: Question & Answers #2

Hello everyone! So, finally we received all answers from our participants from MARSocial author network. Are you excited to read the answers yet? Question #2 is from author Theresa Moretimer and her question is “What made you choose the genre you write?”

Let’s check out the answers from all 11 author participants !

1) Coleman Weeks

I write about whatever is rattling around in my head, it is therapeutic

2) Viv Drewa

I love anything scary. Especially having to do with ghosts. So after reading all genre’s I chose paranormal.

3) K. J. Rollinson

I do not have a particular genre. I write fantasy, murder. My present book, which is approximately half finished, ‘Where Lies My Heart’ will be an adventure/love story.

4) Sam Reese

It’s really two things. I love horror as a genre, and when I try writing anything, somehow horror becomes at least an element of the story. I guess it’s in my brain.

5) Neil McGowan

I’ve loved horror since I learned to read, so I guess it was natural for me to lean towards this genre. Quite often – especially with short stories – I don’t start out with the intention of writing a horror story, but it nearly always tends to end up that way. I have written in other genres, but I find it harder to achieve a convincing voice; I also enjoy writing horror – it seems to come easy to me, and I usually finish a writing session with a smile when writing it.

6) Marion Lovato

I actually didn’t choose my genre because it chose me.  Owning two cats gave me a ton of raw material to work with.

7) Jaro Berce

It was natural for me. I like science fiction. A fiction that has a lot of content and connects to a real world can be pretty much expressed by my flow of writing of the subject I would like to present.

8) Marie Lavender

I love romance, the concept of “love”.  I always loved reading romance novels and watching romantic comedies.  It appeals to something deep inside of me.  I can’t imagine not writing about love.  It is essential.  To me love is more than an idea.  It is real, the fabric of the universe, what connects us as human beings.  I believe in the kind of love that can last lifetimes, cross time and place.  Why do I believe so wholly in such a thing?  I have my own true love story playing out in my life every day.  Have I always had that?  No, but I always believed I was meant to find that special someone, just as I believe there is someone for everyone.  It is this essential belief that inspires my characters and their stories, that I pour into my books.  When I am writing about romance, even if there are obstacles blocking the characters, I think there is no better high than telling someone’s story.

9) LaRae Parry

My first publisher MADE me choose ROMANCE. I like writing humorous memoirs, comedy, mysteries, and paranormal with a little romance thrown in.

10) Theresa Moretimer

I actually didn’t choose my genre because it chose me.  Owning two cats gave me a ton of raw material to work with.

11) Annie Edmonds

Good question Tre. My first thought was to write a children s book. I had done this before, but something inside me told me to leave that for later.

The next question is “What’s your favorite color and favorite dessert?” from Annie Edmonds. Stay tuned with us for the next post !

August 17, 2014

MARSocial Special Interview: Question & Answers #1

Hello everyone! So, finally we received all answers from our participants from MARSocial author network. Are you excited to read the answers yet? Question #1 is from author Coleman Weeks and his question is “How do you promote your work?” 

Let’s see how all 11 author participants promote theirs!

1) Coleman Weeks

I promote socially and am always on the lookout for innovations in that sphere.

2) Viv Drewa

My first novels and stories I self-published. Now I have a publisher.

3) K. J. Rollinson

Facebook, Twitter, Google+, WordPress, Pinterest, Emails, my website, weekly marsocial dragon post blog, various writing groups. Social contacts. Car sticker. List of my books appear in every publication of my books, published on Amazon. My Amazon author’s page. Book Weeks organised by Wordplay Writers Forum at least once a year,(I am a member). Wordplay Writers Forum Web page, Occasionally articles appear in the local press, T.V. Choice Magazine, ‘Writing Magazine UK. Video on You Tube.

4) Sam Reese

In a variety of ways: Facebook groups, word-of-mouth, my website, my publisher’s website, etc. Pretty much any way I can promote I will try at least once.

5) Neil McGowan

   I use a combination of social media and promotional sites such as iauthor. It needs an investment of time to do, and sometimes it feels like an uphill battle, but it does bring results. I’ve also had some success with word-of-mouth, and through reading extracts or short stories at local events.

6) Marion Lovato

I promote my work through Social Media as well as websites that accept excerpts or offer promotion for free.

7) Jaro Berce

I use several different channels ranging from conferences to blogs. Conferences are mostly more professional oriented but my blog and guest blogs are more opened to topics. Also TV and local media work fine for personal promotion. The hardest part in promotion is what I’ve finally found out, i.e. it is not about promoting oneself but your book or writings. 

8) Marie Lavender

I do whatever I can.  I make as many connections as possible on the various social networks.  I post about my books, but I also post about regular things too.  I do author interviews, character interviews and guest posts whenever I can on other blogs or sites.  I also post on my three blogs frequently.  I have author profiles in various places.  I also take out book cover ads on different sites.

9) LaRae Parry

To launch a new release, I do a Facebook Event announcing the new book. For my latest release, I offered a four-day free download. That shot my book to Amazon’s #1 ranking in the two categories it was listed it. That really helped.

10) Theresa Moretimer

 I Tweet, use Facebook, Blog and have a magnet of my book on the side of my car that has a picture of the cover of my book, w/ the title and my name and website.

11) Annie Edmonds

Good one to start things off Coleman. I promote my work the old fashioned way, and it’s hard work.  I do have help when someone shares my book or blog. But mostly it’s me sharing to twitter, Facebook, Google, And my blogs.  
I also had Jas and her team at IBP.com make a trailer for my book and that has been an amazing tool. 
 

The next question is from Theresa and her question is “What made you choose the genre you write?” Stay tuned with us for the next post tomorrow!

August 13, 2014

MARSocial Special Interview: Author #11 Annie Edmonds

Annie is a Jersey Girl born and bred. She has been happily married to the one man that stole her heart 30 yrs ago. She hopes to one day move to the sunshine state as the winters are hard on someone who lives with chronic pain.

She loves to write and has been doing it her entire life. In 2013 she reached a milestone birthday and decided it was now or never to write and published her first erotic romance novel. Second Chances Sammy’s story is the first in the Second Chance series. She’s currently writing Master Mike Sloan’s story.

When not writing/blogging Annie loves to spend time with her husband and family at the beach. This is where she gets her inspiration.

 Her other interest include, Photography, gardening, and she’s a foodie that loves to cook.

Being an independent author or indie isn’t always easy. But it can be fun when you write a blog that you love. Annie started Sex w/Annie on WordPress and it seems to have hit a sweet spot where followers are concerned. She post a Sexy Sunday blog for couples, singles every Sunday by 4 PM. 

http://www.amazon.com/Second-Chances-Sammys-story-Chance-ebook/dp/B00EB3FJ6M/ref=la_

August 13, 2014

MARSocial Special Interview: Author #10 Theresa Moretimer

Theresa Moretimer began writing as therapy after becoming disabled following a domestic violence incident. She went through several years of physical therapy and counseling. Theresa strives to prevent this from happening to others with a prevention/awareness campaign. She has spoken for the Governor of her state concerning domestic violence and donates 20% of all book sales to help victims. Her goal is to ultimately build shelters where there are none.
Theresa is divorced and lives on a small farm with her daughters. She enjoys writing, singing, cooking, family game and movie nights as well as horseback riding, swimming, football and ghost hunting. Theresa has earned a BA in Accounting and Creative Writing and was named a finalist in the MARSocial Author of the Year 2014 Competition where she was named a Runner-Up for her book To Hide from Death II: When death comes stalking.
 
August 13, 2014

MARSocial Special Interview: Author #9 LaRae Parry

I was born with a loose screw. I’m not kidding, I was. It has gotten me into trouble and out of trouble, so I can’t complain.

I was also born with an umbilical urge to write – or – tell stories – made up ones. That got me into a lot of trouble, and out of trouble, so, I can’t complain. 🙂

In 1991, I became a VERY famous artist. I drew, painted, and wrote painting instructions for a publisher. I had 13 painting books published – which is weird, because I never considered myself an artist. I was a faux artist, I guess.

Then in 2005, a simple medical procedure went terribly wrong that landed me in the ICU on life-support because of respiratory and multiple organ failure. Even though I beat the odds and survived, docs said my brain crashed (like how a computer crashes) and needed to be rebooted.

The good news was I had a brain. The bad news was it wasn’t working. I had to relearn how to walk, go upstairs, comb my hair, etc. Forget about reading.

In 2010, I learned how to read and write again. I never did get my faux artistic skills back, but that’s okay. I didn’t have them to begin with. 😉

So now I’m doing what I’ve always wanted to do – write. Tell stories, make-up stories and enjoy the little fantasy land that I have always loved. I’ll take you on the journey if you’d like. 🙂

 

 

 

www.amazon.com/author/laraeparry

August 13, 2014

MARSocial Special Interview: Author #8 Marie Lavender

Bestselling author of UPON YOUR RETURN and 18 other books. Finalist and Runner-up in the MARSocial’s Author of the Year Competition. Honorable mention in the January 2014 Reader’s Choice Award. Liebster Blogger Award for 2013 and 2014. Top 50 Authors on AuthorsDB.com. Winner of the Great One Liners Contest on the Directory of Published Authors.

Marie Lavender lives in the Midwest with her family and three cats. She has been writing for over twenty years. She has more works in progress than she can count on two hands.

At the tender age of nine, she began writing stories. She majored in Creative Writing in college because that was all she ever wanted – to be a writer. While there, she published two works in a university publication, and was a copy editor on the staff of an online student journal. After graduating from college, she sought out her dream to publish a book.

Since then, Marie has published nineteen books. She has published books in the genres of historical romance, contemporary romance, romantic suspense, paranormal romance, mystery/thriller, literary fiction and poetry. Lavender just released Magick & Moonlight, a paranormal romance, in March. Upon Your Honor, released in late April, is her second historical romance. 

A list of her books and pen names are as follows:

Marie Lavender: Upon Your Return; Magick & Moonlight; Upon Your Honor

Erica Sutherhome: Hard to Get; Memories; A Hint of Scandal; Without You; Strange Heat; Terror in the Night;Haunted; Pursuit; Perfect Game; A Touch of Dawn; Ransom; Leather and Lace

Kathryn Layne: A Misplaced Life

Heather Crouse: Express Café and Other Ramblings; Ramblings, Musings and Other Things; Soulful Ramblings and Other Worldly Things

http://www.amazon.com/Marie-Lavender/e/B00C10Q94I/