Hello everyone! It’s time to reveal the answers for all 12 questions answered by 12 author participants in the January Group Author Interview, in the 12 genres, 12 authors, 12 months and 12 questions series!

I have to apologize for the delay in posting up the answers for Children’s Book interview series as we previously had two authors pulling out from the interview due to unforeseen circumstances. Nevertheless, we thank them for introducing two other authors for this interview series. But, now we now have not 12, but 14 authors participating in this group author interview.

Yes, I’m breaking the rules for this interview series! While looking for the last author to join us, I had to email a few of them at one go, just to make sure at least one of them gets back to me to complete this interview series. And guess what? I had not one, but THREE authors sending in their submissions at the same time! Can I say no to two of them? Would it be fair? No! So, yes, the more the merrier, I thought. Therefore, let’s welcome 14 authors for this interview series.

The first seven questions are from a ten-year old children’s book reviewer and BookTuber, named Neha Praveen. You can follow her on Twitter at @npstation2018

If you are an author and would like to participate in our upcoming interviews, check out this link, sign up and get your fans to ask their questions to the participating authors! The goal of this author interview is to increase the engagement between readers and authors, and to expose authors to new group of readers.

For more news, book promotion tips and offers, sign up for our newsletter to have the updates delivered right to your inbox.

So, the 2nd question is “How do you come up with names for characters?”

1) Author #1 : Ann Harrison-Barnes

Sometimes I get inspired by books I read, while at other times I may ask other authors for suggestions on ways to come up with names for my characters.

2) Author #2: Samantha Hardin

Sometimes, I use name generators online. Other times, I just think for a little while and come up with some.

3) Author #3: C.J. Rains

Names can be tricky. I’ve sometimes used names of my family members, other times I use names that seem to rhyme with words in the book or just sound interesting. Something that I feel will stick in the head of the reader

4) Author #4: Padma Venkatraman

The protagonist of my debut novel, CLIMBING THE STAIRS, is called Vidya – and I think it’s because subconsciously I knew that Vidya means knowledge, clarity and learning, in sanskrit and it fits because the main character yearns to climb a forbidden staircase to enter a library. I also have 2 cousins called VIdya, one was the daughter of my favorite aunt who always believed in me as a writer and naming a character after her daughter felt like a tribute to her.A Time to Dance also had a main character whose name began with a V – and it’s become a bit of a tradition with me now, because the narrator in THE BRIDGE HOME is Viji! 

5) Author #5: Elizabeth Gerlach

Since the book was inspired by my son Benjamin, the name was simple. His brother Colin and sister Ava also make an appearance in the first book.

6) Author #6: Cassie Miller

It depends, if it is based upon a friend or family member I ask them if they would mind their name being used or if they have a code name they would prefer. If the character is completely fictional I spend a lot of time on Google researching names and their meanings trying to find the perfect fit for what I want the character to embody

7) Author #7: Charlie Bee

That very much depends on the character and how we would like the character to be perceived, for example if we are writing a story for children  and it involves a mean character or villain, we would consider using a name that isn’t flattering, but also a little funny, to make the character less scary for the more timid reader. A good example of this would be Professor Toefluff.

8) Author #8: Jerry Craft

I usually take a long time to come up with the right names. Most times, unless I use one of my friend’s names, if it comes too quickly, I toss it out. I never want to use names that are so common that they appear stereotypical.

9) Author #9: Linda Covella

Often I search “baby name” sites for a name that seems to fit the character. If my story is historical, I’ll look up what names were popular in the character’s time period. Or, I may pick a name because of its meaning. For instance, “Fernanda,” the main character in Yakimali’s Gift, means “adventurous one,” which Fernanda is and longs for adventure in her life.

10) Author #10: Tracy K

From other stories I have read

11) Author #11: Beffy Parkin

Naming the characters is lots of fun. They can be bizarre and wonderful names, or names that everyone knows, as long as it suits that character. 

12) Author #12: Lory Linn

I guess that depends on the personality and age of the character. If I’m using the character’s name in the title then I like it to be something catchy, something people will remember, especially if it’s a children’s book.

13) Author #13: Karen Magnen

The names are sometimes people or animals in my life, otherwise I just pick names out of the blue. Common names that a child reading the story may have.

14) Author #14: Dr. Graham Clingbine

I use first names of friends from school days or sometimes family members (but only if they ‘’feel’’ right for the story I am writing). If not I will just use names I like.

Stay tuned for the next post. Be sure to follow this website via email to get notified when new posts are being made.

Best regards,

Jasveena

Founder of International Book Promotion

Hello everyone! It’s time to reveal the answers for all 12 questions answered by 12 author participants in the January Group Author Interview, in the 12 genres, 12 authors, 12 months and 12 questions series!

I have to apologize for the delay in posting up the answers for Children’s Book interview series as we previously had two authors pulling out from the interview due to unforeseen circumstances. Nevertheless, we thank them for introducing two other authors for this interview series. But, now we now have not 12, but 14 authors participating in this group author interview.

Yes, I’m breaking the rules for this interview series! While looking for the last author to join us, I had to email a few of them at one go, just to make sure at least one of them gets back to me to complete this interview series. And guess what? I had not one, but THREE authors sending in their submissions at the same time! Can I say no to two of them? Would it be fair? No! So, yes, the more the merrier, I thought. Therefore, let’s welcome 14 authors for this interview series.

The first seven questions are from a ten-year old children’s book reviewer and BookTuber, named Neha Praveen. You can follow her on Twitter at @npstation2018

If you are an author and would like to participate in our upcoming interviews, check out this link, sign up and get your fans to ask their questions to the participating authors! The goal of this author interview is to increase the engagement between readers and authors, and to expose authors to new group of readers.

For more news, book promotion tips and offers, sign up for our newsletter to have the updates delivered right to your inbox.

So, the 1st question is “What is your source of ideas for a new book?”

1) Author #1 : Ann Harrison-Barnes

That depends on the book. As I’ve heard authors say from time to time, ideas come from everywhere. However, Inspiration can come from a variety of sources too. Maggie’s Gravy Train Adventure was inspired by a tweet about a gravy train.

2) Author #2: Samantha Hardin

They honestly kind of just pop up in my brain. They don’t seem to come from anywhere specific.

3) Author #3: C.J. Rains

My ideas can come from almost anything. Sometimes an idea will pop in my head right out of nowhere, while other times they can come from something I see, something I’ve read, or just from a personal experience.

4) Author #4: Padma Venkatraman

Until now,  all my books are in part based on a true story. The main characters are also inspired in some way by someone real. For example, Vidya in Climbing the Stairs is inspired by my mother and my family history (in India in the 1940’s); A Time to Dance is inspired by Shoba Sharma and other dancers I saw; and all four main characters in The Bridge Home are inspired by friends I had as a child. 

5) Author #5: Elizabeth Gerlach

My book Ben’s Adventures is actually inspired by my son Benjamin. He lived with cerebral palsy and various medical challenges so I wanted to show that even though a child might have physical differences, he/she can still be a kid, daydream, pretend, play, have friendship and be happy. So far, my ideas have been based on our family experiences, vacations at the beach, trips to the circus (new manuscript), etc.

6) Author #6: Cassie Miller

I get my ideas from my life and the lives of my loved ones. Everyone is so unique and interested in such a wide range of things I have a never ending and always evolving pool of ideas to pick from

7) Author #7: Charlie Bee

Anything may spark an idea, for example imagery and sounds, music, conversations, literally anything.

8) Author #8: Jerry Craft

When I was writing New Kid, my middle grade graphic novel, I used a lot of my memories as a kid starting a new school. I had always attended small schools that had classes of 25 students, of which most were African American. But the high school I attended had me as one of maybe 10 African American students out of a class of over 100. Plus, like me, Jordan Banks is one of the youngest and smallest kids in his class.

9) Author #9: Linda Covella

My inspiration for my books comes from many places: personal experiences, places I’ve been, books and other publications I’ve read. For instance, reading about the 1775 colonization expedition from Mexico to California inspired my novel Yakimali’s Gift and picture book The Power of a Dream: Maria Feliciana Arballo, Latina Pioneer.

I’ve always liked ghost stories, so that partially inspired my Ghost Whisperer series, which also take place in Santa Cruz where I live. Book one, The Castle Blues Quake, involves an earthquake, of which I’ve experienced numerous times living in California. Part of the plot for book two, The Ghosts of Pebble Brook Lodge, was inspired by a true story of a girl drowning in a creek that runs through the dining room of the local Brookdale Lodge.

And with Cryptogram Chaos, I was tired of seeing computer games with all the fighting and killing, so my fourteen-year-old characters create a game where gamers advance to different levels by answering secret codes, or cryptograms. Each of the three levels has increasingly exciting things for the gamers to do, such as eat all the candy and ice cream they want, undersea adventures, racing cars, bungee jumping, and becoming powerful avatars.

10) Author #10: Tracy K

From my own life experiences.

11) Author #11: Beffy Parkin

Ideas can come from anywhere, whilst doing the most boring activities in the world! It could be from a mispronounced word that sounds like a fun character’s name.

12) Author #12: Lory Linn

I simply use the sources I have in front of me; nature such as watching birds play in the water, people at the beach or the mall, watching my dog play, and most recently I am writing a book based on my granddaughter.

13) Author #13: Karen Magnen

I have so many ideas for stories.  I write from experience, Milton was a real dog.   I also write about topics that interest me, such as fairies and dragons. I write stories that are funny, and teach some simple lessons.

14) Author #14: Dr. Graham Clingbine

I think about real-life fun or funny experiences that happened in my childhood that have remained in my memory as an adult.

Stay tuned for the next post. Be sure to follow this website via email to get notified when new posts are being made.

Best regards,

Jasveena

Founder of International Book Promotion